a) Moses was sent off in a basket on the water (from whence he got his name) and raised by Egyptians, where he also became learned in writing, etc.

b) "Thou shall have no other gods before me" and
"Thou shall love the lord thy god with all thy
heart, all thy soul and all thy (might, will, mind)". Are these truly 'different'? When one is married, and says to the spouse, I shall have no one besides you, are they not also at least implying they will love the spouse with all their might, will, mind? Perhaps they are two different ways of saying the same thing; i'm not sure that they are truly 'conflicting'.

c) God was angry at Moses not re: circumcision but because M was told 'strike the rock once for water', and M struck it twice, as if by his own power he could override what appeared God's 'hesitation'.

In those old days, for a truce to be made, warring leaders would trade flesh. It must have made the humans wonder: gee, if this VERRRRRY sensitive part of me is part of the trade, what could God, bodiless, have for the bargain? that's why he sent his first and only son, also as a reminder of when he was testing to see if Jacob could come close in his love and faith to give his own son (he was not required to).

it might also be noted, later in the old test., even after the mention of all the animal sacrifices that had been required. God had said the heart matters more, what he values more than rams and bulls are love and kindness - probably a more difficult 'order' for humans to fulfill.

• Re: Re: Re: About the fragmented stories - richard - November 28, 2000 - 03:33 UTC
  • Re: Re: Re: Re: About the fragmented stories - gwynj - November 28, 2000 - 03:39 UTC
    • Pretty easy to miss this one... - richard - November 29, 2000 - 03:14 UTC
      • Re: Pretty easy to miss this one... - gwynj - November 29, 2000 - 23:55 UTC
  • GOT IT! - gwynj - November 29, 2000 - 01:18 UTC