Brown Paper Theology

Man, what a special episode today, friends! In it, we wrap up the awesome scroll/book we call Genesis. The whole story thus far has been leading up to this moment, and within it, we see how God’s plan for humanity as a whole is truly linked to Jacob and his 70 descendants in Egypt. These stories about Joseph and his brothers are familiar, but I hope looking at them through the lens of the Eden Melody will shed new light on their meaning.

Buckle up and come along for the ride!

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We wrap up Jacob's story in today's episode, my friends. We'll see the biblical author (or authors) take us through one more iteration of the pattern presented in Genesis 1-9: Creation, Failure, De-creation, Re-creation. But what's really cool (and sometimes not so cool) is how this story breaks the pattern. Instead of brothers separating, brothers are reconciled. Instead of the flood being used to recreate, it is used solely to destroy. What an honest, gripping picture of Israel's--and thus all humanity's--history we get to witness.

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In this episode, we begin the story of Israel’s progenitor: Israel (aka Jacob). This guy is quite a character! As we go through his story, we’ll be shocked that God consistently works through this man who wants to steal the blessing God wants to give him. But as with Abraham, we will see God’s utter faithfulness to His human project shine through.

Small correction: I meant to say Primeval History, not Primordial History

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In this episode, we wrap up Abraham's time on the narrative stage. His story is all about how God is faithful to bless even when His blessed one acts in contrast to His desires. But there is a beautiful glimmer of trust in this story. Matching his faithful "yes" to God in Genesis 12, we see Abraham's faithfulness and trust atop a mountain in Genesis 22. Because of this trust, the story can move forward.

On to the next generation.

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In today’s episode, we begin Abraham’s story. This guy marks the transition from “Primeval History” to “Patriarchal History” in the book of Genesis. In the grand story as a whole, this is the spot where God begins His redemptive work for the cosmos and those within it. Because of that, we really need to absorb and understand what’s happening here, and we are invited to delight in God’s amazing faithfulness despite Abraham’s (and all of our) unfaithfulness.

God is so good.

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To close out the opening movement of the biblical story in general and Genesis in particular, today we dive into the story of the Tower of Babel, the tower “with its head in the skies.” As we’ll see in this episode, more happens at the Babel event than first meets the eye, and we have to look forward to Deuteronomy to understand exactly what that was. What did happen adds a third problem to the Serpent and the giants introduced in the first two Failure narratives. Three problems to solve. Three twists of God’s good world. Who will solve them and iron everything out?

We’ll just have to see.

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The Flood story in Genesis 6-9 is a controversial one for many reasons, and the questions that we want answered because of it (Was it global or local? When did this happen? How big was the boat exactly?) are super important to ponder. However, those questions must be secondary to learning why this story is told. It is a story of lament and cosmic collapse, but we will see that it is not the end. God has a plan.

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In this episode, we continue to deepen our understanding of holiness and how it applies to us as Jesus’ people. This is Part 2 from a previous episode, and it is another from the Kids in Care ministry through my church.

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We explore the tragic but important story of Cain and Abel in today’s episode. Far more than just a moralistic tale about taking care of your sibling, this story furthers the theology behind at-the-tree moments, and it continues to flesh out all the manifestations of that choice.

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Genesis is an amazing book, and going through it slowly is so vital. In this session, we plod through chapters 2-3 and see God’s generous call and humanity’s unfortunate decision to not answer it. We go from ideal to exile, from temple to wilderness.