Halting Toward Zion

In this episode we continue our discussion on the First Commandment and culture. Do Christian books have to be about missionaries? Do Christian shoes have to be tied with Christian shoelaces? We don't think so. But the Bible does shape our culture--the things we make--as we grow in conformity to the image of God's Son.

This Episode Features: Groups Of People Making Stuff; Pswaydoh Dragons; Christian Romance Novels; Smushed-Out Church; Progressive Sanctification; Something Stupid About The Puritan Work Ethic; and Our Favorite Bible Stories In The Most Boring Way Possible.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3h65XHg-htz-36

Links:

Micah 4: https://www.esv.org/Micah+4/

Heidelberg Catechism: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/33.html

Rabbitson Crusoe (1956): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0049650/

The Everlasting Man - G.K. Chesterton: https://amzn.to/2QZPKsr

The City of God - Augustine: https://amzn.to/37JCaBc

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism - Max Weber: https://amzn.to/3ibLUIY

Secondhand Lions (2003): https://amzn.to/35bbMAR

Recos:

"The First Commandment" - Sermon by Paul Liberati: https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/scrc/sermons/82420211291715/

Thriftbooks.com

"The 10 Commandments" - Judy Rodgers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tX8I7nNZNYE

Local Church Book Sales

Calvin & Hobbes - Bill Watterson: https://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes

In approaching the topic of the First Commandment, we come to--surprise! The gospel, because God's plan was always to conform us to the image of His Son. Every human action is religious, because the very existence of humanity is for the sake of covenant with God. So if we are in Christ, everything we make and do is holy and acceptable to God for His sake. That applies to philosophy and art, as well as to our daily vocations, relationships, even hobbies.

This Episode Features: The First Commandment and the Cultural Mandate; While Poseidon's Away The Greeks Will Play; Bacon Grease; Spoon Collecting; The Great British Bake Off; Learning Obedience; Heidelberg Snark; and Bach's Toccatas.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2QCDrlT-htz-35

Links:

How Should We Then Live? - Francis A. Schaeffer: https://amzn.to/2YmOuUf

The Whole Christ - Sinclair Ferguson: https://amzn.to/3jrNPci

Hamilton on Disney Plus: https://bit.ly/2QDtGUw

The Great British Baking Show (2010-): https://amzn.to/34KBYSP

Heidelberg Catechism: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/1.html

Time Bandits (1981): https://amzn.to/2QF0g8c

Recos:

The Calvinistic Concept of Culture - Henry Van Til: https://amzn.to/31HjqAZ

Hiking

Audiobooks

What's better than perfect justice? Swift, reliable justice--at least, that's the case we make in this discussion of the appellate court system that Jethro recommended to Moses in Exodus 18, with God's blessing. Going to court these days is notorious for sapping time and energy from everyone involved... surely there's a better system.

This Episode Features: Justice Systems And The Nature Of Man; Going Splat; Thanks, I Hate It; Presbyterian Forms Of Government; Political Hot Potatoes; You Want The Whales To Die; In The Name Of Love, What More In The Name Of Love; and Alfred the Great.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/2YpC6Tu-htz-34

Links:

Exodus 18: https://www.esv.org/Exodus+18/

Murder on the Orient Express - Agatha Christie: https://amzn.to/31kIEF9

1 Kings 3: https://www.esv.org/1+Kings+3/

The Constitution of the United States of America: https://bit.ly/2Yo3UHY

The Bill of Rights: https://bit.ly/2YsrL9v

A Crime A Day on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrimeADay

Recos:

Mixology

Physical Exercise

The White Horse King - Benjamin Merkle: https://amzn.to/2Qgfe4z

The Ballad of the White Horse - G. K. Chesterton: https://amzn.to/3aURIDF

A Conflict of Visions - Thomas Sowell: https://amzn.to/31jQRcm

How Should We Then Live? - Francis A. Schaeffer: https://amzn.to/2YmOuUf

This week we're talking about the Song of Moses--both as hymn to God and as a national anthem... of sorts.

This Episode Features: The Song of Moses and National Anthems; Almost Heaven, West Virginia; Praise Choruses and Imprecatory Psalms; Running Away; Those Cheating Gibeonites; Stealing Bryan's Antiphonal Thunder; #Unhitch; and The Punisher.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3aCP1X3-htz-33

Links:

Country Roads - John Denver: https://youtu.be/1vrEljMfXYo

Exodus 15: https://www.esv.org/Exodus+15/

Biblical Theology - Geerhardus Vos: https://amzn.to/3fr7SG1

Revelation 15: https://www.esv.org/Revelation+15/

The Blacklist (2013-): https://amzn.to/3fZoxQQ

Bryan's Mystery Quote: Email us to identify!

God Save the Queen: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_Save_the_Queen

The Star-Spangled Banner Full Lyrics: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Star-Spangled_Banner

La Marseillaise: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Marseillaise

Lord, With Glowing Heart I'd Praise Thee - Francis Scott Key: https://hymnary.org/text/lord_with_glowing_heart_id_praise_thee

America the Beautiful - Katharine Lee Bates: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/America_the_Beautiful

This Land is Your Land - Woody Guthrie: https://youtu.be/wxiMrvDbq3s

My Country, 'Tis of Thee - Samuel Francis Smith: https://hymnary.org/text/my_country_tis_of_thee_sweet_lan

The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire - Edward Gibbon: https://amzn.to/2YcbVQd

Recos:

Behold the Lamb of God - Andrew Peterson: https://bit.ly/2Yb3KDF

Redeeming Mathematics - Vern Poythress: https://amzn.to/321vKuD

Atheist Delusions - David Bentley Hart: https://amzn.to/3h6FcmU

The Holy Bible: https://www.esv.org/Genesis+1/

Who are you? And whom do you serve? If these two questions aren't exactly the same, they're at least very closely related, as we see from the account of the Exodus. When God called Israel out of Egypt, He gave them a new identity--new answers to these questions, and new demonstrations of their answers. Join us this week for a discussion of the Passover.

This Episode Features: The Passed-Over Identity; Month Zero; Whose Leaven Is It Anyway?; Read The New Testament Please; Oh. No.; Go Ask The Pastor; Thanksgiving Lambs; I'm So Glad You Asked; The Lord Of The Rings And Babylon 5; Emily Does Laundry; Cousin Johnny;

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3g9VtGc-htz-32

Links:

Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien: https://amzn.to/3bDwNUO

Democracy in America - Alexis de Toqueville: https://amzn.to/3gJ2tuJ

So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt - Keith Green: https://youtu.be/5BQkBdRWxrs

Recos:

Home-Grown Green Onions

Babylon 5 (1993-1998): https://amzn.to/3adtST6

Spirit & Truth (2019): https://bit.ly/3iu7MyV

If you've ever read the books of Chronicles in the Old Testament, you may have wondered, "Are these nine chapters of genealogy really necessary?" The short answer is, yes, they are. God put the boring bits in the Bible on purpose. He cares about keeping track of the years and dates; chronology, the precise ordering of events, is necessary to history--necessary to finding meaning in a sequence of events. In today's episode we take a look at the French Revolution and the Cambodian Genocide as attempts at human autonomy over history.

This Episode Features: The French Revolution, The Cambodian Genocide, And The Most Boring Book In The Bible; That's What Gods Do; The Year Five Million; People Are Indeed That Picky; Shakespeare Throws A Wrench; Fencing, Fighting, Torture, Revenge...; Square Roots Are Like The Berlin Wall; and Bakersfield Country.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/39X1Hb3-htz-31

Links:

1984 - George Orwell: https://amzn.to/3fZ58Qr

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley: https://amzn.to/2BFaHET

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien: https://amzn.to/3bDwNUO

The Mandalorian (2019-): https://bit.ly/2PqJfhG

Galaxy Quest (1999): https://amzn.to/33trIh0

A Theological Interpretation of American History - Gregg Singer: https://amzn.to/3gvk6hw

1066 And All That - W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman: https://amzn.to/3gxchIc

The Wheel on the School - Meindert DeJong: https://amzn.to/31h4b0c

Narrative Trauma and Civil War History Painting, or Why Are These Pictures so Terrible? - Steven Conn: https://www.jstor.org/stable/3590666?seq=1

Recos:

Paul Revere: Boston Patriot - Augusta Stevenson: https://amzn.to/31jHfx5

Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman - Ellen Wilson: https://amzn.to/3kezFMP

Anything Can Happen - George Papashvily and Helen Waite Papashvily: https://amzn.to/39Yz50Y

After sharing our favorite first lines of books, we return to Egyptology and the problem of chronology. In the ancient world, the task of history as we understand it today was rarely undertaken--the glory of the regime was more important than accurate records of events. With the few archeological records we have, it's quite a puzzle to piece together a timeline of ancient Egypt... if you overlook the records of Moses, that is.

This Episode Features: Famous First Words; Our Boi Augustine; A Renowned Actor-Historian; A High-Quality Girl; Thanks Tolkien; Good Barthianism; He Says In Words; and Bryan Looks Pensive.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/30ujQty-htz-30

Links:

1 Corinthians 15: https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+15/

Ages in Chaos - Immanuel Velikovsky: https://amzn.to/2CQ4430

The Exodus Problem - Donovan Courville: https://amzn.to/3ho2NiI

Centuries of Darkness - Peter James: https://amzn.to/3fOLmrb

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley: https://amzn.to/2BFaHET

Recos:

That Hideous Strength - C.S. Lewis: https://amzn.to/3b93aLQ

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee: https://amzn.to/2ZMopPz

The City of God - Augustine: https://amzn.to/37JCaBc

Rubicon - Tom Holland: https://amzn.to/30AHHqz

Hardcore History - Dan Carlin: https://www.dancarlin.com/hardcore-history-series/

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte: https://amzn.to/3igdxku

The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien: https://amzn.to/3hqSBGd

To wrap up our discussion of the life of Moses, we talk today about the Exodus as co-opted by Liberation Theology, and as a true historical even by which God accomplished His purposes--both bringing about and foreshadowing the coming of Jesus Christ.

This Episode Features: Garlic and Onions; Liberty, Equality, Fraternity (and also Death); Why Do The Mormons Have All The Good Sci-fi; Stars Of The Muppet Show; and Dweeby Movie Writers.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3jinuhH-htz-29

Links:

A House For My Name - Peter Leithart: https://amzn.to/2WyRdJm

So You Wanna Go Back To Egypt - Keith Green: https://youtu.be/5BQkBdRWxrs

Recos:

Brandon Sanderson on Writing Science Fiction and Fantasy: https://youtu.be/-6HOdHEeosc

The Awful German Language - Mark Twain: https://bit.ly/32B1l8A

The Philosopher of Antifa - Dinesh D'Souza: https://bit.ly/3eIR5NY

Politics and the English Language - George Orwell: https://bit.ly/3jeMQNz

A Simple Twist of Fate (1994) - https://amzn.to/2ZJAXat

Holes (2003) - https://amzn.to/2CqUPq0

In Part 2 of our series on the life of Moses, we look at the showdown between God and the Egyptian magicians (together with the gods they serve). Not only does Yahweh utterly overpower the Egyptians, but each of the miracles He works also confirms His promises to those who believe, and reminds us how He governs the world at every moment.

This Episode Features: We Don't Need No Stinking Frogs; Houdini Was That Good; Accidentally Accelerating Light Particles; Remnants Of The Planet Krypton; People Are Highly Stabbable; St. Augustine Throws Shade; and #AuditTheFED.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/3i28uD8-htz-28

Links:

Orthodoxy, Ch. 4 - G.K. Chesterton: http://www.gkc.org.uk/gkc/books/orthodoxy/ch4.html

Heidelberg Catechism Questions 27-28: http://www.heidelberg-catechism.com/en/lords-days/10.html

Jeremiah 14:22: https://www.esv.org/Jeremiah+14/

Psalm 104: https://www.esv.org/Psalm+104/

The City of God - Augustine: https://amzn.to/37JCaBc

Recos:

Handwriting

Systematic Theology - Louis Berkhof: https://amzn.to/2ZltxtR

Betsy-Tacy - Maud Hart Lovelace: https://amzn.to/2C6JJpY

The Practical Reality of Loving Our Neighbor - Dr. Frank Walker: 

A Tale of Two Gospels - Dr. Frank Walker: sermonaudio.com/sermon/6142022922912

A Question of Identity - Dr. Frank Walker: sermonaudio.com/sermon/62120193602201

If you had four years to teach your son everything he needed to know, where would you begin? That was the question Jochebed, the mother of Moses, had to answer when she was hired on as nursemaid by the pharaoh's daughter. Join us as we discuss Christian education, how our own parents brought us up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and how unbelievably smart kids are.

This Episode Features: A Pretty Princess; Crazy Random Happenstance; Fond Days With Saxon Math; Our Parents' Stories; The Pledge Of Allegiance; Inspired Veggie Tales and Moralistic Floating Somethings; and Pray For Your Kids.

Transcript: https://bit.ly/31Mi08B-htz-27

Links:

The Prince of Egypt (1998): https://amzn.to/3e3LbXl

The Ten Commandments (1956): https://amzn.to/38wlgX5

The Children's Story - James Clavell: https://bit.ly/2C7j504

Recos:

The Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien: https://amzn.to/3e6o2mR

Libib App: https://www.libib.com/apps

Peace Child - Don Richardson: https://amzn.to/2NYNhgp