32: RUN THAT PAST ME AGAIN
Based on the book Deuteronomy (DT)...Read more there.

Deuteronomy might be called 'another way of looking at' many of the same issues we've seen in the earlier 'Mosaic' books of the Law (GN, EX, LV, NB). It serves as a reminder, a revision of what has gone before. Like so much in the first four 'books of Moses', or 'the Law', as those of the Hebrew faith know it, DT is a compilation from a date much later than the original events. One scholar suggests a main concern is how to make older teachings about cultic (religious) & legal traditions relevant to new generations by those whose responsibility it is to teach & preach them in later days (N1). Is nothing new?! As we work our way through DT it will help if we keep those 'another look at former things' way of looking at it & the recapitulation angle both in mind.

The Hebrews move on from Horeb (Sinai) & approach the Promised Land via scuffles & fights with rival clans. In Chs.5-11 we find pep-talks by Moses including a 're-broadcast' of the Commandments & why the people should keep them. The reason is neatly summarised at Ch.7:6. Moses goes on to promise the people that YHWH will raise up a Prophet like himself [Ch.18:15]. Is he pointing to Joshua, his successor, or Someone Else? (N2).  From half way through Ch.23 till early in Ch. 25 we find a collection of laws more compassionate than we might expect from so long ago & dealing with various situations. Most of us would happily give an 'Amen' to many of them today. Ch. 26 reminds the people - & us, too - of our need to be grateful to YHWH God & to show our gratitude in generosity. Moses, drawing near to the end of his life now, reviews the people's Exodus from Egypt & the covenant God has made with them before the assembled people in Ch. 29. Then in Ch.30:11+ Moses tells the people: a) what they have been commanded to do is not beyond their ability to obey; b) the Word (of God) is very near them (N3); & c) they should choose life rather than death. If we don't read anything else in DT, let's 'hear, read, mark, & inwardly digest' this bit! (N4)

Moses knows he will not live to cross the Jordan into the Promised Land & prepares for the hand-over to Joshua. In Ch.31:14-15 God sets His seal on this with the appearance once more of the Cloud at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Then Moses, or someone else later launches into a long song or psalm celebrating the power & faithfulness of God (Ch. 32) before giving a formal blessing to each of the tribes (Ch. 33). From the top of Mt. Nebo, opposite Jericho, YHWH shows Moses the Promised Land he will not enter (Ch.34) The book then ends solemnly & rather poignantly with: 'Moses, servant of YHWH died as YHWH had decreed; they buried him in the valley, in the country of Moab, opposite Beth-Peor, but to this day no-one has ever found his grave....' (NJB) And the story continues: 33: Joshua Not Only Fit The Battle Of Jericho..!

(N1) von Rad, Deuteronomy, SCM Press, London, 1979 edn. p. 23. (N2) Christians usually take this to be a prophecy of the coming of Jesus as Messiah. See AC3:17-23 (Peter) & AC7:37 (Stephen). (N3) The 'Word' in the sense of the Creative Principle of the Universe will later become a major theme in both Older & Newer Testaments as it does in some other traditions. A 'Wisdom literature' develops. Some Christian churches see Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, & Song of Songs as 'Wisdom' literature; others add Wisdom & Ecclesiasticus from the Apocrypha, too. Notably, John the Evangelist opens his Gospel with, 'In the beginning was the Word....'  (N4) From the Collect for Advent 2 in the 1662 English Prayer Book.

Question: Do we have the wisdom to recognize Wisdom when faced with 'It'?

31..NUMBERS UPON NUMBERS UPON NUMBERS
Based on NUMBERS (NB)...Read more there.

 NB holds little to enthral us today. Much of it is about the organising, defining, & regulating the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Israel, remember, is Jacob renamed by YHWH (N1).  The tribe of Levi is treated differently from the others in this process & set apart to perform priestly responsibilities. Family trees of one kind or another, whether written down or not, play an important role in the way many cultures understand themselves. The number of organisations & websites offering ancestry information, together with a genre of TV programmes dedicated to researching where people came from are but the tip of a pretty big industry feeding & feeding on today's thirst for information about our ancestors. That the Hebrews were thorough in this matter as here in NB, enabled early Christians anxious to establish Jesus' genealogical credentials strike pay-dirt (N2).

In Ch 9 as the Hebrews prepare to continue their journeying we delve again into the mystical spirituality inherent in the Cloud, that symbol of YHWH's presence over & among them when they left Egypt & still 'hovering' to reassure, protect, & guide (N3). In Ch.11 Moses gets caught up yet again in complaining on the part of the by now tired-of-all-this-wilderness-lifestyle people & more 'food from heaven' is provided. Also, Joshua, who will later loom large in Hebrew affairs appears on the scene for the first time. In Ch. 12 Moses' siblings Miriam & Aaron rebel against him & are put in their place! In Chs. 13-14 YHWH tells Moses to send spies ahead to eye off the land of Canaan, further to the north, the 'Promised Land' to which they are heading. Mixed reports on the spies' return divide the people, but Joshua's more positive report prevails & the people press on. Chs.15-19 return us to the earlier style of detailed laws about the way this, that, or the other is to be carried out. In Ch.20 there is another instance of  'water from the rock', the Hebrews are denied passage through Edomite lands, & Aaron dies.

In 21:4-9 a strange incident occurs that stands out as a passage of major importance for Christians later. As the Hebrews journey they travel through an area severely infested by snakes & are greatly threatened by them. Archeologists have in fact uncovered miniature serpents of copper & bronze in that area, perhaps pointing to a local cult involving snakes. Were some Hebrews attracted to such a cult to protect themselves from being bitten or as an antidote? YHWH's telling Moses to forge a metal snake & hoist it on a pole so the Hebrews could look up at it & be healed is a puzzle. Might it reflect a kind of 'if you can't beat them join them & having joined them beat them' tactic on YHWH's or Moses' part to deal with such idolatry? For instance, were the people meant to gaze up & through & beyond the serpent to YHWH the True Healer? Failing some such explanation, how come YHWH is requiring Moses & through him, the people, to break His own 2nd Commandment? Good question (N4)! However, what makes this passage important still is that that cast-metal snake nailed up on its pole has, as the Evangelist John sees it, entered deeply into Jesus' psyche. Jesus understands Himself to be the One lifted up on the cross for the healing of all the world's bites of every kind!: [JN 3:14, 8:28, 12:32]. As the Hebrews continue their migration towards their Promised Land, in CHs. 22-24 we find a complicated, quaint incident involving Balak (an enemy ruler); Balaam, a kind of local 'small p' folk prophet; a talking donkey(!) & an angel! Make of it what you will! CH.27:12-17 is significant for YHWH's choice of Joshua to become Moses' successor as leader of the Hebrews & his ceremonial installation as the people prepare to move closer to the Promised Land. After more regulations, some nasty inhumane actions certainly not in keeping with the mind of YHWH as we now understand it, & still more record-keeping, we end  - whew! - with a concise summary: 'Such were the commandments & laws that Yahweh prescribed for the Israelites through Moses...' (NJB).  And that's another story...Run That Past Me Again
   
(N1) See Ep.18. (N2) See: MT 1: 1-17, & LK 3:23-38. (N3) The Cloud also features in the N.T., notably at Jesus' Transfigurtion. (N4) There is an intriguing later reference to the snake incident in 2K18:4 where we find Hezekiah, a reforming king of Judah (BC 716-687) 'smashed the bronze serpent which Moses had made; for up to that time the Israelites had offered sacrifices to it; it was called Nehushtan' (NJB).  Question: What do snakes symbolise for us?

 

                                                   30...LAYING DOWN THE LAWS
                                    Based on LEVITICUS (LV) CHs.1-27...Read more there.

Welcome to Leviticus, the third of the so-called 'Books of Moses' but most likely put into the form we know it in long after Moses' day. That in itself doesn't mean it doesn't bear the hallmark of Hebrew religious & community practices as they begin to take shape under Moses.(N1) With LV we're moving into new territory just as the Hebrews were physically beginning to move into new territory. Where GN is all story-telling, & EX mostly so, now we're in a legalist's paradise! All about worship practices, festivals & observances & sacrifices & community laws & the way they're to be carried out. Very specifically! The Hebrews are to have an absolute single mindedness towards YHWH & apply that  in everything they do. I was going to add, 'religious or not', but everything is to be 'religious' in the eyes of the Hebrews because everything is religious - i.e. a duty - in the eyes of YHWH God. Slap-dash worship or service of any kind, to God or to others has no place in Hebrew life. Having said that, unless we're either a very orthodox Jewish person, or someone particularly interested in the development of religion (Jewish in particular) we're not likely to find much to inspire us in all this nitty-gritty. 

Another thing that comes through strongly in LV is that it reflects, as will other writings to follow, a fear of Hebrew people being influenced by the religious beliefs & practices of neighbouring tribes & peoples. The Hebrews, though, are to be absolutely single-minded. We know they were in fact often tempted to dabble with other gods of other peoples, & did sometimes succumb. But keeping faith with YHWH means ensuring no-one & no-thing is to be allowed to compete with YHWH in any way! It might be helpful to note here for future reference that though much of LV as we know it takes its final shape later than Prophets like Amos & Jeremiah, they will take issue with some teachings on sacrifice & the like that they come to believe do not reflect YHWH's mind on such matters. (N2)

The bright jewel in the otherwise rather dull crown of LV occurs at 19: 18 where we read, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself '. Ask anyone, 'Who first said that?' & if they can answer at all they may well say, 'Jesus'. Jesus does indeed later say this, but He derives it from here in LV! (N3) Long before Jesus though, whoever taught this, Moses or someone else, is very much inspired by YHWH & in tune with what God requires as His people's standard of behaviour in every aspect of life. Next time...31..Numbers & Still More Numbers.       

(N1) A bit like the Gospels bear the mark of Jesus even though they all take the forms we know them in years after Jesus' time on earth. (N2) Martin Noth, Leviticus, S.C.M. Press, p.17. (N3)  JS verifies this principle as the Second Great Commandment [MK 12:31 & parallels in other Gospels].

Question: Can we truly serve God if we don't truly love our neighbour?

29...ALL HEAVEN BREAKS LOOSE
Based on EX Chs. 18-40...Read more there...(N1)

When the Hebrews reach Mt. Sinai Moses tells them to prepare themselves for a great revelation from YHWH God. There comes an awesome electrical storm, & to cap it off, what sounds very much like volcanic activity. All this sets a mystic scene for greater things to come! God then 'comes down' on the mountain top & is joined there by Moses (N2). Whatever is going on there is coming to a climax! The really big event is the giving & receiving of The Law, the Ten Commandments [Ch.20] (N3). The original just refers to the Commandments as 'words'. Here's an attempt to summarise & interpret what Moses is reported to have scratched on 'tablets of stone' at God's behest:

 {1} I'm your only God! Stick with Me!
{2} No substitute gods of any kind allowed!
{3} Don't mess with my name (YAHWEH); that means Me!
{4} Set aside regular time for sacred-space - for my sake & yours!
{5} Always respect your parents!
{6} Always respect life; don't murder anyone!
{7} Always respect your own marriage and other people's.
{8} Keep your hands off other people's belongings!
{9} Always tell the truth, about everyone & everything!
{10} Stay focused on what's yours, not anything that belongs to someone else!

However, after this uniquely inspired law-giving, human nature kicks in pretty quickly again. In much of the rest of EX God, Moses, & the Hebrews seem to get bogged down in pettifogging instructions for complying with these Ten Laws & equally complicated instructions for ritual worship. One significant feature is the creation of a portable 'Ark' [Ch.31] a decorative wooden chest the Hebrews will carry ahead of them on poles in their journeyings. The stone tablets on which the Commandments have been inscribed are housed inside the Ark. The Ark itself is housed inside a holy 'tent of meeting' set up by Moses [33:7] a kind of proto-type of the eventual permanent Temple to be built in Jerusalem much later. A lot of the detailed material here bears the hallmark of later times, but this is part & parcel of the very process of story telling. In the middle of all this, in Ch.32 we find a second account of Moses coming down from the mountain top with the Commandments scratched on two pieces of stone, this time to find the people have tired of waiting for him & been playing up. Worse, they've made an idol of a calf from gold (given by the Egyptians to get rid of them? See Ep.26.) Moses snaps & so do the stone tablets (earlier versions of our modern tablets, I-pads, etc?). The story then starts all over again combining multiple sources - with a lot of seams! In 34:10+ God makes a new covenant with the people, renewing the relationship He's promised Abraham & Sarah long before (Ep.14). Overall one might say the telling of such a life-giving story deteriorates into a mind-boggling complexity not in keeping with the spirit of the original Laws & today maybe only of interest to very Orthodox Jewish believers (N4). In a reversal of this trend Jesus will later reduce the Ten to Two Great Commandments [MT 22:34-40](N5)  Next time...30: Laying Down the Laws. 

(N1): Many scholars believe there is a coming together here, as elsewhere, of differing accounts combined into one at a later date. We will see that happen in the Gospels too. (N2): Such appearances of God are known as a 'theophany', Greek for 'revealing God'. (N3): A slightly different version of the Commandments appears in DT:5. (N4): Jewish tradition developed 613 Commandments as extensions of the original 10. (N5): Augustine, Bp. of Hippo in North Africa in the 5th C. went even further & reduced them to 'Love God & do as you like!' Ironically, most churches today have 'rule books' extending to hundreds of pages & more!

Question: Is it easier to try to compel people to do or not do something rather than encourage them to keep the spirit of the Commandments? 

28: GRIZZLINGS, GRIPINGS, & GOINGS-ON

Based on EX Ch.15 - 18...Read  more there (N1)

Moses sings about the great victory God has won for the Hebrews [15:1+] Or was it his sister Miriam [15:19+] who's the lead singer? (N2) Miriam seemingly springs from nowhere, as has brother Aaron a while back. Despite the victory, the Hebrews soon return to being misery-gutses! As they continue their round-about migration towards the Promised Land they complain about the taste of the local water [15:22+]. Inspired by YHWH God Moses sets about fixing that, probably using local knowledge & the local remedy. Then comes a shortage of food. This time YHWH provides quail & a mysterious 'bread' they have to go out & gather. This 'bread' comes to be known as 'manna' [16:31] which seems to mean, 'What is it?' No-one has ever satisfactorily explained the 'manna', but whatever it is is far lighter, even, than the stuff baked full of air by many of today's poorer bakers! (3).  Although the 'Sabbath' has not been formally legislated yet - that will happen in Ep.29 - we're told the people gather a double amount of 'manna' on the 6th day so they have no need to break the Sabbath. The principle is already being established of time set apart for God. When we're told the Hebrews eat this 'bread' for '40 years' we're simply being told it was for a very long time.

The next complaint [17:1+] is about the lack of water. Under God's guidance Moses deals with this too, this time by striking a rock with his now famous staff. This 'water of life' event become a symbolic moment for both Hebrew & Christian believers & is likely another 'combined view' of natural & supernatural ways of looking at things as maybe Moses' earlier years in this wilderness pay off once more through his knowledge of water sources. (4). Think of water diviners who've contributed to identifying water sources in Australia.  

In [17:8+] we have the first of what will be continuing & increasing skirmishes between the migrating Hebrews & tribes already occupying lands they're travelling through or will later occupy. This time it's the Amalekites, of no particular significance for our story, but raising deeper questions like some raised today, such as, 'Who or what gives people the right to travel through, or threaten other people's borders?' Or even, 'What are borders?'  If there's an ancient theological angle here, exploring it may help us broaden our understanding & responding to challenges to borders today by current new style migrations by those fleeing food & water shortages, persecution, civil & other wars, economic hardship &c, seeking a better life.

In a 'blast from the past' Moses' Midianite father-in-law Jethro (Ep.23) re-appears on the scene when the Hebrews near Mt. Sinai. Jethro has heard of Moses' & the Hebrews' exploits & comes to visit, bringing Moses' wife, Zipporah, whom he seems to have divorced (5), & their sons. None of these feature in future events. Jethro gives Moses good advice about setting up a leadership structure for the people, which Moses does [18:17+]. This will stand them in good stead as the emerging nation grows & takes new directions. 'Converting' to follow YHWH as the true God, Jethro then goes back to Midian. It is unclear if Zipporah & her children return to Midian with Jethro. What happens next is another story. 29: All Heaven Breaks Loose. 

(N1) As usual we are dealing with a compilation from several sources conflated into one account. (N2) Though this song isn't in the book of Psalms it's of the same genre. If you're up for it, try singing it. Psalms have always been for singing. (N3) Another description of 'manna' [NB 11:4-9]  describes it as looking like gum exuded from a tree. 'Bread of heaven' has also passed into Christian Eucharistic spirituality. (N4) A different description of the same event appears at [NB 20]. (N5) Zipporah being 'divorced' could be an attempt to explain her omission from Moses stories, or a later addition to 'cover' Moses in days when intermarrying with foreigners had become forbidden.

Question: If Moses can learn such an important lesson from his then 'pagan' father-in-law, Jethro, could we be open to learning from a wider field of people than we may currently do?

27...CUTTING TO THE CHASE

 Based on EX. Chs. 13 - 15...Read more there 

After the dramatic build up - see Ep. 26 if you need to refresh your memory - the Hebrews leave Egypt rather matter-of-factly. They don't take the more direct route towards Canaan & Palestine for strategic reasons, instead taking a more roundabout way to reach the edge of the Sea of Reeds on the eastern arm of the Red Sea without apparent incident. Truth is no-one knows the exact route they took though several have been suggested. The point is they left! But by now, the Pharaoh is having second thoughts at losing such a huge slave-labour force. Could it be, too, that Egyptians have been pressed into service to take the place of the Hebrew slaves on never ending building projects Pharaohs were noted for, and are pressuring him to bring the Hebrews back? Whatever the cause of his change of heart, by the time the Hebrews reach the Sea of Reeds the Pharaoh & his army are in full pursuit & catching up. The Hebrews can see the sand & dust storm their chariots & horses are throwing up, & many of them are afraid, despite the pillars of fire & cloud that assure them of God's presence & protection. Some complain to Moses, "Weren't there enough graves in Egypt that you had to bring us out here into this wilderness to die?" [14:11] & want to turn back. As the Egyptians close in on them panic sets in among the ranks of the Hebrews. Moses reassures them, though, & at God's instigation stretches out his staff (the one YHWH God has used in the earlier conjuring contest with the Egyptians, see Ep.24) & the swampy waters are parted. The Hebrews pass through safely, & then, before the Egyptians can cross too, the waters return, swamping & annihilating the whole Egyptian army. While the story of this climactic event is told to us as supernatural intervention, we could say the miracle is not simply that, but the result, too, of obedience. Willingly or grudgingly, the Hebrews obey the instructions YHWH has given through Moses. This means they're there in time to take advantage of tide & winds advantageous to their crossing what we now believe was merely a few hundred metres of shallow swampland. It is no less miraculous & significant for this being the case. The fact that the story gets bigger & better with countless re-tellings, & becomes a foundation for the Jewish people's belief is no great problem when we allow for the fact that it is storytelling of the first order! Within the story itself there is clear evidence of two ways of looking at things - the confluence of natural causes like being in exactly the right spot at the right time to take advantage of strong winds & extremely low tide. Maybe, too, the Egyptians fall victims to panic when they realize they haven't timed things too well & are destroyed by natural events even though those same events are seen through Hebrew eyes as a supernatural parting of the waters & the resulting 'walls of water'. Might the events of Dunkirk in 1940, seen by many as miraculous & by others as the result of superb planning & effort perhaps be a similar illustration of both sides of a story coming together as one? To return to the fleeing Hebrews, reaching the other side in safety with the Egyptians no longer a threat doesn't absolutely restore the people's faith in either YHWH or Moses! But that's another story...28: Grizzling, Griping, & Goings On. 

(1) Brevard Childs (Exodus, SCM Press, p.28) thinks the contrasting natural / supernatural aspects come together when later compilers gives natural aspects of the Exodus a theological 'twist' (my word). (2) If the story of Dunkirk isn't familiar to you, 'Google' it! 

Question: How far is too far when it comes to giving natural events a supernatural 'twist' - or vice-versa?

26..PASSING OUT PARADE

                                                         26...PASSING OUT PARADE
                                              Based on EX Chs. 11-13...Read more there.

The skirmishing between Moses & his brother Aaron & the Pharaoh is coming to an end. The first nine plagues, disastrous as they've been, have led only to a lot of shilly-shallying on the Pharaoh's part. His hardening of his heart tries YHWH's patience too far. Now the most disastrous of the 10 plagues, that of the death of the first-born will strike Egypt, but as with the preceding plagues, leaving the Hebrews untouched. Now the die is cast. By now the Egyptians are so glad to see the Hebrews leave their country that they shower them with gifts, perhaps to placate them, perhaps to placate the Hebrews' God, YHWH who is bringing all this grief on them! This occurs during the count-down to the momentous happening which comes to be known as Passover because the 'plague' of death passes over the homes of the Hebrews. During the countdown the Hebrews are to eat unleavened bread. This may be symbolic of having to be ready to leave in a hurry when the word is given, before their bread dough has time to rise. Unleavened bread certainly becomes part of the Passover tradition kept ever since. But the central feature of their leaving Egypt celebration is the killing & eating of a young male lamb or goat, the marking of their doorways with its blood - so the angel of death will know not to visit this house - & the eating of the animal roasted, either in their own household, or, in some circumstances, sharing an animal with a neighbour. It seems to be a kind of in-house sacrifice as distinct from a sacrifice in some temple. (There are temples to the various Egyptian gods, but the Hebrews are not going to reach the stage of having a temple to YHWH God for a long time yet.) The Passover meal is to be eaten 'with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, your staff in your hand, & eaten in a hurry' [12:11]. Ready to move out at a moment's notice. As the American 'minute-man' patriots had to be ready to move against the English in one minute if need be during their war of independence. The actual departure of the Hebrews from Egypt is dealt with quite summarily [13:17-22]. We're told [12:37] that 600,000 men, not counting their families, leave Egypt, though this is an improbably large figure. But it sounds impressive! They journey, taking Joseph's long embalmed body with them, from Goshen where they had lived up in the north east of the country, round the top of the Red Sea, & down on the other side, still part of Egypt but remote & across on the Sinai Peninsula. Their story tells us that YHWH God leads them by day as a pillar of cloud, & by night as a pillar of fire. The imagery of God as cloud & fire enters into both Hebrew &, later, Christian, mystical understandings & experiences of God. Note that on this stretch of the journey the Hebrews go round the Red Sea, but soon they will have to cross the other arm of the Red Sea via what is now commonly known as the Sea of Reeds. And that's another story... 27: Cutting To The Chase! 

(1) There are many confusions in the actual Biblical text due to the interweaving of differing traditions passed down by word of mouth long before the text we have was finalised centuries later. For example Ch.11 begins with Moses telling the Hebrews what's going to happen then switches to him angrily walking out on the Pharaoh! [11:8]. (2) None of this detracts from the Passover being  a momentous happening for the Hebrews & a pivotal one for Jewish faith & culture. Ever since, YHWH has above all been the God who 'brought His people out of Egypt'! What a story!

Question: Are we in a state of constant readiness to go into action for God whatever it is He needs of us?