The Book of Ecclesiastes

Today(Jan 24), my cousin handed me the reading I am to do tomorrow for the funeral of her mom, my aunt Bernice.  It is the one we all know but worth a rethink.  Chapter 3 1-13.  It is the reading we are familiar with - "there is a time for everything..."  There is a time for everything and many moments in our lives for all we are to experience and do.  But we experience and do trying to understand "everything" and yet cannot.  That is a good place to be in a weird way.  We accept ourselves and others better when we are in that empty place.  That seems to be the prominent theme to Ecclesiastes.  The upbeat portion though is that we 'rejoice in our work.'  Though we cannot understand all, we can practice obedience to God's law to treat our fellow well and work.  Here is an interesting example of turning from sacrificing to practicing obedience, turning from the letter to the spirit of God's law.  Ch 4   verse 17  "Guard your step when you go to the House of God.  Let your approach be obedience, rather than the fools' offering of sacrifice; for they know not how to keep from doing evil."  And follow that with Chapter 5 verse 17 -19 - read aloud at our gathering.  "Here is what I recognize as good..."

Ecclesiastes, like the other books of wisdom, tries to tell us how to live and begins with recognizing that we are not God which gives us a place to be on earth without trying to understand everything.  We are full of our own vanities and self-estimations.  Happiness is found in accepting our station in life, working and enjoying it while trusting in the Lord for the rest

Proverbs

Proverbs are bits of wisdom and are attributed to Solomon.  Here is a good one:  "The fear(respect, reverence) of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; wisdom and instruction fools despise."  And here is an invocation to the importance of reading the Scriptures ;  "4, 7-9The beginning of wisdom is: get wisdom; at the cost of all you have, get understanding."  Many of the Proverbs begin, "Hear, my son..." and so these are exhortations and lessons from a father to child, in fact of God to his children.  These are very differently stated than the commandments and yet have the same message.  But they are stated sweetly
When my sons each wnent through 7th grade their teachers had them read the proverbs.  They liked them for their plain spokenness and color.
Another one to remember,  " The fool takes no delight in understanding, but rather in displaying what he thinks."
The last one "the Ideal Wife " is good.  

Psalms

I think that the Psalms got on my radar again when I began singing them with the St. Francis choir during Sunday service.  I miss singing them as they are so lovely.  Last year I reread them so will not read them all again now.  Suffice it to say - when you begin to pay attention to the Psalms you are tuning in to the beauty and wisdom of the Bible and to God.

At first, the Psalms can put you off because there is so much mention of battle and killing of foes.  But as we all face battles in our lives, you begin to identify with these 150 songs of the ancient Kings David and Solomon.  And having read about the very real battles and foes they faced in the Torah and the historical books you understand the origin of the Psalms.  And if you keep reading you are rewarded with some of the most beautiful poetry.

Though there are many more elegant metaphors in the psalms, my all-time favorite is Psalm 131 attributed to David.
"Lord, my heart is not proud;
  nor are my eyes haughty.
I do not busy myself with great matters,
  with things too sublime for me.
Rather, I have stilled my soul,
  Hushed it like a weaned child.
Like a weaned child on its mother's lap,
  so is my soul within me.
Israel, hope in the Lord,
  now and forever."

Psalms are laments and cries for help and songs of comfort and then thanks and praise.  

Psalm 103 Part 3 and 128 and 139, 142, 146  are favorites too.
I also like to remember that these psalms were prayed by Jesus as the psalms were the Hebrew psalter and were daily prayers for the Jews in Jesus' time.

Job and the beginning of the Books of Wisdom

This is a book I love and never tire of reading.  And it is a book that is best understood having read the Torah I think.  The first time I read it before reading the Torah I was taken with Job's righteous calling for God to come down and explain to him Himself why his life was turned upside down as Job knew he had done his best to be obedient on earth.  He would not have called to God had he not believed he was God.  Sometimes I have prayed like that.  It is a kind of prayer born of deep need.  After reading the Torah and re-reading Job I see that when God comes down to speak with Job( and isn't that wonderful - God is not distant, but near) he sets Job straight.  He tells Job that he cannot and will not ever understand everything ever.  Again, as in the Torah, God makes the distinction between Himself and man.  And Job who now has seen God, believes him and understands his position in the scheme of creation.  He accepts he is created by God and repents.  He has a change of heart!!!!

With Job, we have entered the Books of Wisdom of the Bible.  Some that are in my Catholic Bible are not in my Episcopalian Bible(including the one called Wisdom).  I don't have a clue why not because I love these books of the Bible.  Ask about that.  The wisdom section of the Bible begins with Job and ends when Isaiah begins with the next section - The Prophets.

Esther

This book tells the story of the King of Persia who is angered by Vashti one of his wives who disobeys him.  He wants to make a spectacle of her.  Meanwhile his Jewish servant Mordecai has refused to render him homage for religious reasons angering the King.  The King is caught in a trap of his own making when  he selects Esther to replace Vashti.  Esther is Mordecai's niece and she saves her people from the Persians who are trying to kill them all.  This story honors the Feast of Purim(lots) when the Jews were again saved from death by God's help.

Judith

This book which is in my Catholic Bible is not in the New Revised Standard Version.  I did read it though and it tells the story of Judith, the Jewess widow, who saves her people from the evil King Nabuchadnezzer by going to the camp of Holofernes and beheading him.  Holofernes and his hordes were camped and ready to destroy the Jews.  Judith's accomplishment is the strength of her love of her God and that is very forceful in this tale.  The notes preceeding the chapter state tht this book is rally an allegory and the feast of Passover is the story retold here of the Jews exodus and eventual safe passage.

This quote I noted " Not for vengeance did the Lord put them in the crucible to try their hearts, nor has he done so with us.  It is by way of admonition that he chastises those who are close to him."  The lord tests us because he loves us.  There is truth in that.  It reminds me of Job.

Ezra

Ezra is not too exciting as it is about preserving the letter of the law.

Chronicles 1,2

Chronicles is like a recap of Kings but with an historian chronicler's emphasis.  opens with a lineage of kings from David and emphasizes what David and Solomon accomplished.  David is shown as a great man as his mercy attests he is made in the image of God.  He himself realizes though that he has shed lots of blood to consolidate his people and so he abdicates building the temple himself. What a remarkable revelation by a King - a powerful figure who realized God is greater than man.  No wonder we trace Christ to David's line.  Rather he laid up the wealth for his son Solomon to do so.  The other kings leading to the Babylonian capture are cited again.  The early revelation that Kings would only be earthly and not to be confused with the heavenly Lord and King is shown through Kings and Chronicles.  At the close of Chronicles2, we hear the people have refound Moses laws and they are being read to the people.
So interesting how we go back and forth between unity and confusion and rereading the Law is what steers us the right direction.

Book of Kings

The two books of the Kings cover the many kings - good and bad, wise and not so- who governed Israel after the period of consolidation under David.  As the Book opens we hear that David is old, so old he cannot keep himself warm anymore(my dear Mom has that trouble).  One of his sons is trying to usurp the throne though David is living.  David had promised his succesion to Solomon however.
Solomon's reign is noted for expansion  each of the twelve tribes/states provide daily for the king's /kingdoms food and needs.  Solomon decides it is time to build a temple to the Lord.  (See the picture in my Bible)  He does but seems to know that as fine as it is it is no match or equal for the greatness of God.  No wonder Solomon's reputation is for wisdom.  The famous story of the two women fighting over the baby is also found here.  That is one of the first Bible stories I remember and it embodies the wisdom of Solomon.  Many kings follow Solomon.  In the second book we are introduced to Elijah.  The reading becomes more obtuse and instead of history we feel the shift to myth and prophecy in the text.  The scene where Elijah rises to the heavens in a chariot and calls upon his father prefigures Christ's resurrection.  At the close of Kings 2, the Babylonians circle Jerusalem and the city is about to fall to Nabuchadonosr.

Samuel 1 and 2

The Annunciation prayer is first here Chapter 2!!!  It is the prayer that Hannah makes in gratitude for her son Samuel.  The same prayer that we hear at Mary's Annunciation.

First the priests, then the judges, then the KINGS!    Samuel warns the people of how the Kings will abuse power and that they are better off with worshipping one God  Ch 8 V10.  Samuel points out to Saul that the Lord delights in obedience more than in sacrifice.  Samuel 1 19-23

The story of David and Goliath

Samuel 2 recounts the wonders of David's reign over Israel.  At last he is establishing the consolidation of Israel.  Though he is seen as having many faults along the way, yet he turns to God when he sins and he is also merciful in seeking justice(well, some of the time).  The songs he sings praising the Lord are like precursors to the Psalms.  Chapters 22 and 23.

Book of Ruth

The first time I read the Book of Ruth I was horrified at the real history of the enslavement of women and their status as property.
This reading I am more able to focus on Ruth's piety and humility.  She really embodies the trust that all of us must learn as we come to love God and desire to follow and obey him and his plan for us.

Book of Judges

After Joshua establishes the 12 tribes in the land of Canaan and dies, the judges are left to rule the nation but there seems to be difficulty doing this primarily because the people are disobedient.  Actually it seems that what is going on is the problem of assimilation.  The territories of the tribes were previously inhabited and the newcomers - the Hebrews- are mixing with them.  Cultural and religious challenges and battles are bound to happen. The power of the law is to give the Judges the ability to keep their people faithful if only the people will follow it.  Ch 2 6-23 shows this is not happening and so battling begins.  This leads the way to Kings when the attempts to unify the people are made again.  The Judges warn the people that making Kings will not necessarily bring unity; only obedience to the law will do that.  

Joshua - The Begining of the "Historical" Books

At the opening Moses has died and Joshua is being told by the Lord to prepare to cross the river Jordan leading the Israelites into Canaan.  This book recounts the many battles of the Israelites as they come into Canaan and try to regain it for themselves and drive out the other tribes they find.  It also describes how the twelve tribes (except for the Levites I think) were given certain territories, thus establishing states and the nation of Israel.

And they do so with a ruthlessness.  Disturbing passsage Chapter 11 Verse 19-20.  Some commentators say this prefigures how faith in Jesus, the Messiah, will spiritually win the world.

Interesting mention of the "cities of asylum"  "to which one guilty of accidental and unintended homicide may flee for asylum"  Chapter 20  This leads to the next chapter about the cities for the Levites.

Then it gets really interesting in Chapter 22 verses 21-30 when the tribes- fighting amongst themselves- discusss what altar-making means.. Here we hear for the first time that altars are more about keeping faith with the Lord than with offering sacrifice.  More about having the Lord always with them that they may teach their children.  This was important and necessary to the scattered tribes of Hebrews because it kept them united (at least for awhile)

Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy means 2nd Law.  One of our group told us that this book was written down 200 years after the Hebrews had moved into Canaan.  As it opens Moses is telling his people goodbye.  It is rather appropriate that he not go into Canaan with them as his job is done(he is also very old and near death.)  He appoints Joshua to lead them
Nearing the land of Canaan they had fought many battles.  Moses allays their fears and manages to rally them, in this case, against the Amorites.  The people sat murmuring in their tents afraid to battle the Amorites and ignoring God's plan for them to continue their journey and to inhabit the promised land.  Deuteronomy is second law because it is a recapitulation of the 10 Commandments in the light of love.  Laws were made for man to know God.  But man does not obey law for any truer purpose than to love God.  Obeying Law in and of itself only is mere pride.

Read Deut 6 4-9  "Hear O Israel.."

Also read 30: 11-14
Deuteronomy was popular as the Psalms in Jesus day.  These were the last words of Moses to his people.  Again he prefigures Christ here.  He exorts his people to trust in God and live by his commandments that they may dwell in peace in a place God prepares for them.  Trust is not in human endeavors but in God's love and covenance with man.

One of our members points out that this book was one of 8000 versions written during the Hebrews early days in the land of Canaan.  So, at this point I am beginning to not worry so much about 'context' and just enjoy more the unfolding of the revelations to be found.  Will be interesting to hear what our biblical scholar says about the last book of our Bible - Revelations - is like.  I will read it before I begin the class - only 15 pages and does not matter about order of reading.

Numbers

"Numbers" because it refers to the Censuses taken in the desert, one at the beginning of the Israelites wanderings and the other near the end.  These censuses were for the purpose of the military draft.
The first census of males 20 years or more and fit for military service comprised 11 of the 12 tribes of which Judah was the largest(74,000) and totaled over 600,000.
The Levites -Tribe of the House of Levi- were not included as they were the priestly class assigned to the Lord's dwelling - moving it and offering sacrifice in it.  They numbered 22,000.
It seeems the purpose of the first census was to defend them as they crossed the desert.  The second census purpose was to rebuild the armies to conquer and claim the land of Canaan.  The Levites were always to care for the temple and ritual and could only serve between the ages of 25-50.

The stoning of the Sabbath breaker was disturbing.  Also mention of stoning your own children if they disobey.  Old Testament law is severe and strict.

Interesting that Censuses were taken for draft purposes.  That was true as recently as the last century in Europe.  Where else in the world does this happen today.  The Middle East??  Seems we are evolving to something better?

Leviticus

My husband tells me the boys in high school used to read Leviticus for all the racy parts.  I must be old, I did not find any particularly racy parts.
The house of Levi, the Levites are the priestly class chosen by God to lead the people out os slavery and into the new home - the promised land.  Interesting that they must also become somewhat the guides of the military battles too.  Also the law-makers and many laws are listed.
When the Hebrews break these laws there is much mention of their being "unclean,"  To be made clean again is usually a mattter of time.  They must wait til sundown frequently and cease all activity.  Occasionally, bathing was involved.  So the laws also preserved their health it seems.  Also their is an emphasis on God with them.  They want to be clean as they are in God's presence.  They are no longer homeless.  They are no longer slaves.  The phrase "I amd the Lord your God" is frequently appearing in the text.
The Sabbath was God's day but also important as a day of rest

Exodus

Chosen People.  As Exodus opens the Hebrews are in Egypt as slaves building temples for Egyptians to their gods.  Foreign gods.  The chosen people are trying to remain faithful and they are surviving but they long to return to theie home and their God; to have the freedom of religion.  They are doing well enough, in fact, the Pharoah considers them a threat and orders the first born killed.  Moses' mother and sister save him by hiding him in a basket in the bulrushes.  He is found by none other than the Pharoah's daughter.  Think of yourself as a young girl finding a newborn in a creek.  Who would not fall in love with the baby, irregardless of Pharoah's decree.

In Exodus, as Moses grows up we hear him say, "I am a stranger in a strange land."  He seems to know of his mission early, afterall he is one of the few or only first born sons to survive.  After many signs from God- the 10 plagues-, the Pharoah finally agrees to let Moses lead his people out.  God knew their journey would be frightening and they would want to turn back so rather than send them through Philistine land he lead them across the Sea of Reeds 'that they knew they could not turn back.

Once they are in the desert, they begin to experience hardships and complain to Moses that they should not have left the comfort of their homes in Egypt.  Moses seems to understand that to lead them effectively he must unite them and I see the beginnings of the Hebrews re-establishing themselves as a society with laws, religious ritual, property laws and other rules for living together well.  Having one God and one set of laws will bring them together and keep them united.  They had already experienced having multiple gods.
Their religious law-making begins at Chapter 23 Verse 10 and continues through Chapter 31 Verse 18.  Laws about a tent dwelling as a sanctuary for the Ark of the Covenant, the priests' dress, even down to the recipes for incense and anointing oil are adddressed.
When in Chapter 32 Moses goes to the mountain to receive the 10 Commandments the "stiff-necked" people get into more trouble and begin worshipping golden calves and the like.  God is described as tired of their sinful natures and that Moses has to intervene on their behalf.  I see this as first hint of Jesus mission.  Moses begs the Lord to forgive his people.
Then the covenant is renewed and the rest of Exodus is about that renewal of the Tablets, the Altars, the Sabbath Laws, and how it serves to unify them for battle and amongst themselves socially.

History & Notes:
Moses is of the house(there are twelve tribes) of Levi.  (Leviticus - the Levites became the priestly class.  They do not own land and live instead from the donations of/offerings from the people.  Their mission of unification of the people is necessary for the survival of the tribes' trek across the desert for 40 years.)

The Red Sea is the Sea of Reeds??  I wonder about the miracle of the sea swallowing the Egyptians in pursuit of the escaping Hebrews.  Could there have been a natural explanation?  Tides??? Monsoons??
The map on p 72 in my Bible shows the route they took.(The New American Bible - St Joseph Edition)

The night the chosen people leave Egypt they do so with little notice and hence the Passover is remembering this night when they wrapped their unleavened bread(unsalted or without yeast? Salt stops yeast from over-expanding and adds flavor - in Tuscany, bread is still made without salt) and fled Egypt.   Imagine leaving a place where you had been for 430 years and going to the desert with very few belongings or foods.  Passover marks the night the Lord kept vigil for his people and thus their Passovers since have been feasts of vigilance.  We still feel this vigilance theme in many of our Christian holidays.

Read aloud Chapter 40 Verses 34-38 about God's presence in the dwelling.  This is also a way Moses has to guide the people and see that they travel at safe times. The mention of dust storms.  Fires in the tent would have been clear signal to gather up and move.  Descriptions about how to offer sacrifice also very detailed and to the purpose of getting the people's attention.

Intro and Genesis

I worked on this blog idea over the Christmas holiday and am now sharing it.  (Don't worry, I have made private settings so this is not a searchable blog online though if I have given you the address you can access it, I hope.)  It can be a place for all participants to comment or leave notes for something they want to discuss, etc.

Having people to share this with is great.  Three of us have met once and even though it was in a cold vault(that's another story) it was a warm gathering.  As we read, we mark passages we want to remember to discuss or simply read.  When we gather we share our reading.  I think we all find the reading is a kind of praying and listening at the same time.  Our last meeting was five and maybe we will continue to grow.

As we "read, mark, and inwardly digest" the message of the Bible some of us make notes.  I was writing in longhand a quick summary of thoughts and decided I might as well do it here and keep it organized.  That is what appears below and in posts.  The place for comments is below.  Just click on comments and follow the instructions to add your comments.

Realize that the Bible is about 1400 pages and 300 of that is the New Testament.  So go get yourself a Bible and don't be afraid to mark in it.  It seems we each have different versions of the Bible but we decided that is OK.  We have already realized that different versions have different books but that is also a learning experience.

Before you begin, here is a note about how the Bible is organized (and approximate pages) which I found helpful.

               The Torah is God’s Law in the first five books.  Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy.  This is basically the history of the Hebrews.  211 pages

   

          The historical books from Joshua to Esther.  300 pages

  

          The Poetic Books   including Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon.  250 pages

          The Major(1^st 5) and Minor prophets Prophets:  Isaiah to Malachi   300 pages

          The New Testament :  the 4 Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.  175 pages

          History  of the early church from The Acts of the Apostles to Jude  200 pages

          Revelation  15 pages

******************************************************************************

GENESIS:

Meaning:

When I read Genesis I was struck by the fact that God was continually making covenants with man.  The part about the apple of the tree of knowledge which gets so much attention seemed rather unimportant  compared to the fact that God kept seeking out man and woman to make His covenants with.  His first covenant was with Adam and Eve.  Then he made a new one with Noah and then with Abraham and Sarah and next with Jacob, Abraham’s grandson, and lastly(in Genesis) with Jacob’s son, Joseph.
The description of the covenants were each a bit different but the covenant -making was a constant.  Nor is the covenant between equal partners for we are made in the image of God and do have free will but we are not God.  Because we are made in his image we recognize Him, and when we are separated from him we lose our mooring, hence the need for covenant-making.  The horrible notion that Abraham would be required to sacrifice his son Isaac  to appease God or obtain his love misses the point.  The point is when we put our trust in God our faith in his plan for us increases. We begin to understand our nature- not to be God but to be his and to trust Him.  Thus Genesis is one of the 5 books of the Law- God’s Law for us.

We are led to obey because we are His.   God created us to his purpose, which, as he is powerful enough to create the universe and us in it, then we want to trust him.  He has our good at heart, so why would we not trust him?  I liked Rhonda's point about God as Creator and that we, in his image, are powerful when we create.  As a painter I zeroed in on that.

Oh, and about that apple.  He gave us free will.  When we make bad choices He lets us know quickly that we have done so through our feelings of shame over wrongdoing and fear of the consequences - separation from him.  But, again, though we feel ashamed he never seems to be ashamed of us because he seeks us over and over.

Some of the reading interests me because it offers history passed down in an oral tradition before it was written.  And so I will make some notes of the history and my thoughts on it.  For example, when Sarah and Abraham up the Euphrates and into the land of Canaan they encounter earthquakes.  Earthquakes were common of course as they still occur.  I don't see them as acts of God to punish.

I thought Jacob was a most interesting character.  He is good, smart and law abiding,  He brings good influence but we also see him suffering(wrestling angels etc.)   Jacob goes to Bethel with family to establish an altar and God renames him Israel.  Jacob has twelve sons including Benjamin by Rachel and also Joseph.    These twelve become the tribes of Israel we will hear more about in the next 4 books.  Joseph is the one sold into slavery in Egypt.  Joseph seems to know his misssion as Genesis closes.