Hebrews 8 – 13. A Quick Summary of Paul

Hebrews 8

Paul tells his audience “we” have a high priest available to them, Jesus, who can provide a more excellent ministry.

8:7 – For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

EXACTLY! Which shows the fault Jehovah made in making that covenant, the fault the people made accepting it, because it didn’t work. But wait, this second time it is going to work? Sorry, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.

If we are dealing with the same god of the Old Testament, the Lord, and all the wicked things he did, all the people he killed, who made his people pass their children through the fire as burnt offerings as he admitted in Ezekiel 20:25, why would I think he’s a changed god? This is like getting back into a bad and abusive relationship because the other person wants to give it a second shot.

Paul invokes the post-day of the Lord “covenant” (at least one of many described) where Jehovah makes a new covenant with what’s left of Judah and Israel, and apparently Paul believes this also involved Christ (who was not mentioned in those prophecies).

Hebrews 9

Paul really digs into the symbolism of the Levitical priesthood rituals in the original and physical tabernacle, comparing it all to a better spiritual tabernacle of Jesus that only required blood, his blood, once. “And it is appointed unto men once to die… and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (9:27)

Hebrews 10

Paul directly challenges that the sacrifices and blood offerings of the Old Testament weren’t sufficient enough to “take away sins” (10:4). He then quotes Jehovah saying the burnt offerings “he had no pleasure in” which is disingenuous because Jehovah said this AFTER they had disobeyed him and worshiped other gods, while still making offerings to him.

Paul really digs in with mixing Old Testament doctrine with the power of Jesus to replace much of it. Paul threatens not to stay, and that “for yet a little while” before Jesus himself comes down, insinuating they are running out of time.

Hebrews 11

Paul then applies his definition of “faith” to patriarchs of the Old Testament, pointing out time where they used faith to obey God.

Hebrews 12

“Lest there be any fornicator, or profane person, as Esau, who for one morsel of meat sold his birthright. For ye know how that afterward, when he would have inherited the blessing, he was rejected: for he found no place of repentance, though he sought it carefully with tears.” (12:17)

How was Esau the bad guy here? I’m sure I discussed it back in Genesis but he’s being compared to a fornicator or a profane person by Paul. Yet no one talks about how his own flesh and blood twin held back food from him until he sold him that birthright. Garbage take Paul.

“For our god is a consuming fire” (12:29)… Paul referencing the volcano god premise I brought up early on in Genesis.

Hebrews 13

13:2 – Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Angels walk among you! But aren’t there good AND bad angels? Why would you entertain a bad angel? What if it is an angel of Satan?

Paul gives the usual conclusion speech, including telling his brethren to “suffer the word of exhortation” aka listen to what he has to day. Paul makes it a possibility that he will visit the Hebrews (must be much closer than Greece and Turkey). Paul signs off.

I believe I’ve gotten through the last of Paul. So many issues brought up that diverge from Jesus’ teaching and now to see if the other Apostles and Disciples bring up Paul in their writings. The rift seemed strong, Paul never naming those who bring “other doctrines” but describe them as Jews, hinting at the other disciples. I don’t know if this is the last we will see of Paul, but I for one am glad I’m through it. This guy seemed to have it rough and tried so hard to legitimize his gospel doctrine versus everyone else. I believe he made on fatal flaw however, and that was preaching to the Gentiles because Jesus forbade it in Matthew 10:5. Thus all the chaos within Paul’s churches. I hope we see how the other Apostles churches fared.

On to James!

Matthew 28: Jesus Resurrects, His Final Command to Follow Previous Commands. Matthew Summarized.

Jesus has died and his been put into the secured tomb that Joseph of Arimathea placed him in. We have yet another earthquake (did it do what it did in Matthew 27, causing the dead to rise, etc. as well?) that rolled the giant stone away from the tomb, and an angel of the Lord sat on top of the stone. “His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow” (28:3). White lightning? Some sort of plasma discharge? What did it do to those who were supposed to be guarding the tomb?

28:4 – And for fear oh him did the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.”

What in the world was this angel that basically electrocuted and shocked these men that they shook and became as (but did not become) “dead men.” This sounds like some sort of high voltage device that was able to cause an earthquake and move a stone. Some ancient power device.

The angel speaks to the two Mary’s (Magdalene and “the other”) to not fear, and that Jesus has risen and to come see where he once lay. The women are then told to go to Galilee where they will see him. The women run off to tell the disciples, and along the way, they meet Jesus. He also tells them “be not afraid” and to go tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

The opposition, the scribes and Pharisees get word of what has happened from those “watchmen” who were electrocuted, and the Pharisee’s pay them to spread the story that it was Jesus’ disciples that made this all happen (Media propaganda at it’s finest, still in use today). Jesus meets with the 11. This verse, like most others, taken out of the context of what has already been established in Matthew can REALLY be stretched beyond established context:

28:18 – And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

When it was said that “kingdom of heaven” was in turmoil since the time of John the Baptist, it sounds like by saying all power has been given to Jesus, that war may be over or about to be over. Unfortunately here is where the story ends.

Jesus to his 11 disciples: “… observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…”. Let’s look at a very important command Jesus has given to his disciples:

10:5 – These 12 Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, *Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel*.

That previous command is pretty clear! So if they were commanded to ONLY go to the Judaeans and the lost house of Israel, than who are these “nations” mentioned in 28:18? Easy: Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Levi, etc. etc. the 12 NATIONS of Israel.

What about “I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”? Remember, the impending kingdom of heaven is going to end the current “world” and start a “new one” when Jesus is seen on his throne, in the clouds, as the “kingdom of heaven” descends. This coming was impending in the time of the disciples, not 2,000 plus years later.

The other defined “world” this can be taken as is the end of the “world of the Jews/Israel”, which AGAIN, is basically soon coming to an end with the coming “kingdom of heaven.”

So no, I don’t see these verses as Jesus telling his disciples to scour the planet for the next 2,000 years spreading the gospel that the kingdom of heaven is near, ESPECIALLY KNOWING he told his 12 disciples AND the high priest Caiaphas that they will see this coming IN THEIR LIFETIME (well some of the disciples, not all, as we saw with Judas.)

Summary: Matthew was interesting, a lot of the stories of Jesus were not included, obviously being found in later gospels. I found it VERY ODD that the authors writing style was very similar to Ezra – Esther, and Daniel. The whole “bumbling power establishment/wise and elevated captives” theme is very suspect. Also, the Old Testament idea that the “god” (groom) system is in a marriage with the “people” (bride) carries over. Which explains why Jesus is healing the sick, raising the dead, and healing lepers:

Remember: All these types of “unclean” people were NOT allowed in the House of Jehovah in the Old Testament. By “cleaning” the people, AT THAT TIME, Jesus is preparing those people, AT THAT TIME, be clean enough to enter that impending marriage when the kingdom of heaven appears. Know anyone today who can use the power of Jesus to heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers in preparation of the coming (somewhere in 2020 and beyond according to modern Christianity) kingdom of Heaven? OF COURSE NOT, because the preparation was being done at the time of the 12 disciples. The power existed AT THAT TIME because Jesus gave it to his 12 disciples, and that was it!

What about the rest of the world/Middle east? Some say they are the “goats” that get judged, but I don’t believe that. The goats are the bad of the 12 tribes that didn’t follow Jesus commands AND the ones that rejected him. As far as I can tell, Jesus has no care of anyone other than those he mentioned in Mathew 10:5, not even the Canaanites who he compared to “dogs” when he threw a *crumb* to the Canaanite woman with the sick child.

Not that it takes much away from Jesus as a whole: he was concerned for HIS people, the blood line of Abraham that eventually split into Judah and Israel. Matthew, however was FILLED with my self-labeled verse traps: Verses and commands that just aren’t grounded in reality, most, if taken literally, would lead to beatings, self maiming, and eventual DEATH.

I will say this: I believe Jehovah’s actions in the Old Testament were heinous and vile, and I have no problem or fear saying he is TRUE EVIL. I started to get the feeling that Jesus is actually JEHOVAH himself, who may very well have been judged as mentioned in Psalms 82, and given a second chance to redeem himself and save his people, by bringing them back to him. Why? Because just like Jesus speaking of the bride/groom and the “cleaning” (aka re-virginizing of the people) was VERY similar, if not EXACT to what Jehovah was saying about what was to come in the day of the Lord with the return of the “virgin” (Judah/Israel) to the groom, himself.

Was Jehovah incarnated as a human in the form of Jesus? Incarnated and somewhat reformed? Where he only focused on his OWN people and leaving the people of the other nations around them alone?

Remember, in all of Jehovah’s fiery prophecies of the day of the Lord, he was going after the people of all the other nations AND their gods. To me I can see that as an affront to the potential god system of the Middle East: Punish your own people, but leave judging the other people to THEIR gods. Maybe Jehovah was chastised about this affront and given a second chance.

THAT is the feeling I got being so familiar with Jehovah’s end time rhetoric in his prophecies to seeing a much calmer (yet still stern) Jesus dealing with his end time prophecy, and BOTH involved the same people. This thinking out loud conclusion that Jesus is a reformed and incarnated Jehovah in human form is based on other mythology systems found around the world, where, if you really look at this god system of the bible as polytheistic with legitimate “other gods” as mentioned in Psalms 82, possibly in Deuteronomy 32, and in NAME even by Jehovah himself, this god vs other god and his people = bad can make sense. In many systems, much like mafias, there are often rules that only certain “people” can be gone after, and it sounds like in this mafia, Jehovah broke that rule and now has to make amends. Just a thought.

On to Mark!

Joshua 9: The Alliance of Kings; Gibeon Joins with Israelites

Events are moving fast, many of the indigenous nations realize an alliance to take on the Israelites is in order. The kings the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and the Jebusites council.

However, some Hivites from Gibeon have a different plan: trick the Israelites into allying with them so that the Gibeonites are not destroyed the way Jericho and Ai were. Will the Israelites fall for the trick and spare the Gibeonites? Or will the Israelites commit genocide on them as well?

Side Note: While the wars of Joshua are not as important to modern Christianity are to the teachings of the Christ, there are some Christians I’ve encountered who do have a take on the wars and death found in the OT. Some have even gone so far to say that the reason the complete genocide of the nations of Canaan were required (including killing women and children) was because they were GIANTS. Giants as indicated in Genesis 6:4 where it says giants existed in those days and after. We know there is at least one giant coming up, Goliath. So will the upcoming verses back up that claim?

The Gibeon plan: Dress down to look like they are distant travelers, with old clothes and shoes, and dry moldy bread. Encounter the Israelites and make a treaty with them by disguising the fact that they are indeed Hivites native to that land.

The plan works, and the princes of the tribes of Israel swore not to kill them. As with most deceit, the truth was eventually uncovered, the Hivites were not from far off, but nearby. The Israelites murmured, but did not want to incur any wrath by breaking their oath. So as a consolation, the princes decided not to kill them, but to make them serve the congregation by being wood cutters and water drawers as perpetual bondsman.

The Hivites, knowing it was either be completely annihilated, or go for a hail mary and attempt to preserve their lives with a little bit of trickery, so they complied.

9:25 – And now, behold, we are in thine hand: as it seemeth good and right unto thee to do unto us, do.

So there you have it, a peace was actually made, albeit it favored the Israelites and made the Hivites slaves. However there was no war, no genocide, and no action by Jehovah taken in any of the scenario.

Again, we have yet another story that would explain an aspect of this ancient middle eastern culture. The presence of “wood cutters” and “water drawers” as the book quotes: “unto this day”. So the intended audience of this author was people who would see these wood cutters and water drawers among them and now understand how it all came to be. 3,000 or so years ago.

Deuteronomy 32: The Song: 32:8 Jehovah’s Inheritance Finally Explained?

The song takes up verses 1-43. It contains some very important points that fit into my idea that 1) Jehovah inherited this people as Moses indicated 2) There are other gods and at least one higher than Jehovah. This song is also a prime example of how the various modern bible versions translate so different from one another, that I have to raise the question again “Why so many variations if this Bible is divinely inspired?”

To really analyze this song verse by verse, it should be viewed on a page like Biblehub.com. In this format one will see the various modern translations in a linear form, so one can compare each bible version verse by verse and see just how much the context changes between them, which really does change the story of the Bible. For anyone following along, open this link in another window to compare and contrast the various translations found in The Song of Deuteronomy 32. Pressing the blue arrows will navigate to the next or previous verse

The Song: The Land, the People, the Inheritance

The song starts with the singer asking the heavens and earth to listen to the singer. In a poetic form, the singer says his knowledge and the name of Jehovah and his characteristics as a god will fall to the earth.

• Distinction 32:4 – For the most part, the translations describe Jehovah as a “rock” with perfect ways. Other translations replace “rock” with “God” or “the Strong one”.

Because they have strayed they are no longer considered “his children” or worthy of being “his children.” The people are asked “is this how you repay him for what he has done for you?” They are asked to remember the old days by asking their elders about a specific time and event:

32:8 – (KJV) When the most High divided to the nations their inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. For Jehovah’s portion is his people, Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.

Let’s analyze this verse. The Most High (El*yown) is the entity that divides to the nations their inheritance. Jehovah’s (Yahweh) portion of that inheritance was his people, the lot of his inheritance is Jacob.

Now most people would say well God divided the nations up and he kept Jacob for himself. The text does not say this though, the text says The Most High divided the inheritance and Yahweh’s portion is Jacob. Reading it like this finally explains my theory about this “inheritance”. Why would Yahweh inherit something from himself? The word inherit wouldn’t be correct here, the word would be “keep” or “retain” because it was already his to begin with. HE INHERITED these people and we finally have a name who gave the inheritance out: El*yown also known as “god Most High.”

Remember the story of Melchizidek and Abram. Melchizidek was a priest king of the Most High, his offerings were of bread and wine. Yahweh requires offerings of burning flesh. Two distinct characteristics about these two different deities that need to be kept in mind.

So let’s look for more context into this verse based on other translations:

• (NLV) When the most High assigned land to the nations, he divided up the human race, he established the boundaries according to the number in his heavenly court
• (ESV) When the most High gave to the nations their inheritance, when he divided mankind, he fixed the borders of the peoples according to the number of the sons of God
• (CEV) that god Most High gave land to every nation. He assigned a guardian angel to each of them,
• (GNT) The Most High assigned nations their lands; he determined where peoples should live. He assigned to each nation a heavenly being

The other verses closely match with the KJV version: the Most High separated Adam (mankind) and gave them their inheritance. The last two above add some additional context: not only did the nations receive LAND, they also received an Angel/Heavenly being.

Is Jehovah the Angel/Heavenly being that was given to Israel? Hint: we will see that other lands will have their own gods, separate from Jehovah and Israel but similar in scope that fit this theory: Boundaries of land and heavenly beings in charge of the people within each boundary. A god for each nation. Need an example already established? Chemosh the god of the Moabites in Numbers 21. In Deut 2 the Israelites were commanded not to “distress” the Moabites because their land has already been given to them (which fits the notion that each “nation” received land and Chemosh was the angel/god/heavenly being assigned to Moab/Ar.)

Looking at the original Hebrew interlinear, we have that the boundaries and nations were divided according to the number of the “sons of God.” A son would receive an inheritance from their father. In this case, El*yown divided the inheritance and Jehovah received a portion. Is El*yown Jehovah’s father? Jehovah never calls himself el*yown. Is this a title reserved for the supreme god at the top?

I’ve already made the case that Jehovah is not an omniscient, omnipresent, or omnipotent deity. Powerful, yes. All powerful? No. Will we see more evidence in the future that he is not? Yes. Hint: Meroz.

So, to summarize: The supreme god in this pantheon of this ancient middle eastern culture, El*yown, divided the land according to the number of his sons, and each son was assigned to the land and the peoples as a god. Jehovah inherited Jacob, and this Old Testament is about the relationship between Jehovah and his inheritance.

A very unpopular, if not heretical concept, to be sure. But I state my case based on the verses in the bible, and the lack of a true translation with which to go by.

The Inheritance of the Israelites?

What most people think is happening here is that they are referring to when Jehovah divided up the new lands for the 12 tribes. Let’s take a look at this. First off the verse says “the sons of Adam”. If it is referring to Adam literally, then the sons of Adam are not just in the new land but everywhere else in the known world. It does not say he separated the “sons of Jacob/Israel” which is what Jehovah did when he split the land by the 12 tribes. Secondly, verse 9 clearly states that the portion Jehovah received is in fact Jacob. So I think there are two things going on here:

• The hands of man have tried to twist the story of El*yown and the inheritance to apply solely to the story of the 12 tribes receiving their portion of the new land
• The hands of man who did manipulate this, were not bold enough to completely change the names and certain concepts within the song, thus leading to the confusion
  • Don’t believe me? Just look at how different modern bible versions translate this verse
• If this is indeed the case, are there other examples?
  • The Genesis 1 story of the good “elohim” creation and the Genesis 2 story of Jehovah’s creation in the garden of Eden gone bad
  • The two parallel stories of Noah and the ark, 2 of each animal or 7 of the clean animals? Elohim said all the world was theirs to subdue, Jehovah immediately lays down food laws.

It’s an uncomfortable place to be in to question so much based on one verse, but the context for the question has been well established in previous verses. Jehovah is faulty, and while he is attributed to being the supreme god, there are instances where he is more human than god. That raises serious questions, and when one finds a verse like Deut 32:8 that starts to fill in the blanks about the “inheritance” and about why Jehovah and the people of Israel were connected, it starts to make sense that really breaks the dogma of the modern church.

Deut 32 is probably the most powerful chapter I’ve read so far, and I’m not even close to finishing the analysis of it. There is so much in it that can raise questions and even answers, that I know it’s going to take a few blog posts to cover. For now, I will sit back and analyze the concept of the El*yown “most high” god vs. Jehovah the god of the Israelites.

Deuteronomy 27: The Law, Blessings & Curses, Amen?

The people are instructed to write down laws given to them on “great (sized) stones”. Why great? Because we aren’t talking about just the “Ten Commandments”, which by the way are not even mentioned specifically here, but ALL commandments they received in that day. This would comprise all the commandments listed in previous chapters.

The stones are to be set up on Mt Ebal, where an altar of uncut stones will be made for Jehovah.

Deuteronomy 27:9 – And Moses and the priests the Levites spake unto all Israel, saying, Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of Jehovah your god.

So they weren’t his people prior? In any case this is just a ritual of making this relationship between people and deity a formality. Which is comical, as if they had a chance to not accept Jehovah and turn back at any other point in the past without being killed.

Here’s an interesting part of the ritual:

Half of the nations are to stand upon Mt. Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin.

The other half are to stand upon Mt. Ebal to curse: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.

Then, the Levite priesthood lay out a series of curses:

• Cursed is the man who makes a graven or molten image, and hides it
• Cursed is the man who sets light by his father or mother (?)
• Cursed is the man who moves his neighbor’s landmark (aka border/property line)
• Cursed is the person who makes the blind wander out of the way
• Cursed is the man who perverts the judgement of the stranger, fatherless, and widow (what about the rest?)
• Cursed is the man who lies with his father’s wife aka “uncovering his father’s skirt)
• Cursed is the man who lies with a beast (WHY WOULD THIS NEED TO BE STATED)
• Cursed is the man who lies with his sister, or step sister
• Cursed is the man who lies with his mother in law
• Cursed is the man who smites his neighbor in secret
• Cursed is the man who takes payment to kill an innocent person
• Cursed is the person that doesn’t confirm all the words of this law given to them.

And the people, for each CURSE, are to answer: Amen

Just a side note that so far, the phrase “Amen” has only been used to emphasize and affirm “Curses” (as it was found in Numbers 5 when a woman had a curse placed on her if she’s found defiled in a “jealousy” ritual). Looking far into the New Testament at the Lords Prayer in Matthew and Luke, that prayer doesn’t end in Amen. A quick look into further into the Old Testament we find the use of Amen in a form as we know it today, for blessings and songs. There have been plenty of other times when Amen could have been used to affirm positivity up to this point in Deuteronomy. Maybe we are seeing the evolution of the word usage in this historical culture or maybe the author has just left it out of vows and prayers up to this point.

Side Note: Blog Pause & Extra-Biblical Texts

It’s been a long time since I’ve put a post together. In that space of time, I’ve once again completed reading the Bible as a whole. I’ve also gained access to and referenced a few other “religious” texts:

• The Book of Jasher
• Testament of Solomon
• The Book of Enoch
• The Quran

That’s right, the infamous Quran, which I’m currently 30 percent in and have found it fascinating, if not as frustrating as reading the Old Testament when it comes to mundane cultural rituals of the ancient peoples of the Middle East. The other texts have come about as part of other research subjects I’ve taken on:

• Demonology (mainly via Solomon)
• Tower of Babel (Jasher)
• Enoch (the Watchers, giants, and Fallen Angels)
• Modern Islamic terrorism (Quran)

So I basically got severely side tracked by these other topics. But it is all related. Little did I know that the Quran speaks of the legitimacy of the Torah and the Gospels. So far very few people around me have been open to hearing about any of it. I remember as a practicing Christian also denying and avoiding any interaction with any sort of text or reference outside of the Bible, so I do not blame anyone for not wanting to discuss. If you are looking for fascinating stories that embellish and advance what’s read in the Bible, the 4 texts above are one way to go.

Ever wanted to know just how tall the Tower of Babel was? Read Jasher. Ever wanted to know who cut the large, inhuman like stones that formed Solomon’s Temple? Read Solomon (hint: captured demons). Ever wanted to hear about a man’s trip through the universe being led by Angels? Read Enoch. Ever wanted to get Angel Gabriel’s take on how Judaism and Christianity were received by the intended peoples? Read the Quran.

I’ve had my sidetracked questions answered, and wow, the stories I’ve read. It’s back to dissecting the Bible, however. Because I know there is much more to analyze and discover.

Last I left off, I was very disenchanted with this deity, Jehovah. Maybe the break I took was much needed and I can get back to analysis without being overwhelmed with frustration. Hopefully I can make another long run of blog posts before that happens again.

One piece of food for thought: The Bible references the Book of Jasher to validate some of it’s statements. So why isn’t Jasher part of the Bible if it’s clearly using it as a reference?

A questions for a later blog post. Which, at that point I should have this new WordPress content creation system worked out. Anyways, back to work…

Numbers 32 – Reuben & Gad Change the Plan. Moses Agrees with Conditions

In a sort of hat tip to a point I made in the previous blog post regarding the fixed amount of land and an increasing population of people, we find that the families of Reuben and Gad have asked Moses to grant them the land of Jazer and Gilead, as they are cattle men and the land is good for cattle.

Numbers 32:5 – Wherefore, said they, if we have found grace in thy sight, let this land be given unto thy servants for a possession, and bring us not over Jordan.

This is an important point to notice: the plan was for everyone to cross into the land, suddenly, the plan has changed. Where is Jehovah in this matter? The plan already seems to be falling apart, as a whole, as two of the tribes are asking NOT to cross the Jordan into Canaan. What other parts of the covenant/plan are going to falter?

Not sure why there is any doubt regarding the plan, after all Jehovah is supposedly all powerful and all knowing, but Moses reacts:

32:6 – And Moses said unto the children of Gad and to the children of Reuben, Shall your brethren go to war, and shall ye sit here? And wherefore discourage ye the heart of the children of Israel from going over into the land which Jehovah hath given them?

So it’s all about war for Moses. Despite all the promises of Jehovah, Moses seems to not want to lose so much of his army moving forward. Moses tries to lay more of a guilt trip on them, reminding them that they should be grateful for Jehovah giving them the land, after all he was angry with their forefathers and kept them from entering the land he promised.

What’s important to note that Moses is still alive while the generation that preceded the current Israelites who were not allowed to enter the land are now gone. Just how old is Moses?

Moses reminds them of the threat Jehovah poses if they go against his will. The children of Reuben and Gad meet Moses halfway: they will stay in and build in the land they want to, but will not return to the land until the Israelites enter the land Jehovah gave them. They will move forward as soldiers.

Note that it is the children of Reuben and Gad that make the conditions. Not Moses. Not Jehovah.

Moses agrees, and Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh take land that once belonged to King Sihon and the Amorites, King Og of Bashan, and build multiple cities as laid out in verses 34 – 42.

A couple of observations:

• Does the historical material record show any evidence of:
  • The Amorites and King Sihon?
  • King Og of Bashan
  • Giants?
• Did the original inhabitants of this land completely die off? Or did the remnants scatter out past Canaan and enter the land of other peoples?
  • If so, is there historical record of this happening?
  • Just how different were the Israelites, culturally, than the Amorites or the people of Canaan in general?
• I really hope future books will go into detail on how the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh being separate from the “inheritance” affect the inheritance over all.

 

 

 

 

Numbers 28-31: Review of Laws; War against the Midianites

Numbers 28 – A review of Offering Laws (again)

Jehovah tells Moses to speak to the Israelites regarding offerings.

Numbers 29 – Holy Convocation

Jehovah tells Moses to speak to the Israelites regarding a holy convocation on the first day of the 7th month.

Numbers 30 – A review of Vows (again)

Once again we review a woman’s “vows” and how they are to be handled between a man and his wife, and a man and his daughter, and widows. Christian woman’s rights advocates, I’d be curious to know what you think about Numbers 30 (and the OT so far as it related to the treatment of women.)

Numbers 31 – War Against the Midianites

Moses has one more task before “being gathered unto his people”, which now seems to be a euphemism for dying and joining your ancestors who have died before you. Though aren’t the Levites still alive among the Israelites still “his people”? His task: Avenge the children of Israel of the Midianites. One thousand of each group of the Israelites are set as soldiers and go to war. The end result:

• All male Midianites were killed
• The kings of Midian were killed:
  • Evi
  • Rekem
  • Zur
  • Hur
  • Reba
• Balaam the son of Beor was killed

Wait! What? Balaam, the one who “blessed Israel” was killed? What was the saying:

“He who blesses you shall be blessed…”

So, despite blessing Israel, Balaam was killed? Is this rule just talk? Seems so. So far, there has only been one person who has blessed Israel, and he was killed at their hands. So this rule really has no past precedence of being legitimate.

More casualties: All the women, children, cattle, flocks, and goods were taken captive. The cities and their “castles” were burned.

Castles?

KJV discrepancy: the word ti*ro*tam (Strong’s Hebrew 2918) is translated as “castle” in KJV. In Interlinear Hebrew it is translated as “camps”. Camps vs Castles. That is a HUGE difference to us today. Were these kings and their people living in camps or castles?

This story worsens. When Moses finds out the Israelites took the women and children captive, ALIVE:

31:14 – And Moses was wroth with the officers of the host (army), with the captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, which came from the battle. And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive?

Moses is angry because the women were not slain in battle. He blames the women for making the Israelites trespass against Jehovah. So here’s Moses solution:

31:17 – Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him.

That’s right: Kill innocent children. Kill every woman that is not a virgin. What happens to the virgin girls?

31:18 – But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.

Disgusting. I felt somewhat sorry for Moses because the way Jehovah treated him. Now I hate him (if he indeed was real and not just a character in a story.)

Today, we can distinguish between innocent and guilty. Back in the days of Moses, this concept was foreign. Today, most civilized people agree that a child of a guilty person should not face the death penalty for a murder the parent committed. This barbaric treatment was sanctioned by Jehovah, as he did not speak out against it. This is the god civil people worship today. The soldiers get to keep the virgin girls. Let’s not fool ourselves here, we are talking about little girls and teenagers. The soldiers get to keep them for themselves. What in the world do you think these soldiers are going to do with them?! Take them in as their own daughters? Or defile them? I hope future verse explains it, but I doubt it.

Why not just send the remnants of the Midianites, who Moses obviously blames for the transgressions of the Israelites, off to a foreign land? How wily and cunning are babies and children that Moses wants them dead so they don’t tempt the Israelites to transgress again? Why not make them slaves and enact heavy rules against their influence on the Israelites? Why is death the only answer for Moses and Jehovah? This is a death cult.

After the spoils of war and combat are done, the priesthood demands that the soldiers go through a series of “cleansing” rituals for themselves and their spoils. Chapter 26 then goes on to quantify the “spoils” in numbers. In a strange offering to a deity that supposedly created the heavens and the earth:

31:54 – And Moses and Eleazar the priest took the gold of the captains of thousands and of hundreds, and brought it into the tabernacle of the congregation, for a memorial for the children of Israel before Jehovah.

Why would Jehovah require an offering of gold? Didn’t he create gold and every other thing in this universe?

Chapter 31 was very insightful into the minds and culture of this tribal nation and their patron god. Nothing ethereal, universal, or global about it all. This belongs to a specific people in a specific time in a specific geographical location. This is becoming increasingly clear.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Numbers 16 – A Rebellion; Death Toll from Jehovah Increases

After all the bad things that have happened to them, the thirst, starvation, death at the hands of a god they can not see and who will not talk to them, death at the hand of their chief priest, and the forcing of them to kill their own people, some Israelites had enough.

Korah (Levite) and On (Tribe of Reuben) gathered 250 “men of renown” against Moses and Aaron. It seems that these men are now questioning why Moses and Aaron are so much above them when “seeing all the congregation are holy”, that they should be more equal.

Moses tells these men to gather the next day with incense censers, and to burn them in front of Jehovah, and Jehovah will proclaim just who is holy.

Numbers 16:8 – And Moses said unto Korah, Hear, I pray you, ye sons of Levi: Seemeth it but a small thing unto you, that the *elohe* (god) of Israel hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, to bring you near to himself to do the service of the tabernacle of Jehovah, and to stand before the congregation to minister unto them?

I can’t imagine this “task” they were all forced to do, in all pomp and ritual, is something Moses should make them feel appreciative of. We have an entire “tribe” of people, and if you think about mankind in general, you have all different walks of life even within small families. While some family trades do carry on through generations, not ALL end up doing so as well. In a family of doctors you may find some plumbers. In a family of plumbers  you may find a nuclear scientist. What do you find in this family?

Everyone does the same thing, every day, in and out. If they don’t do it, they are punished with death. Is it any wonder at this point the Levites aren’t as grateful as Moses thinks they should be?! Is it any wonder at some point, the man who wished to be a plumber but instead became a doctor, snaps? Of course, we can’t use this example today because it rarely happens. Why? BECAUSE WE HAVE FREE WILL!

Moses reaches out to the sons of Eliab, who refuse to partake in this incense ritual, again, repeating to Moses what I’m sure the majority of Israelites are afraid to speak out on:

16:13 – Is it a small thing that thou hast brought us up out of a land that floweth with milk and honey, to kill us in the wilderness, except thou make thyself altogether a prince over us?

So not only are they angry at their situation, they are also resentful against Moses who has elevated himself above them in rank, and by doing so, put them all in a precarious situation. Can you not understand why the Israelites are rebelling?

The next day the ritual is performed in front of the door of the Tabernacle. Jehovah speaks to Moses and Aaron:

16:21 – Separate yourselves from among this congregation, that I may consume them in a moment.

Once again Moses has to change the mind of Jehovah, asking him not to punish the entire congregation for the sins of one man

Note that Jehovah’s default punishment in cases like this: wipe the entire congregation of people out.

Moses separates the congregation. Note how it is separated and who stands with Dathan and Abiram:

16:27 – So they gat up from the tabernacle of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, on every side: and Dathan and Abiram came out, and stood in the door of their tents, and their wives, and their sons, and their little children.

Moses explains to the people that two things will happen:

1. The families of Dathan and Abiram will die normal deaths
   1. This will prove that Jehovah did NOT send Moses to perform his deeds
2. The families of Dathan and Abiram will be swallowed up by the earth
   1. This will prove that Jehovah DID send Moses to perform his deeds

16:31 – And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.

This “Righteous and Forgiving” deity has just murdered women and children because their fathers stood up for what they felt was right. Now you can add women and children to Jehovah’s body count. To make things worse, these were his own people!

In a state of panic, and what I imagine most people would do who were under the tyrannical rule of an angry deity, the Israelites reacted:

16:34 – And all Israel that were round about them fled at the cry of them: for they said, Lest the earth swallow us up also.

These were their own relatives they watched die, children who they probably helped raise. Swallowed up by the earth by a deity who boasts he has rescued them. If they, moving forward, worship this god, is it out of sincerity, or out of fear that they too may be swallowed up by the earth if they don’t?

The punishment wasn’t over, the 250 men that were told to be part of bringing their censer of incense were next:

16:35 – And there came out a fire from Jehovah, and consumed the 250 men that offered incense.

Jehovah’s body count increases.

16:36 – And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Eleazar the son of Aaron the priest, that he take up the censers out of the burning, and scatter thou the fire yonder; for they are hallowed. The censers of these sinners against their own souls, let them make them broad plates for a covering of the altar: for they offered them before Jehovah, therefore they are hallowed: and they shall be a sign unto the children of Israel.

“a sign” aka a WARNING that death is around the corner if they mess up.

Jehovah again reminds Moses to tell the Israelites that the punishment for the wrong ritual regarding incense equals death. We already know that Aaron’s sons brought strange incense and Jehovah burned them to death. Jehovah tells Moses to tell the Israelites that anyone who is NOT of the tribe of Levi who brings him incense will receive the fate of Korah (burned to death).

The Next Day: More Rebellion

As if not understanding that the deaths of their people the previous day were due to Jehovah:

16:41 – But on the morrow all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, saying, Ye have killed the people of Jehovah.

This is an interesting verse:

• We are told Jehovah killed all these people, but to the Israelites it was Moses and Aaron that did it
• Why is there such a large gap in understanding between what we are told by the author and what the Israelites believe?
• What is the author trying to tell us when the subjects of his story are not privy to the information the author is telling us?

As this all happens, the cloud appeared above the Tabernacle, in a repeat of what we were told before:

16:45 – And Jehovah spake unto Moses, saying, Get you up from among this congregation, that I may consume them as in a moment. And they fell upon their faces.

If you dispute my thesis that this deity really does want to commit genocide against his own people, in his own words he’s repeated it, TWICE. This time Moses and Aaron are unable to persuade him to change his mind.

16:46 – And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer, and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them: for there is wrath gone out from Jehovah; the plague is begun.

Here’s what we should note about the Tabernacle, from it comes “fire” and “plague”. Aaron runs to the congregation with his censer of burning incense and made an “atonement for the people”

• So now we have a precedent where “atonement” is merely an act of protecting the people with incense
• How does this interfere with Jehovah’s actions? How does incense prevent the plague from spreading?

16:48 – And he stood between the dead and the living; and the plague was stayed.

So, despite Jehovah (the supposed creator of the universe, almighty) spreading the plague, the mere action of protecting the people with burning incense halted Jehovah’s actions. Does this make sense?

Jehovah’s Body Count

Even the author is trying to tell us something, he finishes Numbers 16 with a death toll at the hands of Jehovah:

• 14,700 of Jehovah’s own people died from the plague he sent them
  • Would everyone have died (as Jehovah himself admits was his goal) if Aaron had not interceded with incense?
  • Why did Moses and Aaron intend to save lives? Was it because if all the house of Jacob were murdered off, Jehovah had already stated his intention to pass the covenant on to their family? Which would submit Moses and Aaron’s family to the brutal treatment of Jehovah?
• Unknown men, women and children in the Korah incident added to this death toll

“Righteous and Forgiving” – What is the author trying to tell us about Jehovah?! Numbers 15-16 have been brutal so far, and this is not information I was taught about in bible school. What gives modern Christian churches?! Why leave this information out?!

 

 

 

 

Numbers 15 – The Law in the New Land; Death for Picking Up Sticks!

Jehovah tells Moses to tell the Israelites how to make offerings once they enter the land.

But wait, who is Moses going to tell this too, considering Jehovah, in Numbers 14, has banished everyone except Caleb and Joshua from entering the land?

The story has broken at this point, but I continue…

Numbers 15:22 – And if ye have erred, and not observed all these commandments, which Jehovah hath spoken unto Moses, Even all that Jehovah hatch commanded you by the hand of Moses, from the day that Jehovah commanded Moses, and henceforward among your generations…

Notice the phrase “from the day that Jehovah commanded Moses”… what about the commands BEFORE Moses? The ones like “go forth and multiply replenish the earth” and all plant and animals were for them to eat? Those commands came from the earlier god, Elohim.

Jehovah has once again distinguished himself from the Elohim and the Jehovah pre-Moses/pre-Exodus. I reiterate, are we dealing with another entity that has hijacked the Jehovah title? The more distinctions Jehovah creates the more I believe it to be true.

Jehovah makes a distinction between those who improperly obey his law about sacrifices out of innocent ignorance and those who do it knowingly.  The one who disobeys out of ignorance, must perform a ritual sacrifice to appease Jehovah. The one who disobeys knowingly will be cut off from his people.

It is at this point that I would feel being cut off from his people and being cut off from Jehovah would actually be a good thing.

The Man Who Picked Up Sticks

In another odd writing style switch, we go from explanation of the law to a narrative about a man who was found picking up sticks on the Sabbath, who is imprisoned until Jehovah is consulted on the matter (Remember: “Righteous and Forgiving):

Numbers 15:35 – And Jehovah said unto Moses, The man shall be surely put to death: all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.

For picking up sticks on the Sabbath, a man is to STONED TO DEATH. Why would anyone want to follow, worship, or praise this god unless they are doing it under duress and out of fear for punishment if they don’t. To me, this is the Theme of the post-Genesis story of Jehovah and the Israelites so far. There is NOTHING righteous about this deity, or his judgement against this man who picked up sticks. There was no offer to atone via sacrifice, no trial, no discussion, only straight to a death sentence.

15:36 – And all the congregation brought him without the camp, and stoned him with stones, and he died; as Jehovah commanded Moses.

As if having a man stoned to death for picking up sticks was no big deal, Numbers 15 continues on with Jehovah instructing the Israelites on how and why to add fringes and a blue border to their garments, to remind them of the commandments he’s given them:

15:39 – And it shall be unto you for a fringe, that ye make look upon it, and remember all the commandments of Jehovah, and do them; and that ye seek not after your own heart and your own eyes, after which ye use to go a whoring:

Ask yourself, if the Israelites followed this command of putting a blue ribbon and fringes on their garments, is it out of their own free will, or out of their fear of being taken outside the camp and stoned to death?

“seek not after your own heart and your own eyes”

No free will at all. They have to perform ritual after ritual under the watchful eyes of a priesthood who also are chained to ritual. They are only eating manna, and have been punished in the past for complaining about being thirsty and hungry. Their chief priest has slaughtered them for various reasons, and their god has slaughtered those who, like most humans, showed fear and doubt, with a deadly plague. Their children 3-4 generations down are being punished for things they did not do.

Yet this god is boasting he “rescued” them from Egypt? If they had a chance they’d already said they would run back to Egypt. Jehovah and Moses and the modern church want us to think Egypt was evil, which is why Jehovah punished them. Who’s demonstrated the most evil and wickedness so far? Not Egypt!

The answer is becoming clearer in my eyes and mind: Jehovah

Jehovah’s boast of being “righteous and forgiving” has become a lie.