What I know now that I didn't know before

I guess I probably learned different things than a lot of people since I came into the class with a different perspective.

1. I learned to love the Bible more. Through challenging topics that we discussed, my love for the Bible's depth grew. I had to seek understanding on things that upon first reading made no sense. Dr. Sexson and my classmates helped me to see the beauty, the poetry, the intensity of the Bible in new ways.

2. Another thing that really sticks out is my research on the canon of scripture. I asked the question of where this book by which I live my life originated. How were all these texts pieced together to make up what we now call the Bible? It turned out to be a very intriguing story.

3. In researching Passover for my final paper, I looked at the stories in the Bible more historically. The story of God's Chosen People that continues today. The story is not yet resolved. If the Bible is a comedy, we are still awaiting the resolution.

4. The Furnace: Through reading Frye, Job, and other stories, I learned what it means to go through the furnace and come out as something new and different.

5. Lacuna: I just like the word. Sometimes the gaps in the Bible are so huge. What were those writers thinking?

6. I loved The Slave and I will definitely pass it on. I loved listening to everyone's different interpretations of it during the presentations.

7. Just like Jacob's love for the things of God grew and never died, so is my love for the Lord growing. I'm learning more about the God of the Bible who is both forgiving and just, loving and wrathful, confusing and very big. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? (1 Corinthians 2:18)

Lately I've been intrigued with Moses, and his journey with God. His prayer before he goes up to Mount Sinai is my conclusion: If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.

God "Passed Over"

In Isaac Bashevis Singer’s compelling novel, The Slave, the Jewish protagonist, Jacob, talks about Jewish traditions that may be unfamiliar to many readers, especially those without a knowledge of the Bible or of Jewish history. While reading this novel, I had many questions regarding the traditions that Jacob practiced, and the history behind them. For this paper, I decided to try to gain an understanding of the important Jewish holiday, Passover. In Singer’s novel, Jacob is a devout Jew who follows the commandments of the law wholeheartedly. The traditions and laws laid out by the Torah are extensive and complicated, but Jacob does not forsake the commandments even while living in desperate conditions as a slave to the Cossacks. Today Jews are still bound by the law of the Torah, and many practice their religion with incredible devotion. Jews around the world celebrate Passover around the time others celebrate Easter, and the Passover feast holds great significance and symbolism for not only Jews but also Christians. Knowledge of the book of Exodus as well as the story of the Bible greatly increases understanding of this holiday. For Jews, Passover remembers the God’s faithfulness in providing for his people, while for Christians who believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the symbolism in the meal points directly to Christ.

The Passover feast originated on the night that the Israelites escaped from Egyptian captivity under the leadership of Moses, as told in the first 15 chapters of the book of Exodus (“Jewish Virtual Library”). The name of the celebration, “Passover,” literally means “God passed over.” It refers to the night that the angel of the Lord passed over and struck dead the firstborn in every family that did not perform to the Lord the sacrifice that he required. In Exodus 12: 21-28, Moses gives the people instructions regarding the sacrifice. For those who sacrificed the lamb and put its blood on their doorposts, the Lord spared the firstborn of that household. Following this devastating plague in which the Pharaoh lost his only son, he finally let the Israelites go. The Israelites had to leave quickly, and so they took unleavened bread because they had no time to wait for it to rise. During Passover, the Jews remove all the “leaven.” The removal of the leaven signifies that the Jews were in a hurry to leave Egypt and could not wait for their bread to rise. It was after the Israelites left Egypt that the Lord commanded Moses and Aaron to remember the Passover (“Jewish Virtual Library”).

Passover lasts seven days in Israel and eight days outside of Israel (“BBC: Religions”). The highlight of the celebration is the meal, or Seder, which takes place on the first two nights. The Haggadah is a Jewish text that explains the Passover rituals. It is a fulfillment of the command in Exodus 13:8 to “tell thy son.” The Haggadah tells of the Jewish experience in Egypt as well as outlining songs, blessings, psalms, and Four Questions. The Four Questions explain the symbolism of the traditions. The first questions regards the eating on unleavened bread, which reminds Jews of the Exodus when the Israelites left Egypt in a hurry. Next, the bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery. The dipping of food in liquid remembers the tears of the Jews during their captivity. Finally, they eat in a reclining position to symbolize freedom. Usually the youngest child will ask the four questions regarding these symbols and the father will answer the child (“BBC: Religions”).

Every food that makes up the Seder is symbolic in some way (“BBC: Religions”). A shank bone of the lamb represents sacrifices that the Jews would make at the Temple of Jerusalem. An egg represents sacrifice as well, and symbolizes the Jews getting stronger and not abandoning their beliefs while suffering under the Egyptians. The greenery symbolizes new life. Salt water symbolizes the tears of the slaves (“BBC: Religions”). Four glasses of wine signify the four promises God makes to his people in Exodus 6:6-7, which says,

“Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.

The cups are called the Cup of Sanctification, the Cup of the Plagues, the Cup of Redemption, and the Cup of Praise (Scott). The Jews also place an extra cup of wine by the door for Elijah (“BBC: Religions”). They believe that Elijah will come during Passover to announce the coming of the Messiah. This hope of the Messiah shows up in the conclusion of the Haggadah, when they shout “Next year in Jerusalem!” to express excitement for the coming of the Messiah who will bring freedom (“BBC: Religions”).

For the Jewish community, the celebration is an important act of both remembering the Lord’s faithfulness in liberating his children from the Egyptians and looking ahead to the future (“BBC: Religions”). However, for Christians who believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the celebration’s symbolism also has a deep relevance. In the Bible, Jesus celebrates the last Passover with his disciples before he is crucified (Scott). Today, Christians celebrate Communion, or Eucharist, to remember this meal. Looking back on the traditions of the Seder, they seem to point directly to Jesus. For example, just as the choice lamb is slain to remember how the Israelites made a sacrifice to the Lord for their freedom, Jesus is called the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). The Matzo, which is broken and hidden away in a linen napkin, strikingly parallels the way Jesus’ body was broken, wrapped in linen, buried, and then raised (Robinson). This Matzo is the bread that Jesus breaks when he says, “This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.” After that, he takes the third cup, the cup of redemption, and says, “This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” The cup of redemption refers to the promise in Exodus that says, “And I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments.” (Robinson). Jesus is saying that he is the Passover Lamb, and that just as the Israelites were freed from captivity with the blood of a spotless lamb, so can everyone, both Jew and gentile, now be free from sin through the blood of the lamb, Jesus (Scott). Passover is a tradition that has not died, and it the traditions bleed with deep symbolism. Jacob in Singer’s novel understands the depth of the tradition, and perhaps this understanding is what keeps him from falling away in difficult times.

Works Cited

“Passover.” BBC: Religions. BBC, 2009. Web. 7 Dec 2010.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holydays/passover_1.shtml

“Passover.” Jewish Virtual Library. American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise, 2010.

Web. 7 Dec 2010. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/holidaya.html

Robinson, Rich. “The Messiah in The Passover.” Menorah Ministries. N.p., n.d. Web. 7

Dec 2010. http://www.menorah.org/the%20messiah%20in%20the%20passover.html

Scott, Nancy. “The Significance of Passover.” McKenzie Study Center. Gutenberg

College, 1999. Web. 7 Dec 2010. http://www.mckenziestudycenter.org/theology/articles/passover.html

Passover

I'm researching passover for my paper, and am finding that the symbolism of this celebration is incredible. Here are some pictures of the meal.

Reverence

When is the last time you were so amazed by something that you were rendered speechless? I think the scene in Acts 2 would have had such an effect on me. Jesus had promised his Holy Spirit. In fact, he told his disciples that "it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7). As always, the promise is fulfilled. And the Spirit does not arrive quietly, He comes in style. No one can deny his presence.

²And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.³And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.⁴And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

And all the people were "amazed and marvelled" at what they had seen. They had experienced the presence of the Lord, and they would never be the same. This experience that leads to transformation seems to be a theme throughout the whole Bible. An encounter, or an epiphany, with the living God just cannot leave someone unchanged. Jacob wrestling with God, Moses and the burning bush, Uzzah (killed for touching the Ark of the Covenant, which was God's presence), Paul on the road to Damascus, to name a few. Throughout the Bible, the presence of the Lord brings people to their knees. It wrecks them, and forever changes them, just like it did in Acts 2. Maybe it's not all about understanding God, but experiencing his presence in a way that brings us to our knees in worship.

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Psalm 16:11

Finishing the Bible before Christmas? Probably not

I pretty much failed at any attempt to read the entire Bible this semester, but mostly because I was already on a journey to read the Bible under a different time frame. I can't imagine reading the whole thing in such a short amount of time. It seems like I read half a chapter of the Old Testament, and it takes me a few days to process it. There is so much depth in the "J" stories and even in the "P" writing that confuses me and baffles me and amazes me. So... even though I may have failed in regards to the assignment from this class, my endeavors will not end with the end of the semester. I'm excited to get the the minor prophets books that I have never read before and soon enough to try to make some sense out of Revelation.

I am in agreement with this quote from David Plotz, considering the incredible impact the Bible has had on our society, literature, and history.

"Not to sound like a theocratic crank, but I'm actually shocked that students aren't compelled to read huge chunks of the Bible in high school and college, the way they must read Shakespeare or the Constitution or Mark Twain."

Sermon on the Mount

The Beatitudes

1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him:

2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.

5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

THAT is countercultural. Everything our society is telling us, Jesus is basically saying the exact opposite. Society says, "Blessed are those who believe in themselves," but Jesus says, "Blessed are the poor in spirit." Society says, "Blessed are those who find happiness," and Jesus says, "Blessed are those who mourn." Society says, "Blessed are the prideful," but Jesus values the meek. Society says, "Do whatever makes you feel good," and Jesus says blessed are the righteous. You get the point. The Sermon on the Mount is radical, and not just radical today but radical from the day that he said them until today. These teachings are not only countercultural but they are counter to human nature. The Jesus of the Bible is undeniably radical. C. S. Lewis makes this argument:

"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on the level with a man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse."

"You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

Fiddler on the roof - Tradition ( with subtitles )

The Slave

I began reading The Slave a couple days ago, and I see why it is so intriguing. I'm amazed by Jacob's pious religiosity and his love for the commandments. The battle of spirit against flesh is portrayed so well. It reminds me of the verse that Professor Sexson quoted in class: "The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." (Matthew 26:41) Jesus says this to his disciples when he asks them to stay awake and pray, while he goes and prays to the father in the garden before he is arrested. I was thinking about how in the history of the church, persecution has actually made believers stronger and the church has grown exponentially during these times. We'll see if the same is true for Jacob. Here are some words I looked up.

Gemara: The second part of the Talmud, mostly Rabbinical commentary on the Mishna

Mishnah: The first part of the Talmud that contains early interpretations of the scriptures

Cabala: A Jewish mystical movement based on a symbolic interpretation of the Scriptures; it flourished from the end of the 12th century

Eulogize: to praise highly in speech or writing

Researching Judaism and reading The Slave, I can't help think about Fiddler on the Roof. Here's a clip just for fun.

JOB

Why do bad things happen to good people? Certainly this is one of the most common questions that keep people from believing in God. How can a “good” God allow his children to suffer? Job gets bombarded with one thing after another. Ha if you think your life is hard, try being Job for a day. He is innocent! His “friends” try to tell him that God is punishing him for sin, but they are wrong. But if God is not punishing Job, what is the purpose of this suffering? God’s purpose is always to bring glory to himself. That may sound pompous, but think about it. He is GOD. THE ONE AND ONLY. THE I AM. The God of the Bible is a jealous God who is in both created the world and controls it. So it would make sense for him to bring glory to himself because there is no one and nothing greater. I wouldn’t want to follow a humble or docile God. I want to follow an all-powerful God.

God often brings glory to himself by bringing the proud down and delighting in the humble. I can’t think of anyone more humble than Job. Yes, he questions God in the midst of his suffering. He cannot understand it. But God essentially says, “Job, what do you know about the world and how it works? Look at the world beneath you and the world above you. Look at the animals. What do you understand about the world I created? Nothing! Who are you to question my ways?” Is God on a power trip? He definitely wants his glory and majesty to be seen, but I think he also wants to show that his might is purposeful (Job 40:14). He has a plan that we cannot understand… and it is for our good. Psalm 84:11 says, For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly. He is asking Job to cling to this promise, and at the end of it all Job’s response is this:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not. Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

His submissive response is hard for us to swallow in our individualistic society, but for me personally, the joy of knowing God comes from submitting to his will and recognizing how small I am compared to his greatness.

Apocrypha???

When I bought the KJV Bible from the MSU bookstore and opened it up, I was surprised to see books that I had never heard of. Wisdom? Sirach? Susanna? In my church background, I have never see these books. I soon discovered these books are part of the Apocrypha, the non-Canonical texts. After reading Susanna, I decided to do some research on the Canon of Scripture. Why do most churches today disregard the Apocrypha? I couldn't find anything unbiblical in the story of Susanna. What I found was that this is a debate that exists even today, but I think I now have a basic understanding of why the books we call the Old Testament are regarded as sacred while the Apocrypha is not. It is safe to assume that the Old Testament that we have now is the same as the Hebrew Bible. These are the sacred texts of the Israelites. The confusion began after Jesus went back to Heaven and the Jews began to spread the gospel to the Gentiles. The Gentiles didn't understand Hebrew, so they began to use the Septuagint, which was a translation that had been made for Greek-speaking Alexandrian Jews. This meant that the first Latin manuscript came from the Septuagint instead of the original Hebrew, and thus began the confusion.

I'll write more about the Canon later as I research more, but one other interesting thing I read had to do with the chronological arrangement of the Old Testament. It has a definite symmetrical shape. The three sections (Law, Prophets, and Writings) each has a narrative and literary part. The narrative part always follows chronological order while the literary part is arranged in descending order by their size. The diagram shows the shape of the Old Testament.

Woman, Female, Feminine

Does the God of the Bible value women? I think that is the question that was raised in my mind from Thursday’s lecture. Certainly the women of the Bible experience injustice and hardship, but from what I see, God is never condoning the injustice. Just because something is in the Bible does not mean that God approves of it. Women are definitely not powerless or weak to God in the Old or New Testament. Women like Tamar, Ruth, and Esther show incredible strength and greatly influence those around them. I love how God displays and values women and their femininity in the Bible because it is obvious to me that he values them deeply. The heart of the woman is in many ways a reflection of God’s heart. God said that He created man and woman in his own image, so it would make sense that the feminine would carry some attributes of God. When I think of God in this way, I think of tenderness and love for adventure and nurturing qualities, all qualities of women. One of my favorite stories about a woman comes from the New Testament. It is Mary Magdalene. Over and over it is obvious that Mary and Jesus have a deep relationship. Jesus LOVES her, and she pours out her heart before him. In the Mary and Martha story, we see Mary so captured with Jesus that all she can do is sit at his feet and take in his words. Another time, we see her again at his feet anointing him with her tears and wiping his feet with her hair. Jesus was her master, Lord, Teacher, and Friend, and it makes sense that when Jesus is resurrected, he first reveals himself to her. In the garden, she does not recognize him, but then HE SAYS HER NAME. He says, “Mary,” and she recognizes his voice, as he had said she would earlier in John 10. “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.” God loves women. That’s all.

Response to John’s blog, “The Ritual of Remembrance”

I really enjoyed John’s blog and also am intrigued by the idea of return in the Bible. When we read Psalm 137 on Thursday, I was amazed to see the violent verse at the end of the beautiful psalm that talks about dashing infants against the rock. I feel sick to my stomach when I read that line. I decided to look into the background of the Psalm to see if I could find more answers. I found out that this psalm is a lament remembering the Babylonian captivity. The returned exiles are affirming their loyalty to God, and asking that he would deliver justice to their oppressors.

Deuteronomy 32:35 To me [God] belongeth vengeance and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

The Lord does promise to avenge his people and to fight for them, and this is what the psalmist is asking him to do. Paul reminds his followers of this command to let the Lord deliver justice in Romans 12:19 as well. The picture of the infants is… gruesome to say the least. Apparently, the Babylonians had smashed Israelite infants’ heads against rocks during their captivity, and thus this psalmist is asking that their punishment would match their crime (Genesis 9:6 and Exodus 21:23-24). God’s people are not permitted to perform this act of violence, but essentially the writer is asking God to bring justice, which would have to include punishment for anyone who has oppressed his people. So, is God an angry God? I know there is an excessive amount of violence in the OT, and sometimes it seems like he is cruel, but he loves his chosen people, the Israelites, and fight for them. God’s purpose is always to bring his people back to himself when they wander away (the concept of return), an idea that carries on into the New Testament as well.

For if ye turn again unto the LORD, your brethren and your children [shall find] compassion before them that lead them captive, so that they shall come again into this land: for the LORD your God [is] gracious and merciful, and will not turn away [his] face from you, if ye return unto him. 2 Chronicles 30:9

The Bible is all about return. When Jesus comes to save the world, He invites ALL people, Jew and Gentile, to turn back to him for new life. The “church word,” repentance involves recognition of sin, turning away from it, and returning to the Lord. Ultimately, God’s people are waiting for heaven or Christ’s return for the restoration of our bodies to what they were before sin (perfect) and a returning to the Lord… forever. The “dust to dust” idea reminds us that our life on earth is fleeting; our bodies will go back into the ground. The question is… what happens to our spirits after this inevitable failure of our flesh?

I find myself asking/praying the psalmist’s prayer, “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!”

The Great Big Story

So here's my take on what it would look like to understand the Bible as a piece of literature. I see the whole Bible as one Big Story with literary elements like plot, conflict, foreshadowing, etc. I read the Bible not as a random jumble of inconsistent works, but as a cohesive whole. It has a beginning and an end, an obvious story line that starts in Genesis and ends in Revelation. Like Professor Sexson said in class, the New Testament is a response to the Old Testament, so it is necessary to understand both pieces to understand the whole Bible. The Bible is a love story, one of redemption and forgiveness, and I’d like to try to summarize it.

I like the way Frye uses the seven words to divide the Bible into sections.

1. Creation: God created the heavens and the Earth, and it was very good (Genesis 1:23). He had a perfect relationship with Adam and Eve, walking with them in the garden. BUT, enter the serpent, Satan, and sin enters the perfect world. Adam and Eve choose to turn against God, and the result of their choice is a broken relationship with their Creator. Now there is separation between humans and God because God is perfect and humans are not.

2. Exodus: God makes a covenant with Israel, His Chosen People, inviting them to commit to him (Exodus 19:3-6). This nation plays an irreplaceable role in God’s overall plan for the world because through them, a Messiah will come who will bring freedom for all people. Again and again, the Israelites turn their backs on God, but He calls them back to himself and offers grace and forgiveness.

3. Law: The law is instruction given by God to his people for their protection. The law brings order and civility to the theocracy that has been set up.

4. Wisdom: The books of wisdom, like Psalm and Proverbs, are books of practical advice on what it looks like to live well, honoring God with our lives.

5. Prophesy: The prophets remind the Israelites of the Big Story, God’s big plan for the world. They remind Israel of where they are heading, often rebuking or warning them to return to the Lord.

6. Gospel: Here is the climax of the story. Jesus enters the world as a baby to live a sinless life and offer himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sin (1 Peter 3:18). He is fully human and fully God. Remember, there is still a separation between man and God (Romans 3:23). No matter what man does, he cannot reach perfection. However, Jesus comes into the world and offers to carry the weight of our sin as a way to bridge the gap that separates us from God. Jesus dies on the cross because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Not only that, but he rises from the dead, conquering the grave, something that no one has ever before achieved (1 Corinthians 15:4-8). Jesus is the hero; he saves the world from death and offers us the gift of eternal life (John 3:16).

7. Apocalypse: Revelation is a book of prophecy that unveils the spiritual war in which the church is engaged. Jesus already has the victory, but the church continues to be attacked by the enemy. Revelation gives us a glimpse of what the last days will look like, and confirms that God will win the battle for the world.

So there you go. Understanding the big story of the Bible has helped me get through some of the more difficult sections that seem so unimportant. I say this as I am struggling through the book of Joshua, trying to understand what is happening as the Israelites conquer people and lands with names that I cannot pronounce. However, there is a thread that ties it all together, bringing life to the most monotonous thee’s and thou’s of this ancient text. More on Joshua to come…

Oops, wrong book

So I'm one of the unfortunate few who have been reading the wrong "Good Book," but it's okay because I've really enjoyed what I've read. I think I'll try to finish it sometime... when I'm not in three Lit classes.

Here's a quote from Gomes' introduction,

"...people want to know why, in such a world, you would continue to hold allegiance to something so out of harmony with it. Conviction on the part of the Christian, and curiosity on the part of others, are essential ingredients in the apologetic for the faith. One offers one's own life as the immediate and ultimate "explanation," remembering that Christian truth is advanced not by postulates and formulas, the bone-crushing logic of arguments point and counterpoint, but in the living flesh of human beings."

I don't understand everything about the Bible or about God, but would I really want to follow something that I could completely understand? I want to give my life to something that is bigger and better than me, not something that always makes complete sense. In this technologically advanced world where we can find out movie times on our phones or google the weather forecast instantly, we want explanations for everything, and we fool ourselves into thinking we have them. But then something big happens like 9/11 or the death of a family member, and we wonder if we really have as much control as we think we do.

That said, I would like to argue that when you give it a chance, most of the bizarre Bible stories we're reading make so much historic and scientific sense. I was hiking up along the ridge in the Bridgers this weekend and found some sea shells lying on the top of the mountain. How could they have gotten there? It makes sense to me that if at one time water covered the whole earth, shells would have been left on the top of mountains when the water receded.

I was reading Joshua 6 today... The Battle of Jericho. God must have a sense of humor, judging by his bizarre commandments here. He tells the Israelites to march around the city for six days. On the seventh day they are to blow the trumpets and shout as loud as the can, and the walls will fall down. And they do! What a great story of God being powerful and fighting our battles for us. In the Old Testament, the Israelites are God's chosen people, and he is with them, as he shows in this story.

Just some thoughts:)

First ever blog post

Well, let's be honest. I read the Bible. Regularly. And since I'm being honest, I'll just tell you that I'm a Christian. One of them:) And to be even more honest I'll tell you that there are many parts of the Bible that I don't understand. In fact, I attempted to read Numbers this summer and epically failed. That puts me at the beginning of Joshua and the middle of Luke in my Bible reading endeavor. I can't say I have read the whole Bible. I have not read all the prophets and I have never tackled Revelation. However, I'm very excited to take this challenge and explore the Bible in the context of this class.

Professor Sexon's challenge to approach the Bible as a piece of literature is going to be hard for me. I will do my best, but as with any piece of literature, my experiences and beliefs and worldview will shape the way in which I read it. I don't want to argue with anyone or to be a cause for contention, but to write an honest blog and share my honest reactions, you must know that I believe the Bible is true. Truth. Scary word huh?

This could be interesting...