The Word

In today’s reading, the plagues continue in Egypt, escalating the standoff between Moses and Pharaoh. Pharaoh vacillates between releasing the Hebrews and retaining them with a hardened heart. The plagues, which increase in severity from nuisance to deadly, ravage the land, destroy the credibility of the Egyptian pantheon, and severely damage the reputation of the Pharaoh, who now seems driven by...

In today’s reading, Moses appears before Pharaoh and demands the release of the Hebrews to go and serve God in the wilderness. Things go poorly for the Hebrews at first, and the pressure on Moses mounts. Soon, however, the LORD begins to rain plagues upon Egypt and its people, impacting every strata of Egyptian society, and to devastating effect. Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Gran...

In today’s reading, the descendants of Jacob - Israel - have grown from a clan into a nation in Goshen of Egypt. The hospitable Pharaoh of Joseph’s day has died, and another Pharaoh “who knew not Joseph” ascends the throne. Concerned about the massive population of the children of Israel becoming a threat to the Egyptians, he enslaves them. After about four centuries Moses is born to a Hebrew fami...

In today’s reading, Jacob moves with his people into Egypt and is reunited with Joseph. They settle in Goshen as the famine ravages the Egyptians. In desperation, the Egyptians trade their cattle, land, and even their freedom to Pharaoh for food and seed. As Jacob reaches the end of his life, he gathers his family together and pronounces his final judgments and blessings concerning his children, a...

In today’s reading, the famine prophesied by Joseph afflicts Egypt and all the lands of the region. Jacob sends his sons into Egypt to buy food, where they encounter Joseph disguised and unrecognizable. They bow themselves in obeisance to him unawares, fulfilling the prophetic dreams Joseph had years earlier. Joseph deceives them until he can no longer bear it, and reveals his identity, reuniting...

In today’s reading, Jacob’s son Joseph experiences dreams of supremacy among his brethren, provoking their ire. He is betrayed and sold into slavery in Egypt, where serves one master diligently, only to be falsely accused of rape and imprisoned. After earning the favor of Pharaoh, he is placed in charge of a massive royal project to store up food for a coming famine, and is made the second most po...

In today’s reading, Jacob prepares to meet his brother Esau for the first time in 20 years, and with the old feud still haunting him. After sending his family on ahead, Jacob has a supernatural encounter with God, wrestling with Him until daybreak, and receiving a new name with His blessing. Jacob, now Israel, meets Esau and reconciles with him, but family dysfunction continues to haunt him. His d...

In today’s reading, Isaac’s wife Rebekah conspires with Jacob to steal Esau’s blessing by fraud, igniting a deadly feud between the brothers. Isaac, now old and believing himself near death, sends Jacob away to find and take a wife among distant family. Jacob has his first vision, a dream of a ladder ascending to heaven, and angels traversing it, and the LORD speaks with Jacob for the first time....

In today’s reading, the LORD tests Abraham’s trust in Him, and provides one of the earliest examples of substitutionary sacrifice that points to Christ. Sarah dies and is laid to rest, and her son Isaac marries. Abraham dies some years later, and we are introduced to Isaac’s sons, Esau and Jacob, from whom would come two nations: the Edomites and the Israelites. Esau unknowingly fulfills the LORD’...

In today’s reading, the LORD changes Abram’s name to Abraham, and Sarai’s to Sarah, declaring His covenant with him to make him the father of many nations, to give him a son by his own wife, a nation by his son, and a land for that nation to dwell in. The LORD also institutes the sign of circumcision for males of Abraham’s house, as the sign of His covenant. Three mysterious visitors come to Abrah...

In today’s reading, Abram hears the voice of God calling him out of his native Ur into the land He promises to him and his seed for an inheritance. Conflict with several regional kings ensue, and after rescuing a multitude of his own entourage from hostile forces, Abram returns triumphant in battle, pays tithes of all his resulting increase to Melchizedek, the priest of God, and enters into a cove...

Chapters 38-41 :  The LORD speaks to Job, cites Job’s limited knowledge, and calls his attention to the wonders of Creation; Chapter 42:  Job repents and submits to the LORD in humility, the LORD rebukes Job’s friends, and Job is restored and blessed above and beyond his former state. Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission

Chapter 32 :  Elihu speaks against Job and his friends; Chapter 33:   Elihu speaks for God; Chapter 34 :  God is just; Elihu rebukes Job for his pride; Chapter 35 :  Elihu corrects Job further; Chapters 36-37 :  God is just in all His dealings with Man; Elihu warns Job and praises the work of God, declares the unsearchable depths of God’s power, and judgment, and justice....

Chapter 25: Bildad declares that no one is justified before God; Chapter 26: Job declares the greatness of God…; Chapter 27: …maintains his own integrity, despises his enemies…; Chapter 28: …describes the search for wisdom, and declares its true source; Chapter 29 : Job longs for better days gone by…; Chapter 30 : …and decries the mockery of the younger generation and his own suffering; Chapter 31...

Chapter 20 : Zophar monologues about the wicked; Chapter 21 : Job speaks of the wicked man’s prosperity, and disagrees with his friends; Chapter 22 : Eliphaz accuses Job of great wickedness; Chapter 23: Job desires his day in court with God; Chapter 24: The deeds of the wicked, and their withering away Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission

Chapter 16 : Job reproves his friends, alleges God’s anger with him; Chapter 17 : Job’s lament continues; Chapter 18: Bildad reproves Job; Chapter 19: Job tormented by words, abandoned by friends and family; Job’s notable declaration of faith in his Redeemer Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission

Chapter 11 : Zophar accuses Job of iniquity and urges him to repent; Chapter 12 : Job denies Zophar’s accusations; God’s power, wisdom and strength described; Chapter 13 : Job openly resents his friends, defends his integrity; Chapter 14 : Man’s frailty, and the permanence of his death; Chapter 15 : Eliphaz criticizes Job, declares the end of the evil man. Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995...

Chapter 6 : Job responds to Eliphaz, calls his friends unfaithful, demands evidence of his sins; Chapter 7 : Job argues against hope, yet prays aloud to the Almighty; Chapter 8 : Bildad answers Job, suggests Job is a hypocrite; Chapter 9 : Job defends God’s justice, then complains against Him; Chapter 10 : Job acknowledges God as Creator, continues his complaint against Him. Into/Outro music: "Une...

Chapter 1 : Job introduced, the devil’s accusation, and the loss of all that Job has; Chapter 2 : The devil attacks Job’s health; the arrival of Job’s friends to mourn with him; Chapter 3 : Job’s opening lament; Chapters 4-5: Eliphaz answers Job Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission

The generations of Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, including the Tower of Babel and when God divided the nations. Into/Outro music: "Unexpectedly" (c) 1995 Alex Grant Used by permission

The generations of Adam through Seth and the beginning of the history of man leading up to the flood, when man’s hearts were wicked continually that it grieved God that He had made man. God calls Noah to build an ark on which God invites Noah, his wife, his sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth and their wives; and shuts them in. After the flood recedes, God promises not to ever flood the Earth again. Into...

God creates the heavens and the earth. Day 1: Light; Day 2: The firmament; Day 3: Dry land and plants; Day 4: The sun, moon, and stars; Day 5: Birds and sea creatures; Day 6: Animals and man; Day 7: God rested. Adam and Eve sin by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and they are cursed and kicked out of the Garden of Eden. They have two sons, Abel and Cain, one of whom kills the...