A Challenge Within a Challenge

As the fourth reading comes to a close this Monday, I wanted to invite those of you who are participating to join me in a tradition of mine. Each Thanksgiving for the past two years (this will be year three) I have devoted my day to reading through all of Paul's letters (Romans-Philemon).

At first, this might seem like overkill. However, the discipline is well worth the results. I have been able to observe a number of interconnections in these letters by reading them all in succession that I do not believe I would have noticed otherwise.

I do understand that this challenge poses some logistical difficulties. Thanksgiving, for many, is not a day in which seven to eight hours can be set aside for reading (unless you wake up at 4:45 like me). I would suggest that, since Tuesday and Wednesday are scheduled reflection days, you might take Wednesday to read. Or, you could simply split it up over Tuesday and Wednesday.

In any case, I hope that you consider this challenge. As I have said, it has proven to be fruitful for my understanding of Paul and the New Testament as a whole.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Eye for an Eye and Tooth for a Tooth

When I read through Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, one phrase jumps out every time I read it, "But if there is harm, then you shall pay life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe" (Exodus 21:23-25, ESV). Immediately my brain thinks of Jesus' statement in the Sermon on the Mount, "You have heard it said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Matthew 5:38-39, ESV).

My memory is subsequently filled with the stammering and stumbling attempts of lay people and bible study leaders attempting to explain how the God of Israel who gave this commandment in Exodus could say what he says in the person of Jesus in Matthew.

There are a few things in play here:

1) It seems important to distinguish the different situations of the covenant people of God in each of these passages. In Exodus, God is speaking the intentions he has for those that agree to abide by the same set of rules. In other words, someone can demand repayment from someone only if both parties have agreed to a prior stipulation. Thus, in the passage of Exodus quoted above, the offender and the wronged party are both governed by the same contractual agreement by which they are both held accountable. Alternately, in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, the word of God is issuing forth from the context of exile. As such, I would contend that Jesus is informing the Jews who are listening that, should they be wronged by Gentiles, they cannot and should not demand appropriate retribution because Gentiles have not agreed to the covenant that God had made with Israel.

2) Even with this said, the apparent distance between Jesus' statement from the mount in Matthew and God's statement from the mount in Exodus seems insurmountable (all pun intended). How can we say that these two, the God of Israel and Jesus, are, in fact, one and the same? Our translations do us a great disservice when they insert a paragraph change between verses 25 and 26 of chapter 21. Listen to the two verses that follow the passage quoted above from Exodus: "When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his [or her] eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth" (Exodus 21:26-27, ESV). Suddenly, Jesus' statement does not sound so different does it? Apparently, what God meant by "eye for a eye and tooth for a tooth" was "eye for freedom and tooth for freedom." Or perhaps it would more aptly stated as "eye for appropriate compensation and tooth for appropriate compensation."

It may be that Jesus was redirecting a wrongful interpretation that had issued from the Jewish leadership, we cannot be sure. However, we can say with some certainty that Jesus is by no means taking a statute from the Torah and disclaiming it as barbaric (a Greek term which would translate as Gentile-like). Rather, he is taking a barbaric (Gentile-like) interpretation and nullifying its validity for the covenant community.

The Fourth Reading

Well, the third reading has come and gone. I hope you are continuing to develop and expand resources for yourself. If not, I hope the experience of reading has been fruitful for you all.

Here are the instructions for the fourth reading:

 

Fourth Read-Through: Critical Engagement

                  Supplies:

1.     Notebook

2.     Pen/Pencil

3.     Your Fabulous Brain

                  Instructions:

1.     You are a veteran now. It is probably safe to say that you have read through the Torah more times than a majority of Christians. Congratulations! Now you have some hard work to do. As a burgeoning expert, you are qualified to begin asking some tough questions. So, as you read, with all of your notes and maps of the text close at hand, keep a running tab of any questions that continue to surface.

a.     For example: In Genesis 37:12-36, we read the story of the brothers selling Joseph into slavery, a plot cooked up by Judah (which in turn thwarts the plot of Reuben) to save Joseph from murder. We later observe that Judah is exonerated, not just by Joseph, but ultimately by God as he is the origin of the line of David. Yet later on in Exodus, a law is communicated that forbids the selling of a brother into slavery. Is Judah guilty of violating Torah retroactively? Why or why not?

2.     Not all questions need to be elaborate. They can be simple questions that need historical or cultural information to be answered.

a.     For example: Why did Judah give Tamar his staff and seal (Genesis 39)? Are those things important?

3.     Finally, please note that these questions do not need to be answered. However, on reflection days, you should think about how you might answer them. Are they things you could look up online? Perhaps you will need a commentary from your pastor. Perhaps you will need your pastor’s or mentor’s advice as you process more theologically significant questions.

The critical questions stage can be difficult, but it is a good process practice as you read Scripture. It changes the way you interact with the text and deepens your relationship with the Spirit who inspired it. Be patient and be honest. Seek deeper understanding and the Torah will come to life in more ways than you thought possible.

ON ANOTHER NOTE: For those of you who may have fallen off of the wagon at some point, I have included a link to an alternate reading schedule. Instead of reading through the Torah two more times by the end of the year, it is designed to get you through once. This is for those who need the opportunity to slow down a bit in order to accomplish authentic critical engagement. I hope it will allow for you to grow in your knowledge and practice. Here is the link:

https://docs.google.com/open?id=0B299gXozAaDrcGZTZFRpcmhNTVE

Blessings

I Am Not Dead...Yet

Once again, a great deal of time has passed since I posted last. Teaching two graduate level classes alongside a full-time job has been rather demanding. I hope you are enjoying your third reading of the Torah. Also, I hope you are finding this month to be much less demanding on the note-taking front.

I thought I would share a quick insight that I found intriguing as I read with my attention focused on repeated geography and character names. As I read through Numbers, I was struck by a few details in chapter 13, the story of the twelve spies. (Insert old Sunday School song: "Twelve men went to spy on Canaan ten were bad and two were good"...and so on.) Three keywords seemed notable: Eschol, Negeb, and Hebron.

Each of these words occur throughout Genesis 13-23. We are told here and there throughout these chapters that Abram was dwelling in Hebron (13:18) near "the oaks of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eschol and Aner (ESV, 14:13). Later on, in chapter 20, Abraham flees Hebron due to famine and travels through the Negeb to Gerar, eventually setting up shop, so to speak, in Beersheba. We are informed in 23:1 that Abraham had migrated back to Hebron (Kiriath-Arba), which was where Sarah died. He purchased the field of Machpelah to the east of Mamre (which has now changed from a person's name to a geographical location) as a burial site.

In Numbers 13, the spies take a reverse path, traveling from Paran/Kadesh through the Negeb to Hebron, namely, the Valley of Eschol. Here we are told that the name of this Valley is due the to "clusters" (eschol in Hebrew) of grapes. However, one cannot help but wonder if this is connected to Eschol, the brother of Mamre, friend to Abram the Hebrew so long ago. Suffice it to say that it seems that the Israelites found themselves in the place where two of the major covenants and promises (chapters 15 and 17) were made with and to Abram/Abraham.

It is my conviction that these details give us some warrant to consider these stories in parallel (in good Hebrew narrative fashion). In doing so, what struck me was the fact that the story in Numbers throws the reader right back to Abraham, traversing the ground on which he walked and lived. The land they were spying out was the land in which Abraham and his clan dwelt as foreigners and where God set the groundwork for the people of Israel through the covenant of circumcision. Further, it was the place of Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and many others' burial.

What is the possible significance of this? We might say that the site of Abraham's peace was the site of these Israelites' anxiety. In Genesis 14, Abram is informed of a situation that will require him to raid a band of warring kings to rescue his nephew Lot. In Numbers 13, the spies are tasked with reporting the situation in the land. Whereas Abram responds with familial loyalty and bravery (for lack of a better term), the spies (or the majority of them) respond with cowardice and disloyalty, shrinking before the inhabitants. Abram's overall response to God's call (represented in microcosm in chapter 14) that he should move into the land of Canaan is resolute. The Israelites are fearful despite the promise of God to provide them victory.

What connections have you seen as you read?

Third Reading Instructions

Hello Everyone,

I have been unbelievably busy over the past few weeks, so I have not been able to post as I would like. Alas...

We officially began our third reading cycle yesterday and I had forgotten to post this cycle's instructions. So, here they are:

Third Read-Through: Peoples, Places, and Things

                Instructions:

1.     You now have a solid base with which you can structure the progression of the story thematically and chronologically. In this read-through, you will focus on the people, places, and things. Your first task is to keep track of common names of characters and names of places throughout the Torah. Please note: This is not common character traits or descriptions. Look for the same or similar names. This will probably require you to spend a bit more time in the genealogy and geographical sections.

a.     For example: Lamech, the son of Methusael, is mentioned as a member of Cain’s genealogy (Genesis 4:18); Lamech, the son of Methusaleh, is a member of Seth’s genealogy (Genesis 5:25).

b.     Also stay alert for people groups that are named after their ancestors. For example: Moab, the son of the illicit union between Lot and his daughter (Genesis 19:37), is also a group of people mentioned throughout Numbers and Deuteronomy (see particularly Numbers 21-26).

c.     Finally, look for similar objects: animals, tools, elements, etc. For example: altars are built on several occasions by Noah (Genesis 8:20), Abraham (Genesis 12:7), Moses (Exodus 24:4), etc.

2.     After you have compiled your data, use your colored pencils to connect different subsections by their common geography or character references on your thematic maps.

a.     A good way of accomplishing this might be to connect the subsections or the major sections with a line of a certain color and write the name of the person, place or thing that connects them. 

b.    Revamp your sections as needed.

A Quick Question

As we are finishing our second reading today and tomorrow, I want you to do me a favor. As you read through the Joseph story starting in chapter 37, track what is going on between Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah. I want to know what you all think is at stake with these characters. The story seems intent on contrasting them. What is the reason for such a contrast?

There are no wrong answers; speculate freely.

Re-envisioning Micah 6:8

Well everyone, it has been awhile. My job was a bit hectic this last week so I could not find the time to post. I hope you are all doing well as we approach the end of the second reading.

I thought I would take the time to share an insight that occurred as I was reading through Micah for a one-on-one Bible study that I am doing with a good friend of mine. A very popular verse in Micah, which has been set to a tune, is 6:8: "He has told you, O [hu]man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you? To do justice and to love mercy (probably better translated "covenant faithfulness") and to walk humbly with your God."

As I reflected on this verse in my past, I realized that, as the only verse I was actually familiar with in the book, it was the one verse I looked for as I read. I found myself skimming the rest of the book until I arrived at this familiar territory. This time, I was surprised what caught my attention. Read these verses that lead up to it in Micah 6:3-5:

3 “My people, what have I done to you?
    How have I burdened you? Answer me.
⁴ I brought you up out of Egypt
    and redeemed you from the land of slavery.
I sent Moses to lead you,
    also Aaron and Miriam.
⁵ My people, remember
    what Balak king of Moab plotted
    and what Balaam son of Beor answered.
Remember your journey from Shittim to Gilgal,
    that you may know the righteous acts of the Lord.” (NIV from Biblegateway.com)

I found myself thinking, "Hey, I remember what Balak plotted! I remember the journey from Shittim to Gilgal! I remember the righteous acts of the Lord!" (My thoughts were very exciting: hence the exclamation marks.) Here, Micah is illustrating the current situation (Samaria and Jerusalem are being threatened with invasion by Assyria) with a story from Torah. Balak, in Numbers, was plotting the downfall of the Israelites and sought to curse them by means of Balaam. The God of Israel's reminder to these people is that they were delivered through this into the land of Canaan, namely to Gilgal.

Now read what precedes the famous Micah 6:8, 6:6-7:

⁶ With what shall I come before the Lord
    and bow down before the exalted God?
Shall I come before him with burnt offerings,
    with calves a year old?
⁷ Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams,
    with ten thousand rivers of olive oil?
Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression,
    the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? (NIV from Biblegateway.com)

Micah, having called the people of Israel to remember the righteous acts of the Lord from Shittim to Gilgal, asks the question of what is required as an offering in the act of repentance. I have described above the plot of Balak, but here we should remember the moral failing of Israel at the advice of Balaam to fraternize with the women of Moab and Midian, which resulted in idolatry. In that case, one thing was "required" of the Israelites. But, this "one thing" was not an offering, which is strange since Numbers details a number (Ha!) of sacrifices for cleansing (see chapter 18). What was required to save the people of Israel was the just and covenant-faithful action of one person to stop the plague that was sweeping through Israel. I would suggest that it is not the death of the man, Zimri, who brought the Midianite woman into the camp that caused the plague to cease, but the covenant-faithful act of Phineas to do what others were apparently too scared to do: namely, to punish the deliberate sin of another Israelite for the sake of the preservation of the community. 

It was not a calf or a ram, not a thousand rams, or ten thousand rivers of oil that would bring about God's mercy. The Lord requires justice, covenant-faithfulness, and humility. Micah does not call us to abstract concepts, but to actions that are rooted in the narrative of Israel. I challenge you all to branch out a bit and see the veins of the prophets filled with Torah: the heart of the Hebrew Scriptures.

Some Fruits of Our Labors

Hello Everyone,

I am not sure how many of you are left, having now read Exodus twice in the matter of three weeks or so. For those of you that are: keep on keeping on, I suppose.

In other news, I have attached a link to my sermon that I preached this week at Way of Life Christian Fellowship in Grain Valley, MO. I wanted to share it because it is a direct result of the reading and conversation that we have done on this blog.

Where Are You from and Where Are You Going?

For those of you who are not auditory in your learning, here is a brief synopsis. The text is Genesis 14:1-16. It is the story of the four kings versus the five kings wherein Abram and his band of mercenaries perform a nighttime raid to rescue his nephew, Lot. I purposely cut off the story before the Melchizedek passage (a.k.a. the "interesting" part). I argued that, from a literary and theological perspective, this text pits Abram against his own family (Chedorlaomer is from Elam, a city named after Shem's first son. Abram is the descendant of Eber who is also from the family of Shem. See chapter 10.) and requires him to ally himself with the enemies of his family (Hamites/Canaanites). As such, my contention is that calling Abram a Hebrew (14:13) in this situation is a clue to the reader that Abram has become, by nature of his calling, a third party. However, this status is more a theological distinction than a sociological one. He has become suspended between his lineage as a Shemite and his location in Hamite/Canaanite territory. He is a rogue--a wild card. With this is mind, I challenged the congregation to imagine life as followers of the Messiah in terms of being suspended between all of the history, genealogy, and geography that attempts to claim our allegiance. In essence, what does it mean to be suspended between all of these possibilities without wholly aligning ourselves to one unless it serves the purposes of God?

I hope this makes some sense of an often ignored text. Enjoy.

The First Week of Month Two

Well, as I am sure you all have noticed, we began this month in Exodus. I had hoped to send out a precursory message about this, but this will just have to do. You will notice if you look through the rest of the readings that we start with a different book each month. Here is the intention:

 
Imagine a solar system with a sun and four planets. If someone were to assign a book of the Torah to each of these hypothetical celestial bodies, most would set Genesis in the role of the Sun with the four other books rotating around it. There are several good reasons to do this. However, there are also good reasons to allow the other books of Torah to take on that role.

So now imagine that, much like the Copernican revolution, we have discovered that Exodus might be the center of this Torah-solar system. This is what I want you to consider. How does the rest of Torah relate to, re-emphasize, and generally serve to clarify the themes of the book of Exodus? Put it at the center and see how it reorients your thoughts.

Now, if you are an advocate for another book being the Sun of Torah, fear not! Each book will receive its month of exploration.

FYI: I personally think it should be Leviticus (which is not a surprise for anyone who has spent some time with me in discussion). And, perhaps, if I ever have seven to eight weeks (or months?)to converse with each of you, I could lay out my argument for such a view. But, until that time, just assume I am right.

Another note: the reflection day has changed from Saturday to Sunday as a result of the double reflection day at the end of the month.

I hope to give you a screen shot of my extended outline of Exodus tomorrow afternoon.

The First Reading Is in the Books

Congratulations! If you have been reading along then you have finished your first reading of the Torah. This is a significant accomplishment. Now we must advance to the next step. In these next two days, there is no reading. Rather, you should be finalizing your outlines of the Torah. Some questions to ask yourself as you make your map: What words/themes give a good summary of a particular story? What words/themes connect two different stories together? In order to help you, I have posted a few pictures of mine as an example.

I use the key words on this map as a short-hand way of helping me remember things. For instance, I included "Sibling Rivalry" as a theme (in yellow) that connects each section of Genesis as well as Numbers 10:11-19:22. When I see this marker, I think of Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, Jacob and Esau, Rachel and Leah, Joseph and his brother, and finally Moses v. Aaron and Miriam. Each of these words is connected to a section, which reminds me of a story. By linking them together, I have created a deeper connection that I am more likely to remember.

 As you look at my project, there are three things I want you to remember:

1)      DO NOT over-complicate things! The sections are supposed to be broad.

2)      DO NOT connect too many themes/key words with each section. Try to get down 4 to 5 at most; you might even have just 1 for some sections.

3)     Finally, make your own. Here is the beauty: your graphic representation of the Torah does not have to make sense to anyone else. The idea is to make a broad map that will help you put things into perspective.

I hope you have some fun trying to create this tool. This is the groundwork. Next month, this map will become more detailed. We will be giving further nuance to the larger sections and making more detailed thematic and content links between the different sections.

The true, hidden beauty of hands-on creative projects like this one is that it forces us to work with the material in a way that creates memories that are attached to the action. So, if you feel like you have nothing, just sit down and throw some ideas around; you will begin making memories of these stories based on your experience in creating the project. Trust me, I still have a detailed memory of the place and time in which I charted out Genesis 14…those were the days [stares off dreamily, eyes lose focus]. But I digress.

Here is what I would like you to do: After you finish, post a picture of your project in the comments section. I would love to see what you are creating.

Reminder: The reading resumes Monday, but we do not begin with Genesis! Exodus will launch us into the next cycle. More on that later, until then, happy map making!

The Second Read-Through

Believe it or not, the first read-through will be completed this Friday, August 3. With that in mind, here are the instructions:

1.      As you read through the second time, begin dividing your major sections into subsections. The idea is to further nuance the major sections. Do not make the subsections too specific. These subsections should help you to be more exact in your descriptions of major sections. There are no right answers/titles. The goal is to help you memorize the movement of the story and to re-articulate it briefly.

a.       For example, Genesis 1-11, dubbed Primeval History, could be divided as follows:

                                                                          i.      Genesis 1-3: Creation

                                                                        ii.      Genesis 4-5: Adam’s Genealogy

                                                                      iii.      Genesis 6-8 Noah’s story

                                                                      iv.      Genesis 9-11: Noah’s Genealogy

2.      Take the list of key words in each major section and determine if they belong more particularly to the subsections that you have identified. Once again, this should help you narrow the thematic continuity and attach it more concretely to a smaller section.

a.       For example: if covenant is an important theme in Genesis 1-11, would it be more precise to say that it is significant for Genesis 6-8 as opposed to 1-11?

3.      Highlight the thematically related subsections with the same color.

4.      Redraw your graphic. Treat each of the major sections separately. Create something that will help you to solidify the position of each subsection within its major section by both outline and theme.

As you can see, this second read through very much builds from the work you have done in the first one. The idea is to add some detail to the general map that you constructed. If you feel like you are not quite sure how to "complete" your first read through, fear not. I will be completing my project and displaying it early Saturday morning so that you have an idea of what it might look like. I hope the Torah is treating you well.

The Grand Poobah of Story Arches

I am sure that many of you are all familiar with the Flintstones. If you are, you might also be familiar with the fact that Barney and Fred were members of the Loyal Order of the Water Buffaloes, Lodge Number 26. The leader of this fraternity was dubbed the Grand Poobah. As I mentioned in a previous post on the Tabernacle, it is a characteristic of Hebrew narrative to work in an arch. This method of storytelling accentuates the middle of the arch and allows the readers to see what has changed in the characters when they experience similar situations after the middle event. The Tabernacle arch, which accentuates the golden calf incident, is a miniature arch within the overall story of Torah. The principle arch in the Torah stretches from Exodus 15-Number 20. The central event of this Grand Poobah of all Torah arches is the Sinai Revelation in Exodus 19-Numbers 10:10.

If this is the arch I think it is, then we should look at the parallels to see what effect this revelation at Sinai had on the Israelites. Note the diagram:

Each of the stories leading up to the Sinai revelation in Exodus are paralleled (in no specific order) on the other side. What becomes evident in a comparison is that the response of the Israelites is either the same, or worse after the revelation. This leaves the reader with a sense of foreboding. What is this covenant people really capable of? Will they be obedient? If direct revelation from God does not immediately change their behavior then how will they be coaxed into obedience? These are the questions that crop up throughout the Hebrew Scripture; they find their focal point in this narrative arch.

But, that is a theological matter. For now we are focused on making content connections. As such, I think this diagram is a very helpful way to organize the major movement of a lengthy portion of the Torah. I have found it a helpful way to remember some of the more obscure stories in this section as well as give them some sort of possible trajectory and purpose. (If I have an idea of what the story is trying to say and where it is headed, I find that I am more likely to remember it.)

In conclusion, I would like to make a quick point, which is a side note to this presentation. Until recently, it was quite popular to criticize the Torah when certain stories would be repeated. The claim among scholars is that there are multiple sources and an editor simply arranged the stories and kept the repeats for posterity (obviously the argument is much more involved than this, but it is the gist). This approach to reading the Torah is oblivious to the nature of Hebrew storytelling. These stories are not repeated with altered nuances, they are meant to contrast the activity of the characters after a key moment in the story. [Steps down from soap box and walks away].

I hope this has been a helpful read. On Monday, I will be posting some clarifying instructions for your final reflection days and display my graphic representation of the Torah. The post will also include instructions for your second reading, which will begin on Monday, August 6th.

Numbers 7

A quick, time-saving note: once you have read the first set of dedication offerings in 7:12-17, you can just read the name for each subsequent offering because they are identical in every other way.

I have just effectively made the longest chapter in Torah one of the shorter ones. You are welcome.

Note Taking Part 2: General Outlining

In my first note taking instructional post, I showed you some snapshots of my notes. As you probably noticed, there was little in the way of a structure of the book of Genesis. If you looked at my notes and compared them with the instructions that I provided before we started, you may be asking yourself, "How does that accomplish what you want everyone to be doing?" The answer is: It does not. That is to say, it does not, until you combine it with another piece.

In this snapshot, I have provided a general outline of Genesis. It is by no means a perfect one, but it proves helpful in grouping the entire book into manageable portions. So, though titling 27:1-37:1 "Jacob" hardly clues me into the fact that chapter 34 contains the story of Dinah, this title is very basic to the section as a whole. For the time being I just want you all to be making a very rough, general outline of each book you have completed on the reflection day . (I refer to this step as General Outlining.)



You will remember in my first note taking post that I demonstrated the ways that I was recording repeating themes, words, and phrases in the book of Genesis. This is the step I call Thematic Outlining. My goal (and I hope it is yours as well by the end), is to combine this Thematic Outline with the General Outline to create a structural and thematic representation of Genesis and eventually Exodus through Deuteronomy as well. In this final representation, I will assign each theme, word, and phrase a color and write them inside each bubble on the General Outline. Then, when I put all of the outlines (Genesis - Deuteronomy) together, I will see the sections that have the most commonality by their common colors. This, in turn, will allow me to make connections that I may not have made before.

Let me give you an example. I have notice that the word "remember" occurs at several key points in Genesis: in the Noah story, God remembers Noah and the flood waters recede; in the story of Rebekah, God remembers Rebekah and she conceives; and, in the Joseph story, the cup-bearer remembers Joseph and he is released from prison. Likewise, in Exodus, it is not until God hears and remembers Israel that he begins the process of deliverance. So when I outline these two books and write the word "remember" in a particular color on my outline under each of the major sections, I will be able to connect them in a way that I may not have seen before. This will aid me as I continue to read, providing landmarks for orientation in the text.

I hope this has been a helpful tip for you as you continue to read. Please do not get too detailed and specific in your General Outlines . General is the operative term. The only specifics needed are those pertaining to the themes, words, and phrases that you are keeping track of.

P.S. for a further example, please see my General Outline and Thematic Outline for Exodus below.

P.S.S. Do not feel obligated to use the titles of have given to each section, they are helpful for me, but they may not work for you. By all means, if you want to title Exodus 1-12 "Peaches" because it helps you remember what it is about, then do so.

 

Warning! This Bus Is About to Come to a Complete Stop

Please keep your hands and feet inside the donkey, this desert wandering is arriving at its destination. Estimated departure time: Numbers 10. You heard me. Starting tomorrow with Exodus 19, we will be parked at Sinai all the way through Numbers 10. Time elapsed between Genesis 1 and Exodus 18: thousands of years; time elapsed between Exodus 19 and Numbers 10: about 4-5 months.

Excited? I am. But I also understand that this can be one of the most difficult sections of the Torah to get through. So I am here to give some strategies to employ as you encounter some of the monotony. In this first installment, I want to give you some suggestions on how to get through the Tabernacle sections. Yes, I said, "sections," in the plural. As in, there are two sections that give you all the minutiae of the Tabernacle design. You will find them in Exodus 25:1-31:8 and 35:1-40:38.

In order to offer some help, I have recorded a short message with instructions. After the video, I have gathered some images that I find helpful as I read. I did not find any great representations of the priestly garments. Feel free to do a Google search and see if you find anything. Happy Reading!

Here are some images. They are all from http://www.templebuildersministry.com/Index_tabernacle.php. I cannot vouch for everything on this website, but all the images were in one place, which was helpful.

The Ark: 25:10-22

The Table: 25:23-30

The Lampstand: 25:31-40

The Tabernacle: 26:1-37

 

The Altar of Burnt Offering: 27:1-9

The Altar of Incense: 30:1-10

Washing Basin: 30:17-21