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What do we need to make a better world? In a world filled with the news of wars, injustices, human-made catastrophes, what do we need? In a world where our future seem so uncertain and bleak at times, even with all of the marvels we accomplished and progress we’ve made, what will lead us to tomorrow?

And the Christian Bible poses an answer in the form of a symbolic act; long ago, God’s judgment came upon a land, upon every family and every living thing there, to strike down its future. But, that judgment “passed over” the houses marked with the blood of a lamb. Why? What did the lamb’s blood symbolize, and why is that what Jesus understood as what his own suffering and death would bring about? 

This is part two of the episodes exploring the final plague and Passover lamb in the Exodus account, and its significance to the Christian understanding of Jesus Christ.

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We’re back again for another episode! This is a kind of milestone for the series, as we cover a key narrative in Exodus—that of the final tenth plague, which connects to the Gospel account of Jesus Christ. And the question we must first wrestle with is: why does God strike down every firstborn in Egypt? The plague horrifies with us with the image of dead children, though according to Exodus, it’d have struck down both young and old, and even the animals—but that of course only makes it worse. Why is God’s judgment so indiscriminate?

But, what if there’s something more to this plague? What if the story of this plague means something deeper than what’s on the surface? What if it is connected with other stories and ideas that both challenge and expand our idea of what God’s judgment really means? And what if that is why it connects to the story of Jesus Christ, saving all of humanity?

This is actually the first part of a two-part episode, which I had to split because of the length. So, I really want to get the second episode finished and uploaded within this month, though the latest trends suggest that this will be very challenging. So please keep me in your thoughts, and for those who pray, your prayers!

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Were the plagues that struck Egypt in Exodus Divine intervention or natural events? This is a question that is raised by those who present natural explanation for these plagues. But, things that follow laws of nature are God speaking, just as things that do not seem to. The real question is: what distinguishes these events in Exodus from just any other things that happen? Because the difference will not be found in whether they are natural or not.

And there is a difference in what it meant for God to speak and unfold these plagues, both in what they communicated, and how God was communicating them. For the first nine plagues were primarily about communication, rather than punishment. How these plagues unfolded would have meant something very clear and specific for the ancient Egyptians who experienced them. And God was speaking not only to human beings, but to things in Nature, to unfold these events. For though everything is God speaking, God also speaks to everything.

Join me this episode to explore what I mean.

Also, thank you for waiting during this long, unplanned hiatus! Your continued support and encouragement really does keep this series going! 

[Note Jul 1, 2024 : The first section, discussing the Pharaoh's motivation was removed to shorten the episode, since it was largely review of the previous episode. It seems this change isn't being updated though on most apps though, for some reason--the episode should be just 40 minutes long otherwise. ]  

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One of the more perplexing and disturbing part of the Exodus account is when God hardens Pharaoh's heart so that he does not  listen to Moses and let the people of Israel go. But then, God punishes him it by unfolding disasters--the plagues--upon Egypt. But, this seems profoundly unjust! What is the idea that the Bible is presenting about God? That nothing we do matters?

However, it turns out that the message is in fact the exact opposite. There is something far more that is going on in this account. How Pharaoh's heart is hardened describes how we relate to reality, or fail to, what leads to that failure, and then locks us in.           

 3:12     Channels of truth available to the Pharaoh           
 14:18     What it means for the heart to be "hard" to truth           
 23:50     What actively "hardening one's heart" does to you           
 32:00     When God actually hardened Pharaoh's heart           
 34:20      What is really happening when God hardens the heart           
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God that spoke to Moses is "Yahweh," unfolding everything around him. But, the question was: will reality unfold what this voice spoke to him? What if things go wrong? What if Moses was deluded, or mistaken, or deceived?

How Moses, and people who hear God speak to them, find out whether what they hear is true--whether God really is speaking with them--is actually a step-by-step process. Rarely do we make some heroic leap of faith, at least at the start. We embark on that journey, one step at a time. And sometimes, the first step can be very, very small.

But, the question that reality confronts us with--question that God asks--is "What will it take for you to take that step? And will you when that path opens before you? Whether we do or not separates people like Moses and those who aren't.
           
 3:03     God's name points to reality unfolding around us           
 11:38     Wavering between following or ignoring God’s voice           
 17:47     What it means for anger of God to burn against you           
 24:00     The question is, what it make you take the next step?           
 31:48     Taking the next step when stakes go up            

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Consider what it means for things to have names. Names point to things, and at least to some extent, tells us what they are. But, what could possibly be the name of God? After all, it would need to "point to" all of reality as a whole.

According to the Bible, the name of God spoken to Moses is "I am that I am," which in turn is presented as the meaning of the Hebrew name of God, "Yahweh." This passage has fascinated theologians and philosophers, because of the concept of "Being" and "existence" that it presents. However, this meaning presents something more immediate to our lives; it points to our experience of reality that unfolds around us, and invites us to a journey to find out what will unfold in our lives.
           
 3:59     What it means for God to speak from the burning bush             
 9:47     How Moses can know whether God really spoke to him             
 16:51     Why "miracles" God shows Moses is only the first step             
 23:07     What does it even mean to name God?             
 32:16     It / He Just IS, and what that means             
 37:30     Name of God calls us to see what reality unfolds       
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It is an iconic scene in the Bible: God calls Moses from the burning bush. But, why the burning bush? After all, God can speak through an immeasurable number of things.

It is because the bush that does not burn up, and the flame that blazes, yet will not burn itself out, means something to Moses--and to us--which connects us to how God, speaking all of reality, can speak to human individuals in a powerful and personal way. We'll explore what that is in this episode.

(edit: Jan 30, added ~1 minute of content from 26:26, and revised sentences that were too long the final 5 minutes )
           
 2:21     Moses is “born” twice – his birth narrative             
 8:28     Moses as a failed “Zorro / Batman”             
 16:51    Moses’s life before the Burning Bush             
 24:43    What was the fire, and "The Angel of the LORD"             
 32:33    What did the burning bush mean?              
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The fourth Season opens to explore the question of the people of Israel described in Exodus. Who were they? What is the significance of their story, regarding their oppression and slavery? What remnants or echoes, if any, remain of their story in the records and memory of ancient history, and what are their significance?

And where are we headed from here?

 2:21     Biblical stories as "Myth that has become History"             
 14:43    Opening of Exodus and the oppression of Israel               
 19:45     Egypt and the Hyksos, the Shasu, and Israel               
 27:46     Who were the Hebrews, 'Apiru, and why this matters               
 35:03     The Slave Bible and Exodus story as timeless truth              

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 Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year!

To celebrate(?), here is the trailer for Season 4 of "What do you mean, God speaks?"

God awaits in the desert

The prologue,  "They were born in the desert"

Music : "Exodus" by Tenacious Orchestra - Licensed from PremiumBeat.com

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The final 3rd Season’s post-season episode returns to some issues to wrap up before we move on to Season 4. 

First, part of this Season wrestled with the question that historians today has raised regarding the historicity of the life-stories of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and their family—as they are recounted in the book of Genesis. But, what do I personally believe regarding the position held by most historians today? Here’s why the answer to that is somewhat complicated (and oddly, why it is related to how I deal with the question of the multiverse raised by some scientists today). 

Second, we will return to explore two of the stories in Genesis we didn't cover in this Season—the stories of two women: Dinah, and Tamar. Listen to why we did not cover their tales in the main season, and why they are nevertheless quite important. And lastly, check out how the word, “sex,” was said more times in this single episode than the entire series so far put together!

 0:00     Why would I leave things out of an episode?           
 3:09     What I believe about “historicity”… and the multiverse             
 18:28     Story of Dinah             
 28:54     Story of Tamar        
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