Re: Adam never met Eve [the Exodus]

From: Dawsonzhu@aol.com
Date: Mon Nov 13 2000 - 12:10:10 EST

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    Paul Seely wrote in part:

    << The Exodus account is also, as has been mentioned by
    others, an account which fits into the Egyptian scene
    rather believably--as expounded recently by Alan Millard,
    "How Reliable is the Exodus?", Biblical Archaeological
    Review, July/Aug 2000 and www.bib-arch.org/barja00/exodus1.html.
    And, perhaps even more impressively expounded by Abraham Malamat
    in the first essay in Exodus: The Egyptian Evidence, ed. E. S.
    Frerichs, L. H. Lesko (Eisenbrauns, 1997). But, most of the other
    essays expound the theme What Evidence?, there is none.
    >>

    This is not per se "evidence", but I realized recently that
    there is at least a hint that the Law was written by people
    who could have known first hand what it is like to experience
    the dehumanizing aspects of slavery. For example, the fugative
    laws for slaves seems to have been different in the Jewish Law.

    "According to Hammurabi (..15-16), connivance at the escape of a
    slave, not to mention harboring a runaway slave, incurs the
    death penalty. Diametrically opposed to this is the law of
    Deuteronomy 23:16-17:

        You shall not turn over to his maaster a slave who seeks
        refuge with you from his master. He shall live with you
        in any place he may choose among the settlements in your
        midst, wherever he pleases; you must not ill-treat him.

    The partiality of the Torah for safeguarding the rights of
    the slave as a human being again expersses itself by according
    him the inalienable prerogative of enjoying the sabbath rest."
    (N.M. Sarna, "Exploring Exodus: The Origins of Biblical Isreal",
    Schocken books, N.Y., 1986). That is further backed up by
    Job's plea: (Job 31:13-15).

    I think it quite rare for a law maker to write laws to
    protect people with whom such a person has no human identity
    with. Someone who was a slave, might have some idea of what
    it is like to get stuck in an intolerable situation with a
    slave master. They might then compose laws to protect other
    slaves from the same experience.

    So whereas this is not "evidence" in direct sense, it is
    surely consistent with the reformed mind of a people who
    have directly experienced that awesome power God's divine
    salvation and inscrutable Grace.

    By Grace alone do we proceed,
    Wayne



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