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Moses Of Exodus Vs Abraham
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The definition of dominant is "having authority or influence; main, chief" and the definition of trait is "characteristic feature". Therefore, when placed together you have "the main characteristic features of God that has authority and influence". This essay hopes to explore this area through comparing and contrasting the main characters of Abraham and Moses.
Before this exploration can take place there needs to be a brief explanation of the nature of name' in the Hebrew of the ANE [ancient near east]. For them, name' was more than a simplistic identification like the western world. The name' of a person revealed the characteristics of that person. As such, the names' of God will reveal a map of the characteristics of God throughout the Pentateuch.
The first name used for God is also used predominantly linked with Abraham and that is Elohim. Genesis uses different names for God which are almost always based on the Hebrew root word, El. El was a generic Hebrew term for deity (as in Genesis 35:1b-3; 46:3). The root name El is reflected in numerous names for God in the Torah. In Genesis 14:18-22, God is addressed as "God Most High" (Hebrew, El Elyon). In Genesis 16:13, Hagar recognizes "the God who sees" (Hebrew, El Roi). In Genesis 21:33, Abraham calls on the name of the "God of Eternity" (Hebrew, El Olam). More often, Hebrew ancestors worshipped "God Almighty" (or possibly "God of the Mountain"; Hebrew, El Shaddai), as in Genesis 17:1; 28:3; 35:11; and other passages. Thus, before the divine name Yahweh was revealed to Moses, the Hebrew ancestors worshipped God by many different names rooted in the generic term El. Surprisingly, the name Elohim and El Shaddai are both plural words in Hebrew. This could open up all kinds of avenues of discussion about the interpretation but suffice it to say that all these words describe some part of Gods characteristics.
Alongside the explanation of the meaning of name in the Hebrew ANE, is the concept of covenant. Religion to the people of the ANE was not like our secularised society; it was their society. This was especially true of the Cults of Elohim and Yahweh. The nearest covenant idea in our society would be the concept of marriage. Commonly, covenants were cut' by the sacrifice of an animal. The animal would be literary cut in two half and both parties to the covenant would walk between the halves, stepping through the blood, symbolising the grave consequences of breaking the covenant.
Gods are shown to illustrate very similar human characteristics; however, they differ by their godly attributes and their effect on
The purpose of the creation story is not central to the Bible but serves as a prologue to the historical drama, which are the central concerns of the Bible. The narrative focus in the Bible is on the story that begins with Noah and is centered on the exodus from Egypt. The central event in the Bible is the creation of the covenant and the giving of laws and commandments. Although the creation of the world in Genesis I and the pronouncement of the Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 are two completely different accounts in the Bible, there lies a similar theme between them: God creates an orderly and hierarchical universe, both natural and moral.
Why is the name El Shaddai so important; what wisdom can a name contain? The Israelites of Old Testament times firmly believed in God’s revelation to them, Deuteronomy 29:29 (NIV) says, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law”. Steadfastly, the Israelites waited for what God revelation, so that they could live rightly in His eyes and learn more about His character. Andrew Jukes writes, “We cannot yet see the things of heaven. God therefore reveals them as we can bear it, with the accuracy of One who sees them as they are, and in a way in which they may be seen and understood by us” (7). God chose the form of names as revelations to His people, but names held greater significance in Old Testament times than they do today. J.I. Packer writes, “In the modern world, a person’s name is merely an identifying label, like a number, which could be changed without loss. Bible names, however, have their background in the widespread tradition that personal names give information, describing in some way who people are” (23). In calling Himself El Shaddai, God Almighty, God uses the form of names to reveal His character of being both strong and the provider of great blessings.
The Abrahamic Covenant is seen in Genesis 12:1-7, 15:1-16, and 17:1-21. Throughout Genesis, God has been testing Abram or Abraham’s faith and obedience towards Him. In Genesis 12:1-3 and 7, God promised Abram that He will make his name great, to make him a great nation, to be a blessing to others, to bless those who bless him, to curse those who curse him, and a land for his descendants (Genesis 12:1-3 and 7, ESV). This promise was conditional as God required Abram to leave his land, Ur, and go to a place where God would show him. God required Abram to act upon faith and follow Him in order to be blessed and be a blessing. Since this was the first account of the promise, God is introducing to Abram His promise to him.
The Book of Nahum is a prophetic book concerned with pronouncing judgment upon the Assyrian capital of Nineveh, and with detailing its coming destruction at the hands of Yahweh. In light of this concern, it is not surprising that the primary image and expression of Yahweh in this piece is one of a vengeful and wrathful deity, expressing judgment in the form of destruction and desolation. These images combine to portray the character of Yahweh within the book of Nahum as a angry and judgmental God, bent on the destruction of all those who stand against Israel, a reality that readers struggle to comprehend in light of other texts, especially among the prophets, which depict Yahweh as gracious and merciful. What this essay will argue is that it is this larger textual context of the exploration of divine character, especially among the Twelve, through which Nahum should be understood, as well as through comprehension of the mythical allusions made by the author in Yahweh’s theophany. To show this, we will focus in on Nahum 1:2-3, exploring how it describes Yahweh, especially in relation to its use of Exodus 34:6-7, as well as how this compares to other prophetic texts and Jonah in particular. We will then explore the mythic qualities of Yahweh, particularly in Nahum 1:4, and how they relate to our reading of Nahum.
One day God spoke to Abraham with an intention of making a covenant with man whom he chose as his partner. Abraham was told by God to leave his home to a different land since the people of Ur worshipped idols of wood and stone. The covenant made between them had a lot of promises. Abraham left with his wife Sarai, Lot his nephew,
The Old Testament serves as a foundation for the teachings of God, while the New Testament continues to build and preserve God’s principles. The Old Testament and New Testament have a very unique relationship, as they are complementary to each other. The Old Testament contains many prophecies that are fulfilled in the New Testament. God can be viewed as fearsome in the Old Testament, whereas God portrays a friendlier and more compassionate persona in the New Testament. Although there are many differences between the two, there are also many similarities due to the heavy influence that the writings of the Old Testament had on the books and passages of the New Testament. An example of similarity between the Old Testament and the New Testament can be examined between passages from the First Book of Samuel and the Gospel of Luke, located in the Old Testament and New Testament respectively.
The Hebrew sacred writings speak of Abraham, initially a tribal elder (so states Josephine Kamm), as the founder of the Hebrew national identity following his communication with God, which reportedly reached a climax when God ordered the sacrifice of Abraham's son, Isaac, after which He demonstrated His mercy by sparing Isaac's life as a result of Abraham's obedience to any celestial dictum, no matter how extreme. The story of Abraham and Isaac relates a fundamental religious conviction of the capacity of a single supreme force to determine the correctness of action and the necessity of mere mortals to demonstrate their appreciation and devotion to this force's chosen courses of action, for they will, according to the Hebrew writings, benefit
Even though God saw people as evil, he wanted to show his grace. He wanted to separate certain people in the world as His chosen people. “He wanted a chosen people: 1. To whom He might entrust the Holy Scriptures. 2. To be His witness to the other nations. 3. Through whom the promised Messiah could come” (Mears 47). This covenant is made between God and Abram. This covenant marks the beginning history of Israel, God’s chosen people.
When one approaches the biblical text, it is important to explore the cultural context in which the text occurs. With regard to the Book of Genesis, it is important to examine the writing with other contemporary works of similar geography and topics. The people of ancient Mesopotamia, where the oldest civilizations originated, produced a number of stories of creation and natural occurrences. It is important to note that many of the stories of the Sumerians, Akkadians and Hebrews began as oral traditions as the events they depict predate writing, so it is difficult to date these works on the basis of when these prehistoric myths were initiated. Comparison to writings contemporary to the people of Israel, can offer a deeper understanding of the meaning of their stories of origin as they give a point of reference from similar cultures. There are a number of ways that one could view the writings of the ancient Near East for the purpose of interpreting each culture. Because there are many parallels among the creation and flood stories of the ancient Near East, this will be the focus of comparison. While the similarities in ancient literature demonstrate the commonalities of humanity, the differences between Genesis and other Near East works give us a unique impression of the character of the Hebrew God.
Religious text, like the Hebrew Bible, tell stories of an all-powerful god. In Psalms he is celebrated and praised, his relationship to man defined as a shepherd watching over a flock of sheep (INSERT
In the Old Testament, Abraham and Moses were two very prominent leaders chosen by God to do his will. Throughout Genesis and Exodus, both men play important roles in fulfilling God’s will. They are put to many tests, given covenants, and communicate constantly with God. Although they have many similarities such as being leaders and men of God, there are also many differences between the two.
Answering these questions is the purpose of this essay. I begin by arguing that the Bible cannot be adequately understood independent of its historical context. I concede later that historical context alone however is insufficient, for the Bible is a living-breathing document as relevant to us today as it was the day it was scribed. I conclude we need both testimonies of God at work to fully appreciate how the Bible speaks to us.
These terms frequently are incorrectly used as an alternate name for each other, but instead should be used to describe the evolution of Judaism. The first term “Hebrew” begins with Abraham who upon God’s request leaves Ur of the Chaldeans and travels to Canaan where his descendants will establish a nation. Explained by traditional biblical historians the term Hebrew means "to traverse or to pass over" as relating to Abraham, in Genesis 14:13, who crossed over the Euphrates River of Mesopotamia on his journey from Ur to Canaan.