Almost the King’s Speech – Deuteronomy: a review

This is Mel Gibson urging the Scots to have brave hearts. This is Kenneth Branagh giving it ‘what ho’ as Henry V. This is Colin Firth leading the British through World War 2. Well almost. Deuteronomy is Moses telling Israel that they need to be true to God, if they are God will be true to them.

Executive summary

Moses calls the people together just before it is time for them to enter the Promised Land. For the next thirty or so chapters he recaps, or reminds the people what they should do. Most of what has been said in Exodus and Leviticus is mentioned again. This is a summary of the law but also a call to arms.

Live long and prosper

The law is also a covenant, or, to be blunt and very non-academic, a deal. If the people follow the law then God will look after them and they will prosper. But if they don’t then God won’t. Perhaps the key verses come in chapter six.

6:4-6  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.  You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

The covenant can sound a little mercenary, but covenant agreements like this were common during these times. The one difference is they were normally between a stronger nation and a weaker nation. If the Sopranos is true then similar ‘agreements’ still go on today.

A God of love?

One of the most common things I hear is, ‘if God loves us then why is there so much pain in the world’ (or variations on this theme). And I end up thinking along similar lines with this book. Moses, who has led the Israelites out of Egypt and spoken directly with God, is told that he won’t be allowed into the Promised Land. After all he has done he is told that because he didn’t really stand up for God at one point in the wilderness, he won’t go into what will become Israel. Unfair? The actions of a God of love? What is Moses response though? He doesn’t complain, he gets on with things, accepts what God says and rallies the troops for the journey ahead.

I liked Deuteronomy, especially after Numbers. As a read it held together and had a clear place in the narrative. As a religious book, to read and challenge the way I live, then it is a little bit harder to enjoy.

Who’d have thought loving God and loving others could be so difficult!

Bookmark and Share

Genesis: a review

I got a copy of the NIV Bible in One Year as a gift last year. So when January 1st came around I thought I’d see if I could make my way through it. It has been many years since I actually read the whole Bible in a concerted effort, and although I am always dipping in and out of it, I thought I’d give this version a go.

As part of this process and perhaps some form of accountability I will give a quick review of each of the individual books of the Bible when I finish them. And so here we go…

Genesis

For those who don’t know this is the book where it all begins. We have the accounts of creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, Abraham and Joseph, amongst others. Putting aside discussions about how literal these passages are meant to be taken, what struck me was the lack of God in them.

Don’t get me wrong, God was there. God was the creator; the deity who kicked Adam and Eve from Eden; the divine entity that flooded the earth and the real dream interpreter for Pharaoh. But God wasn’t always evident.

The people in this first book of the Bible went about their lives, getting married, going forth and multiplying and selling their siblings off if they got a little up themselves. But God wasn’t always mentioned. God didn’t always play an obvious part in what was happening.

What struck me was that the people were getting on with their lives, because that was what they were meant to do. They thanked God. They called on God for help. They even challenged some of things God said to them.

But, despite Genesis placing God at the beginning of all things, the first book of the Bible comes across as more to do with people than God. People who struggle with living each day in often hostile environments, dealing with their own cultural issues.

Bookmark and Share

Review on the 10th delayed as I seek coalition

These posts, where I review how I’m doing with things, are purely for myself. Firstly, I get to see how I am progressing and tick off what I have achieved and secondly, I am at least somewhat accountable.

The downside to that is that I quite often let the 10th slip past. This month is yet another example of that. But here I am and it’s time to review where I am with everything.

Well the book is finished. I am currently reading the proofs to confirm that I am happy with all the changes, and then it is off to the printers. So I can finally tick off the first project of 2010.

The next on the list is the music and getting that back on track. This is all about finding some quality time to sit down with the digital studio and literally make music. This is easier said than done and may need to organised with some time blocked off; five minutes here and there isn’t really an option.

I think the take a photo each day has been left behind. I may get going on it later on in the year, perhaps do something for a month or so, or express the goal through my photoblog. I’ll make a decision on this by the next review.

The theme is still here and still being developed. I have been focusing on the functionality side rather than the aesthetic (can you tell?)

As for the other things on my 10 in 2010 I can now try and get my head around them. I suppose I underestimated how much time the book manuscript would take. When I was told at college to multiply how long you thought it would take by three I didn’t believe them. Now I do.

This next month I’ll be looking at developing my blogs and networking. There will be a new series of blog posts detailing how that will happen too. I am hoping that by detailing my progress and actions it will help others as they take steps into social media and blogging. There may well be one or two changes on how this site and blog presents itself. So, until we meet again…

Bookmark and Share