Tomorrow is officially Thanksgiving Day here in the US. Most households will gather with family and friends to have a feast of Thanksgiving, reminiscent of the harvest feasts of days gone by. Certain members of my family call it "National Stuff Your Gullet Day." All in fun of course. Many reasons are given for celebrating, including religious and national ones. There is a lot of talk about what individuals are thankful for, and often the Christian God is given a great deal of the credit for those things.
May I suggest something? Take the time to direct your thanks in person to the real live people in your lives, not to an invisible and undetectable God, and not to the air, which can't hear you either. Use this time to give thanks to those people who usually get taken for granted in your life, big or small.
If you are reading this, I thank you.
Wednesday, November 25, 2015
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Numbers chapter 20
After reading chapter 20:
*This chapter starts on the first month of an unknown year. My study bible says it must have been the end of the forty years the Israelites were condemned to wander in the desert, back in chapter 14. If this is true, it appears that nothing noteworthy happened during the intervening years. They are back in Kadesh, where they started forty years ago. Miriam dies and is buried there. Echoing Exodus 17, the Israelites complain of no water. Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle, where Yahweh tells Moses ( not Aaron) to take the magical staff that has apparently lasted all this time and speak to a rock, which would pour out water. This is the same staff that Moses turned into snakes, used to part the Nile, and which became Aaron's staff which blossomed. So, they gather the Israelites for a show of god's power. Moses struck the rock just like before, and just like before, water gushed out. All million plus Israelites and their livestock now had water. The text says these were called the waters of Meribah, just like the waters struck from a rock over forty years ago in Horeb. God takes this opportunity to remind Moses that he will not be going into the promised land.
*Then Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom asking permission for the Israelites to pass through his land, with promises not to disturb anything. The king denied them passage. The Israelites said they were coming through any way. The king of Edom said, "No, you are not." He sent a large army against the Israelites and they backed off.
*On the border of Edom, at Mount Hor, Yahweh told Moses it was time for Aaron to die. Moses, Aaron, and his son Eleazar, went up the mountain. Moses removed the high priest garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar. Aaron died. Then, Moses and Eleazar came down the mountain. Sounds mighty fishy to me.
*If we continue to follow the bible chronology, placing the creation at 4004 B.C.E, this would have taken place around the year 1296 B.C.E.
*This chapter starts on the first month of an unknown year. My study bible says it must have been the end of the forty years the Israelites were condemned to wander in the desert, back in chapter 14. If this is true, it appears that nothing noteworthy happened during the intervening years. They are back in Kadesh, where they started forty years ago. Miriam dies and is buried there. Echoing Exodus 17, the Israelites complain of no water. Moses and Aaron go to the tabernacle, where Yahweh tells Moses ( not Aaron) to take the magical staff that has apparently lasted all this time and speak to a rock, which would pour out water. This is the same staff that Moses turned into snakes, used to part the Nile, and which became Aaron's staff which blossomed. So, they gather the Israelites for a show of god's power. Moses struck the rock just like before, and just like before, water gushed out. All million plus Israelites and their livestock now had water. The text says these were called the waters of Meribah, just like the waters struck from a rock over forty years ago in Horeb. God takes this opportunity to remind Moses that he will not be going into the promised land.
*Then Moses sent messengers to the king of Edom asking permission for the Israelites to pass through his land, with promises not to disturb anything. The king denied them passage. The Israelites said they were coming through any way. The king of Edom said, "No, you are not." He sent a large army against the Israelites and they backed off.
*On the border of Edom, at Mount Hor, Yahweh told Moses it was time for Aaron to die. Moses, Aaron, and his son Eleazar, went up the mountain. Moses removed the high priest garments from Aaron and put them on Eleazar. Aaron died. Then, Moses and Eleazar came down the mountain. Sounds mighty fishy to me.
*If we continue to follow the bible chronology, placing the creation at 4004 B.C.E, this would have taken place around the year 1296 B.C.E.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Numbers chapter 19
After reading chapter 19:
*In this chapter Moses and Aaron get a new everlasting ordinance from Yahweh. This time they are told how to slaughter and burn an unblemished red heifer in great detail. Its ashes were to be gathered and kept in a ceremonially clean place outside of the camp. They were to be used in water when a ritual cleansing was to be done, for purification of sin. The water with heifer ashes in it is the "water of cleansing." The water was to be used to purify a person who has touched a dead human body, even old bones.
*The person who touched the dead body was unclean. He had to put some of the heifer ashes in a jar with water and a clean person had to sprinkle the water on him and on everyone and everything else associated with the body, on the third and seventh days of their uncleanness. Then they had to wash themselves and thier clothes. If they don't do this they will remain unclean and will be excommunicated. The weird part, if this isn't wierd enough, is that the clean sprinkler becomes temporarily unclean and anyone else who touches the water of cleansing becomes unclean til evening!
*Here you have it: Magic heifer ashes make unclean people clean and clean people unclean.
*In this chapter Moses and Aaron get a new everlasting ordinance from Yahweh. This time they are told how to slaughter and burn an unblemished red heifer in great detail. Its ashes were to be gathered and kept in a ceremonially clean place outside of the camp. They were to be used in water when a ritual cleansing was to be done, for purification of sin. The water with heifer ashes in it is the "water of cleansing." The water was to be used to purify a person who has touched a dead human body, even old bones.
*The person who touched the dead body was unclean. He had to put some of the heifer ashes in a jar with water and a clean person had to sprinkle the water on him and on everyone and everything else associated with the body, on the third and seventh days of their uncleanness. Then they had to wash themselves and thier clothes. If they don't do this they will remain unclean and will be excommunicated. The weird part, if this isn't wierd enough, is that the clean sprinkler becomes temporarily unclean and anyone else who touches the water of cleansing becomes unclean til evening!
*Here you have it: Magic heifer ashes make unclean people clean and clean people unclean.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Numbers chapter 18
After reading chapter 18:
*Now Yahweh tells Aaron that he and his sons, and their descendants, will be the only ones responsible for the altar, the sanctuary, and the duties inside the tabernacle. This service is given to them as a priesthood. If anyone else comes near the sanctuary, they will die. The other Levites are given to the priests to be helpers with all the stuff and activities outside the tent.
* All the wave offerings, first fruit offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings that the Israelites give to Yahweh, become the priests'. This is Yahweh's gift to them and an everlasting covenant, or at least Aaron said it was. They must take his word for it, or rather the word of the person who wrote about it, who was probably a priest. They may share it with others in their household who are ceremonially clean, of course. However, they will get none of the promised land as an inheritance. Who needs land when they have a guaranteed steady supply of food and money?
*For their service, the rest of the Levites get all the tithes that the Israelites bring to Yahweh. They will also have no inherited land. Of the tithes that the Levites get from the Israelites, they must take the best and holiest tenth and give it to Aaron and his sons. That is their tithe to the lord, so they won't be guilty and die. How nice for the priests that the lord is so generous and gives them all his stuff, which he has no use for anyway.
*Now Yahweh tells Aaron that he and his sons, and their descendants, will be the only ones responsible for the altar, the sanctuary, and the duties inside the tabernacle. This service is given to them as a priesthood. If anyone else comes near the sanctuary, they will die. The other Levites are given to the priests to be helpers with all the stuff and activities outside the tent.
* All the wave offerings, first fruit offerings, grain offerings, sin offerings, and guilt offerings that the Israelites give to Yahweh, become the priests'. This is Yahweh's gift to them and an everlasting covenant, or at least Aaron said it was. They must take his word for it, or rather the word of the person who wrote about it, who was probably a priest. They may share it with others in their household who are ceremonially clean, of course. However, they will get none of the promised land as an inheritance. Who needs land when they have a guaranteed steady supply of food and money?
*For their service, the rest of the Levites get all the tithes that the Israelites bring to Yahweh. They will also have no inherited land. Of the tithes that the Levites get from the Israelites, they must take the best and holiest tenth and give it to Aaron and his sons. That is their tithe to the lord, so they won't be guilty and die. How nice for the priests that the lord is so generous and gives them all his stuff, which he has no use for anyway.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Numbers chapter 17
After reading chapter 17:
*Now, Yahweh tells Moses to get a staff from each of the heads of the twelve tribes. The Levite staff is to be inscribed with Aaron's name. The staffs would be placed in front of the ark of the covenant and the staff of god's chosen person would sprout. So, that was done and the next day, guess whose staff sprouted. Not only had Aaron's staff sprouted, but it had gone through the whole growing cycle in one night, budding, blossoming, and producing almonds! Then Moses came out with all the staffs and showed the leaders of the tribes their staffs.
*Aaron's staff was put back in front of the ark of the covenant as a reminder to the rebellious, so they would not die. I don't know how it would have been a reminder if they couldn't look at it, because that area of the tabernacle was off limits. It surely wasn't put there so they couldn't examine it and maybe see that it wasn't the same staff as the day before. Moses would never do something like switch the staff for a tree branch in the middle of the night.
*The Israelites were in despair. Can you blame them? They were just as much enslaved now as they had been in Egypt, maybe more. Intellectual and emotional enslavement can be just as devastating as physical enslavement.
*Now, Yahweh tells Moses to get a staff from each of the heads of the twelve tribes. The Levite staff is to be inscribed with Aaron's name. The staffs would be placed in front of the ark of the covenant and the staff of god's chosen person would sprout. So, that was done and the next day, guess whose staff sprouted. Not only had Aaron's staff sprouted, but it had gone through the whole growing cycle in one night, budding, blossoming, and producing almonds! Then Moses came out with all the staffs and showed the leaders of the tribes their staffs.
*Aaron's staff was put back in front of the ark of the covenant as a reminder to the rebellious, so they would not die. I don't know how it would have been a reminder if they couldn't look at it, because that area of the tabernacle was off limits. It surely wasn't put there so they couldn't examine it and maybe see that it wasn't the same staff as the day before. Moses would never do something like switch the staff for a tree branch in the middle of the night.
*The Israelites were in despair. Can you blame them? They were just as much enslaved now as they had been in Egypt, maybe more. Intellectual and emotional enslavement can be just as devastating as physical enslavement.
Monday, November 16, 2015
Numbers chapter 16
After reading chapter 16:
*Now we read about an uprising in the camp. A Levite, some Reubenites, and 250 community leaders charge Moses with being too big for his britches. Moses tells them they are the ones that have gone too far and God will prove it by making clear who is holy and who isn't. The men complain of being treated like slaves by Moses. Moses wants to know what the Levites have to complain about, don't they get special important work to do? Then Moses got angry and told God not to accept their offering. Like the king of the universe takes orders? Well, apparently he does.
*The dissidents are told to meet in front of the tabernacle the next morning with censers of burning incense. They did, and God told Moses and Aaron to get out of the way because he was going to destroy the 250 mutineers. Moses and Aaron made a token protest then told the people who weren't involved to stay way back.
*Then Moses speechified about how if the men died a natural death, that would mean Yahweh had not sent Moses to take them out of Egypt and Moses was a liar. But, if a weird new phenomenon happened, like the earth splitting open and swallowing the men and their belongings, that would mean God did send Moses. Lo, and behold, guess what happened! The ground split opened and swallowed Korah the Levite, his friends, and all their belongings, alive. The 250 community leaders were then blasted by fire from God.
* According to Yahweh's instructions, the men's censors were salvaged from their charred remains, beaten into sheets, and used to overlay the altar. This was supposed to serve as a reminder to the Israelites that no one except Aaron and his sons should bring incense befor the lord, even though Moses was the one that told those 250 guys to bring the incense in the first place.
*More people became very unhappy with Moses and Aaron because of the deaths. Who can blame them? A group gathered in front of the tabernacle again. God threatened to put an end to these people as well. Moses told Aaron to hurry up and put incense and coals in his censor then go stand in the midst of the people to make atonement for them. Apparently a plague had already begun to hit them. Aaron stood between the living and those who had died from the plague and managed to stop the plague with sheer willpower and incense. Even so, 14,700 people died, another nice round number for the book of Numbers. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tabernacle.
*So, this chapter makes it very clear that Moses is Yahweh's right hand man and whatever he says goes, or else. I wonder how many nightmares it gave the young children who heard it read for the first time? Did it instill a lifelong determination never to get on Yahweh's bad side by disregarding Moses's words? Also, exactly what was this atonement thing Aaron did to stop the plague? What kind of plague starts and stops that quickly? Did you notice that the digits in 250 add up to seven and the digits in 14,700 add up to twelve? Coincidence? Plus, that weird new phenomenon sounds a lot like an earthquake. I don't know about you, but I'm a little tired of this Yahweh and his heavy handed ways.
*Now we read about an uprising in the camp. A Levite, some Reubenites, and 250 community leaders charge Moses with being too big for his britches. Moses tells them they are the ones that have gone too far and God will prove it by making clear who is holy and who isn't. The men complain of being treated like slaves by Moses. Moses wants to know what the Levites have to complain about, don't they get special important work to do? Then Moses got angry and told God not to accept their offering. Like the king of the universe takes orders? Well, apparently he does.
*The dissidents are told to meet in front of the tabernacle the next morning with censers of burning incense. They did, and God told Moses and Aaron to get out of the way because he was going to destroy the 250 mutineers. Moses and Aaron made a token protest then told the people who weren't involved to stay way back.
*Then Moses speechified about how if the men died a natural death, that would mean Yahweh had not sent Moses to take them out of Egypt and Moses was a liar. But, if a weird new phenomenon happened, like the earth splitting open and swallowing the men and their belongings, that would mean God did send Moses. Lo, and behold, guess what happened! The ground split opened and swallowed Korah the Levite, his friends, and all their belongings, alive. The 250 community leaders were then blasted by fire from God.
* According to Yahweh's instructions, the men's censors were salvaged from their charred remains, beaten into sheets, and used to overlay the altar. This was supposed to serve as a reminder to the Israelites that no one except Aaron and his sons should bring incense befor the lord, even though Moses was the one that told those 250 guys to bring the incense in the first place.
*More people became very unhappy with Moses and Aaron because of the deaths. Who can blame them? A group gathered in front of the tabernacle again. God threatened to put an end to these people as well. Moses told Aaron to hurry up and put incense and coals in his censor then go stand in the midst of the people to make atonement for them. Apparently a plague had already begun to hit them. Aaron stood between the living and those who had died from the plague and managed to stop the plague with sheer willpower and incense. Even so, 14,700 people died, another nice round number for the book of Numbers. Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the tabernacle.
*So, this chapter makes it very clear that Moses is Yahweh's right hand man and whatever he says goes, or else. I wonder how many nightmares it gave the young children who heard it read for the first time? Did it instill a lifelong determination never to get on Yahweh's bad side by disregarding Moses's words? Also, exactly what was this atonement thing Aaron did to stop the plague? What kind of plague starts and stops that quickly? Did you notice that the digits in 250 add up to seven and the digits in 14,700 add up to twelve? Coincidence? Plus, that weird new phenomenon sounds a lot like an earthquake. I don't know about you, but I'm a little tired of this Yahweh and his heavy handed ways.
Thursday, November 12, 2015
Numbers chapter 15
After reading Numbers 15:
*We read how offerings are to be presented when the Israelites make the promised land their home. All foreigners are to follow the same rules and regulations as the Israelites, no matter what they actually believe. The first portion of any food from the land is given to the priest, excuse me, Yahweh.
*If anyone unintentionally breaks a rule, without the community knowing it, the community is to offer a particular sacrifice and the whole community will be forgiven, because they shared in the sin. This makes no sense to me. Sacrifice and forgiveness for sins no one recognizes?
*So, while the Israelites were in the desert (notice the past tense phrasing by someone who was obviously not Moses and had not been in the desert with the Israelites.) a man gathered wood on the sabbath. Horrors! What is the world coming to? They took him into custody and Yahweh, or rather Moses speaking for Yahweh, said the man must die. So the Israelites stoned him to death. Because picking up a few sticks on a Saturday is one of the most abominable things a human can do. So, my dear children, this should remind you to always do what Moses told the Israelites, that Yahweh told him, that they should do.
*Now this is really important, so listen close. Yahweh also told Moses to tell the Israelites to wear tassels with blue cords on the corners of their garments. These tassels have magical power to remind them to keep god's commands when they look at them. This would help prevent them from getting stoned, that is beaten to a bloody pulp by people throwing rocks, till they die.
*We read how offerings are to be presented when the Israelites make the promised land their home. All foreigners are to follow the same rules and regulations as the Israelites, no matter what they actually believe. The first portion of any food from the land is given to the priest, excuse me, Yahweh.
*If anyone unintentionally breaks a rule, without the community knowing it, the community is to offer a particular sacrifice and the whole community will be forgiven, because they shared in the sin. This makes no sense to me. Sacrifice and forgiveness for sins no one recognizes?
*So, while the Israelites were in the desert (notice the past tense phrasing by someone who was obviously not Moses and had not been in the desert with the Israelites.) a man gathered wood on the sabbath. Horrors! What is the world coming to? They took him into custody and Yahweh, or rather Moses speaking for Yahweh, said the man must die. So the Israelites stoned him to death. Because picking up a few sticks on a Saturday is one of the most abominable things a human can do. So, my dear children, this should remind you to always do what Moses told the Israelites, that Yahweh told him, that they should do.
*Now this is really important, so listen close. Yahweh also told Moses to tell the Israelites to wear tassels with blue cords on the corners of their garments. These tassels have magical power to remind them to keep god's commands when they look at them. This would help prevent them from getting stoned, that is beaten to a bloody pulp by people throwing rocks, till they die.
Wednesday, November 11, 2015
Numbers chapter 14
After reading chapter 14:
*So, after the 12 explorers got back, the Israelites began to complain again because they were afraid of the people whose land they were supposed to take over. It was suggested that they elect someone to take them back to Egypt. Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb begged and pleaded with the Israelites, telling them not to be afraid, because Yahweh would protect them. The Israelites seriously considered stoning Moses and his cronies.
* Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, not the people, for some reason, and told him that he was sick and tired of the Israelites not respecting him. He just might destroy them with a plague and make Moses into a nation bigger and better than they are. Moses was worried that the Egyptians would hear about it and ruin Yahweh's reputation. Plus, people in the promised land had already heard great and wonderful things about Yahweh and the Israelites. How would it look if he gave up on them now?
*We again read those fundamentally contradictory statements about god's abounding love and forgiveness, plus his punishing of those who sin against him to the third and fourth generations. So, Yahweh relents and forgives them, BUT none of the people who disobeyed him in the desert would get to see the promised land, except Caleb. He's different. The wierd thing about this passage is that God never actually tells the Israelites to do anything so what command are they disobeying?
*Next they are told to turn back towards the desert. Since the Israelites are such a complaining bunch, every complainer twenty years and older will die in the desert. Their children will get to see the promised land after 40 years of a nomadic shepherding life. That's one year for each of the forty days that the land was explored. Then God says the whole community is wicked and banded together against him. Now who is complaining? As if mere mortals could stop the plans of an all powerful God!
*The ten explorers who started this trouble were struck down by a plague. Only Joshua and Caleb survived. After the Israelites were informed of all this, they said they would go into the land after all. Moses said, if they did, it would be disobedient again and God would not protect them. They went anyway, and the inhabitants of the land beat them back.
*So, after the 12 explorers got back, the Israelites began to complain again because they were afraid of the people whose land they were supposed to take over. It was suggested that they elect someone to take them back to Egypt. Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb begged and pleaded with the Israelites, telling them not to be afraid, because Yahweh would protect them. The Israelites seriously considered stoning Moses and his cronies.
* Then Yahweh spoke to Moses, not the people, for some reason, and told him that he was sick and tired of the Israelites not respecting him. He just might destroy them with a plague and make Moses into a nation bigger and better than they are. Moses was worried that the Egyptians would hear about it and ruin Yahweh's reputation. Plus, people in the promised land had already heard great and wonderful things about Yahweh and the Israelites. How would it look if he gave up on them now?
*We again read those fundamentally contradictory statements about god's abounding love and forgiveness, plus his punishing of those who sin against him to the third and fourth generations. So, Yahweh relents and forgives them, BUT none of the people who disobeyed him in the desert would get to see the promised land, except Caleb. He's different. The wierd thing about this passage is that God never actually tells the Israelites to do anything so what command are they disobeying?
*Next they are told to turn back towards the desert. Since the Israelites are such a complaining bunch, every complainer twenty years and older will die in the desert. Their children will get to see the promised land after 40 years of a nomadic shepherding life. That's one year for each of the forty days that the land was explored. Then God says the whole community is wicked and banded together against him. Now who is complaining? As if mere mortals could stop the plans of an all powerful God!
*The ten explorers who started this trouble were struck down by a plague. Only Joshua and Caleb survived. After the Israelites were informed of all this, they said they would go into the land after all. Moses said, if they did, it would be disobedient again and God would not protect them. They went anyway, and the inhabitants of the land beat them back.
Tuesday, November 10, 2015
Numbers chapter 13
After reading chapter 13:
*Now that the Israelites are in the desert of Paran, Yahweh tells Moses to send twelve men, one from each tribe, to go explore the land lof Canaan. This land was currently being occupied by people who had no idea that Yahweh was giving the Israelites their land. All twelve men are specifically named.
*Moses told the men to go through the Negev and into the hill country to scope out the land and the people. They were told to report on the civilizations and crop growing conditions. It was grape season so they were told to bring back a sample. What if the land was barren and infertile, would the Israelites have rejected Yahweh's gift? Would we be reading this story today? Since historical evidence suggests that the Israelites may have actually been long term natives of that land, this story is probably more like nationalistic propaganda.
*Some of the places the men travelled that we haven't covered before included Rehob and the Negev. When they reached the valley of Eshcol, a place that supposedly still exists, though I could not find much information about it. They took a sample of the crops growing there. Two of the men carried a cluster of grapes on a pole between them. This doesn't necessarily mean the grapes were large and heavy, it may just have been their way of keeping them from getting bruised. The men explored for 40 days, a very biblical length of time.
*They went back and reported to Moses that it was a great land " flowing with milk and honey." Caleb confidently suggested they take the land right away. The other men that had gone were leary of the inhabitants and said they saw Nephilim, or Anakites, who were supposedly of great size. They made them feel as small as grasshoppers.
*Now that the Israelites are in the desert of Paran, Yahweh tells Moses to send twelve men, one from each tribe, to go explore the land lof Canaan. This land was currently being occupied by people who had no idea that Yahweh was giving the Israelites their land. All twelve men are specifically named.
*Moses told the men to go through the Negev and into the hill country to scope out the land and the people. They were told to report on the civilizations and crop growing conditions. It was grape season so they were told to bring back a sample. What if the land was barren and infertile, would the Israelites have rejected Yahweh's gift? Would we be reading this story today? Since historical evidence suggests that the Israelites may have actually been long term natives of that land, this story is probably more like nationalistic propaganda.
*Some of the places the men travelled that we haven't covered before included Rehob and the Negev. When they reached the valley of Eshcol, a place that supposedly still exists, though I could not find much information about it. They took a sample of the crops growing there. Two of the men carried a cluster of grapes on a pole between them. This doesn't necessarily mean the grapes were large and heavy, it may just have been their way of keeping them from getting bruised. The men explored for 40 days, a very biblical length of time.
*They went back and reported to Moses that it was a great land " flowing with milk and honey." Caleb confidently suggested they take the land right away. The other men that had gone were leary of the inhabitants and said they saw Nephilim, or Anakites, who were supposedly of great size. They made them feel as small as grasshoppers.
Saturday, November 7, 2015
Numbers chapter 12
After reading chapter 12:
*In this chapter, we learn that Miriam and Aaron, Moses's sister and brother, were upset because Moses had married a Cushite woman. Why this made them upset is not stated, but there are some possibilities. 1. She was not an Israelite. The Israelites had been told in Exodus 34:16 that marrying foreign women was not God approved. Why did Moses get a pass? 2. One possible interpretation of Cushite is Ethiopian. In that case, this may have been a matter of racial prejudice, because of her dark skin. It could be both reasons or neither.
* Miriam and Aaron wanted equal billing with Moses because Yahweh had also spoken through them. What this had to do with Moses's wife is a mystery. Apparently God preferred Moses to be in charge because he was the humblest man on earth. Wow! That's quit an accomplishment.
*So, Yaweh called the three of them to stand in front of the tabernacle. He came down in the pillar of cloud and asked Miriam and Aaron to step forward. Then he rebuked them for daring to speak against Moses. Everyone else only gets revelations in dreams and visions, and we know how reliable those are. But Moses speaks clearly with God, face to face, and sees Yaweh's form. They should have been afraid to speak against him. This passage makes me wonder if the authors wrote it in response to Israelites in their time questioning the authority of Moses. It directly contradicts other scriptures that no one has seen God. It also directly contradicts the notion that God is a pure spirit being, if he has a face, a form, and a voice there must be a physical component to him. Likewise, if he can be seen and heard by humans, why hasn't he shown himself to anyone else, especially in modern times? Why would he need to cloak himself in mystery?
*When God was finished talking, the cloud lifted and Miriam was found to be leprous, white as snow, perhaps in contrast to the dark skin of the cushite? Of course that made her unclean. Moses and Aaron pleaded for Yahweh to heal her. He told Moses she would have to spend seven days outside of camp like all the other unclean people. So, the Israelites did not break camp till Miriam was "clean" again. Why wasn't Aaron punished too?
*Verse 14 says if Miriam's father had spit in her face she would have been in disgrace for seven days. We have come across no precedent or law about this yet but my study bible tells me there will be an explanation in Deuteronomy. We will wait and see.
*In this chapter, we learn that Miriam and Aaron, Moses's sister and brother, were upset because Moses had married a Cushite woman. Why this made them upset is not stated, but there are some possibilities. 1. She was not an Israelite. The Israelites had been told in Exodus 34:16 that marrying foreign women was not God approved. Why did Moses get a pass? 2. One possible interpretation of Cushite is Ethiopian. In that case, this may have been a matter of racial prejudice, because of her dark skin. It could be both reasons or neither.
* Miriam and Aaron wanted equal billing with Moses because Yahweh had also spoken through them. What this had to do with Moses's wife is a mystery. Apparently God preferred Moses to be in charge because he was the humblest man on earth. Wow! That's quit an accomplishment.
*So, Yaweh called the three of them to stand in front of the tabernacle. He came down in the pillar of cloud and asked Miriam and Aaron to step forward. Then he rebuked them for daring to speak against Moses. Everyone else only gets revelations in dreams and visions, and we know how reliable those are. But Moses speaks clearly with God, face to face, and sees Yaweh's form. They should have been afraid to speak against him. This passage makes me wonder if the authors wrote it in response to Israelites in their time questioning the authority of Moses. It directly contradicts other scriptures that no one has seen God. It also directly contradicts the notion that God is a pure spirit being, if he has a face, a form, and a voice there must be a physical component to him. Likewise, if he can be seen and heard by humans, why hasn't he shown himself to anyone else, especially in modern times? Why would he need to cloak himself in mystery?
*When God was finished talking, the cloud lifted and Miriam was found to be leprous, white as snow, perhaps in contrast to the dark skin of the cushite? Of course that made her unclean. Moses and Aaron pleaded for Yahweh to heal her. He told Moses she would have to spend seven days outside of camp like all the other unclean people. So, the Israelites did not break camp till Miriam was "clean" again. Why wasn't Aaron punished too?
*Verse 14 says if Miriam's father had spit in her face she would have been in disgrace for seven days. We have come across no precedent or law about this yet but my study bible tells me there will be an explanation in Deuteronomy. We will wait and see.
Friday, November 6, 2015
Numbers chapter 11, part 2
At the end of chapter 11, we read that a wind drove flocks of quail in from the sea to the camp so that the ground was covered with them to a depth of three feet out to a distance of a day's walk. When I read this I had many questions.
-First of all, the quail I am familiar with wouldn't have come from the sea, so what birds are these? I learned that there are many kinds of birds called quail, so these might be old world quail which are related to gulls, auks and other shore birds. It is not possible to know exactly what kind of birds these were.
-Then I remembered that gulls are not considered clean birds according to Leviticus chapter 11. So, I asked Google, "Are quail kosher birds? " The answer is: I don't know. Apparently, there are differing ideas on this. Some rabbis say yes, some say no. If they were not clean, it might explain what happens later.
-Next I asked myself, how realistic is it that quail would lie on the ground in drifts up to three feet deep, in a radius of a day's walking distance? Not likely.
*The text then tells us that noone gathered any less than ten homers of quail, which is about 60 bushels a piece. I've got another question. Were these bird alive or dead when they were gathered? If they were dead, everyone that handled them would have become "unclean."
*Also, what a pain it must have been to prepare all those quail to eat. First, they would have to have had their heads cut off and be drained of blood. Remember blood is also unclean. Then, they would have to be plucked clean of feathers, and that is not a pleasant job. Last of all, they must be cooked over an open fire, the only kind of fire the Israelites would have had. But I guess if they were starving for meat, they might not have minded.
*Well, none of that mattered. Just as the Israelites were about to have a quail feast, Yahweh struck them with a plague. Even though the text doesn't say it, the implication is that the plague killed all those people who had wanted other food besides manna, because they were buried there. In reality, it can't have been very many people because the main body of Israelites lives on, or else we wouldn't have a continuing saga to read tomorrow.
*One thing I noticed about this story is that it happened almost exactly a year after the last quail and manna story. (Exodus 16) But that time, God gave them quail to eat without striking them with a plague. Why was this time different?
-First of all, the quail I am familiar with wouldn't have come from the sea, so what birds are these? I learned that there are many kinds of birds called quail, so these might be old world quail which are related to gulls, auks and other shore birds. It is not possible to know exactly what kind of birds these were.
-Then I remembered that gulls are not considered clean birds according to Leviticus chapter 11. So, I asked Google, "Are quail kosher birds? " The answer is: I don't know. Apparently, there are differing ideas on this. Some rabbis say yes, some say no. If they were not clean, it might explain what happens later.
-Next I asked myself, how realistic is it that quail would lie on the ground in drifts up to three feet deep, in a radius of a day's walking distance? Not likely.
*The text then tells us that noone gathered any less than ten homers of quail, which is about 60 bushels a piece. I've got another question. Were these bird alive or dead when they were gathered? If they were dead, everyone that handled them would have become "unclean."
*Also, what a pain it must have been to prepare all those quail to eat. First, they would have to have had their heads cut off and be drained of blood. Remember blood is also unclean. Then, they would have to be plucked clean of feathers, and that is not a pleasant job. Last of all, they must be cooked over an open fire, the only kind of fire the Israelites would have had. But I guess if they were starving for meat, they might not have minded.
*Well, none of that mattered. Just as the Israelites were about to have a quail feast, Yahweh struck them with a plague. Even though the text doesn't say it, the implication is that the plague killed all those people who had wanted other food besides manna, because they were buried there. In reality, it can't have been very many people because the main body of Israelites lives on, or else we wouldn't have a continuing saga to read tomorrow.
*One thing I noticed about this story is that it happened almost exactly a year after the last quail and manna story. (Exodus 16) But that time, God gave them quail to eat without striking them with a plague. Why was this time different?
Numbers chapter 11, part 1
After reading chapter 11:
*"The people began to complain in the hearing of Yahweh." Does this mean there is a place out of the hearing of the lord? Well, anyway, Yahweh, that patient and loving God, sent some of his fire to burn a few of them up on the outskirts of the camp. Moses prayed on their behalf and the fire died down. If this was a true story, I would suspect Moses of starting those fires himself.
*Next, we read that the Israelites are getting awfully tired of eating manna. They want meat and vegetables, anything but manna. OK, this is just silly. We have recently read chapters and chapters about dozens of kinds of meat and grain sacrifices. There were goats, and sheep, and bulls, and pigeons, and doves to be sacrificed. Where did they come from? What were the animals eating? Who was eating them? It wasn't Yahweh. Was it the Levites? Not only that, in Leviticus 17 we were told that some people were sacrificing (slaughtering) animals out in the fields. Clearly there is a contradiction here.
*Then we get another description of manna. This time it tastes like something made with olive oil instead of wafers made with honey back in Exodus chapter 16. One wonders what the nutritional value of manna was, especially since it did not satisfy the Israelites.
*Moses heard all those hundreds of thousands of people wailing at the entrance of their tents. Yahweh got angry. Moses was peeved. He wanted to know why he had to be the babysitter in charge of so many babies. How was he going to get meat for these people. (Um, what about all those animals you are carting around for sacrifices?) Moses asked God just to kill him and put him out of his misery right there. I wonder if Moses had meat to eat.
*Yahweh tells Moses to call together 70 of the elders of Israel. He will give them the same spirit Moses has so that they can help shoulder the burden. Moses is also to tell the Israelites that tomorrow they get meat. They will have so much meat for a whole month that they will come to hate it. Moses wants to know where enough meat for six hundred thousand men, for a whole month, will come from. That's a lot of meat! Finally. This is a realistic question. Or it would be if Moses had included all the women and children. What a pesky detail. Yahweh's answer is,"You'll see."
*The seventy elders, except two, gathered at the tabernacle and got the Spirit. They were able to prophecy one time, that's it. The two elders who did not assemble with the others still got the spirit and prophesied. Joshua, Moses's aide, tattled on them. Moses accused Joshua of jealousy.
Edited.
*"The people began to complain in the hearing of Yahweh." Does this mean there is a place out of the hearing of the lord? Well, anyway, Yahweh, that patient and loving God, sent some of his fire to burn a few of them up on the outskirts of the camp. Moses prayed on their behalf and the fire died down. If this was a true story, I would suspect Moses of starting those fires himself.
*Next, we read that the Israelites are getting awfully tired of eating manna. They want meat and vegetables, anything but manna. OK, this is just silly. We have recently read chapters and chapters about dozens of kinds of meat and grain sacrifices. There were goats, and sheep, and bulls, and pigeons, and doves to be sacrificed. Where did they come from? What were the animals eating? Who was eating them? It wasn't Yahweh. Was it the Levites? Not only that, in Leviticus 17 we were told that some people were sacrificing (slaughtering) animals out in the fields. Clearly there is a contradiction here.
*Then we get another description of manna. This time it tastes like something made with olive oil instead of wafers made with honey back in Exodus chapter 16. One wonders what the nutritional value of manna was, especially since it did not satisfy the Israelites.
*Moses heard all those hundreds of thousands of people wailing at the entrance of their tents. Yahweh got angry. Moses was peeved. He wanted to know why he had to be the babysitter in charge of so many babies. How was he going to get meat for these people. (Um, what about all those animals you are carting around for sacrifices?) Moses asked God just to kill him and put him out of his misery right there. I wonder if Moses had meat to eat.
*Yahweh tells Moses to call together 70 of the elders of Israel. He will give them the same spirit Moses has so that they can help shoulder the burden. Moses is also to tell the Israelites that tomorrow they get meat. They will have so much meat for a whole month that they will come to hate it. Moses wants to know where enough meat for six hundred thousand men, for a whole month, will come from. That's a lot of meat! Finally. This is a realistic question. Or it would be if Moses had included all the women and children. What a pesky detail. Yahweh's answer is,"You'll see."
*The seventy elders, except two, gathered at the tabernacle and got the Spirit. They were able to prophecy one time, that's it. The two elders who did not assemble with the others still got the spirit and prophesied. Joshua, Moses's aide, tattled on them. Moses accused Joshua of jealousy.
Edited.
Thursday, November 5, 2015
Numbers chapter 10
After reading chapter 10:
*The first part of this chapter is about the creation of two silver trumpets to be used by Aaron and his sons.
-Both trumpets blown at the same time signal a community assembly at the entrance to the tabernacle. Though how you get a million or so people to hear two trumpets, plus gather together and assemble in one spot, is a mystery.
-One trumpet means only the heads of the clans are to assemble.
-One trumpet blast, of a different signal, means the eastern camps start moving. A second blast after that and the southern camps start moving. The text doesn't mention the western and northern camps
-A trumpet blast before a battle will ensure they are remembered by God and are rescued from their enemies. God needs reminding.
-The trumpets will also be sounded at feasts, festivals, and over burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So, I'm guessing the trumpets would have been sounded fairly often. This reminds me of a scene in the Sound of Music.
*On the twentieth day of the second month, of the second year, the cloud over the tabernacle lifted. The Israelites broke camp and followed the cloud from the desert of Sinai to the desert of Paran.
The divisions of clans set out in a particular order, Judah's camp divisions left first. Again, the tribe of Judah is being given priority, even though Reuben was the oldest of Israel's sons. I wonder if this is another case of the younger brother symbolism found so often throughout the bible narrative. It looks ahead to a time when the of tribe of Judah becomes the leading tribe in the kingdom of Judah. If so, that clearly means this narrative was not written till after that time, which was not till at least the 9th century B.C.E., a few hundred years after these events would have taken place.
*The Gershonites and Merarites were to leave with the first Israelite clans so they could set up the tabernacle in the new spot before the Kohathites arrived with the holy accoutrements.
*Moses invited his brother-in-law Hobab to come with them. He declined and said he was going back to his own people. Moses begged him to stay and help them out. He promised Hobab a share of the spoils. So they travelled for three days. (A standard journey for those times.) Every day they set out, and every time they camped, Moses repeated some magical words to get Yahweh to stay with them.
*The first part of this chapter is about the creation of two silver trumpets to be used by Aaron and his sons.
-Both trumpets blown at the same time signal a community assembly at the entrance to the tabernacle. Though how you get a million or so people to hear two trumpets, plus gather together and assemble in one spot, is a mystery.
-One trumpet means only the heads of the clans are to assemble.
-One trumpet blast, of a different signal, means the eastern camps start moving. A second blast after that and the southern camps start moving. The text doesn't mention the western and northern camps
-A trumpet blast before a battle will ensure they are remembered by God and are rescued from their enemies. God needs reminding.
-The trumpets will also be sounded at feasts, festivals, and over burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. So, I'm guessing the trumpets would have been sounded fairly often. This reminds me of a scene in the Sound of Music.
*On the twentieth day of the second month, of the second year, the cloud over the tabernacle lifted. The Israelites broke camp and followed the cloud from the desert of Sinai to the desert of Paran.
The divisions of clans set out in a particular order, Judah's camp divisions left first. Again, the tribe of Judah is being given priority, even though Reuben was the oldest of Israel's sons. I wonder if this is another case of the younger brother symbolism found so often throughout the bible narrative. It looks ahead to a time when the of tribe of Judah becomes the leading tribe in the kingdom of Judah. If so, that clearly means this narrative was not written till after that time, which was not till at least the 9th century B.C.E., a few hundred years after these events would have taken place.
*The Gershonites and Merarites were to leave with the first Israelite clans so they could set up the tabernacle in the new spot before the Kohathites arrived with the holy accoutrements.
*Moses invited his brother-in-law Hobab to come with them. He declined and said he was going back to his own people. Moses begged him to stay and help them out. He promised Hobab a share of the spoils. So they travelled for three days. (A standard journey for those times.) Every day they set out, and every time they camped, Moses repeated some magical words to get Yahweh to stay with them.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Numbers chapter 9
After reading chapter 9:
*The book of Numbers began at the second month of the second year. Chapter 9 takes us back to the first month of that year to tell us that the Israelites celebrated the passover like they were supposed to, on the 14th day at twilight. However, it seems that some people were not able to celebrate because they were made unclean by a dead body. Moses consulted Yahweh, who said anyone who hadn't been able to observe it the first month must do so on the 14th day of the second month, in the same way they would have observed it in the first month. I find it interesting that the 14 th day of a lunar month is usually a full moon. Any one who failed to celebrate the passover was excommunicated.
*This chapter also refers back to the day the tabernacle was set up, which, according to Exodus, was the first day of the first month of the second year. We are again told about the cloud that came to rest over the tabernacle and how the Israelites moved when it moved, no matter how long or short the time was.
*The book of Numbers began at the second month of the second year. Chapter 9 takes us back to the first month of that year to tell us that the Israelites celebrated the passover like they were supposed to, on the 14th day at twilight. However, it seems that some people were not able to celebrate because they were made unclean by a dead body. Moses consulted Yahweh, who said anyone who hadn't been able to observe it the first month must do so on the 14th day of the second month, in the same way they would have observed it in the first month. I find it interesting that the 14 th day of a lunar month is usually a full moon. Any one who failed to celebrate the passover was excommunicated.
*This chapter also refers back to the day the tabernacle was set up, which, according to Exodus, was the first day of the first month of the second year. We are again told about the cloud that came to rest over the tabernacle and how the Israelites moved when it moved, no matter how long or short the time was.
Numbers chapter 8
After reading chapter 8:
*Now we find out what Yahweh told Moses when he spoke to him at the end of the last chapter. He told him how to position the the lamps on the lamp stand. Important stuff.
*Next, there is the consecration of the Levites with more sacrifices and wave offerings, yada, yada, yada. Again, we hear about the how the Levites replace the firstborn of the other Israelites as dedicated to God. It is their special job to make atonement for the Israelites so the Israelites won't be struck by plagues (shades of Egypt) when they go near the sanctuary.
*So, the Levites did all the sacrificing, and waving, and washing, and purifying, just as God commanded. The Levites themselves were a wave offering, which some how made them belong to God.
*Then God told Moses a Levite must be twenty five before he could serve at the tabernacle and he must retire at fifty. I wonder if they got a pension.
*Now we find out what Yahweh told Moses when he spoke to him at the end of the last chapter. He told him how to position the the lamps on the lamp stand. Important stuff.
*Next, there is the consecration of the Levites with more sacrifices and wave offerings, yada, yada, yada. Again, we hear about the how the Levites replace the firstborn of the other Israelites as dedicated to God. It is their special job to make atonement for the Israelites so the Israelites won't be struck by plagues (shades of Egypt) when they go near the sanctuary.
*So, the Levites did all the sacrificing, and waving, and washing, and purifying, just as God commanded. The Levites themselves were a wave offering, which some how made them belong to God.
*Then God told Moses a Levite must be twenty five before he could serve at the tabernacle and he must retire at fifty. I wonder if they got a pension.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Numbers chapter 7
After reading chapter 7:
*Now, we read about the gifts that each of the twelve tribes gave to the service of the tabernacle, after it was consecrated and anointed.
- First, the tribal leaders donated a total of six covered carts and twelve oxen. These were given to the Levite clans to transport the tabernacle equipment. The Gershonites got 2 carts and 4 oxen, the Merarites got four carts and eight oxen. The Kohanites didn't get any. They had to carry all the most holy stuff themselves, on their shoulders.
-Then, for the dedication of the altar, the twelve tribal leaders each brought offerings, one tribe a day for twelve days. The tribe of Judah was first. I'm guessing that is significant, since we will find that tribe taking a lead role later in the bible narrative. Each tribe brought the exact same offering and we are given 11 word for word, repetitious descriptions of it. It amounted to a quantity of silver and gold dishes, a grain offering, and a number of sacrificial animals. I still wonder why they needed manna if they had that many animals and the means to feed them, not to mention the grain offerings.
*Not only are we told the exact offering of each tribe, but we are also given the total amount of all the offerings at the end of the chapter. This really is a book of numbers.
*The last verses tell us that Moses entered the tabernacle to speak to Yahweh and he heard a voice come from between the cherubim above the cover of the ark. At least that is what we are told, there were no actual witnesses. We don't get to hear what Yaweh said til chapter 8.
Edited.
*Now, we read about the gifts that each of the twelve tribes gave to the service of the tabernacle, after it was consecrated and anointed.
- First, the tribal leaders donated a total of six covered carts and twelve oxen. These were given to the Levite clans to transport the tabernacle equipment. The Gershonites got 2 carts and 4 oxen, the Merarites got four carts and eight oxen. The Kohanites didn't get any. They had to carry all the most holy stuff themselves, on their shoulders.
-Then, for the dedication of the altar, the twelve tribal leaders each brought offerings, one tribe a day for twelve days. The tribe of Judah was first. I'm guessing that is significant, since we will find that tribe taking a lead role later in the bible narrative. Each tribe brought the exact same offering and we are given 11 word for word, repetitious descriptions of it. It amounted to a quantity of silver and gold dishes, a grain offering, and a number of sacrificial animals. I still wonder why they needed manna if they had that many animals and the means to feed them, not to mention the grain offerings.
*Not only are we told the exact offering of each tribe, but we are also given the total amount of all the offerings at the end of the chapter. This really is a book of numbers.
*The last verses tell us that Moses entered the tabernacle to speak to Yahweh and he heard a voice come from between the cherubim above the cover of the ark. At least that is what we are told, there were no actual witnesses. We don't get to hear what Yaweh said til chapter 8.
Edited.
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