Today's reading opens with the Israelites doing something so incredibly stupid that I'm forced to wonder if maybe they collectively got hit in the head with one too many pyramid bricks back in Egypt. As you remember, our last reading followed Moses on his trip up Mount Sinai, where he received some fascinating and not at all drawn out instructions about how to build a tabernacle. Chapter 32 lets us know what the tribes of Israel are up to during this forty day period, and as I've said, they aren't really using their thinking caps here.
In spite of the fact that they've been continually shown proof of God's presence, the Israelites get really bored of waiting for Moses to come down from the mountain and so they "[congregate] before Aaron and [say], 'Come, make us gods to go before us. As for this Moses, who brought us up from Egypt, we do not know what has become of him'" (Exodus 32:1). Okay. I can agree that forty days is a long freaking time, but come on, Israelites! If you had any idea what Moses is going through up there, listening to tabernacle instructions repeated over and over, you would suck it up and realize how lucky you are to just be allowed to chill and wait. Hasn't God given you enough reason to trust him yet?
Apparently not. Aaron shows no hesitation when presented with this plan, collecting all the golden jewelry from the people and melting it so he can form a golden calf. When it's done he proclaims it to be "your gods that brought you up from Egypt" (32:4), using the plural in spite of the fact that he only made one. Well, okay. The people make sacrifices to the idol, and "then [give] themselves up to revelry" (Exodus 32:6) which we can take to mean that everyone gets CRUNK.
This segment makes me wonder, though... Do the Israelites have ANY idea what's going on? It seems to me that most of these people have very little grasp of the fundamentals of their religion, as though their awareness of traditions eroded during the years of slavery. Do they even know they're supposed to worship one God? I really can't tell if they're complete asshole whiners, or just ignorant.
Anyway, way back up on Mount Sinai God tells Moses that the people have committed a terrible sin, and sends him down to discipline them. God is all set to "pour out [his] anger on them" (Exodus 32:10) but Moses shows his prowess as a therapist and talks God out of his fury: "Why pour out your anger on your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a strong hand? Why let the Egyptians say, 'He meant evil when he took them out, to kill them in the mountains and wipe them off the face of the earth'? Turn from your anger, and think better of the evil you intend against your people'" (Exodus 32:11-12). Good point, Moses! Well put! But when Moses sees the revelry of the Israelites, even he cannot fully contain his anger, "[flinging] down the tablets and [shattering] them at the foot of the mountain" (Exodus 32:19). Then he grinds the calf into powder and makes the Israelites drink it in their water, like it's that Emergen-C vitamin drink or something.
In spite of the fact that he totally enabled all this sinful activity, Aaron tries to worm his way out of it by telling Moses, "You know how wicked the people are" (Exodus 32:22). Although I personally feel that the asshole should own up for his misdeeds, Moses is satisfied by this response and Aaron remains high priest. The Levites -- which is Moses and Aaron's tribe, in case you forgot -- fulfill their priestly duties by killing about three thousand of the Israelites, presumably those who participated most enthusiastically in the idol worship. Kind of funny how God can give the instruction "Each of you kill brother, friend, neighbor" (Exodus 32:27) only a few short chapters after he lists murder as one of the big no-nos on the Ten Commandments.
In chapter 33 and 34, the gang finally gets moving again, as God sends them off in the direction of the "promised land." Unfortunately, he is unable to go with them because he fears "that [he] should destroy [the tribes] on the way, for [they] are a stubborn people" (Exodus 33:3). In other words, the Jews piss him off too much. The Israelites are pretty bummed about this, but they keep on keeping on, and Moses maintains his communication with God by setting up a "Tent of Meeting" outside camp each night. In this tent, he can talk to God "face to face, as one man speaks to another" (Exodus 33:11). That's pretty cool! I don't think anyone else has been able to do that yet! During their chats, Moses is able to convince God to lead the Israelites himself, and the dynamic duo also remake the two stone tablets that Moses smashed against the mountain -- although this takes another forty days, during which Moses goes "without food or drink" (Exodus 34:28). Geez Louise!
Moses emerges from the meetings with God with his skin aglow and shiny, because of the divine presence. Interestingly, in one well known Latin translation, this is mistranslated as "Moses's face had horns." First of all, that's a really scary image! What, is he the elephant man or something now? Second of all, this led -- remarkably -- to the adoption of horned headpieces by ancient priests. Now that's what I call a lapse in communication!
In Chapter 35, the Sabbath laws are restated, possibly because they were destroyed when Moses smashed the original stone tablets. Then Moses spends the rest of the chapter explaining to the people how they are to build the tabernacle, which is great, because I don't think we've heard anything about a tabernacle before! Oh wait, we already had like FIVE CHAPTERS ABOUT IT? Well good thing it's so interesting because we have some MORE!!!! I am dismayed to say that the rest of Exodus centers around the making of the tabernacle, and we get to hear again about exactly how many cubits this piece of wood should be and exactly how many holes should be punched in this piece of cloth and so on and so forth. In chapters 36 and 37 the people work, under the leadership of Bezalel and Oholiab, and in chapters 38 through 40 the tabernacle is completed and filled with lots of cool stuff like gold and incense.
In case you are wondering, because I had no idea whatsoever, a tabernacle is a portable dwelling place for a divine presence. In cloud form, God inhabited the tabernacle and guided the Israelites towards the promised land.
Here's a picture!
Neat! Anyway, with that being said, we have now completed the Book of Exodus. Onto Leviticus!
I will preface with a bit of background: the word Leviticus is derived from Levite, the tribe of the priests. To my knowledge, the book contains mostly law (no more crazy stories... sorry guys!) and according to the footnotes of my study bible, here's what we should expect: guidelines for making offerings and sacrifices, the ordination of the Aaronite priests, rules regarding cleanness, an explanation of Yom Kippur (the annual Day of Atonement), something called the "Holiness Code", and regulations for the fulfillment of religious vows. Wow! Pretty exciting.
The first three chapters focus on grain or animal sacrifices and are really gross, explicitly outlining exactly how animals should be dismembered -- for instance, when sacrificing pigeons one must "wrench off the head [and] burn [it] on the altar" (Lev 1:15). And that's just a start. I feel like PETA would have a field day with this stuff.
Also, a bit of interesting etymology: what word is often used to describe the whole-offering of an animal by fire? Holocaust, from the Greek holókaustos, meaning "wholly burnt." How fascinating that this was the name later given to the German extermination of Jews during World War II.
Since we've covered a lot of ground today, I won't go into agonizing detail about all the gross ritual practices... That's for tomorrow! But I will add in one additional note: at the end of chapter 3, it is stated that "All fat belongs to the Lord" (Lev 3:16). I am in favor of this. Take it, God! My love handles are yours!
Read it, loved it like usual, and have pumped your blog into the lives of several other people because it is so worth it. Ha, you're terrific, Sara.
ReplyDeleteHilarious, as always. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the bible... I was really coasting along with all the fun Joseph stories, but these tabernacle laws are really dull! At least there's a bit of pigeon-dismembering every now and then.
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