So at last I finished reading the Moses Books. I know the bible has plenty more books for me to read, but this does mark a special occasion. It feels like the books are going to be different from now on. Comic book fans know the feeling. You have a wonderful series; but as soon as the author changes, small little things start to change. That's the feeling I get for the coming books, but I will have to wait and see what more the Bible has in store for me.
Deuteronomy starts of with a romanticized summary of all the events that occurred from Egypt. I mean hopefully some of the original people who came from Egypt survived the 40 years of wandering, the wars, the various plagues brought by sin, and some other questionable deaths. I mean not even Aaron survived till Deuteronomy. So there is a good chance that old man Moses was summarizing to the kids and grand kids of the original Israelites.
Deuteronomy also gives the last set of Moses's rules from God. I won't list them all, but I will list a few of my favorites. 1. Cross dressing is an abomination, and people that do it must be put to death. 2. A man who has his testicles crushed/cut off may no longer join the assembly and worship god. 3. If a woman is raped in the city, she and the rapist will be put to death, but if she was raped in the open country, she will not be killed. 4. A man get's a year off from war or work after he is married to his wife.
I like number 1 simply because of something I mentioned back in Leviticus, lesbians are still not mentioned. Cross dressers must die; gay men must die, people who have sex with animals must die; Lesbians are fine and dandy in the eyes of God. I looked over all 5 books of Moses, no mention of lesbians, at all.
Number 2 amuses me because it just seems so bizarre that God would punish a man for an injury he sustained. Now I know if it was self inflicted, that's a different story. However, if a man jumps on his donkey the wrong way, he's no longer favorable in the eyes of God.
Number 3 just baffles me. I mean it bases innocence based on location not circumstance. The basis is on the woman cries for help, in the city she can, in the country there is no one to hear her. There is some truth to the matter, unless of course the rapist does the smart thing and gags the woman before he rapes her. Mind you in both scenarios the male still dies, but depending on where she was at the time she was raped, the woman may be killed as well. I think God is still slightly miffed at Eve. Just saying.
Number 4 just appeals to the guy in me. I mean US citizens draft dodge with college, imagine draft dodging with getting married.
Now I want to make comment with growth of God here. It's very clear that God has made some very obvious psychological choices for his people. He has been opperant conditioning to get them to do what he wants, and has a rewards if they do and punishments if they don't. The punishments themselves are no longer just death or exile, but pry on the fears that men have. My favorite of the bunch is in Chapter 23 line 30. In modern translation means, If you do not follow my commandments, Your finance will have sex with another man.
This is also the book the God finally no longer takes direct control, as he did through Moses. He finally has faith in his children to take care of themselves. He appoints Joshua to take the lead, but in the last chapter, it admits that no man with direct contact with God has been seen since Moses. It feels like a parent sending their children off into the world. They are not completely ready, but ready enough to make decisions for themselves. I am now curious as to what the children of Israel will do with their new found freedom. Maybe Joshua can fill me in on what they did .
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