The difficult story of Achan and his family being destroyed again raises the question of "God's endgame". 

Achan and his family stole plunder from Jericho against the specific command to set these things apart for God. Worse, they lied about it and buried the treasure suggesting deliberate deception. There's a lot to be horrified in this story, but perhaps the most intriguing thing is that it shows sin and disobedience within Israel. We discuss how this obvious truth impacts the overall narrative of conquering the Promised Land.

We continue to grapple with the issue of divine war in Joshua. 

The lesson this week follows closely on the topic from our previous episode, expanding on some of the context and background of the conquest of the Promised Land. In many places the people being dispossessed had deeply troubling rituals and traditions, and we ponder the tricky idea that (at least in principle) there could be "cultures" or "worldviews" that do legitimately need to be eradicated. However, we are also attentive to the exceptions even in the book of Joshua - God's covenant in Joshua 8 is read to a multitude that included foreigners.

The "Commander of the Lord's Army" shows up in this chapter with an important reframing of the narrative. 

Joshua has already been described as a warrior, and asks whether the stranger is friend or foe. The response famously is "no", with an implied reminder that God's side might not be as simple as our human allies or enemies. This passage is only brief, but resonates with other parts of the Old Testament that speak somewhat against any trivial reading of the conquest of Jericho and other lands.

Crossing the Jordan river with Joshua is a bit like crossing the Red Sea with Moses, but some differences are intriguing. 

This story is told in Joshua 3 using a lot of dialog, and it is striking how many different messages are given to different groups. In some ways it highlights the connectedness of the community, and at the same time it almost seems to speak of a stricter organisational hierarchy.

An interesting theme of "deception" shows up in the story of Rahab of Jerico. 

Even more fascinating is the way a similar kind of thing happens slightly later with the Gibeonites, but the narrative frames it differently. Rahab is often lauded as a brave hero, but upon finding out who the Gibeonites really are the Israelites grumble and Joshua "says a curse". But they keep their word and do not kill the Gibeonites. We explore some of the similarities and differences between these deceptions, and are reminded of other Biblical examples that add to the dilemma.

The book of Joshua starts with a new key character very much in the shadow of Moses. 

It is hardly surprising that he needs to be encouraged to be strong and courageous! There are a number of details in this opening chapter that foreshadow key ideas that feature in the ongoing story of Joshua as leader of the Israelites. 

There's a lot of building and crafting towards the end of Exodus, and we explore various aspects of expertise. 

In many churches there is an awkwardness involved with celebrating human excellence. It somehow seems in conflict with gratefulness to God, but what if this distinction is not actually very useful?

The interesting dynamic between God and Moses continues after the golden calf. 

We are delighted to draw attention to some excellent reflective questions posed by the lesson this week, and we turn our attention to Exodus 33 and 34. After the golden calf incident Moses continues his advocacy to God on behalf of the Israelites. The narrative seems to suggest that God is keen about leading Moses, but less excited about all the people. This passage has the well-known self-revelation God provides of Himself to Moses, but we notice other interesting aspects along the way.

Moses responds dramatically to the golden calf, but does this actually look like "substitutionary atonement"? 

The story of the golden calf at the base of Mount Sinai is well-known, but a pointed question about the substitutionary model of atonement gives us a particular lens through which to explore this part of Exodus. Some well-known details turn out to be in a different sequence, and we are intrigued by a sort of blame-game between God and Moses. In the end, it almost seems as though "substitution" and "atonement" are featured separately in this passage rather than in partnership.

The Sabbath theme book-ends the entire discourse to Moses on Mount Sinai. 

Last week we saw how the Sabbath entwined with justice at the beginning of God's instructions, and in this episode we find Sabbath featuring at the end. In this case the emphasis seems more on holiness than on justice, and we explore some of these juxtapositions.

Exodus 23 does re-mention the Sabbath, but it has far more to say about "living the Law". 

We're struck in this chapter by how strongly Sabbath is connected to broader ideas of justice. God seems highly focused on the plight of the poor and the foreigner, and the Sabbath is to be a blessing for them as much as it is for the blessed and wealthy. There are challenges here for anyone wishing to be a Sabbath-keeper.

The Mount Sinai story starts differently to how it is often told. 

Before the 10 Commandments are given, Moses goes up and down the mountain numerous times. In fact, this chapter starts with a wonderfully direct statement by God which is willingly agreed to by the Israelites. It almost seems as though the friction is gone from the story, perhaps highlighting the disobedience which eventually occurs. We explore a some of the motivation attributed to God in this chapter.

There are hardships for the Israelites in the desert, perhaps unsurprisingly. 

The lesson this week poses these challenges as "tests of Israel's faith", but we wonder whether some of the issues that arise might be better categorised as raw disobedience. How much does it change our reading of the story, and what does this mean for us today?

Pharaoh changes his mind quickly after the Exodus, and chases the Israelites. 

It is fascinating to explore the way it is described using collective language. Again we're challenged to ponder the ways in which we might be a bit like Pharaoh, and of course it is dramatic that the Israelites cry out in dismay so soon after the Plagues which spoke of God's power.

After looking at the plagues in general, this week pauses to examine the Passover and 10th plague in detail. 

It is a striking calamity throughout Egypt, and there is a lot to think about here. The lesson has an interesting prompt - asking us to ponder what our decisions and actions might be in situations of responsibility like Pharaoh. We explore this story from a few unusual angles.

To explore the Plagues, we pull out an episode from the archives.

This was published originally on October 1, 2021, and so you may have forgotten a few of the details. It was an episode that we particularly enjoyed, and Cameron shares some interesting insights about the Plagues on Egypt that featured in a sermon he preached.

There are a few ways in which the Exodus gets off to a rough start. 

This week we focus on a strange story that occurs between the burning bush commission and Moses's return to Egypt. It is yet another apparent hiccup in the flow of the Exodus story, and we are challenged by the way God is described as being angry with Moses. Given everything that takes place, it is fascinating that the "the people of Israel were convinced that the Lord had sent Moses and Aaron."

The burning bush is a well-known story, and helps to introduce us further to Moses. 

Two great things happen in Exodus three: God introduces himself by "name" with the famous "I am", and we have one of the greatest-ever stories of God's calling. It is interesting to ponder how reluctant Moses is, and we explore various ways this challenges us today.

We're starting a season exploring the book of Exodus, and the story opens with a focus on amazing women. 

By the time baby Moses gets his name in this story, the only other named characters are the midwives Shiphrah and Puah. In fact, almost all the people doing anything proactive are women! We notice a few fresh perspectives on this well-known narrative, and are interested to see how even chapter 1 and 2 set up some of the things that will feature in the Exodus.

What is Jonah's challenge for a prophetic-future focused Christian? 

There is a widespread idea of some prophecies being conditional on our response, and others being unconditional. The more we look at it in the Old Testament the more it seems this distinction is not often all that clear in the prophecy and its wording. We are intrigued by some of the implications for reading and applying prophecy today, especially as Adventists.