I have to apologize for how bad I've been at updating this!
Today's post is on 1-2 Samuel. As I understand it, these were originally considered one literary piece. This is one of the handful of Old Testament books that many of the classic Sunday School stories come from (e.g., David & Goliath, King Solomon's wisdom, the building of the temple, etc.)
The first book starts with the raising of Samuel, who will be the last great prophet from the era of the "Judges". In fact, in addition to being a prophet, he is a judge as well. It is during his time as prophet and judge that the tribes of Israel start asking for a king to rule over them, like the other nations have, instead of the more informal concept of local prophets and judges. He warns them of the consequences that setting up a king over them will entail, but they demand one anyway. So God has him pick a king fitting for their behavior. A tall, young man named Saul, who doesn't really seem qualified to be the ruler of the country. But God none-the-less ordains him for this purpose. There seems to be a lot of tension in this book about Saul and his kingship. He is shown to be a lousy king for the most part, but the text also says that he was ordained by God for the role, and refers to those who complained about him being made king as "scoundrels". So there is this constant tension in the text about kingship in Israel.
Famously, Saul doesn't make for a great king, and God eventually takes away his kingship from him, and instead gives it to a young man named David, who had become an important leader in Saul's army. Saul spends much time in the book trying to kill David, and keep him from being king. He eventually commits suicide in the end. Unlike Saul, David is described as being "a man after God's own heart", although he too was a flawed and sinful character. So sinful, in fact, that he is not allowed to build the temple, and is told he must wait for his son to build it instead. But unlike Saul, what made David so different was his attitude of repentance. He sinned, but he repented of it, instead of continuing in his rebellion. It is under David's rule that Israel for the first time really flourishes as a nation in its own right. He is forever looked back as the first true great king of Israel.
The Ark of the Covenant features prominently in these books, and it's capture and retrieval often are an expression of how rebellious or obedient the Israelites are to God at that point in the story. The pair of books are very action oriented, and it's easy to see why this is the material that often makes it into Sunday School classrooms. It's actually interesting to me that there hasn't been more of an effort to make film(s) based on these stories, because they certainly have the plot lines to support it. Maybe instead of making another film about Moses, somebody should contemplate giving some of these stories a chance.
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Ruth
Man, it's been a while since I've posted! Next in the traditional Christian ordering of the Old Testament is the book of Ruth. Ruth is a fascinating little book that is one of the few in the Bible that takes place during the time of the Judges. Because of this, it is placed right after the book of Judges in the traditional Christian ordering, although in the Jewish Bible it is typically place it in another section, treating Genesis through Kings as a sort of literary unit.
Ruth is a short book, telling the story of two women, Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi, who have both been recently widowed. This is a huge deal in their day, and Naomi is particularly upset over it. Ruth, interestingly, is not Jewish, but is a Moabite - a group of people who have a very long and fascinating history throughout the entire Old Testament. (Moabites were said to be descended from Lot). They didn't believe or live like the Jews, but Ruth (who married an Israelite) adopted their beliefs and practices.
The main plot of the story is how Ruth meets and marries a wealthy Israelite named Boaz. According to Jewish law, she was expected to marry a relative of her deceased husband. Boaz ends up being this "kinsman-redeemer", marrying her and rescuing her and her mother-in-law from poverty. Some theologians have used this same phrase to refer to Jesus (Boaz being a Christ-like figure in this story).
Interestingly, Ruth is, of course, not just any Moabite, but the future great-grandmother of King David. It's interesting to see a story like this in the Bible, as Moabites were not generally looked at favorably by the ancient Israelites. It's a fascinating piece of Biblical history.
Ruth is a short book, telling the story of two women, Ruth and her mother-in-law Naomi, who have both been recently widowed. This is a huge deal in their day, and Naomi is particularly upset over it. Ruth, interestingly, is not Jewish, but is a Moabite - a group of people who have a very long and fascinating history throughout the entire Old Testament. (Moabites were said to be descended from Lot). They didn't believe or live like the Jews, but Ruth (who married an Israelite) adopted their beliefs and practices.
The main plot of the story is how Ruth meets and marries a wealthy Israelite named Boaz. According to Jewish law, she was expected to marry a relative of her deceased husband. Boaz ends up being this "kinsman-redeemer", marrying her and rescuing her and her mother-in-law from poverty. Some theologians have used this same phrase to refer to Jesus (Boaz being a Christ-like figure in this story).
Interestingly, Ruth is, of course, not just any Moabite, but the future great-grandmother of King David. It's interesting to see a story like this in the Bible, as Moabites were not generally looked at favorably by the ancient Israelites. It's a fascinating piece of Biblical history.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Judges
"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit."
This is a reoccurring phrase in the book of Judges that summarizes the atmosphere of the book quite well. The book takes place after the death of Joshua, but before Israel had a king of their own. Its a time of much fighting and warfare, and a fair amount of chaos in general. Its also a book containing many of the more famous Sunday School stories, such as Samson, Deborah and Gideon. The stories take place over a period of about 300 years.
The book is a series of stories of "judges", people who weren't necessarily official rulers per se, but were none-the-less used by God to lead people during this in-between time. The people described are quite interesting, because many of them seem flawed or are unusual choices for various reasons. There are 12 in total, six who are considered "minor" judges, and six who are considered "major" judges.
The stories in Judges follow a similar pattern to other parts of the Old Testament:
#1. The people of Israel disobey God.
#2. They end up in trouble due to their apostasy.
#3. God divinely appoints a judge to save them from their predicament.
This basic pattern of sin, consequences and divine mercy seems to be one that you see over and over again in both old and new testaments. One of the central themes of Judaism and Christianity.
This is a reoccurring phrase in the book of Judges that summarizes the atmosphere of the book quite well. The book takes place after the death of Joshua, but before Israel had a king of their own. Its a time of much fighting and warfare, and a fair amount of chaos in general. Its also a book containing many of the more famous Sunday School stories, such as Samson, Deborah and Gideon. The stories take place over a period of about 300 years.
The book is a series of stories of "judges", people who weren't necessarily official rulers per se, but were none-the-less used by God to lead people during this in-between time. The people described are quite interesting, because many of them seem flawed or are unusual choices for various reasons. There are 12 in total, six who are considered "minor" judges, and six who are considered "major" judges.
The stories in Judges follow a similar pattern to other parts of the Old Testament:
#1. The people of Israel disobey God.
#2. They end up in trouble due to their apostasy.
#3. God divinely appoints a judge to save them from their predicament.
This basic pattern of sin, consequences and divine mercy seems to be one that you see over and over again in both old and new testaments. One of the central themes of Judaism and Christianity.
Joshua
Joshua is the first book in the Bible that's not considered part of the books of Moses. However, it none-the-less feels quite connected with the first five books preceding it. I can see how they could all be considered part of the same literary unit, although the most important difference is that as far as I can tell, there are no new laws given in this book. It's an immediate sequel to the preceding books, though.
Joshua tells the story of how God used Joshua to lead the people into the promised land, and the various battles that he leads them into battle with (often miraculously). It's kind of a violent book, but the ultimate theme seems to be something of the effect of the importance in trusting in God to give you what he promises. The promised land is often seen to Christians as a symbol for heaven or salvation, so you can see a theological implication in this story. Interestingly, the names Joshua and Jesus are actually the same name in Hebrew (something like "Yeshua"). They just get translated into English differently since Jesus' name was written in Greek (plus various quirks of history of English). Both names mean something like "God saves".
It's at this point in the Old Testament narrative that the Jewish people now have a land of their own. This becomes an important theme throughout the rest of the Old Testament.
Joshua tells the story of how God used Joshua to lead the people into the promised land, and the various battles that he leads them into battle with (often miraculously). It's kind of a violent book, but the ultimate theme seems to be something of the effect of the importance in trusting in God to give you what he promises. The promised land is often seen to Christians as a symbol for heaven or salvation, so you can see a theological implication in this story. Interestingly, the names Joshua and Jesus are actually the same name in Hebrew (something like "Yeshua"). They just get translated into English differently since Jesus' name was written in Greek (plus various quirks of history of English). Both names mean something like "God saves".
It's at this point in the Old Testament narrative that the Jewish people now have a land of their own. This becomes an important theme throughout the rest of the Old Testament.
Monday, October 14, 2013
Torah Summary
So far I've covered the first five books of the Bible. These are sometimes called the Torah, or the Pentateuch, or the Books of Moses (they've got a lot of name!) Here's a set of simple synopses of each book:
Genesis - Origins of the whole world and the Hebrews in particular.
Exodus - The Hebrews are rescued from bondage in Egypt by the power of God, as led by Moses, and established a covenant between them, most particularly symbolized in the 10 Commandments and Ark of the Covenant.
Leviticus - God gives Moses and Aaron a set rules for preists, offerings and other (mostly) ceremonial rules about how to worship, and how to live lives that are distinct from the cultures around them.
Numbers - The journey to the promised land, and the subsequent wanderings in the wilderness for 40 years after the first generation of Israelites rebel about going into the land.
Deuteronomy - The final sermons from Moses about God's will for their lives, with an emphasis on the legal codes they'll need to live in the promised land.
For an even more compact summary:
Genesis: Origins
Exodus: Freedom from slavery
Leviticus: Priestly codes at Sinai
Numbers: Wandering in the wilderness
Deuteronomy: Final legal codes
Next post I'll talk about the sequel to these events, the book of Joshua.
Genesis - Origins of the whole world and the Hebrews in particular.
Exodus - The Hebrews are rescued from bondage in Egypt by the power of God, as led by Moses, and established a covenant between them, most particularly symbolized in the 10 Commandments and Ark of the Covenant.
Leviticus - God gives Moses and Aaron a set rules for preists, offerings and other (mostly) ceremonial rules about how to worship, and how to live lives that are distinct from the cultures around them.
Numbers - The journey to the promised land, and the subsequent wanderings in the wilderness for 40 years after the first generation of Israelites rebel about going into the land.
Deuteronomy - The final sermons from Moses about God's will for their lives, with an emphasis on the legal codes they'll need to live in the promised land.
For an even more compact summary:
Genesis: Origins
Exodus: Freedom from slavery
Leviticus: Priestly codes at Sinai
Numbers: Wandering in the wilderness
Deuteronomy: Final legal codes
Next post I'll talk about the sequel to these events, the book of Joshua.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Deuteronomy
Deuteronomy is the last of the books of Moses, and subsequently, the last narrative with him we will see in the Bible. Its name in Greek means something like "second law", which seems fairly appropriate. The majority of the book is Moses' final words to the Israelite people before they enter the promised land. (The name in Hebrew is something like "words").
Like the three books before it, Deuteronomy is a mix of narrative and law. Like the others, the law is declared from within the narrative, and not directly. I find this characteristic of the Torah very interesting. I'm not sure what the theological significance of this is (if any), but it does seem like something unique to the Bible, although perhaps this was common in other Middle Eastern literature of its era.
The basic outline of Deuteronomy is something like this:
#1. A brief retelling of the events that happened in Numbers.
#2. An expounding of the law of God, with a more ethical emphasis than in Leviticus.
#3. Legal rules for living in the promised land.
#4. Curses and blessings for following or not following the law.
#5. Joshua to succeed Moses.
#6. The Song of Moses and a poem of blessings from Moses.
#7. The death of Moses.
It's often said that Leviticus contains the ritual/priestly laws and Deuteronomy contains the civil and moral laws. There's definitely some truth to this, however just as there was moral law in Leviticus, there is definitely ceremonial/religious laws in Deuteronomy as well. Nothing is ever all that compartmentalized in scripture, it seems. In general, the emphasis of the laws in both books are different, though. Deuteronomy talks much more about the importance of loving God than the previous books had. There is also much more talk about the practical legal aspects involved, including rules about courts and what to do once Israel decided they needed a king at some point.
I found the Song of Moses to be an interesting piece of poetry. It reminds me a lot of the songs found in the Psalms. It describes God as Israel's "Rock", and talks about the great things he had done. It ends by declaring the "nations" to rejoice with his people, something you see again in later passages of scripture. I find this interesting because despite the fact that much of the Torah is about God's particular people of Israel, it is also recognized that he is the God of all the nations as well here too.
Like the three books before it, Deuteronomy is a mix of narrative and law. Like the others, the law is declared from within the narrative, and not directly. I find this characteristic of the Torah very interesting. I'm not sure what the theological significance of this is (if any), but it does seem like something unique to the Bible, although perhaps this was common in other Middle Eastern literature of its era.
The basic outline of Deuteronomy is something like this:
#1. A brief retelling of the events that happened in Numbers.
#2. An expounding of the law of God, with a more ethical emphasis than in Leviticus.
#3. Legal rules for living in the promised land.
#4. Curses and blessings for following or not following the law.
#5. Joshua to succeed Moses.
#6. The Song of Moses and a poem of blessings from Moses.
#7. The death of Moses.
It's often said that Leviticus contains the ritual/priestly laws and Deuteronomy contains the civil and moral laws. There's definitely some truth to this, however just as there was moral law in Leviticus, there is definitely ceremonial/religious laws in Deuteronomy as well. Nothing is ever all that compartmentalized in scripture, it seems. In general, the emphasis of the laws in both books are different, though. Deuteronomy talks much more about the importance of loving God than the previous books had. There is also much more talk about the practical legal aspects involved, including rules about courts and what to do once Israel decided they needed a king at some point.
I found the Song of Moses to be an interesting piece of poetry. It reminds me a lot of the songs found in the Psalms. It describes God as Israel's "Rock", and talks about the great things he had done. It ends by declaring the "nations" to rejoice with his people, something you see again in later passages of scripture. I find this interesting because despite the fact that much of the Torah is about God's particular people of Israel, it is also recognized that he is the God of all the nations as well here too.
Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Numbers
Numbers is the next book in the "Moses series" (aka the Torah or the Pentateuch). Like Leviticus and Exodus, the contents are a combination of law giving and narrative. However, there is much more narrative in Numbers than there is Leviticus. The book takes place where Leviticus leaves off, however, it takes place over a much longer period of time, roughly the forty years the Israelites spend in the wilderness before entering the promised land. It starts off with a census of all the people (while they are in the Sinai Penninsula). This is where it presumably gets its English name. Its name in Hebrew however is perhaps more appropriate, being "In the Wilderness".
As I mentioned earlier, is there are some laws given in Numbers. Most of these seem to have to do with priestly issues, much like in Leviticus. Most of the book is narrative though, including many of the most famous stories associated with Moses and the journey to the promised land (e.g., the bronze snake, Balaam's donkey, the 12 spies, etc). The book describes the events that take place as the Israelites leave the Sinai Penninsula and enter the land of Canaan. About half way through the book the Israelites rebel once they reach Canaan, because they don't trust God that they will be able to conquer the Canaanites. It's at this point that God requires them to wander around for forty years (until the rebellious generation has passed on) before they can enter the new land. Eventually a new generation comes of age, and is less rebellious than the previous one. As the book ends, it describes how Joshua will take Moses' place to lead the people into the promise land. God tells the people additional laws for them to hold to once they are in the promised land.
One thing I've found interesting as I've been going through these books of Moses is how most of the narratives I remember from Sunday school as a child all comes from essentially two books: Exodus and Numbers. Exodus being about the leaving of Egypt, and Numbers being about wandering in the desert. It won't be until we get to Joshua, though, that they actually enter the promised land.
As I mentioned earlier, is there are some laws given in Numbers. Most of these seem to have to do with priestly issues, much like in Leviticus. Most of the book is narrative though, including many of the most famous stories associated with Moses and the journey to the promised land (e.g., the bronze snake, Balaam's donkey, the 12 spies, etc). The book describes the events that take place as the Israelites leave the Sinai Penninsula and enter the land of Canaan. About half way through the book the Israelites rebel once they reach Canaan, because they don't trust God that they will be able to conquer the Canaanites. It's at this point that God requires them to wander around for forty years (until the rebellious generation has passed on) before they can enter the new land. Eventually a new generation comes of age, and is less rebellious than the previous one. As the book ends, it describes how Joshua will take Moses' place to lead the people into the promise land. God tells the people additional laws for them to hold to once they are in the promised land.
One thing I've found interesting as I've been going through these books of Moses is how most of the narratives I remember from Sunday school as a child all comes from essentially two books: Exodus and Numbers. Exodus being about the leaving of Egypt, and Numbers being about wandering in the desert. It won't be until we get to Joshua, though, that they actually enter the promised land.
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