St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, April 11, 2010

The Old Testament -- Numbers: Chapters 6 - 14

It was decided to skip Leviticus and the first five chapters of Numbers as it is a listing of the many laws the Israelites were commanded to follow and continue the discussion in chapter six with the census of the people who are now in the wilderness.

The well-known blessing of Aaron "The Lord bless you and keep you..." is in chapter six.  Chapter seven describes the dedication of the tabernacle, which is the tent where Moses met God.  It addition it houses the Ark of the Covenant where the Ten Commandments are kept.  Chapter eight describes the care of the Ark.  Chapter nine describes the regulation of Passover.

In chapter ten the Israelites are now finally ready to move on from Mount Sinai as the cloud lifted from the Tabernacle.  They set out for the first time from Mount Sinai as they resumed their journey.  There was a distinct ritual for the journey as the priest carried the Ark of the Covenant, which would protect the people.

In chapter eleven the complaints of the people resurface.  This includes complaint s of the water and food shortages.  This once again made the Lord mad so he burned part of the camp.  Each time the people remember their lives in Egypt and each time those remembrances get better and better!  Then Moses complains to the Lord as to why he burdened him with all these people.  Kill me now, notes Moses.  God then steps in and tells Moses to gather seventy elders to take over some of this responsibility.  The people also complain about the lack of meat, so God responds by noting that they will have so much meat that they will be sick of it!  The prophesy in the camp is out of control!  So God sends in quails from the east that are about a yard deep!  Then the Lord struck the people with a plague in response to all their complaints.

Next, Aaron and Miriam, the older brother and sister of Moses, challenge Moses for his leadership.  The Lord punished Miriam with leprosy for seven days in response to this foolish challenge.  Moses then send out scouts ahead and they report back finding the land flowing with milk and honey.  However, they must conquer the local tribes to gain access.  Only Caleb and Joshua think their armies are strong enough to conquer these tribes.  When the people hear this, they start to rebel and want to choose a new leader to take them back to Egypt instead of dieing here.  God then responds by commanding that all of the adults will be destroyed and only the children will enter the promised land.  Moses responds to God noting that he cannot do this!  He pleads for their lives noting how this would look to the Egyptians.  In the end, only Joshua and Caleb will enter the promised land.  Finally, in chapter fourteen the people agree to attack and they lost the battle.

St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Old Testament -- Numbers: Chapters 16 - 20

Chapter 15 continues with a description of more laws.  Chapter 16 begins with highlighting the rebellion against Moses once again.  Various groups challenge Moses' leadership as well as Aaron's.  Moses replied by telling them they are rebelling against God.  Now they are calling Egypt the "land of milk and honey," wishing that Moses had never brought them on this treacherous journey.  When God finds out about this he wants to wipe out all of the Israelites and let Moses and Aaron start over again.  But the brothers disagreed with God's desires.  God then told the Moses and Aaron to get away from the leaders as then God caused an earthquake under their feet to destroy them.  He also destroyed their immediate subordinates.

The censors were then hammered into a covering for the altar since the material became holy for the price of their lives.  The people rebelled one more time and God started a plague.  However, Aaron was able to stop the plague after 14,700 had been killed.  Next, the leaders who were challenging Aaron were asked to bring forth their staffs along with Aarons.  Aaron's staff bloomed with flowers, which was a sign of God that Aaron was one of the chosen ones.  The staff was then placed in the Ark of the Covenant.

Chapter 17 deals with the regulation o the priests and Levites.  Then in chapter 19 there is a description of how the those from the Levi tribe will not have a plot of land, but will receive a 10% tithe from everyone else.  Chapter 20 is a transition chapter as it deals with the death of both Miriam and Aaron.  Then there is a lack of water.  Moses took the staff and commanded the stone to produce water.  Back on the road again, the Israelites wanted just to pass through the land of Edam.  However, they were refused and met with a large army.  So they backed away and took a different direction.  Finally, as Aaron was near death, his priesthood is passed on to his son, Eliazor, whereupon Aaron finally died.  The people mourned for thirty days.

St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, April 25, 2010

The Old Testament -- Numbers: Chapters 21 - 27

The people were still speaking out against God and Moses so he sent venomous snakes to punish them.  Moses was asked to pray to the Lord to stop the snakes, which he did and the plague stopped.  The Israelites were moving towards the land of Moab and on the way they had to defeat the army of Sihon.  When the Israelites go to Moab, the Moabites were afraid that they would be taken over by the Israelites.  So the leaders summoned Balaam.  He went to the Lord to find an answer to the problem and had a number of encounters and oracles.  The Lord made it clear that the Israelites were his chosen people and he conveyed this to the Moabites much to their dismay.

The Israelite men began to mingle with the Moabite women and engage in sexual immorality.  One of the men brought a Moabite woman in front of Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron.  When he saw this, he took a spear and killed both of them.  This stopped God's plague on the Israelites.  God then promises Phinehas a covenant of peace.  Aaron and his descendents will always be the priest of Israel.

In Chapter 26 there is another census.  This was verification that the first generation would never see the Promised Land as the Lord had commanded.  There were rules of land distribution.  The tribes shall be apportioned land in accordance with the size of the tribes.  Only Caleb and Joshua were left from the first generation.

Chapter 27 highlights inheritance laws.  Typically only the sons got inheritance.  However, there was a man who had five daughters and no sons.  Does he lose his land?  Does the tribe lose the land?  The Lord agreed to pass the inheritance on to the daughters if there were no sons.  Moses knows he is going to need a successor, whom the Lord told to pick was Joshua.  He subsequently got some of Moses' authority.

St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, May 2, 2010

The Old Testament -- Numbers: Chapters 28 - 36

Chapters 28 and 29 were a listing of numerous ritual laws that weren't discussed in detail.  Chapter 30 deals with the vows made to God and the distinction between men and women.  Men must live with whatever is promised.  For women, either the father of young girls, or the husband of married women, can negate a promise.

Chapter 31 deals with the war with the Midionites.  This led the Israelite army astray and caused many to worship their gods.  It is also noted that Balaam is now on the side of the enemy.  Twelve thousand men armed against the the Midionites and they killed every male including Balaam.  The women, children, and cattle were brought to Moses as booty.  Moses commanded that the young males be killed as well as all women who have slept with a man.  Only the young virgins would be spared.  This was seen as God's will at that time.

In Chapter 32 it was noted that some of the Israelites would end up east of the Jordan River.  However, these men still had to take up their swords and fight with the army as they crossed the river.  Only after the fighting was over could they then return to their lands.  Next, there was a review of the history of where the Israelites had been and stayed over the past forty years.  Currently, they were in the plains of Moab and they should destroy everyone there.  The land would then be apportioned to the tribes according to their size.  Anyone who is not driven out will become a thorn in your side.

In Chapter 34 the "idealized" size of the promised land is described.  The area is much larger than what is Israel today.  This larger area may have existed in the time of David or Solomon.  There is great diversity and interpretation among the Jews today.

Chapter 35 lists the town and land for the Levites who are destined otherwise to receive ten percent income from all of the other tribes.  There is a list of cities of refuge where no one can be attacked there, such as for inadvertent killings.

In Chapter 36, there is a return to the daughters of Zalopa.    It was determined that the land should always stay with the tribe.  So if the young girl has a brother who can inherit the land, then she may marry inside or outside of the tribe.  However, in families that only have daughters, they must marry someone within their own tribe.  No inheritance shall be transferred between tribes.

St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, May 9, 2010

The Old Testament -- Deuteronomy: Chapters 1 - 28

Deuteronomy is different from the other books of the Torah in its atmosphere.  It is the farewell address of Moses.  It re-interprets the Torah a couple hundred years after the mass exodus.  It also sets up criteria for judging people.  There is a new focus in that once the people reach the promised land there will be one place only to worship God.

Chapters 1 through 4 are a summary of the journey; where we have been and where we are right now.  Chapter 1 discusses the rebellion of the people against God except for Caleb.  Moses blames others for the fact he himself cannot enter the promised land.  Moses asks God if he can go in but is refused.  He can only view it from afar.

Chapter 2 discusses how the land will be apportioned to different people, even those who are not Israelites.  Chapter 4 verses 1-9 are used in our lectionary.  It's a reminder about keeping the law from generation to generation.  If you do so, you will prosper.  Scholars are now looking at other references from that time period.  They found that there were good people who did follow the law that still ended up suffering.  In some cases the people of Israel did not deserve the punishment they received.  There are still some "prosperity churches" today that preach if you follow the law, you will prosper.

The end of chapter 4 is a collection of laws.  Chapter 5 is a restatement of the Ten Commandments with a slight twist.  Chapter 6 is another passage about obeying God's law and if you do, you will prosper.  This chapter also lists the great commandments.  Chapter 7 discusses why the Israelites were chosen by God.  Because he loved them.

In Chapter 11 there is more discussion about the laws written on the scroll and placed in the box.  This should be written on your forehead so you will remember to obey them every day.  Chapters 12 through 26 are a collection of laws.  This in fact could be "The Book of the Law" that Josiah found while restoring the temple from 640 to 609 BC.  Chapter 18 discusses how Moses declared that another prophet like himself shall arise and you shall heed him.  In Matthew, Jesus is portrayed as this prophet.  In Chapter 27 there is discussion about the tribal leaders who are divided; the blessed and the cursed on two mountains.  Finally, Chapter 28 is a summary of how if you follow certain laws you will be blessed, and if you do not follow those laws, you will be cursed.

St. Mark’s Adult Education Meeting Summary
A General Overview of the Old Testament
An In-Depth Discussion Led by The Rev. Mike Kreutzer
Sunday, May 16, 2010

The Old Testament -- Deuteronomy: Chapters 29 - 34

Chapters 29 - 30 discuss the making of covenants from the beginning of the story until now.  It also gives the covenants to be followed for future generations.  The Lord took care of the Israelites for forty years.  This book was written about 700 years later.  It explains why things happened, both the evil and the good.  The Israelites are in exile in Babylon and the temple was destroyed by this time.  The message was, however, if you obey the Lord, you will prosper again.

In Chapter 31 Moses gives charge to the people as he is now 120-years-old and is getting ready to die.  He notes that the Lord will go with you across the Jordan and Joshua, your new leader, shall cross as well.  Then Moses gives charge to Joshua commanding him to go with the people and the Lord will be with you as well.  Moses then gives charge to the priests and Levites noting that the covenants need to be read to the people every seven years.  Finally at the end of the chapter there is a commissioning to Joshua again.

Chapter 32 is the Song of Moses.  The first part discusses the history of Israel and what will happen to it in years to come.  Finally, Moses is ready to go up Mount Nebo where he will prepare to die as the Lord had commanded him.  He also told Moses that since he failed to obtain the holiness of the Israelites, he shall not be allowed to enter the promised land, but only view it from afar.  The end of the chapter discusses some of the various tribes and their relative importance.

The final portion of Deuteronomy, Chapter 34 is the conclusion of the book.  It discusses the death of Moses and the taking up of the reins by Joshua.  The Lord took Moses up and showed him the land.  He was 120-years-old when he died.  No one knows where he is buried, somewhere in the land of Moab.  The Israelites now followed and obeyed Joshua.  The last three verses give an assessment of Moses, describing him as the unequaled servant of the Lord.

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