Biblical Literacy Podcast

October 15, 2023

Genesis Session 5

In this session Mark discusses Moses on Mount Sinai +1240 BC

A close look at "Enuma Elish and "Atrahasis"

The Lesson is broken down into:

Bizarre Story:

The implications and teaching of what and how Moses communicated his message and how we as human beings should interpret the scriptures related thereto.

What Moses and the people heard was massively different and very revealing,

Moses goes to the top of mount Sinai to deliver his message and communicated a message, how is unknown, which was written to Ancient Israel, in Ancient Hebrew, Ancient Vocabulary and Ancient Understanding.

Mark discussed the impact on the neighboring cultures based on a current map of the area.

Moses, through the power of God wrote the ten commands in stone and gave them to Israel.

Text in Context:

Mark discussed the surrounding neighbors of Israel such as

Ugarit – gods are supersized humans

The Ba ‘lu Myth

Dawn and Dusk

Akkadian- The Enuma Elish, also known as “The seven tablets of creation”

Atrahasis- gods create lesser gods, lesser gods rebel

Points for Home:

Don’t miss the forest for the trees.

The unique awesomeness of God in his revelation and creation,

Unlike any human or god.

Psalms 8, Deuteronomy 10:17

10-8-23 Biblical-Literacy

Mark continued in the Genesis series with a focus on Part 2 of Creation and asking the question: Are faith and science at war?

Mark organized his teaching to cover:

1. Basics -The fundamental principles of creation. The ancients had different teachings for the creation. God is above creation, not captive to nature. God made space and time.

2.Theology -Important theological teachings. God gives us science to combat the results of a fallen world.

3.Options -How do we read Genesis? Ethical issues demand faith dialogue with science. Points for home:-God is unlike others-You are special-God is interested to you

Mark continued in the series on Genesis with a focus on addressing context in the creation story.

1. Translation and context: Written for us but to ancient Israel in ancient Hebrew vocabulary, culture, and understanding. The ancients used their common sense to explain the creation.

2. Cosmos and Moses: Moses grew up in Pharaoh’s house and was instructed in Egyptian and Mesopotamian culture.  Moses learned gods had various functions in creation. Babylon had other gods to explain creation.

3. Fresh look of Genesis 1 in context: The earth was without form and was void. God speaks and forms, then fills it. Without God forming and filling our lives, we are without form and living in empty chaos. God first formed the earth in the first 3 days then subsequently filled it the following 3 days.

Homework. Read Genesis 1:1 thru 2:3

Points for home

--God is speaking

-God will form and fill your days

-God will form and fill your days Don’t go In reverse Listen to Mark point out how the Bible needs to be taken in context from the original language for proper understanding.

Mark interviewed the Revd. Dr. Michael Lloyd - Principal of Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University in England. He’s released a new book in the U.K. titled Image Bearers - Restoring our Identity and Living our Calling. It should release in the U.S. January 2024.

The topic of the interview focused on Genesis 1:26-27. Michael Lloyd discussed seven points that show how we are made in the image of God

1. Role of dominion

2. Gives us value

3. Equality of people

4. Creativity

5. Relationally

6. Sexuality

7. Uniqueness

After the fall, those points are distorted or skewed. “We are self-portraits of God but from a different angle.” Michael Lloyd. Listen to Mark and Dr. Lloyd discuss how we are made in the image of God, and although we’ve been damaged by sin, God will restore us into a perfect masterpiece, unique and diverse.

Mark started a new class series on Genesis. This book is the prequel to the Torah or Pentateuch. It also sets up an understanding of the book of Moses, the Old Testament, and an introduction to the rest of the Bible. Mark divided the discussion of Genesis into three sections:

Set Up - for cosmic approach, sin and its consequences, prophecy and blessing, and God and Revelation.

Authorship - a variety of beliefs. Not sure who wrote Genesis, but either by or about Moses.

Difficulties/opportunities - with layers of understanding Scripture for e modern reader. Genesis contains various types of literature, language and cultural, and style and structure.

Points for Home

1. God is speaking

2. Genesis is life changing

3. We are to let God transform who we are.

Listen to Mark give us an introduction to a fresh approach to the book of Genesis. Homework: Read Genesis 1 through 2:3.

In today’s class Mark interviewed guest Dr. Darrell Bock, the Executive Director of Cultural Engagement and Senior Research Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary.

Mark posed a variety of questions to Dr. Bock, who expertly wowed us with his wisdom, humor, and relational biblical instructions for living in today’s culture. The interview covered:

Personal info. Married 48 years to Sally. 3 children and 5 grands. Grew up in Houston. Jewish on both sides of his family. Came to faith in Jesus in college. Seminary in Dallas. Doctorate in Aberdeen, Scotland.

Interests in fields of academia: spent 90 minutes to 2 hours everyday for 14 years writing 2 extensive volumes on the Gospel of Luke. Words of encouragement: time with God. Never turn off the opportunity to hear from the Word of God.

Message: We live in a country that is a democracy. We have free speech. Add technology, and we have fostered an atmosphere that can be counterproductive to the aroma of Christ. Jesus says if we follow Him, the world will persecute us. Do not be surprised. Do not fear. God has us in His hands.

Listen to Dr. Bock and Mark share how to reach others through the power of love. People are not the enemy but the goal. Give like God gave.

Mark taught a standalone lesson on Judah and Assyria using a time travel theme all the way back to September 3, 701 BC. Mark, as tour guide shared:

A tour of Nineveh: an expensive capital city built through Assyria's war machine.Nineveh was a large city in its day covering over 3 square miles.

A tour of Jerusalem: 50 times smaller than Nineveh. King Hezekiah refused to pay tribute and chose to trust God and reinforce the city.

A conflict between King Sennacherib and King Hezekiah was inevitable. Despite the odds, God saves Jerusalem

Points for home

In your crisis, trust God.

In your crisis, obey God.

In your crisis, watch God come through.

Listen to Mark teach the remarkable differences of how Judah and Assyria handled the great challenges of life, and how trusting God is still applicable today.

8-27-23 Bib-Lit 

Brent Johnson taught BBS - Better Bible Study - on the topic of Communication. 

Communication with God is prayer. Proper communication means the sender sends a message through a channel to the recipient. That channel is either verbal or nonverbal. The process takes time. Brent offers three points in our communication with God.

1. God speaks:  

    When God speaks, things happen because God created everything out of nothing. The written word is the Bible, and God called Jesus the Word. Christ is our   

    hope and glory.

2. Man speaks: 

    This can mean trouble ahead when man attempts to dictate to God what to do. We speak to God in prayer and ask God what He wants us to do.    

    Communication is seeking God’s will and encourage others.

3. Who is listening?

    God is speaking. We are listening. 

Points for home

1. God speaks: trust and obey

2. May my words be acceptable to God - Psalm 19:14.

3. Man speaks:  speak in response to God’s will.

4.  Who’s listening: Man is to respond with more listening than speaking.

8-21-23 Biblical-Literacy

Mark taught another class in the Better Bible Study, BBS, series with a focus on the Bible theme - Time.

1. God and time: God created time, people are under time and God is over time, and God doesn’t change.

2. People And time: people exist in time, does wisdom come with time? time is fleeting, time should affect how we live, and we have a longing in our heart for eternity.

3. History and time: the age of Eden, the age of death, and the age to come.

Listen to Mark expound on how time with God shows us how to live.

8-13-23 Biblical-Literacy

Dr. David Capes continued in the Better Bible Study, BBS, by highlighting principles of exegesis.

Exegesis - a “close reading” of a text. Dr. Capes began with a review of the BBS lessons to-date,

then turned his attention to the topic of Exegisis.

Lesson points:

What do you bring to the tasks of studying the Bible?

History, disposition, culture, values, griefs, and hopes

BBS begins with reading entire books not isolated verses.

Reading the Bible closely. Reviewing the culture of the time of writing including geography.

Points for home:

Read text slowly against their linguistic, historical, and cultural contexts.

Consider a cultural background study Bible

Consult experts

Ask - What did this text mean to the first people who heard it before asking what does it mean

to me.

BBS is not a solo act. It is a communal act.

Listen to Dr. Capes explain how exegesis helps us dive deeper into Bible Study.