June 20, 2009, 8:44 am by dc-agape.

Genesis Chapter 25:12-34

The account of Ishmael is rather brief.  To say the least, Ishmael obeyed the commandment/promise to be fruitful and multiply.  Oddly, in chapter 21, the angle tells Hagar that YHWH will make Ishmael into a great nation.  Well, we can now see that was a gross oversimplification.  The other thing that I did not notice while reading chapter 21 was:

Gen 21:20 God was with the boy as he grew up.  He lived in the desert and became an archer.

YHWH actually favored someone other than the line of Isaac!  This means that both the Islamic and the Jewish faiths are favored by YHWH!  Both religions and TrueChristians^TM as well, are sinning against YHWH by not being united in their worship!  Ishmael had 12 sons and died at the age of 137.  He lived a little longer than YHWH had decreed in Gen 6:3.

Isaac, on the other hand, was given a barren woman to him by YHWH.  The explanation for this, we are told, to prove that how special the children are.  We are told Jacob only had one set of twins.  From a very early age, in the womb, they fought.  Now most of the time, you would think that sibling rivalry was normal. In this case, it was taken to an art form.  Also, as can be expected, one parent loved one child more, while the other parent loved the opposite child.  To say the least, these sons were not identical.  One had the brawn, Esau, while the other was crafty, Jacob. 

The first example of how crafty Jacob was is in this chapter.  When Esau comes back from hunting and is starving, he asks for Jacob to give him some of the stew.  Instead of being the loving brother, Jacob demands Esau’s birthright.  That seems a high price for a little food!  Especially, since Esau is the one who hunts for the food that goes in that stew?  Esau, not being too bright, or maybe just naive, agrees…he was famished!  What choice did he have?  This would be a great morality story if the TrueChirstians^TM would think about it.  Intelligent wins over brawn.  Can you imagine if christians today learned from the Word of God?

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June 20, 2009, 6:58 am by dc-agape.

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Exodus Chapter 6:28-7:13

Again Moses and Aaron seek an audience with the Pharaoh.  The Pharaoh must have been in a magnanimous mood, he has already dismissed their claim.  This is beginning to look a lot like a Tall Tale.  Why would a ruler of nation the size of Egypt allow slaves in this presence twice?  Especially when these slaves are despicable to him (Gen 46:33-34) and lazy (Exodus 5:17).  But for now, the story is about how Moses and Aaron continue to make their way in to see the Pharaoh. 

The actual end of chapter six is a reminder that Moses complained to YHWH about his speaking abilities.  YHWH response to this and the subsequent diatribe is quite damning to the concept that the rest of the story is anything but an arbitrary supernatural being wrecking havoc on innocent people.  First, YHWH makes Moses “God to the Pharaoh”, and “Aaron will be your prophet”.  The Egyptians worshipped their leaders like gods; hence each of the rulers of Egyptian was treated like gods.  To make Moses a god to a god was audacious to say the least.  But it is the third and fourth verses in this chapter that seals the fact that this is about YHWH and not about freeing the Israelites or about sin:

Exodus 7:3-4 But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, and though I multiply my miraculous signs and wonders in Egypt, he will not listen to you.  Then I will lay my hand on Egypt and with mighty acts of judgment I will bring out my divisions, my people the Israelites.

You see YHWH has already decided that he will perform each and every one of the ten hideous acts of plagues.  He had already decided the fate of 3 – 4 million people.  These ten acts of terrorism were not because the Pharaoh was cruel; it was because YHWH was cruel.  YHWH hardened the heart of the Pharaoh so that he could dole out punishment that was not justified!  All the following mayhem was to glorify an egotistical supernatural being.

But before YHWH starts throwing nuclear bombs on the innocent population of Egypt, we have a humorous interlude.  The first trick that Moses and Aaron attempt to impress the Pharaoh with, even though YHWH has already hardened his heart, is a complete failure.  Moses tells Aaron to turn his staff into a snake, and it happens!  That’s pretty great right?  Well, the Pharaoh’s magicians can do the same thing; stalemate.  The only small triumph is that Aarons snake eats the other snakes.  In the end with that little bit of sorcery nothing changes, because YHWH has already hardened the Pharaoh’s heart.

Now one other thing should be pointed out.  We are finally told Moses age as to when this all began.  He was 80 years old.  That in of itself is not important.  What is important is that for the last 80 years the slavery has been enforced and we can assume that the young boys are still being killed!  Nowhere does it say that the Pharaoh has rescinded the order that caused Moses to be put in the Nile!  The male population of the Israelites must be shrinking rapidly; slave life is not conducive to long life.  This whole story is looking more and more like a Tall Tale and Traditions of Men.

Posted in Exodus, Traditions of Men, Tall Tales, Freewill, Readings | Print | 1 Comment »