First, they took a census? What did that entail back then? Now, the census is used to see growth and class change, etc. but what was it used for in Bible times? I continued to read and it said fighting ages for the males. I guess this foreshadows quite a few battles if they need to know how many people they have to go up against. This I feel starts the beginning of their doubts. If the people felt they needed a head count, it was easier for them to have little faith because they could compare numbers, instead of having faith that God can overcome any size army.
Numbers: "In the Wilderness" or more humorously "Book of Complaints"
Deuteronomy: "These are the words" also "Second Law" this second name is appropriate because it deals with the second generation Israelites, who must learn from the first generation's mistakes to try and make it to the promise land.
God said He would punish the people until the third and forth generation, so I am interested what all they will deal with and if they are willing to stay the course.
Num. 6: In class, I was the Rabbi for this section. Granted to was late when I wrote the questions, I was seriously wrong about alot of things, and I missed some really good details. First, is the fact that men AND women could participate take the vow of a nazirite. This meant that the people were able to be close to God, just as a High Priest is. When I initially read the passage, I totally missed the words "to God" and filled in "from God." There was a huge difference once I got to class... Having gone to Rome, I could see how being cut off from wine would be such a big deal in their culture. You are barely able to drink anything else, and with wells being difficult to draw water, this was a serious action. The chapter continues with rituals that are similar to the sacrifices in Leviticus. The every end has been made a song. Are those verses repeated later as well?
13-14: This is the scoping out of the promise land. One of my questions included why the men decided to change their story about the land AFTER Moses decided to enter into the land. If the people were not very scared to begin with, why did action make them nervous. I can relate a little because I know if I were told to do something rash, I would question the motives, but have learned throughout the years that most actions minuscule in relation to God's plan. However, why did they stay so long, and how did they do it unnoticed? Milk and honey represent wealth because of the cows and bees from all the fertile land.
The people of Israel complain so much! If I were Moses I would send them out just to rid myself of them! Joshua (whose name means Savior) stands up for the Lord and tries to remind the people that God will give them the land, and what do the people do...They threaten to STONE him!! I find that horrible. Joseph was doing what was right and the people blatantly refused. I feel like we do this alot in today's society. If someone offers up a message from God or even simple advice that we must trust in the Lord, we threaten them with ill words and laugh in their faces saying what do they know. I feel as though we do not give people enough credit for having a relationship with God. Even God gets angry with the people for doubting Him, after all they have been through. Moses talks God through the anger, but not without consequence. God refuses to let any of the first generation into the promise land (He also plagued the men who gave the land a bad report). God has eternity, so I feel holding the people out for a few more years did not hurt Him. In His mind, I believe that He wants us to have little faith sometimes so that we might be in awe when we come back to Him.
20: This section of the chapter makes me feel bad for Moses. He has had to deal with these awful people complaining. Then in a moment of weakness and pride, God takes the promise land away from him, too. I would throw down my staff and say FINE! and be very angry, but I feel Moses was only disappointed.
Deut. 6: Verse 4 is apparently a very significant verse that the Jews recite and post many places. I did not know this when first reading, so I skimmed right over it. It is their "statement of faith." Pigott described what each of the three focuses mean: the heart as we might think is emotion, is actually conscious or the mind. and the soul is the self or whole being. The rest of the chapter is Moses retelling the second generation what God has done for them and how they should stay the course. I think Moses was putting his heart and soul into telling them this because he truly wanted them to succeed, unlike their forefathers.
7: The beginning of the chapter sets out the guidelines for what the people must do when they reach the Promise Land. Utterly destroying all other nations seems pretty harsh, and it was. but I have to keep thinking in God terms. These people must have been a great bad influence for God to want them gone from the earth. The question is why did He have the Israelites kill them? Could He not have done it Himself? My second thought when reading the section is how unfair it is for the outsiders being killed, not to be the "chosen" people. Moses gives no better reason for those people to be chosen, especially since they have been so ungrateful. He does however give credit to God for being loyal to His promise. Moses tries one more time to tell the people that if they simply follow the Lord's instructions and have faith, then He will guide them to safety in the land. Unfortunately, we know that doesn't exactly happen...
34: This last chapter in Deuteronomy deals with Moses' death. The Lord shows him the land that he will never enter. Some find this mean, but I think Moses appreciated it. He got to at least see the land that he worked so hard to get the Israelites towards. I would have wanted to see it. I find it interesting that the writer comments on Moses' sight and vigor. In class, apparently this was a funny subject...I still don't understand, but that's alright. Joshua then becomes the next leader, but the writer remembers Moses fondly, saying no one can compare to him, even thought they disobeyed him a ton.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Oxford pg 141-43; Lev. 1, 10:1-7, 16, 23
Leviticus: Main concern is worship practices officiated by the high priest Aaron and his descendants -- the Levi. The way the Hebrews named books by first words is seen today in literature, too. Many poems that I read are named the first line because the author did not give the work a specific title. I think this is the book that Dr. Piggott said most people do not appreciate and I could see why because of the lack of stories, but for history or political science majors it could be quite interesting. It seems that the different translations can really skew who the laws are targeting.
1: I've noticed that the Bible sometimes repeats itself in conjoining verses but mixes the order of the words. Does this mean the translations are getting it wrong and are trying both options, or is that how the original writers wrote it. Are not turtledoves the symbol of love? I find it interesting that that is one of the birds available to sacrifice. If it had been a dove, that would have foreshadowed Christ. However, pigeons are dirty birds now days. Were they like that during this time?
Whole burnt offerings and grain offerings represent levels of worship not atonement. Translated to the New Testament, we still have sacrifices - us.
The fellowship/well-being offering is thanks to God. You do not receive anything. New Testament: Jesus giving his body up unites God and man.
10: God gobbled them up with fire! Did He make it last long or just instantly gone? Where did they go? I wonder if many people had been slacking and they were chosen to be the example of "unholy fire."
They carried them by their tunics, so literally picked them up? Moses denied these men mourning of their loss, but allowed the community to morn. Mourning, to me, always seemed like a big deal.
16: When it says that he should take two male goats from the congregation, I wonder who offered theirs up. Would this be considered tithing? If only two were chosen out of the many how was it decided, or did Aaron do many offerings so that the people would cycle around? Always the number 7. I like three and five, those are my astronomical numbers. All of this blood sprinkling and rubbing must have been really gross. Did they get infected with diseases by touching the blood?
I love the idea of fasting and feel that it is a very strong force against problems. But my major problem is that I love food, too. Not more than God, but more than the problem at hand. I participated in three 30 hour famines, where we went out and did community projects. I liked the atmosphere of helping, but the Lord says to not tell anyone of your fasting. That's my favorite part about it. I look upon my Egyptian Coptic Orthodox friend who fasts at least once a month. She is so good at it and her family takes it very seriously. It makes me wonder if God's order for the fast became a way of life for the people or if it still meant something to them even after the hundredth time.
There was no sacrifice that could cleanse the people from intentional sin. Only once a year could they use a scapegoat (which they had walk off a cliff!) that would "carry" their sins away.
23: Festivals: God takes the sabbath seriously because it is the first thing He mentions. He knows the people might get caught up in the celebration, so He reminds them beforehand about keeping His day holy. I wonder if they days were exact, or if the people decided to add that in there later. Even during the festivals and giving to God, God still includes the poor. He has the people harvest just inside the edges of the field so that the poor and alien may have food. He ends that decree with: "I am the Lord your God." This is very powerful and a sort of signature that God gives. He is the one telling the Israelites how to do things, not other gods.
Atonement: the people must deny themselves before the presence of the Lord. In today's world we try to do this every day. There is a popular saying "I am Second" that people refer to when trying to put God first, but I believe it is much greater than that. Denying your self does not mean God is first and you are second, it means He is first and there is no one below who can compare. Denying yourself should be to give up your ALL, just as these people stopped everything to worship God on this day.
Tabernacle: this one seems to end the celebration with final holy convocation and giving offerings to the Lord. I'm sure there is more too it.
Is the booths in verse 42 the same booth in verse 34? If not, what does it mean to live in a booth because God obviously sees it as something to be set apart from.
1: I've noticed that the Bible sometimes repeats itself in conjoining verses but mixes the order of the words. Does this mean the translations are getting it wrong and are trying both options, or is that how the original writers wrote it. Are not turtledoves the symbol of love? I find it interesting that that is one of the birds available to sacrifice. If it had been a dove, that would have foreshadowed Christ. However, pigeons are dirty birds now days. Were they like that during this time?
Whole burnt offerings and grain offerings represent levels of worship not atonement. Translated to the New Testament, we still have sacrifices - us.
The fellowship/well-being offering is thanks to God. You do not receive anything. New Testament: Jesus giving his body up unites God and man.
10: God gobbled them up with fire! Did He make it last long or just instantly gone? Where did they go? I wonder if many people had been slacking and they were chosen to be the example of "unholy fire."
They carried them by their tunics, so literally picked them up? Moses denied these men mourning of their loss, but allowed the community to morn. Mourning, to me, always seemed like a big deal.
16: When it says that he should take two male goats from the congregation, I wonder who offered theirs up. Would this be considered tithing? If only two were chosen out of the many how was it decided, or did Aaron do many offerings so that the people would cycle around? Always the number 7. I like three and five, those are my astronomical numbers. All of this blood sprinkling and rubbing must have been really gross. Did they get infected with diseases by touching the blood?
I love the idea of fasting and feel that it is a very strong force against problems. But my major problem is that I love food, too. Not more than God, but more than the problem at hand. I participated in three 30 hour famines, where we went out and did community projects. I liked the atmosphere of helping, but the Lord says to not tell anyone of your fasting. That's my favorite part about it. I look upon my Egyptian Coptic Orthodox friend who fasts at least once a month. She is so good at it and her family takes it very seriously. It makes me wonder if God's order for the fast became a way of life for the people or if it still meant something to them even after the hundredth time.
There was no sacrifice that could cleanse the people from intentional sin. Only once a year could they use a scapegoat (which they had walk off a cliff!) that would "carry" their sins away.
23: Festivals: God takes the sabbath seriously because it is the first thing He mentions. He knows the people might get caught up in the celebration, so He reminds them beforehand about keeping His day holy. I wonder if they days were exact, or if the people decided to add that in there later. Even during the festivals and giving to God, God still includes the poor. He has the people harvest just inside the edges of the field so that the poor and alien may have food. He ends that decree with: "I am the Lord your God." This is very powerful and a sort of signature that God gives. He is the one telling the Israelites how to do things, not other gods.
Atonement: the people must deny themselves before the presence of the Lord. In today's world we try to do this every day. There is a popular saying "I am Second" that people refer to when trying to put God first, but I believe it is much greater than that. Denying your self does not mean God is first and you are second, it means He is first and there is no one below who can compare. Denying yourself should be to give up your ALL, just as these people stopped everything to worship God on this day.
Tabernacle: this one seems to end the celebration with final holy convocation and giving offerings to the Lord. I'm sure there is more too it.
Is the booths in verse 42 the same booth in verse 34? If not, what does it mean to live in a booth because God obviously sees it as something to be set apart from.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Oxford Exodus 32-34
A lot of chapters are in between 32 and 20 that I ended on last time. Why are we not reading all of the Old Testament? Are there significant events in the chapters between that could effect the meaning of the following chapters, such as reasoning behind their behavior?
32: What does that mean, "gods who shall go before us?" I do not know how long Moses has been on the mountain, or if he has come down to tell the people not to make the alters next to worldly gods/idols. God is really angry. He wants to destroy all of Israel and start over with Moses. I wonder if this could have been a slight test of pride towards Moses. If Moses had answered "okay," I would have seen that as selfishness, not wanting to deal with the constant complaining of the Israelites any longer. vs. 14 states that God changed His mind after Moses talked to Him. Is that really true? This is not the first instance that God has been "consulted" by a human. It brings into question God's omniscience or supports His mercy.
Well, Moses stops God from destroying all of the people, but then has the Levies kill their own people because they were not on the Lord's side. I think on the mountain Moses had too much faith in the people, like the psychological view that when you look back on past experiences you see them as better than they were, so when he sees the truth he is angry as the Lord was. I wonder who survived the killings. Surely it was not only Moses, Aaron, and the Levies left. God keeps to His word and plagues the people for disobeying Him.
33: In the first few verses, God says He must stay away from the people or else He would consume them because they are stiff-necked. Is that the same as stubborn? I find it funny that God must keep Himself away. I see it as a sort of temptation for Him. He wants to destroy evil, things against Him, but knows that we are human and will falter. The temptation is so great to destroy that He must steer clear of it.
I love the phrase in verse 11, "thus the Lord used to speak to Moses face to face, as one speaks to a friend." God personalizes these events to show His compassion. The people saw that He possessed gentility and not just the wrath from the mountain. Moses spent all this time with God, but is now asking for God to show him His ways so that he may KNOW Him. This goes back to my rabbit in the previous entry. Moses talked DIRECTLY to God and still felt he did not know Him!! How can we be expected to learn through only text and prayer? I am confused as to what Moses wants. God says He will go, but Moses responds with, "if you will not go..." Fortunately, God understands and makes a promise to Moses that satisfies him, so I am satisfied.
34: I picture the beginning of this chapter as a father talking to his son about something the child broke. "Go son and give me some glue so that I may fix this vase you have broken." The child drops his head and walks out of the room saying, "yes, father" softly. Moses is doing this same thing in my mind.
The next event seems to be a reiteration of the ten commandments just modified. The orders are now focused on keeping the Lord sacred and His words Holy. I can only imagine the glowing face of Moses. I would be a little scared, too. I feel that the orders God gave should still be followed to some degree today. Most people give what is left over for God. But here, He specifically says that He is to receive the first fruits from any aspect of life.
Oxford Exodus 15, 16, 19, 20
15: A song unto the Lord. This song has war-like imagery and diction. It supports the claim that God fights for us and is our protector. In verse 2, the translations differ between "might" and "song." To me, these two words are very different. But, I'd like to think that when the people sang, it became their encouragement and strength for their soul. The Old Testament has many instances were God is out "warrior." In today's world, I feel that sometimes we get caught up in thinking that WE are HIS warriors and that we must fight for His victory. We forget that God is perfectly capable of defeating the enemy by Himself. The imagery of "the blast of your nostrils" (vs 8) and "you blew with your wind" (vs 10) goes back for me to creation; the giving and taking of life. There is so much praise given to God in this song! There is no talk of how we will worship you because you are great or general statements of his power. The people are specific and grateful. They do not talk about worshiping in the song, they do the act. I feel in today's world that the songs are very sentimental and surface level of praise. We repeat the same phrases over and over and never specifically tell God what He has done for us. I am not saying that making songs out of verse is bad, but putting personal experience into praise is what was traditionally done.
It is interesting that they name Miriam a prophet. There is no explanation for this, but I think it should be evidence to those that do not believe woman should have an authoritative role in the church. Miriam was considered a prophet. To me, that is much greater than a Shepherd or Deccan.
Then starts the complaining. In class, we talked about how some of the complaining might have been from the fear of their freedom. For years they were oppressed, and having to be out on their own is something new, they do not know how to handle making decisions on their own. This is also the first time in the wilderness God warns them about what he will do if they do not keep to his word and laws. Why the plagues were not enough to convince them, I do not know. The end image of a little oasis is pretty funny to me, that there just happened to be twelve springs of water for each of the tribes. How big was Elim? How did Moses keep up with all his people? Did some stay behind when they went into a city?
16: I don't know if people think it is or not, but the wilderness of Sin is not the name "sin" as in bad deeds, but pronounced differently, I forget what Dr. Pigott said, but I know it does not mean sin against God. Moses is wise when he challenges the people by saying, "your complaining is nor against us bur against the Lord." He is telling them that God is in control of their lives and they should not be so petty as to cry out from hunger. The Lord delivered them and they should have faith that he will provide. Moses reminds them constantly that the bread was from the Lord and not from him.
People say that manna fell from the sky. Though that is partially true, it was first dew. Not a substance like dew, it was dew. The passage does not include a comparison. The dew fell on the ground and when the sun rose the next morning, God turned it into bread. So in theory it fell from the sky, but not directly.
If I were Moses I would be furious with the people of Israel. Moses will give them a command, straight from God! and they will not follow his orders. Do they think God does not know what he is doing? Or do his commands differ from their past methods? It just slays me that they disobey every time.
19: How much time is three new moons? Three months? It has been a while since the people of Israel entered the wilderness. I think it was very wise that God wanted to speak with Moses in front of the people to renew their trust in Moses. God understands that the people may doubt Moses, so to prevent further disobedience, He gives them direct evidence that Moses is leader.
The definition of consecrate includes words like declare, dedicate, devote. The Israelites had to alter their way of living for three days in order to prepare for the Lord's coming. What if we did that in today's society. We say God is with us when we worship. So, on Sunday's God will appear. We must, on Friday and Saturday, consecrate ourselves for His presence. I doubt anyone could do it. In class, we talked about worship being an ACTION. How when we go to worship God, the perspective has shifted from us praising God to fulfill our needs than us praising God for his fulfillment. We should not expect to "get something out" of worship because we are suppose to be worshiping God. If you are giving yourself to Him while praising, then it does not matter if you have instruments or raise your hands. This shouldn't be about our comfort, it should be about God's glory. This subject of preparing yourself for the Lord is really challenging me lately. Today, I did not go to church because I have loads of homework. Does that mean I am not making an effort to draw close to Him? I can rationalize an answer in my mind that good grades will bring Him glory because he gave me the mind to accomplish the task. But, why do people stress "coming close" to God? If I believe in my heart the He is Lord and that I would give my life for Him and I have that peace that He is in control, then why do I have to struggle to know Him so well? I honors we are discussing hard questions that puts God's authority in jeopardy (don't tell Copeland I told you...) and I want to know why we have to ask ourselves those questions? Why is innocence of the truth not okay, if it can uphold my faith? [that was a really big rabbit, and there's a lot more on my mind but that'll be for another day]
The smoke around the mountains makes me picture the Hobbit in my head... I can see why God would warn the people against "breaking through." He knows they disobey and the chance to see God in all His glory, some would rationalize, is worth death. However, humans today would be more apt to break through because we know if we die we would go to heaven, but that is not so during this period. God was being compassionate on the people by preventing them from coming up the mountain.
20: This chapter begins with the ten commandments. (there will be a separate entry for those) Different traditions number the verses differently, but they all include the same "rules." I think it's odd that Moses straight up tells the people that God was testing them. In psychology, a double blind experiment is the most effective because bias against the result is less likely to occur. Here, Moses ruins the whole effect. If I were an Israelite, I would not take God's power so seriously, knowing it was only a test. In my mind, I would be pushing back to see if God really would punish.
I love that God creates the alter out of earth and of natural stone. He does not want man-made worldly things upon an alter that will be used to worship Him.
These chapters open a little light on how the Israelites praised God and how they followed (or did not follow) His commands.
It is interesting that they name Miriam a prophet. There is no explanation for this, but I think it should be evidence to those that do not believe woman should have an authoritative role in the church. Miriam was considered a prophet. To me, that is much greater than a Shepherd or Deccan.
Then starts the complaining. In class, we talked about how some of the complaining might have been from the fear of their freedom. For years they were oppressed, and having to be out on their own is something new, they do not know how to handle making decisions on their own. This is also the first time in the wilderness God warns them about what he will do if they do not keep to his word and laws. Why the plagues were not enough to convince them, I do not know. The end image of a little oasis is pretty funny to me, that there just happened to be twelve springs of water for each of the tribes. How big was Elim? How did Moses keep up with all his people? Did some stay behind when they went into a city?
16: I don't know if people think it is or not, but the wilderness of Sin is not the name "sin" as in bad deeds, but pronounced differently, I forget what Dr. Pigott said, but I know it does not mean sin against God. Moses is wise when he challenges the people by saying, "your complaining is nor against us bur against the Lord." He is telling them that God is in control of their lives and they should not be so petty as to cry out from hunger. The Lord delivered them and they should have faith that he will provide. Moses reminds them constantly that the bread was from the Lord and not from him.
People say that manna fell from the sky. Though that is partially true, it was first dew. Not a substance like dew, it was dew. The passage does not include a comparison. The dew fell on the ground and when the sun rose the next morning, God turned it into bread. So in theory it fell from the sky, but not directly.
If I were Moses I would be furious with the people of Israel. Moses will give them a command, straight from God! and they will not follow his orders. Do they think God does not know what he is doing? Or do his commands differ from their past methods? It just slays me that they disobey every time.
19: How much time is three new moons? Three months? It has been a while since the people of Israel entered the wilderness. I think it was very wise that God wanted to speak with Moses in front of the people to renew their trust in Moses. God understands that the people may doubt Moses, so to prevent further disobedience, He gives them direct evidence that Moses is leader.
The definition of consecrate includes words like declare, dedicate, devote. The Israelites had to alter their way of living for three days in order to prepare for the Lord's coming. What if we did that in today's society. We say God is with us when we worship. So, on Sunday's God will appear. We must, on Friday and Saturday, consecrate ourselves for His presence. I doubt anyone could do it. In class, we talked about worship being an ACTION. How when we go to worship God, the perspective has shifted from us praising God to fulfill our needs than us praising God for his fulfillment. We should not expect to "get something out" of worship because we are suppose to be worshiping God. If you are giving yourself to Him while praising, then it does not matter if you have instruments or raise your hands. This shouldn't be about our comfort, it should be about God's glory. This subject of preparing yourself for the Lord is really challenging me lately. Today, I did not go to church because I have loads of homework. Does that mean I am not making an effort to draw close to Him? I can rationalize an answer in my mind that good grades will bring Him glory because he gave me the mind to accomplish the task. But, why do people stress "coming close" to God? If I believe in my heart the He is Lord and that I would give my life for Him and I have that peace that He is in control, then why do I have to struggle to know Him so well? I honors we are discussing hard questions that puts God's authority in jeopardy (don't tell Copeland I told you...) and I want to know why we have to ask ourselves those questions? Why is innocence of the truth not okay, if it can uphold my faith? [that was a really big rabbit, and there's a lot more on my mind but that'll be for another day]
The smoke around the mountains makes me picture the Hobbit in my head... I can see why God would warn the people against "breaking through." He knows they disobey and the chance to see God in all His glory, some would rationalize, is worth death. However, humans today would be more apt to break through because we know if we die we would go to heaven, but that is not so during this period. God was being compassionate on the people by preventing them from coming up the mountain.
20: This chapter begins with the ten commandments. (there will be a separate entry for those) Different traditions number the verses differently, but they all include the same "rules." I think it's odd that Moses straight up tells the people that God was testing them. In psychology, a double blind experiment is the most effective because bias against the result is less likely to occur. Here, Moses ruins the whole effect. If I were an Israelite, I would not take God's power so seriously, knowing it was only a test. In my mind, I would be pushing back to see if God really would punish.
I love that God creates the alter out of earth and of natural stone. He does not want man-made worldly things upon an alter that will be used to worship Him.
These chapters open a little light on how the Israelites praised God and how they followed (or did not follow) His commands.
Online 23-24; Oxford pg 81-83; Exodus 1-4, 12, 14
Online:
I did not know that the ten commandments were originally short. I thought the King James Version was the original. I find it funny that the Tabernacle could be moved, so technically it could sit in any part of the ground, so at some point all of the earth would have been holy at one time. Some might have been standing on holy ground and not have known it. Are the Urim and Thummim for real? What kind of things would they decide upon with these stones? Was God really in control of the stones, so much so that they could have cause someone to die?
Leaving the names of the Pharaohs out, whether intentional or not, I find to be very creative. The people were able to take the stories later in life and apply the stories, the feelings of the people, to their own lives.
Oxford
pg. 81-83: Multiple names should not be a valid reason to doubt the authorship of Exodus. God changes people's names quite frequently. There is not an e-mail sent out that their name was changed, so many people probably continued to call whomever it is by their original name. Same goes with geography. The place where Jacob wrestled with God was named before that event; therefore, those who did not know of the change would refer to the place by its original name. It supports the claim of different authors.
There is lots of evidence towards the idea that the "exodus" from Egypt did not actually happen. I continue to believe it is true. Just because there is no evidence does not mean something did not happen or does not exist. Archaeologists and researchers have yet to find the exact "evidence they're looking for, but maybe God does not want them to find it, for example Noah's Arc. His promise still continues even though evidence has not been found. I do believe that some stories were written in hindsight and that some details might have been added later to explain the happenings.
Chapters 1-4:
Joseph had 70 children! How do they come up with all the names? Footontes tell me that the 70 is suppose to symbolize all of Israel the nation. I like how they are separated by their mothers though. Gives the women a since of pride among their children. Why did the Egyptians think oppression will stop the Israelites from growing? I find it funny that their idea back lashed and the Israelites became closer as a nation.
1:17 shows the power of godly women. I find it encouraging to know that God took care of these faithful servants. They did not let earthly authority influence what they believed. We talked about in class that the basket Moses' mother used could be seen as a miniature arc. I find that really cool that it connects to the idea of killing people off and the arc was protection.
What happened to Moses' family when he tried to run away? Did Pharaoh find out that his daughter saved this man and he now killed an Egyptian? In the movie, his biological mother is very sad.
First, love always happens at the well, it seems to be like a bar in today's world. Second, I can picture the women looking at Moses, talking, giggling among themselves about him and deliberately telling their father how wonderful he was so that their father might bring him home.
Why did God wait for Moses to see and pursue the bush before speaking to him? It makes me wonder what in my life is a burning bush but I did not choose to pursue it. Would God have called out to Moses if he had not taken notice?
All the questions Moses proposes makes sense to me. I would have stood there, thinking about the possibilities of things going wrong or these people not following me. However, I do find it interesting that Moses does not refuse, he tries to ask God questions that will stump Him, get God to change His mind, but he never directly refuses to God like Jonah did. The happenings that the Lord sets out that He is going to do are quite clever. I feel as though He is having fun, playing with the Egyptians' minds. He will not force their hearts, but manipulate them into wanting to do His will, a task that take skill. The "tricks" that God will show the Israelites I feel have symbolic meaning to them. More than a snake and leprosy and blood, they represent what the people fear most.
God replies to Moses' excuses by an abrupt "now go." He is tired of waiting. Moses finally says send someone else! God has pity on him, seeing his fear and gives Aaron as a solution. On their way, Moses is saved by his wife from God's wrath. This is the second time Moses is spared by a woman. I don't know what this could symbolize, but I find it interesting.
12: I feel that God makes His demands so specific in order to weed out His true followers from posers. If the instructions are so specific, only the faithful will be conscious and follow them to the letter. However, God adds the festival as a sort of appreciation for their devotion. I wonder how hard it was for the people not to eat leavened bread. Was it a daily thing or just in bread? So, is this Passover the same as the one Jesus did before he was crucified, all the same regulations? How did the Israelites know if a man from outside the tribe had been circumcised or not? Were only the Israelites like that so any foreigner would automatically not be? vs.35 the Egyptians give freely gifts to the Israelites. In class we learned that this was a sign of a won battle, giving of gifts. It is interesting to think of the escape from Egypt as a battle because they are fighting not only the thoughts and actions of the Egyptians but their gods as well.
14: God's focus here is glory for himself in the eyes of Pharaoh and all the Egyptians. Can only God change a person's heart? We talked about hindsight in class, and how the writer put that God hardened Pharaoh's heart because his actions would not have matched his normal disposition, so only God could have caused his behavior. If it is true that God is in control over everyone's heart, why are we to go out and minister to others? God could deliberately be turning their hearts away. Will He do this many times to build up distress and then when He comes to "save the day" there is no question who is behind the actions?
The speech that Moses gives is a powerful one and one that I don't know if I would believe him if I were in the wilderness, the desert in particular. To sit still, while an army is advancing, is extremely nerve wracking. But his words deserve to be seen one more time...
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” -NIV
Different translations order the sentences differently. The NIV includes "stand firm," whereas NKJ only has "be still," but the end of the NKJ is better I think because of the word peace. Peace is much different from being still. Having peace is having no worries, and truly believing that God will deliver you from the evil that is approaching. My father once told me that being a Christian is more simple than most people make it out to be, that having peace is the most important thing. Having peace dissolves a lot of problems.
I wonder how far away Pharaoh was. The Israelites could see them, but then there had to be time to get everyone across the river and not have the Egyptians capture them. The timing is difficult to grasp. I can just imagine the ground rumbling as all of the Egyptian's chariots approach. Oh...God fixes that problem in the next verse with the pillars of fire and cloud. The Egyptians and the Israelites were in the sea together, one part closed the other separated. It must have been a big deal back then that the ground was dry because the writer mentions it about five times within the chapter. Was this a miracle just as big as parting the sea? I think so.
Throughout this story I see God as a demanding God, urging the people forward. However, I think He does this to prove His love for His people. I enjoy seeing the women have a role in saving the lives of His people, it should give those that have "ordinary" jobs a better outlook on what they can do in the work place. The burning bush is a lesson that we must pursue God's calling so that He will call out to us, and having peace that God will deliver us out of the trials.
I did not know that the ten commandments were originally short. I thought the King James Version was the original. I find it funny that the Tabernacle could be moved, so technically it could sit in any part of the ground, so at some point all of the earth would have been holy at one time. Some might have been standing on holy ground and not have known it. Are the Urim and Thummim for real? What kind of things would they decide upon with these stones? Was God really in control of the stones, so much so that they could have cause someone to die?
Leaving the names of the Pharaohs out, whether intentional or not, I find to be very creative. The people were able to take the stories later in life and apply the stories, the feelings of the people, to their own lives.
Oxford
pg. 81-83: Multiple names should not be a valid reason to doubt the authorship of Exodus. God changes people's names quite frequently. There is not an e-mail sent out that their name was changed, so many people probably continued to call whomever it is by their original name. Same goes with geography. The place where Jacob wrestled with God was named before that event; therefore, those who did not know of the change would refer to the place by its original name. It supports the claim of different authors.
There is lots of evidence towards the idea that the "exodus" from Egypt did not actually happen. I continue to believe it is true. Just because there is no evidence does not mean something did not happen or does not exist. Archaeologists and researchers have yet to find the exact "evidence they're looking for, but maybe God does not want them to find it, for example Noah's Arc. His promise still continues even though evidence has not been found. I do believe that some stories were written in hindsight and that some details might have been added later to explain the happenings.
Chapters 1-4:
Joseph had 70 children! How do they come up with all the names? Footontes tell me that the 70 is suppose to symbolize all of Israel the nation. I like how they are separated by their mothers though. Gives the women a since of pride among their children. Why did the Egyptians think oppression will stop the Israelites from growing? I find it funny that their idea back lashed and the Israelites became closer as a nation.
1:17 shows the power of godly women. I find it encouraging to know that God took care of these faithful servants. They did not let earthly authority influence what they believed. We talked about in class that the basket Moses' mother used could be seen as a miniature arc. I find that really cool that it connects to the idea of killing people off and the arc was protection.
What happened to Moses' family when he tried to run away? Did Pharaoh find out that his daughter saved this man and he now killed an Egyptian? In the movie, his biological mother is very sad.
First, love always happens at the well, it seems to be like a bar in today's world. Second, I can picture the women looking at Moses, talking, giggling among themselves about him and deliberately telling their father how wonderful he was so that their father might bring him home.
Why did God wait for Moses to see and pursue the bush before speaking to him? It makes me wonder what in my life is a burning bush but I did not choose to pursue it. Would God have called out to Moses if he had not taken notice?
All the questions Moses proposes makes sense to me. I would have stood there, thinking about the possibilities of things going wrong or these people not following me. However, I do find it interesting that Moses does not refuse, he tries to ask God questions that will stump Him, get God to change His mind, but he never directly refuses to God like Jonah did. The happenings that the Lord sets out that He is going to do are quite clever. I feel as though He is having fun, playing with the Egyptians' minds. He will not force their hearts, but manipulate them into wanting to do His will, a task that take skill. The "tricks" that God will show the Israelites I feel have symbolic meaning to them. More than a snake and leprosy and blood, they represent what the people fear most.
God replies to Moses' excuses by an abrupt "now go." He is tired of waiting. Moses finally says send someone else! God has pity on him, seeing his fear and gives Aaron as a solution. On their way, Moses is saved by his wife from God's wrath. This is the second time Moses is spared by a woman. I don't know what this could symbolize, but I find it interesting.
12: I feel that God makes His demands so specific in order to weed out His true followers from posers. If the instructions are so specific, only the faithful will be conscious and follow them to the letter. However, God adds the festival as a sort of appreciation for their devotion. I wonder how hard it was for the people not to eat leavened bread. Was it a daily thing or just in bread? So, is this Passover the same as the one Jesus did before he was crucified, all the same regulations? How did the Israelites know if a man from outside the tribe had been circumcised or not? Were only the Israelites like that so any foreigner would automatically not be? vs.35 the Egyptians give freely gifts to the Israelites. In class we learned that this was a sign of a won battle, giving of gifts. It is interesting to think of the escape from Egypt as a battle because they are fighting not only the thoughts and actions of the Egyptians but their gods as well.
14: God's focus here is glory for himself in the eyes of Pharaoh and all the Egyptians. Can only God change a person's heart? We talked about hindsight in class, and how the writer put that God hardened Pharaoh's heart because his actions would not have matched his normal disposition, so only God could have caused his behavior. If it is true that God is in control over everyone's heart, why are we to go out and minister to others? God could deliberately be turning their hearts away. Will He do this many times to build up distress and then when He comes to "save the day" there is no question who is behind the actions?
The speech that Moses gives is a powerful one and one that I don't know if I would believe him if I were in the wilderness, the desert in particular. To sit still, while an army is advancing, is extremely nerve wracking. But his words deserve to be seen one more time...
13 Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. 14 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” -NIV
Different translations order the sentences differently. The NIV includes "stand firm," whereas NKJ only has "be still," but the end of the NKJ is better I think because of the word peace. Peace is much different from being still. Having peace is having no worries, and truly believing that God will deliver you from the evil that is approaching. My father once told me that being a Christian is more simple than most people make it out to be, that having peace is the most important thing. Having peace dissolves a lot of problems.
I wonder how far away Pharaoh was. The Israelites could see them, but then there had to be time to get everyone across the river and not have the Egyptians capture them. The timing is difficult to grasp. I can just imagine the ground rumbling as all of the Egyptian's chariots approach. Oh...God fixes that problem in the next verse with the pillars of fire and cloud. The Egyptians and the Israelites were in the sea together, one part closed the other separated. It must have been a big deal back then that the ground was dry because the writer mentions it about five times within the chapter. Was this a miracle just as big as parting the sea? I think so.
Throughout this story I see God as a demanding God, urging the people forward. However, I think He does this to prove His love for His people. I enjoy seeing the women have a role in saving the lives of His people, it should give those that have "ordinary" jobs a better outlook on what they can do in the work place. The burning bush is a lesson that we must pursue God's calling so that He will call out to us, and having peace that God will deliver us out of the trials.
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