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Torah Texts Describing the Revelation at Mt. Sinai-Horeb Emphasize The
Paradox on the Holy Mountain By Steven Dunn, Ph.D. © 2018 Torah texts describing the revelation at Mt. Sinai-Horeb emphasize the presence of God in sounds (lwq) of thunder, accompanied by blasts of the Shofar, with fire and dark clouds (Exod 19:16-25; 20:18-21; Deut 4:11-12; 5:22-24). These dramatic, awe-inspiring theophanies re- veal divine power and holy danger associated with proximity to divine presence. In contrast, Elijah’s encounter with God on Mt. Horeb in 1 Kings 19:11-12, begins with a similar audible, vis- ual drama of strong, violent winds, an earthquake and fire—none of which manifest divine presence. Rather, it is hqd hmmd lwq, “a voice of thin silence” (v. 12) which manifests God, causing Elijah to hide his face in his cloak, lest he “see” divine presence (and presumably die).1 Revelation in external phenomena present a type of kataphatic experience, while revelation in silence presents a more apophatic, mystical experience.2 Traditional Jewish and Christian mystical traditions point to divine silence and darkness as the highest form of revelatory experience. This paper explores the contrasting theophanies experienced by Moses and the Israelites at Sinai and Elijah’s encounter in silence on Horeb, how they use symbolic imagery to convey transcendent spiritual realities, and speculate whether 1 Kings 19:11-12 represents a “higher” form of revela- tory encounter. Moses and Israel on Sinai: Three months after their escape from Egypt, Moses leads the Israelites into the wilderness of Sinai where they pitch camp at the base of Mt. -
Hannah's Prayer
40 days in 1 SAMUEL Titles in 40 Days Series 40 Days in 1 Samuel 40 Days in Mark 40 Days in Psalms (release March 2021) 40 Days in 1 Corinthians (release March 2021) 40 days in 1 SAMUEL DUANE GARRETT — edited by — WILLIAM F. COOK III Copyright © 2020 by B&H Publishing Group All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America 978-1-5359-9346-3 Published by B&H Publishing Group Nashville, Tennessee Dewey Decimal Classification: 242.5 Subject Heading: DEVOTIONAL LITERATURE / BIBLE. O.T. 1 SAMUEL—STUDY AND TEACHING / CHRISTIAN LIFE Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Also used: New Revised Standard Version Bible (nrsv), copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Cover illustration by bweetRenie/shutterstock 1 2 3 4 5 6 • 23 22 21 20 Contents Preface ................................................vii Day One: Hannah’s Prayer .................................1 Day Two: Hannah’s Praise .................................5 Day Three: Samuel’s Childhood at Shiloh .....................9 Day Four: Samuel’s Calling................................13 Day Five: Israel’s Defeat . 17 Day Six: Dagon’s Humiliation..............................21 Day Seven: The Ark’s Return ..............................25 Day Eight: Israel’s Victory.................................29 Day Nine: Israel’s Request.................................33 Day Ten: Saul’s Search ................................... 37 Day Eleven: Samuel’s Message ............................. 41 Day Twelve: Saul’s Anointing . 45 Day Thirteen: Saul’s Elevation to Kingship . -
The Ten Best Ways
The Ten Best Ways Background Focus: the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:1-17, Deuteronomy 5:1-21) God was present to Moses at Sinai three times. First, God was present in the burning bush when God revealed to Moses the name of God (Exodus 3:1-6). Second, God was present when giving the Ten Commandments to the people through Moses (Exodus 19:18-20:17). Finally, after breaking the tablets in anger, Moses climbed up Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments a second time (Exodus 34). On the last occasion, Moses bargained with God three times to see God’s face (Exodus 33:12-22). But God did not allow this. No one could see God’s face and live, so God put Moses in an opening in the rock and covered him until the dazzling light of God’s presence had passed by. Material The basket for The Ten Best Ways is on one of the Old Testament shelves. It contains: 15 People of God figures a heart-shaped box containing the ten commandments and three summary pieces You’ll need the mountain. You’ll also need the desert box. Movements Words Bring the desert box to the Watch. Watch where I go to get the lesson. See? Here it circle. Leave the lid on it. Go to is. Now you will always know where to find it. the shelf and get the Ten Best Ways basket and Mount Sinai. Once you have the material This is the desert. It is a dangerous place. People do not assembled, sit and look at the go into the desert unless they have to. -
Fisher, Memories of The
Memories of the Ark: Texts, Objects, and the Construction of the Biblical Past By Daniel Shalom Fisher A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Studies in the Graduate Division of the University of California, Berkeley Committee in charge: Professor Ronald Hendel, Chair Professor Robert Alter Professor Benjamin Porter Professor Daniel Boyarin Professor Ann Swidler Summer 2018 Copyright © 2018 by Daniel Shalom Fisher, All Rights Reserved. 1 Abstract Memories of the Ark: Texts, Objects, and the Construction of the Biblical Past by Daniel Shalom Fisher Doctor of Philosophy in Near Eastern Studies University of California, Berkeley Professor Ronald Hendel, Chair This dissertation constructs a cultural biography of the Ark of the Covenant, exploring through it the close, but often complicated, relationships that have existed between objects and collective memory in Biblical and ancient Jewish societies. The project considers the different ways in which Biblical writers and interpreters have remembered the Ark as a “real thing,” forming it, mobilizing it, and making meaning with it—largely in its absence after its likely loss in the 6th century BCE. From Exodus to Chronicles and in works of biblical interpretation through the Mishnah, this project explores how these writers reimagine the Ark to craft visions for their people’s future through their people’s past. The project is structured around five interrelated case studies from the Ark’s mnemohistory, considering different dimensions of cultural memory’s entanglement in material culture. Each case study draws upon and enriches text-, source-, and redaction-critical approaches, investigating the growth and reshaping of biblical writings as creative memory work. -
Exodus 20: 1-17 March 7, 2021 – Lent 3 Stacy Carlson Mystery And
Exodus 20: 1-17 March 7, 2021 – Lent 3 Stacy Carlson Mystery and Meaning in Stone Good morning everyone. No matter what tradition we come from, most of us probably know this passage from Exodus, at least as the headline we call the Ten Commandments. These are ten rules or laws for how we should behave. They seem especially important during Lent, don't they? Yes, but perhaps not in the way we might think, because when a story is familiar, sometimes it doesn’t seem as meaningful the second and third time around as it was the first. We think we have learned all there is to know. So it might be with the Ten Commandments. But today, let’s try to look at them differently. One way is to think more about the stone tablets. Were they gray? Brown? Were they red clay? How much did they weigh? Did God chisel them letter by letter, or in a big flash all at once? Do we know if the commandments were divided equally – five and five -- between the tablets? And don't we wonder what the Israelites thought when Moses came down carrying stone tablets from a mountain shrouded in clouds, but also bursting with thunder and fire? Even if we knew the answers to all those questions, what new lesson can we learn today? I believe there is still mystery and meaning in these two stone tablets. What if we imagine the world after the pandemic? Imagine we're gathered outside a Metro station in DC. Let's say Dupont Circle. -
Why Did Moses Break the Tablets (Ekev)
Thu 6 Aug 2020 / 16 Av 5780 B”H Dr Maurice M. Mizrahi Congregation Adat Reyim Torah discussion on Ekev Why Did Moses Break the Tablets? Introduction In this week's portion, Ekev, Moses recounts to the Israelites how he broke the first set of tablets of the Law once he saw that they had engaged in idolatry by building and worshiping a golden calf: And I saw, and behold, you had sinned against the Lord, your God. You had made yourselves a molten calf. You had deviated quickly from the way which the Lord had commanded you. So I gripped the two tablets, flung them away with both my hands, and smashed them before your eyes. [Deut. 9:16-17] This parallels the account in Exodus: As soon as Moses came near the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, he became enraged; and he hurled the tablets from his hands and shattered them at the foot of the mountain. [Exodus 32:19] Why did he do that? What purpose did it accomplish? -Wasn’t it an affront to God, since the tablets were holy? -Didn't it shatter the authority of the very commandments that told the Israelites not to worship idols? -Was it just a spontaneous reaction, a public display of anger, a temper tantrum? Did Moses just forget himself? -Why didn’t he just return them to God, or at least get God’s approval before smashing them? Yet he was not admonished! Six explanations in the Sources 1-Because God told him to do it 1 The Talmud reports that four prominent rabbis said that God told Moses to break the tablets. -
Calendar of Holidays September 2017 - September 2018
If you have any comments, questions or corrections regarding the below calendar, please contact CSEE at 800.298.4599, or [email protected]. Calendar of Holidays September 2017 - September 2018 September 1 (Begins at sundown on August 31 st) [Moves] Eid al-Adha (Islam) Eid al-Adha is the Festival of Sacrifice held at the conclusion of the Hajj. Those who can afford to do so sacrifice their best domestic animals, such as sheep or cows. This practice recalls Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son, in obedience to God, and commemorates God's forgiveness. September 1 Church year begins (Orthodox Christianity) This day marks the beginning of the Orthodox Christian liturgical calendar. September 8 Nativity of Mary (Christianity) This feast originates in fifth century Jerusalem and celebrates the birth of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus. This is recognized in the Orthodox, Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches. September 12 Ghambar Paitishem (Zoroastrianism) This is the third of the six Ghambar festivals in the Zoroastrian year. This five-day seasonal festival celebrates the creation of the earth, and the summer crop harvest. September 14 Holy Cross Day (Christianity) This day recognizes the Cross as a symbol of triumph in the Christian religion. The date traces back to the dedication of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on September 14, 335. By order of Saint Helena and her son, the first Christian Roman Emperor Constantine, the church was built over the ruins of the Crucifixion and Burial sites in Israel. According to some traditions, it was also at this site that Helena found the True Cross. -
In Search of the Understanding of the Old Testament in Africa: the Case of the Lemba
IN SEARCH OF THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN AFRICA: THE CASE OF THE LEMBA by MAGDEL LE ROUX submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY in the subject BIBLICAL STUDIES at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROF E H SCHEFFLER NOVEMBER 1999 Contemporary (1964) Ethiopian painting on cloth depicting how the Queen ofSheba journeyed to King Solomon by boat accompanied by her retinue (Photo: Kessler 1982) - 'WE CAME BY BOAT TO AFRICA .. .' CA LEMBA TRADITION) 'Solomon sent his ships to get gold from Ophir ... Some ofthe Jews who went on those boats stayed in Africa. That is the origin ofthe Lemba' (cfpp 155,156) CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SUMMARY MAPS CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION ~ 1.1 HISTORY OF THE PROJECT . 1 1.2 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS ............................ 3 I~ 1.2.1 Qualitative research methods . 3 1.2.l.l The phenomenological perspective . 4 1.2.1.2 Participant observation . 5 1.2.1.3 Jn-depth interviewing . 6 1.2.1.4 The interview guide . 6 1.2.2 Processing and interpretation . 7 1.2.3 Conclusion ~··~ . 8 1.3 THE PURPOSE AND STRUCTURE OF THE THESIS .................... 8 1.3.1 The purpose of the thesis . 8 1.3.2 Limitations and delimitations of this project: the structure of the thesis . 11 CHAPTER TWO VARIOUS RECEPTIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN AFRICA: SOME OBSERVATIONS 2.1 INTRODUCTION ................................................ 14 2.2 OSTENSIBLE REASONS FOR 'RELIGIOUS SHIFTS' WORLD-WIDE . 17 2.3 'JUDAISING' MOVEMENTS IN AFRICA . 19 2.3.1 Groups upon whom the idea of Jewishness was imposed ................ -
Prophet of Conquest
March 14 Lesson 2 (NIV) PROPHET OF CONQUEST DEVOTIONAL READING: Hebrews 11:23–31 BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE: Joshua 5:13–6:27 JOSHUA 5:13–15 13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?” 14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?” 15 The commander of the LORD’S army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so. JOSHUA 6:1–5, 15–16, 20 1 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. 2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.” . -
The Mountain of God
Christchurch Baptist Fellowship March 30, 2014 THE MOUNTAIN OF GOD I Kings 18 and 19 are a contrast of extremes. In chapter 18 Elijah is doing wonders for God. He challenged the authority of Ahab and Jezebel, prayed down fire on Mount Carmel, executed the false prophets of Baal and outran Ahab (who was driving his chariot) in a 24-mile journey from Carmel to Jezreel. In chapter 19 Jezebel has threatened Elijah’s life and the mighty prophet is so dominated by fear that he flees to Beersheba and then further into the wilderness and ends up under a juniper tree totally absorbed in self-pity and paralyzed by the present state of affairs. Time would fail to tell about all the famous mountains of the Bible such as the Mountains of Ararat where Noah’s ark landed after the flood. Mount Moriah is a very famous mountain where Abraham offered Isaac and the place where Solomon built the Temple. Then there is Mount Nebo and upwards to the peak of Pisgah where God took Moses to heaven. There is Mount Tabor where God gave the victory to Deborah and Barak. Mount Gilboa is the place where King Saul and brave Jonathan died in battle with the Philistines. The city of David, Mount Zion, is in the heart of Jewish history in Jerusalem. It is also typified as the heavenly city. Mount Hermon is the highest mountain in the region, believed by many to be the mountain where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James and John. Mount Carmel is the spot where God answered Elijah by fire. -
Sermon August 9, 2020 “Called Into Community and Hope” Pastor Joshua Graber First Lutheran Church of West Allis
Sermon August 9, 2020 “Called into Community and Hope” Pastor Joshua Graber First Lutheran Church of West Allis Grace and Peace to You in the name of God Our Loving Creator and Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! If there was a greatest hits album of Bible quotes that get used in popular culture, our text from Romans is chalk full of them. “The Lord is near to you. On your lips and in your hearts.” “If you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” It’s a text that often points people toward an individual confession and conversion experience which is not the full intention of this Scripture. Right now we are all in the middle of a time that is exploring the boundaries between the personal faith experience and the communal church experience. There is value in the personal relationship to Jesus at the heart of our faith but faith is intended to be lived out in and through community. So often Christianity is presented as an individual and personal experience and the text from Romans is one of the pieces of Scripture that can be used to reinforce that idea. This is the Jesus Prayer that American evangelical and fundamentalist people can see as a way to rack up converts. Getting people to say the Jesus prayer can become a tangible goal of evangelism, and lead individuals to think about how many other individuals they got to convert or say the Jesus prayer, rather than follow up with the communal support and faith experience that is intended. -
Primary Source
009-mwh10a-IDR-01pro 12/15/2003 2:47 PM Page 9 Name Date PROLOGUE PRIMARY SOURCE The Ten Commandments P from The New English Bible Section 2 According to the Bible, God revealed the Ten Commandments to the Hebrew leader Moses at Mount Sinai. These commandments, which have been preserved in the Old Testament in Exodus 20: 1–17 and Deuteronomy 5: 6–21, established a code of ethical conduct that became the basis for the civil and religious laws of Judaism. How should people behave responsibly, according to the Ten Commandments? he Lord came down upon the top of Mount the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all TSinai and summoned Moses to the mountain- that is in them, and on the seventh day he rested. top, and Moses went up. The Lord said to Moses, Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and “Go down; warn the people solemnly that they declared it holy. must not force their way through to the Lord to see Honour your father and your mother, that you him, or many of them will perish. Even the priests, may live long in the land which the Lord your God who have access to the Lord, must hallow them- is giving you. selves, for fear that the Lord may break out against You shall not commit murder. them.” Moses answered the Lord, “The people You shall not commit adultery. cannot come up Mount Sinai, because thou thyself You shall not steal. didst solemnly warn us to set a barrier to the You shall not give false evidence against your mountain and so to keep it holy.” The Lord there- neighbour.