Day 30: Nile Turned to Blood

 Today's readings: Exodus 6-7, Leviticus 5, and Psalm 47.

I. God reassures Moses that He will free the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, make them His people, and that they will be given "the land which I swore to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob" (6:1-9). Moses told them, but they didn't believe him, "because of their broken spirit and their cruel bondage" (6:9). Bypassing further reassurance it seems, God commanded Moses to go to Pharaoh and tell him to "let the people of Israel go out of his land" (6:10-11). 

Oddly enough, we then get a genealogical digression detailing the ancestry of Moses and Aaron, brothers from the Levi clan (6:14-27). It seems out of place in this part of the story, interrupting the flow of the narrative. At the beginning of the tale would seem to me to have been better, but I'm sure it served a sort of cultural purpose for them at the time unknown to me.

The story continues with God telling He will speak to Moses and that Aaron will speak for him to Pharaoh, who will not listen and then be chastised by divine power. Interestingly, both are quite old: Moses is 80 and Aaron 83 (7:1-7). It's not those the world considers strong and of prime age that God always chooses to do His will; many times, He surprises us by doing the opposite of our expectations. So the brothers do as God commanded, with Aaron throwing his staff down to miraculously turn into a serpent, as a sign to Pharaoh. His court magicians somehow do likewise, but Aaron's ends up swallowing them up, but "Pharaoh's heart was hardened and he would not listen to them" (7:8-13). I've always been curious if what the magicians did was some kind of illusion trick or perhaps demonic power. Regardless, Pharaoh's poor choice brings the first of the Ten Plagues: the water of the Nile is turned to blood (7:14-24). Given the importance and sacredness of the Nile River to Egyptian pagans, this must have seemed like quite the blow. As shall be seen, each of the Ten Plagues will also be an attack on the Egyptian false gods and goddesses, as can be seen in the Ignatius Bible, p. 134. Hapi, their Nile god, was the first target.

Yet even this first plague didn't faze Pharaoh, for his court magicians again pulled some trick to imitate this, so "Pharaoh's heart remained hardened and he would not listen to them" (7:22).

I do like how the BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on the repeated reminders to Moses here:

We can have short-term memory regarding God. We can easily forget what he has done for us due to our anxiety about the present or future. We study Scripture to be reminded of who God is, so he can reveal himself to us and we can know him even more deeply. (p. 68)

II. Leviticus continues listing offenses that require a sin offering. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

Three offenses requiring a sin offering. The first is a sin of omission: a witness who declines to testify in court despite having knowledge relevant to the administration of justice (5:1). The second and third offenses are sins discovered after the fact: a person who touches uncleanness is liable for the offense as soon as he learns of it (5:2-3), as is the person who comes to learn that he has violated a careless oath (5:4). (p. 185)

As this doesn't apply to us today, it can seem boring, which is why many readers tend to get bogged down in Leviticus while trying to read Scripture from the beginning to the end. Nevertheless, I did find it interesting that even in this list, God thinks of the poor in 5:7-13. 

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments on this:

In Leviticus, regarding the sin offering to be presented, God is merciful. If someone cannot afford a lamb or a goat, he can offer two pigeons or turtledoves. If he cannot afford even that, he can offer fine flour. God does not want anything to get in the way to stop people from receiving his mercy. (p.68)

III. Psalm 47 is a royal celebratory one. Even the way it begins speaks of this praise:

Clap your hands, all peoples!

Shout to God with loud songs of joy!

For the Lord, the Most High, is terrible,

    a great king over all the earth. (47:1-2)

That's all for today! 

Day 29: Moses Returns to Egypt

 Today's readings: Exodus 4-5, Leviticus 4, and Psalm 46.

I. Moses protests to God that he is not a good choice, saying that the Hebrews "will not believe me or listen to my voice" and even after being shown miracles by God, saying that he was "slow of speech and of tongue" (4:1-10). Basically, giving every excuse he could think of not to do what God wanted him to do. God persisted, telling Moses that He "will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak," but of course the latter pleaded with Him to "send, I pray, some other person" (4:11-13).

It's quite understandable that Scripture next tells us that "the anger of the Lord was kindled against Moses." God tells Moses that He will speak to him and he will speak to Aaron, his brother, who will then speak to the people (4:14-17).

'Tis a good thing that Scripture says God is "slow to anger" (34:6-7), but clearly Moses was pushing it.

Moses stops his protesting, gathers up his kin, and heads off back to Egypt. God tells him what he is to say to Pharaoh, but warns him that the latter will not believe him even under divine threats (4:18-23).

Then an odd episode occurs "at a lodging place on the way" where God "sought to kill him" (4:24-26). The Ignatius Bible explains:

Original meaning obscure. Moses may have followed the Midianite custom of waiting to circumcise boys until just before marriage. If so, he neglected the Abrahamic covenant, which required newborn males to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth (Gen 17:9-13). Failure to observe this rite meant being "cut off" from the covenant people (Gen 17:14)... (p. 131)

Moses and Aaron meet, then convince the Hebrew people in Egypt of what God had commanded (4:27-31). They next meet with Pharaoh and deliver God's command to "let my people go," but he refuses (5:1-5). Angrily, he increases the burdens on the Hebrews, who react negatively to Moses and Aaron, who themselves turn to God, asking Him, "Why have you done this evil to the people?" (5:6-23). 

As readers, we know how this will all turn out, but for Moses, Aaron, and the Hebrew people, it was happening in real life, with the future uncertain.

II. The first three offerings were voluntary, but this fourth, for sin, is not. A listing of sins for which this mandatory sin offering must be given is outlined, requiring a bull, goat, or lamb (4:1-35). The Ignatius Bible comments on this:

The sin offering, which cleanses the worshipper of impurity, moral (4:20; 16:30), as well as ritual (12:6-7; 14:19), since both defile the Lord's sanctuary (16:33; 20:3). For this reason, it is sometimes called the purification offering. The law differs according to the offender's position and level of responsibility: a bull is offered for the high priest or the congregation (4:1-21), a goat for a tribal ruler (4:22-26), a female lamb or goat for a common citizen (4:27-35), and a pair of birds or a patch of flour for the poor (5:7-13)... (p. 184)

Given the detailed description of how these animals are to be offered, even down to "the fat that covers the entrails and all the fat that is on the entrails, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them at the loins, and the appendage of the liver" (4:8-9) gives an idea of how serious God considers sin to be. It's as if these details are meant to disgust the sinner for what they have done and the cost for their sin, though this could probably be more the reaction of a modern person to an ancient practice. After all, most ancient religions I'm aware of practice animal, and sometimes human, sacrifices to their gods. Though I'm not sure many of the pagan ones went to such detail in their sacrifices as outlined in Leviticus.

III. Psalm 46 is one of praise for His defense of Jerusalem and the people of Israel, as can be seen in is deliverance of them time and time again.

"Be still, and know that I am God.

    I am exalted among the nations,

    I am exalted in the earth!"

The Lord of hosts is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our refuge. (46:10-11)

That's all for today! 

Day 28: The Burning Bush

 Today's reading: Exodus 3, Leviticus 2-3; and Psalm 45.

I. While tending "the flock of his father-in-law" (3:1), he received a miraculous theophany in a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire (3:2-6). God says to Moses that He knows of the suffering of the Hebrews in Egypt, and calls on him to lead them out to "a land flowing with milk and honey" (3:7-9). He reveals His Name to Moses and promises to be with Moses as he confronts Pharaoh for this (3:10-22). The revelation of the Name of God to Moses, or perhaps God’s own explanation of His divine name, is interesting as to what this tells us about Who God Is, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

I AM WHO I AM: The personal name of God, which is also a revelation of his nature. Traditionally, the name is said to express a philosophical truth: God is infinite Being, the One whose essence is to exist, without beginning or end, independently of all other things that exist... This aspect of the mystery may be seen in the burning bush, where the fire of divine presence burns undiminished without need of created realities to generate or sustain itself. The name can also be said to express a historical truth: God is sovereign over all ages of time, for he is the First and the Last, who is present and active in history from its inception to its consummation... (p. 128)

Moses' hesitation in 3:11 is probably to be expected when faced with a theophany such as this. We are weak, finite beings after all. The man was undoubtedly awestruck by the encounter and afraid.

II. In Leviticus chapters 2 & 3, cereal offerings and peace offerings are described, and as to how the Hebrews shall give them to the Lord. This all seems odd to us today, but the right way to worship God was outlined for them at that time, and it all foreshadowed what would come with Christ (Heb 10:1). I do like how the Ignatius Bible explains these offerings:

The cereal offering, which is a gift of "tribute" presented to the Lord as Israel's covenant King... The peace offering, which promotes "peace" between partners joined together in a covenant... (p. 182)

That explanation was helpful for understanding these offerings more.

III. Psalm 45 celebrates a royal wedding. I'm curious if this was for an actual royal wedding (whose?) or if the psalmist was taking some poetic license here. Interestingly, there are lines in it which are messianic, such as "Your divine throne endures for ever and ever" (45:6; Heb 1:8-9).

That's all for today!

Day 27: The Birth of Moses

 Today's readings: Exodus 1-2, Leviticus 1, and Psalm 44.

I. The Book of Exodus begins by noting that the descendants of the sons of Jacob/Israel had grown numerous in Egypt (1:1-7). A new pharaoh arose and stoked fear among the Egyptians that they would be overrun, and enslaved the Hebrews to do tough, menial work for them and "made their lives bitter with hard service" (1:8-14). On a side note, isn't this always like tyrants? Find a scapegoat to blame and soothe the masses from what's really wrong in society. Like sheeple, we seem to fall for this time and time again, no matter the culture. At any rate, when the number of Hebrews failed to decrease as a result, he next moved to having newborn Hebrew sons killed by the midwives, which also failed, and then ordered them to just be tossed into the Nile River (1:15-22). It's like a perversion of this probably historically fictional scene in the movie Braveheart. Kill the boys, but keep the girls, thereby essentially "breeding" out the Hebrews.

Then a boy is born to parents from the House of Levi (2:1-2). The mother put the boy into a basket near the Nile riverbank, which was discovered by Pharaoh's daughter, who "took pity on him" (2:3-6). It sounds like the mother knew that Pharaoh's daughter would find her son, who had been named Moses, especially when she managed to conveniently have herself hired as the baby's wetnurse (2:7-10). Moses grew up in the household of Pharaoh's daughter, and one day, when he was grown, he killed an "Egyptian beating a Hebrew" (2:11-12). I've always wondered if there was more to this story. From the surface of it, we'd normally consider what Moses did to be defending his fellow Hebrew. Since he killed the man after looking around and seeing no one, does this mean it went beyond self-defense or defense of another? Did Moses kill mainly out of anger and hatred, instead of just incapacitating him? Interesting to consider.  

Word seems to have gone around, and after Pharaoh finds out, he flees to Midian, where he marries a woman who bears him a son (2:13-22). The Pharaoh who had sought his blood dies, and the chapter ends with God taking notice of the suffering of the Hebrews (2:23-25).

II. The next book begun today is that of Leviticus, which, like many people, I confess to finding boring. In one sense, it's like reading the tax code. Yet, it does have some interest in seeing how the Hebrews were commanded to worship and what each part came to be later on. Today, for instance, the first chapter is on the rules concerning burnt offerings of animals for atonement of sins. This would eventually lead to the great Temple in Jerusalem, culminating in the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross out of love for us (Eph 5:2). 

III. Psalm 44 is another moving lament, only this one is national, as well as a heartfelt plea for God's help and deliverance from their enemies. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The people of Israel feel abandoned by God (44:24). They have suffered defeat at the hands of their enemies (44:10); they have been exiled to foreign lands (44:11); and they are cruelly taunted by their captors (44:13, 16). This was the result of many national sins (79:5-9). Nevertheless, the faithful remnant - those who stayed true to the covenant - they, too, are targets of humiliation and death, thanks to their loyalty to God (44:22). Their cry for deliverance (44:26) is inspired by God's saving actions in the past (44:1-8). (p. 867)

I'm curious when this was written and the context for the national disaster it describes. Unfortunately, we do not know for certain, but from what little I could find online, scholars seem to think it is from 600-400 BC and may date from around the Babylonian exile. Whatever the true context and dating, you can almost hear the deep lament and deep cry for help in the face of utter catastrophe.

That's all for today!

Introduction to Egypt and Exodus

 

Today is an introduction to the next time period in the Bible in a Year program: Egypt and Exodus. Jeff Cavins joins Fr. Mike Schmitz in the above video.

As the BIY Companion, Vol 1, notes:

The period of Egypt and Exodus is a time of tremendous change. After they leave Egypt, their home for four hundred years, God leads the Israelites into the desert of Sinai, where he calls them to be holy as he is holy. During the Exodus, God is reforming his people, who had lost their identity in Egypt. What they will eat and wear from now on will be different, and the way they relate to one another and other nations will change according to God's Law. (p. 61).

This video, probably from a Protestant source, does a pretty good job of summarizing the events in Ch. 1-18: 

Day 26: God Responds to Job

 Today's reading: Genesis 49-50, Job 41-42, and Psalm 17.

I. In the penultimate chapter of Genesis, Jacob/Israel lies dying on his bed and calls all his sons to him for a final blessing, which also foretells something of the future of their tribes (49:1-12). Reuben, Simon, and Levi do not fare well in this, while Judah and Joseph do. In fact, Judah gets perhaps the most exalted foretelling, if not blessing, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

The tribe of Judah is destined to be the royal tribe in Israel. He is depicted both as a lion, sated with prey, and as a king, ruling over other nations with scepter in hand. Allusions to this blessing appear elsewhere in the OT in Num 24:9 ("lion"), Num 24:17 ("scepter"), and Ezek 21:27 ("until he comes")... An international ruler is to come from the line of Judah. The oracle is preliminarily filled in David and Solomon, both from the tribe of Judah, when they rule as kings over Israel and neighboring nations (2 Sam 8:1-14; 1 Kings 4:20-21). Its fulfillment comes with the heavenly enthronement of Jesus Christ, who is both the Lord of all nations and the Lion of the tribe of Judah (Rev 5:5). (p. 118)

Jacob/Israel told them to bury him back in Canaan with his fathers, and then died (49:28-33). Joseph gets leave from Pharaoh to bury his father, which he did (50:1-14). After this, Joseph's brothers feared that he would now avenge what they did to him, but he didn't and forgave them (50:15-21). Joseph then lived out the rest of his life in Egypt, where he died and was buried (50:22-26).

Thus ends the Book of Genesis and the Age of the Patriarchs. Some exciting things in this period, some crucial to understand for biblical prophecy, but still difficult to relate to at times, as the culture is quite alien to us in the modern day.

II. God responds further to Job in chapter 41, challenging him to do impossible tasks for humans. It is what He says in 41:11 that is most relevant here, as the Ignatius Bible notes:

The Lord is under no obligation to pay out rewards to people, even for their righteousness (35:7). Everything they possess they have received from him in the first place (1 Cor 4:7). Paul appears to have this passage in mind when he extols the unfathomable greatness of God in Rom 11:35. (p. 824)

Job is humbled and repents (42:1-6). God then rebukes Job's friends and says they will be forgiven only when Job prays for them, which he does (42:7-9). The story ends with Job being "restored" by God, given "twice as much as he had before," and, after many children and descendants, he later died. (42:10-17).

The Book of Job thus ends, and quite a tale it tells. This is the first time I'm aware of where the age-old question of "why do bad things happen to good people" is asked like this, and even though not fully answered to our satisfaction sometimes, it does give a response of "trust in God, no matter what." I also liked the maturing of theological understanding of God seen in this book, from a more primitive view to something more we can recognize.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, has some good commentary on this:

The Book of Job addresses the problem of evil, but it doesn't solve it. God never offers a reason why he allows suffering to happen. He responds to Job with questions and ultimately says the solution to suffering and evil is himself - trusting in him. This is the mystery of the Cross: God himself, in the person of Jesus, experienced suffering and pain. He responds to Job by showing him his face, and he responds to us by showing us the face of Jesus. (p. 58)

III. Psalm 17 is a moving lament, a cry out to God for refuge and deliverance from his accusers. 

That's it for today!

Day 25: Job's Questioning

 Today's reading: Genesis 47-48, Job 39-40, and Psalm 16. 

I. In these penultimate chapters of Genesis, Jacob/Israel and his kin settle "in the land of Goshen... in the best of the land... as Pharaoh commanded," and they were given food by Joseph (47:1-12). Then the text returns to the severity of the famine, with the odd bit that the Egyptian people sell their flocks, lands, and even themselves to Pharaoh for food (47:13-26). Joseph is seen as their savior from the famine, but they are Pharaoh's slaves as a result (47:25). 

Very different times to be sure. 

I have to wonder if some of this is commentary of sorts on how the Jews viewed the relationship between Pharaoh and the Egyptian people.

In chapter 48, Jacob/Israel is dying and blesses Joseph's sons, intentionally giving Ephraim the firstborn blessing, though he was the younger, while Manasseh receives that of a younger son. What is interesting is that both Joseph's sons supplanted their uncles, Reuben and Simeon. As the Ignatius Bible notes:

The blind and bedridden Jacob adopts his grandsons, Manasseh and Ephraim. The boys are thus raised to an equal standing with the sons of Jacob and made fathers of two of the Israelite tribes... Reuben and Simeon: The first two sons born to Jacob (29:32-33). Both are disqualified from receiving the blessing of the first-born. Reuben because he defiled his father's bed (35:22), and Simeon because of his violence (34:25; 49:5-7). Manasseh and Ephraim, the first two sons born to Joseph, take their uncles' places of honor in Jacob's family. (p. 116)

II. In chapter 39, God questions Job even more, which he cannot answer. God responds in chapter 40 to Job's charge that He has litigated against him (10:2), that Job would "even put [God] in the wrong" and "condemn [God] that [Job] may be justified" (40:8). Again, we see the folly of the finite trying to subject the Infinite to questioning and judgment. God is omniscient, while we have an incomplete understanding of everything.

The BIY Companion, Vol 1, comments:

It may sound as if the Lord is speaking sarcastically to Job, but he is simply revealing to him that there is a meaning to his suffering. We need to keep in mind that God knows the full story and we do not. God can use our suffering for his glory and for our redemption - and for the redemption of the world. This is the mystery of the Cross. (p. 56)

III. Today switches from Proverbs back to Psalms for the third reading. A beautiful one by David on trusting God and not straying to false gods, which, for all his failings, David never did. As the Ignatius Bible notes about Psalm 16:

A psalm of trust. Confidence is placed in the Lord's Providence (16:5-6) and protection (16:8-10), while the joys of closeness to God (16:11) are contrasted with the sorrows that come with idolatry (16:4). (p. 842)

That's all for today!