Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 5

Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 6

We grew up watching “The Ten Commandments” and reading the story of Exodus, and a lot of us walked away with the same impression: that is a lot of judgment simply for not letting the people go. But when you read the plagues in their Ancient Near East context, a very different story emerges. In Part 2 of our series on the polemics of the Bible, we go deeper into the book of Exodus and discover that the ten plagues were never random. They were a divinely orchestrated, escalating series of judgments, each one aimed at a specific Egyptian god or goddess. From the Nile turned to blood against Hapi, to the darkness that silenced the sun god Ra, to the death of the firstborn that struck at Pharaoh himself, Yahweh systematically dismantled the entire religious system of Egypt to prove his absolute supremacy, both to the Egyptians and to his own people. Before we get to the plagues, we set the stage. We look at Deuteronomy’s severe warnings against idolatry, the mocking way the Psalms expose idols as lifeless and powerless, and the crucial fact that Pharaoh understood himself to be divine. That context transforms his challenge in Exodus 5, “Who is the LORD?”, from political defiance into a direct theological confrontation. We also stop to notice something people often miss. This is not a cruel God lashing out. Again and again, He warns before he acts, offering a way of escape, which is exactly what He does for us through Jesus Christ. And as the blood goes over the doorposts in that final plague, we catch a glimpse of where this whole story has been heading all along. We close where the Bible closes the loop: with idolatry today. Because the definition has not changed. An idol is still anything we put ahead of God, and understanding these ancient counter-narratives helps us build a robust, Christ-centered worldview in a culture that keeps offering us substitutes. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.notforsaken.us [https://blog.notforsaken.us?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 5

Have you ever heard someone claim the Bible just borrowed its creation and flood stories from older ancient Near East myths? In this episode, Andy unpacks what scholars call polemical theology, the deliberate strategy biblical writers used to take familiar ANE concepts and reorient them entirely around Yahweh, the one true God. We compare the Genesis creation account with the Babylonian Enuma Elish, and the flood narrative with the Epic of Gilgamesh, and we discover that the similarities people point to actually reveal how radically different the Bible's theology really is. A God who is holy, just, transcendent, and who makes humanity in his image is nothing like the bickering, limited deities of the surrounding cultures. This is Part 1 of a series. Come away with a deeper respect for Scripture and a real answer for why you believe what you believe. We are Not Forsaken. Epic of Gilgamesh Referenced: http://l-adam-mekler.com/epic_gilgamesh.pdf [http://l-adam-mekler.com/epic_gilgamesh.pdf] This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.notforsaken.us [https://blog.notforsaken.us?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 4

Did God harden Pharaoh’s heart, or did Pharaoh harden his own? The answer, surprisingly, is yes to both. And understanding how that works might change the way you read the entire book of Exodus. In this episode, we tackle one of the most controversial passages in the New Testament: Romans 9:13-18. Paul’s words about God showing mercy to some and hardening others have troubled Christians for centuries. But Paul is not making this up out of thin air. He is quoting the Old Testament. So we are going to follow him back to Egypt, walk through the ten plagues, and dig into a piece of Hebrew grammar that most Christians have never heard of but that completely reframes the story. Along the way, we will look at 1 Samuel 23, talk about the difference between foreknowledge and predestination, draw on insights from scholars like Michael Heiser, J.P. Moreland, and William Lane Craig, and finish with a pastoral word for anyone who has ever felt forgotten while watching the ungodly seem to prosper. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.notforsaken.us [https://blog.notforsaken.us?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 3

An intro to a short study on Romans 9 that focuses on Paul’s use of the Old Testament. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.notforsaken.us [https://blog.notforsaken.us?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Not Forsaken Podcast - Episode 2

This podcast is adapted from a sermon I preached in May of 2025 on the sin of pride. While we might be familiar with the sin, we are probably not as familiar with the Scripture discussed in this episode. This episode also lays the groundwork for future episodes of the podcast that build off of the Scipture covered. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit blog.notforsaken.us [https://blog.notforsaken.us?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]