(Originally Written May 27, 2008 in the Journal)
Lord I am weak. She is packing to leave me for good. If this separation must come to pass I pray you make it temporary. Day and night I will worship you and meditate on your Word. I will follow your Law and neither stray to the left nor to the right. Return her to me and you, most importantly to you. Stir in her the love you have for us. I beseech you as my Lord and King, do not forsake me in my time of desperation. You bound us here on earth; strengthen that binding and draw us closer to each other and close to you. This is all so easy in your power, if you would just touch down a finger on her she would be mine again. But your will be done for who am I to question your methods or wisdom? Lord save us, if you will. Give me strength and comfort today.
Last night you spoke to me and for what reasons I do not know. II heard a still, small voice in my heart speaking to me in the same tone as when I was told to fast. I heard "eat bread and water" and I will obey until the end of August. That is my sacred vow to you. I will honor your call.
Notes on Joshua
Chapter 11
The king of Hazor, Jabin, called to other kings to join him against the Israelites. Jobab, king of Madon, the kings of Shimron and Aehshaph and the kings of the northern mountains and the kings in Arabah and those to the west joined with Jabin. The eastern and western Canaanites, the Amorites, Perizzites and Jebusites united against Israel.
Joshua attacked them by surprise and killed all of them. He followed the Lord's instructions and hamstrung their horses and burned their chariots. Joshua doomed all the cities and did not stray from the commands of the Lord through Moses. Joshua exterminated the Anakim in the land. But, some survived in Gaza, Gath and Ashdod.
Chapter 12
A survey of the conquered kings:
- Sihon, king of the Amorites from Heshbon
- Og, king of Bashan
- The kings of Jericho, Ai, Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish, Eglon, Gezer, Debir, Geder, Hormah, Arad, Libnah, Adullam, Makkedah, Bethel, Tappuah, Hepher, Aphek, Lasharon, Madon, Hazor, Shimron, Aehshaph, Taanach, Megiddo, Kedesh, Jokneam, Dor, Gilgal and Tizrah, 31 in all.
Chapter 13
The Lord told Joshua in old age there was much yet to be conquered but to divide the conquered and unconquered land among the tribes.
The Eastern tribes: Reuben, Gad and the other half of Manasseh
Chapter 14
The Western Tribes: Judah
Chapter 15
Caleb drove from his portion the three sons of Anak (the Anakim) Sheshai, Ahiman and Talmai.
Judah was given a large portion on behalf of the faith of Caleb when he spied on the cities when the Israelites were still in the desert.
Chapter 16
The tribes of Joseph
Chapter 17
The Josephites, Manasseh and Ephraim complained about the size of their share and Joshua told them it would enlarge when they drove the Canaanites out.
Chapter 18
Joshua then divided the land into seven parts for the other seven tribes. He then cast lots to see who would pick first. The Benjaminites drew first.
Chapter 19
The Simeonites received their portion next, which was bound within that of Judah. Next came Zebulun, then Issachar, then Asher, then Naphtali and was finished by Dan. The Israelites gave to Joshua the city he asked for: Timnah-Serah.
Chapter 20
Kedesh in Galilee, Shechem in the mountains of Ephraim and Hebron in Judah were set up as asylum cities. Beyond the Jordan River, the cities Bezer in Reuben, Ramoth in Gilead, and Golan in Bashan were set apart as cities of asylum.
Chapter 21
The Levites were then allotted cities by the other tribes in accordance with the will of God.
All the promises the Lord made to Israel, He fulfilled.
Chapter 22
The half tribe of Manasseh, the Reubenites and the Gadites were blessed and sent back home across the Jordan River. After crossing the Jordan these three tribes built a very large altar to the Lord. When the other tribes heard of this they scrambled to declare war on them. They accused the Gadites, Reubenites and the half tribe of Manasseh of seceding from the Lord. These three tribes explained that it was meant only as a witness to the one true altar of the Lord, not a place for holocausts.
Chapter 23
Joshua warned the community not to stray from the Lord at all because as He fulfilled every promise so too would he fulfill every threat.
Chapter 24
Joshua renewed the covenant with Israel. Joshua died at 110 years old. Eleazar also died. The bones of Joseph were buried in Schechem.
Showing posts with label Anakim. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Anakim. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Brief Notes on Deuteronomy 1 - 17
(Originally written May 23, 2008 in the Journal)
Chapter 1
"Do not fear or lose heart" (Deuteronomy 1:21, New American Bible)
Chapter 2
The Lord would not give the Israelites any land of the Seir or of Moab because they are the descendants of Esau and Lot. He would also not give the land of the Ammonites to the Israelites because they too were the descendants of Lot. The Ammonites, Moabites and the descendants of Esau had all driven out the inhabitants of their land with the help of God. The previous inhabitants were the strong and tall people like the Anakim.
Who are the Anakim? Is there any other reference to them? In mythology? In archeology?
The Lord first delivered Heshbon, the kingdom of the Amorite ruler Sihon to the Israelites. The Israelites doomed them all, man, woman and child.
Chapter 3
The Lord then delivered the Kingdom of Bashan to the Israelites. They defeated King Og and captured over sixty cities. They left no survivors.
Og, the King of Bashan was the last of the Rephaim. His sarcophagus was nine cubits long and four cubits wide.
Moses asked the Lord to allow him to enter the kingdom of the Promised Land, but the Lord refused and showed it to him from a high hill.
Chapter 4
For the Israelites, Egypt was the iron foundry. God allowed the Israelites to be afflicted there for the sake of their spiritual purification. Contrast that with the furnace of affliction in Isaiah 48.
Lord, am I in the iron foundry or the furnace of affliction? I have sinned and deserve the latter. Yet, I am redeemed by the blood of Christ. I am atoned. If this is the foundry then continue the smelting so that I can be pure and strong. If this is the furnace of affliction Lord, cool the fires of your righteous rage and heal me with the balm of your merciful touch. Hear my prayer oh God, for you answer those who call to you. Hear me for the sake of your righteousness and look on me with pity and mercy and love.
Moses warns the Israelites not to be tempted by Idolatry.
"Since the Lord, your God, is a merciful God, He will not abandon and destroy you, nor forget the covenant which under oath he made with your fathers" (Deuteronomy 4:31, New American Bible)
Chapter 5
The retelling of the commandments
Chapter 6
Follow the statutes of the Lord and He will prosper you.
Chapter 7
Do not take mercy or pity on the enemies of God. Loathe and abhor everything that is doomed lest you be doomed by it.
Chapter 8
Do not allow prosperity to make you forget the Lord your God.
Chapter 9
Understand that the Lord gives you good land not because the merits of your heart, but because of the wickedness of others.
Chapter 10
Circumcise your hearts; be receptive to divine grace and guidance.
Chapter 11
You will be blessed and rewarded for obedience to God. You will be cursed for disobedience.
Chapter 12
Destroy all the strongholds and places of idol worship. You will worship the Lord in the place he appoints for you, not wherever you fancy.
Chapter 13
Do not follow a prophet who correctly tells the future but leads you to other gods for the Lord is testing you. Stone to death even your brother, wife or friend if they tempt you to stray to a false god. If a city is led to idolatry, kill all the inhabitants and burn the city. Do not rebuild it.
Chapter 14
Do not follow pagan mourning rituals.
Chapter 15
About the slaves and the poor
Chapter 16
The observation of Passover, Pentecost and the feast of the Booths.
There should be judges in communities whose end should only be justice without partiality.
Do not worship as the pagans do.
Chapter 17
You must stone idol worshippers, but there must be at least two or three witnesses to put a man to death. You must purge evil from the community.
When judges cannot decide they must refer them to the Levitical priests. They will hand down the decision after studying the case.
If you decide to take a king he will be appointed by God. He must not have many wives, horses or silver.
Chapter 1
"Do not fear or lose heart" (Deuteronomy 1:21, New American Bible)
Chapter 2
The Lord would not give the Israelites any land of the Seir or of Moab because they are the descendants of Esau and Lot. He would also not give the land of the Ammonites to the Israelites because they too were the descendants of Lot. The Ammonites, Moabites and the descendants of Esau had all driven out the inhabitants of their land with the help of God. The previous inhabitants were the strong and tall people like the Anakim.
Who are the Anakim? Is there any other reference to them? In mythology? In archeology?
The Lord first delivered Heshbon, the kingdom of the Amorite ruler Sihon to the Israelites. The Israelites doomed them all, man, woman and child.
Chapter 3
The Lord then delivered the Kingdom of Bashan to the Israelites. They defeated King Og and captured over sixty cities. They left no survivors.
Og, the King of Bashan was the last of the Rephaim. His sarcophagus was nine cubits long and four cubits wide.
Moses asked the Lord to allow him to enter the kingdom of the Promised Land, but the Lord refused and showed it to him from a high hill.
Chapter 4
For the Israelites, Egypt was the iron foundry. God allowed the Israelites to be afflicted there for the sake of their spiritual purification. Contrast that with the furnace of affliction in Isaiah 48.
Lord, am I in the iron foundry or the furnace of affliction? I have sinned and deserve the latter. Yet, I am redeemed by the blood of Christ. I am atoned. If this is the foundry then continue the smelting so that I can be pure and strong. If this is the furnace of affliction Lord, cool the fires of your righteous rage and heal me with the balm of your merciful touch. Hear my prayer oh God, for you answer those who call to you. Hear me for the sake of your righteousness and look on me with pity and mercy and love.
Moses warns the Israelites not to be tempted by Idolatry.
"Since the Lord, your God, is a merciful God, He will not abandon and destroy you, nor forget the covenant which under oath he made with your fathers" (Deuteronomy 4:31, New American Bible)
Chapter 5
The retelling of the commandments
Chapter 6
Follow the statutes of the Lord and He will prosper you.
Chapter 7
Do not take mercy or pity on the enemies of God. Loathe and abhor everything that is doomed lest you be doomed by it.
Chapter 8
Do not allow prosperity to make you forget the Lord your God.
Chapter 9
Understand that the Lord gives you good land not because the merits of your heart, but because of the wickedness of others.
Chapter 10
Circumcise your hearts; be receptive to divine grace and guidance.
Chapter 11
You will be blessed and rewarded for obedience to God. You will be cursed for disobedience.
Chapter 12
Destroy all the strongholds and places of idol worship. You will worship the Lord in the place he appoints for you, not wherever you fancy.
Chapter 13
Do not follow a prophet who correctly tells the future but leads you to other gods for the Lord is testing you. Stone to death even your brother, wife or friend if they tempt you to stray to a false god. If a city is led to idolatry, kill all the inhabitants and burn the city. Do not rebuild it.
Chapter 14
Do not follow pagan mourning rituals.
Chapter 15
About the slaves and the poor
Chapter 16
The observation of Passover, Pentecost and the feast of the Booths.
There should be judges in communities whose end should only be justice without partiality.
Do not worship as the pagans do.
Chapter 17
You must stone idol worshippers, but there must be at least two or three witnesses to put a man to death. You must purge evil from the community.
When judges cannot decide they must refer them to the Levitical priests. They will hand down the decision after studying the case.
If you decide to take a king he will be appointed by God. He must not have many wives, horses or silver.
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