why would God reveal himself in texts?

[rusra02]

i'm just curious since you probably know better than me on the subject. Before Exodus the israelites ( the ones who will become the israelites to be precise ) were supposedly the slaves of the egiptians. In egypt only the elites were able to read ( like priests and scribes ).
How could it be possible that their slaves were more educated than their masters?

The true God has always seen that his people were educated. Although slaves in Egypt, there is biblical evidence the Israelites were literate. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

 

[cambridge79]

The true God has always seen that his people were educated. Although slaves in Egypt, there is biblical evidence the Israelites were literate. (Deuteronomy 6:6-9)

I m actually more interested in archeological evidence than biblical evidence. according to biblical evidence a man should be able to live for a week in the belly of a whale wich we all know it's absurd.

 

[Etritonakin]

i mean back in the days when sacred texts were written how many people were actually able to read? like 1 in a 1000? less than that? it's the same as if in todays standards god would reveal his words in C++ computer code.

When all that is written is accomplished, it will be a record that proves God is able to declare the end from the beginning.

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased

Dan 12:8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
Dan 12:9 And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.

Exo 17:14 And the LORD said unto Moses, Write this for a memorial in a book,

Deu 6:1 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it:
........
Deu 6:6 And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:
Deu 6:7 And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Deu 6:8 And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes.
Deu 6:9 And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates.
......
Deu 6:17 Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee.
Deu 6:18 And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers,
Deu 6:19 To cast out all thine enemies from before thee, as the LORD hath spoken.

Deu 17:18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites:
Deu 17:19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

Jer 30:2 Thus speaketh the LORD God of Israel, saying, Write thee all the words that I have spoken unto thee in a book.
Jer 30:3 For, lo, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will bring again the captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the LORD: and I will cause them to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it.

Jer 36:2 Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day.
Jer 36:3 It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.

Hab 2:2 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.
Hab 2:3 For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.

Rev 21:4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
Rev 21:5 And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.

 

[outhouse]

Although slaves in Egypt, there is biblical evidence the Israelites were literate

No such evidence exist. Israelites were never in Egypt

The true God has always seen that his people were educated

faith based rhetoric

 

[morphesium]

i mean back in the days when sacred texts were written how many people were actually able to read? like 1 in a 1000? less than that? it's the same as if in todays standards god would reveal his words in C++ computer code.

Good thinking. I just hope post like these would make people think.

 

[outhouse]

why would God reveal himself in texts?

He did not. The Abrahamic traditions are what is called a historical religion based on events. Yes some are pseudohistory but still largely based on history

 

[paarsurrey]

The fact that astronomers like what they see when they look through a telescope is beside the point. We do a lot more than enjoy nature from a distance. We investigate it and it tells us that nature and the cosmos are complex. It doesn't negate the divine. The complexity of nature shows the power of the primordial forces. There is more than what we see, if you don't believe that are you a spiritual person really?

There are many dimensions and aspect to a thing. The questioner asked the question about one aspect of nature ie "simple", and my reply was therefore specific about that.
Regards

 

[Tumah]

I don't really get the question. Not everyone needs to be the rabbi. Most people are the congregation.

 

[Akivah]

i taught Moses went up the mountain alone and god revealed himself to him. Than he went down the mountain and found half of the people worshipping an idol. Are you referring to a different episode?

You didn't get this episode right either, but I am referring to a different episode.

D e u t 4:9-13 Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld..., the day that you stood before your G-d at Horeb. ..So you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain...G-d spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you were hearing the sounds of words but you were not seeing a likeness, only a sound. G-d told you of His covenant that He commanded you to observe, the ten Declarations, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets."

A precise claim is being made here: That an entire nation - the three million men, women and children who came out of Egypt - heard G-d speaking at Mount Sinai, saying, "I am the Lord your G-d."

http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_faith.htm

 

[roger1440]

Indeed it may be for you. ( but not for me ) but apart from that my point was that there would have been a very high chance that such a rock you would have not been able to directly experience it if you were born in any other period of time prior world war 2 where only a very small part of the population was able to read. the rock of my example anyone would have been able to experience.

There are audio books that recite the entire Bible. One does not need to be able to read in order to listen to these audio books. But one may not be able to comprehend what they are listening too. Most religions encourage fellowship and going to ones house of worship. Fellowship helps motivate a person from going astray and strengthens there faith. One’s house of worship opens the door to instruction.

“30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me? "And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:…” (Acts 8:30-32)

 

[cambridge79]

There are audio books that recite the entire Bible. One does not need to be able to read in order to listen to these audio books. But one may not be able to comprehend what they are listening too. Most religions encourage fellowship and going to ones house of worship. Fellowship helps motivate a person from going astray and strengthens there faith. One’s house of worship opens the door to instruction.

“30Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me? "And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32Now the passage of Scripture which he was reading was this:…” (Acts 8:30-32)

audio books? I'm talking about the years going from like 2000 b.c.e to 600 c.e and you really come up with audiobooks?

 

[cambridge79]

You didn't get this episode right either, but I am referring to a different episode.

D e u t 4:9-13 Only beware for yourself and greatly beware for your soul lest you forget the things that your eyes have beheld..., the day that you stood before your G-d at Horeb. ..So you approached and stood at the foot of the mountain...G-d spoke to you from the midst of the fire; you were hearing the sounds of words but you were not seeing a likeness, only a sound. G-d told you of His covenant that He commanded you to observe, the ten Declarations, and He inscribed them on two stone tablets."

A precise claim is being made here: That an entire nation - the three million men, women and children who came out of Egypt - heard G-d speaking at Mount Sinai, saying, "I am the Lord your G-d."

http://judaism.about.com/library/3_askrabbi_o/bl_simmons_faith.htm

3 millions people? how did you come to that number?

 

[Akivah]

3 millions people? how did you come to that number?

That's an estimate of the total number of people that left Egypt. The bible tells us that there were 603,550 men aged 20 or higher (E x o 38:26). Once we factor in women, children, and the mixed multitudes, we get an estimated population of 3 million.

Also, I found an article that mentions the erroneous things you mentioned earlier. That G-d only gave the Torah to Moses and that all the Hebrews were worshipping the golden calf. Those statements don't come from the Hebrew bible, they come from a movie. Cecil DeMille's movie about the Ten Commandments. http://www.aish.com/jl/p/ph/Did_God_Speak_at_Sinai.html

 

[outhouse]

That's an estimate of the total number of people that left Egypt. The bible tells us that there were 603,550 men aged 20 or higher (E x o 38:26). Once we factor in women, children, and the mixed multitudes, we get an estimated population of 3 million.

You mean that's the mythological number ?

 

[outhouse]

A precise claim is being made here: That an entire nation - the three million men, women and children who came out of Egypt - heard G-d speaking at Mount Sinai, saying, "I am the Lord your G-d."

Which today academically speaking is 100% mythology and pseudohistory in a theological setting.

Not one credible university on the planet teaches that as credible history. My friend, please keep your faith, but don't try and pass it off as being real to others. It is your theology, and factually not our history.

 

[lunamoth]

God texts you!?! Awesome!

 

[Desert Snake]

'Why would God reveal Himself in Texts'?

Why not?

 

[cambridge79]

That's an estimate of the total number of people that left Egypt. The bible tells us that there were 603,550 men aged 20 or higher (E x o 38:26). Once we factor in women, children, and the mixed multitudes, we get an estimated population of 3 million.

Also, I found an article that mentions the erroneous things you mentioned to me earlier. That G-d only gave the Torah to Moses and that all the Hebrews were worshipping the golden calf. Those statements don't come from the Hebrew bible, they come from a movie. Cecil DeMille's movie about the Ten Commandments. http://www.aish.com/jl/p/ph/Did_God_Speak_at_Sinai.html

do you even realize the numbers you're talking about here?
it was impossible for the population of egypt to have such a number of slaves.
Expecially considering that they were all concentrated in a particular area of Egypt and not spread around the whole country.
1st with such numbers they could not be held into slavery.
2nd you would not be able to move such a number of people even with god making food rain over you all the time, it would be like moving a city like Berlin alltogheter. Impossible
3th there's not a single archeological evidence of exodus that has been found, and there were lot of people searching for them, you can't move 3 million people for years without leaving traces.
4th you should go and check in the military history the massive problems military have when they move armies, and we talk numbers like 10 to 100.000 people. And they are trained and fitted for the task. And here we have to believe 3 million people just decided to left and wander in the desert?

If that number can be derived from the bible than that number alone would immediately show to whoever has eyes to see that the biblical account of Exodus is completely unreliable

 

[outhouse]

do you even realize the numbers you're talking about here?
it was impossible for the population of egypt to have such a number of slaves.
Expecially considering that they were all concentrated in a particular area of Egypt and not spread around the whole country.
1st with such numbers they could not be held into slavery.
2nd you would not be able to move such a number of people even with god making food rain over you all the time, it would be like moving a city like Berlin alltogheter. Impossible
3th there's not a single archeological evidence of exodus that has been found, and there were lot of people searching for them, you can't move 3 million people for years without leaving traces.
4th you should go and check in the military history the massive problems military have when they move armies, and we talk numbers like 10 to 100.000 people. And they are trained and fitted for the task. And here we have to believe 3 million people just decided to left and wander in the desert?

If that number can be derived from the bible than that number alone would immediately show to whoever has eyes to see that the biblical account of Exodus is completely unreliable

We are way beyond academic logic and reason. For what he posits to have happened were into global floods and literalism and talking lizards etc ect ect

Your better off trying to teach biology to a YEC then to debate moses with many Jews

 

[viole]

it's the same as if in todays standards god would reveal his words in C++ computer code.

Well, He does seem to be pure virtual, lol

Buonasera

- viole