Part of the Egypt and the Bible Series, this second further reading plan explores The Machine of Egypt. Egypt's stability came at a cost: total control. The Nile's predictability created abundance, but that abundance required an extractive, hyper-organized system of taxation, forced labor, and centralized power. This week's passages show us how that machine was built, how far Egypt's influence reached, and what happened when the Hebrews got caught inside it. Understanding how the system worked helps us see why people kept going there, and why it was so hard to leave.
Part of the Egypt and the Bible Series, this first reading plan explores the Egypt of the Imagination. Throughout Scripture, Egypt represents the place we run to when we're afraid—the place that works, that feels stable and reliable, but costs us something in return. This week's spotlight passages trace a pattern: from Abram's fearful flight to Egypt, to God stopping Isaac before he could repeat it, to the prophets warning Israel against political dependence on Egyptian power.
A reflection on courage, burnout, and the posture behind my writing.