Samson’s tale of martyrdom has a few Ten Commandments’ moments. While his beginnings are quite promising, his life devolves into an endless cycle of suffering and vengeance. At the beginning, his barren mother encounters an angel who promises her a special son. She is instructed that the child would be raised as a Nazarite and thatContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Samson”
Tag Archives: faith
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Succession
The Book of Judges is not for the faint hearted. While Gideon’s leadership as a Judge sparked a thirst for Israelite monarchical rule, his post-mortem was sobering to that national ambition. Succession, in antiquity, was heavily nepotism. Gideon, not be outshined by the Elon Musk’s or Nick Cannon’s of the world, amassed seventy sons and hadContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Succession”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Gideon
Readers can cheat. They can jump to the back of the book to get that sweet ending. ” Who done it?” is solved. With the Book of Judges, however, while the last line sums up most everything, the reader would be cheated. The journey through Judges is as rewarding as the ending. The tale of Gideon- planted in the middleContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Gideon”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Deborah
In the Book of Judges, the Prophetess and Judge Deborah is one of the most important figures. Her military conquest of Hazor and her Song are essential moments in Israelite history. Her song is worthy of discussion within a Ten Commandments’ context. Deborah, in partnership with Barak, conquer Hazor, and, per Dr. Richard Elliott Friedman, create IsraeliteContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: Deborah”
A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Emissary
From a Ten Commandments’ perspective, The Book of Judges represents the Dark Ages. Agenda driven, Judges’ tales told pull no punches in detailing generations of a dystopian society; a society lacking a formal government. Judges’ ends with the epic line: “in those days there was no king in Israel; a man could do whatever seemedContinue reading “A Book of Judges Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Emissary”
A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Assembly
The Book of Joshua’s last chapter serves as one of the most important post-Torah Ten Commandments’ moments. In world history, there are few people and few concepts that can extend within human memory past one generation. Creating an eternal legacy is perhaps one of the most difficult of human achievements. The evidence of this is a simple test,Continue reading “A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Assembly”
Influencer Challenge: Va’eira
Are you an influencer? Do you think you are an influencer? Are you succeeding or are you failing? Va’eira’s tale involves one of the world’s greatest influencers hitting a road block. He, at the outset of his campaign, cannot influence anybody. Somehow, this disappointing start does not stop his success. His disastrous encounter was tantamount to one’s first woodpress post in wordpressContinue reading “Influencer Challenge: Va’eira”
A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: Rahab & The Spies
The tale of Rahab & the Spies is one of the Book of Joshua’s Ten Commandments’ moment. The event offers readers insight as to how the Children of Israel addressed the Decalogue during the period of their conquest of the Promised Land. Rahab & the Spies addresses the commandment concerning the prohibition of using the Lord’sContinue reading “A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: Rahab & The Spies”
Shemot’s Ten Commandments’ Moments
Two epic Ten Commandments’ moments happen in the Shemot Torah portion. “Shemot”, in hebrew, means names. While the title refers to the names of the Children of Israel who went down to Egypt, the Torah Portion contains bigger names. Shemot also reveals the first commandment’s background story. The Burning Bush encounter in Shemot includes a historical introduction:Continue reading “Shemot’s Ten Commandments’ Moments”
A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Gibeonites
With the Torah’s completion and all 613 Commandments in writing, the Children of Israel’s tale- post-Pentateuch- continues. As Joshua leads them through the conquest of the Promised Land, he is also confronted with issues of commandment adherence, interpretation. This post addresses the Gibeonite crisis. Fearful of the Children of Israel and what they had done toContinue reading “A Book of Joshua Ten Commandments’ Moment: The Gibeonites”
The Ten Commandments Project 