Today, Jacob completes his journey and meets Rachel. Jacob and his father-in-law Laban simply don’t get along, and let’s be honest, it’s not because they are morally upstanding people with a difference of opinions, it’s because they both practice deception to their own advantage. The daughters of Laban aren’t too dissimilar, and their pettiness is made apparent in today’s text. As a means of trying to gain flocks for himself, Jacob practices strange husbandry, proving not only that he has no idea how breeding works, but that it is by the grace of God, not by Jacob’s skills, that his flocks increase.

Genesis 29 - 1:01 .

Genesis 30 - 7:29 .

Genesis 31 - 13:54 .

Psalm 18 - 17:03 .

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Today, Jacob the deceiver lives up to his name. With the help of his mother Rebekah, he goes to great lengths to disguise himself from his blind and aging father, tricking him into thinking that he is older brother Esau so that he might receive his father’s blessing. Jacob and Rebekah come up with a way to trick Isaac yet again, and Isaac sends Jacob to another country to get a wife for himself, thereby escaping the wrath of Esau. Later, Jacob dreams of a stairway that reaches heaven with angels ascending and descending on it. The Lord promises to give the land to Jacob and his descendants, vowing to be with him and watch him wherever he goes.

Genesis 26 - 1:00

Genesis 27 - 6:33

Genesis 28 - 16:16

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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When concluded our last reading, we found ourselves in the middle of an account concerning Abraham’s servant and Isaac’s future wife Rebekah. Abraham didn’t want Isaac marrying a Canaanite woman, so he sent a messenger to find a wife for his son from among his own people. The servant recounts what happened in the last episode almost verbatim, so if you get a bit of déjà vu, don’t worry. We’ll see that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree as we read about Isaac and Rebekah. Later, we’ll be introduced to Isaac’s sons: Esau & Jacob.

Genesis 24:29-67 - 1:06 .

Genesis 25 - 8:39 .

Psalm 17 - 14:11 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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God calls Abraham to do something that most of us would consider unthinkable, especially because we have the privilege of knowing God’s character through the whole counsel of Scripture: He asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as an offering to the Lord. Abraham trusts the Lord, and as the author of Hebrews later notes, “He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back.” As you listen, consider the parallels between this sacrifice and the sacrifice of Christ, who did not have a ram to be His substitute, but who, instead, was the sacrifice Lamb who became our substitute.

Genesis 22 - 1:01 .

Genesis 23 - 5:36 .

Genesis 24 - 8:52 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Today’s episode contains adult themes, parental discretion advised. In our last episode, the Lord visited Abraham by sending three messengers to his home. In today’s episode, those angels are sent to Sodom and Gomorrah, because the wickedness of the people has grown so severe that it calls for complete annihilation. Lot shows the angels hospitality, but when the crowd presses against the door to assault his guests, his cowardice is revealed. The angels rescue Lot, but as we will soon see, sin continues to flourish in Lot’s family. Later, a son is born to Abraham and is named, “Isaac,” which means, “He laughs.”

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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In our last episode, Abram told the Egyptians that Sarai was his sister in order save his own skin, and today things get even messier. Sarai suggests they try to help God’s plan along by pulling a slave girl into Abram’s bed. And Abram says, SURE. Yikes. It would be hard to argue that the Lord chose Abram because of his upstanding moral qualities, because the Bible highlights his flaws rather than covering them up. Abram doubts, wavers, makes poor decisions, but ultimately he responds to the Lord’s instruction. The Lord makes promises, not because Abram deserves it or because His holy hands would be tied without Abram’s cooperation; instead, through his work in Abram’s life God will show the world his steadfast love and sovereign provision.

Genesis 16 - 1:02 .

Genesis 17 - 4:44 .

Genesis 18 - 10:56 .

Psalm 15 - 17:42 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Today, we’re introduced to Abram, a man who is called by God to leave his family and his country and venture to a land that God will show him. While we know Abram lineage, what we know of Abram’s character only begins after the Lord calls him to go. We learn that Abram is a man capable of great faith and great cowardice, as puts his wife in a compromising situation in order to save his own skin. Later, the Lord confirms his covenant with Abram by way of an ancient practice that would have been understood by the culture. By passing between the split carcasses of a series of animals, the one committing to covenant is basically saying, “May I become like this if I don’t fulfill my vow.”

Genesis 12 - 1:02 .

Genesis 13 - 4:34 .

Genesis 14 - 8:26 .

Genesis 15 - 13:07 .

Psalm 14 - 17:23 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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Job has justified himself in his own sight, repeating again and again that God has been unjust, bemoaning his fate and complaining that a man should be able to take God to court. In today’s episode, God puts Job in his place by asking him a series of questions. This inquisition is designed to help Job see how finite, weak, and limited he is, while painting a vibrant picture of God’s power and authority. Job can’t even direct a wild animal to work for him, let alone conceptualize, create, and oversee the entirety of creation. In the end, Job relents and his relationship with God is restored to one of fruitful abundance.

Job 39 - 1:10 .

Job 40 - 4:45 .

Job 41 - 7:50 .

Job 42 - 12:35 .

Psalm 13 - 16:17 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by the Christian Standard Bible.

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