The Book of Exodus
Fall 2003 Bible Study
Exodus 1-4
The Book of Exodus
Fall 2003 Bible Study
Exodus 1-4
| "St. Joan of Arc Bible Study is an open and growing group that meets for fellowship and to discuss the Bible and other faith-centered literature. Our informal study group draws from biblical scholarship, historical perspectives, current events and personal reflections. We welcome honor and respect the personal ideas and spiritual journeys of all who join us." |
Greetings
After freezing in my (heatless-til-October) apartment the past few evenings, it was a pleasure to get out on this balmy autumn evening and stop by the old country church to gather once again with this spectacular group of human beings. What shall we talk about?
We prayed a knowing and hopeful opening prayer. We then went over some new business and also heard a quick synopsis of the "bible study boys'" latest trip to the BWCA.
We finally got going with Exodus and we need report that there is no "overview" to pass along. Our facilitator took a different approach to the material. He decided we would use the first part of the gathering to read aloud Exodus 1 and 2, which we did and then discuss our insights, feelings and voice our questions. He (our facilitator) had dug into much of the resource material provided by Tom so was ready with some of the scholarship stuff. Mostly we discussed archetypes and mythology and how God evolves through the history of a people. We talked about liberation...from what? Bondage. What kinds of things are we bound to today? Where is our liberation found, individually and en masse? Are we (the US and Israel) repeating the mistakes of the past, perpetrating the very type of bondage and oppression from which the ancient Israelites themselves were liberated from?
These four chapters make it obvious that the more people are repressed, the more freedoms taken away, the more you tell someone they cant do something, the more problems one actually creates. We see it with Pharaoh in Exodus, we see it with the Soviet Union and we see it with modern-day Israel and the US. Why do we never learn from history? Or maybe we do learn but live in such a state of fear of our fellow human beings that we become blind to the truth.
We repeat the same cycles over and over and whoever happens to have the most "stuff" or economic power at the time, seems to automatically become terrified that someone is going to take it away. So we repeat all the horrors of the past not realizing the complete role reversal.
Historically, our human solutions to our challenges seem to have been, that we need more weapons and military power to prevent war. We need more violence to bring about peace. We need more repression to make us safer. In other words, we continue to pour gasoline on a raging fire and then become more dismayed and baffled as to why the fire won't go out. We become more afraid and so run to get more gasoline. As we view ourselves today, how much of this has changed? And yet we know it doesn't work. We have all of history as our proof. It could be argued we are insane. We keep beating our heads against the same brick wall while expecting different results.
The solutions to our global challenges are so absolutely and profoundly simple it makes one want to scream and yet it seems to be the biggest and best-kept secret in the world. And like most things truly important, it is left unguarded and open for all to see, touch and taste.
For example, there is fool proof way for overcoming our fear of losing our stuff or of having it taken away. I believe this message is within the book of Exodus as it is within the Gospels. Namely, give it away. (I am not referring to the conventional giveaway of billions of dollars to oil companies, chemical companies, secret military establishments and weapons manufacturers.) This releases our fear and is truly liberating.
Quite simply, we are talking about social and economic justice. I am literally pained at how simple the solutions are and yet how difficult it seems to break through our seeming impenetrable shell of fear and ignorance. I am pained that the only solutions offered up by our "wise" and "experienced" leaders are simply to build bigger tanks, more deadly bombs, restrict more freedoms and buy more gasoline for the fire. It is patently obvious that these solutions do not work. Not only do they not work, they, like Pharaoh's solutions, simply make the oppressed more dangerous and determined. Why is it so hard to see that our own safety and liberation from violence can only come through others safety and liberation?
If I desire someone to like me, to think that I'm a fairly hip cat and to treat me with respect, should I repress, starve and murder his/her people, or should I feed them? I know, I know, it's a tough question that will take many years to contemplate and we shall have to hire a firm to do a study so we have concrete scientific proof. God knows we don't want to do the wrong thing, right?
We may wonder what the heck does this have to do with Exodus. In my opinion, just about everything. God is calling upon us as God called upon Moses, as God called upon Jesus.
Excuse me, it is now 8:03pm and it is time for the stampede to the kitchen area where we had heard speculative but tantalizing rumors of a treat of treats. My lord. Do you know what it's like to mix Chocolate (or is it fudge?) with vanilla and butterscotch (or was it caramel)?
What I know for a fact is that we devoured heated homemade brownies with chopped walnuts (from Brazil) in a delicate yet firm paper bowl with homemade vanilla ice cream. Yes, the brown-wooden-barrel type that grandpa and grandma used to make with salt, packed with ice with the spotless white cloth spread atop the mouth of the barrel and tied around the rim. Like this isn't enough right? Nope. Added to this culinary dream was a heated homemade butterscotch sauce which pretty much put us right over the edge. No, no pussy-footing around here. Completely over the edge. I head a several gasps but I think we all pulled through. Thank you cousin KRH!
When we returned to our sacred circle (at 8:30pm!) we read chapters 3 and 4 aloud and similarly discussed them. It was a very nice time, the facilitator was outstanding and the format was wonderful.
We closed with prayers for the Whelan family, the Ueland family and the Anderson family. We also acknowledged our gratitude for a successful operation one of us recently completed.
For next week please read Chapters 5 and 6.
Privileges