Timmy, do you believe that the Bible is complete in it's contents as we read it now?
Moses made one little mistake? The bible does not tell us why God chose that particular "little mistake" to punish Moses. God has His reasons why He does things.
There could have been other mistakes, yes, but the Bible does give the reason for punishing this one the way He did:
Numbers 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
I am reading what is there. I am not adding to it or twisting it. My interpretations are different from yours. Which of us lacks understanding is a matter of opinion.
No, you are not adding to it or consciously twisting, I agree. There is no need to seek more favorable interpretations when you understand that God is not the bad guy here, like you seem intent on proving. I don't know that God didn't actively do something to harden Pharoah's heart, true enough; but I am aware that God most likely did not need to do anything but exist for Pharoah's heart to be hardened, considering that he was surely convinced that he was God, hence, "I will harden Pharoah's heart." (translated, "I will harden Pharoah's heart, regardless.") Pharoah was able to soften his own heart the moment he was able to admit that he was not God, which he was not going to do.
Your interpretation seems to lead you to the conclusion that God was not acting correctly here, because the story as written does not comply with your understanding? Then see that either you are right, or God is (ignoring my view here entirely)--what's it gonna be?
Ok, and let's drop the babies thing for now, if I am to be made into a baby killer over it. The bottom line there is they were warned, and could avail themselves of God's protection, it was not a secret. Skip over the parent's responsibility all you like. I do not mean "reward" in the way a Christian might mean it; I mean that physical death is meaningless to human understanding.
No, you are not adding to it or consciously twisting, I agree. There is no need to seek more favorable interpretations when you understand that God is not the bad guy here, like you seem intent on proving. I don't know that God didn't actively do something to harden Pharoah's heart, true enough; but I am aware that God most likely did not need to do anything but exist for Pharoah's heart to be hardened, considering that he was surely convinced that he was God, hence, "I will harden Pharoah's heart." (translated, "I will harden Pharoah's heart, regardless.") Pharoah was able to soften his own heart the moment he was able to admit that he was not God, which he was not going to do.
Your interpretation seems to lead you to the conclusion that God was not acting correctly here, because the story as written does not comply with your understanding? Then see that either you are right, or God is (ignoring my view here entirely)--what's it gonna be?
Ok, and let's drop the babies thing for now, if I am to be made into a baby killer over it. The bottom line there is they were warned, and could avail themselves of God's protection, it was not a secret. Skip over the parent's responsibility all you like. I do not mean "reward" in the way a Christian might mean it; I mean that physical death is meaningless to human understanding.
Well, as for the thread topic, I still maintain that very few humans would judge fellow humans anywhere near as harshly as God is shown to judge us in the Bible.
__________________
Hebrews 13:23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty
Well, as for the thread topic, I still maintain that very few humans would judge fellow humans anywhere near as harshly as God is shown to judge us in the Bible.
What if a grown man would decide to take a child's life because he or she is black? Wouldn't that be at least as harsh?
__________________
1 John 4:8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
There could have been other mistakes, yes, but the Bible does give the reason for punishing this one the way He did:
Numbers 20:12 And the LORD spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
Let me rephrase the question as it does not reflect what I am thinking. I knew that God stated his reason for punishing Moses.
Who is to say that this wasn't the first time Moses was unbelieving, nor sanctified Him in the eyes of the children of Israel?
Don't forget that we are not living in the same time frame that these people were. Moses saw a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire. They saw with their eyes the whirlwind by day and the pillar of fire by night. They ran through the Red Sea pushed back by God so they could escape on dry land. How many times did God show the people wonderful things that they saw with their own eyes....yet still not believed Him? There most likely were many more happenings during the travels of the hebrews that were not recorded.
How many of us would freak out if we saw a burning bush or heard a voice coming out of a whirlwind or saw a smoking mountain?
So...how many times could Moses have not sanctified God in the eyes of the people before God became impatient? How many times do we become impatient with our children when we instruct them to do something and when they still do not follow our instructions and we mete out some sort of punishment?
God in His wisdom knows just how much information to give to us. Sometimes all we need to know is "not to do it".
How many of us remember growing up our parents telling us..."...because I said so" after asking them why?
__________________
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)
Ok, and let's drop the babies thing for now, if I am to be made into a baby killer over it. The bottom line there is they were warned, and could avail themselves of God's protection, it was not a secret. Skip over the parent's responsibility all you like. I do not mean "reward" in the way a Christian might mean it; I mean that physical death is meaningless to human understanding.
Didn't the Egyptians believe that Pharaoh was god?
__________________
It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. (Psalms 118:8)
And that is at the heart of my post... All we see is Moses 'one little mistake' but God sees ALL... there was something there that we can't see.
We see men under steeples and behind pulpits and in photographs with their smiling families and we say 'IN'... how will we judge God if He says 'out'?
I also do not believe that God sees death the same way we do. I believe that to God death of our physical body is just a transition for us... and that is how we are being taught to look on it as well... not an easy thing for us humans who are so very attached to our shells.
Ya, I forgot where I heard that some had observed the Passover--but it isn't a great leap to suppose that there are non-believers in any fascist system, anyway.
Linear Mode
