Snoopy Examines Exodus
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paradox3
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Exodus 31
www.biblegateway.com
Bezalel has been filled with God's Spirit and designated as the chief artisan for building the sanctuary. The skilled workers who will be needed have been granted their abilities by God.
But the Israelites must remember to keep the Sabbath as they get to work. The penalty for working on the Sabbath will be death. And this will be a perpetual covenant throughout the generations.
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 31 - New English Translation
Willing Artisans - The LORD spoke to Moses, “See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God in skill, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all kinds of craftsmanship, to make artistic designs for work with gold, with...
But the Israelites must remember to keep the Sabbath as they get to work. The penalty for working on the Sabbath will be death. And this will be a perpetual covenant throughout the generations.
paradox3
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Snoopy's Snappy Review: Exodus 31
God makes demands, provides what is needed and promises the death penalty if necessary.
When does God get around to loving the world and its people?
This reading reminds Snoopy of the references to spiritual gifts in the New Testament.
God makes demands, provides what is needed and promises the death penalty if necessary.
When does God get around to loving the world and its people?
This reading reminds Snoopy of the references to spiritual gifts in the New Testament.
jimkenney12
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I suspect it is intended to justify the leadership and authority of the religious class that wrote it.
paradox3
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The tabernacle, the furnishings and the priestly garments all seem very regal to me. God as King, maybe, with delegation of power to the religious leaders of the day.
paradox3
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Exodus 32: 1-6
www.biblegateway.com
When Moses is delayed on the mountain, the people gather around Aaron and request that he create gods for them.
Aaron replies that they will need to break off the gold from their ears and they willingly comply. Aaron creates a golden calf and builds an altar for it.
The next day, burnt offerings are made on the altar & the people feast and play.
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 32:1-6 - New English Translation
The Sin of the Golden Calf - When the people saw that Moses delayed in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said to him, “Get up, make us gods that will go before us. As for this fellow Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has...
Aaron replies that they will need to break off the gold from their ears and they willingly comply. Aaron creates a golden calf and builds an altar for it.
The next day, burnt offerings are made on the altar & the people feast and play.
paradox3
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The creation of the golden calf is idolatry, forbidden by God.
However. The altar and the burnt offering seem like they could be in keeping with God's instructions to Moses.
One interpretation (mentioned in the NET notes) is that Aaron might have been trying to redirect the people back to Yahweh.
Also, was he trying to call their bluff when he demanded their gold earrings? Was Aaron afraid the people might turn on him?
jimkenney12
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On the surface level he is afraid of them and makes a copy of what other people in the area use. He made them pay for their demand.
paradox3
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The Israelites made their demands when Moses was delayed on the mountain and they weren't sure what became of him.
Does this mean their loyalty was primarily to Moses instead of to God? Is this too much power to give to a religious leader?
Does this happen today?
Does this mean their loyalty was primarily to Moses instead of to God? Is this too much power to give to a religious leader?
Does this happen today?
jimkenney12
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Their loyalty was to themselves.
paradox3
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Exodus 32: 7-14
www.biblegateway.com
God instructs Moses to descend the mountain because the people have become corrupt & are worshipping idols.
"The people have become stiff necked," God says. "Leave me alone, so my anger will burn against them and I can destroy them."
Moses advocates for the people and God relents.
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 32:7-14 - New English Translation
The LORD spoke to Moses, “Go quickly, descend, because your people, whom you brought up from the land of Egypt, have acted corruptly. They have quickly turned aside from the way that I commanded them—they have made for themselves a molten calf and have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and...
God instructs Moses to descend the mountain because the people have become corrupt & are worshipping idols.
"The people have become stiff necked," God says. "Leave me alone, so my anger will burn against them and I can destroy them."
Moses advocates for the people and God relents.
jimkenney12
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The only witness to this was Moses. A good story to tell to scare them into line.
paradox3
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Interesting that so many biblical stories have no witnesses. Jesus being tempted in the wilderness comes to mind.
In tomorrow's reading, it will be Moses who is irate with the Israelites.
paradox3
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Exodus 32:15-24
www.biblegateway.com
Moses descends the mountain, holding the two stone tablets that were engraved by God. He and Joshua can hear the noise-making of the people.
When they approach the camp and see the dancing and the Golden Calf, Moses becomes extremely angry. He throws the tablets from his hands and breaks them into pieces.
He burns the Calf in the fire, grinds it into powder and pours it on the water. He makes the Israelites drink the water.
Moses questions Aaron who initially blames the people for the creation of the Golden Calf. He admits he called for the gold but claims the calf just emerged from the fire.
Bible Gateway passage: Exodus 32:15-24 - New English Translation
Moses turned and went down from the mountain with the two tablets of the testimony in his hands. The tablets were written on both sides—they were written on the front and on the back. Now the tablets were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. When...
When they approach the camp and see the dancing and the Golden Calf, Moses becomes extremely angry. He throws the tablets from his hands and breaks them into pieces.
He burns the Calf in the fire, grinds it into powder and pours it on the water. He makes the Israelites drink the water.
Moses questions Aaron who initially blames the people for the creation of the Golden Calf. He admits he called for the gold but claims the calf just emerged from the fire.
jimkenney12
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How does someone burn a gold statue, grind it to dust, and dump it into water? I never questioned that action before. A person could speculate that the author or authors knew nothing about metallurgy. Or this is the conflation of two stories in which in one of the stories the golden calf was a gold plated wooden carving.
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