Book of Numbers - An In Depth Analysis

I stopped at the Book Of Leviticus in my previous post.

I shall continue with the next book, Numbers. Be warned that my views may knock you off your chair, especially if you consider yourself a Christian.

The Promised Land

Israel had not reached the land promised by the Bible God, the land of Canaan. Numbers begins at the point when Israel had settled down for about 2 years somewhere in the wilderness. Moses was commanded to get a census of the able-bodied males 20 years old and above, of each of the twelve tribes. The Levites were to take care of taking down and putting up of the tabernacle.

So we see that the Bible-god needed the tabernacle to dwell in wherever Israel went, hinting again of his physical nature.

Another hint that the Bible-god was not omniscient is that he needed Moses to check and even record all the names of the young man.

Then we need to ask too, why was the Bible-god so interested in the promised land Canaan? He could have chosen a land that was not occupied and ask Moses to settle there. I think it has to do with something that the Bible-god wanted. Could it be gold?

Building an Army

The purpose of this census was to build an army of able-bodied men. Isn’t it strange that an all-powerful God would need to build an army of men? There is nothing spiritual about it, surely. It is very human. Any tribe of human who has found a place to call home would settle down quickly and then think of how to secure it physically, and then prepare themselves to protect and defend their new home. This is what the Bible-god was doing.

In each tribe leaders were appointed.

Military Formation

Once the tribes were allocated their people, the Bible-god gave a plan for their deployment. Read chapter 2 and see how the tabernacle (or Tent of Meeting) is in the middle, surrounded by all the tribes. Also note that N,S,E and W were used for directions, again hinting that a compass was used.

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2 "The Israelites are to camp around the Tent of Meeting some distance from it, each man under his standard with the banners of his family."
3 On the east, toward the sunrise, the divisions of the camp of Judah are to encamp under their standard. The leader of the people of Judah is Nahshon son of Amminadab. 4 His division numbers 74,600.
5 The tribe of Issachar will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Issachar is Nethanel son of Zuar. 6 His division numbers 54,400.
7 The tribe of Zebulun will be next. The leader of the people of Zebulun is Eliab son of Helon. 8 His division numbers 57,400.
9 All the men assigned to the camp of Judah, according to their divisions, number 186,400. They will set out first.
10 On the south will be the divisions of the camp of Reuben under their standard. The leader of the people of Reuben is Elizur son of Shedeur. 11 His division numbers 46,500.
12 The tribe of Simeon will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Simeon is Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai. 13 His division numbers 59,300.
14 The tribe of Gad will be next. The leader of the people of Gad is Eliasaph son of Deuel. [a] 15 His division numbers 45,650.
16 All the men assigned to the camp of Reuben, according to their divisions, number 151,450. They will set out second.
17 Then the Tent of Meeting and the camp of the Levites will set out in the middle of the camps. They will set out in the same order as they encamp, each in his own place under his standard.
18 On the west will be the divisions of the camp of Ephraim under their standard. The leader of the people of Ephraim is Elishama son of Ammihud. 19 His division numbers 40,500.
20 The tribe of Manasseh will be next to them. The leader of the people of Manasseh is Gamaliel son of Pedahzur. 21 His division numbers 32,200.
22 The tribe of Benjamin will be next. The leader of the people of Benjamin is Abidan son of Gideoni. 23 His division numbers 35,400.
24 All the men assigned to the camp of Ephraim, according to their divisions, number 108,100. They will set out third.
25 On the north will be the divisions of the camp of Dan, under their standard. The leader of the people of Dan is Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai. 26 His division numbers 62,700.
27 The tribe of Asher will camp next to them. The leader of the people of Asher is Pagiel son of Ocran. 28 His division numbers 41,500.
29 The tribe of Naphtali will be next. The leader of the people of Naphtali is Ahira son of Enan. 30 His division numbers 53,400.
31 All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.
32 These are the Israelites, counted according to their families. All those in the camps, by their divisions, number 603,550. 33 The Levites, however, were not counted along with the other Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.
34 So the Israelites did everything the LORD commanded Moses; that is the way they encamped under their standards, and that is the way they set out, each with his clan and family.
This cannot be from the mind of a Supreme God! It must have been the mind of someone well-versed in military warfare. Also, as their god, why was he positioned in the centre? Did he need all the people of Israel to protect him?

Anyone besides the Levites who went near the tabernacle was to be put to death. Again we see the merciless side of the Bible-god.

Counting of First-Borns Males

In chapter 3:1-43, Moses obeyed the command of the Bible-god and counted the number of first-borns males, a month old or more, and the number was 22,273. I cannot think of a reason for this, except that the Bible-god was planning ahead with these figures.

Redemption of Extras

I also do not understand why a God would be interested in this:

44 The LORD also said to Moses, 45 "Take the Levites in place of all the firstborn of Israel, and the livestock of the Levites in place of their livestock. The Levites are to be mine. I am the LORD. 46 To redeem the 273 firstborn Israelites who exceed the number of the Levites, 47 collect five shekels for each one, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. 48 Give the money for the redemption of the additional Israelites to Aaron and his sons."
49 So Moses collected the redemption money from those who exceeded the number redeemed by the Levites. 50 From the firstborn of the Israelites he collected silver weighing 1,365 shekels, according to the sanctuary shekel. 51 Moses gave the redemption money to Aaron and his sons, as he was commanded by the word of the LORD.

It seems that money was of importance to the Bible-god, and he was teaching Moses financial management.

Division of Labour

In chapter 4:1-33 records that the Bible-god even subdivides the Levites and each sub-tribe was given specific tasks in the dismantling of the tabernacle. Only men between the ages of 30 to 50 were needed. This is obvious as their work involved physical strength. This reads like the job of a supervisor today.

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2 "Take a census of the Kohathite branch of the Levites by their clans and families. 3 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work in the Tent of Meeting.
4 "This is the work of the Kohathites in the Tent of Meeting: the care of the most holy things. 5 When the camp is to move, Aaron and his sons are to go in and take down the shielding curtain and cover the ark of the Testimony with it. 6 Then they are to cover this with hides of sea cows, [a] spread a cloth of solid blue over that and put the poles in place.
7 "Over the table of the Presence they are to spread a blue cloth and put on it the plates, dishes and bowls, and the jars for drink offerings; the bread that is continually there is to remain on it. 8 Over these they are to spread a scarlet cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
9 "They are to take a blue cloth and cover the lampstand that is for light, together with its lamps, its wick trimmers and trays, and all its jars for the oil used to supply it. 10 Then they are to wrap it and all its accessories in a covering of hides of sea cows and put it on a carrying frame.
11 "Over the gold altar they are to spread a blue cloth and cover that with hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
12 "They are to take all the articles used for ministering in the sanctuary, wrap them in a blue cloth, cover that with hides of sea cows and put them on a carrying frame.
13 "They are to remove the ashes from the bronze altar and spread a purple cloth over it. 14 Then they are to place on it all the utensils used for ministering at the altar, including the firepans, meat forks, shovels and sprinkling bowls. Over it they are to spread a covering of hides of sea cows and put its poles in place.
15 "After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, the Kohathites are to come to do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the Tent of Meeting.
16 "Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, is to have charge of the oil for the light, the fragrant incense, the regular grain offering and the anointing oil. He is to be in charge of the entire tabernacle and everything in it, including its holy furnishings and articles."
17 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 18 "See that the Kohathite tribal clans are not cut off from the Levites. 19 So that they may live and not die when they come near the most holy things, do this for them: Aaron and his sons are to go into the sanctuary and assign to each man his work and what he is to carry. 20 But the Kohathites must not go in to look at the holy things, even for a moment, or they will die."

First, the Kohathites are to take care of these:
- taking down shielding curtain and coverting the ark with it
- keep the table and all its cutleries
- take the lampstand along
- cover the golden altar
- carry all these things
- must not touch the items (covered in blue cloth) or they will die.
It reads like blue is the favorite color of the Bible-god. Again, death was used to threaten these people not to touch the items they carried. Surely the Bible-god was worried that they will contaminate his eating utensils and cutleries?

21 The LORD said to Moses, 22 "Take a census also of the Gershonites by their families and clans. 23 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting.
24 "This is the service of the Gershonite clans as they work and carry burdens: 25 They are to carry the curtains of the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, its covering and the outer covering of hides of sea cows, the curtains for the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, 26 the curtains of the courtyard surrounding the tabernacle and altar, the curtain for the entrance, the ropes and all the equipment used in its service. The Gershonites are to do all that needs to be done with these things. 27 All their service, whether carrying or doing other work, is to be done under the direction of Aaron and his sons. You shall assign to them as their responsibility all they are to carry. 28 This is the service of the Gershonite clans at the Tent of Meeting. Their duties are to be under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest.
Next, the Gershonites were given the following tasks:
- carry the curtains of the tabernacle, entrance, etc.
- ropes and all ofther equipment
29 "Count the Merarites by their clans and families. 30 Count all the men from thirty to fifty years of age who come to serve in the work at the Tent of Meeting. 31 This is their duty as they perform service at the Tent of Meeting: to carry the frames of the tabernacle, its crossbars, posts and bases, 32 as well as the posts of the surrounding courtyard with their bases, tent pegs, ropes, all their equipment and everything related to their use. Assign to each man the specific things he is to carry. 33 This is the service of the Merarite clans as they work at the Tent of Meeting under the direction of Ithamar son of Aaron, the priest."

Then the Merarites were given the following tasks:
- carry the frames, crossbars, posts, bases
- tent pegs
- ropes

So the Bible-god had everything meticulously planned for the transportation of the tabernacle. Surely it must be of great importance to him. If he were an all-powerful god, why couldn’t he had moved all these things with his power?

In verses 4:34-49, we are told that there were 2750 Kohathites, 2630 Gershonites, and 3200 Merarites set aside for the transportation of the tabernacle. A total of 8580 able-bodied men to get the job done!

Social Laws

Once Israel settled down and lived in peace as a community, social problems must have begun to grow among the people, and hence the Bible-god had to issue some new social laws to govern these wild people. Read chapter 5 and see if you agree with me.

Law 1 : Hygiene

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has an infectious skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. 3 Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them." 4 The Israelites did this; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses.


Law 2 : Fine for Wrongdoing

Long long ago, fines were already instituted! And today, people are complaining about Singapore being a fine country.

5 The LORD said to Moses, 6 "Say to the Israelites: 'When a man or woman wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the LORD, that person is guilty 7 and must confess the sin he has committed. He must make full restitution for his wrong, add one fifth to it and give it all to the person he has wronged. 8 But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the LORD and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for him. 9 All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Each man's sacred gifts are his own, but what he gives to the priest will belong to the priest.'”

Law 3 : Unfaithful Wife

At that time, already unfaithfulness was a problem, and the punishment meted by the Bible-god was very severe.

11 Then the LORD said to Moses, 12 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'If a man's wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 by sleeping with another man, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure- 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder offering to draw attention to guilt.
16 " 'The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the LORD. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the LORD, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, "If no other man has slept with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have defiled yourself by sleeping with a man other than your husband"- 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse of the oath-"may the LORD cause your people to curse and denounce you when he causes your thigh to waste away and your abdomen to swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells and your thigh wastes away. " " 'Then the woman is to say, "Amen. So be it."
Amazing – the Bible-god punished unfaithful with a curse !!
23 " 'The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He shall have the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water will enter her and cause bitter suffering. 25 The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the LORD and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 If she has defiled herself and been unfaithful to her husband, then when she is made to drink the water that brings a curse, it will go into her and cause bitter suffering; her abdomen will swell and her thigh waste away, [f] and she will become accursed among her people. 28 If, however, the woman has not defiled herself and is free from impurity, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.
29 " 'This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and defiles herself while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the LORD and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.'

Drinking of scroll

My next amazing observation is the drinking of the scroll in the bitter water. The scroll must be something soluble in water. How could that act of drinking the bitter water determine if the wife had been unfaithful? Could it be a kind of chemical to detect pregnancy? This suspicion is supported by the fact there was no test for unfaithful men.

Nazirite

Chapter 6 talks about anyone who wished to serve the Bible-god full-time. This person will then be known as a Nazirite. The following rules applied:

- he/she must not drink wine or wine-related drinks
- he/she cannot eat anything from the grapevine, not even seeds or skins
- he/she must not cut his/her hair on the head
- he/she must not go hear a dead body
- his/her hair is defiled if a person dies in his presence; cleansing and offerings must be done
- when his/her period of vow is over, he/she is to shave the hair on their head and burn it in fire and offer some other specified offerings.

I wonder why the hair on the head was so important to the Bible-god. Even a person dying in the Nazirite’s presence defiled his hair! What the Bible-god wanted was clean hair grown over a period of time without being cut in the process. But the hair was burned at the end. Why? Can anyone tell me a possible scientific reason? I don’t see any spiritual reason.

Costly Offerings

In chapter 7, Moses set up the tabernacle, and the Bible-god asked for offerings from each tribe, with one tribe coming in on one day. He is surely a good organizer! Let’s look at what were offered ny each tribe (all the same, I wonder why):

- one silver plate weighing 130 shekels
- one silver sprinkling bowl ( 70 shekels)
- one gold dish (10 shekels)
- one young bull
- one ram
- one male lamb
- one male goat
- two oxen
- five rams
- five male goats
- five male lambs (1-year old)

Multiply all the above by 12.

Don’t you wonder why a god would need all these? A shekel is a unit of weight equal to about half an ounce or 216 grams. That would make the silver plate about 28080 grams or 28kilogram. I wonder how big that would be, but it sure was heavy. We do not know the shape of the plate, bowl and dish. Again, why would a God need them, and what happened to them? I suspect that they could be parts of the spaceship needed by the Bible-god. Is that also the real reason why the Bible-god formed 12 tribes?


The Passover

We will skip to chapter 9, where Israel was commanded to celebrate the Passover at twilight on the fourteenth day first month of the second year after they left Egypt. Twilight tells us that it is hard for the human eyes to see during that time.

The Cloud

I find this passage, chapter 9:15-23 the most interesting one for me to link the Bible-god to a spaceship of some kind. Read it and see if you agree with me. It is clearly a description of a spaceship using the tabernacle as a landing pad. When the cloud (I interpret it as the exhaust of the spaceship) was on the tabernacle, the nation of Israel did not move. When the cloud was not there, they moved. We can therefore see that the cloud was an indicator of the movement of the Bible-god. The cloud was also described as looking like fire. Link this now to my theory that the Bible-god took his meals in the tabernacle!

15 On the day the tabernacle, the Tent of the Testimony, was set up, the cloud covered it. From evening till morning the cloud above the tabernacle looked like fire. 16 That is how it continued to be; the cloud covered it, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud lifted from above the Tent, the Israelites set out; wherever the cloud settled, the Israelites encamped.

18 At the LORD's command the Israelites set out, and at his command they encamped. As long as the cloud stayed over the tabernacle, they remained in camp. 19 When the cloud remained over the tabernacle a long time, the Israelites obeyed the LORD's order and did not set out. 20 Sometimes the cloud was over the tabernacle only a few days; at the LORD's command they would encamp, and then at his command they would set out.

21 Sometimes the cloud stayed only from evening till morning, and when it lifted in the morning, they set out. Whether by day or by night, whenever the cloud lifted, they set out. 22 Whether the cloud stayed over the tabernacle for two days or a month or a year, the Israelites would remain in camp and not set out; but when it lifted, they would set out.

23 At the LORD's command they encamped, and at the LORD's command they set out. They obeyed the LORD's order, in accordance with his command through Moses.

Trumpet Signals

In chapter 10:1-10, the Bible-god then created his signals to control Israel, making use of silver trumpets:

- both trumpets blown : whole community assemble
- one blown : only leaders assemble
- one blast : east tribe set out
- second blast : south tribe set out
Does such a arrangement needed to be made by a god? It surely tells us that the Bible-god was human in origin but with more experience in military warfare than the Israelites. In history, we read that trumpets were used in a similar way to control the movement of troops during wars.

1 The LORD said to Moses: 2 "Make two trumpets of hammered silver, and use them for calling the community together and for having the camps set out. 3 When both are sounded, the whole community is to assemble before you at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 4 If only one is sounded, the leaders—the heads of the clans of Israel—are to assemble before you. 5 When a trumpet blast is sounded, the tribes camping on the east are to set out. 6 At the sounding of a second blast, the camps on the south are to set out. The blast will be the signal for setting out. 7 To gather the assembly, blow the trumpets, but not with the same signal.
8 "The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets. This is to be a lasting ordinance for you and the generations to come. 9 When you go into battle in your own land against an enemy who is oppressing you, sound a blast on the trumpets. Then you will be remembered by the LORD your God and rescued from your enemies. 10 Also at your times of rejoicing—your appointed feasts and New Moon festivals—you are to sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, and they will be a memorial for you before your God. I am the LORD your God

To War ?

Chapter 10:11-36 records the setting out of Israel for war. The Bible-god had the nation well organized and the people moved out, like an army on a mission.

11 On the twentieth day of the second month of the second year, the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle of the Testimony. 12 Then the Israelites set out from the Desert of Sinai and traveled from place to place until the cloud came to rest in the Desert of Paran. 13 They set out, this first time, at the LORD's command through Moses.
14 The divisions of the camp of Judah went first, under their standard. Nahshon son of Amminadab was in command. 15 Nethanel son of Zuar was over the division of the tribe of Issachar, 16 and Eliab son of Helon was over the division of the tribe of Zebulun. 17 Then the tabernacle was taken down, and the Gershonites and Merarites, who carried it, set out.
18 The divisions of the camp of Reuben went next, under their standard. Elizur son of Shedeur was in command. 19 Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai was over the division of the tribe of Simeon, 20 and Eliasaph son of Deuel was over the division of the tribe of Gad. 21 Then the Kohathites set out, carrying the holy things. The tabernacle was to be set up before they arrived.
22 The divisions of the camp of Ephraim went next, under their standard. Elishama son of Ammihud was in command. 23 Gamaliel son of Pedahzur was over the division of the tribe of Manasseh, 24 and Abidan son of Gideoni was over the division of the tribe of Benjamin.
The rear was also guarded !
25 Finally, as the rear guard for all the units, the divisions of the camp of Dan set out, under their standard. Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai was in command. 26 Pagiel son of Ocran was over the division of the tribe of Asher, 27 and Ahira son of Enan was over the division of the tribe of Naphtali. 28 This was the order of march for the Israelite divisions as they set out.
Moses even persuaded his father-in-law to be his spy!
29 Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place about which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel."
30 He answered, "No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people."
31 But Moses said, "Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the desert, and you can be our eyes. 32 If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us."

Another interesting point here. The ark went before them to find them a place to rest. What properties did the ark possess? It must have been a kind of electronic device that could feed data to the Bible-god. Maybe it was like out modern GPS device?

33 So they set out from the mountain of the LORD and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. 34 The cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses said, "Rise up, O LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you."
36 Whenever it came to rest, he said, "Return, O LORD, to the countless thousands of Israel

Fire Used to Punish

This Bible-god must had been a very domineering being and had no patience. In chapter 11:1-3, the people complained about their hardships, and the Bible-god got angry and send fire to burn them! Again, we see a merciless being who had anger, and often used fire as a weapon. How can he be the Supreme God I am looking for?

Moses Fed-up

In 11:4-35, even Moses got fed-up with the Bible-god and requested that he be killed so that he would not have to bear the burden of leading Israel. Then the Bible-god told Moses to bring 70 of the leaders to meet him at the tabernacle – again we see that the Bible-god seems to be limited by physical localities.

16 The LORD said to Moses: "Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting, that they may stand there with you. 17 I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone

I wonder what ‘Spirit’ was put on Moses? Why was it needed for leadership?

The Revengeful Being

Again we see the revengeful side of the Bible-god. Instead of helping the people have meat to eat, he chose to punish them. Read carefully also – the Bible-god did not use the forces of nature; he created the wind that came out from him. Why didn’t he do it earlier? Maybe it was an electrical equipment he used, and he needed to conserve energy. That could be why he was angry.

18 "Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it. 19 You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month—until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it—because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?" ' "

31 Now a wind went out from the LORD and drove quail in from the sea. It brought them down all around the camp to about three feet above the ground, as far as a day's walk in any direction. 32 All that day and night and all the next day the people went out and gathered quail. No one gathered less than ten homers. Then they spread them out all around the camp. 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. 34 Therefore the place was named Kibroth Hattaavah, because there they buried the people who had craved other food

The Pillar of Cloud

Chapter 12 again reveals that the Bible-god is physical. He had to ask Moses, Aaron and Mariam to go to the tabernacle to meet him. His angry and revengeful nature are again exposed.

1 Miriam and Aaron began to talk against Moses because of his Cushite wife, for he had married a Cushite. 2 "Has the LORD spoken only through Moses?" they asked. "Hasn't he also spoken through us?" And the LORD heard this.
3 (Now Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth.)
4 At once the LORD said to Moses, Aaron and Miriam, "Come out to the Tent of Meeting, all three of you." So the three of them came out. 5 Then the LORD came down in a pillar of cloud; he stood at the entrance to the Tent and summoned Aaron and Miriam. When both of them stepped forward, 6 he said, "Listen to my words: "When a prophet of the LORD is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams.
7 But this is not true of my servant Moses; he is faithful in all my house.
8 With him I speak face to face, clearly and not in riddles; he sees the form of the LORD. Why then were you not afraid to speak against my servant Moses?"
9 The anger of the LORD burned against them, and he left them.
10 When the cloud lifted from above the Tent, there stood Miriam—leprous, [a] like snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had leprosy; 11 and he said to Moses, "Please, my lord, do not hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. 12 Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother's womb with its flesh half eaten away."

The other point that caught my attention is the pillar of cloud. We know that clouds cannot be found below a certain altitude, so that must be something that looked like cloud to Moses. Since it was a pillar, that means it had shape. There was no fire this time. So my guess is the Bible-god had the technology to park the spaceship some safe distance in the air so that the fire from the exhaust would not burn the tabernacle, and then there was a kind of glassy shaft that would be used to bring the Bible-god down to earth. It was probably made of some soft of material that looked like cloud. Maybe frosted glass?


The Recce

The mission of the Bible-god was to take over the land of Canaan for Israel. I wonder why. Anyway, he asked Moses to send a team of leaders to recce the land. Isn’t that part of military operation? The team knew exactly what to do, which makes me suspect that they had been taught and trained in military warfare by the Bible-god.

17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, "Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees on it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land." (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)
Notice how well-versed was Moses! He know exactly what to look for. I only wonder why the grapes was so important? Forty days was used for the spying mission.
21 So they went up and explored the land from the Desert of Zin as far as Rehob, toward Lebo Hamath. 22 They went up through the Negev and came to Hebron, where Ahiman, Sheshai and Talmai, the descendants of Anak, lived. (Hebron had been built seven years before Zoan in Egypt.) 23 When they reached the Valley of Eshcol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs.
24 That place was called the Valley of Eshcol because of the cluster of grapes the Israelites cut off there. 25 At the end of forty days they returned from exploring the land.
26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: "We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan."
30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." 32 And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. 33 We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them

Israel Not Motivated

I had earlier in this article questioned the motive of the Bible-god in wanting to take the land of Canaan. In Chapter 14, we read that after the recce, the elders involved in it was disheartened as they saw giants in the land, and had no confidence at all about taking the land. It shows clearly that they had no desire for the land at all, and wished they were back in Egypt. Surprisingly, Moses was very motivated. Did he know something that the others did not?

1 That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" 4 And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
5 Then Moses and Aaron fell facedown in front of the whole Israelite assembly gathered there. 6 Joshua son of Nun and Caleb son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes 7 and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them."
Note in verse 10 that the Bible-god again appeared at the tabernacle, and how his revengeful nature showed again.
10 But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the Tent of Meeting to all the Israelites. 11 The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them? 12 I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."
13 Moses said to the LORD, "Then the Egyptians will hear about it! By your power you brought these people up from among them. 14 And they will tell the inhabitants of this land about it. They have already heard that you, O LORD, are with these people and that you, O LORD, have been seen face to face, that your cloud stays over them, and that you go before them in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. 15 If you put these people to death all at one time, the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 16 'The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land he promised them on oath; so he slaughtered them in the desert.'
17 "Now may the Lord's strength be displayed, just as you have declared: 18 'The LORD is slow to anger, abounding in love and forgiving sin and rebellion. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he punishes the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.' 19 In accordance with your great love, forgive the sin of these people, just as you have pardoned them from the time they left Egypt until now."
20 The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. 21 Nevertheless, as surely as I live and as surely as the glory of the LORD fills the whole earth, 22 not one of the men who saw my glory and the miraculous signs I performed in Egypt and in the desert but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times- 23 not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their forefathers. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it. 25 Since the Amalekites and Canaanites are living in the valleys, turn back tomorrow and set out toward the desert along the route to the Red Sea. [a] "
26 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 27 "How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, 'As surely as I live, declares the LORD, I will do to you the very things I heard you say: 29 In this desert your bodies will fall—every one of you twenty years old or more who was counted in the census and who has grumbled against me. 30 Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home, except Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun. 31 As for your children that you said would be taken as plunder, I will bring them in to enjoy the land you have rejected.
32 But you—your bodies will fall in this desert. 33 Your children will be shepherds here for forty years, suffering for your unfaithfulness, until the last of your bodies lies in the desert. 34 For forty years—one year for each of the forty days you explored the land—you will suffer for your sins and know what it is like to have me against you.' 35 I, the LORD, have spoken, and I will surely do these things to this whole wicked community, which has banded together against me. They will meet their end in this desert; here they will die."

So those who grumbled were punished severely, and their children too. Where is the love of the Bible-god?

Food Again !

In Chapter 15, the Bible-god again reminded Moses of the edible sacrifices he wanted after they had gone in Canaan. I wonder why he was so concerned about food that he even talked about it before they had taken the promised land?

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'After you enter the land I am giving you as a home 3 and you present to the LORD offerings made by fire, from the herd or the flock, as an aroma pleasing to the LORD -whether burnt offerings or sacrifices, for special vows or freewill offerings or festival offerings- 4 then the one who brings his offering shall present to the LORD a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah [a] of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin [b] of oil. 5 With each lamb for the burnt offering or the sacrifice, prepare a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering.
6 " 'With a ram prepare a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah [c] of fine flour mixed with a third of a hin [d] of oil, 7 and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Offer it as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 8 " 'When you prepare a young bull as a burnt offering or sacrifice, for a special vow or a fellowship offering [e] to the LORD, 9 bring with the bull a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah [f] of fine flour mixed with half a hin [g] of oil. 10 Also bring half a hin of wine as a drink offering. It will be an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 11 Each bull or ram, each lamb or young goat, is to be prepared in this manner. 12 Do this for each one, for as many as you prepare.
13 " 'Everyone who is native-born must do these things in this way when he brings an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 14 For the generations to come, whenever an alien or anyone else living among you presents an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, he must do exactly as you do. 15 The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the LORD : 16 The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and to the alien living among you.' "
17 The LORD said to Moses, 18 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land to which I am taking you 19 and you eat the food of the land, present a portion as an offering to the LORD. 20 Present a cake from the first of your ground meal and present it as an offering from the threshing floor. 21 Throughout the generations to come you are to give this offering to the LORD from the first of your ground meal.
22 " 'Now if you unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the LORD gave Moses- 23 any of the LORD's commands to you through him, from the day the LORD gave them and continuing through the generations to come- 24 and if this is done unintentionally without the community being aware of it, then the whole community is to offer a young bull for a burnt offering as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, along with its prescribed grain offering and drink offering, and a male goat for a sin offering. 25 The priest is to make atonement for the whole Israelite community, and they will be forgiven, for it was not intentional and they have brought to the LORD for their wrong an offering made by fire and a sin offering. 26 The whole Israelite community and the aliens living among them will be forgiven, because all the people were involved in the unintentional wrong.
27 " 'But if just one person sins unintentionally, he must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. 28 The priest is to make atonement before the LORD for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. 29 One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien.
30 " 'But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the LORD, and that person must be cut off from his people. 31 Because he has despised the LORD's word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him.' "

Sabbath Violation

A man did not rest on Sabbath, and he was put to death! The Bible-god was just showing his power and telling Israel that he wanted absolute no-questions obedience.

32 While the Israelites were in the desert, a man was found gathering wood on the Sabbath day. 33 Those who found him gathering wood brought him to Moses and Aaron and the whole assembly, 34 and they kept him in custody, because it was not clear what should be done to him. 35 Then the LORD said to Moses, "The man must die. The whole assembly must stone him outside the camp." 36 So the assembly took him outside the camp and stoned him to death, as the LORD commanded Moses.

Tassels to Remember Him

I am getting quite amused. This sounds like a girl who asked his boyfriend to keep an item from her so that he will remember her. The Bible-god was surely a very jealous and possessive being! A tassel is a bunch of loose threads or cords bound at one end and hanging free at the other, used as an ornament on curtains or clothing. It is a very common idea today, so I wonder if it originated from the Bible? Note again the color blue.

37 The LORD said to Moses, 38 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the LORD, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by going after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. 41 I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD your God.' "

The Opposition Destroyed

Chapter 16 reads like a story that we see often in movies. A group of more than 250 of Israel rose to challenged Moses’ authority, and gathered at the tabernacle, bearing torches. They were destroyed by the Bible-god who did not show a bit of mercy. Human lives seem to be worthless to him. This time, he buried them alive! I wonder what technology he used to do that. Read it for yourself.

1 Korah son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, and certain Reubenites—Dathan and Abiram, sons of Eliab, and On son of Peleth—became insolent [a] 2 and rose up against Moses. With them were 250 Israelite men, well-known community leaders who had been appointed members of the council. 3 They came as a group to oppose Moses and Aaron and said to them, "You have gone too far! The whole community is holy, every one of them, and the LORD is with them. Why then do you set yourselves above the LORD's assembly?"
4 When Moses heard this, he fell facedown. 5 Then he said to Korah and all his followers: "In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him. 6 You, Korah, and all your followers are to do this: Take censers 7 and tomorrow put fire and incense in them before the LORD. The man the LORD chooses will be the one who is holy. You Levites have gone too far!"
8 Moses also said to Korah, "Now listen, you Levites! 9 Isn't it enough for you that the God of Israel has separated you from the rest of the Israelite community and brought you near himself to do the work at the LORD's tabernacle and to stand before the community and minister to them? 10 He has brought you and all your fellow Levites near himself, but now you are trying to get the priesthood too. 11 It is against the LORD that you and all your followers have banded together. Who is Aaron that you should grumble against him?"
12 Then Moses summoned Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab. But they said, "We will not come! 13 Isn't it enough that you have brought us up out of a land flowing with milk and honey to kill us in the desert? And now you also want to lord it over us? 14 Moreover, you haven't brought us into a land flowing with milk and honey or given us an inheritance of fields and vineyards. Will you gouge out the eyes of [b] these men? No, we will not come!"
15 Then Moses became very angry and said to the LORD, "Do not accept their offering. I have not taken so much as a donkey from them, nor have I wronged any of them."
16 Moses said to Korah, "You and all your followers are to appear before the LORD tomorrow—you and they and Aaron. 17 Each man is to take his censer and put incense in it—250 censers in all—and present it before the LORD. You and Aaron are to present your censers also." 18 So each man took his censer, put fire and incense in it, and stood with Moses and Aaron at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 19 When Korah had gathered all his followers in opposition to them at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, the glory of the LORD appeared to the entire assembly. 20 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 21 "Separate yourselves from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once."
22 But Moses and Aaron fell facedown and cried out, "O God, God of the spirits of all mankind, will you be angry with the entire assembly when only one man sins?"
23 Then the LORD said to Moses, 24 "Say to the assembly, 'Move away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram.' "
25 Moses got up and went to Dathan and Abiram, and the elders of Israel followed him. 26 He warned the assembly, "Move back from the tents of these wicked men! Do not touch anything belonging to them, or you will be swept away because of all their sins." 27 So they moved away from the tents of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. Dathan and Abiram had come out and were standing with their wives, children and little ones at the entrances to their tents.
28 Then Moses said, "This is how you will know that the LORD has sent me to do all these things and that it was not my idea: 29 If these men die a natural death and experience only what usually happens to men, then the LORD has not sent me. 30 But if the LORD brings about something totally new, and the earth opens its mouth and swallows them, with everything that belongs to them, and they go down alive into the grave, [c] then you will know that these men have treated the LORD with contempt."
31 As soon as he finished saying all this, the ground under them split apart 32 and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, with their households and all Korah's men and all their possessions. 33 They went down alive into the grave, with everything they owned; the earth closed over them, and they perished and were gone from the community. 34 At their cries, all the Israelites around them fled, shouting, "The earth is going to swallow us too!"
35 And fire came out from the LORD and consumed the 250 men who were offering the incense.
That was not the end. The Bible-god seemed to enjoy killing. Another group of people was not happy with the death of the 250 people and grumbled. Immediately, the Bible-god sent a plague to kill another 14,700 of them!

36 The LORD said to Moses, 37 "Tell Eleazar son of Aaron, the priest, to take the censers out of the smoldering remains and scatter the coals some distance away, for the censers are holy- 38 the censers of the men who sinned at the cost of their lives. Hammer the censers into sheets to overlay the altar, for they were presented before the LORD and have become holy. Let them be a sign to the Israelites."
39 So Eleazar the priest collected the bronze censers brought by those who had been burned up, and he had them hammered out to overlay the altar, 40 as the LORD directed him through Moses. This was to remind the Israelites that no one except a descendant of Aaron should come to burn incense before the LORD, or he would become like Korah and his followers.
41 The next day the whole Israelite community grumbled against Moses and Aaron. "You have killed the LORD's people," they said.
42 But when the assembly gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron and turned toward the Tent of Meeting, suddenly the cloud covered it and the glory of the LORD appeared. 43 Then Moses and Aaron went to the front of the Tent of Meeting, 44 and the LORD said to Moses, 45 "Get away from this assembly so I can put an end to them at once." And they fell facedown.
46 Then Moses said to Aaron, "Take your censer and put incense in it, along with fire from the altar, and hurry to the assembly to make atonement for them. Wrath has come out from the LORD; the plague has started." 47 So Aaron did as Moses said, and ran into the midst of the assembly. The plague had already started among the people, but Aaron offered the incense and made atonement for them. 48 He stood between the living and the dead, and the plague stopped. 49 But 14,700 people died from the plague, in addition to those who had died because of Korah. 50 Then Aaron returned to Moses at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, for the plague had stopped.

We are not told what the plague was, but from the reaction of Moses, he must have seen it before. Notice in verse 45 that Moses was asked to go away from the crowd so that he won’t be killed. This again tells me that the Bible-god is not the Supreme God I believe in.

Was Magic Performed?

For us today, chapter 17 reads like a story of a magician putting on a show. Twelve staff with the names of the 12 tribe leaders were put in the tabernacle. Aaron’s staff budded, blossomed and produced almonds. So he was confirmed to be the chosen leader. Would we believe it if this happens today?

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and get twelve staffs from them, one from the leader of each of their ancestral tribes. Write the name of each man on his staff. 3 On the staff of Levi write Aaron's name, for there must be one staff for the head of each ancestral tribe. 4 Place them in the Tent of Meeting in front of the Testimony, where I meet with you. 5 The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid myself of this constant grumbling against you by the Israelites."
6 So Moses spoke to the Israelites, and their leaders gave him twelve staffs, one for the leader of each of their ancestral tribes, and Aaron's staff was among them. 7 Moses placed the staffs before the LORD in the Tent of the Testimony.
8 The next day Moses entered the Tent of the Testimony and saw that Aaron's staff, which represented the house of Levi, had not only sprouted but had budded, blossomed and produced almonds. 9 Then Moses brought out all the staffs from the LORD's presence to all the Israelites. They looked at them, and each man took his own staff.
10 The LORD said to Moses, "Put back Aaron's staff in front of the Testimony, to be kept as a sign to the rebellious. This will put an end to their grumbling against me, so that they will not die." 11 Moses did just as the LORD commanded him.
12 The Israelites said to Moses, "We will die! We are lost, we are all lost! 13 Anyone who even comes near the tabernacle of the LORD will die. Are we all going to die?"

Aaron’s Priesthood

Chapter 18 details the duties of Aaron and his sons. The Levites were assigned to help them. Why must the Bible-god give so many instructions and be so meticulous? Aaron was so favoured that he was given the best of everything. Maybe that was why the others were not happy and rebelled. It surely reads like a very earthly story, like office politics. Also, note the threat of death for those who went near the tabernacle.

1 The LORD said to Aaron, "You, your sons and your father's family are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the sanctuary, and you and your sons alone are to bear the responsibility for offenses against the priesthood. 2 Bring your fellow Levites from your ancestral tribe to join you and assist you when you and your sons minister before the Tent of the Testimony. 3 They are to be responsible to you and are to perform all the duties of the Tent, but they must not go near the furnishings of the sanctuary or the altar, or both they and you will die. 4 They are to join you and be responsible for the care of the Tent of Meeting—all the work at the Tent—and no one else may come near where you are.
5 "You are to be responsible for the care of the sanctuary and the altar, so that wrath will not fall on the Israelites again. 6 I myself have selected your fellow Levites from among the Israelites as a gift to you, dedicated to the LORD to do the work at the Tent of Meeting. 7 But only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a gift. Anyone else who comes near the sanctuary must be put to death."
8 Then the LORD said to Aaron, "I myself have put you in charge of the offerings presented to me; all the holy offerings the Israelites give me I give to you and your sons as your portion and regular share. 9 You are to have the part of the most holy offerings that is kept from the fire. From all the gifts they bring me as most holy offerings, whether grain or sin or guilt offerings, that part belongs to you and your sons. 10 Eat it as something most holy; every male shall eat it. You must regard it as holy.
11 "This also is yours: whatever is set aside from the gifts of all the wave offerings of the Israelites. I give this to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
12 "I give you all the finest olive oil and all the finest new wine and grain they give the LORD as the firstfruits of their harvest. 13 All the land's firstfruits that they bring to the LORD will be yours. Everyone in your household who is ceremonially clean may eat it.
14 "Everything in Israel that is devoted [a] to the LORD is yours. 15 The first offspring of every womb, both man and animal, that is offered to the LORD is yours. But you must redeem every firstborn son and every firstborn male of unclean animals. 16 When they are a month old, you must redeem them at the redemption price set at five shekels [b] of silver, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs.
17 "But you must not redeem the firstborn of an ox, a sheep or a goat; they are holy. Sprinkle their blood on the altar and burn their fat as an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 18 Their meat is to be yours, just as the breast of the wave offering and the right thigh are yours. 19 Whatever is set aside from the holy offerings the Israelites present to the LORD I give to you and your sons and daughters as your regular share. It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the LORD for both you and your offspring."
20 The LORD said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.
21 "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting. 22 From now on the Israelites must not go near the Tent of Meeting, or they will bear the consequences of their sin and will die. 23 It is the Levites who are to do the work at the Tent of Meeting and bear the responsibility for offenses against it. This is a lasting ordinance for the generations to come. They will receive no inheritance among the Israelites. 24 Instead, I give to the Levites as their inheritance the tithes that the Israelites present as an offering to the LORD. That is why I said concerning them: 'They will have no inheritance among the Israelites.' "
25 The LORD said to Moses, 26 "Speak to the Levites and say to them: 'When you receive from the Israelites the tithe I give you as your inheritance, you must present a tenth of that tithe as the LORD's offering. 27 Your offering will be reckoned to you as grain from the threshing floor or juice from the winepress. 28 In this way you also will present an offering to the LORD from all the tithes you receive from the Israelites. From these tithes you must give the LORD's portion to Aaron the priest. 29 You must present as the LORD's portion the best and holiest part of everything given to you.'
30 "Say to the Levites: 'When you present the best part, it will be reckoned to you as the product of the threshing floor or the winepress. 31 You and your households may eat the rest of it anywhere, for it is your wages for your work at the Tent of Meeting. 32 By presenting the best part of it you will not be guilty in this matter; then you will not defile the holy offerings of the Israelites, and you will not die.' "

Water of Cleansing

Chapter 19 describes the procedure for preparing water used for cleansing the unclean. The Bible-god defines the unclean as one who had come into contact with a dead body or carcass, or who was in a tent in which another person died. He was to wash himself with the cleansing water on the third and seventh days after the incident. I wonder if dead bodies give out some kind of gas that pollutes the air and affect us in some way? And why was the washing to be on the 3rd and 7th days?

I am also puzzled by the preparation of the cleansing water. How can it be obtained from burning a heifer (a young cow over one year old that has not produced a calf) ? Why must an all-powerful God do all these to produce cleansing water?

1 The LORD said to Moses and Aaron: 2 "This is a requirement of the law that the LORD has commanded: Tell the Israelites to bring you a red heifer without defect or blemish and that has never been under a yoke. 3 Give it to Eleazar the priest; it is to be taken outside the camp and slaughtered in his presence. 4 Then Eleazar the priest is to take some of its blood on his finger and sprinkle it seven times toward the front of the Tent of Meeting.

5 While he watches, the heifer is to be burned—its hide, flesh, blood and offal. 6 The priest is to take some cedar wood, hyssop and scarlet wool and throw them onto the burning heifer. 7 After that, the priest must wash his clothes and bathe himself with water. He may then come into the camp, but he will be ceremonially unclean till evening. 8 The man who burns it must also wash his clothes and bathe with water, and he too will be unclean till evening.
9 "A man who is clean shall gather up the ashes of the heifer and put them in a ceremonially clean place outside the camp. They shall be kept by the Israelite community for use in the water of cleansing; it is for purification from sin. 10 The man who gathers up the ashes of the heifer must also wash his clothes, and he too will be unclean till evening. This will be a lasting ordinance both for the Israelites and for the aliens living among them.
11 "Whoever touches the dead body of anyone will be unclean for seven days. 12 He must purify himself with the water on the third day and on the seventh day; then he will be clean. But if he does not purify himself on the third and seventh days, he will not be clean. 13 Whoever touches the dead body of anyone and fails to purify himself defiles the LORD's tabernacle. That person must be cut off from Israel. Because the water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, he is unclean; his uncleanness remains on him.
14 "This is the law that applies when a person dies in a tent: Anyone who enters the tent and anyone who is in it will be unclean for seven days, 15 and every open container without a lid fastened on it will be unclean.
16 "Anyone out in the open who touches someone who has been killed with a sword or someone who has died a natural death, or anyone who touches a human bone or a grave, will be unclean for seven days.
17 "For the unclean person, put some ashes from the burned purification offering into a jar and pour fresh water over them. 18 Then a man who is ceremonially clean is to take some hyssop, dip it in the water and sprinkle the tent and all the furnishings and the people who were there. He must also sprinkle anyone who has touched a human bone or a grave or someone who has been killed or someone who has died a natural death. 19 The man who is clean is to sprinkle the unclean person on the third and seventh days, and on the seventh day he is to purify him. The person being cleansed must wash his clothes and bathe with water, and that evening he will be clean. 20 But if a person who is unclean does not purify himself, he must be cut off from the community, because he has defiled the sanctuary of the LORD. The water of cleansing has not been sprinkled on him, and he is unclean. 21 This is a lasting ordinance for them. "The man who sprinkles the water of cleansing must also wash his clothes, and anyone who touches the water of cleansing will be unclean till evening. 22 Anything that an unclean person touches becomes unclean, and anyone who touches it becomes unclean till evening."

Water From a Rock
In chapter 20, Israel reached a desert with no water, so they complained. The Bible-god performed a miracle by giving them water out of a rock. But Moses had to strike it with a staff given to him by the Bible-god. We do not know what the staff was. It could have been some kind of technological weapon. Anyway, after providing water, again the Bible-god punished the people. Poor Israel ! It seems to me that the Bible-god derived pleasure in punishing Israel. Another question is, why was the Bible-god not aware of this water problem in advance?

1 In the first month the whole Israelite community arrived at the Desert of Zin, and they stayed at Kadesh. There Miriam died and was buried.
2 Now there was no water for the community, and the people gathered in opposition to Moses and Aaron. 3 They quarreled with Moses and said, "If only we had died when our brothers fell dead before the LORD! 4 Why did you bring the LORD's community into this desert, that we and our livestock should die here? 5 Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to this terrible place? It has no grain or figs, grapevines or pomegranates. And there is no water to drink!"
6 Moses and Aaron went from the assembly to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and fell facedown, and the glory of the LORD appeared to them. 7 The LORD said to Moses, 8 "Take the staff, and you and your brother Aaron gather the assembly together. Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water. You will bring water out of the rock for the community so they and their livestock can drink."
9 So Moses took the staff from the LORD's presence, just as he commanded him. 10 He and Aaron gathered the assembly together in front of the rock and Moses said to them, "Listen, you rebels, must we bring you water out of this rock?" 11 Then Moses raised his arm and struck the rock twice with his staff. Water gushed out, and the community and their livestock drank.
12 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them."
13 These were the waters of Meribah, [a] where the Israelites quarreled with the LORD and where he showed himself holy among them.
Edom Refused Israel Passage
In 20:14-20, Moses tried to ask permission from the King of Edom for passage through their land, but was flatly refused. Israel took a detour. Why could not the Bible-god help?

Death of Aaron

It read rather strangely that Aaron did on top of the mountain, where I suspect the spaceship was parked. The Bible-god did not say Aaron would die a natural death, rather, that he was to die because he rebelled against the Bible-god. Hence, I suspect that Aaron was put to death. His body was not brought down or seen after that, so we cannot be sure that Aaron did die. Maybe he was put on the spaceship for other duties, or his body was used for some experiments.

22 The whole Israelite community set out from Kadesh and came to Mount Hor. 23 At Mount Hor, near the border of Edom, the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, 24 "Aaron will be gathered to his people. He will not enter the land I give the Israelites, because both of you rebelled against my command at the waters of Meribah. 25 Get Aaron and his son Eleazar and take them up Mount Hor. 26 Remove Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar, for Aaron will be gathered to his people; he will die there."
27 Moses did as the LORD commanded: They went up Mount Hor in the sight of the whole community. 28 Moses removed Aaron's garments and put them on his son Eleazar. And Aaron died there on top of the mountain. Then Moses and Eleazar came down from the mountain, 29 and when the whole community learned that Aaron had died, the entire house of Israel mourned for him thirty days.

The Bible-god Kills Again

Again the Bible-god killed some of the Israelites because they complained. This time, snakes were used. What kind of god is this? Killing at the slightest provocation?

4 They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; 5 they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, "Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!"
6 Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. 7 The people came to Moses and said, "We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us." So Moses prayed for the people.
8 The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." 9 So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.

Now this bronze snake is puzzling. Could it be some kind of laser treatment through the iris that could cure snake bites?

God of War?

In 21:10-25, it is recorded that Moses led Israel to defeat and destroy a few people and took over their lands. Again the Bible-god helped them to gain victory and destroyed their enemies. Can this be the Supreme God, full of love?
In chapter 25, the Bible-god killed 24,000 Israelites because they sacrificed to the gods of the Moabites. What a revengeful god! Moses was even instructed to kill the Midianites. Kill and kill and kill? It seems that human lives were not precious to the Bible-god.

Census Again

In chapter 26, a census of Israel was taken. Why, I wonder? It simply tells me that the Bible-god was not all-knowing. He needed to do what we are doing today to keep track of our populations.
Property Dispute Handled by God?
In 27:1-11, the Bible-god even had to settle a property dispute and then lay new laws for future incidents. Can you imagine, a Supreme God having to settle a property dispute? Why doesn’t it happen today? We human beings are doing it today, so are we also gods?

1 The daughters of Zelophehad son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Makir, the son of Manasseh, belonged to the clans of Manasseh son of Joseph. The names of the daughters were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. They approached 2 the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and stood before Moses, Eleazar the priest, the leaders and the whole assembly, and said, 3 "Our father died in the desert. He was not among Korah's followers, who banded together against the LORD, but he died for his own sin and left no sons. 4 Why should our father's name disappear from his clan because he had no son? Give us property among our father's relatives."
5 So Moses brought their case before the LORD 6 and the LORD said to him, 7 "What Zelophehad's daughters are saying is right. You must certainly give them property as an inheritance among their father's relatives and turn their father's inheritance over to them.
8 "Say to the Israelites, 'If a man dies and leaves no son, turn his inheritance over to his daughter. 9 If he has no daughter, give his inheritance to his brothers. 10 If he has no brothers, give his inheritance to his father's brothers. 11 If his father had no brothers, give his inheritance to the nearest relative in his clan, that he may possess it. This is to be a legal requirement for the Israelites, as the LORD commanded Moses.' "

Reminder for Offerings

It again seems to me that the Bible-god was very concerned about food. In chapter 28, again he repeated his demands for his daily and month offerings. Remember that I mentioned all these are edible offerings, and they were cooked by fire too. In addition, the Bible-god seemed worried that the Israelite might overwork themselves, so holidays were declared for them to rest.

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Give this command to the Israelites and say to them: 'See that you present to me at the appointed time the food for my offerings made by fire, as an aroma pleasing to me.' 3 Say to them: 'This is the offering made by fire that you are to present to the LORD : two lambs a year old without defect, as a regular burnt offering each day. 4 Prepare one lamb in the morning and the other at twilight, 5 together with a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives. 6 This is the regular burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai as a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. 7 The accompanying drink offering is to be a quarter of a hin of fermented drink with each lamb. Pour out the drink offering to the LORD at the sanctuary. 8 Prepare the second lamb at twilight, along with the same kind of grain offering and drink offering that you prepare in the morning. This is an offering made by fire, an aroma pleasing to the LORD.

9 " 'On the Sabbath day, make an offering of two lambs a year old without defect, together with its drink offering and a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah [c] of fine flour mixed with oil. 10 This is the burnt offering for every Sabbath, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering.

Note here that on the Sabbath, which means once a week, 2 extra lambs were to be offered. I wonder why. That would mean 14 plus 2 or 16 lambs a week. Read till verse 15, and notice that one the first of each month, the offerings are also different. I think the Bible-god was using this to keep track of time! Every time 2 extra lambs are offered, it would be a week. When an extra of two bulls, one ram and seven lambs were offered, it would be the beginning of a new month. If I am right, then there should be other offerings to mark the end of a year.

11 " 'On the first of every month, present to the LORD a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 12 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah [d] of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, a grain offering of two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; 13 and with each lamb, a grain offering of a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil. This is for a burnt offering, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire. 14 With each bull there is to be a drink offering of half a hin [e] of wine; with the ram, a third of a hin [f] ; and with each lamb, a quarter of a hin. This is the monthly burnt offering to be made at each new moon during the year. 15 Besides the regular burnt offering with its drink offering, one male goat is to be presented to the LORD as a sin offering.

Now read the following about the Passover. It is t be held on the 14th day of the first month. This would be an indicator of a new year!

16 " 'On the fourteenth day of the first month the LORD's Passover is to be held. 17 On the fifteenth day of this month there is to be a festival; for seven days eat bread made without yeast. 18 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 19 Present to the LORD an offering made by fire, a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect.

20 With each bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 21 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 23 Prepare these in addition to the regular morning burnt offering. 24 In this way prepare the food for the offering made by fire every day for seven days as an aroma pleasing to the LORD; it is to be prepared in addition to the regular burnt offering and its drink offering. 25 On the seventh day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.
26 " 'On the day of firstfruits, when you present to the LORD an offering of new grain during the Feast of Weeks, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. 27 Present a burnt offering of two young bulls, one ram and seven male lambs a year old as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. 28 With each bull there is to be a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 29 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 30 Include one male goat to make atonement for you. 31 Prepare these together with their drink offerings, in addition to the regular burnt offering and its grain offering. Be sure the animals are without defect.

Chapter 29 continues with the reminders. Let’s see if I am right about the calendar indicators.

1 " 'On the first day of the seventh month hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. It is a day for you to sound the trumpets. 2 As an aroma pleasing to the LORD, prepare a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 3 With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah [a] of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths [b] ; 4 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. [c] 5 Include one male goat as a sin offering to make atonement for you. 6 These are in addition to the monthly and daily burnt offerings with their grain offerings and drink offerings as specified. They are offerings made to the LORD by fire—a pleasing aroma.

Buddhist Belief

Now when the trumpet is sounded, it is the seventh month! I wonder why in this month, the demanded offerings are much more. Strangely the Chinese believe that the lunar 7th month, also known as the Ghost Month or Month of Hungry Ghosts, is the time when the hungry ghost (the deceased) are allowed to come back in fhe form of spirits, and all kinds of food and drink offerings are made to feed them. The fifteenth day of this month is also known as the Buddha’s joyful day. It is an important day for most Chinese, particularly those who are Bhuddists. In verse 12 (below), Israel was commanded to hold a sacred assembly and do no work, and celebrate for seven days. Is this a coincidence or did the Chinese somehow learned this from the Israelites? Is Buddha related to the Bible-god in any way?

Now read the following verses carefully. I note these features:

Day
Offerings
10th
1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat
15th
13 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
16th
12 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
17th
11 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
18th
10 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
19th
9 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
20th
8 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
21st
7 bulls, 2 rams, 14 lambs, 1 goat
22th
1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs, 1 goat

It begins with 1 bull, 1 ram, 7 lambs and 1 goat, and ends with the same number on the 22th day. From the 15th to the 21st, the number of bulls required was reduced by 1 each day. There must be a hidden code here! I hope someone can break this code one day. Would a Supreme God worry about such tiny details, anyway?

7 " 'On the tenth day of this seventh month hold a sacred assembly. You must deny yourselves [d] and do no work. 8 Present as an aroma pleasing to the LORD a burnt offering of one young bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 9 With the bull prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with the ram, two-tenths; 10 and with each of the seven lambs, one-tenth. 11 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the sin offering for atonement and the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.

12 " 'On the fifteenth day of the seventh month, hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work. Celebrate a festival to the LORD for seven days. 13 Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of thirteen young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 14 With each of the thirteen bulls prepare a grain offering of three-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil; with each of the two rams, two-tenths; 15 and with each of the fourteen lambs, one-tenth. 16 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
17 " 'On the second day prepare twelve young bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 18 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 19 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering, and their drink offerings.
20 " 'On the third day prepare eleven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 21 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 22 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
23 " 'On the fourth day prepare ten bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 24 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 25 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
26 " 'On the fifth day prepare nine bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 27 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 28 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
29 " 'On the sixth day prepare eight bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 30 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 31 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
32 " 'On the seventh day prepare seven bulls, two rams and fourteen male lambs a year old, all without defect. 33 With the bulls, rams and lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 34 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
35 " 'On the eighth day hold an assembly and do no regular work. 36 Present an offering made by fire as an aroma pleasing to the LORD, a burnt offering of one bull, one ram and seven male lambs a year old, all without defect. 37 With the bull, the ram and the lambs, prepare their grain offerings and drink offerings according to the number specified. 38 Include one male goat as a sin offering, in addition to the regular burnt offering with its grain offering and drink offering.
39 " 'In addition to what you vow and your freewill offerings, prepare these for the LORD at your appointed feasts: your burnt offerings, grain offerings, drink offerings and fellowship offerings.' "
40 Moses told the Israelites all that the LORD commanded him.

Bible-god Issues Law on Vows

In chapter 30, the Bible-god even needed to regulate what vows are valid and how they should be regulated. I read between the lines that more and more relationship problems were arising, and so laws were needed, just like what we humans are doing today. If the Bible-god is the Supreme God, then why is he not intervening in our affairs today?

1 Moses said to the heads of the tribes of Israel: "This is what the LORD commands: 2 When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to obligate himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said.
3 "When a young woman still living in her father's house makes a vow to the LORD or obligates herself by a pledge 4 and her father hears about her vow or pledge but says nothing to her, then all her vows and every pledge by which she obligated herself will stand. 5 But if her father forbids her when he hears about it, none of her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand; the LORD will release her because her father has forbidden her.
6 "If she marries after she makes a vow or after her lips utter a rash promise by which she obligates herself 7 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her, then her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 8 But if her husband forbids her when he hears about it, he nullifies the vow that obligates her or the rash promise by which she obligates herself, and the LORD will release her.
9 "Any vow or obligation taken by a widow or divorced woman will be binding on her.
10 "If a woman living with her husband makes a vow or obligates herself by a pledge under oath 11 and her husband hears about it but says nothing to her and does not forbid her, then all her vows or the pledges by which she obligated herself will stand. 12 But if her husband nullifies them when he hears about them, then none of the vows or pledges that came from her lips will stand. Her husband has nullified them, and the LORD will release her. 13 Her husband may confirm or nullify any vow she makes or any sworn pledge to deny herself. 14 But if her husband says nothing to her about it from day to day, then he confirms all her vows or the pledges binding on her. He confirms them by saying nothing to her when he hears about them. 15 If, however, he nullifies them some time after he hears about them, then he is responsible for her guilt."
16 These are the regulations the LORD gave Moses concerning relationships between a man and his wife, and between a father and his young daughter still living in his house.

War and Death Again

In chapter 31, The ever-revengeful Bible-god commanded Moses to take 1000 soldiers from each of the 12 tribes and take revenge on the Midianites. Doesn’t it read more like an emperor asking his general to for his army and go to war? After killing all the males, Israel burned the land, plundered whatever they could, and took the women, boys and children as captives. Moses was even angry that the soldiers did not kill the women and the kids. Moses then commanded that the boys and all non-virgin women be killed, while the virgins were spared. Wow. Reads more like a war movie than about any kind of god!!

1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 "Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites. After that, you will be gathered to your people."
3 So Moses said to the people, "Arm some of your men to go to war against the Midianites and to carry out the LORD's vengeance on them. 4 Send into battle a thousand men from each of the tribes of Israel." 5 So twelve thousand men armed for battle, a thousand from each tribe, were supplied from the clans of Israel. 6 Moses sent them into battle, a thousand from each tribe, along with Phinehas son of Eleazar, the priest, who took with him articles from the sanctuary and the trumpets for signaling.
7 They fought against Midian, as the LORD commanded Moses, and killed every man. 8 Among their victims were Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur and Reba—the five kings of Midian. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. 9 The Israelites captured the Midianite women and children and took all the Midianite herds, flocks and goods as plunder. 10 They burned all the towns where the Midianites had settled, as well as all their camps. 11 They took all the plunder and spoils, including the people and animals, 12 and brought the captives, spoils and plunder to Moses and Eleazar the priest and the Israelite assembly at their camp on the plains of Moab, by the Jordan across from Jericho. [a]
13 Moses, Eleazar the priest and all the leaders of the community went to meet them outside the camp. 14 Moses was angry with the officers of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—who returned from the battle.
15 "Have you allowed all the women to live?" he asked them. 16 "They were the ones who followed Balaam's advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the LORD in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the LORD's people. 17 Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, 18 but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

The Bible-god as Distributor

The Bible-god was not concerned with the death of so many people at all. Instead, he was more interested in the people and animals captured, and even personally specified who should get what, and in what quantity! Following my theory about food, it seems to confirm my suspicion that the Bible-god was after food and gold, and would not hesitate to kill to get what he wanted.

25 The LORD said to Moses, 26 "You and Eleazar the priest and the family heads of the community are to count all the people and animals that were captured. 27 Divide the spoils between the soldiers who took part in the battle and the rest of the community. 28 From the soldiers who fought in the battle, set apart as tribute for the LORD one out of every five hundred, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep or goats.

29 Take this tribute from their half share and give it to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part. 30 From the Israelites' half, select one out of every fifty, whether persons, cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats or other animals. Give them to the Levites, who are responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle." 31 So Moses and Eleazar the priest did as the LORD commanded Moses.
32 The plunder remaining from the spoils that the soldiers took was 675,000 sheep, 33 72,000 cattle, 34 61,000 donkeys 35 and 32,000 women who had never slept with a man.
36 The half share of those who fought in the battle was: 337,500 sheep, 37 of which the tribute for the LORD was 675;
38 36,000 cattle, of which the tribute for the LORD was 72;
39 30,500 donkeys, of which the tribute for the LORD was 61;
40 16,000 people, of which the tribute for the LORD was 32.
41 Moses gave the tribute to Eleazar the priest as the LORD's part, as the LORD commanded Moses.
42 The half belonging to the Israelites, which Moses set apart from that of the fighting men- 43 the community's half—was 337,500 sheep, 44 36,000 cattle, 45 30,500 donkeys 46 and 16,000 people. 47 From the Israelites' half, Moses selected one out of every fifty persons and animals, as the LORD commanded him, and gave them to the Levites, who were responsible for the care of the LORD's tabernacle.
48 Then the officers who were over the units of the army—the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds—went to Moses 49 and said to him, "Your servants have counted the soldiers under our command, and not one is missing. 50 So we have brought as an offering to the LORD the gold articles each of us acquired—armlets, bracelets, signet rings, earrings and necklaces—to make atonement for ourselves before the LORD."
51 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted from them the gold—all the crafted articles. 52 All the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds that Moses and Eleazar presented as a gift to the LORD weighed 16,750 shekels. [b] 53 Each soldier had taken plunder for himself. 54 Moses and Eleazar the priest accepted the gold from the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds and brought it into the Tent of Meeting as a memorial for the Israelites before the LORD.

The Bible-god gets Angry Again

In chapter 32:1-13, the Bible-god again got angry and immediately meted out punishment.

1 The Reubenites and Gadites, who had very large herds and flocks, saw that the lands of Jazer and Gilead were suitable for livestock. 2 So they came to Moses and Eleazar the priest and to the leaders of the community, and said, 3 "Ataroth, Dibon, Jazer, Nimrah, Heshbon, Elealeh, Sebam, Nebo and Beon- 4 the land the LORD subdued before the people of Israel—are suitable for livestock, and your servants have livestock. 5 If we have found favor in your eyes," they said, "let this land be given to your servants as our possession. Do not make us cross the Jordan."
6 Moses said to the Gadites and Reubenites, "Shall your countrymen go to war while you sit here? 7 Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the LORD has given them? 8 This is what your fathers did when I sent them from Kadesh Barnea to look over the land. 9 After they went up to the Valley of Eshcol and viewed the land, they discouraged the Israelites from entering the land the LORD had given them. 10 The LORD's anger was aroused that day and he swore this oath:
11 'Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly, not one of the men twenty years old or more who came up out of Egypt will see the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob- 12 not one except Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they followed the LORD wholeheartedly.' 13 The LORD's anger burned against Israel and he made them wander in the desert forty years, until the whole generation of those who had done evil in his sight was gone.

Cities of Refuge

We skip to chapter 35. This chapter strangely talks about the Bible-god asking Moses to plan cities of refuge, six of them. These were meant for manslaughter criminals to take refuge. I wonder why out of the blue cities of refuge are needed. Israel had not even crossed Jordon, and already the Bible-god was planning for them. It must be of great importance to the Bible-god.

6 "Six of the towns you give the Levites will be cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone may flee. In addition, give them forty-two other towns. 7 In all you must give the Levites forty-eight towns, together with their pasturelands. 8 The towns you give the Levites from the land the Israelites possess are to be given in proportion to the inheritance of each tribe: Take many towns from a tribe that has many, but few from one that has few."
9 Then the LORD said to Moses: 10 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you cross the Jordan into Canaan, 11 select some towns to be your cities of refuge, to which a person who has killed someone accidentally may flee. 12 They will be places of refuge from the avenger, so that a person accused of murder may not die before he stands trial before the assembly. 13 These six towns you give will be your cities of refuge. 14 Give three on this side of the Jordan and three in Canaan as cities of refuge. 15 These six towns will be a place of refuge for Israelites, aliens and any other people living among them, so that anyone who has killed another accidentally can flee there.
16 " 'If a man strikes someone with an iron object so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 17 Or if anyone has a stone in his hand that could kill, and he strikes someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 18 Or if anyone has a wooden object in his hand that could kill, and he hits someone so that he dies, he is a murderer; the murderer shall be put to death. 19 The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death; when he meets him, he shall put him to death. 20 If anyone with malice aforethought shoves another or throws something at him intentionally so that he dies 21 or if in hostility he hits him with his fist so that he dies, that person shall be put to death; he is a murderer. The avenger of blood shall put the murderer to death when he meets him.
22 " 'But if without hostility someone suddenly shoves another or throws something at him unintentionally 23 or, without seeing him, drops a stone on him that could kill him, and he dies, then since he was not his enemy and he did not intend to harm him, 24 the assembly must judge between him and the avenger of blood according to these regulations. 25 The assembly must protect the one accused of murder from the avenger of blood and send him back to the city of refuge to which he fled. He must stay there until the death of the high priest, who was anointed with the holy oil.
26 " 'But if the accused ever goes outside the limits of the city of refuge to which he has fled 27 and the avenger of blood finds him outside the city, the avenger of blood may kill the accused without being guilty of murder. 28 The accused must stay in his city of refuge until the death of the high priest; only after the death of the high priest may he return to his own property.
29 " 'These are to be legal requirements for you throughout the generations to come, wherever you live.
30 " 'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to death on the testimony of only one witness.
31 " 'Do not accept a ransom for the life of a murderer, who deserves to die. He must surely be put to death.
32 " 'Do not accept a ransom for anyone who has fled to a city of refuge and so allow him to go back and live on his own land before the death of the high priest.
33 " 'Do not pollute the land where you are. Bloodshed pollutes the land, and atonement cannot be made for the land on which blood has been shed, except by the blood of the one who shed it. 34 Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell, for I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites.' "

Inter-Tribal Marriages Disallowed

In the last chapter, the Bible-god forbad Israel inter-tribal marriages. They were to marry within the lineage of their fathers only. Has this got to do with some kind of preservation?

The Tabernacle in Book of Exodus - Bible-god's Hotel ?

Warning - this is a long post.

The Bible is purportedly about the Almighty God of the while Universe, who has chosen to send his Son Jesus to die for our sins so that we can be saved and go to Heaven when the earth gets destroyed. But those who choose not to believe will be sent to burn in hell forever and ever !!! The idea of being burnt forever is a direct contradiction of a God of love as expounded by Christians today. From a scientific point of view, can anything be burned forever without changing states or get destroyed?
I have studied the Bible, and as technology advances, it seems to get clearer and clearer that the first few books contain records of alien visitation to earth, and the God described was no more than an alien. My first major point in support of this probability is the tabernacle.
The tabernacle has been taken to be the temporary dwelling place of the Bible-god (I use this name in order to differentiate this Being from other gods or deities), as described in the Book of Exodus. The nation of Israel was on the run, with the aim of reaching the destination promised by the Bible-god. At one point, the Bible-god commanded Moses, the leader of Israel, to view a blueprint of the Tabernacle, and commanded him to get Israel to build it.
I was rather amazed as I read the description of the Tabernacle. I was taught in church that it was a holy place for the Bible-god. But as I studied each verse carefully, I wondered why it was described like it was a hotel rather than a place of worship! Each item mentioned was given specific dimensions too. Now I wonder, was the Tabernacle made to be a place of feasting for the aliens? Why would an Almighty, formless God need a physical place to dwell in? Why would He need structures made to certain specifications? If so, these would imply that the Bible-god was a physical being, non-omnipresent, with form (maybe like us, as man was made in his likeness), and of a certain physical size. We may be able to deduce his size from the dimensions of the Tabernacle and the items inside it. Let’s look at each item.
A Table
First, there was a table made, together with dishes, plates, pitchers, bowls, etc, and gold was used for plating all of them.
verse 25:23 "Make a table of acacia wood—two cubits long, a cubit wide and a cubit and a half high.
A cubit is an ancient standard of measurement, and is about 17 to 21 inches (43 to 53 cm). Let’s take an average of 19 inches or 48cm. So the table is about 9.5 inches high, 38 inches long, 19 inches wide. Based on this, the being using it (assuming that it sits on the floor as no chair was made) eats like us, then he would be about 5feet to 5feet 6 inches for it to be comfortable. The table is about only 3 feet 2 inches long (about 1.1m), which means that it should be meant for one being on one side. If there are 2 beings, then they should be seated on both sides of the table. So I can assume that there were a maximum of two beings, or at any one time, only two of them are at the table. The size speculated here seems to agree with the size of aliens purportedly seen by some people.


verse 25:24 Overlay it with pure gold and make a gold molding around it.
I wonder why the table needed to be overlaid with gold. Why was gold important to the Bible-god? It reinforces my suspicion that the Bible-god used the table as we do today, and it was within His knowledge that gold would protect the table from damage, or may even help to keep the food place on it in good condition. Also, how did the Israelites know how to melt the gold and overlay the table with it? What equipment did they possess? Remember that they were on the move and would not burden themselves with carrying such equipment. Or were such equipment supplied by the Bible-god?
verse 25:25 Also make around it a rim a handbreadth wide and put a gold molding on the rim. verse 25:26 Make four gold rings for the table and fasten them to the four corners, where the four legs are. verse 25:27 The rings are to be close to the rim to hold the poles used in carrying the table. verse 25:28 Make the poles of acacia wood, overlay them with gold and carry the table with them.
Rings were made at the four corners of the table, for the purpose of allowing it to be carried. So it was designed to be portable. Even the type of wood, acacia, was specified. Why?
verse 25:29 And make its plates and dishes of pure gold, as well as its pitchers and bowls for the pouring out of offerings. verse 25:30 Put the bread of the Presence on this table to be before me at all times.
Now we see that the Bible-god also wanted plates, dishes, pitchers, bowls and even bread. Isn’t this a description of a dining table? But no forks and spoon mentioned, so maybe the Bible-god used His hands.
Lampsverse 25:31 "Make a lampstand of pure gold and hammer it out, base and shaft; its flowerlike cups, buds and blossoms shall be of one piece with it. verse 25:32 Six branches are to extend from the sides of the lampstand—three on one side and three on the other. verse 25:33 Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lampstand. verse 25:34 And on the lampstand there are to be four cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms. verse 25:35 One bud shall be under the first pair of branches extending from the lampstand, a second bud under the second pair, and a third bud under the third pair—six branches in all. verse 25:36 The buds and branches shall all be of one piece with the lampstand, hammered out of pure gold.verse 25:37 "Then make its seven lamps and set them up on it so that they light the space in front of it.
The Bible-god described the lamp in the greatest detail possible. My first reaction is, why would an omnipotent God need a lamp to light up the space? Surely this tells us that the Bible-god had eyes and needed light to see.
verse 25:38 Its wick trimmers and trays are to be of pure gold. verse 25:39 A talent of pure gold is to be used for the lampstand and all these accessories. verse 25:40 See that you make them according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.Verse 40 is interesting. Moses had been shown a sample of the lamp. How was it shown to Moses? Why didn’t the Bible-god project an image into the mind of Moses, as we are told that the Bible was written under inspiration? And it could have been shown to Moses anywhere. But it was only shown to him on the mountain. It makes me speculate that there were some kind of image projected on a screen for Moses to see. It could be something like our Flash animation or 3D high-definition projectors. It must be something physical parked on the mountain, that is why Moses needed to go up to the mountain each time he wanted to meet the Bible-god. Was it a spaceship parked on the mountain? That also implies that the Bible-god was physical.
CurtainsNow we move on to Exodus chapter 26. verse 26:1 "Make the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman.
Why would the Bible-god need curtains? Even the colors of the curtains were specified. It reads more like an interior-designer at work. If He was not going to be physically present in the tabernacle, why would He worry about colors? And He wanted a skilled craftsman to make the curtains. I wonder when these craftsmen were trained?
verse 26:3 Join five of the curtains together, and do the same with the other five. verse 26:4 Make loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and do the same with the end curtain in the other set. verse 26:5 Make fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other. verse 26:6 Then make fifty gold clasps and use them to fasten the curtains together so that the tabernacle is a unit.
Another Set of Curtainsverse 26:7 "Make curtains of goat hair for the tent over the tabernacle—eleven altogether. verse 26:8 All eleven curtains are to be the same size—thirty cubits long and four cubits wide.
Strange- now eleven curtains are made of goat hair, and the length is 30 cubits, 2 cubits longer than the earlier curtains. We can be sure that someone had made very meticulous plans and calculations, and an all-powerful God won’t need to do that.
Frames
Verse 26:15 "Make upright frames of acacia wood for the tabernacle. Verse 26:16 Each frame is to be ten cubits long and a cubit and a half wide, Verse 26:17 with two projections set parallel to each other. Make all the frames of the tabernacle in this way.
The acacia tree was required, and wood from the tree is still being used today for furniture-making. Surely such knowledge does not mean the Bible-god is omniscient. We should also wonder what cutting instruments did the people of Israel possess to cut down these tall and thick trees, and also to cut out the table and the frames? Nothing was mentioned. Moses did not ask about it either. Did the Bible-god supply all the necessary equipment?
Verse 26:18 Make twenty frames for the south side of the tabernacleVerse 26: 19 and make forty silver bases to go under them—two bases for each frame, one under each projection. Verse 26:20 For the other side, the north side of the tabernacle, make twenty framesVerse 26: 21 and forty silver bases—two under each frame.
Holy Place and Most Holy Place
Chapter 26 continues thus with the instructions of the Bible-god:verse 26:31 "Make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen, with cherubim worked into it by a skilled craftsman.verse 26: 32 Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold and standing on four silver bases.verse 26: 33 Hang the curtain from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the curtain. The curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
We also see what the curtains are for. To separate the tabernacle into two parts.
verse 26:34 Put the atonement cover on the ark of the Testimony in the Most Holy Place.verse 26:35 Place the table outside the curtain on the north side of the tabernacle and put the lampstand opposite it on the south side.verse 26:36 "For the entrance to the tent make a curtain of blue, purple and scarlet yarn and finely twisted linen—the work of an embroiderer. verse 26:37 Make gold hooks for this curtain and five posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold. And cast five bronze bases for them.The ark of Testimony was to be placed in the Most Holy Place, while the table and lampstand in the Holy Place. One source (freegroups.net) portrays the tabernacle in this way:

The Altar - a Barbeque Pit?verse27:1 "Build an altar of acacia wood, three cubits high; it is to be square, five cubits long and five cubits wide. verse27:2 Make a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar are of one piece, and overlay the altar with bronze. verse27:3 Make all its utensils of bronze—its pots to remove the ashes, and its shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans. verse27:4 Make a grating for it, a bronze network, and make a bronze ring at each of the four corners of the network. verse27:5 Put it under the ledge of the altar so that it is halfway up the altar. verse27:6 Make poles of acacia wood for the altar and overlay them with bronze. verse27:7 The poles are to be inserted into the rings so they will be on two sides of the altar when it is carried. verse27:8 Make the altar hollow, out of boards. It is to be made just as you were shown on the mountain.
Now there is mention of meat forks, so it seems that the Bible-god did not use His hands for eating. Note the interesting point about pots for removing ashes. Why would an omnipotent God go to the extent of designing a pot for ashes? It reads more like a design for a barbeque pit to me. It was overlaid with bronze, thus able to withstand fire. Note the bowls, utensils, etc, all related to eating. There were even sprinkling bowls! The altar was to be portable too.The Ephod - A Cook's Apron?In chapter 28. the garments for Aaron and the priests are described in detail.
verse 28:6 "Make the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen—the work of a skilled craftsman. verse 28:7 It is to have two shoulder pieces attached to two of its corners, so it can be fastened. verse 28:8 Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like it—of one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen.verse 28: 31 "Make the robe of the ephod entirely of blue cloth, verse28:32 with an opening for the head in its center. There shall be a woven edge like a collar around this opening, so that it will not tear.
The ephod is described in detail, and even the materials and its colors are specified! It surely is a kind of apron for a cook. Are these details necessary for an omnipotent, omnipresent God?
BellsNext, bells are mentionsed.
verse28:33 Make pomegranates of blue, purple and scarlet yarn around the hem of the robe, with gold bells between them. verse28:34 The gold bells and the pomegranates are to alternate around the hem of the robe. verse28:35 Aaron must wear it when he ministers. The sound of the bells will be heard when he enters the Holy Place before the LORD and when he comes out, so that he will not die.Bells were to be hung on the apron? What for? Now it gets clearer and clearer to me. Could it be that the Bible-god wanted bells to be attached to the apron, so that whenever Aaron is around, He will know it? Was He afraid of being exposed should Aaron entered without warning and saw Him (or them, if they were actually a group of aliens)? Why would God need to hear bells ringing? This point is so serious that is was punishable by death!
Turban - headgearNow a turban or headgear was to be worn by Aaron - was it to prevent Aaron’s hair from getting onto the food? It reminds me of a teppanyeki cook.verse 28:36 "Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD.verse 28: 37 Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. verse 28:38 It will be on Aaron's forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron's forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the LORD.
UndergarmentsThen, undergarments are also required. Clearly the aliens were afraid that their food would be contaminated by the private parts of Aaron! Why would God need to worry about such details? Again, failure to obey is punishable by death.verse 28:42 "Make linen undergarments as a covering for the body, reaching from the waist to the thigh. verse 28:43 Aaron and his sons must wear them whenever they enter the Tent of Meeting or approach the altar to minister in the Holy Place, so that they will not incur guilt and die. "This is to be a lasting ordinance for Aaron and his descendants.Sacrifices Demanded by the Bible-god
Read Chapter 29 and notice how the Bible-god demanded all kinds of sacrifices. Is it a coincidence that ALL the sacrifices demanded were edible meat and grains? Now put this point together with what I had speculated all along in this article, and don’t you get the whole picture now? The altar was a barbeque pit for cooking these meat offered! Remember the pot for collecting the ashes (left behind after a fire has been put out)?
Verse 29:1 "This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect. Verse 29:2 And from fine wheat flour, without yeast, make bread, and cakes mixed with oil, and wafers spread with oil. Verse 29:3 Put them in a basket and present them in it—along with the bull and the two rams. Verse 29:4 Then bring Aaron and his sons to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and wash them with water. Verse 29:5 Take the garments and dress Aaron with the tunic, the robe of the ephod, the ephod itself and the breastpiece. Fasten the ephod on him by its skillfully woven waistband. Verse 29:6 Put the turban on his head and attach the sacred diadem to the turban. Verse 29:7 Take the anointing oil and anoint him by pouring it on his head. Verse 29:8 Bring his sons and dress them in tunics Verse 29:9 and put headbands on them. Then tie sashes on Aaron and his sons. The priesthood is theirs by a lasting ordinance. In this way you shall ordain Aaron and his sons.
Verse 29:10 "Bring the bull to the front of the Tent of Meeting, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head.
Notice that the Bible-god demanded animals without blemish, and also the finest wheat. He even chose what animals he wanted, and specified bread and cakes!

Method of Preparation Specified
Verse 29:11 Slaughter it in the LORD's presence at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. Verse 29:12 Take some of the bull's blood and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and pour out the rest of it at the base of the altar.
The Bible-god seemed to want to make sure that the animals were freshly slaughtered. I wonder what the blood was for. Maybe it was for the Bible-god to check if the animal was diseased.
Verse 29:13 Then take all the fat around the inner parts, the covering of the liver, and both kidneys with the fat on them, and burn them on the altar.
Fats, covering of the liver, and kidneys seems to be what the Bible-god did not want. We know today that fats are bad for health, and kidneys are the filters of our body and should contain toxins too. Sounds like what we would tell our chef today!
Sense of Smell?
Verse 29:14 But burn the bull's flesh and its hide and its offal outside the camp. It is a sin offering.
Then strangely, the flesh, hide and offal (parts that are inedible by humans) are burned outside the camp, meaning these could not have been meat for the Bible-god. But read on.
Verse 29:15 "Take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. Verse 29:16 Slaughter it and take the blood and sprinkle it against the altar on all sides. Verse 29:17 Cut the ram into pieces and wash the inner parts and the legs, putting them with the head and the other pieces. Verse 29:18 Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
Now the ram is to be cleaned, burnt (barbequed?) and left on the on the altar? If it was to be a pleasing aroma, it confirms my suspicion that the Bible-god was a physical being, with the sense of sight and smell like us.


Significance of Blood
Verse 29:19 "Take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on its head. Verse 29:20 Slaughter it, take some of its blood and put it on the lobes of the right ears of Aaron and his sons, on the thumbs of their right hands, and on the big toes of their right feet. Then sprinkle blood against the altar on all sides. Verse 29:21 And take some of the blood on the altar and some of the anointing oil and sprinkle it on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. Then he and his sons and their garments will be consecrated.
Verse 29:22 "Take from this ram the fat, the fat tail, the fat around the inner parts, the covering of the liver, both kidneys with the fat on them, and the right thigh. (This is the ram for the ordination.)
I am still puzzled about the role of the animal blood used so far. What does it do on Aaron and his sons, and on the altar? And again, the animal fats and kidneys are mentioned. Is there a possible scientific link that humans have not discovered?
Wave Offering
Verse 29:23 From the basket of bread made without yeast, which is before the LORD, take a loaf, and a cake made with oil, and a wafer. Verse 29:24 Put all these in the hands of Aaron and his sons and wave them before the LORD as a wave offering. Verse 29:25 Then take them from their hands and burn them on the altar along with the burnt offering for a pleasing aroma to the LORD, an offering made to the LORD by fire. Verse 29:26 After you take the breast of the ram for Aaron's ordination, wave it before the LORD as a wave offering, and it will be your share.
Verse 29:27 "Consecrate those parts of the ordination ram that belong to Aaron and his sons: the breast that was waved and the thigh that was presented. Verse 29:28 This is always to be the regular share from the Israelites for Aaron and his sons. It is the contribution the Israelites are to make to the LORD from their fellowship offerings.
What is the significance of this wave offering? It looks similar to a Chinese practice of waving all food and paper money offterings in temples and also at tombs (in ancestral worship). But the Chinese do not burn the meat after their prayers.

Best for Priest
Verse 29:29 "Aaron's sacred garments will belong to his descendants so that they can be anointed and ordained in them. Verse 29:30 The son who succeeds him as priest and comes to the Tent of Meeting to minister in the Holy Place is to wear them seven days.
Verse 29:31 "Take the ram for the ordination and cook the meat in a sacred place. Verse 29:32 At the entrance to the Tent of Meeting, Aaron and his sons are to eat the meat of the ram and the bread that is in the basket. Verse 29:33 They are to eat these offerings by which atonement was made for their ordination and consecration. But no one else may eat them, because they are sacred. Verse 29:34 And if any of the meat of the ordination ram or any bread is left over till morning, burn it up. It must not be eaten, because it is sacred.
It seems that the priests were well taken care of. They got to eat the best of the animals. The Bible-god even instructed not to take food that had been kept overnight. Such a practice sounds very much like a human practice – giving the best rewards to the most important subordinates. Maybe it was to keep the priest well and healthy.
Daily Offerings Demanded
Verse 29:35 "Do for Aaron and his sons everything I have commanded you, taking seven days to ordain them. Verse 29:36 Sacrifice a bull each day as a sin offering to make atonement. Purify the altar by making atonement for it, and anoint it to consecrate it. Verse 29:37 For seven days make atonement for the altar and consecrate it. Then the altar will be most holy, and whatever touches it will be holy. Verse 29: 38 "This is what you are to offer on the altar regularly each day: two lambs a year old. Verse 29:39 Offer one in the morning and the other at twilight.
It reads to me that the Bible-god is very much controlled or influcenced by the time on earth. An omnipresent being surely would not be so time-conscious. But the Bible-god seemed to be mentally tuned to the 7-day week and 24-hour day on earth. He wanted daily offerings and twice a day too – like our breakfast and dinner.


Six aliens ?Verse 29:40 With the first lamb offer a tenth of an ephah of fine flour mixed with a quarter of a hin of oil from pressed olives, and a quarter of a hin of wine as a drink offering. Verse 29:41 Sacrifice the other lamb at twilight with the same grain offering and its drink offering as in the morning—a pleasing aroma, an offering made to the LORD by fire.
So we can see here that the offerings do look like a meal. One ram, some biscuits, and wine. If we take it as true, then there could be a group of them and not one, as each meal, they needed one ram. Maybe a group of 6 human-sized aliens?
Place of Meeting
Verse 29: 42 "For the generations to come this burnt offering is to be made regularly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting before the LORD. There I will meet you and speak to you; Verse 29:43 there also I will meet with the Israelites, and the place will be consecrated by my glory.
Verse 29:44 "So I will consecrate the Tent of Meeting and the altar and will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Verse 29:45 Then I will dwell among the Israelites and be their God. Verse 29:46 They will know that I am the LORD their God, who brought them out of Egypt so that I might dwell among them. I am the LORD their God.
Why would an omnipresent God need to specify a place to meet the people of Israel? Also note that he did not proclaim to be the God of the Universe or the Supreme God, rather, he said that he will the God of Israel, not even of this earth.







Place of Worship or a Hotel?So it does read like a hotel was built by the aliens and cooks and menu given to the Israelites so that the Bible-god could enjoy their feasting day and night! Now read on in the book of Leviticus and see if this view could be reinforced. In Leviticus, it reads,verse1:1 The LORD said to Moses, verse1:2 "Speak to Aaron and his sons and to all the Israelites and say to them: 'This is what the LORD has commanded: verse1:3 Any Israelite who sacrifices an ox, a lamb or a goat in the camp or outside of it verse1:4 instead of bringing it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to present it as an offering to the LORD in front of the tabernacle of the LORD -that man shall be considered guilty of bloodshed; he has shed blood and must be cut off from his people. verse1:5 This is so the Israelites will bring to the LORD the sacrifices they are now making in the open fields. They must bring them to the priest, that is, to the LORD, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and sacrifice them as fellowship offerings.verse1:6 The priest is to sprinkle the blood against the altar of the LORD at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting and burn the fat as an aroma pleasing to the LORD. verse1:7 They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.' verse1:8 "Say to them: 'Any Israelite or any alien living among them who offers a burnt offering or sacrifice verse1:9 and does not bring it to the entrance to the Tent of Meeting to sacrifice it to the LORD -that man must be cut off from his people.I can infer from here that the naive Israelites thought that they could offer their sacrifices anywhere in the open fields. Maybe they also believed that their god was omnipresent. This must have made the Bible-god angry, and he specifically told them the animals must be given to the priests and left at the entrance of the Tabernacle. It would be too much to digest if I quote the whole book of Leviticus here. Go online and read the book for yourself and see how food is the central subject. Doesn't it confirm my suspicion that the animals are meant for food for the aliens?But here may be confirmation that the Bible-god actually ate the offerings. It is clearly mentioned that the priests presented to the Bible-god food for consumption.
In Leviticus 21,verse21:5 " 'Priests must not shave their heads or shave off the edges of their beards or cut their bodies. verse21:6 They must be holy to their God and must not profane the name of their God. Because they present the offerings made to the LORD by fire, the food of their God, they are to be holy.
Was the Bible-god worried that the priests would cut themselves or let their cut hair contaminate the food offerings? Notice that verse 21:6 specifically mentioned that the offerings are the food of the Bible-god! It is further reinforced in the following passage. The Bible-god was very concerned about food hygiene.
verse21:16 The LORD said to Moses, verse21:17 "Say to Aaron: 'For the generations to come none of your descendants who has a defect may come near to offer the food of his God. verse21:18 No man who has any defect may come near: no man who is blind or lame, disfigured or deformed; verse21:19 no man with a crippled foot or hand, verse21:20 or who is hunchbacked or dwarfed, or who has any eye defect, or who has festering or running sores or damaged testicles.
verse21:21 No descendant of Aaron the priest who has any defect is to come near to present the offerings made to the LORD by fire. He has a defect; he must not come near to offer the food of his God. verse21:22 He may eat the most holy food of his God, as well as the holy food; verse21:23 yet because of his defect, he must not go near the curtain or approach the altar, and so desecrate my sanctuary. I am the LORD, who makes them holy.' "
Amazing, the Bible-god seems to be talking about clean food for himself over and over again. In Lev 22 to 23:9, it is all about offering food to him. I would expect a true God to be concerned about these disabled and disadvantaged people and offer to heal them. Instead, the Bible-god did not want them near his tent. So has it got anything to do with aliens?
Is it probable that a group of aliens somehow got stranded on earth and could not get their spaceship out of the earth’s atmosphere, so while trying to solve their problem, they chose the nation of Israel and terrorized them into absolute obedience using their advanced technology so that they have food to survive on earth? If it happens to a group of our astronauts one day, do you something similar may happen?

If you have different views, pl send them to me. I am open to any good and challenging opinions.

101 Contradictions in the Bible - Interesting !

Got these info on the Internet.


pdf version by Desolution
desolution@nibirumail.com

1.Who incited David to count the fighting men of Israel?
(a) God did (2 Samuel 24: 1)
(b) Satan did (I Chronicles 2 1:1)

2.In that count how many fighting men were found in Israel?
(a) Eight hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) One million, one hundred thousand (IChronicles 21:5)

3. How many fighting men were found in Judah?
(a) Five hundred thousand (2 Samuel 24:9)
(b) Four hundred and seventy thousand (I Chronicles 21:5)

4.God sent his prophet to threaten David with how many years of famine?
(a) Seven (2 Samuel 24:13)
(b) Three (I Chronicles 21:12)

5.How old was Ahaziah when he began to rule over Jerusalem?
(a) Twenty-two (2 Kings 8:26)
(b) Forty-two (2 Chronicles 22:2)

6.How old was Jehoiachin when he became king of Jerusalem?
(a) Eighteen (2 Kings 24:8)
(b) Eight (2 Chronicles 36:9)

7.How long did he rule over Jerusalem?
(a) Three months (2 Kings 24:8)
(b) Three months and ten days (2 Chronicles 36:9)

8.The chief of the mighty men of David lifted up his spear and killed how many men at one time?
(a) Eight hundred (2 Samuel 23:8)
(b) Three hundred (I Chronicles 11: 11)

9.When did David bring the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem? Before defeating the Philistines or after?
(a) After (2 Samuel 5 and 6)
(b) Before (I Chronicles 13 and 14)

10.How many pairs of clean animals did God tell Noah to take into the Ark?
(a) Two (Genesis 6:19, 20)
(b) Seven (Genesis 7:2). But despite this last instruction only two pairs went into the ark (Genesis 7:8-9)

11.When David defeated the King of Zobah, how many horsemen did he capture?
(a) One thousand and seven hundred (2 Samuel 8:4)
(b) Seven thousand (I Chronicles 18:4)

12.How many stalls for horses did Solomon have?
(a) Forty thousand (I Kings 4:26)
(b) Four thousand (2 chronicles 9:25)

13.In what year of King Asa's reign did Baasha, King of Israel die?
(a) Twenty-sixth year (I Kings 15:33 - 16:8)
(b) Still alive in the thirty-sixth year (2 Chronicles 16:1)

14.How many overseers did Solomon appoint for the work of building the temple?
(a) Three thousand six hundred (2 Chronicles 2:2)
(b) Three thousand three hundred (I Kings 5:16)

15.Solomon built a facility containing how many baths?
(a) Two thousand (1 Kings 7:26)
(b) Over three thousand (2 Chronicles 4:5)

16.Of the Israelites who were freed from the Babylonian captivity, how many were the children of
Pahrath-Moab?
(a) Two thousand eight hundred and twelve (Ezra 2:6)
(b) Two thousand eight hundred and eighteen (Nehemiah 7:11)

17.How many were the children of Zattu?
(a) Nine hundred and forty-five (Ezra 2:8)
(b) Eight hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:13)

18.How many were the children of Azgad?
(a) One thousand two hundred and twenty-two (Ezra 2:12)
(b) Two thousand three hundred and twenty-two (Nehemiah 7:17)

19.How many were the children of Adin?
(a) Four hundred and fifty-four (Ezra 2:15)
(b) Six hundred and fifty-five (Nehemiah 7:20)

20.How many were the children of Hashum?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:19)
(b) Three hundred and twenty-eight (Nehemiah 7:22)

21.How many were the children of Bethel and Ai?
(a) Two hundred and twenty-three (Ezra 2:28)
(b) One hundred and twenty-three (Nehemiah 7:32)

22.Ezra 2:64 and Nehemiah 7:66 agree that the total number of the whole assembly was 42,360. Yet the
numbers do not add up to anything close. The totals obtained from each book is as follows:
(a) 29,818 (Ezra)
(b) 31,089 (Nehemiah)

23.How many singers accompanied the assembly?
(a) Two hundred (Ezra 2:65)
(b) Two hundred and forty-five (Nehemiah 7:67)

24.What was the name of King Abijah’s mother?
(a) Michaiah, daughter of Uriel of Gibeah (2 Chronicles 13:2)
(b) Maachah, daughter of Absalom (2 Chronicles 11:20) But Absalom had only one daughter whose name
was Tamar (2 Samuel 14:27)

25.Did Joshua and the Israelites capture Jerusalem?
(a) Yes (Joshua 10:23, 40)
(b) No (Joshua 15:63)

26.Who was the father of Joseph, husband of Mary?
(a) Jacob (Matthew 1:16)
(b) Hell (Luke 3:23)

27.Jesus descended from which son of David?
(a) Solomon (Matthew 1:6)
(b) Nathan (Luke3: 31)

28.Who was the father of Shealtiel?
(a) Jechoniah (Matthew 1:12)
(b) Neri’ (Luke 3:27)

29.Which son of Zerubbabel was an ancestor of Jesus Christ?
(a) Abiud (Matthew 1: 13)
(b) Rhesa (Luke 3:27) but the seven sons of Zerubbabel are as follows: i. Meshullam, ii. Hananiah, iii.
Hashubah, iv. Ohel, v. Berechiah, vi. Hasadiah, viii. Jushabhesed (I Chronicles 3:19, 20). The names
Abiud and Rhesa do not fit in anyway.

30.Who was the father of Uzziah?
(a) Joram (Matthew 1:8)
(b) Amaziah (2 Chronicles 26:1)

31.Who as the father of Jechoniah?
(a) Josiah (Matthew 1:11)
(b) Jeholakim (I Chronicles 3:16)

32.How many generations were there from the Babylonian exile until Christ?
(a) Matthew says fourteen (Matthew 1:17)
(b) But a careful count of the generations reveals only thirteen (see Matthew 1: 12-16)

33.Who was the father of Shelah?
(a) Cainan (Luke 3:35-36)
(b) Arphaxad (Genesis II: 12)

34.Was John the Baptist Elijah who was to come?
(a) Yes (Matthew II: 14, 17:10-13)
(b) No (John 1:19-21)

35.Would Jesus inherit David’s throne?
(a) Yes. So said the angel (Luke 1:32)
(b) No, since he is a descendant of Jehoiakim (see Matthew 1: I 1, I Chronicles 3:16). And Jehoiakim was
cursed by God so that none of his descendants can sit upon David’s throne (Jeremiah 36:30)

36.Jesus rode into Jerusalem on how many animals?
(a) One - a colt (Mark 11:7; cf Luke 19:3 5). “And they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their
garments on it; and he sat upon it.”
(b) Two - a colt and an ass (Matthew 21:7). “They brought the ass and the colt and put their garments
on them and he sat thereon.”

37.How did Simon Peter find out that Jesus was the Christ?
(a) By a revelation from heaven (Matthew 16:17)
(b) His brother Andrew told him (John 1:41)

38.Where did Jesus first meet Simon Peter and Andrew?
(a) By the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 4:18-22)
(b) On the banks of river Jordan (John 1:42). After that, Jesus decided to go to Galilee (John 1:43)

39.When Jesus met Jairus was Jairus’ daughter already dead?
(a) Yes. Matthew 9:18 quotes him as saying, “My daughter has just died.”
(b) No. Mark 5:23 quotes him as saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death.”

40.Did Jesus allow his disciples to keep a staff on their journey?
(a) Yes (Mark6: 8)
(b) No (Matthew 10:9; Luke 9:3)

41.Did Herod think that Jesus was John the Baptist?
(a) Yes (Matthew 14:2; Mark 6:16)
(b) No (Luke 9:9)

42.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus before his baptism?
(a) Yes (Matthew 3:13-14)
(b) No (John 1:32,33)

43.Did John the Baptist recognize Jesus after his baptism?
(a) Yes (John 1:32, 33)
(b) No (Matthew 11:2)

44.According to the Gospel of John, what did Jesus say about bearing his own witness?
(a) “If I bear witness to myself, my testimony is not true” (John 5:3 1)
(b) “Even if I do bear witness to myself, my testimony is true” (John 8:14)

45.When Jesus entered Jerusalem did he cleanse the temple that same day?
(a) Yes (Matthew 21:12)
(b) No. He went into the temple and looked around, but since it was very late he did nothing. Instead, he
went to Bethany to spend the night and returned the next morning to cleanse the temple (Mark I 1:1-17).

46.The Gospels say that Jesus cursed a fig tree. Did the tree wither at once?
(a) Yes. (Matthew 21:19)
(b) No. It withered overnight (Mark II: 20)

47.Did Judas kiss Jesus?
(a) Yes (Matthew 26:48-50)
(b) No. Judas could not get close enough to Jesus to kiss him (John 18:3-12)

48.What did Jesus say about Peter’s denial?
(a) “The cock will not crow till you have denied me three times” (John 13:38).
(b) “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times” (Mark 14:30). When the cock crowed
once, the three denials were not yet complete (see Mark 14:72). Therefore prediction (a) failed.

49.Did Jesus bear his own cross?
(a) Yes (John 19:17)
(b) No (Matthew 27:31-32)

50.Did Jesus die before the curtain of the temple was torn?
(a) Yes (Matthew27: 50-5 1;MarklS: 37-38)
(b) No. After the curtain was torn, then Jesus crying with a loud voice, said, “Father, into thy hands I
commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last (Luke 23:45-46)

51.Did Jesus say anything secretly?
(a) No. “I have said nothing secretly” (John 18:20)
(b) Yes. “He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained
everything” (Mark 4:34). The disciples asked him “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He said, “To
you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given”
(Matthew 13: 1 0-11)

52.Where was Jesus at the sixth hour on the day of the crucifixion?
(a) On the cross (Mark 15:23)
(b) In Pilate’s court (John 19:14)

53.The gospels say that two thieves were crucified along with Jesus. Did both thieves mock Jesus?
(a) Yes (Mark 15:32)
(b) No. One of them mocked Jesus, the other defended Jesus (Luke 23:43)

54.Did Jesus ascend to Paradise the same day of the crucifixion?
(a) Yes. He said to the thief who defended him, “Today you will be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43)
(b) No. He said to Mary Magdelene two days later, “I have not yet ascended to the Father” (John 20:17)

55.When Paul was on the road to Damascus he saw a light and heard a voice. Did those who were with
him hear the voice?
(a) Yes (Acts9: 7)
(b) No (Acts22: 9)

56.When Paul saw the light he fell to the ground. Did his traveling companions also fall to the ground?
(a) Yes (Acts 26:14)
(b) No (Acts 9:7)

57.Did the voice spell out on the spot what Paul’s duties were to be?
(a) Yes (Acts 26:16-18)
(b) No. The voice commanded Paul to go into the city of Damascus and there he will be told what he
must do. (Acts9: 7; 22: 10)

58.When the Israelites dwelt in Shittin they committed adultery with the daughters of Moab. God struck
them with a plague. How many people died in that plague?
(a) Twenty-four thousand (Numbers 25:1 and 9)
(b) Twenty-three thousand (I Corinthians 10:8)

59.How many members of the house of Jacob came to Egypt?
(a) Seventy souls (Genesis 4&27)
(b) Seventy-five souls (Acts 7:14)

60.What did Judas do with the blood money he received for betraying Jesus?
(a) He bought a field (Acts 1: 18)
(b) He threw all of it into the temple and went away. The priests could not put the blood money into the
temple treasury, so they used it to buy a field to bury strangers (Matthew 27:5)

61.How did Judas die?
(a) After he threw the money into the temple he went away and hanged himself (Matthew 27:5)
(b) After he bought the field with the price of his evil deed he fell headlong and burst open in the middle
and all his bowels gushed out (Acts 1:18)

62.Why is the field called “Field of Blood”?
(a) Because the priests bought it with the blood money (Matthew 27:8)
(b) Because of the bloody death of Judas therein (Acts 1:19)

63.Who is a ransom for whom?
(a) “The Son of Man came...to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). “Christ Jesus who gave
himself as a ransom for all... “(I Timothy 2:5-6)
(b) “The wicked is a ransom for the righteous, and the faithless for the upright” (Proverbs 21:18)

64.Is the Law of Moses useful?
(a) Yes. “All scripture is... profitable...” (2 Timothy 3:16)
(b) No. “ . . . A former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness... “(Hebrews
7:18)

65.What was the exact wording on the cross?
(a) “This is Jesus the King of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37)
(b) “The King of the Jews” (Mark 15:26)
(c) “This is the King of the Jews” (Luke 23:38)
(d) “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews” (John 19:19)

66.Did Herod want to kill John the Baptist?
(a) Yes (Matthew 14:5)
(b) No. It was Herodias, the wife of Herod who wanted to kill him. But Herod knew that he was a
righteous man and kept him safe (Mark 6:20)

67.Who was the tenth disciple of Jesus in the list of twelve?
(a) Thaddaeus (Matthew 10: 1-4; Mark 3:13 -19)
(b) Judas son of James is the corresponding name in Luke’s gospel (Luke 6:12-16)

68.Jesus saw a man sit at the tax collector’s office and called him to be his disciple. What was his name?
(a) Matthew (Matthew 9:9)
(b) Levi (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)

69.Was Jesus crucified on the daytime before the Passover meal or the daytime after?
(a) After (Mark 14:12-17)
(b) Before. Before the feast of the Passover (John 1) Judas went out at night (John 13:30). The other
disciples thought he was going out to buy supplies to prepare for the Passover meal (John 13:29). When
Jesus was arrested, the Jews did not enter Pilate’s judgment hail because they wanted to stay clean to
eat the Passover (John 18:28). When the judgment was pronounced against Jesus, it was about the sixth
hour on the day of Preparation for the Passover (John 19:14)

70.Did Jesus pray to The Father to prevent the crucifixion?
(a) Yes. (Matthew 26:39; Mark 14:36; Luke 22:42)
(b) No. (John 12:27)

71.In the gospels which say that Jesus prayed to avoid the cross, how many times did ‘he move away
from his disciples to pray?
(a) Three (Matthew 26:36-46 and Mark 14:32-42)
(b) One. No opening is left for another two times. (Luke 22:39-46)

72.Matthew and Mark agree that Jesus went away and prayed three times. What were the words of the
second prayer?
(a) Mark does not give the words but he says that the words were the same as the first prayer (Mark
14:3 9)
(b) Matthew gives us the words, and we can see that they are not the same as in the first (Matthew
26:42)

73.What did the centurion say when Jesus dies?
(a) “Certainly this man was innocent” (Luke 23:47)
(b) “Truly this man was the Son of God” (Mark 15:39)

74.When Jesus said “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken Me? ” in what language did he speak?
(a) Hebrew: the words are “Eloi, Eloi…“(Matthew 27:46)
(b) Aramaic: the words are “Eloi, Eloi... “(Mark 15:34)

75.According to the gospels, what were the last words of Jesus before he died?
(a) “Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit!” (Luke 23:46)
(b) "It is finished" (John 19:30).

76.When Jesus entered Capernaum he healed the slave of a centurion. Did the centurion come personally
to request Jesus for this?
(a) Yes (Matthew 8:5)
(b) No. He sent some elders of the Jews and his friends (Luke 7:3,6)

77. (a) Adam was told that if and when he eats the forbidden fruit he would die the same day (Genesis
2:17)
(b) Adam ate the fruit and went on to live to a ripe old age of 930 years (Genesis 5:5)

78. (a) God decided that the life span of humans will be limited to 120 years (Genesis 6:3)
(b) Many people born after that lived longer than 120. Arpachshad lived 438 years. His son Shelah lived
433 years. His son Eber lived 464 years, etc. (Genesis 11:12-16)

79.Apart from Jesus did anyone else ascend to heaven?
(a) No (John 3:13)
(b) Yes. “And Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11)

80.Who was high priest when David went into the house of God and ate the consecrated bread?
(a) Abiathar (Mark 2:26)
(b) Ahimelech, the father of Abiathar (I Samuel 1:1; 22:20)

81.Was Jesus’ body wrapped in spices before burial in accordance with Jewish burial customs?
(a) Yes and his female disciples witnessed his burial (John 19:39-40)
(b) No. Jesus was simply wrapped in a linen shroud. Then the women bought and prepared spices “so
that they may go and anoint him [Jesus)” (Mark 16: 1)

82.When did the women buy the spices?
(a) After “the Sabbath was past” (Mark 16:1)
(b) Before the Sabbath. The women “prepared spices and ointments.” Then, “on the Sabbath they rested
according to the commandment” (Luke 23:55 to 24:1)

83.At what time of day did the women visit the tomb?
(a) “Toward the dawn” (Matthew 28: 1)
(b) “When the sun had risen” (Mark 16:2)

84.What was the purpose for which the women went to the tomb?
(a) To anoint Jesus’ body with spices (Mark 16: 1; Luke 23:55 to 24: 1)
(b) To see the tomb. Nothing about spices here (Matthew 28: 1)
(c) For no specified reason. In this gospel the wrapping with spices had been done before the Sabbath
(John 20: 1)

85.A large stone was placed at the entrance of the tomb. Where was the stone when the women arrived?
(a) They saw that the stone was “Rolled back” (Mark 16:4) They found the stone “rolled away from the
tomb” (Luke 24:2) They saw that “the stone had been taken away from the tomb” (John 20:1)
(b) As the women approached, an angel descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and conversed
with the women. Matthew made the women witness the spectacular rolling away of the stone (Matthew
28:1-6)

86.Did anyone tell the women what happened to Jesus’ body?
(a) Yes. “A young man in a white robe” (Mark 16:5). “Two men ... in dazzling apparel” later described as
angels (Luke 24:4 and 24:23). An angel - the one who rolled back the stone (Matthew 16:2). In each
case the women were told that Jesus had risen from the dead (Matthew 28:7; Mark 16:6; Luke 24:5
footnote)
(b) No. Mary met no one and returned saying, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not
know where they have laid him” (John 20:2)

87.When did Mary Magdelene first meet the resurrected Jesus? And how did she react?
(a) Mary and the other women met Jesus on their way back from their first and only visit to the tomb.
They took hold of his feet and worshipped him (Matthew 28:9)
(b) On her second visit to the tomb Mary met Jesus just outside the tomb. When she saw Jesus she did
not recognize him. She mistook him for the gardener. She still thinks that Jesus’ body is laid to rest
somewhere and she demands to know where. But when Jesus said her name she at once recognized him
and called him “Teacher.” Jesus said to her, “Do not hold me...” (John 20:11 to 17)

88.What was Jesus’ instruction for his disciples?
(a) “Tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me” (Matthew 2 8: 10)
(b) “Go to my brethren and say to them, I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and
your God” (John 20:17)

89.When did the disciples return to Galilee?
(a) Immediately, because when they saw Jesus in Galilee “some doubted” (Matthew 28:17). This period
of uncertainty should not persist
(b) After at least 40 days. That evening the disciples were still in Jerusalem (Luke 24:3 3). Jesus
appeared to them there and told them, stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high”
(Luke 24:49). He was appearing to them “during forty days” (Acts 1:3), and “charged them not to depart
from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise ... “(Acts 1:4)

90.To whom did the Midianites sell Joseph?
(a) “To the Ishmaelites” (Genesis 37:28)
(b) “To Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh” (Genesis 37:36)

91.Who brought Joseph to Egypt?
(a) The Ishmaelites bought Joseph and then “took Joseph to Egypt” (Genesis 37:28)
(b) “The Midianites had sold him in Egypt” (Genesis 37:36)
(c) Joseph said to his brothers “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt” (Genesis 45:4)

92.Does God change his mind?
(a) Yes. “The word of the Lord came to Samuel: “I repent that I have made Saul King...” (I Samuel 15:10
to 11)
(b) No. God “will not lie or repent; for he is not a man, that he should repent” (I Samuel 15:29)
(c) Yes. “And the Lord repented that he had made Saul King over Israel” (I Samuel 15:35). Notice that
the above three quotes are all from the same chapter of the same book! In addition, the Bible shows that
God repented on several other occasions:
i. “The Lord was sorry that he made man” (Genesis 6:6)
“I am sorry that I have made them” (Genesis 6:7)
ii. “And the Lord repented of the evil which he thought to do to his people” (Exodus 32:14).
iii. (Lots of other such references).

93.The Bible says that for each miracle Moses and Aaron demonstrated the magicians did the same by
their secret arts. Then comes the following feat:
(a) Moses and Aaron converted all the available water into blood (Exodus 7:20-21)
(b) The magicians did the same (Exodus 7:22). This is impossible, since there would have been no water
left to convert into blood.

94.Who killed Goliath?
(a) David (I Samuel 17:23, 50)
(b) Elhanan (2 Samuel 21:19)

95.Who killed Saul?
(a) “Saul took his own sword and fell upon it.... Thus Saul died... (I Samuel 31:4-6)
(b) An Amalekite slew him (2 Samuel 1:1- 16)

96.Does every man sin?
(a) Yes. “There is no man who does not sin” (I Kings 8:46; see also 2 Chronicles 6:36; Proverbs 20:9;
Ecclesiastes 7:20; and I John 1:810)
(b) No. True Christians cannot possibly sin, because they are the children of God. “Every one who
believes that Jesus is the Christ is a child of God. (I John 5:1). “We should be called children of God; and
so we are” (I John 3: 1). “He who loves is born of God” (I John 4:7). “No one born of God commits sin;
for God’s nature abides in him, and he cannot sin because he is born of God” (I John 3:9). But, then
again, Yes! “If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (I John 1:8)

97.Who will bear whose burden?
(a) “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)
(b) “Each man will have to bear his own load” (Galatians 6:5)

98.How many disciples did Jesus appear to after his resurrection?
(a) Twelve (I Corinthians 15:5)
(b) Eleven (Matthew 27:3-5 and Acts 1:9-26, see also Matthew 28:16; Mark 16:14 footnote; Luke 24:9;
Luke 24:3 3)

99.Where was Jesus three days after his baptism?
(a) After his baptism, “the spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. And he was in the
wilderness forty days ... (Mark 1:12-13)
(b) Next day after the baptism, Jesus selected two disciples. Second day: Jesus went to Galilee - two
more disciples. Third day: Jesus was at a wedding feast in Cana in Galilee (see John 1:35; 1:43; 2:1-11)

100.Was baby Jesus’ life threatened in Jerusalem?
(a) Yes, so Joseph fled with him to Egypt and stayed there until Herod died (Matthew 2:13 23)
(b) No. The family fled nowhere. They calmly presented the child at the Jerusalem temple according to
the Jewish customs and returned to Galilee (Luke 2:21-40)

101.When Jesus walked on water how did the disciples respond?
(a) They worshipped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God” (Matthew 14:33)
(b) “They were utterly astounded, for they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were
hardened” (Mark 6:51-52)