Exodus 1-19

I’m back! I hadn’t forgotten about my project; I was just absorbed in some personal issues that left no room for reflection. Given my delay, I’ll probably condense a few books so I don’t write too far into 2014. And so onward with a new book! Sadly, this will be the last narrative passage I’ll read for a while…

I can’t read Exodus without thinking of the Dreamworks picture, “Prince of Egypt.” I remember going to see it in theaters on Christmas Day, shocked that the movies were even open that day. The film was all the rage in Christian circles – for once, a biblical movie! With real stars doing the voice work, like Val Kilmer and Jeff Goldblum! And Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston performing on the soundtrack!

Our Christian magazine (World) got in on the act, pairing the movie logo with the question “Exodus from Disney?” on its cover. We could only hope that the public would leave Disney for daring to have a Gay Pride Day at the park. Such an outrage! (Confession: I still saw “Hercules” that year.)

Ah, memories. Anyway, I’d forgotten that God’s presence manifested itself in a cloud/pillar of fire when the Israelites leave Egypt in chapters 14, 18 and 19. It seems that every instance where God takes a physical shape has surprised me, because my imagination had hardened around the idea of God being an invisible force.

There’s also this random tale that’s only a couple of verses long in chapter 4 where God meets Moses, decides to kill him (no reason, just felt like it), then changes his mind after Moses’ wife circumcises her son and touches Moses’ feet with the foreskin. So if God ever decides to strike me down, I know what I have to do! I’ve read some pretty out there stuff in Genesis, but this beats them all.


Again, in chapter 19, sex gets special treatment. God’s getting ready to present Moses with the Ten Commandments, but he can’t do that until Moses ropes off Mount Sinai and everyone stops making whoopee for three whole days. It’s hard for me not to mock this situation, and even harder to come up with an explanation for why God can’t be around when folks are getting it on. Really, he’s coming across as a giant prude.

I suppose that's all for now. I plan to keep up with weekly updates until April; hopefully no new crises will erupt between now and then. Until next time, be well!