From Peace & Prosperity to War & Revenge…

Kind of a light hearted joyous section of Scriptures that turns dark quite quickly.

Mandrakes—I guess are “love-plants” and help in the conception of babies. Remember back to all the old wives tales about how to conceive and how to pre-determine the sex of your child. Probably a few sins committed there on the way to the most blessed event in my life—fathering two sons!

Oh my, speckled and white and black sheep; divers colors and spotted sheep. I was confused. “Lions and tigers, and bears, oh my!” was more understandable for me from Dorothy in Wizard of Oz. Even though I spent a day on the Walter Peak High Country Sheep Farm across Lake Wakatipu from Queenstown, New Zealand.

 

I think the main jest was Jacob was blessed by God and became well off by how he bred sheep?

“Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? Fourteen for thy daughters and six for thy flock,” said Jacob. Now that is a commitment to one’s father-in-law!

“The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.”

Father-in-law Laban and son-in-law Jacob settle their disagreement by including God as the final judge.

That was the transition from light to dark.

As Jacob and family were traveling back to the Bersabee homeland of his father Isaac a terrible thing happened.

Dina is ravished by Sichem which meant he raped her.

Jacob pretended to be friendly and accommodating to the Sichemites saying that together they “will be one people; we shall make one people.”

In revenge of the rape, Dina’s two brothers Simeon and Levi rescued Dina and then they slew (which means slayed) all of the Sichemites and plundered their city.

Jacob when he found out was worried and noted to Simeon and Levi that “we are few, they will gather themselves together and kill me: and both I, and my house, shall be destroyed.”

Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet (a female prostitute or a promiscuous woman)?

And there you have the story of the world… justification and revenge.

Are you a modern day barbarian? I don’t care what is in your wallet.

What is in your heart today?

There’s a heart in your Splendid Spiritual Self, do you feel it today?

Day 11: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; From Peace & Prosperity to War & Revenge….

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 30-34.

Bible Notes:

Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, the history of Creation.

Noe and the Deluge, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Closes with the deaths of Jacob and of Joseph in Egypt, whither Joseph had called his father and brothers.

Genesis Chapter 30: Rachel is barren; Birth of Dan and Nephtali; Birth of Gad and Aser; Ruben’s mandrakes; Birth of Issachar, Zabulon, and Dina; Birth of Joseph; Agreement of Jacob and Labran, Jacob’s prosperity.

Mandrakes—”love-plants,” the root of a mandrake formerly used especially to promote conception,

Genesis Chapter 31: Jacob plans to leave Laban; Jacob departs; Laban overtakes Jacob; Laban accuses Jacob of trickery and theft; Jacob’s defense; Covenant of Laban and Jacob.

Your father’s countenance is not towards me

Speckled and white sheep; divers colors, spotted and speckled.

Now therefore rise, and go out of this land, and return into thy native country.

And went forward to Isaac his father to the land of Chanaan

Rachel stole away her father’s idols. Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen the idols.

She in haste hid the idols under the camel’s furniture, and sat upon them.

Have I therefore been with thee twenty years? Fourteen for thy daughters and six for thy flock.

The Lord behold and judge between us when we shall be gone one from the other.

Genesis Chapter 32: Jacob’s vision; Jacob’s message to Esau: Jacob’s fear of Esau; Jacob sends presents to Esau; Jacob wrestles with an angel; Jacob becomes Israel.

Now I send a message to my lord (and brother Esau), that I may find favor in thy sight.

Return to thy land and to the place of thy birth, and I will do well for thee

Deliver me from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am greatly afraid of him.

Thy servant Jacob

I will not let thee go except thou bless me.

Jacob becomes Israel, for if thou hast been strong against God.

I have seen God face-to-face, and my soul has been saved.

Genesis Chapter 33: Meeting of Jacob and Esau; Jacob and Esau separate; Jacob raises an altar.

I have plenty, my brother, keep what is thine for thyself.

Which God hath given me, who giveth all things.

Genesis Chapter 34: Dina is ravished by Sichem; Sichem seeks to marry Dina; The Sichemites are circumcised; Simeon and Levi slay the men of the Sichemites; Jacob reproves Simeon and Levi.

Uncircumcised is unlawful and abominable.

And will be one people; we shall make one people

In revenge of the rape

Jacob: we are few, they will gather themselves together and kill me: and both I, and my house, shall be destroyed.

Should they abuse our sister as a strumpet?

Jesus’ Parables turn the Law and Me Upside Down…

Wow, there is so much inspiration packed into two chapters of Matthew’s gospel that I could write a book about how my thoughts and life experiences have been impacted by these spiritual principles!

The big picture I think is that there was the law “by the letter” in the Old Testament that was transformed by Jesus to the law “by the heart” in the New Testament.

So the disciples plucked grain on the Sabbath.

The law enforcers (both government and religion combined), the Pharisees judged that—thy disciples are doing what it is not lawful for them to do on the Sabbath.

“But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. But if you knew what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would never have condemned the innocent; for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath,” says Jesus.

Does that mean God doesn’t want our sacrifices but instead wants us to be merciful to others and maybe even ourselves?

Those first 66 words of Matthew Chapter 12 and their Satanic opposite tell the story of my life.

Being open-minded and willing to pray and follow God’s intuition versus doing what is expected, what is habitual in my life in an automatic manner directly correlates to the successes and failures in my thoughts, words and actions of my life.

I remember one life experience where I realized maybe I should question the law for my own safety and well-being. My first job was in an oil refinery where safety is paramount and the law by good design. I was the hydrocracker and hydrogen plant process engineer. The two go together as the hydrocracker consumes hydrogen cracking larger hydrocarbons into smaller gasoline-sized hydrocarbons. Got it?

So one day I am doing my normal quality checks where I open a small valve off the main 250-pound hydrogen product line with my right hand. The hydrogen bleeds into a glass bottle I am holding in my left hand so that I can test for impurities with a drageur tube that I pump with my right hand after adjusting the valve to get the right flow. Pretty typical procedure that I had done a hundred times.

Except this morning was different for no apparent reason. The hydrogen bleed ignited which means there was fire in an oil refinery which is not a good thing. Lots of combustible material around even if it is mainly in pipes, towers and tanks. Since I had not yet let go of the valve I instinctively turned off the valve extinguishing the fire.

 

I immediately went into the control room and reported the incident to Fire & Safety. My golfing buddy friend was the guy on duty and asked me to go back out into the unit and show him what happened. I did as he directed and explained what had happened. He said “show me” so I showed him, respecting his red uniform. After all he was the Safety Sheriff and the law in those parts. Shaking a little bit with a big sense of trepidation I slowly opened the valve and was relieved that there was no fire. Once I had increased the flow and moved my right hand from the valve to pick up the drageur tube for testing the hydrogen, the hydrogen ignited again. This time though it was a blow torch and engulfed my left leg.

All I remember after that was the sound of gravel hitting the ground as I raced across the lot to the safety of the control room. Fortunately my Nomex clothing protected me from injury. My friend, who stayed behind and closed the valve and extinguished the fire, came in laughing at me but it was no laughing matter. I learned something important that day. Respect the uniform, the badge and the person but don’t forget to think and reason things out with your own mind, heart and spirit. I should have said “hey pal, I know what happened and don’t need to demonstrate it for you.” The cause of the fires was a small burr on the valve pipe that created friction and just enough heat to auto-ignite the hydrogen.

Lesson learned and translated to spiritual matters: Develop a personal relationship with God and don’t just automatically follow the herd when the shepherd says to go this way or that way. Rely on your own good intuition which though prayer and meditation is God speaking directly to you.

Fight like heck to be present, clear and open-spirited; open to God, Jesus and The Holy Spirit to work through my being.

The parable of the sower had seed falling every which way; some fell by the wayside; some fell upon rocky ground; some fell among thorns; and some fell upon good ground.

Jesus explained the parable of the sower in terms of us not seed. Some is us do not understand the word and remain on the wayside. Others have no root in himself like the rocky ground. Still others are of and care more about this world and allow its deceitfulness of riches to choke the Word and make it fruitless. He who hears the Word and understands it, he bears fruit on the good ground.

The new covenant, to think, talk and behave in a way that is led by your heart, not your mind or the world.

Food for thought. Stay safe in life and in heart!

 

 

 

 

 

Day 12: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Jesus’ Parables turn the Law and Me Upside Down…

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapters 12-13

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.

Tax Collector at Capharnaum

Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle

After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.

He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament

 

Matthew Chapter 12: The disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath; A man with a withered hand; The mercy of Jesus; Pharisees ascribe a miracle to the devil; Christ refutes them; Blasphemy against the Spirit not forgiven; The sign of Jonas; Jesus and His brethren.

Thy disciples are doing what it is not lawful for them to do on the Sabbath.

“But I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. But if you knew what this means, “I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,” you would never have condemned the innocent; for the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

“Therefore, it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath. Stretch forth thy hand.” Retired the withered hand of a man.

Then, knowing this (Pharisees taking counsel against him). Jesus withdrew from the place…

I (God) will put my Spirit upon him… and in his name will the Gentiles hope.

Can this man be the Son of David?

“This man does not cast out devils except by Beelzebub, the prince of devils” said the Pharisees.

“But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.”

“He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters.”

“… blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.”

“… whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit it will not be forgiven him, either in this world or in the world to come.”

“…for by the fruit, the tree is known.”

“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”

“For by thy words thou wilt be justified, and by thy words thou will be condemned.”

“For even as Jonas (the prophet) was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

“behold my mother and my brethren! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven, he is my brother and sister and mother.”

Brethren— archaic plural form of brother; fellow Christians or members of a male religious order.

Matthew Chapter 13: Jesus speaks from a boat; Parable of the sower; The disciples ask why He speaks in parables; Parable of the sower explained; Parable of the weeds; Parable of the mustard seed; Parable of the leaven; Parable of the weeds explained; Parable of the treasure; Parable of the great pearl; Parable of the net; Conclusion of the parables; Jesus of Nazareth.

Parable of the sower: fell by the wayside; fell upon rocky ground; fell among thorns; fell upon good ground.

“This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, neither do they understand.”

“Lest at any time they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their mind, and be converted, and I heal them.”

Parable of the sower explained: but does not understand the word; yet he has no root in himself; the care of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it is made fruitless; he who hears the word and understands it, he bears fruit.

Parable of the weeds—an enemy has done this; Let both grow together until the harvest; gather and burn the weeds; gather the wheat into the barn.

“This (mustard seed) is indeed the smallest of all seeds; but when it grows up it is larger than any herb and becomes a tree.”

“I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.”

“The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field; he who finds it hides it, and in his joy goes and sells all he has and buys that field.”

“A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, and in his own house.” And because of their unbelief, he did not work many miracles there.

Our Lives Then and Now; Joseph and his Dreams…

As I read the Old Testament word-by-word, chapter-by-chapter some of it seems familiar to me. Some of the phrases which are unfamiliar to me ring true because they make sense plain and simple. Kind of like that visit to Williamsburg when I was humorously characterized by the reply “what, are you a people of the wilderness?”

The days of Isaac were 180 years and “being spent with age” he died. Are we spent with life? All used up and consumed? Reminds me of one of my first experiences with the old timers working in the refinery as a very young man. Their hypothesis was to smoke, drink, and live life to its fullest. Why die with good lungs and a good liver when your heart gives out? This was before donating organs was as widespread as it is now.

Don’t we all want to live out the fullness of life? Experience every experience possible? But the reality is of course we cannot. We don’t live 180 years any more like Isaac did. We can try to do as much as possible—travel, see our favorite entertainment, and meet as many people as possible to get a sense of our time, our world. The reality is our time is very short on this earth and since we don’t generally really realize the enormity of that reality until we are in our 50s, our time alive is even shorter. Better to find Jesus in your heart and trust in the Lord that what he directs and you seek will be a fulfillment of your life.

There were dukes and tribes and “the name of the city was his.” Numerous little kingdoms with lots of sheep. Some folks had God’s blessings and many did not.

The old adage to “not do something in private that you would be ashamed of if it was made public” ruled even back then. A semen-stained blue dress now was a ring, bracelet, and staff back then. “By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.”

The story of Joseph begins to unfold in Matthew Chapter 37: Joseph is hated by his brothers; Joseph dreams; Joseph is sent to his brothers; Joseph’s brothers conspire; Joseph is sold into slavery; Joseph’s father Jacob (Israel) mourns for him; Joseph is sold to Putiphar; Joseph prospers; Joseph resists temptation; Joseph is cast into prison; Joseph advances in prison; Joseph interprets the butler’s dream; Joseph interprets the baker’s dream… to be continued as I cannot read, pray and interpret all of Matthew in one day!

We all have dreamed dreams and there is nobody to interpret them to us. Joseph did so for the butler and the baker while in prison. Who is interpreting your dreams? The butler was forgiven by Pharoa while the baker was beheaded. Go figure. Stay tune for more interpretation by Jesus. In your life and in the Bible.

God speaks in the Old Testament, Jesus speaks in the New Testament and today The Holy Spirit speaks in every one of us.

 

Day 3: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Our Lives Then and Now; Joseph and his Dreams…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 35-40

Bible Notes:

Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, the history of Creation.

Noe and the Deluge, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Closes with the deaths of Jacob and of Joseph in Egypt, whither Joseph had called his father and brothers.

Genesis Chapter 35: Jacob purges his household of idols; Jacob builds an altar at Bethel; Death of Debora; God blesses Jacob; Rachel bears Benjamin and dies; The sons of Jacob; Isaac’s age and death;

Make there an altar to God: who heard me in the day of my affliction, and accompanied me in my journey.

Cast away the strange gods that are among you, and be cleansed and change your garments.

The terror of God.

Thou shalt not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name.

And the land which I gave to Abraham and Isaac, I will give to thee, and to thy seed after them.

The sons of Jacob were twelve (by four wives—Lia, Rachel, Bala (Rachel’s handmaid), and Zelpha (Lia’s handmaid).

The days of Isaac were 180 years and being spent with age he died.

Genesis Chapter 36: Esau’s wives; Esau dwells in mount Seir; Generations of Esau; Generations of Seir; Kings of Edom; Dukes of Edom;

Departed from brother Jacob, they were exceedingly rich, multitude of their flocks, land unable to bear them both.

These were dukes of the sons of Esau. (Duke definition—a male holding the highest hereditary title in the British and certain other peerages). Duke definition as used in the bible—derived from the Latin dux, meaning “a leader;” Arabic, “a sheik.” This word is used to denote the phylarch or chief of a tribe.

Kings of Edom, before the children of Israel had a king.

And the name of his city was…

Dwelling in the land of their government…

Genesis Chapter 37: Joseph is hated by his brothers; Jesus dreams; Joseph is sent to his brothers; Conspiracy of Joseph’s brothers; Joseph is sold into slavery; Jacob mourns for Joseph; Joseph sold to Putiphar.

Joseph was 16 years old, was feeding the flock with his brethren… and he accused his brethren to his father of a most wicked crime.

Jacob/Israel made Joseph a coat of divers colors.

Behold the dreamer cometh; they thought to kill him.

Do not take away his life, nor shed his blood: but cast him into this pit.

Sold Joseph to the Ismaelites for 20 pieces of silver.

It is my son’s coat, an evil wild beast hath eaten him, a beast hath devoured Joseph.

Genesis Chapter 38: Sons of Juda; Widowhood of Thamar; Sin of Onan; Thamar’s Deceit; Juda sends his shepherd to find Thamar; Juda forgives Thamar; Birth of Phares and Zara.

Onan spilled his seed upon the ground… and therefore the Lord slew him, because he did a detestable thing.

Surely she cannot charge us with a lie.

By the man, to whom these things belong, I am with child. See whose ring, and bracelet, and staff this is.

Genesis Chapter 39: Joseph prospers; Joseph resists temptation; Joseph is cast into prison; Joseph advances in prison.

The Lord was with Joseph.

But thee, who art his wife: how then can I do this wicked thing, and sin against my God?

And he refused the adultery.

The Hebrew servant Joseph was cast into prison.

Genesis Chapter 40: Pharao’s butler and baker; Joseph interprets the butler’s dream; Joseph interprets the baker’s dream;

We have dreamed a dream and there is nobody to interpret it to us.

Joseph: Doth not interpretation belong to God? Tell me what you have dreamed.

Butler forgiven by Pharoa; baker beheaded by Pharoa.

The butler forgot his interpreter Joseph.

Mistaken Identity, Faith without Doubt, Heaven Above!

Matthew wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament.

Herod Antipater, son of Herod the Great had a run in with John the Baptist..

John called him on divorcing his wife and marrying Herodias who was formerly married to his half-brother.

That earned John a spot in prison but Herodias had here revenge through her daughter dancing for Herod and grating her one wish which was to bring John’s head on a plate which he did.

Then along comes Jesus and Herod mistakes him for John.

“This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous Powers are working through him.”

Jesus wants some alone time and after feeding 5,000 men, without counting women and children, he made his disciples get into the boat and cross the sea ahead of him.

He went up the mountain by himself to pray but in the middle of the night in the middle of the sea his disciples were in trouble in the midst of a storm.

So Jesus goes to them walking on water and they think he is a ghost.

“Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid,” says Jesus.

“Lord, if it is thou, bid me to come to thee over the water,” cries Peter.

So much for Matthew 4:7 where Jesus stated “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'”

Jesus said simply “Come.”

Then Peter got out of the boat and walked on water to come to Jesus but he became afraid and called out “Lord, save me!”

As he helped him back into the boat Jesus said “O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?”

“Truly thou art the Son of God,” realized all the disciples that were in the boat.

Tragedy and miracles, faith without doubt. Don’t we all wish we possessed faith without doubt? I would settle for perseverance and am grateful to have been blessed with it at times throughout my life.

TROML Baby, one has to believe tomorrow will be better than today and that on our last tomorrow we will go to a better place than here called heaven. I believe.

Day 14: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Mistaken Identity, Faith without Doubt, Heaven Above!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapter 14.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.

Tax Collector at Capharnaum

Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle

After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.

He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament

 

Matthew Chapter 14: Herod fears that Christ is John the Baptist; Herod murdered John; Hunger of the crowd; Jesus feeds five thousand; Jesus walks on water; Peter walks on water; Other miracles.

Herod the Tetrarch—one of four joint rulers or chiefs; the ruler of the fourth part of a country or province in the ancient Roman Empire.

“This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead, and that is why miraculous Powers are working through him.”

“It is not lawful for thee to have her.” John to Herod because Harod had taken Herodias, his brother’s wife.

“Give me here on a dish the head of John the Baptist.”

And out of compassion for them he cured their sick.

“We have here only five loaves and two fishes.”

Twelve baskets full of fragments

He went up the mountain by himself to pray.

He made his disciples get into the boat and cross the sea ahead of him.

It is a ghost.

“Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid.”

“Lord, if it is thou, bid me to come to thee over the water.” “Come”

The Peter got out of the boat and walked on water to come to Jesus… he was afraid.. “Lord, save me!”

“O thou of little faith, why didst thou doubt?”

“Truly thou art the Son of God.”

And all who touched it (the tassel of Jesus’ cloak) were saved.

The Bible teaches me Something New about Life & Myself!

You learn something new in the Bible every day!

My brother-in-law Bill was a dairy farmer. I started milking cows with him in my early teens and never heard him refer to cows collectively as ‘kine.’

Joseph’s interpretation of Pharao’s dreams were that there would be seven years of plenty, followed by seven years of famine to come in the whole land of Egypt.

Pharao asked, can we find such another man that is full of the spirit of God?

So impressed, Pharao appointed Jacob to be the ruler over all of Egypt. Only in the kingly throne will Pharao be above Joseph who was only 30 years old at the time.

Reading more of the story of Joseph in Egypt I learned more of the strategy Joseph was using with his brothers. He and Benjamin the youngest were the only two children of Rachel and Jacob. Rachel had died after giving birth to Benjamin. Joseph knew that Jacob thought Benjamin was his last living son to connect his father with his mother Rachel’s memory.

“You will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell,” was how Jacob assessed the risk of losing both of his sons born of Rachel.

“We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother,” indicates a guilty conscience of all Joseph’s brothers except Benjamin who was not yet born when they sold Joseph into slavery.

I am learning so much reading the Bible, meditating on it a bit and then writing about how it has impacted and will continue to impact my life.

Even back then when they wrote the Bible they included cliffhangers and teasers to bring you back to read more of the Bible. The third day of the Joseph story coming up soon! Stay tuned!

I am not just learning about cows and ancient terminology, I am learning something new about myself by reading the Bible that will help me for the rest of my life and beyond to eternity.

Day 15: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; The Bible teaches me Something New about Life & Myself!

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 41-44

Bible Notes:

Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, the history of Creation.

Noe and the Deluge, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Closes with the deaths of Jacob and of Joseph in Egypt, whither Joseph had called his father and brothers.

Genesis Chapter 41: Pharao’s two dreams; The butler tells Pharao of Joseph; Pharao tells his dream to Joseph; Joseph interprets Pharao’s dreams; Joseph becomes ruler of Egypt; Joseph prepares for the famine; Birth of Manasses and Ephraim; Famine.

Kine—cows collectively; a plural of cow.

Seven kine, beautiful and fat, then seven kine ill-favored and leanfleshed.

Seven ears of corn full and fair, then seven ears thin and blasted.

Devoured all the beauty of the former.

Dreamed a dream foreboding things to come.

Afterwards the event of the thing proved to be so.

Without me, God shall give Pharao a prosperous answer.

The king’s dream is one: God hath shown to Pharao what he is about to do.

Seven years of plenty; seven years of famine to come in the whole land of Egypt.

Can we find such another man, that is full of the spirit of God?

Only in the kingly throne will I be above thee. Joseph was 30 years old.

Genesis Chapter 42: Jacob sends his sons to buy grain in Egypt; Joseph imprisons his brothers; Joseph offers freedom to his brothers; Simeon is held as hostage; The brothers tell Jacob what befell them in Egypt; Jacob refuses to let Benjamin go to Egypt;

And he knew them; he was not known by them.

You are spies.

We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother…

Provender—dry food, as hay or oats, for livestock or other domestic animals; fodder

My money is given me again…

You have made me to be without children; Joseph is not living; Simeon is kept in bonds, and Benjamin you will take away; all these evils are fallen upon me.

You will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow to hell.

Genesis Chapter 43: Jacob permits Benjamin to go to Egypt; Joseph entertains his brothers; Joseph meets Benjamin; Joseph makes a feast for his brothers;

In the meantime the famine was heavy upon the land.

You will not see my face, unless you bring your youngest brother with you.

Peace be with you, fear not: your God, and the God of your father hath given you treasure in your sacks.

Obeisance—a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture; deference or homage.

Because his heart was moved upon his brother, and tears gushed out; and going into his chamber he wept.

For it is unlawful for the Egyptians to eat with the Hebrews, and they think such a feast profane.

Genesis Chapter 44: Joseph’s brothers depart; The cup in Benjamin’s sack; Joseph declares that he will keep Benjamin; Juda’s generous offer.

Put my silver cup in Benjamin’s sack.

Why have you returned evil for good? You have done a very evil thing.

Know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.

Joseph and Benjamin is of the same mother Rachel who is now dead.

You shall see my face no more.

You will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.

Signs of the Times: Mom & Dad, Forever Meaningful to Me!

“Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the tradition of the ancients? For they do not wash their hands when they take food.”

Aw, gotcha Mom and Dad! I didn’t have to wash my hands before eating!

When I focus on the superfluous, I miss the main point.

Jesus’ response was not about washing our hands before eating, it was about honoring our mothers and fathers for what they gave us.

And no matter how terrible, evil or abusive any parent can be at times or continuously through our childhood, they did give us the gift of life. And no matter how difficult the relationship of our parents was, except in extreme cases, our conception came from a spark of love, a speck of the light in the souls of our parents. Yes, we have hurts, hang ups and habits acquired in dysfunctional childhoods but if we did not have choices back then we certainly do have choices today. Life does indeed go on if you are living in the present moment looking forward to the future and ultimately life beyond our worldly existence.

“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is they that defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts… These are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

The new law versus the old law.

The new me versus the old me.

“When it is evening you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and lowering.’ You know how to read the face of the sky, but cannot read the signs of the times.

In retrospect my Mom and Dad weren’t old- fashion at all. They were a bit ahead of their time. Their faith in God, their ability to persevere and endure life’s trials and tribulations and their simple and powerful view of life and love was a beautiful thing to witness.

TROML Baby!

Day 16: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Signs of the Times: Mom & Dad, Forever Meaningful to Me!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapters 15-16.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.

Tax Collector at Capharnaum

Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle

After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.

He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament

 

Matthew Chapter 15: Christ refutes the Scribes and Pharisees; Disciples warned to shun the Pharisees; Christ explains what defiles a man; The Canaanite woman; Jesus heals the suffering; Jesus has compassion on the crowd; Jesus feeds four thousand.

“Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of of the ancients? For they do not wash their hands when they take food.”

“And why do you transgress the commandment of God because of your tradition?”

For God said, “Honor thy father and mother”; and “let him who curses father or mother be put to death.

But you say. ‘Whoever shall say to his father or mother, “Any support thou mightiest have had from me is dedicated to God,” does not have to honor to honor his father or mother.’

So you have made void the commitment of God by your tradition.

“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; and in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrine the precepts of man.”

Refutes—to prove to be false or erroneous, as an opinion or charge; to prove (a person) to be in error.

Precepts—a commandment or direction given as a rule of action or conduct.

“What goes into the mouth does not defile a man; but it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man.”

“Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up. Let them alone; they are blind guides of blind men. But if a blind man guide a blind man, both fall into a pit.”

“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is they that defile a man. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, immorality, thefts, false witness, blasphemies. These are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man.”

“I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

Jesus feeds four thousand. Seven loaves and a few little fishes. Seven full baskets of fragments.

Matthew Chapter 16: The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign; The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees; Peter’s confession; Passion and resurrection foretold; The doctrine of the cross.

“When it is evening you say, ‘The weather will be fair, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning you say, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and lowering.’ You know how to read the face of the sky, but cannot read the signs of the times.

Pharisees—a member of a Jewish sect that flourished during the 1st century b.c. and 1st century a.d. and that differed from the Sadducees chiefly in its strict observance of religious ceremonies and practices, adherence to oral laws and traditions, and belief in an afterlife and the coming of a Messiah; a sanctimonious, self-righteous, or hypocritical person.

Sadducees—a member of a Palestinian sect, consisting mainly of priests and aristocrats, that flourished from the 1st century b.c. to the 1st century a.d. and differed from the Pharisees chiefly in its literal interpretation of the Bible, rejection of oral laws and traditions, and denial of an afterlife and the coming of the Messiah.

“You of little faith, why do you argue among yourselves that you have no bread? Do you not yet understand, nor remember… Why do you not understand that it was not of bread I said to you, ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees?” Then they understood that he bade them beware not of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Leaven—a substance, as yeast or baking powder, that causes fermentation and expansion of dough or batter; an element that produces an altering or transforming influence.

“Who do men say the Son of Man is?

“But who do you say that I am?”

“Thou art the Christ; the Son of the living God,” Simon Peter answered.

“And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven…

Then he strictly charged his disciples to tell no one that he was Jesus the Christ.

“Far be it from thee, O’Lord: this will never happen to thee.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, satan, thou art a scandal to me; for thou dost not mind the things of God, but those of men.”

“If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For he who would save his life will lose it; but he who loses his life for my sake will find it. For what does it profit a man, if he gain the whole world, but suffer the loss of his own soul?”

Joseph’s Act of Forgiveness is an Example for the World & All of Humankind.

Was Joseph not the model child of forgiveness in the Old Testament?

As The Book of Genesis concludes, Jacob, now called Israel, is reunited with his son Joseph and Joseph’s spectacular forgiveness set the stage for all twelve siblings, the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob) going forward.

“Fear not: can we resist the will of God? You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that he might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people (from famine). Fear not: I will feed you and your children. And he comforted them, and spoke gently and mildly,” was likely God’s foremost example of forgiveness in Genesis, the first chapter of the world and humankind.

Bad, evil things happen to us. We do our best to counteract them but in the end, win or lose, comes acceptance and then God’s enduring and powerful will to turn anything demonstrated as evil into good.

Joseph was the envy of his brothers and left to die and become a slave. Joseph accepted this in terms of maintaining a positive, contributing attitude and through his dream interpreting to Pharao became the ruler of all Egypt. The good to come was his ability to foresee the famine and store grain to feed many people including his father Jacob and his brothers and their families.

My life story does not contain anything as dramatic as Joseph’s on either the giving or taking side. In terms of abandonment my came as a child from my father’s alcoholism. I believe my faith and God help me persevere those difficult times to see the good times as my father found sobriety through his faith in Jesus Christ and never had another drink of alcohol for the last 25 years of his life. Amen! Al-le-lu-ia, as he would occasionally cry out in his later years!

My difficulty, challenge, or cross to bear in life has been to self-medicate myself through food and sugar. Behind this is an inconsistent ability to forgive myself for trying to be perfect and in control of things I should not be trying to control. I am not God of myself or anybody else. God is God. I am grateful for this journey in life through TROML to an ever improving Splendid Spiritual Self. Amen! Al-le-lu-ia!

Genesis is now behind me in this attempt to interpret my life and my being through reading the Bible with a TROML Perspective. As promised, Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, and the history of Creation was told. We found Noe and experienced the Deluge. The generations of Abraham to Isaac to Jacob and to Joseph evolved and gave us a glimpse of the accepting, loving and compassionate God to come in the New Testament with Jesus Christ forging a new covenant enveloped in us with The Holy Spirit.

At the end of Genesis, Joseph told his brothers that “God will visit you after my death, and will make you go up out of this land (Egypt), to the (Promise) land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Day 17: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Joseph’s Act of Forgiveness is an Example for the World & all of Humankind.

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Genesis Chapters 45-50 (END)

Bible Notes:

Genesis, the genesis or origin of the world, the history of Creation.

Noe and the Deluge, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

Closes with the deaths of Jacob and of Joseph in Egypt, whither Joseph had called his father and brothers.

Genesis Chapter 45: Joseph makes himself known to his brothers; Joseph sends his brothers for Jacob; Joseph’s brothers leave to get Jacob; Jacob is comforted.

And he said to his brethren: I am Joseph: is my father yet living? I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into Egypt.

Be not afraid, and let it not seem to you a hard case that you sold me into these countries: for God sent me before you into Egypt for your preservation.

And five more years of famine remain, wherein there can be neither ploughing nor reaping,

Not by your counsel was I sent hither, but by the will of God…

… that you may eat the marrow of the land,

Be not angry in the way.

Joseph thy son is living; and he is ruler in all the land of Egypt. Which when Jacob heard, he awakened as it were out of a deep sleep, yet did not believe them… It is enough for me, if Joseph my son be yet living; I will go and see him before I die.

Genesis Chapter 46: God speaks to Jacob; Jacob goes to Egypt; Israelites who went into Egypt; Sons of Joseph and Benjamin; Number of Jacob’s family in Egypt; Joseph greets his father.

God to Jacob: fear not, go down into Egypt, for I will make a great nation of thee there, I will go down with thee thither, and will bring thee back again from thence: Joseph also shall put his hands upon thy eyes.

Children of Israel (Jacob?)

Mesopotamia of Syria

All the souls of the house of Jacob, that entered into Egypt, were seventy.

Now shall I die with joy, because I have seen thy face, and leave thee alive.

.. because the Egyptians have all shepherds in abomination.

Genesis Chapter 47: Pharao welcomes Joseph’s family; Joseph presents Jacob to Pharao; Joseph provides for his family; Joseph serves Pharao well; Jacob plans his burial.

The days of my pilgrimage are a hundred and thirty years, few, and evil, and they are not come up to the days of my fathers (Isaac 180 years; Abraham 175 years).

We have nothing left but our bodies and our lands

The fifth part is paid to the king, and it is become as a law, except the land of the priests, which was free from this covenant.

And all the days of Jacob/Israel came to 147 years.

Jacob did not want to be buried in Egypt, but in the burying place of his ancestors.

Israel (Jacob) adored God, turning to the bed’s head.

Genesis Chapter 48: Joseph and his sons visit Jacob; Jacob blesses Joseph’s sons; Jacob prefers Joseph to his other sons.

God Almighty appeared to me (Jacob/Israel) at Luza.

Joseph’s two sons Manasses and Ephraim take the names of Jacob, Abraham and Isaac.

Joseph displeased that Jacob’s right hand was not on firstborn Manasses but Jacob said the younger brother Ephraim shall be greater than Manasses.

Ephrata, which by another name is called Bethlehem.

Behold I die, and God will be with you, and will bring you back into the land of your fathers. I give thee a portion above thy brethren.

Genesis Chapter 49: Jacob calls for his sons; Jacob denounces Ruben, Simeon, and Levi; Jacob blesses Juda; Jacob’s prophecies about Zabulon, Isaachar, Dan, Gad, Aser, and Nephtali; Jacob blesses Joseph; Jacob’s prophecy about Benjamin; Death of Jacob.

I will divide them in Jacob, and will scatter them in Israel.

All these are the twelve tribes of Israel (Jacob): these things their father spoke to them, and he blessed every one, with their proper blessings.

Genesis Chapter 50: Mourning for Jacob; Burial of Jacob; Joseph forgives his brothers; Joseph’s age and death.

There passed forty days; for this was the manner with bodies that were embalmed, and Egypt mourned him seventy days.

Fear not: can we resist the will of God? You thought evil against me: but God turned it into good, that he might exalt me, as at present you see, and might save many people. Fear not: I will feed you and your children. And he comforted them, and spoke gently and mildly.

Joseph lived a hundred and ten years: and he saw the children of Ephraim to the third generation.

God will visit you after my death, and will make you go up out of this land, to the land which he swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Be Humble like Little Children, Forgive like Joseph. Son of God & Man!

“Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

I always heard “become like little children,” not so much the “humble yourself as this little child” part.

Funny how I hear what I want to hear. Or hear what the Evil One wants me to hear, not what God wants me to hear!

Forgiveness is another one where I like to think I am good at but in reality fall woefully short.

“I do not say to thee seven times, but seventy times seven,” Jesus responds to the coy Peter.

“Have patience with me and I will pay thee all,’” don’t we all say this to Jesus or indirectly to those we have resented, judged and sinned against? I am trying my best, so you should forgive me!

But then we turn around and treat our debtors, those who have sinfully crossed us, very harshly and unforgivingly. The clerk isn’t a jerk, just another human being on a journey through this world.

“Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?”

Yes I should have Jesus. Thank you for Your forgiveness and help me to forgive others better. I will humbly and earnestly try to do better this very moment, this very day. Thank you for your forgiveness, mercy, compassion, grace and love. I truly want to do Your Will with my self, my being and my life. Please give me the power to do so!

“So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not each forgive your brothers from your hearts.”

Jesus, you are in my heart, help me to forgive like You, Your disciples and Your apostles forgive.

For the Son of Man came to save what was lost and I am certainly lost.

You were man, a human being just like me but also unlike me with no sin and all so in touch with Your Father and His Power. You were all so powerful while here on earth.

I know Your favorite designation, in referring to Yourself, was the “Son of Man.” The Gospels record some seventy-eight times when You used that title for Yourself.

Though Your Bible does not define its exact meaning, the title “Son of Man” probably refers to the fact that You were perfect humanity. When You, as God, came down and lived among us as the perfect human being. By doing this, You fulfilled the Law of Moses and did what no other human being was able to do. Thank You for being and identifying with people like me that You have come to save.

So I will try to be as humble as a little child and forgive like Joseph forgave…

Day 18: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective; Be Humble like Little Children, Forgive like Joseph. Son of God & Man!

Read and inspired by the New Testament, The Gospel of Saint Matthew Chapters 17-18.

Bible Notes:

The Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew

Saint Matthew, also known as Levi, was a Galilean by birth.

Tax Collector at Capharnaum

Christ called him to become a disciple, and later an Apostle

After the Holy Ghost came down on the Apostles on Pentecost, Matthew preached the Gospel in Judea.

He wrote his Gospel to prove to his readers that Christ was the Messiah foretold by God in the Old Testament

 

Matthew Chapter 17: Jesus transfigured; On the coming of Elias; A father asks Jesus to cure his son; Jesus cures him by casting out a devil; Why the disciples could not cure him; The second prediction of the passion; Paying the Temple tax.

And His face shone as the sun, and his garments became white as snow.

Peter, James and his brother John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves, and was transfigured before them.

Transfigured—to change in outward form or appearance; transform; to change so as to glorify or exalt.

And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elias talking together with him.

“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear him.”

“Arise, and do not be afraid.”

But lifting up their eyes, they saw no one but Jesus only.

“Elias indeed, is to come and will restore all things…”

Then the disciples understood that he had spoken to them of John the Baptist.

“How long shall I be with you?”

“Because of your little faith… But this kind can be cast out only by prayer and fasting.”

“The Son of Man is to be betrayed into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and on the third day he will rise again.”

Collecting the didrachma… Jesus to Simon… “cast a hook and take the first fish… and opening its mouth thou wilt find a stater; take that and give it to them for me and for thee.”

 

Matthew Chapter 18: Against ambition; Avoiding scandal; The lost sheep; Fraternal correction; The power of the united prayer; Peter asks how often to forgive; Parable of the unmerciful servant; The servant demands payment; The servant’s fate.

“Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven, Whoever, therefore, humbles himself as this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

“And whoever receives one such little child for my sake, receives me.”

“Woe to the world because of scandals!”

Cut it off and cast it from thee (hand or foot)

Pluck it out and cast it from thee.

For the Son of Man came to save what was lost.

Son of Man—Jesus Christ, especially at the Last Judgment (the Last Judgment, the occasion, after the resurrection of the dead at the end of the world, when, according to biblical tradition, God will decree the final destinies of all men according to the good and evil in their earthly lives Also known as the Last Day, Doomsday, Judgment Day)

Jesus’ favorite designation, in referring to Himself, was the “Son of Man.” The Gospels record some seventy-eight times that Jesus used this title for Himself.

Though the Bible does not define its exact meaning, the title “Son of Man” probably refers to the fact that Jesus was perfect humanity. He, as God, came down and lived among us as the perfect human being. By doing this, He fulfilled the Law of Moses and did what no other human being was able to do. By using this title, He is identifying with the people He had come to save.

“Even so, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that a single one of these little ones should perish.”

“But if thy brother sin against thee, go and show him his fault, between thee and him alone… one or tow more… the Church… if refuses let him be to thee as the heathen and publican.”

Heathen—(in historical contexts) an individual of a people that do not acknowledge the God of the Bible; a person who is neither a Jew, Christian, nor Muslim; a pagan.

Publican—Roman History, a person who collected public taxes.

“I say to you further, that if two of you shall agree on earth about anything at all for which they ask, it shall be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered for my sake, there I am in the midst of them.”

“I do not say to thee seven times, but seventy times seven.”

Have patience with me and I will pay thee all!

Shouldst not thou also have had pity on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?

“So also my heavenly Father will do to you, if you do not each forgive your brothers from your hearts.”

Moses to Lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land…

In the meantime there arose a new king over Egypt that knew not Joseph…

Politics, even back then. What happen to God’s promise to the descendants of Joseph to find blessings in Egypt? Oh yeah, remember Joseph’s deathbed prophecy from God that He will make his descendants go up out of Egypt and back to the land of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. I have to remember that ultimately I work for the Big Boss Above, not necessary any king or manager or supervisor.

Woohoo, a new book in the Old Testament!

This Book of Exodus is so called from the Greek word exodus, which means going out.

It recounts the persecution of the Jews in Egypt, the call of Moses, the ten plagues, the Jewish departure from Egypt, and the giving of the Mosaic Law on Mount Sinai.

The Book of Exodus closes with the consecration of the Tabernacle.

Moses was born a Hebrew and raised an Egyptian. When he saw an Egyptian striking one of the Hebrews his brethren. Thinking he was alone and nobody would see, he killed the Egyptian. An eye for an eye to the extreme?

Moses question how his act in secret was to “come to be known?”

What Moses did in secret (killed an Egyptian) is known in public.

The ideal is to live my private life in a manner that if it became public there would be no big surprises. I fall short of that ideal.

The burdens for Joseph, Jacob (Israel), Isaac, and Abraham’s descendants, the Israelites, become heavier, additional work added and none is taken away with the expectation of the same (finished product) amount of work be completed.

Sounds like Corporate America in the 21^st century!

God appears to Moses in a burning bush at Horeb, the mountain of God and directs Moses to deliver His message and promises to the Israelites. He gives Moses three abilities so that they know the message is indeed from God: Moses’ rod becomes a serpent; Moses’ hand becomes leprous and then normal flesh again and God promises Moses that he can turn water into blood by simply drawing water the river.

The Lord God of the Hebrews hath called us to go on a three days’ journey into the wilderness, to sacrifice unto the Lord our God. The promise is a land flowing in milk and honey to call their own.

Pharao refuses to let the people go and more oppression and greater burdens are laid on the Israelites.

We have all been there haven’t we? Dark days with no hope in sight.

But what or Who is in our hearts?

Day 19: Reading The Bible with a TROML Perspective;

Moses to Lead the Israelites out of Egypt to the Promised Land…

Read and inspired by the Old Testament, The Book of Exodus Chapters 1-5

Bible Notes:

This Book of Exodus is so called from the Greek word exodus, which means going out.

It recounts the persecution of the Jews in Egypt, the call of Moses, the ten plagues, the Jewish departure from Egypt, and the giving of the Mosaic Law on Mount Sinai.

The Book of Exodus closes with the consecration of the Tabernacle.

 

Exodus Chapter 1: The Israelites increase in Egypt; The Israelites are oppressed; Pharao orders all male children destroyed.

Jacob’s descendants came to be known as the Israelites, eventually forming the tribes of Israel and ultimately the kingdom of Israel, whence came the name of modern-day State of Israel.

Abram was called “Abraham the Hebrew” in Genesis 14:13, which is the first time that the word is used in the Bible. Understood to mean ‘one from the other side (of the river).

These are the names of the children of Israel, that went into Egypt with Jacob (Israel):

And all the souls that came out of Jacob’s thigh, were seventy: but Joseph was in Egypt.

… the children of Israel (Jacob) increased, and sprung up into multitudes, and growing exceedingly strong they filled the land.

In the mean time there arose a new king over Egypt, that knew not Joseph…

Come let us wisely oppress them… he set over them masters of the works, to afflict them with burdens… but the more they oppressed them, the more they were multiplied, and increased…

But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded, but saved the Hebrew men children.

Whatsoever shall be born of the male sex, ye shall cast into the river; whatsoever of the female, ye shall save alive.

Exodus Chapter 2: Birth of Moses; Pharao’s daughter adopts Moses; Moses slays an Egyptian; Moses flees into Madian; Moses marries Sephora; God hears the groans of the Israelites.

A man of the house of Levi; and took a wife of his own kindred, And she conceived, and bore a son; and seeing him a goodly child, hid him for three months.

Pharao’s daughter saw the basket in the sedges.

This is one of the babes of the Hebrews.

And the child’s sister said to her: “Shall I go and call to thee a Hebrew woman, to nurse the babe?” Go.

And she adopted him for a son, and called him Moses, saying: Because I took him out of the water.

After Moses was grown up, he went out to his brethren and saw their affliction.

He slew the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.

Who hath appointed thee prince and judge over us: will thou kill me, as thou didst yesterday kill the Egyptian?

How is this come to be known?

And Pharao heard of this word and sought to kill Moses.

The priest of Madian had seven daughters.

Well of Madian, Moses arose and defending the maids, watered their sheep.

Exodus Chapter 3: God appears to Moses in a bush; God directs Moses to deliver the Israelites; God’s message to the Israelites; God Promises to help the Israelites.

Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, the priest of Madian had seven daughters.

And came to the mountain of God, Horeb

And the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he saw that the bush was on fire and was not burnt.

Moses Moses

Here I am

Put off the shoes from thy feet; for this place wheron thou standest is holy ground.

Moses hid his face; for he durst not look at God

I have heard the cry of the children of Israel.

But come, and I will send thee to Pharao

When thou shalt have brought my people out of Egypt, thou shalt offer sacrifice to God upon this mountain.

I am who am. He who is, hath sent me to you. This is my name forever and this is my memorial unto all generations.

To a land flowing in milk and honey.

The Lord God of the Hebrews hath called us: we will go three days’ journey into the wilderness, to sacrifice unto the Lord our God.

But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go, but by a mighty hand… I will stretch forth my hand and will strike Egypt… after these he will let you go.

Exodus Chapter 4: Moses’ rod becomes a serpent; Moses’ hand becomes leprous; God promises to turn water into blood; Aaron is appointed to assist Moses; Moses returns to Egypt; Sephora circumcises her son; Moses and Aaron assemble the ancients.

Moses’ rod becomes a serpent so that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob hath appeared to thee.

Latter sign: Moses’ hand becomes leprous.

God promises to turn water into blood.

I am not eloquent. I have more impediment and slowness of tongue.

Go therefore, and I will be in thy mouth: and I will teach thee what thou shalt speak.

The Lord being angry at Moses, gave him Aaron to be his voice though thou shalt be to him in those things that pertain to God.

Go, and return into Egypt: for they are all dead that sought thy life.

Carrying the rod of God in his hand.

And Moses and Aaron came together and they assembled all the ancients of the children of Israel… and the people believed… and falling down they adored.

Exodus Chapter 5: Pharao refuses to let the people go; Greater burdens laid on the Israelites; Overseers oppress the Israelites; The Israelites complain to Pharao; The Israelites discuss their problems.

Who is the Lord, that I should hear his voice, and let Israel go?

To go three days journey into the wilderness

Neither shall you diminish any thing thereof for they are idle and cry, saying Let us go and sacrifice to our God.

Why dealest thou so with thy servants?

… saw that they were in evil case… Pharao hath afflicted thy people and thou hast not delivered them.