Genesis Marks the Spot

04/07/2025

New Episode! "Torah on Trial: Rethinking Law in Ancient Israel - Episode 134"

Don't get gored by an ox this 4th of July!

In this illuminating episode of Genesis Marks the Spot dives deep into the nature of biblical law—just in time for the Fourth of July. What is law, really? Is the Torah a legislative code or a curated teaching tool for ethical formation? Drawing from Michael LeFebvre’s scholarly work Collections, Codes, and Torah, Carey unpacks how law functioned in the ancient world and how it evolved into what many of us assume today.

From ancient Near Eastern ox-goring laws to the reforms of Josiah and the philosophical pressures of Hellenistic thought, walk through a legal labyrinth to uncover a surprising alignment between Torah and Jesus’ teachings. Was the Torah meant to be prescriptive legislation—or something more dynamic?

This episode sets the stage for an upcoming conversation on J. Harvey Walton’s thesis and what it means to read Genesis 2–3 without modern legal baggage. Spoiler alert: It may change the way you think about sin, covenant, and civilization itself.

Is Torah legislation or wisdom? Explore ancient law, Josiah, and Jesus' approach to Torah in this deep-dive theology podcast.

02/07/2025

On the BLOG: “Does science disprove the Tower of Babel?” That’s what someone asked, citing linguistics and anthropology.

Here’s my take: maybe we’re asking the wrong question.

This post explores why Genesis 1–11 doesn’t need to be modern history to be theologically true—and how reading the Bible on its own terms actually makes the story more powerful, not less.

- History, genre, context, theology.....

Let’s let the Bible be what it is!

https://www.genesismarksthespot.com/blog/does-science-falsify-the-tower-of-babel/

Can modern linguistics and anthropology disprove the biblical Babel story? Discover how ancient genres, theology, and context reshape our understanding of Genesis 1–11.

27/06/2025

New Episode! "Carved in Covenant: Bronze Age Sinai and the Making of a People - Episode 133"

Dive deeper into the ancient Near Eastern background of biblical covenants, focusing on the archetypal Sinai covenant. Picking up where Episode 132 left off, Carey explores the formal elements of Late Bronze Age treaties and how they echo within the biblical text—especially in the Ten Commandments.

Through historical, grammatical, and theological analysis, Carey challenges modern assumptions about covenantal law, explores the dynamic interplay between law and grace, and examines how the Sinai covenant shaped Israel's identity. Are biblical covenants commands, ideals, or something even richer?

Also included are reflections on Abraham’s covenant, the significance of covenant ratification, and a glimpse into upcoming discussions on circumcision, purification, and baptism.

Dive into the Sinai Covenant's ancient roots and discover how biblical law reveals identity, grace, and community.

25/06/2025

BLOG: Why do we call it the Old Testament, anyway?

The terms Old Testament and New Testament didn’t just fall from heaven onto the table of contents. They carry a history of translation choices, theological framing, and early Church interpretation--some of which still shape how we read the Bible today (for better or worse).

This blog post traces how we got from ancient covenants to canonical labels--and I suggest it's okay if we use some different terms, sometimes.

Where did the terms “Old Testament” and “New Testament” come from? Explore their biblical roots, translation history, and theological evolution.

24/06/2025

New on the BLOG:

Was sacrifice supposed to replace the sinner—or represent them?

Too often, we treat all biblical sacrifice the same. But covenant rituals and purification offerings serve different purposes—and that matters when we talk about the cross.

In this post, I unpack why we can affirm substitution, but... “substitution” might not mean what we think it does, and misreading it could distort our view of atonement. Featuring thoughts from Dr. Michael Heiser and a closer look at ancient covenant practices.

Read the full reflection:

Distinguishing representation from replacement in biblical sacrificial systems. Covenant and purification differ in meaning, which leaves gaps for modern atonement theology.

20/06/2025

New Episode! "Covenants Before Contracts: The Ancient Near Eastern Frame - Episode 132"

In this episode of Genesis Marks the Spot, Carey takes listeners beyond prooftexts and into the deep structure of biblical meaning by asking: What kind of thing is a covenant? Drawing from ancient Near Eastern treaty forms, the episode explores how covenantal frames shape not only Genesis but also our understanding of baptism, representation, and the sacramental life.

This isn’t a systematics lecture or a typology sweep—it’s a frame-based investigation that pulls together Bronze Age political rituals, Reformed theology, and embodied covenant signs. Along the way, Carey untangles the difference between representation and substitution, explains why oaths are more than legalities, and opens the door to show how Genesis 2 might be less about a covenant of works and more about a narrative trajectory toward covenant presence…though we still have some work to fully flesh that out, so stay tuned!

Whether you’re a pastor, teacher, or a curious reader of Scripture, this episode will help you see “covenant” not as a theological label, but as a deeply embedded pattern of divine-human encounter.

Explore biblical covenants through Bronze Age treaties, theology, and symbolism in baptism and the Lord’s Supper.

18/06/2025

New on the BLOG:
How do we preach about idolatry after we "know" what it is in the biblical, technical sense?

The divine council worldview forces a new way to look at this concept from our typical American brand preaching, but that doesn't mean we need to drop talking about idolatry being wrapped up in our desire.

Scripture balances spiritual beings and heart-level idols. Learn why biblical idolatry is more than statues—and still deeply relevant today.

17/06/2025

New on the BLOG:
Who are the “gods” on trial in Psalm 82?

If Yahweh judged Israel’s leaders, why wouldn’t He judge the powers behind the nations too?

The “gods” (elohim) in Psalm 82, human judges or divine beings? Ancient worldview, biblical context, and theology intersect to answer this question.

14/06/2025

So, I've added some stuff to my store tab. 😄😁😂

Do you want the real story behind it, or do you want to help me make up a better one? lol

13/06/2025

New Episode! "Covenant Theology, Baptism, and Biblical Imagery - Episode 131"

What connects wine, wrath, baptism, and the flood? This powerful bridge episode toes out into the deep waters of systematic theology that will lead to biblical theology in order to explore how God's covenantal signs—from the cup to the flood—shape a story of transformation.

The conversation sets up how creation, judgment, and restoration are tied together in symbols like water, wine, and blood, but first, a look into how we think about these using a more modern theological lens. Why and how is the topic of covenant such contested theological ground? Seeing this will help us step into more daring theology…theology that sees what Scripture sees.

Along the way, we’ll look at:

How covenant theology differs between dispensationalism and biblical frameworks

- Why it matters that covenants unfold across genres, authors, and history

- Whether or not there is a “covenant of works” at the beginning of creation

- How allegory and typology impact the way we read the beginning of time

Whether you’re a longtime student of covenant theology or new to the conversation, this episode invites you to reflect on theology and bridging the gaps it might contain.

What links baptism, wine, and the flood? Discover covenant and transformation through biblical theology from Genesis to Jesus.

13/06/2025

"...Until That Day, 'Til All Are One."

--Covenant Transformer

12/06/2025

New BLOG post!

"The sons of God without a shadow of a doubt were the Sethites." — H.C. Leupold.
..Really? Without a shadow of a doubt?

Here in my latest blog post, I break down why this popular interpretation doesn't hold up--textually, historically, or theologically. Let's take a closer look at Leupold’s argument and expose where it veers off course, especially when it tries to force biblical language into later doctrinal molds.

Who are the sons of God in Genesis 6?

Why is the Sethite view even a thing?

How does this connect to biblical theology and supernatural worldview?

Spoiler: quoting Psalm 73’s “children” doesn’t magically prove that Genesis 6 is talking about Sethites.

Plus: I include reading recommendations, a free Bible study tool on frame semantics, and a link to my full historical series on this topic.

https://www.genesismarksthespot.com/blog/the-sethite-view-a-case-study-in-misguided-exegesis/

Let’s stop proof-texting and start doing theology that respects the actual context.

A biblical theology critique of the Sethite view in Genesis 6, exposing flaws in H.C. Leupold’s argument and offering a better context-based interpretation.