After reading chapter 5:
*After the Amorite and Canaanite kings heard about the crossing of the Jordan, they were afraid of the Israelites. At this time Yahweh ordered Joshua to circumcise all the men in the camp. Apparently, none of them had been circumcised during the forty years wandering in the desert. The author of Joshua has not forgotten that the fathers of the current Israelite soldiers, who apparently had been circumcised, were all dead. They had been the ones who were told they would not enter the promised land because of disobedience. So, Joshua circumcised about 600,000 men, more if the boys were included. With handmade flint knives, no less. This was done at Gibeath Haaraloth, which means "Hill of Foreskins." Yahweh said this event "rolled away" the reproach of Egypt, whatever that means. God doesn't like foreskins? The men remained in the camp until they had healed. I feel sorry for the women who had to endure that day. This would have been the perfect time for their enemies to attack them.
*A few days later, on the 14th day of the first month, the Israelites celebrated passover. Back in Exodus chapter 12 we see that circumcision was a requirement for all males eating the passover. I guess the Israelites did not celebrate Passover while wandering in the desert. The day after Passover, they ate unleavened bread and roasted grain, products of that land. From that time on, the manna ceased. I wonder where they got the unleavened bread and grain, enough to feed over a million people every day. It doesn't just appear on the ground. Grain has to be grown, harvested, threshed, stored, ground into flour, etc. It would have to have been purchased or stolen, by the women. The men were out of commission.
*Sometime after this, Joshua has an encounter with the commander of Yahweh's army, (God has an army?) near Jericho. He appeared in front of Joshua holding a sword, looking very much like man, because Joshua said,"friend or foe?" The Angel (?) said, " neither." Then he told Joshua to take off his sandals because he was standing on holy ground. We can't have shoes touching holy ground, can we? This, of course, is reminiscent of Moses's encounter with the burning bush. Notice that neither Joshua nor Moses had witnesses to these events, so we have to take their word for it. Or the word of the people telling the stories, who got their info who-knows-how-many-times removed from the supposed events.
Showing posts with label manna. Show all posts
Showing posts with label manna. Show all posts
Saturday, March 19, 2016
Wednesday, January 13, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 8
After reading chapter 8:
*More exhortation to keep the commandments, then a treatise on the Israelite's time wandering in the desert for 40 years. Apparently, it was a test to see if they would keep Yahweh's commands. The Manna was an object lesson to teach that "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahweh." But... They couldn't live on Yahweh's words, that's why they needed the manna, duh. (We are ignoring that in Exodus and Leviticus they were said to have large flocks and herds of animals which could have provided food.)
* We are now told that the Israelite's clothes miraculously did not wear out and their feet did not swell during the 40 years of wandering. (I'm guessing that passage is intended to answer an ancient Hebrew skeptic's questions.) Again with "obey the commands of Yahweh", because he is bringing them into a rich land. Plus, they better remember him after they find satisfaction in their new land. After all, he protected them in the desert and gave them the ubiquitous manna.
*Just like preachers around the globe today tell their flocks every Sunday, Moses tells the Israelites that they may think that everything they accomplish is by their own hands, but really it is God. He gave them the ability to to produce wealth and that just confirms his covenant. Win-win for Yahweh. Again, they better not forget it or they will be destroyed, just like the nations they, um God, destroyed. Hey, that last part is in the past tense, but they haven't destroyed the nations yet.
*More exhortation to keep the commandments, then a treatise on the Israelite's time wandering in the desert for 40 years. Apparently, it was a test to see if they would keep Yahweh's commands. The Manna was an object lesson to teach that "man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of Yahweh." But... They couldn't live on Yahweh's words, that's why they needed the manna, duh. (We are ignoring that in Exodus and Leviticus they were said to have large flocks and herds of animals which could have provided food.)
* We are now told that the Israelite's clothes miraculously did not wear out and their feet did not swell during the 40 years of wandering. (I'm guessing that passage is intended to answer an ancient Hebrew skeptic's questions.) Again with "obey the commands of Yahweh", because he is bringing them into a rich land. Plus, they better remember him after they find satisfaction in their new land. After all, he protected them in the desert and gave them the ubiquitous manna.
*Just like preachers around the globe today tell their flocks every Sunday, Moses tells the Israelites that they may think that everything they accomplish is by their own hands, but really it is God. He gave them the ability to to produce wealth and that just confirms his covenant. Win-win for Yahweh. Again, they better not forget it or they will be destroyed, just like the nations they, um God, destroyed. Hey, that last part is in the past tense, but they haven't destroyed the nations yet.
Friday, November 6, 2015
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.
Tuesday, September 29, 2015
Wrapping up Exodus
*In this book, we find no information about Satan, demons, heaven, hell, or an afterlife. People still lived an unusual length of time, into their 130's. Rewards and punishments are earthly. Death and excommunication are common forms of punishment.
* Angels rarely appear. Sometimes they are called Angels of the lord and speak to Moses. One was around the burning bush. One is called the destroyer, and kills the Egyptian first born. The one that will go ahead of the Israelites and pester the people in the promised land is called God's terror and the hornet. Angels no longer appear in human like bodies.
*There is no concrete extra- biblical evidence for any of the events or main characters. The Pharoahs of Exodus are not named and it is impossible to know who they might have been. The archaeology of the relevant time periods give no indication of any event similar to the exodus. There is no evidence of a series of plagues or the sudden departure of over a million people. There is no evidence that Moses ever existed. There is no physical evidence that over a million people and their flocks, wandered around in the desert at that time. If nothing else, there should be numerous piles of quail bones.
*The events surrounding the Exodus would have caused a major economic collapse for the Egyptians. There is no evidence of such a collapse. Over a million people (The population of Austin, Texas.) living, camping, and traveling together in the desert is a practical impossibility.
*The book speaks of Moses and the events in Exodus in third person, and displays knowledge of events beyond the lifetime of Moses. It can not have been written by Moses. If it was, it would not have been written in Hebrew. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Israelites originated in Canaan and did not spend any significant time in Egypt. Also, the book does not claim to be the word of God.
*The Israelites are said to be hungry and are given manna from heaven, yet they have animals enough for a significant number of sacrifices. They also have flour for unleavened bread.
*The tabernacle and religious paraphernalia is very similar to those things used by other ancient religions. The verses claimed to be the Ten Commandments do not appear to be anything like the traditional commandments we have come to know. Three yearly feasts and the observance of the Sabbath have been instituted and an elite priesthood has been established.
Note: I thank you if you have been reading along. Please feel free to share this site with others you think might be interested. Next up- Leviticus. That promises to be interesting. As with Genesis and Exodus, I will try to read it as though I am encountering it with fresh eyes. We will keep looking at how it measures up to reality.
Edited to add an interesting video that I've watched recently: Matt Dilihunty in Atheist Debates- Patterns of Evidence: Exodus.
* Angels rarely appear. Sometimes they are called Angels of the lord and speak to Moses. One was around the burning bush. One is called the destroyer, and kills the Egyptian first born. The one that will go ahead of the Israelites and pester the people in the promised land is called God's terror and the hornet. Angels no longer appear in human like bodies.
*There is no concrete extra- biblical evidence for any of the events or main characters. The Pharoahs of Exodus are not named and it is impossible to know who they might have been. The archaeology of the relevant time periods give no indication of any event similar to the exodus. There is no evidence of a series of plagues or the sudden departure of over a million people. There is no evidence that Moses ever existed. There is no physical evidence that over a million people and their flocks, wandered around in the desert at that time. If nothing else, there should be numerous piles of quail bones.
*The events surrounding the Exodus would have caused a major economic collapse for the Egyptians. There is no evidence of such a collapse. Over a million people (The population of Austin, Texas.) living, camping, and traveling together in the desert is a practical impossibility.
*The book speaks of Moses and the events in Exodus in third person, and displays knowledge of events beyond the lifetime of Moses. It can not have been written by Moses. If it was, it would not have been written in Hebrew. Archaeological evidence suggests that the Israelites originated in Canaan and did not spend any significant time in Egypt. Also, the book does not claim to be the word of God.
*The Israelites are said to be hungry and are given manna from heaven, yet they have animals enough for a significant number of sacrifices. They also have flour for unleavened bread.
*The tabernacle and religious paraphernalia is very similar to those things used by other ancient religions. The verses claimed to be the Ten Commandments do not appear to be anything like the traditional commandments we have come to know. Three yearly feasts and the observance of the Sabbath have been instituted and an elite priesthood has been established.
Note: I thank you if you have been reading along. Please feel free to share this site with others you think might be interested. Next up- Leviticus. That promises to be interesting. As with Genesis and Exodus, I will try to read it as though I am encountering it with fresh eyes. We will keep looking at how it measures up to reality.
Edited to add an interesting video that I've watched recently: Matt Dilihunty in Atheist Debates- Patterns of Evidence: Exodus.
Friday, September 11, 2015
Exodus 16 part 2
*After the Israelites gathered the stuff off the ground, Moses told them they were not to keep it till morning. They did anyway and it became putrid. Every day they gathered up the " bread from heaven." When the sun got hot, it melted away. On the sixth day of the week, they gathered twice as much. Moses told them the next day would be a holy day of rest, a Sabbath. They could do whatever they wanted with the stuff and save it for the next day. They saved it this time and it did not rot. On the Sabbath, they did not find any on the ground and had to eat what they had saved. People went out to look for it anyway.
*Yahweh was a little peeved that the people didn't seem to trust him enough to obey his commands. After all, he generously gave them this day off. Now they better rest, or else. (You mean he didn't know ahead of time how the people would act?)
*The people called the bread "manna" which means something like "whatchamacallit." It was white like coriander seed (Coriander seed is light tan) and tasted like wafers made with honey. Yum.
*Moses commanded Aaron to put some in a jar and place it before the lord, to be kept for generations. This was Yahweh's idea. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan.
*So, for forty years, magical food, that knew the days of the week and the time of day and the amount each person needed, appeared on the ground every morning. Since that time, it has never been seen or tasted. Almost like it never existed.
Edited.
*Yahweh was a little peeved that the people didn't seem to trust him enough to obey his commands. After all, he generously gave them this day off. Now they better rest, or else. (You mean he didn't know ahead of time how the people would act?)
*The people called the bread "manna" which means something like "whatchamacallit." It was white like coriander seed (Coriander seed is light tan) and tasted like wafers made with honey. Yum.
*Moses commanded Aaron to put some in a jar and place it before the lord, to be kept for generations. This was Yahweh's idea. The Israelites ate manna for forty years, until they reached the border of Canaan.
*So, for forty years, magical food, that knew the days of the week and the time of day and the amount each person needed, appeared on the ground every morning. Since that time, it has never been seen or tasted. Almost like it never existed.
Edited.
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