We are at 1 John 3:11. It says, " This is the message you heard from the beginning: "We should love one another." Oh. That's the message. Back in chapter 1, verse 5, the message was "god is light." "Love one another" is easier to understand. The reader is then told "Do not be like Cain who murdered his brother." OK, I can agree with that. But then the author says Cain murdered his brother "because his own actions were evil and his brother's were righteous. What were those evil actions that Cain committed? Offering a sacrifice of grain instead of a sheep. That's it. That made Cain "belong to the evil one." Never mind that no where in beginning of Genesis are we told anything about god requiring sacrifices at all, let alone what they should consist of. Plus, why does god even care about that? What difference does it make?
The author equates Cain hating his brother with the world hating believers. According to him, believers love their brothers, other people don't. The implication is that the world is jealous of believers and wants to kill them because god prefers the believers' brand of obedience. Then the author equates not loving your brother with hating your brother, which is equated with murder. Basically, he is saying to the readers that the people who don't like them are as good as murderers. Plus, no murderer has eternal life. Therefore, the people who don't like them don't have eternal life. It's a backhanded way of saying, "We are the righteous ones, like Abel, and are better than them."
The author goes on to give an example of true love, laying your life down for your brother, like Jesus did. But did Jesus really lay his life down FOR anyone? If you believe the stories, wasn't his life involuntarily taken from him? How did his death actually benefit anyone? Then, the author says love is having pity on a brother in need. They must not just love with words, but with actions. This I can get behind. But what does that have to do with Jesus's death?
The reader is told that whenever their hearts condemn them, they can set their hearts at rest, knowing they belong to the truth and god is greater than their hearts. He knows everything. Whenever their hearts do not condemn them, they "have confidence before god and receive anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." Did you see that? Anything they ask. No caveats except obedience. That must mean that every time a believer's prayer was not answered they were disobedient in some way, right?
What are god's commands any way? "To believe in the name of his son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he (Jesus) commanded." Can you do one and not the other? Apparently, the author believes if they don't do the first, they are also not doing the other. "Those who obey Jesus's commands live in him and he in them." They can know that by the spirit he gave them, whatever that means.
What about the spirits? How does one know if they are from god? You test them. "Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from god." How convenient. A godly spirit will agree with them. On the other hand, "a spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from god. This is the spirit of the anti christ." Of course it is. They were told it would come, and it has. Amazing prediction. Not only that, it was there when this letter was being written, almost two thousand years ago. According to this author, an anti christ is merely someone who rejects the previous existence of a physical Jesus. People like that were around even when this letter was written, and it was supposedly written by someone who knew Jesus first hand. But what has he told us about the physical Jesus so far. Not much.
Till next time.
Showing posts with label sacrifices. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sacrifices. Show all posts
Thursday, July 11, 2019
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Malachi, part 2
Malachi 2:17 brings us to Yahweh's fourth statement: "You have wearied the lord with your words." (Yahweh's talking about himself in the third person again.) The priests ask, "How have we wearied him? Yahweh's answer is, "by saying, 'all who do evil are good in the eyes of the lord and he is pleased with them' or 'where is the god of justice?'" I have trouble believing that the Israelites actually said the first statement. I think it is hyperbole and that what was actually said was something like "(such and such a tribe) is not evil, god loves them too." This would not have been tolerated by the more fundamentalist Jews, just as it is not tolerated by other fundamentalists today. The question "Where is the god of Justice?" Is a valid question, especially if it is about justice for all, not just a select group.
In chapter three, the questioners are told that a messenger will prepare the way for the lord, then he will come. However, not many will be able to handle his coming. He will, cleanse, refine, and purify, bringing justice to the downtrodden, and judgement to sorcerers, adulterers, liars, the dishonest bosses, and those who take advantage of the weak.
In verse 6, Yahweh makes a statement claiming he does not change. If the Israelites turn back to him, he will return to them. This definitely sounds like a post captivity claim. The Israelites ask, "How are we to return?" There is no immediate answer.
Yahweh's next claim is that the Israelites rob him. He is asked, "How do we rob you?" They apparently rob him quite literally, by not giving him the proper tithes and offerings. This is making me suspect this book was written by a priest. Who else would benefit from the people returning to the Law of Moses's rules of sacrifices and offerings? The priesthood. Gods certainly don't need food or money. Yahweh tells them to test him by bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in his house. Who will eat that food? The priests. Yahweh claims if they do that, he will throw open the floodgates of heaven and bless them with abundance. Give to get. The prosperity doctrine is not new.
Next Yahweh claims the people have said harsh things against him. They ask, "What have we said against you?" Apparently they said it was futile to serve god. (Amen) They got nothing from carrying out his requirements before. Plus, evildoers prosper.
Then some true believers got together and talked. Yahweh listened in on their conversation. He had a scroll of remembrance written in his presence, about those who respected him. What is a scroll of remembrance? Glad you asked. Kings would have scribes write down things they wanted to remember at a later date. It appears Yahweh does not trust his own memory. These godfearers will be saved in the future, when the day comes that the arrogant and the evildoers will be set on fire like hay stubble. At that time, those who revere Yahweh will cavort about like calves, trampling the ashes of the wicked under their feet.
Next, the Israelites are told to remember all the laws and decrees of Moses. This would fit much better after the question "How are we to return to you?" After that, Yahweh says he will send the prophet Elijah before the dreadful day that the lord comes, which was previously mentioned. Elijah will "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers." If that doesn't happen, even though he says it will, he will come and strike the land with a curse." 'Cause that's what loving gods do.
In chapter three, the questioners are told that a messenger will prepare the way for the lord, then he will come. However, not many will be able to handle his coming. He will, cleanse, refine, and purify, bringing justice to the downtrodden, and judgement to sorcerers, adulterers, liars, the dishonest bosses, and those who take advantage of the weak.
In verse 6, Yahweh makes a statement claiming he does not change. If the Israelites turn back to him, he will return to them. This definitely sounds like a post captivity claim. The Israelites ask, "How are we to return?" There is no immediate answer.
Yahweh's next claim is that the Israelites rob him. He is asked, "How do we rob you?" They apparently rob him quite literally, by not giving him the proper tithes and offerings. This is making me suspect this book was written by a priest. Who else would benefit from the people returning to the Law of Moses's rules of sacrifices and offerings? The priesthood. Gods certainly don't need food or money. Yahweh tells them to test him by bringing the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in his house. Who will eat that food? The priests. Yahweh claims if they do that, he will throw open the floodgates of heaven and bless them with abundance. Give to get. The prosperity doctrine is not new.
Next Yahweh claims the people have said harsh things against him. They ask, "What have we said against you?" Apparently they said it was futile to serve god. (Amen) They got nothing from carrying out his requirements before. Plus, evildoers prosper.
Then some true believers got together and talked. Yahweh listened in on their conversation. He had a scroll of remembrance written in his presence, about those who respected him. What is a scroll of remembrance? Glad you asked. Kings would have scribes write down things they wanted to remember at a later date. It appears Yahweh does not trust his own memory. These godfearers will be saved in the future, when the day comes that the arrogant and the evildoers will be set on fire like hay stubble. At that time, those who revere Yahweh will cavort about like calves, trampling the ashes of the wicked under their feet.
Next, the Israelites are told to remember all the laws and decrees of Moses. This would fit much better after the question "How are we to return to you?" After that, Yahweh says he will send the prophet Elijah before the dreadful day that the lord comes, which was previously mentioned. Elijah will "turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to the fathers." If that doesn't happen, even though he says it will, he will come and strike the land with a curse." 'Cause that's what loving gods do.
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Malachi, part 1
As I read through the first chapter of Malachi, I notice a literary pattern. First Yahweh makes a statement. Next, Israel or the priests ask a question based on the statement. Next, Yahweh elaborates. Then Israel asks another question based on what Yahweh just said, and so on.
The first statement Yahweh makes is "I have loved you." He is asked in return, "How have you loved us?" Then Yahweh talks of Jacob and Esau, when what he is actually referring to is the lands of Israel and Edom. Jacob and Esau were brothers, yet Yahweh favored Jacob. The statement "Jacob have I loved" is quite famous. In Malachi, land of Edom is said to be a wasteland. Yahweh basically says it is cursed and under his wrath. The author of Malachi has associated Edom with Esau. Since we know Yahweh never actually spoke to anyone, the author clearly has some kind of prejudice against the land of Edom and its people that he wants to see maintained. If you read the Wikipedia article on Edom, you will see several possible reasons Israel may have had for its animosity. Plus, it is unclear if a kingdom of Edom even existed by the time of this writing. As is suspected of many prophetic writings, the prophet may have been writing about Edom after it was already destroyed. This prophecy that is not actually prophecy is called postdiction.
Yahweh's second claim is to tell the priests that he gets no respect from them. They show contempt for his name. The priests ask, "how have we shown contempt for your name? Yahweh says, "You place defiled food on my altar." (This is his third claim) The priests ask, "How have we defiled you?" The answer to that question takes up the rest of chapters one and two.
These are the ways the priests defiled Yahweh: 1. They offered crippled and diseased animals as sacrifices. "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal." If the priests do not listen to this admonition, they will also be cursed. Yahweh demands proper reverence, as in the old days when Levi was priest. 2. They married the daughters of foreign gods. This is akin to breaking faith with Yahweh. There is this weird kind of marriage analogy that represents Israel's relationship with Yahweh. In Malachi 2:14-16 it is not clear if god is talking about a man's actual relationship with his wife or his faith in god, or both. We are told Yahweh hates divorce. Yet Yahweh also hates the Jews' marriages to foreign women. He tells them not to break faith with the wife of their youth, but we saw in Nehemiah that the Jews were told to break up their marriages with the non-Jewish women. Confusing.
More to come.
The first statement Yahweh makes is "I have loved you." He is asked in return, "How have you loved us?" Then Yahweh talks of Jacob and Esau, when what he is actually referring to is the lands of Israel and Edom. Jacob and Esau were brothers, yet Yahweh favored Jacob. The statement "Jacob have I loved" is quite famous. In Malachi, land of Edom is said to be a wasteland. Yahweh basically says it is cursed and under his wrath. The author of Malachi has associated Edom with Esau. Since we know Yahweh never actually spoke to anyone, the author clearly has some kind of prejudice against the land of Edom and its people that he wants to see maintained. If you read the Wikipedia article on Edom, you will see several possible reasons Israel may have had for its animosity. Plus, it is unclear if a kingdom of Edom even existed by the time of this writing. As is suspected of many prophetic writings, the prophet may have been writing about Edom after it was already destroyed. This prophecy that is not actually prophecy is called postdiction.
Yahweh's second claim is to tell the priests that he gets no respect from them. They show contempt for his name. The priests ask, "how have we shown contempt for your name? Yahweh says, "You place defiled food on my altar." (This is his third claim) The priests ask, "How have we defiled you?" The answer to that question takes up the rest of chapters one and two.
These are the ways the priests defiled Yahweh: 1. They offered crippled and diseased animals as sacrifices. "Cursed is the cheat who has an acceptable male in his flock and vows to give it, but then sacrifices a blemished animal." If the priests do not listen to this admonition, they will also be cursed. Yahweh demands proper reverence, as in the old days when Levi was priest. 2. They married the daughters of foreign gods. This is akin to breaking faith with Yahweh. There is this weird kind of marriage analogy that represents Israel's relationship with Yahweh. In Malachi 2:14-16 it is not clear if god is talking about a man's actual relationship with his wife or his faith in god, or both. We are told Yahweh hates divorce. Yet Yahweh also hates the Jews' marriages to foreign women. He tells them not to break faith with the wife of their youth, but we saw in Nehemiah that the Jews were told to break up their marriages with the non-Jewish women. Confusing.
More to come.
Tuesday, July 19, 2016
Job chapter 1, part 1
After reading chapter 1:
*The setting of this story is the land of Uz. If we go back to scriptures that mention people named Uz and assume that the land of Uz was named after one of them, we have:
1. Genesis 10:23. Uz is the grandson of Shem and the son of Aram, father of the Arameans.
2. Genesis 22:21. Uz is a nephew of Abraham and the brother of Kemuel, who is called the father of Aram. My study bible says the children of Nahor, Abraham's brother, Uz's and Kemuel's father, became the ancestors of twelve Aramean tribes. Will the real Arameans please stand up.
3. Genesis 36:28 Uz is a descendant of Esau and clearly an Edomite.
My study bible tries to solve the problem of which Uz and where by smooshing them all together into "a large territory from Edom in the south to Aram in the north." There is currently no way to know for sure where Uz was, or if it ever existed. For all we know, it may be as fictional as the land of Oz.
*The main character of this story is Job, an "upright and blameless" man in the NIV version. Interestingly enough, the first word of this book in the interlinear Hebrew text means "perfect," describing Job. Christianity, on the other hand, is predicated on the position that noone can be perfect except God.
*Job is said to have had seven sons (the perfect number) and three daughters. He also had 7,000 sheep, 5,000 camels, 500 yoke (pairs) of oxen, 500 donkeys, and a lot of servants. Do you realize how much land would be needed to support that many animals and all the people needed to care for them? In other words, Job was an extremely wealthy man. In fact, he is said to have been the greatest of all the men in the east at that time. (When was that time?) This would practically make him the ruler of a kingdom, presumably east of the Jordan River.
*Job's children threw big parties on their birthdays, inviting their brothers and sisters. Job was afraid these parties would be the downfall of his children by causing them to sin or curse God. What kind of "sins" was Job worried about? Why would they curse God? Too much to drink? The day after a party, Job would sacrifice a burnt offering on behalf of each child. The passage doesn't say what Job thought could happen if he didn't make the sacrifices. Apparently Job has not heard any rules about sacrifices to Yahweh only being made by priests, and only at the location of the ark of the covenant. Poor man, he seems to have been a victim of religious scrupulosity.
*The setting of this story is the land of Uz. If we go back to scriptures that mention people named Uz and assume that the land of Uz was named after one of them, we have:
1. Genesis 10:23. Uz is the grandson of Shem and the son of Aram, father of the Arameans.
2. Genesis 22:21. Uz is a nephew of Abraham and the brother of Kemuel, who is called the father of Aram. My study bible says the children of Nahor, Abraham's brother, Uz's and Kemuel's father, became the ancestors of twelve Aramean tribes. Will the real Arameans please stand up.
3. Genesis 36:28 Uz is a descendant of Esau and clearly an Edomite.
My study bible tries to solve the problem of which Uz and where by smooshing them all together into "a large territory from Edom in the south to Aram in the north." There is currently no way to know for sure where Uz was, or if it ever existed. For all we know, it may be as fictional as the land of Oz.
*The main character of this story is Job, an "upright and blameless" man in the NIV version. Interestingly enough, the first word of this book in the interlinear Hebrew text means "perfect," describing Job. Christianity, on the other hand, is predicated on the position that noone can be perfect except God.
*Job is said to have had seven sons (the perfect number) and three daughters. He also had 7,000 sheep, 5,000 camels, 500 yoke (pairs) of oxen, 500 donkeys, and a lot of servants. Do you realize how much land would be needed to support that many animals and all the people needed to care for them? In other words, Job was an extremely wealthy man. In fact, he is said to have been the greatest of all the men in the east at that time. (When was that time?) This would practically make him the ruler of a kingdom, presumably east of the Jordan River.
*Job's children threw big parties on their birthdays, inviting their brothers and sisters. Job was afraid these parties would be the downfall of his children by causing them to sin or curse God. What kind of "sins" was Job worried about? Why would they curse God? Too much to drink? The day after a party, Job would sacrifice a burnt offering on behalf of each child. The passage doesn't say what Job thought could happen if he didn't make the sacrifices. Apparently Job has not heard any rules about sacrifices to Yahweh only being made by priests, and only at the location of the ark of the covenant. Poor man, he seems to have been a victim of religious scrupulosity.
Thursday, June 30, 2016
Judges chapter 21
After reading chapter 21:
* We have finally reached the last chapter of Judges! The story of the last two chapters continues: Back at the beginning of chapter 20, when the Israelites gathered at Mizpah, apparently they made a solemn oath to Yahweh that not one of them would ever give a daughter to a Benjamite in marriage. Now, after the battle, they are again at Bethel, where they are bewailing the loss of one of the tribes of Israel. Really? They purposefully conducted a battle in which over 65,000 armed men, and whole towns full of people,plus their animals, were killed, and now they are grieving for the lost tribe of Benjamin? They ask why this should have happened! Good question. A little too late, though.
*The next day they built an altar (Isn't that a no-no? Or does this story take place before that restriction?) and presented burnt offerings to Yahweh. Then they asked who wasn't present in the roll call of the tribes of Israel at Mizpah. (As if they didn't know.) Those people "deserved" to be put to death. Show up or die. Well, in chapter 20 we saw that the Benjamite tribe wasn't there, so I guess the implication is that they deserved to die. In spite of that, the Israelites are now worried about how the remaining Benjamites will get wives, since they vowed not to give them their daughters as wives. Not to mention, all the Benjamite women have been killed...by the Israelites. The mind boggles.
*Somehow, the Israelites realized that no one from Jabesh Gilead had been represented at the assembly in Mizpah either. (Maybe they didn't get the memo.) So, the Israelites sent 12,000 armed men to Jabesh Gilead. Guess what they did. They slaughtered every living human, men, women, and children......except the virgin young women. They took them to the camp at Shiloh. (Wait a minute, I thought they were assembled at Mizpah. Or was it Bethel?) Why? To give them to the remaining Benjamites as wives! Problem solved. Well, almost.
*Next, the assembly sent a message of peace to the remaining Benjamites who were in hiding. The Benjamites returned and were given the young women of Jabesh Gilead as a consolation prize. How nice. (???) There was a problem, though. There were not enough young women to go around. Awkward. Everyone was sad for the Benjamites. The Benjamites needed heirs so that a tribe of Israel would not be wiped out. (And whose fault was that?) That pesky oath was preventing the Israelites from giving the Benjamites wives. They didn't want to be cursed for breaking the oath. That would not be good.
*Not to worry, they had a solution. They instructed the Benjamites who were still single to go to the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh. While there, they were to hide in the vinyards, waiting and watching for the girls of Shiloh to come out and join the dancing. Then, they were to rush out and seize a wife and take her back to the land of Benjamin. (Where have I heard a story like this before? ) When the fathers and brothers complained, they were asked to be kind and help out the Benjamites, because they didn't have wives after the war. Plus, technically, the oath was not broken, because they didn't give away the girls, they were taken. Then the Benjamites rebuilt their towns, and everyone else went home. The end.
* We have finally reached the last chapter of Judges! The story of the last two chapters continues: Back at the beginning of chapter 20, when the Israelites gathered at Mizpah, apparently they made a solemn oath to Yahweh that not one of them would ever give a daughter to a Benjamite in marriage. Now, after the battle, they are again at Bethel, where they are bewailing the loss of one of the tribes of Israel. Really? They purposefully conducted a battle in which over 65,000 armed men, and whole towns full of people,plus their animals, were killed, and now they are grieving for the lost tribe of Benjamin? They ask why this should have happened! Good question. A little too late, though.
*The next day they built an altar (Isn't that a no-no? Or does this story take place before that restriction?) and presented burnt offerings to Yahweh. Then they asked who wasn't present in the roll call of the tribes of Israel at Mizpah. (As if they didn't know.) Those people "deserved" to be put to death. Show up or die. Well, in chapter 20 we saw that the Benjamite tribe wasn't there, so I guess the implication is that they deserved to die. In spite of that, the Israelites are now worried about how the remaining Benjamites will get wives, since they vowed not to give them their daughters as wives. Not to mention, all the Benjamite women have been killed...by the Israelites. The mind boggles.
*Somehow, the Israelites realized that no one from Jabesh Gilead had been represented at the assembly in Mizpah either. (Maybe they didn't get the memo.) So, the Israelites sent 12,000 armed men to Jabesh Gilead. Guess what they did. They slaughtered every living human, men, women, and children......except the virgin young women. They took them to the camp at Shiloh. (Wait a minute, I thought they were assembled at Mizpah. Or was it Bethel?) Why? To give them to the remaining Benjamites as wives! Problem solved. Well, almost.
*Next, the assembly sent a message of peace to the remaining Benjamites who were in hiding. The Benjamites returned and were given the young women of Jabesh Gilead as a consolation prize. How nice. (???) There was a problem, though. There were not enough young women to go around. Awkward. Everyone was sad for the Benjamites. The Benjamites needed heirs so that a tribe of Israel would not be wiped out. (And whose fault was that?) That pesky oath was preventing the Israelites from giving the Benjamites wives. They didn't want to be cursed for breaking the oath. That would not be good.
*Not to worry, they had a solution. They instructed the Benjamites who were still single to go to the annual festival of the Lord in Shiloh. While there, they were to hide in the vinyards, waiting and watching for the girls of Shiloh to come out and join the dancing. Then, they were to rush out and seize a wife and take her back to the land of Benjamin. (Where have I heard a story like this before? ) When the fathers and brothers complained, they were asked to be kind and help out the Benjamites, because they didn't have wives after the war. Plus, technically, the oath was not broken, because they didn't give away the girls, they were taken. Then the Benjamites rebuilt their towns, and everyone else went home. The end.
Monday, January 25, 2016
Deuteronomy 15
After reading chapter 15:
*Every seven years the debts of all Israelites to other Israelites are to be cancelled, but not the debts of foreigners. Besides, the promised land will be so good that there shouldn't be any poor Israelites. Then they will loan money to other nations, but never borrow from others. Consequently, they will rule over many nations and no one will rule over them. Well, history tells us things didn't work out quite this way.
*So, IF there happens to be a poor man (not woman) among them, they must be generous. Plus, they must not refuse to lend to someone because the year of cancellation is too near. Now, after saying there should be no poor among them in verse four, because of the rich blessings of the promised land, they are told there will always be poor people in the land in verse 11. Which is true?
*Next we find that a man or woman can sell themselves as servants for six years, but in the seventh year, they must be set free. When they are let go they are to be given grain and wine. But if a servant wishes to remain a servant, his or her ear is pierced. Then they are a servant for life. This is somewhat different from Exodus 21, where only male servants go free and female servants do not go free at the end of seven years. Unless no one wants them and no one will provide for them, then they get set free with nothing in payment. It seems that Deuteronomy does not assume the master's right to the sexual services of the maid servants like Exodus does. Also, unlike Deuteronomy, the male servants in Exodus get no payment when released.
*The last part of the chapter commands the setting aside of all the unblemished firstborn livestock for the lord. But they get to eat them with their families in the place Yahweh decides. The blemished animals can be eaten in their towns, just not the blood. We musn't forget about the blood.
*Every seven years the debts of all Israelites to other Israelites are to be cancelled, but not the debts of foreigners. Besides, the promised land will be so good that there shouldn't be any poor Israelites. Then they will loan money to other nations, but never borrow from others. Consequently, they will rule over many nations and no one will rule over them. Well, history tells us things didn't work out quite this way.
*So, IF there happens to be a poor man (not woman) among them, they must be generous. Plus, they must not refuse to lend to someone because the year of cancellation is too near. Now, after saying there should be no poor among them in verse four, because of the rich blessings of the promised land, they are told there will always be poor people in the land in verse 11. Which is true?
*Next we find that a man or woman can sell themselves as servants for six years, but in the seventh year, they must be set free. When they are let go they are to be given grain and wine. But if a servant wishes to remain a servant, his or her ear is pierced. Then they are a servant for life. This is somewhat different from Exodus 21, where only male servants go free and female servants do not go free at the end of seven years. Unless no one wants them and no one will provide for them, then they get set free with nothing in payment. It seems that Deuteronomy does not assume the master's right to the sexual services of the maid servants like Exodus does. Also, unlike Deuteronomy, the male servants in Exodus get no payment when released.
*The last part of the chapter commands the setting aside of all the unblemished firstborn livestock for the lord. But they get to eat them with their families in the place Yahweh decides. The blemished animals can be eaten in their towns, just not the blood. We musn't forget about the blood.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Deuteronomy chapter 12
After reading chapter 12:
* Again, the Israelites are told to destroy all signs of the worship of other gods in the promised land, including alters, idols, sacred stones, Asherah poles, high places, and under spreading trees. (Hmm. Abraham worshipped under "great trees" numerous times.) The Israelites can only worship in the places and manner in which they are told, not like the surrounding nations, and not like they see fit, as they are doing now, verse 8, since they haven't achieved the promised land yet. When they get there they won't be able to make offerings any where they please.
*They can slaughter animals for anyone in their towns to eat, but they must not eat the blood. However, free will offerings and gifts to God must be eaten in the place Yahweh (the Levites) chooses. If they want to eat meat and the center of sacrificial worship is too far away, they are free to kill and eat, again except for the blood. But sacred vows must be presented at the altar of the lord, always obeying regulations so it will go well with them.
*Again, they are told not to be curious about other religious practices and attempt to follow them. According to this, the others do detestable things the lord hates, including child sacrifice. However, we have seen that the Yahweh himself has nothing against wholesale slaughter of humans, if he orders it.
* Again, the Israelites are told to destroy all signs of the worship of other gods in the promised land, including alters, idols, sacred stones, Asherah poles, high places, and under spreading trees. (Hmm. Abraham worshipped under "great trees" numerous times.) The Israelites can only worship in the places and manner in which they are told, not like the surrounding nations, and not like they see fit, as they are doing now, verse 8, since they haven't achieved the promised land yet. When they get there they won't be able to make offerings any where they please.
*They can slaughter animals for anyone in their towns to eat, but they must not eat the blood. However, free will offerings and gifts to God must be eaten in the place Yahweh (the Levites) chooses. If they want to eat meat and the center of sacrificial worship is too far away, they are free to kill and eat, again except for the blood. But sacred vows must be presented at the altar of the lord, always obeying regulations so it will go well with them.
*Again, they are told not to be curious about other religious practices and attempt to follow them. According to this, the others do detestable things the lord hates, including child sacrifice. However, we have seen that the Yahweh himself has nothing against wholesale slaughter of humans, if he orders it.
Thursday, December 10, 2015
Numbers chapter 28 and 29
After reading chapter 28 and 29
*Here we have a reiteration of the routine sacrifices and feast days, with instructions, that we saw in Leviticus. The bible is very fond of repetition, almost like it was really written as separate books and not one unified whole. There are daily sacrifices, sabbath sacrifices, monthly sacrifices, the passover, the feast of weeks, the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles. We are again reminded that these are for Yahweh, even though he does not eat or drink and the priests get whatever is not burnt up. Because God just loves the smell of BBQ. Me too.
*Here we have a reiteration of the routine sacrifices and feast days, with instructions, that we saw in Leviticus. The bible is very fond of repetition, almost like it was really written as separate books and not one unified whole. There are daily sacrifices, sabbath sacrifices, monthly sacrifices, the passover, the feast of weeks, the feast of trumpets, the day of atonement, and the feast of tabernacles. We are again reminded that these are for Yahweh, even though he does not eat or drink and the priests get whatever is not burnt up. Because God just loves the smell of BBQ. Me too.
Friday, December 4, 2015
Numbers chapters 23 and 24
After reading chapters 23 and 24:
*Next, Balaam has Balak build seven altars and they sacrifice seven Bulls and seven Rams. Then Balaam excuses himself to go talk to Yahweh. When he comes back, he gave a poetic speech called an oracle, which basically says he can't curse the Israelites because God hasn't cursed them.
*Then, Balak takes Balaam to some higher ground where they can see some of the Israelite horde. He again asks Balaam to curse them. They build seven more altars and sacrifice seven more Bulls and Rams. Balaam excuses himself again to talk with Yahweh. When he comes back, he gives another poetic speech saying he was commanded to bless the Israelites, and no divination or sorcery would work against them. Balak says Balaam may not be able to curse the Israelites, but he doesn't have to bless them, gee.
*Now Balak takes Balaam to a different vantage point hoping there will be a different answer this time. The altars are built again, the Bulls and Rams sacrificed, and Balaam goes off to talk to Yahweh. Balaam then gives another pretty speech about the Israelites and ends with " whoever curses them will be cursed and whoever blesses them will be blessed." Balak was very angry and sent Balaam home without pay for his services. Then Balaam prophesies about Israel crushing the Moabites and other surrounding people, plus the rise of a great ruler. After that he goes home.
Edited because my grammar skills are always better the next day.
*Next, Balaam has Balak build seven altars and they sacrifice seven Bulls and seven Rams. Then Balaam excuses himself to go talk to Yahweh. When he comes back, he gave a poetic speech called an oracle, which basically says he can't curse the Israelites because God hasn't cursed them.
*Then, Balak takes Balaam to some higher ground where they can see some of the Israelite horde. He again asks Balaam to curse them. They build seven more altars and sacrifice seven more Bulls and Rams. Balaam excuses himself again to talk with Yahweh. When he comes back, he gives another poetic speech saying he was commanded to bless the Israelites, and no divination or sorcery would work against them. Balak says Balaam may not be able to curse the Israelites, but he doesn't have to bless them, gee.
*Now Balak takes Balaam to a different vantage point hoping there will be a different answer this time. The altars are built again, the Bulls and Rams sacrificed, and Balaam goes off to talk to Yahweh. Balaam then gives another pretty speech about the Israelites and ends with " whoever curses them will be cursed and whoever blesses them will be blessed." Balak was very angry and sent Balaam home without pay for his services. Then Balaam prophesies about Israel crushing the Moabites and other surrounding people, plus the rise of a great ruler. After that he goes home.
Edited because my grammar skills are always better the next day.
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 4, 2015
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.
Monday, October 19, 2015
Leviticus 24
After reading Leviticus 24:
*More instructions from Yahweh: the Israelites are supposed to provide clear olive oil for the lamps outside the tabernacle. Aaron is to tend the lit lamps continually from evening to morning. When does the poor man get to sleep?
*Each sabbath, twelve loaves of bread of the finest flour, in two stacks of six, are to be placed on the golden table in front of the lord. Beside each stack, some incense is to be place to represent the bread and be a food offering to the lord, because Aaron and his sons are going to eat the real bread. It is most holy.
*In the middle of this we are told a story of young man who utters a curse using god's name. This is considered blasphemy. God tells Moses he is to be taken outside the camp and stoned to death by the Israelites. That is the penalty for blasphemy, no matter who does it. The Israelites obeyed. After that, god gives a rule that anyone who kills another person must be killed, a life for a life. Does no one see the contradiction here? Oh, that's right, if God tells you to kill the person, then you're okay.
*Next, we are told anyone who injures his neighbor is to receive the same injuries in return, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The same laws apply to everyone. Even if a person has been injured by stoning? Does the stonee get to return his injuries to the stoner? We all know it didn't work that way. God's laws to kill superseded his laws to refrain from killing. You try to make sense of that.
-After reading the Wikipedia article on stoning, apparently, since there were multiple stoners involved, no one could tell whose stone was the one responsible for the death, so no one was technically guilty. Loophole.
*More instructions from Yahweh: the Israelites are supposed to provide clear olive oil for the lamps outside the tabernacle. Aaron is to tend the lit lamps continually from evening to morning. When does the poor man get to sleep?
*Each sabbath, twelve loaves of bread of the finest flour, in two stacks of six, are to be placed on the golden table in front of the lord. Beside each stack, some incense is to be place to represent the bread and be a food offering to the lord, because Aaron and his sons are going to eat the real bread. It is most holy.
*In the middle of this we are told a story of young man who utters a curse using god's name. This is considered blasphemy. God tells Moses he is to be taken outside the camp and stoned to death by the Israelites. That is the penalty for blasphemy, no matter who does it. The Israelites obeyed. After that, god gives a rule that anyone who kills another person must be killed, a life for a life. Does no one see the contradiction here? Oh, that's right, if God tells you to kill the person, then you're okay.
*Next, we are told anyone who injures his neighbor is to receive the same injuries in return, fracture for fracture, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. The same laws apply to everyone. Even if a person has been injured by stoning? Does the stonee get to return his injuries to the stoner? We all know it didn't work that way. God's laws to kill superseded his laws to refrain from killing. You try to make sense of that.
-After reading the Wikipedia article on stoning, apparently, since there were multiple stoners involved, no one could tell whose stone was the one responsible for the death, so no one was technically guilty. Loophole.
Saturday, October 17, 2015
Leviticus 23
After reading chapter 23:
*This chapter is about special days and events and how to observe them.
- The Sabbath: every seventh day is a day of rest
-The Passover: starts at twilight on the 14 th day of the first month. On the first day is a sacred assembly and no work. For seven days unleavened bread is eaten. This is called the feast of unleavened bread. Every day an offering is to be made to the lord by fire. On the seventh day is another sacred assembly and no work. There is no mention of a Passover lamb.
-The next event is not named here but my study bible says it must be the Feast of First Fruits, also held in the first month of the year, right after the Passover week was over. It is to be held on the day after the Feast Of Unleavened Bread's seventh day Sabbath. The first grain harvested is to be waved before the lord and a one year old lamb is to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, together with flour, oil and wine. The Israelites are not to eat anything made from that year's grain until this offering is made.
-Again, the next event is not named here but the study bible says it was the Feast of Weeks. From the date of the last event, seven weeks are counted, or 50 days to the day after the seventh sabbath. This is what came to be known as Pentecost. It is a big slaughter event with the sacrifice of seven lambs, a bull, and two Rams as a burnt offering. Plus, there is to be the sacrifice of a goat for a sin offering and two lambs as a fellowship offering. The lambs are to be waved in front of the lord. They are a sacred offering to the lord, for the priests. That is also a day with no work.
-On the first day of the seventh month, there is another day off and sacred assembly with an offering by fire. This is a day for blasting trumpets. Why? It doesn't say.
-On the tenth day of the seventh month, is the day of atonement, which we covered in Leviticus 16. This is a day of enforced rest and fasting.
-On the fifteenth day of the seventh month begins the Feast of Tabernacles which lasts for seven days.
The first day is a sacred assembly and no work. Every day offerings are to be made to God by fire. On the eight day is no work, an assembly and an offering. On the first day they are supposed to rejoice with fruit and Palm branches, somehow. They are also to live in booths, or mini tabernacles (tents?) for the seven days of this festival, to remind them of their time in the desert, which they were supposedly still experiencing when these laws were given.
*These specific events and offerings are required and are lasting ordinances for the generations to come. Of course, we all know the Jews no longer make sacrifices by fire. Why don't they? Well, the short answer is these lasting ordinances had some nuances that changed over the generations, which eventually made it impossible for the Jews to follow this tradition in the way they believed they must. We will see how that plays out as we make our way through the bible. A longer answer is Here.
Remember, we are basically looking at a plain reading of the bible. Jewish believers do not practice Sola Scriptura, but have a rich tradition of extra- biblical commentary and interpretation which is beyond the scope of this reader.
*This chapter is about special days and events and how to observe them.
- The Sabbath: every seventh day is a day of rest
-The Passover: starts at twilight on the 14 th day of the first month. On the first day is a sacred assembly and no work. For seven days unleavened bread is eaten. This is called the feast of unleavened bread. Every day an offering is to be made to the lord by fire. On the seventh day is another sacred assembly and no work. There is no mention of a Passover lamb.
-The next event is not named here but my study bible says it must be the Feast of First Fruits, also held in the first month of the year, right after the Passover week was over. It is to be held on the day after the Feast Of Unleavened Bread's seventh day Sabbath. The first grain harvested is to be waved before the lord and a one year old lamb is to be sacrificed as a burnt offering, together with flour, oil and wine. The Israelites are not to eat anything made from that year's grain until this offering is made.
-Again, the next event is not named here but the study bible says it was the Feast of Weeks. From the date of the last event, seven weeks are counted, or 50 days to the day after the seventh sabbath. This is what came to be known as Pentecost. It is a big slaughter event with the sacrifice of seven lambs, a bull, and two Rams as a burnt offering. Plus, there is to be the sacrifice of a goat for a sin offering and two lambs as a fellowship offering. The lambs are to be waved in front of the lord. They are a sacred offering to the lord, for the priests. That is also a day with no work.
-On the first day of the seventh month, there is another day off and sacred assembly with an offering by fire. This is a day for blasting trumpets. Why? It doesn't say.
-On the tenth day of the seventh month, is the day of atonement, which we covered in Leviticus 16. This is a day of enforced rest and fasting.
-On the fifteenth day of the seventh month begins the Feast of Tabernacles which lasts for seven days.
The first day is a sacred assembly and no work. Every day offerings are to be made to God by fire. On the eight day is no work, an assembly and an offering. On the first day they are supposed to rejoice with fruit and Palm branches, somehow. They are also to live in booths, or mini tabernacles (tents?) for the seven days of this festival, to remind them of their time in the desert, which they were supposedly still experiencing when these laws were given.
*These specific events and offerings are required and are lasting ordinances for the generations to come. Of course, we all know the Jews no longer make sacrifices by fire. Why don't they? Well, the short answer is these lasting ordinances had some nuances that changed over the generations, which eventually made it impossible for the Jews to follow this tradition in the way they believed they must. We will see how that plays out as we make our way through the bible. A longer answer is Here.
Remember, we are basically looking at a plain reading of the bible. Jewish believers do not practice Sola Scriptura, but have a rich tradition of extra- biblical commentary and interpretation which is beyond the scope of this reader.
Friday, October 16, 2015
Leviticus 22
After reading chapter 22:
*More rules about the "sacred offering" for the priests:
-They must treat the offerings to God with respect, even though God doesn't need them, he won't use them, and they will get to use the leftovers from the offerings themselves.
-They must not come near the offerings if they are unclean or they will be cut off from Yahweh's presence. Does that mean they will no longer be able to serve as a priest or does it mean excommunication?
-A descendant of Aaron will not be allowed to eat any of the sacred offerings, if he is unclean by an infectious skin disease or bodily discharge, until he is cleansed. What will he eat, and where will he get it from?
-He also can't eat any of the sacred offering if he is unclean from touching something defiled by a corpse or a person with an emission of semen (How will he know? Did the priests have to ask all the men they came in contact with if they had an emission of semen in the last 24 hours? ), touching an unclean crawling animal, touching an unclean person, or eating found meat. These will make him unclean and he will have to wash and wait til evening to be magically clean again.
-They must keep these requirements or they will be guilty (Of what?) and may die because of it. Verse 9
*No one at at all outside of the priest's immediate family may eat any of the sacred offering, with one exception: his personal slaves. Yes, priests can buy and own slaves, Yahweh has no objections. If the priest's daughter marries outside the priesthood, she is no longer permitted to eat from this holy food. But if she is widowed or divorced and has to come back to live with her father, she can eat the food.
*If anyone eats the sacred food by mistake, he must pay the priest back and add a fifth of the value to it. Who is the extra fifth for, God or the priest?
*Verses 17-25 are rules for the physical condition of the animals to be sacrificed. They must have no defect or blemish of any kind when it is a burnt offering or fellowship offering that is used to fulfill a special vow or as a free will offering. An animal with damaged testicles will not be accepted, presumably this includes castrated animals. These are not acceptable as food for their God. (Or the priests.) Verse 25.
*An newborn sacrifice must remain with its mother for seven days. After that, it is free to be ritually killed, burnt, and eaten. A mother animal and her young may not be slaughtered for sacrifice on the same day. Why? Well, that's another mystery. It certainly can't be to recognize the sanctity of motherhood.
*We end with a reminder that Yahweh is holy, and he makes the Israelites holy, so they better do what he says.
Articles of interest:
Herodotus on animal sacrifice in ancient Egypt
Scholarly article on sacrifice in Britannica
*More rules about the "sacred offering" for the priests:
-They must treat the offerings to God with respect, even though God doesn't need them, he won't use them, and they will get to use the leftovers from the offerings themselves.
-They must not come near the offerings if they are unclean or they will be cut off from Yahweh's presence. Does that mean they will no longer be able to serve as a priest or does it mean excommunication?
-A descendant of Aaron will not be allowed to eat any of the sacred offerings, if he is unclean by an infectious skin disease or bodily discharge, until he is cleansed. What will he eat, and where will he get it from?
-He also can't eat any of the sacred offering if he is unclean from touching something defiled by a corpse or a person with an emission of semen (How will he know? Did the priests have to ask all the men they came in contact with if they had an emission of semen in the last 24 hours? ), touching an unclean crawling animal, touching an unclean person, or eating found meat. These will make him unclean and he will have to wash and wait til evening to be magically clean again.
-They must keep these requirements or they will be guilty (Of what?) and may die because of it. Verse 9
*No one at at all outside of the priest's immediate family may eat any of the sacred offering, with one exception: his personal slaves. Yes, priests can buy and own slaves, Yahweh has no objections. If the priest's daughter marries outside the priesthood, she is no longer permitted to eat from this holy food. But if she is widowed or divorced and has to come back to live with her father, she can eat the food.
*If anyone eats the sacred food by mistake, he must pay the priest back and add a fifth of the value to it. Who is the extra fifth for, God or the priest?
*Verses 17-25 are rules for the physical condition of the animals to be sacrificed. They must have no defect or blemish of any kind when it is a burnt offering or fellowship offering that is used to fulfill a special vow or as a free will offering. An animal with damaged testicles will not be accepted, presumably this includes castrated animals. These are not acceptable as food for their God. (Or the priests.) Verse 25.
*An newborn sacrifice must remain with its mother for seven days. After that, it is free to be ritually killed, burnt, and eaten. A mother animal and her young may not be slaughtered for sacrifice on the same day. Why? Well, that's another mystery. It certainly can't be to recognize the sanctity of motherhood.
*We end with a reminder that Yahweh is holy, and he makes the Israelites holy, so they better do what he says.
Articles of interest:
Herodotus on animal sacrifice in ancient Egypt
Scholarly article on sacrifice in Britannica
Wednesday, October 14, 2015
Leviticus 19
After reading Leviticus 19:
*Here we see Yahweh telling Moses to speak to the Israelites and give them more rules. Some of these have been stated before, so I'll just go over the new ones.
-They are not to reap to the edges of their fields or thoroughly strip the vineyards of grapes, but to leave something for the poor and non-Israelites to gather.
-Do not hold back the wages of a hired man.
-Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. It's a shame that anyone would have to be told this. Unfortunately, things like that probably happen today.
-Do not pervert justice, judge your neighbor fairly, not based on his social standing.
-Do not endanger your neighbor's life.
-Do not hate your brother in your heart. How would anyone know if you don't tell them?
-Tell your neighbor straight up when he's doing something wrong, so you won't share his guilt.(Verse17)
-Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge, but love your neighbor as yourself.
-Do not mate different kinds of animals. Generally speaking, this is not actually possible, unless we are talking about closely related animals.
-Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. This is monoculture which has advantages and disadvantages.
-Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. This is a mystifying rule, one broken without compunction throughout the world. I've seen various extra-biblical explanations, but the text does not provide us with one.
*Verses 20-22 are very disturbing. If a man sleeps with a slave girl who was promised to another man, they will not be put to death, because she is just a slave. (Notice that slavery is not said to be wrong, and the woman is treated as an object to be possessed.) The guy has to sacrifice a ram at the tabernacle for a sin offering, then he will be good to go. What will become of the girl? We are not told.
-The fruit of newly planted fruit trees is forbidden to be eaten for three years. On the fourth year, all its fruit is to be given to the priests, um, the lord. That will insure an increase in future harvests. Yeah, riiight. (There is nothing wrong or special about eating any fruit produced by a tree in the first four years. It doesn't do anything to the tree.)
-Do not practice divination or sorcery. You mean like their illustrious ancestor Joseph, who had a special cup for divination? Why doesn't God tell us it is nonsense?
-Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip the edges of your beard. Another mystifying rule.
-No cutting or tattoos.
-Do not make your daughter a prostitute. Duh.
-Do not use mediums or spiritualists. (No seances. Notice we aren't told they are fakes, which they are, of course.)
-Show respect for the elderly.
-Foreigners living among them must not be mistreated, but must be treated as one of their own people.
-Do not use dishonest standards when measuring and weighing in business transactions.
The agriculture rules cannot be enforced until they actually own land. Many of the other rules are only applied to people within the community, as we shall see later.
Edited.
*Here we see Yahweh telling Moses to speak to the Israelites and give them more rules. Some of these have been stated before, so I'll just go over the new ones.
-They are not to reap to the edges of their fields or thoroughly strip the vineyards of grapes, but to leave something for the poor and non-Israelites to gather.
-Do not hold back the wages of a hired man.
-Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind. It's a shame that anyone would have to be told this. Unfortunately, things like that probably happen today.
-Do not pervert justice, judge your neighbor fairly, not based on his social standing.
-Do not endanger your neighbor's life.
-Do not hate your brother in your heart. How would anyone know if you don't tell them?
-Tell your neighbor straight up when he's doing something wrong, so you won't share his guilt.(Verse17)
-Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge, but love your neighbor as yourself.
-Do not mate different kinds of animals. Generally speaking, this is not actually possible, unless we are talking about closely related animals.
-Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed. This is monoculture which has advantages and disadvantages.
-Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material. This is a mystifying rule, one broken without compunction throughout the world. I've seen various extra-biblical explanations, but the text does not provide us with one.
*Verses 20-22 are very disturbing. If a man sleeps with a slave girl who was promised to another man, they will not be put to death, because she is just a slave. (Notice that slavery is not said to be wrong, and the woman is treated as an object to be possessed.) The guy has to sacrifice a ram at the tabernacle for a sin offering, then he will be good to go. What will become of the girl? We are not told.
-The fruit of newly planted fruit trees is forbidden to be eaten for three years. On the fourth year, all its fruit is to be given to the priests, um, the lord. That will insure an increase in future harvests. Yeah, riiight. (There is nothing wrong or special about eating any fruit produced by a tree in the first four years. It doesn't do anything to the tree.)
-Do not practice divination or sorcery. You mean like their illustrious ancestor Joseph, who had a special cup for divination? Why doesn't God tell us it is nonsense?
-Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip the edges of your beard. Another mystifying rule.
-No cutting or tattoos.
-Do not make your daughter a prostitute. Duh.
-Do not use mediums or spiritualists. (No seances. Notice we aren't told they are fakes, which they are, of course.)
-Show respect for the elderly.
-Foreigners living among them must not be mistreated, but must be treated as one of their own people.
-Do not use dishonest standards when measuring and weighing in business transactions.
The agriculture rules cannot be enforced until they actually own land. Many of the other rules are only applied to people within the community, as we shall see later.
Edited.
Saturday, October 10, 2015
Leviticus chapter 16
After reading chapter 16:
*After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Yahweh told Moses to tell Aaron that he couldn't come into the most holy place, were the ark was behind a curtain inside the tabernacle, whenever he wanted. He had to follow a special procedure first. He must wash and put on special clothes and underwear. He was to sacrifice a bull to atone for his sins. Then he takes a censer with fire and incense into the part of the tabernacle tent where the ark is. The smoke from the fire will keep him from seeing the lid of the ark, called the atonement cover, or he would die. Even though he can't see it because of the smoke, he is to sprinkle some of the bull's blood on it. No one but Aaron is allowed in the tabernacle during this ritual. (Why couldn't Yahweh give these instructions to Aaron himself? Who is really in charge here? )
*Then Aaron is to take two goats to front of the tabernacle. One goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the sins of Israel. Again, he takes its blood behind the curtain where the ark is and sprinkles the goat's blood on the lid. This is to atone for the sins of the Israelites for the most holy place.Then he repeats the blood sprinkling procedure for the tabernacle itself, and again for the altar, to cleanse it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
*The second goat is the "scapegoat." Aaron puts his hands on its head and confesses all the sins of the Israelites over it. This transfers the sins to the goat. Then it will be sent out into the desert. After that, Aaron goes back into the tabernacle, takes a bath and changes to his regular clothes. Then he sacrifices a ram as a burnt offering and burns the fat of the sin offering. The people who help with the scapegoat and the disposal of the remnants of the sacrifices must wash themselves and their clothes afterward.
*All this is to be done on the 10th day of the seventh month every year. It is the day of atonement, a lasting ordinance. It will also be considered a sabbath day, an enforced day of rest. Whoever is current high priest is the official who performs the duties described. It will clean the Israelites' sin slate for the year, in a manner of speaking.
*I find the whole thing depressing. Why would an eternal, omnipotent, benevolent, purely spiritual, God make a tribe of desert nomads perform such elaborate bloody rituals for him, or else? Sin and uncleanness are abstract concepts not concrete things. People don't walk around with actual piles of sins on their shoulders, that disappear when some animals are killed. Sins can't be transferred from people to goats. Notice that first the Israelites had to be told how unclean they were, then they were given a way to get rid of the uncleanness. God is giving them the medicine for the sickness he invented. He still does this for christians today.
*One way religious people get around the obvious wierdness of all these laws and rituals is to claim that they have metaphorical significance that trumps the literal meaning. If that is so, the text certainly gives no indication of it. Also, the death threats for non compliance appear to be quite literal.
*After the deaths of Nadab and Abihu, Yahweh told Moses to tell Aaron that he couldn't come into the most holy place, were the ark was behind a curtain inside the tabernacle, whenever he wanted. He had to follow a special procedure first. He must wash and put on special clothes and underwear. He was to sacrifice a bull to atone for his sins. Then he takes a censer with fire and incense into the part of the tabernacle tent where the ark is. The smoke from the fire will keep him from seeing the lid of the ark, called the atonement cover, or he would die. Even though he can't see it because of the smoke, he is to sprinkle some of the bull's blood on it. No one but Aaron is allowed in the tabernacle during this ritual. (Why couldn't Yahweh give these instructions to Aaron himself? Who is really in charge here? )
*Then Aaron is to take two goats to front of the tabernacle. One goat is to be sacrificed as a sin offering for the sins of Israel. Again, he takes its blood behind the curtain where the ark is and sprinkles the goat's blood on the lid. This is to atone for the sins of the Israelites for the most holy place.Then he repeats the blood sprinkling procedure for the tabernacle itself, and again for the altar, to cleanse it from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
*The second goat is the "scapegoat." Aaron puts his hands on its head and confesses all the sins of the Israelites over it. This transfers the sins to the goat. Then it will be sent out into the desert. After that, Aaron goes back into the tabernacle, takes a bath and changes to his regular clothes. Then he sacrifices a ram as a burnt offering and burns the fat of the sin offering. The people who help with the scapegoat and the disposal of the remnants of the sacrifices must wash themselves and their clothes afterward.
*All this is to be done on the 10th day of the seventh month every year. It is the day of atonement, a lasting ordinance. It will also be considered a sabbath day, an enforced day of rest. Whoever is current high priest is the official who performs the duties described. It will clean the Israelites' sin slate for the year, in a manner of speaking.
*I find the whole thing depressing. Why would an eternal, omnipotent, benevolent, purely spiritual, God make a tribe of desert nomads perform such elaborate bloody rituals for him, or else? Sin and uncleanness are abstract concepts not concrete things. People don't walk around with actual piles of sins on their shoulders, that disappear when some animals are killed. Sins can't be transferred from people to goats. Notice that first the Israelites had to be told how unclean they were, then they were given a way to get rid of the uncleanness. God is giving them the medicine for the sickness he invented. He still does this for christians today.
*One way religious people get around the obvious wierdness of all these laws and rituals is to claim that they have metaphorical significance that trumps the literal meaning. If that is so, the text certainly gives no indication of it. Also, the death threats for non compliance appear to be quite literal.
Friday, October 9, 2015
Leviticus chapter 15 , part 2
*When a woman menstruates, she is automatically unclean for seven days, or as long as any bleeding lasts. It can vary wildly from woman to woman. During this time, anything and anyone who touches her, her bed, or anything she sits on will become unclean. A person who touches her must wash their clothes and themselves, but they will still be unclean til evening. A man who has relations with her during this time will be unclean for seven days, and any bed he lies on will also be unclean. Here's the kicker: After the bleeding stops, a woman is still ceremonially unclean for another seven days! In this passage, a woman is not required to wash before she is considered clean again. On the eighth day, she has to take a couple of birds to the priest to sacrifice as a sin offering and a burnt offering. This is how atonement is made for the uncleanness of her discharge, as if it is her fault.
*Wouldn't the God who made women be responsible for the way their bodies work? Menstrual blood is not a sign of disease or misbehavior, it is completely natural and normal. It does not contaminate another person in any way to come in contact with a menstruating woman. Plus, every healthy woman on earth is subject to a menstrual cycle for almost 40 years of her life. Just these regulations alone would have made a woman unclean half of every month. Then add in the days after her husband exercised his marital rights and the months after childbirth, she could be unclean over more than half her lifetime. At least she had other women to commiserate with. But why should she have to live with such a stigma for something she has no choice in?
*I am also struck by the irony of these regulations. Obviously the ancient Israelite men who made these regulations had no idea what happens inside a woman's body on a monthly basis. (Yes, men, why would a god care?) For example, they must have been completely unaware of ovulation times or they might not have decided a woman was unclean for so long, if they wanted children. Most women with regular cycles ovulate on or about the 14th day of the cycle, just when an Israelite woman would be considered clean again. If a woman tended to ovulate early by a just a couple of days, she might never have children, especially if she or her husband are concientious rule followers. Other women would seem to be much more fertile when it was really just a matter of timing.
*All these clean and uncleanness rules make me wonder about unbroken chains of uncleanness. How could you know for sure that a particular thing or person hadn't been touched by someone who had touched someone, who had touched someone else unclean, ad infinitum? Seriously, you could go crazy thinking about this stuff. Plus, could you imagine trying to enforce these rules on a population the size of Austin, Texas?
*Something else to think about: What kind of people today are concerned with imaginary contamination, rituals, repetitive washing, and counting?
*Verse 31 implies that Israelites who don't separate themselves from things that make them unclean deserve to die for defiling the dwelling place of God. This chapter has basically told them that sex makes people unclean, so they're toast.
Edited.
*Wouldn't the God who made women be responsible for the way their bodies work? Menstrual blood is not a sign of disease or misbehavior, it is completely natural and normal. It does not contaminate another person in any way to come in contact with a menstruating woman. Plus, every healthy woman on earth is subject to a menstrual cycle for almost 40 years of her life. Just these regulations alone would have made a woman unclean half of every month. Then add in the days after her husband exercised his marital rights and the months after childbirth, she could be unclean over more than half her lifetime. At least she had other women to commiserate with. But why should she have to live with such a stigma for something she has no choice in?
*I am also struck by the irony of these regulations. Obviously the ancient Israelite men who made these regulations had no idea what happens inside a woman's body on a monthly basis. (Yes, men, why would a god care?) For example, they must have been completely unaware of ovulation times or they might not have decided a woman was unclean for so long, if they wanted children. Most women with regular cycles ovulate on or about the 14th day of the cycle, just when an Israelite woman would be considered clean again. If a woman tended to ovulate early by a just a couple of days, she might never have children, especially if she or her husband are concientious rule followers. Other women would seem to be much more fertile when it was really just a matter of timing.
*All these clean and uncleanness rules make me wonder about unbroken chains of uncleanness. How could you know for sure that a particular thing or person hadn't been touched by someone who had touched someone, who had touched someone else unclean, ad infinitum? Seriously, you could go crazy thinking about this stuff. Plus, could you imagine trying to enforce these rules on a population the size of Austin, Texas?
*Something else to think about: What kind of people today are concerned with imaginary contamination, rituals, repetitive washing, and counting?
*Verse 31 implies that Israelites who don't separate themselves from things that make them unclean deserve to die for defiling the dwelling place of God. This chapter has basically told them that sex makes people unclean, so they're toast.
Edited.
Leviticus chapter 15, part 1
After reading chapter 15:
*This chapter is kind of disgusting. Here we are told about bodily discharges of various kinds.
*The first kind is experienced by men. It does not clearly state which body part it comes from. My study bible says it was probably diarrhea or urethral discharge that is a symptom of a health problem. Anyway, this guy is unclean. Anything and everything that touches him, or that he touches, will be unclean. Even if he spits on a person, that person will be unclean. Anything and anyone that comes in contact with the person with such a discharge must be washed. (That's probably a good idea. ) They will be unclean til evening, that magical time, except for clay pots, they must be broken. After the discharge goes away, he counts the magic seven days then washes himself and his clothes, and he will be clean. Personally, I think the washing should happen sooner, but that's just me. Remember though, this cleanness and uncleanness is purely ceremonial, and not to be confused with cleanliness. After a man is clean, he has to take two birds to the priest to be sacrificed as a sin offering and a burnt offering, to make things right with God, because bodily discharges are the result of sin......maybe, maybe not.
*Next is an emission of semen. No matter how it happens, it makes a man unclean.(Sorry guys.) He must wash his whole body and he will be unclean til evening. If a woman is involved, they must both wash and will be unclean til evening. Is all this beginning to make you wonder when a person is actually clean enough for God? Is there a point at which they just threw up their hands and said, "I'm perpetually unclean, so what." Or did they practice the don't ask, don't tell method of cleanness? Maybe it just became standard practice to take a bath every morning to avoid any issues about issues.( ha, ha.) Would they have to tell their neighbors, children, or servants when they were unclean? Was a couple's bed "unclean" on the morning after? Were the priests celibate? How could they work for God and handle sacred stuff if they were unclean regularly? Who would make the sacrifices and perform the rituals if all the priests came to work one day and admitted they were all unclean? Notice how, in the case of the man with this kind of issue, it is not said that everything he touches becomes unclean, just himself and/or his wife. Plus, he isn't required to make a sin offering.
*I can imagine scenarios with uncleanness wars between rivals or enemies. "Ha! I just made him unclean and he doesn't even know it." Or "Come any closer and I'll touch you!" Or "You can't do anything to me, I'm unclean. Pbbbbt!"
*This chapter is kind of disgusting. Here we are told about bodily discharges of various kinds.
*The first kind is experienced by men. It does not clearly state which body part it comes from. My study bible says it was probably diarrhea or urethral discharge that is a symptom of a health problem. Anyway, this guy is unclean. Anything and everything that touches him, or that he touches, will be unclean. Even if he spits on a person, that person will be unclean. Anything and anyone that comes in contact with the person with such a discharge must be washed. (That's probably a good idea. ) They will be unclean til evening, that magical time, except for clay pots, they must be broken. After the discharge goes away, he counts the magic seven days then washes himself and his clothes, and he will be clean. Personally, I think the washing should happen sooner, but that's just me. Remember though, this cleanness and uncleanness is purely ceremonial, and not to be confused with cleanliness. After a man is clean, he has to take two birds to the priest to be sacrificed as a sin offering and a burnt offering, to make things right with God, because bodily discharges are the result of sin......maybe, maybe not.
*Next is an emission of semen. No matter how it happens, it makes a man unclean.(Sorry guys.) He must wash his whole body and he will be unclean til evening. If a woman is involved, they must both wash and will be unclean til evening. Is all this beginning to make you wonder when a person is actually clean enough for God? Is there a point at which they just threw up their hands and said, "I'm perpetually unclean, so what." Or did they practice the don't ask, don't tell method of cleanness? Maybe it just became standard practice to take a bath every morning to avoid any issues about issues.( ha, ha.) Would they have to tell their neighbors, children, or servants when they were unclean? Was a couple's bed "unclean" on the morning after? Were the priests celibate? How could they work for God and handle sacred stuff if they were unclean regularly? Who would make the sacrifices and perform the rituals if all the priests came to work one day and admitted they were all unclean? Notice how, in the case of the man with this kind of issue, it is not said that everything he touches becomes unclean, just himself and/or his wife. Plus, he isn't required to make a sin offering.
*I can imagine scenarios with uncleanness wars between rivals or enemies. "Ha! I just made him unclean and he doesn't even know it." Or "Come any closer and I'll touch you!" Or "You can't do anything to me, I'm unclean. Pbbbbt!"
Thursday, October 8, 2015
Leviticus chapter 14
After reading chapter 14:
*Now we learn about cleansing from infectious diseases. This is not a medical procedure but a religious ritual performed AFTER a person has healed. It is to insure the person's ceremonial cleanness, whatever that means.
* This involves: killing a bird over water/ using cedar, scarlett wool and hyssop to sprinkle the bloody water seven times on the person being cleansed/ releasing a bird into the fields/washing clothes/ shaving off all hair and bathing/ staying outside their tent for seven days/ shaving all hair and washing clothes again/ on the eighth day, sacrificing three lambs, flour and oil (unless the person is poor, then one lamb and two birds will do).
*The priest is to sacrifice a lamb as a guilt offering (The person must have been guilty of something or they wouldn't have been sick, right? ) and put some of its blood on the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of the person to be cleansed. Then he sprinkles some oil seven times before the lord. Next, he puts some oil on the same places he put the blood, and puts the rest on the person's head. Wait, we are not done yet. We must also have a burnt offering and a grain offering. This is the priest making atonement on behalf of the formerly diseased person. Finally, he is "clean." Was it worth the trouble?
*The second half of the chapter is about cleansing a house from mildew, once they come to the promised land. Yahweh tells Moses and Aaron in verse 34 that HE will put the spreading mildew in people's houses. When that happens, the priest closes up the house for seven days to see if the mildew spreads, which of course it will. The contaminated stones are to be torn out and replaced, and the walls are to be scraped and replastered. This is actually a pretty reasonable course of action. If the mildew reappears, the house is to be torn down. Anyone who goes into the house will be unclean til evening and must wash their clothes.
*If the house stays mildew free after treatment, a priest is to come and purify it. Again we go through the killing of a bird over water and sprinkling of the bloody water on the house seven times. Then it will be magically clean.
While researching hyssop, I found that it is unclear just what plant was meant by the word that is translated hyssop in the bible.
*Now we learn about cleansing from infectious diseases. This is not a medical procedure but a religious ritual performed AFTER a person has healed. It is to insure the person's ceremonial cleanness, whatever that means.
* This involves: killing a bird over water/ using cedar, scarlett wool and hyssop to sprinkle the bloody water seven times on the person being cleansed/ releasing a bird into the fields/washing clothes/ shaving off all hair and bathing/ staying outside their tent for seven days/ shaving all hair and washing clothes again/ on the eighth day, sacrificing three lambs, flour and oil (unless the person is poor, then one lamb and two birds will do).
*The priest is to sacrifice a lamb as a guilt offering (The person must have been guilty of something or they wouldn't have been sick, right? ) and put some of its blood on the right ear, right thumb, and right big toe of the person to be cleansed. Then he sprinkles some oil seven times before the lord. Next, he puts some oil on the same places he put the blood, and puts the rest on the person's head. Wait, we are not done yet. We must also have a burnt offering and a grain offering. This is the priest making atonement on behalf of the formerly diseased person. Finally, he is "clean." Was it worth the trouble?
*The second half of the chapter is about cleansing a house from mildew, once they come to the promised land. Yahweh tells Moses and Aaron in verse 34 that HE will put the spreading mildew in people's houses. When that happens, the priest closes up the house for seven days to see if the mildew spreads, which of course it will. The contaminated stones are to be torn out and replaced, and the walls are to be scraped and replastered. This is actually a pretty reasonable course of action. If the mildew reappears, the house is to be torn down. Anyone who goes into the house will be unclean til evening and must wash their clothes.
*If the house stays mildew free after treatment, a priest is to come and purify it. Again we go through the killing of a bird over water and sprinkling of the bloody water on the house seven times. Then it will be magically clean.
While researching hyssop, I found that it is unclear just what plant was meant by the word that is translated hyssop in the bible.
Monday, October 5, 2015
Leviticus chapter 12
After reading chapter 12:
*This chapter addresses purification after childbirth, as though childbirth makes someone impure. I can't remember where I heard it, but I agree with the statement that the Israelites seem to have an obsession with blood. Blood is Bad. We have not been told it up to this point, but the blood of a woman makes her guilty of uncleanness. After she waits the proscribed times following childbirth, she must make two sacrifices before she can be considered clean, a burnt offering and a sin offering. Presumably this means there is something sinful associated with childbirth. Between childbirth and purification, she must not touch anything sacred or visit the sanctuary. She's got cooties.
*Before the offerings can be made, there must be a waiting period. If she had a boy, she is ceremonially unclean for seven days after giving birth. Then she must wait 33 more days to be "purified," a total of 40 days. (Two magic numbers in one command! It must be holy.) I don't understand the difference between the first seven days and the following 33 days. She's still considered unclean until the priest pronounces her clean.
*A newborn male is to be circumcised at 8 days old. I have some questions. Who does the circumcising? Wouldn't the baby be considered unclean since he is in constant contact with his mother? If he is unclean, wouldn't anyone who comes in contact with him also become unclean? Did fathers avoid contact with their wives and newborns during this time? That would be sad. Will we get answers to these questions later?
*Oh, unlucky woman who has a daughter! She is unclean for 14 days, then must wait another 66 days to be purified. That is twice as long as it takes after birthing a male. Extra magic must be needed to counteract the girl cooties.
*After childbirth, it is possible for a woman to experience some bleeding for up to 40 days, but highly unlikely for it to go longer than that. Plus, there are no fundamental differences between birthing a daughter or a son. That is just, well, silly.
*This chapter addresses purification after childbirth, as though childbirth makes someone impure. I can't remember where I heard it, but I agree with the statement that the Israelites seem to have an obsession with blood. Blood is Bad. We have not been told it up to this point, but the blood of a woman makes her guilty of uncleanness. After she waits the proscribed times following childbirth, she must make two sacrifices before she can be considered clean, a burnt offering and a sin offering. Presumably this means there is something sinful associated with childbirth. Between childbirth and purification, she must not touch anything sacred or visit the sanctuary. She's got cooties.
*Before the offerings can be made, there must be a waiting period. If she had a boy, she is ceremonially unclean for seven days after giving birth. Then she must wait 33 more days to be "purified," a total of 40 days. (Two magic numbers in one command! It must be holy.) I don't understand the difference between the first seven days and the following 33 days. She's still considered unclean until the priest pronounces her clean.
*A newborn male is to be circumcised at 8 days old. I have some questions. Who does the circumcising? Wouldn't the baby be considered unclean since he is in constant contact with his mother? If he is unclean, wouldn't anyone who comes in contact with him also become unclean? Did fathers avoid contact with their wives and newborns during this time? That would be sad. Will we get answers to these questions later?
*Oh, unlucky woman who has a daughter! She is unclean for 14 days, then must wait another 66 days to be purified. That is twice as long as it takes after birthing a male. Extra magic must be needed to counteract the girl cooties.
*After childbirth, it is possible for a woman to experience some bleeding for up to 40 days, but highly unlikely for it to go longer than that. Plus, there are no fundamental differences between birthing a daughter or a son. That is just, well, silly.
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