The Sacred Scriptures recounts that Moses, after leaving Egypt, Moses led the people of Israel for forty years through the desert, facing grave dangers, fighting fierce enemies, and enduring harsh penalties, heading for the Promised Land. However, it is also known through the lines of Deuteronomy that once Moses reached the gates of the Promised Land, he had to say farewell to the people. Moses died there without being able to reach the longed-for goal. He had been, and still is, the greatest figure in Israel, the liberator of the people of Israel from the Egyptian captivity, and yet he died in exile, buried in a tomb that nobody could ever visit because nobody knows where it is (Deut. 34: 1 – 6). But, the question that many are asked is: why
The Book of Exodus encompasses several of the most significant individuals, as well as events. In the Book of Exodus, Moses was a prominent character that was discussed seemingly throughout the text (Harper 's Bible Dictionary 1952, 655). The Book of Exodus is a segment within the Pentateuch, which covers the first five accounts of the Old Testament. There are three noticeable premises that are accentuated in Exodus, which are deliverance, the covenant, and the Promised Land. The opening section of the Book, which is separated into two parts, is the first eighteen chapters, which review Moses’ lifetime, the dilemmas that the Israelites’ met whilst in Egypt, and the events and plagues that drove the Israelites’ to ultimately depart from Egypt.
Moses was a major character in the fact that he was the reason his son, Adam, became the man that he had become. “If just once in all my born days you’d say a good thing to me” (Fast 3), Moses stated. Moses wanted Adam to be raised the way that Moses was raised and respect it. Adam did not like how strict his father was to him and did not want to be raised like he was. “Maybe it’s time I just went and did something without my father”
"4 Then the Lord said to him, “This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, ‘I will give it to your descendants.’ I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it.” 5 And Moses the servant of the Lord died there in Moab, as the Lord had said. 6 He buried him[g] in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. 7 Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. 8 The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was
Like no other prophet before him, Moses was “a vessel for displaying God 's awesome powers…” (Jen Saunders, "What Significance Does Moses Have to the Hebrew People?") This not only allowed the Israelites to leave Egypt, but protected them along their way to a new land and cemented their faith in G-d. His most notable act was the ten plagues. G-d channeled his divine powers into Moses’s human vessel and made him turn the Nile into blood, let frogs, bugs, wild animals and locusts overrun Egypt, give disease to their livestock, riddle the people with boils, strike down a thunderstorm of hail and fire, bury them in darkness, and kill off every nonbelievers first born. (Chabad, “The Ten Plagues”) This certainly put the fear of G-d into the Egyptians. His next big act would be splitting the Red Sea. With the raise of Moses’s staff, G-d allowed him to part the sea, protecting the Hebrews of the advancing Egyptian army. Instances like this occurred, just enough for the Hebrews to reinforce their belief in the one and only, to praise no other and to follow the rules of no other. Through demonstrations, such as striking water out of a rock, Moses was the catalyst for Hebrews to accept their G-d. He was able to captivate a people into a zealous belief that lasted for many years to
Moses is viewed as the author of the Pentateuch. This has caused the proponents of the JEDP theory to the question: what role did Moses play? There are some who suggest that his role was quite less, as the majority of the Pentateuch have been written after his death. On the other hand, has been put forth that Moses developed the core of the Pentateuch, or in other words, the basis for which all other material would follow.
...Exodus: History or Mythic Tale? - My Jewish Learning." Judaism & Jewish Life - My Jewish Learning. Web. 16 Nov. 2011. .
Today, his works are still considered as some of the most important in religious history. Moses was chosen by god to lead, guide, and provide an outline that the Jewish people could adhere to. After his demise, the Egyptian Jewish population grieved for three days because of the grief and pain they bore, and to show respect and pay homage for the tremendous contributions he made to the people of the region. His work has also influenced Roman, Jewish, and Western Cultures by providing a framework to the development of various religions. Regardless of what religion one choses to follow, there is a high probability that it stems partially from the work of
Moses appears at a burdensome time for the Israelites: slavery in Egypt. God uses him in the miraculous exodus of the Israelites. It is during the time of Moses that the Israelites finally become a nation.
a divine purpose in life. Moses was on a "mission from god" so to speak to
Before relationships begin to develop, each of the protagonists are in different positions. Moses is born a Hebrew, but growing up he is considered an Egyptian. When Moses flees to Midian and saves the
The two stories follow the same general plot, but the different interpretations give varying underlying meanings, assumingly stemming from the differences in authorship. This difference in content is the major divide between the Qur’an and the Bible. Islamic believers claim that the Qur’an was divinely inspired and physically written by the prophet Muhammad in its entirety and the Bible contains many historical manipulations due to its varied authorship. Assuming the common belief in divine inspiration is true, the single author of the Qur’an would provide less room for error than the compilation style of the Bible. However, according to biblical tradition, the Torah was completed around 1500 BCE, and the Qur’an was written during the lifetime of Muhammad from 609 to 632 CE, meaning that the Qur’an was written many centuries after the events it chronicled and leave...
Moses' journey begins in Egypt. This is a land where the Pharaoh has ultimate control and power over the people. Campbell refers to this greedy, egocentric, possessive leader as the tyrant. At this time, Egypt is noticing a huge increase in the number of Hebrew slaves (Exodus 1:9). In order to maintain possession of the land, Pharaoh must stifle the future threat that the increasing population of Israelites represent. To do this he orders the first born son of every Hebrew to be thrown into the Nile. However, baby Moses floats to the Pharaoh's daughter and Moses is raised as an Egyptian prince. He grows up different than any other Hebrew. He learns how to become soldier for his Pharaoh, but something is always troubling him. One day Moses sees an Egyptian striking a Hebrew slave and Moses intervenes and kills the Egyptian (Exodus 2:12). The next day he sees two Hebrews struggling, and tries to intervene, but he discovers that his murder of yesterday is known. This conflict symbolizes what Campbell says is the "call t...
The Quran and the Bible deal with Jesus during two different periods and with different purposes. It is interesting to note how the two largest religions of the world share so much in common and yet are so different. Yet for the purpose of their followers, both the religious texts are perfect in their own way.
The Old Testament, model of a great patriarch, is one who possesses faith coupled with voluntary obedience to God's wishes and gratitude. These things combine to make up God's standard of moral goodness. If the person obeys God's laws and meets His standards, the individual may obtain happiness. The ultimate model of a great patriarch is Moses. The book of Exodus, begins with the Egyptian's decision to oppress the Hebrews who lived in the land of Egypt for 400 years. (The descendants of Joseph and his brothers) Although Moses was born a Hebrew, Moses grew up in the Pharaoh's court and the Hebrews were jealous of him. The Egyptians didn't trust him as well. This is one of the main reasons why Moses was such a great leader. He didn't really have any strong ties to either the Hebrews of the Egyptians. This is why he can be harsh and use force to make the people understand what God wants. He has the guts to order his own people to their death for freedom. Moses was willing to risk his life for his people and on...