HeBelieved - The Story of Scripture

Dennis Toll
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Religion & Spirituality
  • Updated Biweekly

He Believed explores the grand story of Scripture, centered on the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, and the promise God made to Abraham to bless all nations. Reading through a post-supersessionist lens, this podcast affirms that God’s covenant with Israel is irrevocable and that we are grafted into that ongoing story by faith. Hosted by Dennis Toll, it invites listeners to read the Bible with greater clarity, joy, and devotion to the Lord.

  1. 5d ago

    Evil and Death - Threats to Relationship

    In this episode, Levi and Dennis move into Genesis 2:4-25 to explore the intimate details of humanity's creation and the ominous threats looming on the horizon. While Genesis 1 serves as a cosmic prologue highlighting God's transcendence, Genesis 2 shifts to a deeply personal, hands-on narrative of immanence by introducing the covenant name Adonai. In this episode, we discuss: The Breath of Life: How God gets His hands dirty forming man from the dust and breathing life into him, establishing a profound relational connection. The Garden and the Helper: A look at God's perfect provision in Eden, culminating in the creation of woman—a "well-matched helper" taken from man's side to cure his isolation. The Looming Threat: The contrasting presence of the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. We explore how this foreboding menace introduces the major biblical themes of Good vs. Evil and Life vs. Death. Disobedience as the Enemy: Death is not a natural part of life—it is an invading consequence brought on by disobedience. We trace this theme forward to the prophetic and New Testament promises that death is the final enemy to be swallowed up in victory by the Messiah.

  2. Sep 29

    Toledoth and the Family Stories of Genesis

    In this episode, Levi Bailey and Dennis Toll zoom out to look at the big picture of Genesis 2–50, exploring how the entire book is structured around ten distinct family records marked by the Hebrew word Toledoth. Rather than a collection of random stories, Genesis is a unified, masterfully written narrative tracing the lineage of the promised "seed" from the Garden down to the covenant family called to bless all nations. In this episode, we discuss: The Biblical Worldview: Why Scripture provides a grounded framework that truly explains evil, time, relationship, and our place in God's world. Genesis 1 as a Prelude: Why Genesis 1 sits outside the ten Toledoth sections, serving as a cosmic stage-setting prologue before the main family narrative begins. Understanding Toledoth: Unpacking the Hebrew word Toledoth (derived from yalad, meaning "to give birth") and how it functions as a literary marker dividing Genesis into ten structured accounts. Tracing the Promised Seed: How the genealogies and family histories directly serve the promise of Genesis 3:15, tracking the line through which God will defeat evil and restore relationship. From Evil to Good: Connecting the overarching arc of Genesis to Joseph’s declaration in Genesis 50:20—how God sovereignly turns human evil into good to preserve life and fulfill His covenant. Resources/References: Chart: The 10 Toledoth of GenesisChart: Structure of the Drama of Genesis 1-11

  3. Sep 22

    Filled with Life

    Continuing our journey through Genesis 1, today we transition from the forming of creation (Days 1-3) to the filling of creation (Days 4-6). We explore the profound theme of life—how God intentionally replaced the emptiness of the world with abundant, flourishing life, culminating in humanity's purpose as His image-bearers. In this episode, we discuss: The Lights of Day 4: We look at the creation of the sun, moon, and stars. Why doesn't God explicitly name them? We discuss how this serves as a polemic against ancient sun and moon worship, and how the original "light" of Day 1 connects to the future glory of the New Jerusalem. Swarming with Life (Day 5): The skies and seas are filled with living creatures. We also touch on the creation of the "large sea creatures" (like the tannin or dragon) to show that God is the master creator, not a warrior fighting chaotic sea monsters. The Pinnacle of Creation (Day 6): God creates humanity in His image and likeness. We discuss what it means to be an "image-bearer" tasked with ruling and conquering the earth as God's representative. Life vs. Death: The entire point of creation is life. We push back against the modern idea that "death is a natural part of life," looking forward to the biblical promise that death will ultimately be defeated. The Sabbath (Day 7): God rests and sanctifies the seventh day. We explore how the first use of the word "holy" is applied to time, setting apart the Sabbath not just for physical rest, but for relationship with the Creator. Resources and References Mentioned: Genesis Rabbah 3.6 (Rabbinic commentary on the primeval light) Episode 10 Visual Aid: The Six Days of Creation

  4. Sep 15

    Ordering and Filling

    Welcome back to the HeBelieved podcast with Levi Bailey and Dennis Toll! In this milestone tenth episode, we dive into the first three days of Genesis 1, looking at how God brings order to the chaos and waste (tohu vebohu). We explore the profound power of God's Word, the significance of "naming" in the ancient world, and how the pattern of creation mirrors the story of Israel's exile and return. In this episode, we discuss: Forming and Filling: Genesis 1 is structured around a brilliant pattern. Days 1–3 are about forming the unformed chaos, and Days 4–6 are about filling the emptiness with life. The Power of Naming: Why does God name the Day, the Night, and the Sky? In the ancient world, naming established identity, ownership, and relationship. Creation as Habitation: The ultimate intent of creation is for the earth to be inhabited. We discuss how this mirrors God’s heart for the Land of Israel and the future Messianic Kingdom. Transcendent Authority: God creates simply by speaking ("Let there be..."). This highlights His complete transcendence and absolute mastery over creation. Light vs. Darkness: We look at the creation of light on Day 1 and how it establishes a foundational biblical contrast between goodness and darkness. Interconnected Narratives: The emergence of "dry ground" on Day 3 intentionally points forward to the Exodus event, showing how creation lays the pattern for God's redemptive work. Resources and References Mentioned: The Pentateuch as Narrative: A Biblical-Theological Commentary by John SailhamerThe Context of Scripture (Volume 1): Canonical Compositions from the Biblical World edited by William W. Hallo and K. Lawson Younger (Contains the Enuma Elish translation discussed)Episode 10 Visual Aid: The Six Days of Creation

  5. Aug 4

    Overcoming the Chaos

    Continuing our exploration of Genesis 1-11, this episode picks up right where we left off in Genesis 1:1-2 to explore the "deep" and the "chaos". We discuss the true nature of the waters, unpack what it means that the earth was initially unformed, and trace the ultimate defeat of the cosmic sea monsters. In this episode, we discuss: Chaos and Wasteland: A closer look at the Hebrew phrase tohu vebohu (chaos and waste). We explore how the initial act of creation wasn't a rebellious chaos, but simply an unformed, empty canvas waiting for God to fill it. The Deep: What does it mean that darkness was on the surface of the "deep" (tehom)? We look at how Genesis portrays God's absolute control over the waters, contrasting it with ancient myths where the deep was a primordial enemy. Overcoming Chaos: The real cosmic conflict begins in Genesis 3 with the Serpent's rebellion. We trace this spiritual battle through the Exodus—where God smashed the monsters' heads in the waters—and up to the victory of the Resurrection. No More Sea: Looking forward to Revelation 21, we discuss the ultimate promise that the sea—representing evil, conflict, and rebellious powers—will finally be no more. Resources and References Mentioned: The Art of Narrative Analogy: Identifying and Interpreting Parallel Passages in the Bible by Seth D. PostellEnuma Elish - The Babylonian Epic of Creation (Full Text via World History Encyclopedia)

  6. Jul 24

    Chaos, the Cosmos, and Creation

    Episode Summary Welcome back to the HeBelieved podcast with Levi Bailey and Dennis Toll! Today, we're diving into the very beginning of the story by kicking off our exploration of Genesis 1-11, starting with the chaos found in Genesis 1:1-2. In this episode, we challenge the modern impulse to read Genesis purely through a scientific lens. Instead, we look at it as a profound polemic against Ancient Near Eastern (ANE) creation myths. By stepping into the cosmic, supernatural worldview of the time, the true message of the text shines through: God's absolute mastery over all creation. In this episode, we discuss: The Problem with a Scientific Lens: Why reading Genesis solely as an apologetic science textbook misses the point and diminishes its powerful message about our relationship with God. Chaos and Wasteland: Exploring the Hebrew phrase tohu vebohu and what it really means that the earth was initially unformed and unfilled. The Deep and the Sea: Tracing the biblical theme of the "sea" (tehom) from the deep in Genesis, to the defeat of ancient sea monsters (Rahab and Leviathan) at the Exodus, all the way to the promise of "no more sea" in Revelation 21. Cosmic Conflict: How Genesis pushes back against ANE myths like the Enuma Elish, proving that our transcendent God didn't have to battle primordial chaos gods to create—He was always in control. Join us as we explore the supernatural worldview of the Bible and see how God's mastery over chaos sets the stage for His relationship with us! (And if you enjoy the show, don't forget to find us on Substack, like, and subscribe!) Resources and References Mentioned Michael S. Heiser - The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Seth D. Postell - Adam as Israel: Genesis 1-3 as the Introduction to the Torah and Tanakh Enuma Elish Epic of Atrahasis

  7. Jun 26

    Oh Jew, Oh Gentile, Why? - with Kay Bascom

    In this episode of He Believed, Levi and Dennis sit down with author Kay Bascom to explore the profound questions raised in her book, Oh Jew, Oh Gentile, Why? We dive deep into the historical, theological, and biblical relationship between the modern Gentile church and God’s chosen people, Israel. How should modern Christians understand their connection to Israel? What are the implications for the church today? Join us as we unpack these complex themes, bridge the gap between Jewish roots and Gentile faith, and discuss the broader theological insights from today's top scholars on the subject. Resources & Books Mentioned in this Episode: If you want to dig deeper into the topics we covered today, be sure to check out the books mentioned in the interview: Oh Jew, Oh Gentile, Why? by Kay Bascom Gerald McDermott Jennifer Rosner W.J. Ouweneel

  8. Jun 9

    One Big Theme? – The Order of the Biblical Books (Part Two)

    Welcome back to the HeBelieved podcast with Levi Bailey and Dennis Toll! Following up on our deep dive into the different book orders of the Hebrew Bible, this episode explores the profound meaning hidden within its macrostructure. By examining the "seams" at the beginning and end of major biblical sections, we uncover a massive, overarching narrative that anchors the entire Story of God: Exile and Return. In this episode, we cover: The Structure of Exile: Drawing on the work of Dr. Hendrik Koorevaar, we look at how the Hebrew canon frames the biblical story, starting with humanity's initial arrival and subsequent exile from the Garden of Eden in Genesis, and ending the historical core with Israel's exile from the Land in 2 Kings. Thematic Book Orders: We unpack how the Talmudic ordering of the Prophets and Writings emphasizes this pattern. The Prophets begin with Jeremiah's focus on Babylonian disaster, while the Writings move from Ruth's voluntary exile to the final decree in 2 Chronicles calling God's people to "go up" and return. Our Current Exile: We bridge this Hebrew Bible theme to the New Testament, exploring how modern followers of Jesus live in the "already-not-yet" Kingdom. Just as biblical Israel experienced physical exile, believers today navigate a spiritual exile in a world that opposes the Kingdom, waiting for the ultimate "Return"—the fullness of Christ's reign and the restoration of a new Eden.

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He Believed explores the grand story of Scripture, centered on the Jewish Messiah, Jesus, and the promise God made to Abraham to bless all nations. Reading through a post-supersessionist lens, this podcast affirms that God’s covenant with Israel is irrevocable and that we are grafted into that ongoing story by faith. Hosted by Dennis Toll, it invites listeners to read the Bible with greater clarity, joy, and devotion to the Lord.

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