For this week’s discussion, my group and I discussed what two components we found interesting to reflect on in the book of Exodus. If there were any other religious narratives, we could connect the components.
The first component
Under the new rule in Egypt, the Pharaoh felt threatened by the increasing number of Israelites, so he forces them into slavery. He reasoned that in the event of a war, they might join the opposing side, so he wanted to control them. The Pharaoh ordered that all Hebrew boys will be killed at birth in the Nile River; however, let every girl live (this part didn’t explain why the girls were given a chance to live, but I think it might be because they don’t procreate and increase the population of Israelites). And one Hebrew woman ignored this order, gave birth to a Hebrew son and placed him on a basket, setting him afloat in the river. The Pharaoh’s daughter finds the newborn and raises him, naming him Moses.
Similar Religious Narrative
One religious narrative similar to the Pharaoh’s rule and force of the Israelites to be his slaves is the Book of Esther. The book explains Haman, King Ahasuerus’ second-in-command orders the execution of all Jews in one day. Esther, the wife of King Ahasuerus and her cousin Mordecai, both persuade the King to stop the order of the antihalation of all Jews in the empire. This book shows the similarities where Esther fights for her people’s freedom.
The Second Component
Moses meets the Pharaoh and demands the release of his people. However, the Pharaoh doesn’t listen and increases the workload of his slaves, angering God, he responded by imposing the ten plagues on Egypt. In the beginning, the Pharaoh doesn’t take it seriously, but one disaster was worse than the other, and Egypt suffered economically, and society was destroyed.
God turns the Nile River into blood, causes frogs to cover Egypt, turns all of the dust in Egypt to gnats, and causes swarms of flies to come into the houses of Pharaoh and his officials. God then strikes Egypt’s livestock with a disease, creates festering boils on humans and animals, and sends thunder, hail, and fire that destroy crops, livestock, and people. God sends swarms of locusts and covers Egypt with “a darkness that can be felt” (10:21).
Before each plague, Moses demands the Israelites’ release, and after each plague, God purposefully “hardens” Pharaoh so that he refuses the request (4:21, 7:22). The tenth and final plague kills all the firstborn males in Egypt.”
The Pharaoh finally releases the Hebrews after the tenth disaster, killing all the firstborn males in Egypt. Moses joins the Israelites by leaving Egypt, and they became God’s Chosen People. This component focuses on that God will do whatever necessary and punish those who disobey him and hurt his people.
Similar Religious Narrative
One religious narrative similar to God punishing the evil is the story of Rocky and Woody. This video was about during circa 2542-258 BCE when monsters and beasts lived in the jungles of Van Lang (today’s Vietnam). And Rocky (Thach Sanh) was said to be a demigod with a heart pure of gold, sent from the heavens to protect the villagers. Rocky befriends Woody (Ly Thong), but Woody has evil thoughts and makes Rocky do his labour tasks for him. Over time, they become like brothers, but Woody will always take advantage of Rocky, to the point where he will do whatever it takes to marry the Princess. Rocky realizes that he has been betrayed and taken for granted this entire time, tries to tell the King what happened but gets framed and arrested. At the end of the story, he Rocky is released from prison, and the King hears his pleas, the King banished Woody and his evil mother from the Kingdom and Rocky marries the Princess.
One Real World Example
One group member mentioned that the attitudes of the Jewish people and their perceived relationship with God, “They went from being slaves to Pharaoh working in the desert to free people but with a bonus–they became God’s Chosen People!”
Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.’ These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites. (Exodus, 19:5-6)
Many other religions claim to have a special relationship with God, such as the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (or what we call Mormons). Mormons are so convinced that “they have the ultimate truth that they retroactively baptize deceased people into their faith so that they may be saved. Sometimes this doesn’t go so well, as when relatives of Holocaust victims objected to the (mis-) appropriation of the personae of their dead relatives (Niebuhr, 1995)” (RELS 200, D2L Discussion III). Even some members of this church believed they were performing a “true Christian act” and that they didn’t think it was insensitive to the victims of the Holocaust (Niebuhr, 1995).
You can read more about the article here: https://www.nytimes.com/1995/04/29/us/mormons-to-end-holocaust-victim-baptism.html.
References
Anonymous. “Bible: The Old Testament: Exodus”. Retrieved from https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/oldtestament/section4/
“Bible Gateway Passage: Exodus 19 – New International Version.” Bible Gateway, https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Exodus%2019&version=NIV.
Hope Your Day Rules. (2016, June 8). Rocky and Woody (English Version-Thạch Sanh Lý Thông [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_f5Ev43ZV6g
RELS 200, D2L Discussion III
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