DOCSLIB.ORG

The PDF File

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The PDF File THE LOCATION OF MT SINAI: A RESPONSE TO DR MICHAEL HEISER • Dr. Heiser on his Naked Bible Podcast program 260 repeatedly stated that Jebel al Lawz cannot be the real Mount Sinai and should be abandoned as a candidate. • In doing so, he made several significant errors. • I e-mailed him to discuss these errors, but he was not receptive. • I then invited him to have a public discussion on his own podcast or my program, but he was not willing to do so. • I then invited him to a public debate, but he was dismissive. The following is a review of Heiser’s primary errors: 1 • First, Heiser misinterprets a series of texts (Deut 33; Judges 5; Habakkuk 3) to be part of a “Yahweh from the South” tradition. • This view essentially interprets these texts as referring to Yahweh’s southern origin. • As we will see, these are not “Yahweh from the South” texts that talk about “Yahweh’s origin.” • Instead, they are part of a larger tradition that uses Exodus language while ultimately pointing to the Second Exodus. • Jesus and the New Testament writers interpret these traditions as pointing to Jesus’ Second Coming. • Heiser argues that because these texts use parallelisms, Sinai, Seir, Edom, Paran, Teman all of these places are either the same, or located within the same narrow region. • Jebel al-Lawz he argues, is simply too far south to be included among these other mountains and locations. “Not only do you have Sinai linked to Seir, which is this Edomite region south of Canaan, but we have Mount Paran as the place that Yahweh came forth from. “Well, I thought it was Sinai. I thought it was Horeb.” Well, the answer very well may be, “Yep.” All of those terms could apply to the same place. They could. Now critics of course want to split them all up, as though they must be different places. They don’t have to be different places. In theory they could be. Then you’d have different conflicting traditions. This is where they want you to go. But they don’t have to be, is the point. They don’t have to be. Mount Paran, if you read this verse, would be the same as Mount Sinai, which would be Horeb.” • These texts do not speak of a singular, static, non- complex event, rather they speak of Yahweh as a victorious warrior marching from the south. • It is speaking of the Exodus. • Alternately, these texts speak of Yahweh shining forth and radiating like the dawn over a broad area. • Whether the exodus, or the sunrise, both cover a very large region. “Yahweh is depicted as coming from Sinai and rising like the sun upon Israel from Seir, shining forth from Mount Paran, approaching from Ribeboth-Kodesh … with a flaming fire at his right hand.” —J. A. Thompson, Deuteronomy: An Introduction and Commentary, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, p 334. • While these texts do use parallelisms, this is easily accounted for by the simple fact that all of these locations (Sinai, Paran, Seir, Teman, Edom, Bozrah, etc.,) were part of the same exodus event and route. • Further, they are also all well within the larger region of biblical Edom. • *After posting this response, Heiser posted an addendum on his blog re-emphasizing the parallelisms in these texts. • He argues that the language does not say that Yahweh is going from one place to another. • This was a straw man argument, as we fully agree. • No one is arguing that the texts do not contain parallelisms. • Our contention is simply that they are using language (of the exodus march and the dawn shining forth) which inherently cover a broad region. 2 • Heiser acknowledges that all of these places were in the general area of Edom. • The problem is that Heiser wrongly locates Edom exclusively in southern Jordan. • How does the Bible define Edom? “THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD, “I WILL ALSO STRETCH OUT MY HAND AGAINST EDOM AND CUT OFF MAN AND BEAST FROM IT. AND I WILL LAY IT WASTE; FROM TEMAN EVEN TO DEDAN THEY WILL FALL BY THE SWORD.” (EZEKIEL 25:13) “Ezekiel prophesied that the whole country would be laid waste. Teman was the extreme northern district of Edom while Dedan was in the south; thus the mention of these two cities was a way of referring to the whole nation.” —Lamar Eugene Cooper, Ezekiel, New American Commentary p. 248. CONCERNING EDOM. THUS SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, “IS THERE NO LONGER ANY WISDOM IN TEMAN? HAS GOOD COUNSEL BEEN LOST TO THE PRUDENT? HAS THEIR WISDOM DECAYED? FLEE AWAY, TURN BACK, DWELL IN THE DEPTHS, O INHABITANTS OF DEDAN, FOR I WILL BRING THE DISASTER OF ESAU UPON HIM AT THE TIME I PUNISH HIM. (JEREMIAH 49:7–8) Dedan: A settlement in northwestern Arabia known for being a center for trade and commerce (Ezek 27:20; 38:13). The reference to Dedan in Ezek 25:13 suggests the site served as a convenient landmark to allude to the far southeastern extent of the territory of Edom (in contrast with the region of Teman marking the northern extent of Edom’s territory). —The Lexham Bible Dictionary The Land of Edom according to Scripture: Michael Heiser’s Map of the Land of Edom Heiser’s Land of Edom (in blue) vs the actual Land of Edom (in gray): Heiser’s Edom Biblical Edom • Teman and Dedan were the northern and southern cities of both Edom and the Nabatean Arab Kingdom. • Today Teman and Dedan correspond to Petra (in Jordan) and al-Ula or Maidin Saleh (in Saudi Arabia). • Teman and Dedan are 400 miles apart. PETRA DEDAN 3 • To argue for the “Yahweh from the South” view, Heiser cites select texts while ignoring several other very important related texts which establish the Second Exodus / the Second Coming theme. • Isaiah 63 • Psalm 68 • Psalm 110 • 1 Enoch 1:1-11 • Jude 14-15 • Zechariah 14:5 • Matthew 16:27; 25:31 • 2 Thes 1:7 • We’ve included all of these passages at the end of this PowerPoint File for reference. These texts combine several very important motifs, establishing their common focus: • The Lord coming with His holy ones: • Deut 33:2; 1 Enoch 1:9; Zechariah 14:5; Matthew 16:27; 25:31; 2 Thes 1:7; Jude 14. “THE LORD CAME FROM SINAI, AND DAWNED ON THEM FROM SEIR; HE SHONE FORTH FROM MOUNT PARAN, AND HE CAME FROM THE MIDST OF TEN THOUSAND HOLY ONES; AT HIS RIGHT HAND THERE WAS FLASHING LIGHTNING FOR THEM.” (DEUTERONOMY 33:1–2) THE GREAT HOLY ONE WILL COME FORTH FROM HIS DWELLING, AND THE ETERNAL GOD WILL TREAD FROM THERE UPON MOUNT SINAI. HE WILL APPEAR WITH HIS ARMY,” HE WILL APPEAR WITH HIS MIGHTY HOST FROM THE HEAVEN OF HEAVENS… LOOK, HE COMES WITH THE MYRIADS OF HIS HOLY ONES, TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT ON ALL, AND TO DESTROY ALL THE WICKED… (1 ENOCH 1:4, 9) I WILL GATHER ALL THE NATIONS AGAINST JERUSALEM TO BATTLE… THEN THE LORD WILL GO FORTH AND FIGHT AGAINST THOSE NATIONS, AS WHEN HE FIGHTS ON A DAY OF BATTLE. IN THAT DAY HIS FEET WILL STAND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES… THEN THE LORD, MY GOD, WILL COME, AND ALL THE HOLY ONES WITH HIM! (ZECHARIAH 14:3–5). Jesus draws from debut 33, Zech 14 etc and applies it to His return: “FOR THE SON OF MAN IS GOING TO COME IN THE GLORY OF HIS FATHER WITH HIS ANGELS, AND WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS.” (MATTHEW 16:27) “BUT WHEN THE SON OF MAN COMES IN HIS GLORY, AND ALL THE ANGELS WITH HIM, THEN HE WILL SIT ON HIS GLORIOUS THRONE.” (MT 25:31) AND TO GIVE RELIEF TO YOU WHO ARE AFFLICTED AND TO US AS WELL WHEN THE LORD JESUS WILL BE REVEALED FROM HEAVEN WITH HIS MIGHTY ANGELS IN FLAMING FIRE, (2 THESSALONIANS 1:7) IT WAS ALSO ABOUT THESE MEN THAT ENOCH, IN THE SEVENTH GENERATION FROM ADAM, PROPHESIED, SAYING, “BEHOLD, THE LORD CAME WITH MANY THOUSANDS OF HIS HOLY ONES, TO EXECUTE JUDGMENT UPON ALL. (JUDE 14-15) “Jude spoke here of the second coming of Christ. The ‘holy ones’ with whom he will come are his angels. The coming of Christ is patterned after God’s theophany on Sinai, where he ‘came with myriads of holy ones’ (Deut 33:2)… That angels will accompany Jesus at his coming is clearly taught in the New Testament as well (Matt 16:27; 25:31; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; 1 Thess 3:13; 2 Thess 1:7).” —Thomas R. Schreiner, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, vol. 37, The New American Commentary, p 472. • The Lord marching through the wilderness or desert of Edom: • Deut 33; Judges 5:4; Psalm 68; Hab 3; Isaiah 63. “THE LORD CAME FROM SINAI, AND DAWNED ON THEM FROM SEIR; HE SHONE FORTH FROM MOUNT PARAN, AND HE CAME FROM THE MIDST OF TEN THOUSAND HOLY ONES; AT HIS RIGHT HAND THERE WAS FLASHING LIGHTNING FOR THEM.” (DEUTERONOMY 33:1–2) “As most scholars have noted, the imagery here is that of the Divine Warrior marching at the head of his armies on behalf of those whom he had chosen… The same motifs appear elsewhere, especially in the Song of the Sea following the exodus (Exod 15:1b– 18); the Song of Deborah (Judg 5:2–5); Ps 68 (esp. vv. 7–10); and the prayer of Habakkuk (Hab 3:2–15).” —Eugene H.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • SUCCOT Insightsrabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair
    SPECIAL SUCCOT EDITION 5760 PARSHIOT VZOT HABERACHA BEREISHET NOACH VOL. 7 NO. 1 OO H R NN E T THE OHR SOMAYACH TORAH MAGAZINE ON THE INTERNET SUCCOT INSIGHTSRabbi Yaakov Asher Sinclair DRY LIPS IN PRAYER remembered. Why is the arava, him, so too G-d loves the least of us which represents the least of the and takes pleasure from our Jewish People, celebrated above all attempts to please Him, however he four species, the etrog, the other species? dry and limited our attempts may lulav, hadas and arava corre- T The message of the arava is that be. spond to parts of the human body. The lulav is the spine; the G-d loves our prayers. The lips of a ANY OLD RUBBISH? Jew are his most precious posses- etrog the heart; the hadas the eyes f you think about it, a succah is a and the arava the lips. sion. And even when our prayers seem dry and empty like the arava, peculiar thing. We take great The four species also correspond I when they come from a humble pains to deck it out so that it to four kinds of Jew: The etrog has heart, G-d loves them, listens to becomes our home away from both smell and taste. It represents them and accepts them. home. We take in our finest table- the Jew who has both Torah and ware and furnishings. We bedeck it good deeds. The lulav, the palm, like a princess with all manner of has taste but no smell. It repre- jewelry and decoration.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter Three MASSAH and MERIBAH
    Chapter Three MASSAH AND MERIBAH In this chapter I increase the specificity further by analysing the legends of the waters that flow from a mountain or are associ­ ated with the names Massah and Meribah (Exod 17:1-7; Num 20:1-13). For comparative purposes, the traditions of Beer (Num 21:16-18) and Marah (Exod 15:23-26) are discussed first, even though they properly belong with the thirst stories of chapter one. Beer The simplest account of the miraculous production of water in the wilderness in the days of the desert wanderings of Israel is Num 21:16-18: 16And thence [they traveled] to Beer [Well]; that is the well where Yahweh said to Moses: "Gather the people, and I will give them water."1 17Then the chil­ dren of Israel sang this song: "Rise, well, ,,Z they sanl to it. 18"0 well which the princes dug, which the leaders of the people 4 hewed with scepter [and] staff."5 What can we make of this fragment? It is often described as archaic,6 but such a dating largely reflects past scholarship's predisposition to regard short poems as the original form of Israelite tradition; the somewhat murky contents perhaps contri­ bute to this evaluation. The lack of relative pronoun in 18a and of conjunction in 18c are insufficient grounds for assigning the poem an early date, especially since its present form seems gar­ bled. In fact, the fragment is undatable, but its relation to the Massah-Meribah tradition is clear. Yahweh commands Moses to gather the people, and he himself will provide water.
    [Show full text]
  • Notes on Numbers 202 1 Edition Dr
    Notes on Numbers 202 1 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable TITLE The title the Jews used in their Hebrew Old Testament for this book comes from the fifth word in the book in the Hebrew text, bemidbar: "in the wilderness." This is, of course, appropriate since the Israelites spent most of the time covered in the narrative of Numbers in the wilderness. The English title "Numbers" is a translation of the Greek title Arithmoi. The Septuagint translators chose this title because of the two censuses of the Israelites that Moses recorded at the beginning (chs. 1—4) and toward the end (ch. 26) of the book. These "numberings" of the people took place at the beginning and end of the wilderness wanderings and frame the contents of Numbers. DATE AND WRITER Moses wrote Numbers (cf. Num. 1:1; 33:2; Matt. 8:4; 19:7; Luke 24:44; John 1:45; et al.). He apparently wrote it late in his life, across the Jordan from the Promised Land, on the Plains of Moab.1 Moses evidently died close to 1406 B.C., since the Exodus happened about 1446 B.C. (1 Kings 6:1), the Israelites were in the wilderness for 40 years (Num. 32:13), and he died shortly before they entered the Promised Land (Deut. 34:5). There are also a few passages that appear to have been added after Moses' time: 12:3; 21:14-15; and 32:34-42. However, it is impossible to say how much later. 1See the commentaries for fuller discussions of these subjects, e.g., Gordon J.
    [Show full text]
  • Exodus 202 1 Edition Dr
    Notes on Exodus 202 1 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable TITLE The Hebrew title of this book (we'elleh shemot) originated from the ancient practice of naming a Bible book after its first word or words. "Now these are the names of" is the translation of the first two Hebrew words. "The Hebrew title of the Book of Exodus, therefore, was to remind us that Exodus is the sequel to Genesis and that one of its purposes is to continue the history of God's people as well as elaborate further on the great themes so nobly introduced in Genesis."1 Exodus cannot stand alone, in the sense that the book would not make much sense without Genesis. The very first word of the book, translated "now," is a conjunction that means "and." The English title "Exodus" is a transliteration of the Greek word exodus, from the Septuagint translation, meaning "exit," "way out," or "departure." The Septuagint translators gave the book this title because of the major event in it, namely, the Israelites' departure from Egypt. "The exodus is the most significant historical and theological event of the Old Testament …"2 DATE AND WRITER Moses, who lived from about 1525 to 1405 B.C., wrote Exodus (17:14; 24:4; 34:4, 27-29). He could have written it, under the inspiration of the 1Ronald Youngblood, Exodus, pp. 9-10. 2Eugene H. Merrill, Kingdom of Priests, p. 57. Copyright Ó 2021 by Thomas L. Constable www.soniclight.com 2 Dr. Constable's Notes on Exodus 2021 Edition Holy Spirit, any time after the events recorded (after about 1444 B.C.).
    [Show full text]
  • Israel's Conquest of Canaan: Presidential Address at the Annual Meeting, Dec
    Israel's Conquest of Canaan: Presidential Address at the Annual Meeting, Dec. 27, 1912 Author(s): Lewis Bayles Paton Reviewed work(s): Source: Journal of Biblical Literature, Vol. 32, No. 1 (Apr., 1913), pp. 1-53 Published by: The Society of Biblical Literature Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3259319 . Accessed: 09/04/2012 16:53 Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at . http://www.jstor.org/page/info/about/policies/terms.jsp JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. The Society of Biblical Literature is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to Journal of Biblical Literature. http://www.jstor.org JOURNAL OF BIBLICAL LITERATURE Volume XXXII Part I 1913 Israel's Conquest of Canaan Presidential Address at the Annual Meeting, Dec. 27, 1912 LEWIS BAYLES PATON HARTFORD THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY problem of Old Testament history is more fundamental NO than that of the manner in which the conquest of Canaan was effected by the Hebrew tribes. If they came unitedly, there is a possibility that they were united in the desert and in Egypt. If their invasions were separated by wide intervals of time, there is no probability that they were united in their earlier history. Our estimate of the Patriarchal and the Mosaic traditions is thus conditioned upon the answer that we give to this question.
    [Show full text]
  • And This Is the Blessing)
    V'Zot HaBerachah (and this is the blessing) Moses views the Promised Land before he dies את־ And this is the blessing, in which blessed Moses, the man of Elohim ְ ו ז ֹאת Deuteronomy 33:1 Children of Israel before his death. C-MATS Question: What were the final words of Moses? These final words of Moses are a combination of blessing and prophecy, in which he blesses each tribe according to its national responsibilities and individual greatness. Moses' blessings were a continuation of Jacob's, as if to say that the tribes were blessed at the beginning of their national existence and again as they were about to begin life in Israel. Moses directed his blessings to each of the tribes individually, since the welfare of each tribe depended upon that of the others, and the collective welfare of the nation depended upon the success of them all (Pesikta). came from Sinai and from Seir He dawned on them; He shined forth from יהוה ,And he (Moses) said 2 Mount Paran and He came with ten thousands of holy ones: from His right hand went a fiery commandment for them. came to Israel from Seir and יהוה ?present the Torah to the Israelites יהוה Question: How did had offered the Torah to the descendants of יהוה Paran, which, as the Midrash records, recalls that Esau, who dwelled in Seir, and to the Ishmaelites, who dwelled in Paran, both of whom refused to accept the Torah because it prohibited their predilections to kill and steal. Then, accompanied by came and offered His fiery Torah to the Israelites, who יהוה ,some of His myriads of holy angels submitted themselves to His sovereignty and accepted His Torah without question or qualification.
    [Show full text]
  • Chronology of Wilderness Wanderings
    mark h lane www.biblenumbersforlife.com CHRONOLOGY OF WILDERNESS WANDERINGS INTRODUCTION It matters where things happened in the Bible. It matters when things happened in the Bible. The Bible tells us only a few dates. Only a handful of locations are undisputed. One thing we know for absolute sure is Mt. Sinai is in Arabia (Gal. 1:17 4:25). The traditional location of Mt. Sinai is wrong. In the time of Paul Arabia did not extend past the Gulf of Aqaba. Believe the Bible, it is the word of God. SUMMARY We subscribe to the conclusions of Bible.ca who propose the following map of the wilderness journey: There are three wilderness journeys: the first [Red Arrows] is from Goshen in Egypt to Mount Sinai (first white spot); the second [Blue Arrows] is from Mount Sinai to Kadesh Barnea (second white spot); the third [Yellow arrows] is from Kadesh Barnea to Jericho (third spot). Bible.ca provides more detailed maps. However, we like this high level view because the precise location of Mt. Sinai and Kadesh Barnea cannot be proven. The main point for the Bible student to realise is all of what is called the Sinai Peninsula today was part of Egypt until 106 AD when the Romans annexed it. The whole purpose of the Exodus was to draw God’s people out of Egypt. If Mt. Sinai was in Egypt the whole mission would have Bible.ca provides solid arguments why the traditional Red Sea routes been a failure. cannot fit the Biblical account. The route they propose fits Paul tells us Mt.
    [Show full text]
  • Deuteronomy 202 1 Edition Dr
    Notes on Deuteronomy 202 1 Edition Dr. Thomas L. Constable TITLE The title of this book in the Hebrew Bible was its first two words, 'elleh haddebarim, which translate into English as "these are the words" (1:1). Ancient Near Eastern suzerainty treaties began the same way.1 So the Jewish title gives a strong clue to the literary character of Deuteronomy. The English title comes from a Latinized form of the Septuagint (Greek) translation title. "Deuteronomy" means "second law" in Greek. We might suppose that this title arose from the idea that Deuteronomy records the law as Moses repeated it to the new generation of Israelites who were preparing to enter the land, but this is not the case. It came from a mistranslation of a phrase in 17:18. In that passage, God commanded Israel's kings to prepare "a copy of this law" for themselves. The Septuagint translators mistakenly rendered this phrase "this second [repeated] law." The Vulgate (Latin) translation, influenced by the Septuagint, translated the phrase "second law" as deuteronomium, from which "Deuteronomy" is a transliteration. The Book of Deuteronomy is, to some extent, however, a repetition to the new generation of the Law that God gave at Mt. Sinai. For example, about 50 percent of the "Book of the Covenant" (Exod. 20:23— 23:33) is paralleled in Deuteronomy.2 Thus God overruled the translators' error, and gave us a title for the book in English that is appropriate, in view of the contents of the book.3 1Meredith G. Kline, "Deuteronomy," in The Wycliffe Bible Commentary, p.
    [Show full text]
  • Abraham’S Life and Times
    Abraham’s Life and Times Shem, and Abraham lives over-lap Because of laziness, boredom, we skip “the begets” Noah was 600 years old when the flood came and he lived 950 years From the birth of Arphaxad, two years after the flood, until the birth of Abram it was only 292 years Noah lived 350 years after the flood and Shem 500 years . Noah was Abraham’s great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great- grandfather! Abraham’s Life and Times Shem, he begot Arphaxad, Shem lived five hundred years, and begot sons and daughters. Arphaxad lived thirty-five years, and begot Salah. Salah lived thirty years great, , and begot Eber. Eber lived thirty-four years, and begot Peleg. Peleg lived thirty years, and begot Reu. Reu lived thirty-two years, and begot Serug. Serug lived thirty years, and begot Nahor. Nahor lived twenty-nine years, and begot Terah. Now Terah lived seventy years, and begot Abram, Nahor, and Haran. (Gen 11:10-26) Abraham’s Life and Times Abraham was a semi‐nomadic shepherd to whom God revealed himself, made promises, and entered into covenant concerning Abraham’s offspring and the land that they would inherit in the future Abraham’s belief in these promises was counted by God as righteousness and his faith shaped his life. Ultimately these promises find their fulfillment in Jesus the Messiah and all those who trust in Yahweh, the true God, Abraham’s spiritual children Abraham’s Life and Times Abraham was called both a Hebrew (14:13) and an Aramean (Deuteronomy 26:5; cf.
    [Show full text]
  • Which of the Two Sons of Prophet Abraham PBUH Was to Be Sacrificed?
    Which of the two sons of the Prophet Abraham (Peace be upon him) was to be ‘sacrificed’? Prepared by: Abo Karim El Marakshy 1 The aim of this article is to answer the following misconceptions. 1-Which of the two sons of Prophet Abraham PBUH was to be sacrificed? 2-Hagar’s marriage to Abraham. 3-Ishmael’s relationship with Abraham peace be upon them. 4-The building of the Ka’abah. 5-Prophecies from the Bible about the prophet Muhammad (may Peace and Blessings be upon him). 6-The well of Zamzam. 7-Muslims pilgrimage. 8-Muslims’ claim of being affiliated to Prophet Abraham and various other Islamic articles of faith. PBUH: Peace be upon him 2 The following map shows the journeys of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim) Peace be upon him Round 1800 B.C. Historical background Allah, the Exalted, inspired Abraham (Ibrahim) to take his wife Hagar (Hajar in Arabic) and his son Ishmael ( Isma'il in Arabic ,Yishma'el ( ) in Hebrew meaning "God hears") peace be upon them to Makkah (Bakkah , Baca) in the Arabian Peninsula. Amazingly enough, this word Baca was mentioned by the prophet David (PBUH) in the Bible: "Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well, the rain also filleth the pools." (Psalm 84:6) Also the word Baca was mentioned in the Noble Qur'an "Verily, the first house (of worship) appointed for mankind was that in Baka (Mecca), full of blessing, 3 and guidance for all people." 3:96 of the Noble Qur'an. Abraham (Ibrahim) made a new settlement in Makkah, called Mountains of Paran (Pharan) in the Bible (Genesis 21:21), because of a divine instruction that was given to him as a part of Allah's plan.
    [Show full text]
  • (Devotional #10) the Life of Faith: Hebrews 11:1-40 – the Wilderness As Background for a Life of Faith – Part 1
    (Devotional #10) The Life of Faith: Hebrews 11:1-40 – The Wilderness as Background for a Life of Faith – Part 1 OPENING SCRIPTURE READING – “The Justified shall LIVE BY FAITH” – Habakkuk 2:4B (Also ... please familiarize yourself with Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20:1-13.) WHAT IS FAITH? Habakkuk tells Israel, and by extension, Christians, ‘to live by faith,’ but he doesn’t tell us what faith is or how to live according to faith. The author of the New Testament Book of Hebrews tells us something more about faith: “Now FAITH is the FOUNDATION of things hoped for, the EVIDENCE of things not seen; for by FAITH the men of old gained approval” – Hebrews11:1-2 The Greek word we translate with our term, FAITH, is πίστις (pronounced pistis). Pistis has a range of meanings that includes the idea of ‘proof.’ Christ’s resurrection is the proof, the trust- worthy evidence, that one day God will judge the world1. Pistis also can express a personal belief that is held with complete trust. No better example of this exists than the trust a child has in the word of his or her parent. This use of pistis is the outgrowth of the companion Hebrew term for -pronounced amanah). When the Israelites saw the mighty power of God demon) – ָמֲא הָנ :faith strated through the plagues, the Exodus, and the splitting of the sea, they knew God was indeed God because they had trustworthy evidence of His power and authority. This is the reason we are exhorted to remember what God has done in the past, so we can be assured He can be trusted in the present.
    [Show full text]
  • The Place Was Called Massah and Meribah, Because the Israelites Quarreled There and Tested the LORD, Saying, 'Is the LORD I
    Sunday, 8 March 2015 * Third Sunday of Lent * www.stjosephparish.org “The place was called Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled there and tested the LORD, saying, ‘Is the LORD in our midst or not?’” One Sunday THIRD SUNDAY OF LENT There are days in our lives, when events that seem wholly unre- MARCH 8, 2015 lated gradually reveal an underlying unity that can only be the work of God. Homily Next Week: Early last Sunday morning, as I was preparing for Mass at St. Jo- Father John D. Whitney, S.J. seph, I received a note that Fr. Bill Bichsel, S.J.—Bix—had died in Readings for March 15, 2015 Tacoma, surrounded by his friends and those whose life he had FIRST READING: EXODUS 17:3-7 influenced and blessed for much of his 86 years. He died, still SECOND READING: ROMANS 5:1-2, 5-8 passionately committed to peace and disarmament, still deeply GOSPEL: JOHN 4:5-42 convinced that the power of Christ in each of us could undo the violence of war that impoverishes the vulnerable and enthrones Weekend Mass Schedule disorder and sin. “I believe strongly in my heart in the power of Saturday - 5 pm God and powers of creation and the resurrection. They are much Sunday - 9:00 am, 11:00 am & 5:30 pm stronger than the powers of death,” he had said, and he lived that belief. I had not spent much time with Bix—beyond getting thrown Weekday Mass Schedule out of a George H.W. Bush rally with him at Seattle University Monday - Friday, 7 am, Parish Center when I was a scholastic, and marching with him as Provincial to Reconciliation the gates of the submarine base at Bangor, where I gave him per- Saturday - 3:30-4:15 pm in the Church mission to be arrested—yet, I knew that he had given his heart or by appointment to the poor Christ, alive in all the men and women he knew at the Catholic Worker, and alive in every woman or man, peacenik Parish Center or police officer he had ever encountered.
    [Show full text]