Courage of The Slaves

This Friday at sunset Passover will begin. I read an article by a Rabbi that gave me a different view of the Passover then I had had before. Unfortunately I can't remember who, so I can't give credit where it's due, but I will try give his idea due justice.

When G-d told the people of Israel to prepare for the Passover,see exodus 12:1-8, to take into their homes a “kid” ( from the goats or sheep) hold it for 4 days and then slaughter it, and put the blood on the “door posts and lintel of the house” then roast it and eat it, he was doing much more than just showing His power over the Egyptians, He was asking the Hebrew slaves to trust Him completely with their lives and to not be afraid, to be braver then they had been up to this time.

They had witnessed all the plagues that had fallen upon the Egyptians, but really that had been between Pharaoh and G-d. The prize was obviously their freedom, but it had only affected them, as it pertained to Pharaoh, increasing their labors, while perhaps giving them some hope, via Moses, that they were to be delivered by G-d. They were witnesses to the miracles, but now G-d was calling them to act and that action was something that the Egyptians wouldn't tolerate.

First they were to be shepherds again and shepherds were an abomination to the Egyptians.

Genesis 46:33-34

So it shall be, when Pharaoh calls you and says, ‘What is your occupation?’that you shall say, ‘Your servants’ occupation has been with livestock from our youth even till now, both we and also our fathers,’ that you may dwell in the land of Goshen; for every shepherd is an abomination to the Egyptians.”

Remember also in Exodus 8:21-22 in the Jewish bible (25-26 in the Christian bible) it says: “Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron, and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God in the land.”And Moses said, “It is not right to do so, for we would be sacrificing the untouchable of the Egyptians to the Lord our God. If we sacrifice the untouchable of the Egyptians before their eyes, then will they not stone us?”

G-d tells the Hebrew slaves in Exodus 12 to gather a “kid” from the goats or the sheep and bring it into their dwellings, however sheep and goats were considered to be sacred to the Egyptians, as the Ram was considered the sacred animal of two of their major gods, Amun and Khnum, so they were not to be touched in any way let alone slaughtered and eaten. Yet this was the command of G-d.

G-d was literally telling them to do something that could get them killed, this is where courage comes in. First they were to bring a goat or a sheep into their homes, essentially capturing one of their sacred gods and keeping them captive.

Then they were to kill the goat or the sheep, not only touching the “sacred”sheep or goat, but actually slaughtering the animal and then spreading the blood of it on the doorposts and lintel in full view of the Egyptians.

Then they were to roast it and eat it in a hurry. All of this with the full knowledge of the Egyptians. They were, in a nutshell, told to capture, hold, and then destroy a major Egyptian god right in front of them.

Yes, this was also to protect the first born, but it was also an act of courage and faith in G-d ,in a place where they were captives and slaves.

They saw the miracles that He had performed, and I am sure that it helped, but they were asked to do something and actually participate with Him in their own deliverance.

G-d wants people of courage and action, He wants men and women to act when he calls, even in the threat of mortal enemies, they did, and here we are remembering it thousands of years later.

A blessed Pesach to all.

The Fast Of G-d

While reading in the book of Isaiah I ran across a passage that really got my attention. It's not that I haven't read it before it's just that , for some reason ,it spoke loudly to me.

Isa. 58:6 -7 “Is this not the fast that I have chosen:To loose the bonds of wickedness,To undo the heavy burdens,To let the oppressed go free,And that you break every yoke?Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;When you see the naked, that you cover him,And not hide yourself from your own flesh?

Lately I have read plenty of stories of many of the “sanctuary cities” and their homeless populations. I have read of tent cities in tourist areas, used needles everywhere, as well as public defecation. I have also read where local “authorities” have forcibly removed the homeless, and have destroyed what little they have. I am not saying that these conditions are something that should be tolerated but I do think there has to be a better way to handle it rather then just trying to hide away the problem.

I have also read where good people have tried to help. Everything from free shampoos and shaves, to food and shelters. Churches and Synagogues and their members, literally out on the streets giving out blankets and personal items. Children and older folks giving out sandwiches or lemonade. Honest and good people trying to do what's right.

Many of those same people, all over the country, by the local governments, have been stopped. Many fined ridiculous amounts and some even arrested, and their equipment taken, and sent to jail for simply wanting to help.

Back before the “great society” was pushed by the politicians, this so called “war on poverty,” Americans took care of each other. Even during the depression many people sacrificed to help out their neighbors as best as they could. They didn't need the government telling them to do it, or forcing taxes out of them to pay for it, they did it because it was the right thing to do. Now individuals and groups are told they cannot help, so where does that leave the homeless and the helpless? Stuck.

If we as a people went back to the “old school” way of thinking as is spoken of in the verses above(5-7) we would be so much better off. Might even solve most of our major problems. This is a promise of G-d.

Isa.58 8-11 Then your light shall break forth like the morning,Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you; The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Then you shall call, and the Lord will answer;You shall cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’“If you take away the yoke from your midst,The pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,If you extend your soul to the hungry And satisfy the afflicted soul,Then your light shall dawn in the darkness,And your darkness shall be as the noonday. The Lord will guide you continually, And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;You shall be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

How we treat the poor and needy in this country says a lot about our future ,or lack thereof.

Peace out.

Have I mentioned Fairies?

Do you know what's in your bible? What I mean is do you know what is actually in the scriptures?

I grew up in a very religious world. I went to a Christian school where we learned all our various “proof texts” to be able to prove, to everyone else, those not in our denomination, just how “wrong” their doctrines were.

After leaving that denomination, oddly enough over doctrinal issues, I became a pastor in a different denomination and made an astounding discovery, most of the people in the congregation never read their bibles. They would talk about having to work and not enough time, and I understand those things, but if you don't read it, the scriptures, I could tell you anything and you'd never know the difference.

Let me show you what I mean.

If I told you that the bible talks about unicorns would you believe me? The gut reaction is to say no. You'd be wrong.

The original KJV of the Christian bible has at least three references to the unicorn.

Deut. 33:17

“His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.” See Psalms 22:21 and Isa. 34:7

These are just three verses. Today's modern translations usually translates it as “wild oxen” but originally they were unicorns.

What about giants?

You don't have to go far and there are numerous references to them.

Genesis 6:4

There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. See also Deut. 2:11, 3:11, Numbers 13:33, there are more but these are a start.

What if I told you the bible speaks of ghosts? I brought this one up in a sermon once, and a elderly gentleman in the congregation spoke up and said “you mean the holy ghost” and I surprised him because I said” yes the holy ghost is certainly mentioned many times”, but I was speaking of he spirits of the dead. Crickets....again people really need to read it to know what's there.

Leviticus 19:31, 20:6, Deuteronomy 18:11 all warn the children of Israel not to have anything to do with “wizards” who have “familiar spirits” that “chirp and moan.”

1Samuel 28 is the story of Saul facing the Philistines and because G-d isn't speaking to him he is afraid and seeks out a woman who has a “familiar spirit” (she is actually called a wizard rather then the modern versions calling her a witch) once she is found he has her call up Samuel from the dead and he appears. The woman freaks out when she realizes that it is indeed Samuel and she claimed that she saw others though she called them “gods”.

Even in the Christian NT. The disciples of Jesus thought they were seeing a ghost when they were on the water. It's there you just have to look.

The next one you have to figure it out on your own because it doesn't explicitly say this but I believe that the description of what was seen is describing a UFO.

2 Kings 2:11 speaks of Elijah being taken into heaven on a “fiery chariot” with “horses of fire” and a whirlwind. Sounds to me like someone trying to describe something that they can't explain but the best example is found in Ezekiel chapter 1.

This book and chapter was considered so controversial that it almost didn't make it into the Christian bible. Even today you can get into quite a lengthy debate on exactly what Ezekiel was trying to describe but for me it sounds remarkably like aliens and a UFO. Go read it for yourself and then you decide.

The real point of all the above is that if you don't read, you will never know the truth of what's in the scripture and you could be easily mislead.

Have I mentioned fairy's?

Peace out.