Categories: uncategorized
Date: 14 February 2011 10:26:15
Move over Charlton Heston....it's been imagination time as I've read Exodus 9:1 - 16:13 and seen the Hebrews leg it out of Egypt. Reading it in chunks may have not helped the flow, but here are some bullet pointed bits of thinking.
The bible says that the Egyptians were raised up so they could be knocked down again. This was problem no. 1. - Problematic because it reeks of pre-destination, and I don't subscribe to that way of thinking. Mind you perhaps God works on helping people take the Chumbawumba approach - "I get knocked down, but I get up again....never gonna keep me down."
The level of fear generated in Egypt must have been horrendous, yet the suffering of people is increased not because of their fault but because God was hardening Pharaoh's heart. This is difficult for me to accept.
The way Pharaoh threatened Moses was disturbing.
When they legged it they got to take the precious metals from Egyptians. The Egyptians were coerced into this via fear of the Hebrews, even though they, the Egyptians were the oppressors - how does that all work?
Festivals have a purpose which needs explaining. We need to work on this soooo much more, and not just with Easter and Chrimbo.
600,000 men plus women and children leaving. That is a lot of people....far more than you kind of think about wandering around.
Conversion was linked to circumcision. Puts NT debates in context.
God took the Hebrews on a longer but safer route out of Egypt. Does he do this with us? Do we want to take the quickest way round stuff, but have to go on a longer route.
Miriam was a prophetess, just like brothers were described as prophets. Is there a family aspect to "callings". In terms of preaching I know little about my great grandfather on my mothers side but I do know he was a lay preacher and because of certain events been an inspirational man who in some ways promoted a counter cultural approach to the treatment of people based on his faith. This man facinates me and I am left wondering whether certain gifts are bestowed upon family lines...even if the skills are expressed in different generations in different ways.
God intentionally tested the people...again I find that hard. But then God provides with boundaries. This is good.
God made sure people understood rest is a vital concept. :D
They were fed on the same diet for 40 years.....hard going.
Matt 26:69 - 28: 20 related to the death and ressurection of Jesus.
Jesus felt forsaken by God, but he wasn't forsaken.
Peter and Judas are portrayed in certain ways in this story which are always negative. However, more complex. Both are interesting sketches about desires, realities, reactions and remorse. We see grown men cry, fear and human instincts of greed and disillusionment lead to actions which on one hand involve denying the blindingly obvious and on the other finding out they are in too deep with the religious elite to get out of a situation they recognise as wrong. The remorse leads to a suicide and to a "hard man" crying.
These somehow hit me. Looking, as I do sometimes, through the perspective of the LGBT lens, I was particularly hit by Peter. Peter is wanting to maintain integrity and a faithful witness but he is really scared. He denies not only Jesus, but himself 3 times. In the denials he is denying his own identity because of fear of the religious elite, seeing what they are capable of. Within this he is challenged because the truth is blindingly obvious yet he still swears blind he is not who he really is. The pain of this comes through realising Jesus was right but also, I believe, through realising he was not strong enough to admit who he was. The situation he was in was one created by the religious elite and one in which he had to decide how to react. He denied who he was for his own safety. Are we, "the church" responsible for making people deny who they are now and their true relationship with Jesus and with others (because he was also denying his link to the other disciples) because of a climate of fear?
Jesus expressed the very human feeling of wondering where God was in a time of extreme suffering. I think in this cry it was his humanity which was being expressed, rather than God not being there. Something for us to hold on to.
The Holy People rose again and freaked the city out - wierd or what.
Fear was created at the death of Jesus, due to earthquake, tearing of temple curtain, etc. Does faith develop out of situations of fear? In my experience yes, but I have heard it said using other references fear is wrong. Is it sometimes necessary for growth though?
The women were dead brave. Through their actions they put themselves in danger and refused to deny their identities as followers of Jesus. Yet, in our patriarchal interpretations we put the focus onto the male disciples. In his writing Matthew does not do this. The bible is clear to honour the story of the women.
Psalm 20:1-9, Well encouraging to read after some difficult passages going before.
Psalm 21: 1-7 I liked the way Jesus was praised.
Proverbs 4:20 - 27 - Important to keep right with God.
Psalm 21: 8 - 13 I found this difficult and did not like the language, but did understand it was culturally appropriate to that time.