November 20th, 2008
Action
Posted by Philip Harvey in Uncategorized Tagged Exodus 12:1-42
Just a couple of things I was thinking about as I read it.
1) As Exodus was the first book of the Hebrew scripture it is interesting to think that this is perhaps the first event that involved God and all of Israel in action with each other. Passover (and the following consecration of the first born in chapter 13) kicks off their life as a nation under Yahweh. God expected holiness from the start.
2) That the 430 years is the fulfillment of the prophecy made to Abram in Gen 15:12-16.
3) Sorta like how God called into life everything in Genesis 1, so God is here calling into being his priestly nation.
Stay Gold
Philip
Richard Venable
Hannah Venable
johncatmur
Anna S
thereceptionist
owenjohn
ginateal
lulu
shireen
weecw
craigh
feebs
monkiwiland
cherrieanne
Alan Collins
Andrew Fitch
han80
Philip Harvey
nikim
joanna
on November 21st, 2008 at 10:21 am
Philip, Thanks for the thoughts.
1) I wasn’t sure what you meant by Exodus being the first book of the Hebrew Scriptures. Isn’t Genesis still the first book of the Torah?
2) That is a really cool thought. Thanks for reminding us about that prophesy. I wonder if Abraham passed down that prophesy to his descendants and perhaps the sons of Jacob had a vague recollection of it when they were moving to Egypt.
3) Good connection.
Hannah
on November 21st, 2008 at 11:02 am
I was under the impression – from an article I read – that Exodus was the first book within the Hebrew Scriptures (being different to what we have today). I just had a look round to see if any where else said the same thing and found nothing. So perhaps I was wrong to assume that – my bad!
However, I don’t think that the Torah came round til somewhere round the reign of David or Solomon or something (not that there is any strong single argument proving any type of authorship so that is just my thoughts based on reading). The Exodus was significant for the Israelites tradition and identity, the prophets constantly refer back to it; i.e. Isaiah is full of it. My understanding of Genesis for the Hebrews was more to explain why the way life was and how they came to be in Egypt in the first place. I think the events of Exodus preceeded what we have Genesis as today, so in that way perhaps Exodus is first, but I still think there would have been some oral traditions passed down through generations.
What are your thoughts?
on November 24th, 2008 at 8:36 am
The pentatuech in the order of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy were passed on to Moses in tablet form at Mt Sinai. The Torah has always been presented in this order. The need to establish God as being creator and owner of life is essential before he can be accepted as Lord and master. The only book where there is a possibility that it was inscribed before the pentateuch is the book of Job. However this was canonised later and therefore appears later in the Torah. The last books of the Bible to be written were Johns Gospel and Revelation. John outlived all the other apostles. The last chapter of the Bible, Revelation 22, Has a connection with Genesis 1. One is describing Heaven, the other is describing creation before the fall. Both places were called Eden (Paradise in Hebrew).
I like your idea about the prophesy being fulfilled (or atleast it was beginning to be fulfilled). Joseph clearly knew about the promise and thats why he requested the Hebrews to carry his bones back to the promised land when they did eventually leave.
on November 24th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Philip,
Oh, interesting. I have never heard about Exodus possibly being the first. I have always heard the tradition of the Pentateuch that Alan referenced. But perhaps it is somewhat unclear. I am sure it is hard to prove anything for sure that long ago!
Hannah
on November 24th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Hey Alan
What do you mean by ‘tablet form at Mt Sinai’? In Exodus it reckons that the tablets had the covenant law on them, which would suggest that the narratives in Numbers and Deuteronomy (and other areas like the beginning of Exodus) would be left out. I’m not sure how all the Torah would have been on the tablets, as their future all the way up to Moses’ death and Joshua’s leadership would have been all foretold. There are parts of the Torah which read from Moses’ point of view and then other parts which talk from a third persons point of view. What do you reckon?
Hannah
Yeah, there are an incredible amount of theories around the Torah and it’s coming into existance. All pretty much cause of what you said – it was too long ago. It was actually after reading a number of conflicting ones that I decided against trying to get into too much of the nitty gritty stuff and reading the Bible as a book first.