Questions...
First get me let to the several questions you had. It is interesting how you thought about some of the topics, because I pretty much got the same questions :)
I will try to answer them according to the bible and my own understanding, but let me tell you in advance that those are some extremely tough questions:
1. For the burial place for Sarah I would like to reask you something. Was it the burial of Sarah that was so important or was it the place, where she was buried?
I think this is dealing with the burial place. For Abraham it was a big deal. He wanted to own the place where is wife is buried. I mean, when the sons of Heth would have given it to him as a present then he would have still owned it but it would have been different for him obviously. Otherwise he wouldn't have insisted on buying the land.
I think this is what it is dealing with. Even though you aren't in your homecountry, you should still bury your dead in a place that YOU yourself own. I think this is what it is supposed to tell us.
Another interesting thought I just had is, why did Abraham come to mourn for her and weep for her. Were they not together? (23, 2)
2. Why does God send signs to some and not to everyone?? Good question. In my opinion it has a lot to do with the faith one has. Is one open minded to receive a sign and also being able to notice it as a sign, or is it that one asks for a sign just because he wants to.
In my opinion the servant didn't ask for a sign because of himself but because he wanted to be a true and faithful servant. "show kindness to my master Abraham" (24,12). This was the reason why he wanted to have a sign. Honestly, I have to admit I didn't ask myself those questions before, but I think it was really cool of you to bring them up.
In that matter, do you know the parable of the servants and the talents?? I don't know if that really goes here, but I think it is worth discussing at that point. Not everyone got the same amount of talents, but what was important is what they made out of it, not for THEMSELVES, but for their master. I think when you ask for a sign not for yourself, but to do a good job at something that you feel like you might mess up, then God will be there for you if you trust him.
Another point that might go along is in 1 Corinthians 12. The subject is spiritual gifts. Now the question is still open if a sign is a spiritual gift. I think it is possible but I don't know. Maybe you could let me know what you think.
How do we know when God is sending us signs, I don't know...
One weird thing that I thought of immediately when you were talking about signs (maybe it is stupid) is that you said, all I care about is that I can have a memory of the place where I was standing, I do not care so much about the pope in person. Isn't it so funny, or even weird that the only pic saved is one with your position but without the pope? This is just an idea that popped up in my head. Maybe this picture is a sign and a gift from God. Because I used this card before to take other pictures, since I didn't know and there was just ONE picture left that has not been written over...
3. Jewelery is always a hard topic to talk about in my opinion. I will try to point out a view things that I have thought of myself while reading this chapter.
I colored all the passages where it talks about jewelry. There are exactly three passages where it names the following, and then there is a fourth just in general:
1. 24, 22 - golden nose ring, two bracelets
2. 24, 30 - nose ring, bracelets
3. 24, 47 - nose ring, bracelets
4. 24, 53 - jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, clothing AND precious things to brother and mother!
Something really interesting happened to Laban when he saw the jewelry on his sister (verse 30ff). This was the time when he went out to greet the servant. This seems like the reason for the nice welcome he gave him. He knew exactly that this all stands for wealth. He seems very selfish in his actions. Of course he also heard the story of his sister telling him what the man said to her, but how much was that at that point. Isn't it that he tells the whole thing of his story, the blessing of God lateron? What do you think? One more reason why I think Laban does it out of personal interest is, when Jacob flees to him in chapter 29ff, Jacob said to Laban, "you have changed my wages ten times" (31, 7) He did, that because he wanted to keep all his wealth for himself.
Another text passage that one should keep in mind is, what jewelry was used for in Exodus 32, 2+3. This is bad but there are also good examples: Exodus 35, 22. So I don't know what to think of jewelry. Especially since nose rings were a pretty big deal, as it seems. Just let me know what you think. I am really undecided on this topic. Even though I still think that God has created us exactly the way he wanted us to be and therefore we do not have to make ourselves 'prettier', because this is saying, we don't like the way we look without those things. I think we shouldn't decide on it yet, but see what further things happen to the question of jewelry. There has to be a clue somewhere but I haven't found it yet. :)
4. Why was it necessary for Isaac's wife to be of the same house? Interesting question. I think this has to do with the fact that Abraham is chosen to be the father of Israel. A sacred people. The Cananites didn't believe in God. They had their own Gods. I don't know if that is even correct what I think. I just thought of all the house idols Rebekah steals a few chapters further back. So this can't be the clue to that. Therefore I am left with no solution...
5. Did Isaac marry her. It just says, he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Don't you think she became his wife because of the fact that they loved each other. Maybe I am mistaken and I am really not so educated over the customs in the time of Abraham. This is, I guess, another thing we have to keep in mind. Maybe something I said inspired you of another solution. I am eager to hear about all of your thoguhts.
One point I want to make is the reaction of the servant who bows down to the earth and worships the Lord twice in chapter 24, because he has shown mercy to his master!!
The ten commandments:
Something really interesting happened to me, when I looked at Deuteronomy 5, 5-21. It was organized in ideas!! Isn't that funny. On top of that the ideas are a little different:
1. I am the Lord your God...
2. You shall not have other gods before Me
3. You shall not make for yourself a carved idol (this idea includes the bowing down, which we saw as a different aspect)...
everything else is pretty much the same.
Then I thought that this is probably not the same in your Bible, because then you wouldn't have been so enthusiastic. So I looked for something that changed in favor of your understand of the ten commandments...
I found something at least in vers 21. There it names the wife first and then house, servants and everything else. But for me this only strengthens the equality of the things belonging to your neighbor. I did not say possesions on purpose, because I just thought that this is probably not what God intended it to be. I think the tenth commandment is to be understood as something that your neighbor has a right over. I mean, when you are married you belong to your husband and your husband belongs to you. If anyone takes that away, he took away your belongings. This is not talking about literal possesions in my opinion... So I tend to say that for me this is ONE commandment.
Interesting is, what God puts emphasis on if you continue reading Exodus ch. 20. He only talks about not having other Gods besides him. So I think that this is really important in the ten commandments as well.
I would like to have a Catechism myself, because I think it is always good to know what the religion says they believe not what people think the religion says. :)
I can buy myself one though. I think this is cheaper. So you don't have to pay for it in the first place and on top of that pay for the shipping fee...
Hopefully you got some inspiration and can help me :)
I will try to answer them according to the bible and my own understanding, but let me tell you in advance that those are some extremely tough questions:
1. For the burial place for Sarah I would like to reask you something. Was it the burial of Sarah that was so important or was it the place, where she was buried?
I think this is dealing with the burial place. For Abraham it was a big deal. He wanted to own the place where is wife is buried. I mean, when the sons of Heth would have given it to him as a present then he would have still owned it but it would have been different for him obviously. Otherwise he wouldn't have insisted on buying the land.
I think this is what it is dealing with. Even though you aren't in your homecountry, you should still bury your dead in a place that YOU yourself own. I think this is what it is supposed to tell us.
Another interesting thought I just had is, why did Abraham come to mourn for her and weep for her. Were they not together? (23, 2)
2. Why does God send signs to some and not to everyone?? Good question. In my opinion it has a lot to do with the faith one has. Is one open minded to receive a sign and also being able to notice it as a sign, or is it that one asks for a sign just because he wants to.
In my opinion the servant didn't ask for a sign because of himself but because he wanted to be a true and faithful servant. "show kindness to my master Abraham" (24,12). This was the reason why he wanted to have a sign. Honestly, I have to admit I didn't ask myself those questions before, but I think it was really cool of you to bring them up.
In that matter, do you know the parable of the servants and the talents?? I don't know if that really goes here, but I think it is worth discussing at that point. Not everyone got the same amount of talents, but what was important is what they made out of it, not for THEMSELVES, but for their master. I think when you ask for a sign not for yourself, but to do a good job at something that you feel like you might mess up, then God will be there for you if you trust him.
Another point that might go along is in 1 Corinthians 12. The subject is spiritual gifts. Now the question is still open if a sign is a spiritual gift. I think it is possible but I don't know. Maybe you could let me know what you think.
How do we know when God is sending us signs, I don't know...
One weird thing that I thought of immediately when you were talking about signs (maybe it is stupid) is that you said, all I care about is that I can have a memory of the place where I was standing, I do not care so much about the pope in person. Isn't it so funny, or even weird that the only pic saved is one with your position but without the pope? This is just an idea that popped up in my head. Maybe this picture is a sign and a gift from God. Because I used this card before to take other pictures, since I didn't know and there was just ONE picture left that has not been written over...
3. Jewelery is always a hard topic to talk about in my opinion. I will try to point out a view things that I have thought of myself while reading this chapter.
I colored all the passages where it talks about jewelry. There are exactly three passages where it names the following, and then there is a fourth just in general:
1. 24, 22 - golden nose ring, two bracelets
2. 24, 30 - nose ring, bracelets
3. 24, 47 - nose ring, bracelets
4. 24, 53 - jewelry of silver, jewelry of gold, clothing AND precious things to brother and mother!
Something really interesting happened to Laban when he saw the jewelry on his sister (verse 30ff). This was the time when he went out to greet the servant. This seems like the reason for the nice welcome he gave him. He knew exactly that this all stands for wealth. He seems very selfish in his actions. Of course he also heard the story of his sister telling him what the man said to her, but how much was that at that point. Isn't it that he tells the whole thing of his story, the blessing of God lateron? What do you think? One more reason why I think Laban does it out of personal interest is, when Jacob flees to him in chapter 29ff, Jacob said to Laban, "you have changed my wages ten times" (31, 7) He did, that because he wanted to keep all his wealth for himself.
Another text passage that one should keep in mind is, what jewelry was used for in Exodus 32, 2+3. This is bad but there are also good examples: Exodus 35, 22. So I don't know what to think of jewelry. Especially since nose rings were a pretty big deal, as it seems. Just let me know what you think. I am really undecided on this topic. Even though I still think that God has created us exactly the way he wanted us to be and therefore we do not have to make ourselves 'prettier', because this is saying, we don't like the way we look without those things. I think we shouldn't decide on it yet, but see what further things happen to the question of jewelry. There has to be a clue somewhere but I haven't found it yet. :)
4. Why was it necessary for Isaac's wife to be of the same house? Interesting question. I think this has to do with the fact that Abraham is chosen to be the father of Israel. A sacred people. The Cananites didn't believe in God. They had their own Gods. I don't know if that is even correct what I think. I just thought of all the house idols Rebekah steals a few chapters further back. So this can't be the clue to that. Therefore I am left with no solution...
5. Did Isaac marry her. It just says, he took Rebekah and she became his wife, and he loved her. Don't you think she became his wife because of the fact that they loved each other. Maybe I am mistaken and I am really not so educated over the customs in the time of Abraham. This is, I guess, another thing we have to keep in mind. Maybe something I said inspired you of another solution. I am eager to hear about all of your thoguhts.
One point I want to make is the reaction of the servant who bows down to the earth and worships the Lord twice in chapter 24, because he has shown mercy to his master!!
The ten commandments:
Something really interesting happened to me, when I looked at Deuteronomy 5, 5-21. It was organized in ideas!! Isn't that funny. On top of that the ideas are a little different:
1. I am the Lord your God...
2. You shall not have other gods before Me
3. You shall not make for yourself a carved idol (this idea includes the bowing down, which we saw as a different aspect)...
everything else is pretty much the same.
Then I thought that this is probably not the same in your Bible, because then you wouldn't have been so enthusiastic. So I looked for something that changed in favor of your understand of the ten commandments...
I found something at least in vers 21. There it names the wife first and then house, servants and everything else. But for me this only strengthens the equality of the things belonging to your neighbor. I did not say possesions on purpose, because I just thought that this is probably not what God intended it to be. I think the tenth commandment is to be understood as something that your neighbor has a right over. I mean, when you are married you belong to your husband and your husband belongs to you. If anyone takes that away, he took away your belongings. This is not talking about literal possesions in my opinion... So I tend to say that for me this is ONE commandment.
Interesting is, what God puts emphasis on if you continue reading Exodus ch. 20. He only talks about not having other Gods besides him. So I think that this is really important in the ten commandments as well.
I would like to have a Catechism myself, because I think it is always good to know what the religion says they believe not what people think the religion says. :)
I can buy myself one though. I think this is cheaper. So you don't have to pay for it in the first place and on top of that pay for the shipping fee...
Hopefully you got some inspiration and can help me :)
posted by Kerstin @ 10:29 AM
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