The Old Testament: Survey and Reflections
Explore the Old Testament through a biblical survey conducted by First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee. Delve into Numbers and Deuteronomy, discover the covenant lived out, and understand the relationship triangles between people, Moses, and God. Reflect on the distinctive characteristics of the Lord God and the mutual irritability inherent in the divine-human pact. Join the discussion on the profound originality and potential significance of this mutual irritability in shaping humanity.
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Presentation Transcript
Exploring the Old Testament: A Biblical Survey First Presbyterian Church of Tallahassee Wednesdays 5:45-6:45 p.m. Rev. Margaret Fox
Prayer for illumination Janet Fixel
Todays class: Numbers and Deuteronomy The covenant lived out .
Whats new? Who is God? Creator, covenant maker, warrior lawgiver, now commander & enforcer Who are people? Human beings, family members, workers, covenant people now soldiers
Continuity Num. 1:1 The Lord spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt...
Continuity Numbers is the Eng/Latin/Greek title refers to census Hebrew title is bemidbar in the wilderness Deuteronomy means second law Moses gives law again after 1st generation dies in wilderness Yet Moses says, The Lord our God made a covenant w/us at Horeb. Not with our ancestors did the Lord make this covenant, but with us
Themes Giving of law interspersed with breaking of law Military discipline established and then broken 40 years of wandering are accounted for Relationship triangles Mutual irritability of people, Moses, and God
The gods of Greece and Rome had many shortcomings, but the distinctive irritability of the Lord God was not among them, and it may be classical influence that has muted this quality in the popular notion of God. Be that as it may, the profound originality of a divine-human pact in which both parties complain endlessly about each other has too rarely been acknowledged as such. If mankind is made in the image of God, if God s motive is to make mankind more fully and perfectly in his own image, can it be that this mutual irritability is a step forward?...
The answer is a resounding yes! God is not a stoic, does not teach stoicism, does not honor or encourage resignation or acceptance, and is, by and large, impossible to please. In each of these regards, Israel is made in his image --Jack Miles, God: A Biography
Summary Numbers 1-10: Mustering Census taken men of military age Camp layout Tabernacle service Provisions for breakdown and moving of tent Cloud lifts from tabernacle & moves (11 months after arrival at Sinai)
Problems arise Then: military discipline breaks down immediately Chapters 11-25: Complaint, response, intercession 1. Life in general 2. Food 3. Moses complains about people s complaining 4. Miriam and Aaron complain about Moses 5. Spies complain about opponents & people complain about Moses 6. Man gathers sticks on Sabbath & is stoned
Problems continue Chapters 11-25: Complaint, response, intercession 7. Revolt of the sons of Korah 8. Aaron & Moses take credit for water 9. Edom detour makes people impatient bronze serpent 7. Sex with Midianite women 8. Daughters of Zelophehad need inheritance 9. Reuben & Gad want to settle E of Jordan --finally a negotiation
Summary Num. 26: Census of the new generation Num. 33: Summary of stages of journey Num. 34-36: Provision for conquest of Canaan Boundaries Levitical cities, cities of refuge People s transition: Enslaved fugitive conquering settled
Deuteronomy themes Moses teaching the Torah Calling the new generation to fidelity Blessings and warnings Death of Moses
Deuteronomy summary Moses gives new generation summary of the law Hear Shema command to listen, take to heart, teach Command to destroy the inhabitants God chose, loves, has saved, and will continue to When you prosper, remember Retells golden calf story
Deuteronomy summary Warning about disloyalty Provisions for generosity: tithe, sabbatical year Death of Moses blessings and warnings God predicts Israel s disloyalty Joshua commissioned as military leader Song of Moses God s power and wrath Blessings of Moses Death & final evaluation
Small Group Discussion 1. 2. 3. Insights from homework assignment? Reading: what was surprising? troubling? Reflect: what do you make of the dynamics of mutual irritability?
Moving Forward Theme for next week: conquest Assignment for next week: map Opening prayer for next week: _______
