It was a while ago now, but I originally joined this forum group after being given an old family copy of the Bible that had been my great-grandmothers. It's a beautiful Scofield edition, which I believe is the King James edition, printed some time before the 1940's, when there weren't a lot of other options. I happen to enjoy the old English, even though it can be tricky in places.
My goal has been to read through the whole thing. It's taken me over a year to get through Genesis, so this might be a while, but I'm now in Exodus. What a story so far!
The beginning of Genesis is beautiful, mysterious, and bizarre. I found myself wondering what the waters were (Genesis 1:2) that existed before even light. It's an interesting symbol, but I can't say I know what it is. Space, maybe? Or something more spiritual, less direct.
Then there's the progression of the patriarchs of Judaism, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. I really felt sorry for Lot. His was a very dark and strange story. He lost his city and his wife in rapid succession. The thing with his daughters getting him drunk was very uncomfortable, but it was a different time and a different place.
Esau being robbed of his birthright was also very strange. Rebecca tricks Isaac into blessing Jacob instead, and apparently there was no way to take that back once Isaac realized he had been tricked. I'm not sure I understand the meaning of that, as it seems unjust, but then, Jacob went on to live a good life and Joseph really moved the story of God's people forward, making them beloved in Egypt and saving all of the middle-east from starvation. Perhaps that was the ultimate wisdom, but I could have missed something.
Speaking of Joseph, I love that story so much. I remember watching an old cartoon about him as a kid (can't remember the title), and then the more modern Joseph: King of Dreams. It's such a great story of crisis and victory, being sold into slavery and rising to be the second most powerful figure in Egypt. It ends Genesis on such a happy note, with the Hebrew people moving to Egypt and flourishing. Very sad, what follows in Exodus.
I've just started Exodus, and already I see parallels to more modern history. The Pharaoh reminds me of so many leaders through history who saw a minority people and said, essentially, "we can't trust them, let's find a way to deal with them". The Turks did this to the Armenians under similar pretense (they'll side with Russia and fight us, we can't trust them), the Jews in Germany during WWII, and many others. "...given the right circumstances, normal human beings are all too ready to kill by category.” -Daniel Chirot
In short, the story begins in a world that seems very foreign to the one of today, with talking snakes, a woman turning to salt, rain flooding the world, and people living for hundreds of years; but by the time the book concludes and the next one begins, the world begins to look more familiar.
What parts of Genesis stood out to you? Any parts that felt particularly meaningful? I'd love to hear others experiences of the book, having just completed it.
My goal has been to read through the whole thing. It's taken me over a year to get through Genesis, so this might be a while, but I'm now in Exodus. What a story so far!
The beginning of Genesis is beautiful, mysterious, and bizarre. I found myself wondering what the waters were (Genesis 1:2) that existed before even light. It's an interesting symbol, but I can't say I know what it is. Space, maybe? Or something more spiritual, less direct.
Then there's the progression of the patriarchs of Judaism, from Adam to Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. I really felt sorry for Lot. His was a very dark and strange story. He lost his city and his wife in rapid succession. The thing with his daughters getting him drunk was very uncomfortable, but it was a different time and a different place.
Esau being robbed of his birthright was also very strange. Rebecca tricks Isaac into blessing Jacob instead, and apparently there was no way to take that back once Isaac realized he had been tricked. I'm not sure I understand the meaning of that, as it seems unjust, but then, Jacob went on to live a good life and Joseph really moved the story of God's people forward, making them beloved in Egypt and saving all of the middle-east from starvation. Perhaps that was the ultimate wisdom, but I could have missed something.
Speaking of Joseph, I love that story so much. I remember watching an old cartoon about him as a kid (can't remember the title), and then the more modern Joseph: King of Dreams. It's such a great story of crisis and victory, being sold into slavery and rising to be the second most powerful figure in Egypt. It ends Genesis on such a happy note, with the Hebrew people moving to Egypt and flourishing. Very sad, what follows in Exodus.
I've just started Exodus, and already I see parallels to more modern history. The Pharaoh reminds me of so many leaders through history who saw a minority people and said, essentially, "we can't trust them, let's find a way to deal with them". The Turks did this to the Armenians under similar pretense (they'll side with Russia and fight us, we can't trust them), the Jews in Germany during WWII, and many others. "...given the right circumstances, normal human beings are all too ready to kill by category.” -Daniel Chirot
In short, the story begins in a world that seems very foreign to the one of today, with talking snakes, a woman turning to salt, rain flooding the world, and people living for hundreds of years; but by the time the book concludes and the next one begins, the world begins to look more familiar.
What parts of Genesis stood out to you? Any parts that felt particularly meaningful? I'd love to hear others experiences of the book, having just completed it.
