More tales of Incredibly Short Books!
We begin our adventures with Book of Obadiah. The most important and perhaps only real notable thing about this one is that it's another source of information on just whatever became of the house of Esau. It ended, basically.
Book of Jonah, easily the most famous of this collection, is exactly as you probably know. The interesting thing, however, is that I somehow managed to construe even this one as one of the Old Testament's many foreshadowings of Jesus. This time, the parallel is with Gethsemane. I never even considered that before. Has anyone else?
Book of Micah is set during the days of the Bad Kings. But there are some choice quotes to share: "If a man should go about and utter wind and lies, saying 'I will preach to you of wine and strong drink,' he would be the preacher for this people!' That's a biblical insult for you!
The other one, predictably for this particular commentary, ties in with Jesus: "But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one is to be ruler in Israel, whose origin is from of old, from ancient days."
Later, Micah seems to elevate Miriam to the same level as Moses and Aaron. Balaam is referenced, too. And positively! Just as I've been saying all along! Unless I misinterpreted Micah. In which he is still, nonetheless, referenced. And not outright dismissed. For a change.
One more quote: "He has showed you, O men, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?"
Needless to say, but Book of Micah quickly became a standout for me.
Book of Nahum is also about Nineveh, much like Book of Jonah. Except otherwise it's nothing at all like Jonah.
Book of Habakkuk's most notable feature is its call to keep the faith.
Book of Zephaniah is set in the times of Josiah, which as we know (or should know) is one of the few times in the era of the Bad Kings where there was actually a good king (Josiah, to be clear). Still, it's a classic book of doomsaying.
Book of Haggai is from the days of Darius. It's a rare narrative in this section, basically Haggai presenting himself as the man God calls upon to rebuild the temple. If there's anything peculiar about that, it's that earlier God was not very keen on the idea of a temple in the first place...
Showing posts with label Miriam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Miriam. Show all posts
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
Numbers 1-20
Numbers, the third book of Moses, fourth overall in the New Testament, takes its name from the fact that God asks Moses to conduct an census of all the Hebrews he's led out of Egypt. Each of the twelve tribes of Israel (descendants of Jacob's twelve sons, in other words) are counted. For the record, Judah's family was the most productive in the fruitful-and-multiplying business, with Dan coming in second. Joseph's was a comfortable middle-of-the-pack performer. Levi's brood is not counted, though, since the Levites are quickly tapped as the keepers of the first temple, God's switch in exchange for the strict tithing of all first-borns he'd previously called dibs on.
I'd just like to say it's amazing what a little time will do. Sure, the twelve tribes had a significant role in Jewish history, but in Genesis you'd hardly know that any of the brothers besides Joseph would have had a positive role to play at all. They sold him to Egypt, after all, and tried to convince their father that he was dead.
Then again, the Hebrews after Egypt were not exactly ones to appease God or refrain from grumbling.
Speaking of the temple keepers, they seem to have been presaging Samson in God's edict that they not cut their hair. He'd already requested his people not round their beards or trim their sideburns, but this is going a step further. It didn't give the Levites superpowers, and they were allowed to shorn themselves without consequence eventually, but the idea that those closest to God were also the hairiest clearly was one that had some legs to it.
A lot of Numbers also reiterates things previously experienced in the other books, which can sometimes be a little confusing. Either that or some of the same grumbling and near-smiting occur again. There's a new one with a fire that consumes property until Moses prayed, but there's also the return of quail, or perhaps its debut. There are also many cultural rules outlined.
The best numbers in Numbers, weirdly enough, read like a preview of the later Twelve Days of Christmas, twelve days in which gifts are presented to bless the budding temple.
Some additional early prophesying occurs with the otherwise obscure figures of Eldad and Medad, which leads to more grumbling and eventually the premature death of Miriam, the wife of Aaron, who is exiled for a week by way of penance for her role in this latest round of discontent. Aaron himself does not so long after.
Somewhat related, but God officially declares that Moses and all his generation will not see the promised land for themselves because of their continued wickedness (Moses not so much because of his wickedness, but because he couldn't possibly live long enough to usher the next generation; he remains a humble and awesome dude). God appoints Joshua and the less famous Caleb as the succeeding stewards.
God swallows up a couple of negative nellies into the ground, straight to Sheol (Hell) to prove he still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and fear tactics remain one of his favorite past-times. It doesn't quite stick, however, and so he unleashes a massive plague on his people.
The Nephilim are mentioned again, but are still not actually explained.
Numbers continues.
I'd just like to say it's amazing what a little time will do. Sure, the twelve tribes had a significant role in Jewish history, but in Genesis you'd hardly know that any of the brothers besides Joseph would have had a positive role to play at all. They sold him to Egypt, after all, and tried to convince their father that he was dead.
Then again, the Hebrews after Egypt were not exactly ones to appease God or refrain from grumbling.
Speaking of the temple keepers, they seem to have been presaging Samson in God's edict that they not cut their hair. He'd already requested his people not round their beards or trim their sideburns, but this is going a step further. It didn't give the Levites superpowers, and they were allowed to shorn themselves without consequence eventually, but the idea that those closest to God were also the hairiest clearly was one that had some legs to it.
A lot of Numbers also reiterates things previously experienced in the other books, which can sometimes be a little confusing. Either that or some of the same grumbling and near-smiting occur again. There's a new one with a fire that consumes property until Moses prayed, but there's also the return of quail, or perhaps its debut. There are also many cultural rules outlined.
The best numbers in Numbers, weirdly enough, read like a preview of the later Twelve Days of Christmas, twelve days in which gifts are presented to bless the budding temple.
Some additional early prophesying occurs with the otherwise obscure figures of Eldad and Medad, which leads to more grumbling and eventually the premature death of Miriam, the wife of Aaron, who is exiled for a week by way of penance for her role in this latest round of discontent. Aaron himself does not so long after.
Somewhat related, but God officially declares that Moses and all his generation will not see the promised land for themselves because of their continued wickedness (Moses not so much because of his wickedness, but because he couldn't possibly live long enough to usher the next generation; he remains a humble and awesome dude). God appoints Joshua and the less famous Caleb as the succeeding stewards.
God swallows up a couple of negative nellies into the ground, straight to Sheol (Hell) to prove he still has a few tricks up his sleeve, and fear tactics remain one of his favorite past-times. It doesn't quite stick, however, and so he unleashes a massive plague on his people.
The Nephilim are mentioned again, but are still not actually explained.
Numbers continues.
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