Navigating the Worlds of Science and Religion
One thing I’ve learned during this experience is that it’s challenging to reflect on individual chapters in each book. Sometimes it’s more appropriate to reflect on the three readings from the OT as one statement. That’s what I will do from time to time.
Continue reading “10/5 Reading (Ruth 1-4; 1 Corinthians 10)”
Definitely a lot to say about this reading.
Deuteronomy 22: This chapter covers a wide range of topics. The first part focuses on various moral and religious responsibilities of citizenship (i.e. duties toward a neighbor, cross dressing, eating animals from two generations, what to add to a roof, how to treat your vineyard, don’t plow with two different species, don’t wear clothes made of wool and linen, and what to do with your cloak). Funny side note, this makes me think of the years we had gender bender days during homecoming week in high school. They were hilarious.
Continue reading “9/12 Reading (Deuteronomy 22-24; Acts 28)”
Deuteronomy 10: Moses retells when he had to do the ten commandments for the second time after the Golden Calf incident.
Leviticus 25: Chapter is about the sabbatical year (every 7th year) and Jubilee year (every 50th year) and the rules associated with each one. The sabbath year is a special year of rest for the land. In the Jubilee year, people must return to their original homes, slaves must be freed, land must be restored to their original owners, and farmland must not be planted or harvested. What’s interesting here is that God specifically outlines how people must help the poorer people of society. They are supposed to help them so they can survive. AND, the people are not allowed to cheat the poor or charge interest. God specifically tells them they have to be treated as well as they would treat an immigrant or a foreign guest. As I’ve said many times already, I wonder if our elected leaders are aware of this passage?
I have to be honest here, I’m relying heavily on the notes and section headings for the rest of Leviticus, primarily from the CEB version. I just keep struggling with Leviticus and I think the problem is the feeling that I need to write a lot. After talking with my father about all of this I realized that I can’t let myself get frustrated about this. If I don’t write much, so be it. That’s how I felt on that particular day or during those readings.
NOTE: I had a lot to say on these readings. Just an FYI.
Leviticus 19: This chapter focuses on laws that all people are to follow. There are many of them and I kinda want to list some of them. It seems like most rules are followed with the statement “I am the Lord your God” or some variation. I’ll come back to my thoughts in a minute:
NOTE: I had a lot to say on this reading today.
Genesis 25: In this chapter Abraham remarries and has many children with his new wife. Abraham then dies and is buried with his first wife, Sarah. The text then explains Ishmael and his descendants followed by Isaac and his descendants, twin boys named Esau and Jacob. While Esau was a strong and gifted hunter, Jacob was clearly smarter and cleverer than Esau. At the end of this chapter, Jacob makes Esau give over his birthright for food.