Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures

Upon further contemplation, and urging from Dr. Reid, I have thought more about the Exodus 1-19 passage in light of my current work situation – working with children in displaced home due to abuse. I think for me, this passage becomes even more relevant for the people of today’s churches to read and understand.  So often we hear the same cry – not only from children, but also adults suffering under the unemployment rate, joblessness, and economic disparity.  How do we as Christians answer this call?  What do we say when they ask these hard questions? For me, this is harder than one might think.  It’s not easy looking someone in the eye and telling them that God has a purpose in their life and that He works for the good.  Do I even believe that?  We must come to a better understanding of God’s past to understand his future in our lives.  As we will see, God was working for the good.  We have to cling to that.  It’s what we do.

No, it’s not a bonfire gone bad.  It’s the presence of the Lord.  Sounds like it’s straight out of the movies!  In Exodus, we have God appearing to Moses via a cloud on a mountain and a fire.  It makes me wonder if I would have even noticed God.  Do I notice Him now?  God is giving Moses some big-time responsibilities here, and it seems as if it would have been so easy to simply not notice it.  But more than that, how crazy must it have been for the Israelites.  Here their God has brought them out of Egypt, only for them to die in the process (according to them!), and now he appears in a cloud and fire!  Seriously?  I can’t imagine the surprise and confusion that they must have felt.  And of all people to have a level-head, Moses plays into it as well! This story is setting us up for great happening, but I can’t help but put myself in the shoes of the Israelites when reading this story!

From where did the gold come from to make the calf idol?

Answer:  from the gold rings that were on the ears of the Israelites’ wives, sons, and daughters (Exodus 32:2)

Last week, I was privileged to be a part of the first group to perform a simulation for the class.  The topic that we chose was in regards to marriage and how it was carried out during the times of Jacob and Rachel.  I found it quite interesting to be able to undertake the study of this particular subject.  As I learned about the woman’s role in the process -how her father bartered goods with her perspective father-in-law so that she might be able to marry his son.  I pondered upon what it must have been like for a bride to have met her future husband until the day of their wedding.  I wondered what it must have been like to have left the family that you grew up in, possibly never to see them again.  I can only imagine what the bride must have been feeling through all of this –excitement for the new adventure that marriage would bring, importance because of the knowledge that she would be assisting in the securing of her family’s future through marriage, and sadness as she faced the prospect of never seeing her family again.  Though I tend to shy away from trying to understand her through my 21st century eyes, surely some of these thoughts and feelings must be universal and timeless. It is in those universal and timeless thoughts and feelings where I have begun to gain insight into the bride’s perspective of so long ago. And what’s more, I have begun to relate (hopefully) understand the ancient Biblical bride, as I realize that we have more in common than I thought!

I did find it intriguing to read Exodus and watch the Israelite’s journey in knowing more about God.  One of the characteristics that I found interesting was describing God as a jealous God who wanted to be worshiped above all else.  In my personal view of God I do not often think about the jealousy of God.  In Exodus it was a very serious offense to take lightly the holiness and reverence of God.  Even though mentally I know God should be number one, it would probably be wise to take more seriously and intentionally the fact that God so desires to have this type of relationship with us that he is jealous for our worship.

Building measurement used to make the ark and the sanctuary.

Answer:  What is cubits?

The two main materials used to make the ark in Exodus.

Answer:  What are acacia wood and gold?