The life of Jacob, who is now known as Israel, comes to close as he takes his last breath in Egypt. This is the same Jacob who deceived his father Isaac in order to receive the blessing of the firstborn. Not only does he bless Joseph’s sons, he elevates them and makes them a part of his family’s inheritance. He continues on with words of prophecy and blessing for the men who would be the representative heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. After Jacob takes his final breath, Joseph’s brothers fear that he will seek vengeance, but Joseph doesn’t hold a grudge. Instead of seeking vengeance or extracting payment, he brings God’s grace, provision, and sovereign orchestration to mind, and ensures them that he will care for their families.

Genesis 47 – 2:34 . 

Genesis 48 – 9:43 . 

Genesis 49 – 14:06 . 

Genesis 50 – 19:35 . 

Psalm 16 – 24:32 . 

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Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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On our last episode we saw how the Lord orchestrated Joseph’s life to save the lives of many in the face of a coming famine. When his brothers show up to ask for food, they don’t recognize Joseph, but Joseph recognizes them. He declares them to be spies, and after a series questions, he sends them away and demands that they bring their younger brother back to Egypt to see if they are telling the truth. When their father, Jacob, who is also called Israel, finds out what is required he refuses to part with the son whom he believes to be the last surviving child of his beloved wife Rachel. After a series of negotiations, Israel relents and his sons return to Egypt with Benjamin to get more food.

Genesis 42 – 1:13 . 

Genesis 43 – 8:15 . 

Genesis 44 – 14:15 . 

Genesis 45 – 19:28 . 

Genesis 46:1-27 – 24:30 . 

Psalm 15 – 28:21 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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When Joseph is sold into slavery it seems that he has lost it all, except that Joseph has not lost what is most important: he hasn’t lost God’s divine and unmerited favor. Through Joseph, God divinely orchestrates the salvation of His people, sustaining the entire country of Egypt as well as the surrounding nations during a period of severe drought. His circumstances seem devastating in the short term, but once God’s plan becomes clear, the Scriptures say that Joseph forgets his former trouble. As we’re told in Romans 8:28 “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

Genesis 38 – 1:22 . 

Genesis 39 – 7:22 . 

Genesis 40 – 11:16 . 

Genesis 41 – 14:55 . 

Psalm 13 – 25:03 . 

Psalm 14 – 26:02 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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As we get to know the sons of Jacob, you’ll start to realize that the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Having learned the art of deception from their father, they use it to their own advantage time and again. For example, they are rightly enraged after their sister is defiled by the local chief’s son, but they use their anger as an excuse to deceive, then slaughter an entire city. Later, God officially gives Jacob the name of Israel, and directs his family to relocate to Bethel. There we learn more about Rachel’s firstborn son Joseph, whom Israel favors above all his other sons. If that wasn’t enough to draw the ire of his brothers, Joseph begins to have dreams where he is exalted above the rest of his family, and uses them as an occasion to gloat.

Genesis 34 – 1:20 . 

Genesis 35 – 7:04 . 

Genesis 36 – 11:47 . 

Genesis 37 – 17:25 . 

Psalm 11 – 24:08 . 

Psalm 12 – 25:11 .

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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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. He and his father-in-law get into an argument and go their separate ways. Later, Jacob wrestles with a man who is also somehow a representative God, and the Lord renames him “Israel” b/c he has wrestled with both man and God and won.

Genesis 30 – 1:12 . 

Genesis 31 – 8:15 . 

Genesis 32 – 18:34 . 

Genesis 33 – 23:39 . 

Psalm 10 – 26:56 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & 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 gets a taste of his own medicine when Laban tricks him into marrying his oldest daughter Leah when he had intended to marry Rachel.

Genesis 26 – 1:09 . 

Genesis 27 – 7:19 . 

Genesis 28 – 16:19 . 

Genesis 29 – 20:06 . 

Psalm 9 – 26:12 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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Today, 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 – 1:10 . 

Genesis 23 – 5:57 . 

Genesis 24 – 9:04 . 

Genesis 25 – 21:23 . 

Psalm 8 – 26:41 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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In today’s episode, the Lord visits Abraham by sending three messengers to his home. He reveals that in a year’s time he will give Abraham a son through his wife, Sarah. He also reveals that he is sending his messengers to Sodom and Gomorrah, because the wickedness of the people has grown so severe that it calls for complete annihilation. Before they are sent out, Abraham pleads with the Lord to spare the righteous and the Lord finally agrees that if even ten righteous people are found there, he will not destroy it. The angels rescue Lot, but as we will soon see, sin continues to flourish. Later, a son is born to Abraham and is named, “Isaac,” which means, “He laughs.”

Genesis 18 – 1:15 . 

Genesis 19 – 7:42 . 

Genesis 20 – 14:43 . 

Genesis 21 – 18:58 . 

Psalm 6 – 24:14 . 

Psalm 7 – 25:35 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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Today we get to see the Lord’s faithfulness to a sinful man who doubts, who wavers, who makes poor decisions, but who ultimately responds to the Lord’s instruction. It would be hard to argue that the Lord chose Abram because of his upstanding moral qualities, however, as his flaws aren’t covered up or diminished. Instead, in God’s own kindness, He makes promises to Abram, promises that will last from one generation to the next, on and on through the ages. The Lord makes these promises, not because Abram deserves it or because His holy hands would be tied without Abram’s cooperate; instead, through his work in Abram’s life God will show the world his steadfast love and sovereign provision.

Genesis 14 – 1:17 . 

Genesis 15 – 5:34 . 

Genesis 16 – 9:09 . 

Genesis 17 – 13:20 . 

Psalm 5 – 18:50 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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After we wade through genealogies of Noah’s sons, we encounter the tower of Babel, a monument to man’s rebellion against God. Being made in the image of God, these men imitate their creator by creating, which is all well and good, except that they defy God’s command to fill the earth and attempt to rob God of glory by making a name for themselves. God graciously uses language to scatter them so they can see the expansive majesty of His Creation rather than stare at the cute little tower they’ve made. In time, Abram is born, and God makes great promises as He calls Abram to follow His commands. 

Genesis 10 – 1:11 . 

Genesis 11 – 4:42 . 

Genesis 12 – 9:35 . 

Genesis 13 – 13:03 . 

Psalm 3 – 16:11 . 

Psalm 4 – 17:20 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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Noah is often portrayed as a cartoonish old man surrounded by cute animals all smiling happily from their little boat; but the reality of the flood was far more grueling than the nursery murals suggest. Imagine what it would be like to survive an apocalyptic flood where almost everyone you know is destroyed and you’re stuck in a crowded, floating menagerie. Noah is rightly credited as brave and faithful to the Lord, but the Bible doesn’t allow us to think that the flood has solved the problem of sin. Even faithful Noah, who diligently constructed a massive vessel and survived destruction, was imperfect and flawed.

Genesis 5 - 1:15 . 

Genesis 6 - 4:56 . 

Genesis 7 - 9:35 . 

Genesis 8 - 13:42 . 

Genesis 9 - 17:24 . 

Psalm 2 - 22:07 . 

:::

Christian Standard Bible translation.

All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.

Co-produced by Bobby Brown, Katelyn Pridgen, Eric Williamson & the Christian Standard Bible

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