Hebrew Bible and Christian Scriptures

Although in the Hebrew laws and traditions there were godly instructions that outlined some of the do’s and don’ts and there were many very practical reasons for the rules regarding things that were considered unclean it seems there may have been more intense behavior than was intended.  Many other  laws we find in the Old Testament were expanded by the people to protect themselves against accidentally breaking the law.  These ideas of being unclean might also generate fear that would make the concern greater than the law intended– such as the rules regarding lepers.  Leprosy was frightening and the fear of contracting leprosy would have made the instructions not to touch someone with the disease more intense and might have brought greater ostracism than was necessary.    With both the fear of breaking God’s law and the fear of the practical human consequences there must have been a constant awareness of clean and unclean people and things and behaviors.  For those who were serious about keeping the law this would have been a constant threat to their own physical and spiritual cleanness living everyday with the question – is it clean or unclean?

I have read Exodus many times but this is the first time I remember reading in Chapter 4:24-25 about the Lord coming to kill Moses son.  I think it is very interesting that Moses son had not been circumcised and it took Moses wife to see it instead of Moses.

As I was reading this week I came to  Exodus 32 when the Israelites are making the golden calf and God decides to destroy them.  Moses goes on to plead with God not to destroy the people.  This encounter reminded me of in Genesis 18 when Abraham pleaded with God not to destroy Sodom.  Both of these men pleaded with God to not destroy a group of people and God responded to each according to their request.  It is amazing to me that God is so kind that He would provide a mediator to a people group that are not honoring Him.

What is the result of a man kidnapping another man.

In Ezra 1:2, it is recorded that king Cyrus the king of Persia, attributed his move to allow the Jews to go and rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to the God of heaven who is the God of the Jews. It is this same God that Nebuchadnezzar said he did not fear. Does not mean that God or Yahweh is not the God of only the Jews? We also read that it is this same who instructed Jonah to go and proclaim the message of repentance to the people of Nineveh. Is this God the exclusive God for the Jews. Because it fascinating to note that God can chose an idol worshiper like Cyrus to execute His plans. We also read that king Darius actually asked prayers be offered for him and his children…… Ezra 6:10. In 7:11, we also read of king Artaxerxes sponsoring the reaching of the word of God in Jerusalem. There so much evidence to support the claim that Yahweh is not the God of Israel only but for all people who choose to serve him. Is not an encouragement for the continued spread of the gospel wherever possible?

In Ezra 8: 24, we read that when the king Artaxerxes was sending Ezra and the leaders off to Jerusalem, he gave them gold and resources for the building of the Temple. Some of the Israelite also gave resources for the work in Jerusalem. When they finally arrived in Jerusalem, it was reported in 8: 34, they weighed all the money and accounted for every money that was given them. Does this not mean that there should be proper accountability in the ministry of God. We also recall that Daniel was a good administrator in Babylon to admiration of Darius the king. Does it give credence to demanding good accountability on the part of minister of God?

Michael Gelly

In Ezra 1:2, it is recorded that king Cyrus the king of Persia, attributed his move to allow the Jews to go and rebuild the Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem to the God of heaven who is the God of the Jews. It is this same God that Nebuchadnezzar said he did not fear. Does not mean that God or Yahweh is not the God of only the Jews? We also read that it is this same who instructed Jonah to go and proclaim the message of repentance to the people of Nineveh. Is this God the exclusive God for the Jews. Because it fascinating to note that God can chose an idol worshiper like Cyrus to execute His plans. We also read that king Darius actually asked prayers be offered for him and his children…… Ezra 6:10. In 7:11, we also read of king Artaxerxes sponsoring the reaching of the word of God in Jerusalem. There so much evidence to support the claim that Yahweh is not the God of Israel only but for all people who choose to serve him. Is not an encouragement for the continued spread of the gospel wherever possible?

In Ezra 8: 24, we read that when the king Artaxerxes was sending Ezra and the leaders off to Jerusalem, he gave them gold and resources for the building of the Temple. Some of the Israelite also gave resources for the work in Jerusalem. When they finally arrived in Jerusalem, it was reported in 8: 34, they weighed all the money and accounted for every money that was given them. Does this not mean that there should be proper accountability in the ministry of God. We also recall that Daniel was a good administrator in Babylon to admiration of Darius the king. Does it give credence to demanding good accountability on the part of minister of God?

Michael Gelly

Would God continue to allow “our enemies” to continue to harass  us whiles He sits unconcern? In Psalms, there are so many  implicatory Psalms. In Psalm 3, 5, 7 among many others. For example, in Psalm 7:15,he said that “he who digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit he has made “e e

In the book of Job nestled between the Deuteronomistic History and the wisdom literature found in Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, one finds God being placed on trial. Armed with the DtrH notion of the good will prosper and the wicked will suffer, Job questions the justice of God. Why do good things happen to bad people? Such a question will repeat itself in the Psalms. Why do the wicked prosper while the righteous perish?

However an examination of the source of the question reveals the irony of the question. Job, a mere man and not creator, questions God’s justice as if somehow God and justice are two separate and discrete things. Can one question the peacefulness of peace or the righteousness of righteous? Since God is justice, how can justice itself be questioned? Such folly or lack of wisdom sets the stage for the books to follow in Psalms, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. Wisdom does not derive from man, rather its source springs from God. God’s ways or not our ways and therefore Job confesses “Surely I spoke of things I did not understand, things too wonderful for me to know (Job 42:3b).”