Moses
Story Stream
Which Sea Did the Israelites Cross? April 16, 2025
Just where was yam suf, the “sea of reeds” that the Israelites, according to the book of Exodus, miraculously crossed on dry land in their flight from Egypt while Pharaoh’s pursuing army drowned in it? Was it Lake Bardawil, a large saltwater lagoon n...
The Cost of Chosenness: Lessons from Moses, Ibn Naghrillah this Passover April 16, 2025
As we recline and rejoice on Passover, we feel like royalty. Yet we are also called to remember the suffering of our ancestors and the extraordinary efforts made to bring them out of bondage.The choice to speak and act – or to remain idle – can foste...
Antisemitism Harkens All the Way Back to Moses and Pharaoh April 16, 2025
King Pharaoh of Egypt’s propaganda campaign might seem distant, but look a little closer and you’ll see something chilling: The script hasn’t changed much in 3,500 years.Here are three enduring lessons from the Exodus that can help us better understa...
“The LORD Spoke to Moses” – Does God Speak? April 14, 2025
Even those who categorically deny that God has form, is composed of matter, is visible, or is subject to the constraints of time and place, cannot seem to relinquish the notion that God speaks precisely as described in the Bible....
Casting Call April 11, 2025
Dear Intelligent American,Maybe this missive gets a little too religious—liturgical—for some, and if that applies to you then please be patient, because there he goes again.Last Sunday’s reading was about the adulteress, the Pharisees, and the questi...
The Passover Seder is Model for Healing Democracies in Peril April 09, 2025
Revolutionaries throughout the ages have drawn strength from the story of Passover. As Michael Walzer brilliantly documents in his book “Exodus and Revolution,” the Israelites leaving Egypt inspired liberation movements and thinkers throughout histor...
Pious Bible Errors April 08, 2025
Pilgrims to Rome visiting the Basilica of St. Peter in Chains encounter a strange sight: Michelangelo’s sculpted Moses, rendered with two horns protruding conspicuously from his head. Michelangelo’s contemporaries, faithful readers of the Vulgate Bib...
Moses and the Fugitive Hero Pattern March 18, 2025
The story of Moses follows a pattern that is typical of ancient Near Eastern fugitive hero narratives. However, when Moses goes to Mount Horeb, the plot deviates from the usual “divine encounter” feature. What does this tell us about the composition ...
This Moment Calls For Fearless Faith Leaders March 14, 2025
There is an emboldened rise of white Christian nationalism in this country that is supercharging support for the MAGA movement and our nation’s dangerous slide towards autocracy. Many Christian nationalists are animated by the idea that this country ...
Why Supporting Israel Matters: Faith, Business, and the Biblical Connection March 14, 2025
It’s been a year since the Hamas terrorist group attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.Israel now finds itself fighting on three fronts — in Gaza against Hamas, against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, and against the Houthis in Yemen.All three groups are...
Rest Easy March 14, 2025
The concept of rest is as old as the Bible. On the seventh day, after creating the world and all that was in it, we are told that the Lord rested. Not, however, in His case, from fatigue, but to contemplate His further creations. Alain Corbin, a Fren...
Jesus Never Said, ‘Blessed Are the Righteous’ March 11, 2025
They told us it was just like walking up a wheelchair ramp.Well, two hours later, in pitch darkness, I lagged behind the rest of my group, wondering why this seemed easier for everyone else. Every step forward got harder and harder. I had not prepare...
Revitalizing the Transfiguration March 03, 2025
Books on Jesus’ ascension are rare; books on the Transfiguration of Jesus are rarer still. Accordingly, Patrick Schreiner’s volume The Transfiguration of Christ: An Exegetical and Theological Reading is much needed for a much-neglected topic—and the ...
Did God Give Moses Ten Sayings, Ten Commandments? February 12, 2025
This week’s Torah reading centers on the story, told in verses 2–14 of the twentieth chapter of Exodus, of the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. Why is it then that Hebrew, through which this story was transmitted to the world, does not ...
Moses and Javier Milei February 07, 2025
Surprised? Although baptized in the Catholic Church, Javier Milei has a special relationship with Judaism and Israel. I first saw this Jewish connection during his inauguration on December 10, 2023, at the religious ceremony. Representatives of the A...
Haftarah of Parashat Beshalach Mirrors Israel's Current State February 07, 2025
We, too, stand at a moment that offers the hope of quiet. With a fragile cessation of hostilities holding for now, we feel just about ready to lift our heads and hearts from the emotional drain of wartime. The murdered and fallen will not return, the...
The Jewish Sages Who Called Gaza Home: 1,500 Years of History February 06, 2025
Gaza is often perceived in Israeli consciousness as an unwelcoming place for Jews. However, from the second century BCE until the establishment of the State of Israel, the city was home to a Jewish community that included influential rabbis.The organ...
When are We Allowed to Yell at God? February 05, 2025
We want our worship experiences to be uplifting and inspirational. But, we are missing out on the emotional richness and depth of the religious experience. Yes — joy, gratitude, uplift. But, anger and questioning are part of any healthy relationship....
Destroying the Idols of Our Hearts (Pt. 2) January 31, 2025
People don’t give much thought to the problem of idolatry, but since Scripture spends so much time addressing this issue, we should understand what the Bible says about it and how to obey God’s command to have no other gods.Idolatry is loving, trusti...
What the New Testament Says About Leadership January 27, 2025
As always, thanks for joining our study. Today, we conclude the two-part series “What the Bible Says About Leadership. If you missed last week’s featuring the Old Testament leadership, take five minutes and read it now. While the rest of us wait, we ...
Standing for Life as an American Heritage Girl January 24, 2025
I promise to love God, cherish my family, honor my country, and serve in my community. This is the oath that an American Heritage Girl (AHG) recites at each Troop meeting and ceremony and has done so since our very beginning in 1995. These words, ove...
What the Old Testament Says About Leadership January 20, 2025
Inaugurations, especially the president’s inaugural address, are about leadership. So, let’s read about the wisdom offered in the Bible with its timeless lessons and examples of both good and bad, triumphs and failures.In the Old Testament, four grea...
Four Ways to Cherish the ‘Chosenness’ of the Jews January 14, 2025
The idea that the Jews are the “Chosen People” is not particularly fashionable, even among many Jews. It’s viewed as sectarian, supremacist and even racist. Here are four ways that all of us, Jews and non-Jews, can embrace the idea.The Jews are chose...
Neolithic 'Mountain Cult' May Have Shaped Great Religions January 09, 2025
Moses wasn't the first to climb a mountain to meet his god. For at least 10,000 years people in the Negev and Sinai deserts were climbing skyward, leaving silent hints at purpose beyond functionality in the shape of standing stones and altars on the ...
Compromise is Overrated: Give War a Chance September 23, 2024
I hate to be this transparent, but you all know where I am going. Israel cannot afford to lose a single war, but it is never permitted to win a decisive victory. As soon as Israel gets the upper hand, the world intervenes to demand compromise. The wo...
