Exodus 1-6

 The story of Moses is so familiar it is difficult to gain new insights about it.  I listened to several different podcasts about the reading this week, and here are just a few of the comments that I found interesting. 

Moses' Ark

When we talk about the ark we usually think about Noah's Ark. In this story an ark, or תבת, shows up again, but this time it is child sized.  Just as Noah covered his ark with pitch, Jochebed covers her ark with slime and pitch to make it water proof.  It is set adrift on the waters, commended to God. Like Noah's ark, this one holds the head of a new dispensation, the beginning of a new covenant era. I think the paralells are intentional.  The editors are using symbols to communicate something about God's relationship to man and His role in the destiny of his chosen people.  I was also touched by one of the commentators that talked about how all mothers are like Jochebed.  We bring forth and nourish our children for a short while, and then send them out into an uncertain world.  We hope, when we do, that we have done a good enough job creating a spiritual ark for them that will carry them safely through into their new life. 

Moses' Character

Another podcaster talked about Moses' compassionate character. Moses initially got into trouble in Egypt because he was defending a Hebrew slave against an Egyptian. Later when he comes across Jethro's daughters having trouble defending their flocks at a well, he jumps in and helps there, too. Finally, when he talks with the Lord through the burning bush, he is clearly uncomfortable with the idea of returning to Egypt to free the children of Israel, but after the Lord gives him some assuances, he agrees to go.  Even though he was raised in Pharaoh's palace, somewhere he learned compassion.

Some number symbols

In this story we have a lot of occurances of the symbolic numbers forty and seven.  Forty is a number that represents "a lot".  Seven is a number that signifies completeness.  When the house of Israel comes into Egypt at the time of Joseph, there are 70 people who come, or in other words, all the house of Israel at the time. The Priest of Midian had seven daughters, a complete family.  Moses dwelt in Midian for 40 years, or a long time. The House of Israel had been in bondage 400 years, a very long time.  

The Women

There are not a lot of women mentioned in the Bible, so it is remarkable that women play a big part in the Moses story.  First with have the two midwifes, Shiphrah and Puah, who defy Pharaoh by refusing to kill the male infants.  Then there is Jochebed, Moses' mother, and Miriam, his sister, who help Moses survive and find his way to Pharaoh's daughter. Finally, there is Zipporah, Moses' wife, who saves Moses from the wrath of the Lord by circumsizing their son.  All of these women played essential roles in Moses' success. Later, Miriam, Moses' sister, becomes a priestess and plays an important role in the exodus. Zipporah and Jochebed also have roles to play later. I watched a short YouTube video about the roles of women in Egyptian society.  Women had more rights in Egypt than in many other contemporary civilizations.  When women married in Egypt, they kept control of their dowery assets during their marriage, and if there was a divorce, the woman would take her pocessions with her when she left.  Maybe the more progressive role of women in Egypt rubbed off on the Israelites. I also find it interesting that at the end of Exodus 3, it is the women who are asked to get the treasure from Egypt.  They are specifically asked to ask of their masters to have gold, silver and cloths, and they would give them.  It makes me think, what would have happened if the men had been given this job? How would they have handled it.  

Joseph: a Four-fold Interpretation, Part 2

 The Joseph story is such an important part of the Pentateuch that I am doing a four-fold interpretation of is.  Last week I did the first and second types of interpretation.  This week I will do the 3rd and 4th, which I think are, if not more uplifting, at least more novel to me.

3. Context. This is the area that I learned the most about this time through the story.  Let's think again when this story was compiled into a cannon.  It was during or shortly after the Babylonian captivity.  The editors were arranging and composing the history of the House of Israeal intenionally. So, what message where they trying to get across with this narrative?  You must remember that the House of Israel had split into two groups, the North that contained Joseph's descendants through the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, and the south that continued the tribes if Judah and Benjamin.  So what does the story say about the two groups?  As I read the stories this time, I came to recognize that a reader could see either Joseph or Judah as the main character and savior of the House of Israel.  Sure, it was Joseph who went into Egypt, set up the system to conserve grain during the plentiful years, and kept his family and all the rest of the people from starving during the years of famine.  But it was Judah who decided to send Joseph to Egypt instead of killing him as his brothers wanted.  Later, it was Judah that offered himself as a substitute when the silver cup was found in Benjamin's bag, and Benjamin was condemned to be Joseph's servant for all time.  It was Judah's offer that convinced Joseph to reveal himself to his brothers and, arguably, to bring the whole family into Egypt, preserving them from starvation. Either group, the north or the south, could see this story as an example of how past enemies could be reconciled, and brothers be reunited. It could also be a story for either group about how hardship and captivity can ultimately end in the fullfiling of promised blessings and prosperity.  

4. Secret or Sacred.  These chapters have a lot to say about birthright.  Who, in the end, was the birthright son?  Ruben was supposed to be the birthright son, but he lost his birthright because he slept with his father's concubine.  It could have passed from there to Simeon, the second born, or it could pass to Joseph, as first born of the second wife.  The blessings given to Ephraim and Manasseh seem to indicate the latter. It is significant that Jacob adopts Ephraim and Manasseh and gives them blessings equivalent to thei uncles.  Traditionally, status as a Jew comes through the mother.  If your mother is a Jew, you are a Jew, but if she is not, you are not.  This makes sense since maternity is much easier to establish than paternity.  Ephraim and Manasseh, however were born of an Egyptian mother.  They, therefore, would not have been considered as members of the Abrahamic covenant if they had not been adopted into the covenant.  This has significance for the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  When members of the Church receive their patriarcal blessings, they usually are adopted into or declared as descendants of the tribes of Ephraim or Manasseh .  It is fitting that we, who are gentiles by birth, should be part of the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh, who were also gentiles, adopted into the covenant.  If these two boys were not only adopted into the tribes, but were actually named the birthright sons, this symbolizes the great responsibly we have to be stewards and caregivers over all the House of Israeal in the modern day. 

Joseph:a Four-fold Interpretation, Part 1

 I don't know if there is any story from the Old Testament that has been more studied and written about than the story of Joseph, son of Jacob.  I have really enjoyed learning more about this story this week and look forward to reading and studying its conclusion next week.  There is so much here, I can easily imagine writing a whole book on the topic, so I have been struggling to figure out what to write in my blog, where I only have about one page.  I decided to take a quick four-fold interpretation of the story.  Just as a reminder, this it is a method developed by Jewish scholars that follows an acronym for the word that means paradise. דספר

 פ= Peshat =פשט =literal

ר=Remez= רמז=symbolic

ד=Drash= דרש=context

ס=Sod =סוד =secret or sacred

I may only get through two of these interpretations today, and do the other two next week.

1. Literal:  When you take the story of Joseph on a literal level you find a beautiful example of family drama, faith, overcoming trials, and forgiveness.  Joseph is the son of Jacob's favorite wife and seems to be his father's favorite as well. This makes his older brothers jealous. Their jealousy turns to hatred when he tattletails on them to his father, and when he tells them his dreams that seem to suggest that he will one day rule over, not only his brothers, but his parents as well. His brothers, who have already shown their willingness to kill for their honor in the bloody revenge they took for Dinah's rape, decide to kill Joseph and make it appear to their father that he was killed by wild beasts.  At the last minute the oldest, Ruben, intervines, and save's Joseph's life, but his other brothers contrive to sell him as a slave instead. Joseph becomes a slave to Potiphar, an Egyptian military leader, where he prospers.  This prosperity comes to an end when Potiphar's wife propositions Joseph, and then accuses him of sexual harrassment.  Joseph is once again brought low, only to rise again by interpreting Pharaoh's dream.  He becomes the second in power in all Egypt by coming up with a plan to save Egypt from famine. The most tender part of the story comes when Joseph's brothers come to Egypt asking for food.  They don't, at first recognize Joseph.  Joseph interrogates them and assertains that they have regretted what they did to him. He frankly forgives them for their past wrongs and acknowleges God's hand in putting him in a position to save his family and all the land from famine.  If you only read the story on this level, you will finish uplifted and encouraged to live a more patient and forgiving life.

2. Symbolic: Christians see the story of Joseph as a type of the life of Jesus Christ.  The similarities of their two lives are numerous and striking.  It is maybe easiest to list them 

Miraculous birth (Rachel was baren for a long time before having Joseph)

Favorite son of his father, destined to rule over all the other sons

Joseph's time in Egypt is seen as equivalent to Jesus' sojourn on the Earth.

          Rejected by his own kinsmen and turned over to strangers 

False accusations and time spent in prison

Forgiving those who wanted to take his life.

Saviour of the people (Joseph physically, Jesus spiritually)

There are more than this.  One of the podcasts I listen to said that there was an early Christian scholar who found 18 similarities.  I think writers of the gospels purposely pointed out similarities between Jesus' life and Joseph's. 

These two interpretations are pretty widely held.  I will get into some more, less discussed perspectives on the story next week.

Jacob's Faith Journey

When we talk of the patriarchs, we talk of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  As I already discussed, Abraham is portrayed as the ideal faithful follower.  We actually don't hear a lot about Isaac's faith journey. He seemed to have walked in obedience and faith from the beginning, always building alters and digging wells, both forms of covenant worship.

We do hear a lot about Jacob's faith journey.  It started before he was born.  In Genesis 25:22-23 Rebekah prays about her pregnancy and is told that she is carrying twins, and that "the elder shall serve the younger."  In Jacob's early years he seems to have been guided primarily by his mother.  The text states that Jacob was Rebekah's favorite (Gen 25:28) but the reader is left to wonder how much Rebekah told Jacob about her revelation about his destiny.  We do know that when Jacob has food and Esau is hungry, Jacob suggests that Esau sell his birthright to get food (Gen 25:31-33). Later when it is time for Isaac to pass on covenant blessings to his eldest son, Rebekah convinces Jacob to deceive Isaac and obtain the blessing instead, thus fulfilling, she thought, her revelation about Jacob.

The result of Jacob following his mother's direction to deceive his father, was that, to avoid Esau's revenge, Jacob had to leave his parents to find refuge, and a wife, among extended family. Before he left, Isaac blessed him with all the blessings of the Abrahamic covenant (Gen 28:3-4). This is another example of faith coming from a parent, this time his father. 

It wasn't until Jacob started traveling toward Haran that he had his own revelatory experience. He had a dream of the Lord confirming the promises Isaac had pronounced upon him before he left (Gen 28: 12-15).  In the revelation, the Lord didn't mention that he required anything from Jacob. When Jacob woke up he recognized that he was in a sacred space (Gen 28:16) and he built a monument to his experience there (28:18).  He didn't, however, at that time, fully accept the Lord as his god.  He made a vow to the Lord, but it was conditional. "If God be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on, so that I come again to my father's house in peace; then shall the Lord be my God" (Gen 28:20-21). 

Jacob goes on to Haran, and meets Laban, Rachel, and Leah.  In an ironic twist of fate, Laban deceives him into honoring birth order (which Jacob had defied) and marrying Leah before Rachel.  Jacob toils for many years for Laban.  Presumably, Esau stays at home and enjoys, in the absence of his rival, if not the actual birthright, the effectual benefit of a firstborn son. Jacob seems to be humbled by his years in service.  As he becomes more humble and submissive, both to Laban, his wives, and the Lord, his flocks and progeny grows. 

After Jacob has worked for Laban for 20 years, the Lord appears to him and shows him that He had kept most of his end of the bargain.  The Lord led him to Haran and prospered him there. The Lord tells him that it is time to do the last thing in the bargain, which was to return to the home of his father in peace. (Gen 31:13)  Jacob is nervous about this.  He is worried about what Laban will do when he tries to leave and what Esau will do when he arrives at home. The Lord takes care of the first concern.  Laban is pacified by a dream (Gen 31:24) so he eventually lets Jacob go in peace (Gen 31:55).

Jacob is about to face his final, and it seems his most dangerous trial, facing Esau.  As he is about to face his brother, and his brother's army of 400, Jacob says a prayer that shows that he has finally developed faith in God, and true humility. He prays "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which thou hast shewed unto they servant." (Gen 32:10)  It is when Jacob reaches this place of humility and submission (symbolized in wrestle with the angel and breaking of his hip, Gen 33:28) that he becomes a new person, a heir of the covenant.  The Lord commemorates Jacob's acceptance of the covenant by changing his name from Jacob, which means Supplanter, to Israel, which means Let God Prevail. (Gen 32:38)

It is interesting that Jacob's reunion with Esau comes after his experience with the angel.  One of the podcasters I listen to compared Jacob's embrace with Esau to God's embrace when we pass through the veil into immortality.  Jacob had wronged Esau and was cast out from his presence. In order to return to his brother, he humbled himself, sacrificed all he had, and begged for forgiveness.  Esau, like the Lord, accepted Jacob's offering and received him back into full fellowship.

There is one more account of Jacob's faith journey that brings it full circle. In Genesis 34 there is an account where Dinah is raped by men of a neighboring tribe.  Her two biggest brothers, Ruben and Levi, retaliate by tricking and then slaying the perpetrators and ravaging their village.  Jacob recognizes this as a great sin.  The Lord, in chapter 35, commands Jacob to take  his family back to Beth-el (the place of his covenant with the Lord) and purify them and make sacrifices for them.  Jacob started out relying on the faith of his parents, and now he has become the parent, taking upon himself the responsibility of passing on his faith tradition to his sons. 

So we have the faith journey of Jacob.  It starts by him relying on his parent's faith.  Then he comes to recognize the existence of God, but puts conditions on him--you grant me this and I will acknowledge you as my god. Over time, Jacob humbles himself completely, repents of his sins, offers all he has, and is accepted back into God's symbolic embrace.  Then he takes upon himself the role of the parent who is passing on his faith tradition to the next generation.