Ridley Scott’s God
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Now you shall see what I will do to Pharaoh; for under compulsion he will let them go, and under compulsion he will drive them out of his land.” Exodus 6:1 NASB
I will do – The typical cultural characterization of the God of the Old Testament is a God who is morally suspect, angry, vindictive and definitely in need of psychological counseling. While Christians may claim otherwise, most people consider the God of Israel, that is, the God before Jesus came along, to be a God of revenge, indiscriminate punishment on innocent people and unworthy of worship. One of my daughter’s friends commented, “If what I read in the Old Testament about God is true, then He is the most evil person there ever was.” If God does all those terrible things to people, how can anyone actually worship Him?
The Church’s denial of the continued relevance of the Tanakh and its fixation on the passive and pleasant Jesus is just one contributing factor in this mistaken view. The popular culture contributes to this image too. For example, Ridley Scott directed the current film, Exodus. A far cry from anything resembling the biblical account, Scott’s portrayal of YHVH is particularly significant. First, YHVH is incarnated as a young child—a child who clearly lacks emotional maturity. At one point, the child-God spews forth a tirade, proclaiming that he will seek vengeance on all those who don’t bow to him. His anger is palpable as he bellows his demands. Secondly, Moses is portrayed as a man of reason, one who eschews the superstitious rituals of the religious establishment and, most importantly, who attempts but fails to bring reason to the child-God. In fact, at one point in the movie, Moses simply says that he will have nothing to do with a God who acts like this. Finally, Scott makes sure that his rendition of the plagues concentrates on the innocent victims of God’s wrath, especially the children and families of the Egyptians who are portrayed as loving, caring and helpless. Scott’s God of the Hebrews is a God bent on revenge, an egomaniacal deity interested in power. In every sense, this God is the petulant child whom Moses, the true father, must try to educate and control. When Ridley’s God says, “Now you will see what I will do” (the film character says, “Just watch”), the film removes every biblical meaning from the text. In Hebrew the phrase is ‘atta tire’ asher. It is not a declaration to witness revenge. It is an invitation to examine and understand the actions of YHVH. Scott’s God is in serious need of maturity. The biblical God of Israel demonstrates ultimate capacity.
Is it any wonder that my daughter’s friend wants nothing to do with the God of Exodus? Scott’s mischaracterization demonstrates how far the culture is removed from any biblical understanding. The God of Exodus is pathetic. Powerful, but tragically immature.
However, there is one redeeming lesson here. There is no question that the plagues reeked havoc on many people who were not directly connected to the confrontation with Pharaoh. Scott’s portrayal should cause us to grieve over this. But the fact that they were not directly connected does not exonerate them. Egypt served pagan deities. All of Egypt worshipped many false gods. All Egyptians were accountable. They may not have directly opposed releasing the Hebrews, but they were all idolaters. Scott’s view of moral action is entirely Greek. It is Enlightenment thinking. He believes, as do most Westerners, that guilt is individual. If I am not directly connected in some way to the offense, then it is unjust if I suffer the consequences of someone else’s guilt. But this is not Near-Eastern thinking or biblical thinking. All are guilty for the disobedience of one if they do not repudiate the sin or take measures against it. All of Egypt is guilty before God. There are no innocent victims in a culture of idolatry.
Scott’s Moses is a Renaissance man, not a Hebrew. Scott’s God is a cultural counterfeit, not the biblical YHVH. Scott’s moral law is Roman, not biblical. Scott’s Exodus will appeal to those who don’t know anything about the Bible, but it is pure fiction.
What is not fictional at all is that we share in the corporate guilt of tolerating sin in our society, and God is perfectly justified in eliminating whoever opposes His holiness.
Topical Index: Exodus, Ridley Scott, evil, morality, Exodus 6:1
I think most people can appreciate the point that is made where Skip writes; “All are guilty for the disobedience of one if they do not repudiate the sin or take measures against it.”
What is less clear I think and perhaps worth teasing out, is how does the above notion apply to those who are not in a position to repudiate or take measures against the sin of one, but who still suffer punishment for it anyway?
For example, is it not the likely that when the first born of Egypt were destroyed, that some of them were babies? Perhaps some were also mentally retarded? How could they be regarded as guilty of anything if they had no capacity to know anything about what was going on?
What about the suffering that went on as a result of the other plagues that impacted on very young Egyptian children, babies and even the unborn? Likewise – what was their sin?
Similarly, it is fair enough to describe all Egyptians as idolators who worshipped false Gods.
At the same time however, how many of them knew they were false Gods? Isn’t it likely that most of them were simply brainwashed to toe the company line and in fact, did not necessarily have any idea that they were worshiping false Gods?
I am not objecting to the basic good sense in what Skip is teaching here, but I am interested in a broader understanding of justice as delivered by the biblical YHVH.
It seems to me that some apparent in justice still remains to be dealt with.
What say you?
I don’t think that there is a simple answer. I know there is a balance of free will and all knowing. Your question is just one tick away from salvation issues. Like how come I’m born a fortunate life and into a place where at least the cognitive knowledge of the Hashem is relevant and others are born in a less fortunate place and in an environment that is not so knowledgeable of Him (lets say a remote African village where voodoo is big etc)? Above my pay grade for sure. All I can figure is that free will exists up to the point of your nose, meaning I have free will to do what I have to do to complete Torah, but I figure that you are a vessel that God is speaking through you to me so I can either build or destroy His kingdom. You are a microphone for Hashem, now I have free will and am accountable for my actions. I figure some how that ties into all of it. Fortunately enough I can rest assured that He has thought about it all in much more depth and seeing the full picture.
If God only were to punish those that did bad, then that would end free will because people would not do Torah for Torah sake but to avoid anything bad happening to them, we too bare the deeds of those that sin in order to keep free will at balance. Bad things happen to good people. I’m sure that you are correct that some of the Egyptians were really great people that did the best they could with the knowledge that they had. But also there were the ones that didn’t love the stranger. I’ve actually heard some one say that not ALL of Israel actually left, but the text implies (could have been a midrash based off the Hebrew) that some stayed behind because they had a decent enough life. Which that would imply that ya, some of the Egyptians were in authority but not treacherous.
Full circle to Egypt, all I can say as sensitively as possible is – it happens and trying to find an answer for it is similar to trying to find out why God would let the Holocaust happen. At a certain point, do you ‘really’ want the answer? If there was answer would you feel better? Or does getting an answer actually just diminish what happened. Free will, all knowing – I don’t get it. Just my ten cents.
I should clarify, when I say, “not all of Israel left’ i mean there were some stragglers. Not saying that a certain tribe stayed behind but, ‘joe’ and ‘sally’ stayed behind kinda of thing.
And remember, Hebrew history recounts what is important TO THE STORY, not all that actually happened. It is NOT the news!
I really wrestle with the story of the Exodus. On the one hand… the death of every firstborn in Egypt was the LAST plague. They were clearly warned. Each plague had been a direct assault on one of their false gods. WHY did they not listen??! It was also my understanding (though now I cannot find this in the Bible so I’m not sure I’m correct) that the Egyptians who wanted to abandon their false gods and serve YHVH could have taken refuge in the houses of the Israelites who spread the blood over the lintel of their homes. Am I wrong about that?
But I still struggle with what it means that “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart…” Are we missing something in English that would allow us to understand this more clearly?
It’s tough, for sure.
If I recall correctly, the “God hardened his heart” part is more like “God took his hand off Pharaoh” – it implies more that God’s hand was on Pharaoh for the whole time that Israel was in Egypt controlling him, when God took off his hand, Pharaoh went to his true nature. When you read it like that it shows compassion not a ‘road rage God’. So while His hand was on, Pharaoh was bad but could have been a lot worse, when He took His hand off, Pharaoh went to what he could have been for the whole time. Follow?
I think what is interesting and I don’t know the answer exactly for it is, “why do we celebrate being taken out of slavery when God was the one that put us in it in the first place?”. Seems like a superficial question but if you think about it, stumps me hahah.
I know part of the reason why we ended up in Egypt actually was because the brothers of Yosef didn’t actually Teshuva according to Ramban. They never actually said, ‘I have wronged you”, (A true teshuva according to Ramban needs a subject, verb and object) and because of that Yosef never said, “It’s okay, I forgive you”, balance was never restored in their relationship. They instead teshuva to “Yosef” kind of but not really when they don’t know it’s him and think he is an Egyptian official, which doesn’t count. When they do go to him and make this half baked teshuva they hide behind their dad saying their dad told Yosef that he has to forgive them, then Yosef hides behind God and says, “its not up to me but I’m not God but I think you’re good”. What they leave on the table is brothers saying, “We’ll be your slaves” and one just a mere handful of verses later it’s as if God says, “What we got on the table is a half baked teshuva on the table, an offer of being slaves, and someone saying it’s up to Me….ya we can do slavery….” Very very odd.
For the most part I think that Hollywood should stay away from Bible stories, it’s too complicated and to hard to do them right. Plus if you ever read “Gutnick Chumash” you’ll see that even on the pashat level very rarely do you have Ramban or Rashi actually agree on anything and how to convey a transcendent God in any way just doesn’t do any justice to how awesome He really is.
Oh lastly, Israel had to deal with the first 3 plagues themselves along side of Egypt. It isn’t until the 4th that there is a separation…4 plague = 4th commandment the Shabbat (midrash). I think that the meaning, at least from what I can gather from it shows that it’s a clear distinction that had to take place. You can’t ‘fake shabbat’ nor could you ‘fake trusting God’ their had to be something that they did that made a distinction. This also blows out the idea of that we’re getting pre-tribbed out of here. Israel had to deal with tribulation to refine them and sift.
I think lastly with a direct assault on their Gods, while yes that may be the case their are always going to be people that rationalize. The one thing that Exodus shows that I take away every year from Passover is: Miracles do not create faith.
If you have faith miracles will expound on your faith and you will see God, but if you don’t what do you do? You rationalize. Even today it’s the same case. If you believe in God, you see Him working in your life. If you don’t believe in God there is always and answer. That’s one of the big points to get from it, miracles do not cause faith. Because the last miracle that doesn’t really get spoken about is the most amazing to me for what ever reason. When the sea was parted, the ground was made dry. It’s one thing to split a sea, but then to have dry sand not a puddle of mud – simply insane.
Derek S, I am going to have to go copy everything you said! Thank you! So awesome!
There is so much more also, the whole getting put in Egypt is foreshadowed with Hagar. Hagar in Hebrew means, ‘stranger’. She was what? Egyptian. Where was Israel put? Egypt. The oppressors are opposite. She was kept under harsh conditions with Sarah. Who was under harsh conditions? Israel. Hagar wandered in the desert with Ishmael. Who wonders in the desert after leaving Egypt? Israel. She was sent out with gifts on her shoulder (bread and water). Who left their oppressor with gifts on their shoulders? Israel. An angel says to Hagar, “Do no fear”. Moses when coming up to the sea he says, “do not fear”. It’s a foreshadow and is why our God has, “love the stranger” in the trifecta of love, (Love God, love your neighbor and love the stranger because you were once a strangers yourself)
Still copying.
Torah is pretty awesome, the more I learn the more I realize how little I actually know. But the more I learn I equally grasp, “I am God, and there is none like me,” (Isaiah 46:9), and I shutter at the thought of being before Him; so much work to do.
Oh the last one that I have (I was looking over my notes) but Jacob in the house of lavan (JHL) is a microcosm of Israel in the house of Egypt (IHE)
JHL- Jacob comes to stay for a bit ends up settling in for a long time (22:44)
IHE – Comes to stay for a bit, end up settling in for a long time
JHL – Deceptive decent into slavery; backbreaking work (29:15)
IHE – Deceptive decent into slavery backbreaking work
JHL- Lavan starts out as a father figure; ends up being ‘slave driver’
IHE – Pharaoh was originally like a father figure to Joseph, gave him a new name a new wife. Next Pharaoh ends up being a slave driver.
JHL- Jacob takes great wealth from Lavan on this way out, due to divine intervention
IHE- Takes great wealth from Egypt on the way out due to divine intervention
JHL – Lavan chases after Jacob
IHE – Pharaoh chases after Israel (14:8) same language too- it’s the same verb in Hebrew
JHL – Lavan catches up
IHE- Pharaoh catches up
JHL -Time in Lavans house – 21 years
IHE – Time in Pharaohs house – 210 years
This all also explains why Jacob leaves after having Joseph. Because he is thinking of the prophecy that is given to Abraham, in 15:16 saying, after being the 4th generation they will come back to the land. So Jacob is thinking, “Abraham Isaac, Me, Joseph. Ya I had kids with Leah but they don’t count, I wanted Rachel and now I have my ‘true first born’ and we have to skidat’. But ya lavan is a microcosm of Egypt.
“But I still struggle with what it means that “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart…” Are we missing something in English that would allow us to understand this more clearly?”
Skip did a post on this sometime in the past. I’m not sure what it is, offhand, but it’s good (Derek touches on it in his post, I believe).
I forgot where I heard it before, should give credit where credit is due. I checked after I read your comment. You are correct, Skip was the one that I heard it from. I’m pretty sure this post isn’t where I read it before though, I think it was in one of his lectures – I forget which one. But here is a post that he has a snip about it. I think I did justice to it, 4th paragraph down:
https://skipmoen.com/2008/06/13/manna-mistakes/
Thanks! I will read the one Derek links to below and see what else might come up in a search.
Above… below… whatever. I never know what order things are going to post in here! 🙂
Yes, Richard, I, too, think it is time to have this conversation. I like your questions, as we need to be able to answer them for others, as well as ourselves, and thus “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you” (1Peter 3:15). However, I know I do not ‘have’ those answers. All I know is that above all else, our just God is just as fair as He is righteous. He knows each of our expected ends, as well as our beginnings. What we cannot see is how much WORSE it could be!
Has anyone else seen this take on history? I am only repeating what I think I understand, and I have no way to double check it, and may be grossly mis-repeating, too, but it highlights some interesting things, particularly about the way YHVH works, so, here goes.
It is interesting to me that some archeologists suggest that the Pharaoh of the slavery was Thutmos I, who wrested the throne back from the shepherd kings who ‘knew’ Joseph. That would have put the start of the slave period about the year Aaron would have been born. As his daughter Hatshepsut’s legitimate son, Hapi-moses (his name would have meant something like “drawn from the river god Hapi) would have been next in line to the throne. She was allegedly forced to the throne, and forced to marry her half brother, Thutmos II, when Moses, according to Hebrews 11:24-27, refused to take the priestly oaths. Thutmos II died after 4 years, and Hatshepsut ruled alone. She did some mighty interesting things that were not characteristic of a typical Egyptian monarch, and all records of her were expunged. She ended up murdered. Did she perhaps change her religion? After her murder, Thutmos III, Thutmos II’s illigitimate son, and Hatshepsut’s stepson, Who would have most likely grown up with Moses and who would have been the Pharaoh of the Exodus, co-ruled with Amenhotep for 3 years before his firstborn in line to the throne died during the Tenth Plague and Thutmos III himself drowned in the Red Sea in 1450BC.
Amenhotep was away on a military campaign in Canaan during the plagues, unaware that his firstborn had also died. He was returning from that campaign when the Israelites were leaving Egypt. If so, surely it would have been too scary for them to be confronted with the army if they had gone the short way! His 2nd son, Thutmos IV, who took the throne in his absence, lied to him about his ‘reason’ for doing so. He claimed that the Sphinx told him he would be Pharaoh if he cleaned the sand between his paws. The Stele between those paws telling this was inscribed by him. No way was Egypt going to acknowledge disaster! But it was Thutmos IV’s son, Amenhotep III (who would have been a child during those plagues, by the way), who established One-God worship (Aten worship). He was a loving husband with his beautiful wife, Nefertiti, and he had his portraits painted in a realistic fashion, demonstrating his love for all. He and his wife were subsequently murdered. His son changed his name to Akhenaten and abandoned Thebes, the city of the gods. He built his tomb on the east of the Nile, and believed in death as sleep. One of his hymns contains 14 lines of Psalm 104, by the way. He invented the word “ma-an”, truth, and was called “the first individualist in history”. He had 6 daughters, the third of which married Tutankaten, who was later forced to change his name to Tutankhamun (Amun is the sun god, I think). Hmmm. After Tutankamun died, Egypt was washed up for good.
This tells me that YHVH is gracious, not willing for any to perish. As He left Jerusalem alone for another period of time after Yeshua’s death, so as to give all who would a chance to choose Him and avert disaster, so I think He gave Egypt a chance to learn who He was, and change, too. Only after those chances were refused, did the true end come and His allowance was revoked.
Please understand that all errors or misquotes are mine, and I am not trying to quote history, per se, but trying to see with others how our great YHVH works in all our affairs with pitying and tender care, not willing that any should perish, but that all would come to a saving knowledge of the truth. And also let us not forget the unprecedented numbers of Egyptians who took the opportunity to pilgrim out of Egypt with the Israelites when they saw their chance!
A couple of additions and corrections. Thutmos III, Hatshepsut’s stepson, forced her to marry him, also, after Thutmos II died, and she had ruled alone for several years. Poor Hatshepsut! (And murdered later, to boot.) Also, Thutmos III had ruled a long time before he shared the throne with Amenhotep, shortly before the Exodus. It is telling to me that his line to the throne ceased, and passed to Amenhotep’s line, when he died in the Red Sea. Also, it was Amenhotep III’s son, Akenhaten, who moved the capital from Thebes, who was actually the husband of Nefertiti and the father-in-law of King Tut.
Finally (and I promise I am going to shut up, y’all), I would be interested to compare the dates of when Israel entered Canaan (after that 40 years in the desert)- which was a tributary subsidiary of Egypt then- with when Egypt actually went into decline, and thus was rendered unable to interfere with Israel’s subsequent conquest of Canaan.
Thank you for the wonderful meal at the table today! Every dish is extraordinary. As I taste, I see that YHVH is good!
I was just wondering about that film today. Not thinking I want to see it now. It’s sad to see how far from the truth America has come. I think our view of God is such a huge influence on everything about our lives, and there is generation growing up with some seriously skewed views!
Also, thanks everyone for posting such fascinating information about this period!
I think if I saw the movie I wouldn’t be entertained. To see an Oliver Twist looking God would pretty much make me either upset as in offended or make me start laughing hysterically. I personally like the prince of Egypt and thought it did at least a okay job (for being a child’s movie and Exodus covering some big boy things), plus the music is killer. Biblical movies are hard to make I would think, you need to start off with people that fear God and Hollywood as a generalization doesn’t have it. So the underlying heart beat of the movie will convey that message. Then you need to be accurate which isn’t easy either. In this movie I believe the splitting of the sea is shown as a tide going out….
I heard that this was worse then Noah…so it’s on a whole new level of bad…
And if you think this movie is far from the truth, wait until you see/hear about the movie “Noah”!
I saw it on a flight. Terrible! But I still like Russell Crow
Yikes – we sat through the rock men but finally walked out of the film when the stowaway showed up on the ark. Kind of hard to do at 40,000 feet. 🙂
If we subscribe to the popular Christian thinking about life, death, and after-life, then the loss of many innocents is unsettling. But what if we consider more than one resurrection? The first resurrection, of course, benefits the people of God. What about the second? Revelation 20:11-15 seems to me to be a time when the vast majority of people live again, hear the word of God, and have an opportunity to choose which way they want to go. They certainly aren’t forever lost. Even when God judges the many for their corporate guilt, He still remembers each individual case with love.
No Question Thomas, the Father of ALL of humanity will restore ALL His children to a relationship with Him in His Own good time! You are on the right track. Look at what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans:
“Then as one man’s (Adam) trespass led to condemnation for ALL men, so one man’s (Messiah) act of righteousness lead’s to acquittal and life for ALL men.” (Rom. 5:18)RSV
There is no ambiguity here in this statement from Paul. “ALL” has to mean all! Not only has God been mischaracterized in most all Biblical movie presentations, most theologians and churchmen and even many rabbis mischaracterize the ultimate sovereignty of God over His Creation; “Poor God – He cannot save His Children from their own rebelliousness – so He has to destroy them or as many teach, let them fry in torment in this thing called “the lake of fire” for time without end. What silly nonsense! What a denigration of our Great God!
Thomas, thanks for provoking me to write this……..though I do not know for sure that you or others on TW are ready to believe everything Paul wrote in several of his letters! 😉
Well, as I drank coffee at dinner I find myself wide awake (foolish me!) so I will write a little more and give my ten cent answers to some of the wonderful questions raised above…..
To those of you who ponder the “justice” in YHVH making sport of Pharaoh and the Egyptians, I simply refer you to Romans 3:23…..since ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”
Really, until God starts to deal with us we are all in the same boat as Pharaoh – Guilty of sin and deserving of death for our transgressions of YHVH’s Laws. Problem is many “christians” think that their sins are lesser than those of Pharaoh or whoever, that makes them somehow more righteous in eyes of God relatively speaking. To that I say go read what James has to say in his Epistle about him who breaks one point of Torah is as guilty as the next guy – as far as the death penalty due for sin is concerned. In my discussions with people on the merits of Universal Reconciliation (UR), I often notice flickers of this type of self righteousness manifest themselves. People often say: John, if you are telling me that X is going to ultimately be saved, then I am not sure I want to be there!” O well…..
Friends. lets understand this and understand it very well. Your calling and your salvation is ALL God’s doing. Nothing that you or I have done or are doing merit or influence God to call us or give us salvation.. Do you believe that? Lets look at a few Scriptures that support this:
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING, IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD – not because of works, lest any man should boast…” (Eph. 2:8-9) RSV emphasis mine
Some ask: what about “free will”?
Free will is a non issue to our Creator. Scripture shows he can tweak or change your will and my will and Pharaoh’s will, or Jonah’s will or Paul’s will as He wishes!! But He mostly leaves us to our own devices, perhaps, so we reveal to Him and to each other how pathetically idiotic and self centered and vain we really are (without His Spirit).
The Father is wise. As I see it, He actually does not typically deal with His children on the level of the human will. He deals with us through the agency of the “heart”. (Does that make the Father a romantic? I think so!) He is in the heart transplant business. He tells us through Ezekiel:
“A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And will put my Spirit within you and CAUSE YOU TO WALK IN MY STATUES AND BE CAREFUL TO OBSERVE MY ORDINANCES.” (Ezek. 36:26-27)RSV Emphasis mine
“Then you will remember your evil ways, and your deeds that were not good; and you will loathe yourselves for your iniquities and your abominable deeds.” (Ezek. 36:31)
We notice a second witness to this in Jeremiah 31. Another Scripture (i think in Isaiah) asks the question;
“Who can resist him?” The answer is obviously nobody! And that is just one of many reasons from Scripture why I believe in UR – nothing else makes sense.
As many of you did on the questions you raised on this TW, I too ponder why God does what HE does and why why all the seeming injustice, ignorance, pain and suffering and death of so many. If it is any comfort, the wise old Preacher in Ecclesiastes asked the same questions and he came up short too! But his final words to us all are simply brilliant advise:
“The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep His Commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing whether good or evil.”
Yes, in the final analysis, we will all stand at some point before the judgment seat of Messiah at either the first or second resurrection. You and me and Pharaoh will give account. The Books of Justice will be balanced. Rewards and punishments will be meted out. When all debt obligations are completed, God’s Jubilee guarantees everyone from Adam down will be restored as a full spirit composed son / daughter of God. As Sovereign Creator and Father of all of Humanity, I trust He will accomplish His stated “restoration of all things lost in Adam through the redeeming work of Messiah
“There is none like thee among the gods, O YHVH, nor are thereany works like thine.
All the nations thou hast made shall come and bow down before thee, O YHVH
and shall glorify thy name.
For thou art great and doest wonderous things, thou alone art God.” (Psalm 86:8-10)
Greetings, Skip and TW’s community! I have been following the posts for the last six months and the experience has been pretty intense–wonderful and painful at the same time. May I take a moment to introduce myself? I am Russian, married, with two adult sons (both musicians!). We have lived in the US for the last 18 years (Rockville, MD). I teach English to international graduate students at the George Washington University and do research in second language acquisition.
I have been a Christian for many years (I gave my heart to Jesus when visiting the US with a group of Russian students of English from Moscow in 1991) and have been walking with Him ever since. Like everyone else, I’ve had joys and sorrows, have experienced His intimacy and His distance… Yet, what has been happening in the past months is radically different and I can no longer be a silent reader of the blog. All I can say is that I was blind but now I see. I feel like He has brought me to a high place (where I can hardly breathe) and put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise that I did not have before.
Yes, I have many questions. This is why I want to be part of this community. Thank you, all, for your passion, wisdom, and knowledge! I have learned so much from you all, and especially from you, Skip! May YHVH and His Son bless you and keep you.
Natalia
Glad you’re here. 🙂 You articulate what many of us have felt as this path has unfolded before us.
Thank you, Alicia! There is so much to learn/unlearn! I am so glad to be part of the restoration movement!
Welcome Natalia! We’re almost neighbors – Prince William County VA. Skip is the man. I still remember asking Skip first coming to this, “So, am I Jewish now?” hahah. Skip will defiantly help rid yourself of the Greek that lies deep within all of us. It’s like a Greek detox every morning. Welcome to the community!
Thank you, Derek! This is what my family and friends now say about me. 🙂 I am glad to to be part of the community–to know I am not the only one who struggles with the ‘cognitive dissonance,’ to ask questions, to be encouraged when the going gets hard, and to encourage my fellow travelers. “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.” I was pleasantly surprised to see that “undefiled” actually means “complete, whole, sound, healthful, wholesome, having integrity, what is entirely in accord with truth and fact.” By the way (I am sure you know!), your name in Hebrew means “the way!” https://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=H1870&t=KJV
Hahaha. This is the place to be to learn but more importantly get the fuel that is needed to change your life (since Hebrew is all about actions). It’s at least deciphering the ‘user manual’ so you actually know what to do, which is always helpful. I don’t know if you did Skips 30 day free trial thing, totally helpful. He has a ton of free stuff as well as far as lectures (Make sure to listen to Ruth and Matthew). If you are to buy any lectures make sure to check out his ‘Guardian Angel’ and ‘Cross word puzzles’ as far as books go – crazy awesome. And beyond that, welcome! Yep my name is Hebrew! That’s why my parents named me that actually- my pops is a Jewish. Names for them is like prophecy spoken over you, all of our names in my family were chosen by the meaning – it’s pretty cool.
Thanks for the advice, Derek! Yes, I had received 30 days of emails before I subscribed to Today’s Word. I have also purchased and listened to several sets of lectures and read the “Ten Commandments in Paleo-Hebrew,” and am now reading “The Guardian Angel.” I feel like I am being consumed (I can’t stop) and, as I have already said, that my life has changed: on the one hand I am filled with awe and praise, on the other hand, I feel almost scared….
Thank you for your responses and welcoming words: they mean a lot when you are ‘a new kid on the block.’ 🙂