Writing, of Miracles, and Exodus

[Sekhmet]

Writing, of Miracles, and Exodus

Any Biblical reader knows of the miracles that freed the Hebrew slaves of Egypt.  However, how many know about the miracles recorded in Egyptian rock and papyrus remains?

Two peoples, two nations especially when sharing a common border, should share a similar, yet different cultural history.  Consider Canada, and the U.S.A. stories of  Benedict Arnold survive in both similar, but different nations.  We give little thought as to their dependability.  Similar events in the ancient past if, known are rarely considered i.e., Egypt and the effect of Sargon I of Agarde, during his empire building.

This brings me to the commonality of miracles in both the Bible and ancient Egypt.
With the amount of doubt generated regarding the truth, and reliability of ancient Egyptian and Biblical documents this could be a minefield.  While most of these documents are dated late, there is no honest reason to do so.  Today, we know thanks to archaeology that writing dates into the 4th millennium as a recording tool for Mesopotamian temples, and in Egypt for the evolving divine pharaonic state.  While by the middle 3rd millennium in Mesopotamia, we find oral traditions are written down by temple scribes i.e., the Gilgamesh stories including the Mesopotamian flood stories.  Writing is a more reliable way of keeping oral traditions alive.  To insist that Egyptian narratives date to the Middle Kingdom, to me hints more to an imperialist attitude of another day, than fitting with the reality of more recent archaeological findings.   
 
Pharaoh Khasekhem, last king of the 2nd dynasty, hints to the importance of seers in Egypt.  During his lifetime, the title “Greatest of Seers” in writing is attested, to his reign. 

Although they tend to be dated to the first intermediate period, Egyptian narratives begin with stories of Pharaoh Snefnu, first king of the 4th dynasty.  Where the first real stories of miracles are found during this popular and famous Pharaoh.  Here we find the first story of ‘parting of the waters’ (a lake in this story) by the court Priest of Inun (Heliopolis) located in the nome of On.  So, Snefnu can please a court lady who lost a treasured piece of jewelry.   

Then looking for more Egyptian miracles we skip down to the 12th dynasty and its founder Pharaoh Amenemhet I.  Please see below.

Egypt: Amenemhat I, 1st King of the 12th Dynasty

“….The first tells us of a gazelle that gave birth to her calf atop the stone that had been chosen for the lid of the King's sarcophagus.  the second was of a ferocious rainstorm that, when subsided, disclosed a well 10 cubits square and full of water.  Of course that was a very good omen in this barren landscape….”

Another story, about his accession is how during the 4th dynasty supposedly a priest predicted Ameny (a shorten version of Amenemhet) would arise to save Egypt.

 
People simply do not understand the importance of these stories of Pharaoh Amenemhet I.  He was a non-royal king, predestined by the gods of his ancient day to rule.  It is understandable a religious nihilist would discount these stories, because so many scholars have tried to place Moses, his many miracles, and the Exodus in the late 6th dynasty.   

Yet, if we limit ourselves to just story-telling we find a surprising parallel continuity of miracles, between two peoples sharing a history.  That dates from the 4th dynasty to the 12th dynasty.  While in Egypt miracles are important in this period, they tend to fade in later historical times.  For the Hebrew people, miracles such an important aspect of their entire early history, continue down into classical times i.e., the miracle of lights.

In closing if seers, and miracles are simply a made up creation by religious freaks, in an attempt to deceive people.  How do they, deal with the Native American seer, Sitting Bull?  Who foresaw the victory at the Little Big Horn.  The vision of Crazy Horse being invincible if his arm is free from restraint, and of Roman Nose being invincible if he had nothing to do with iron? 

Is it scholars?  Time for a scientific evaluation of Biblical Chronology devoid of the historical chronological data that has lead, so many astray from belief in something greater than ourselves.

To all a great day!

[turanclancath]

Great Great Great.HearHear Hear.

A wonderfull post Dear Lady Sekhmet:)

As a mediaevists I have the Saints with all their miracles.
And think of Lourdes , etc.

So Miracles are to believe and beyond rational understanding.
See also St.Joan of Arc ( Jeanne D Arc )

The Holy Catholic Church for instance declares a miraculous healing at Lourdes  when it is beyond rational understanding.

The same with the miracles of Padre Pio .
Bravissimo.

Turanclancath: )

[Michael]

Writing, of Miracles, and Exodus

Any Biblical reader knows of the miracles that freed the Hebrew slaves of Egypt.  However, how many know about the miracles recorded in Egyptian rock and papyrus remains?

Two peoples, two nations especially when sharing a common border, should share a similar, yet different cultural history.  Consider Canada, and the U.S.A. stories of  Benedict Arnold survive in both similar, but different nations.  We give little thought as to their dependability.  Similar events in the ancient past if, known are rarely considered i.e., Egypt and the effect of Sargon I of Agarde, during his empire building.

This brings me to the commonality of miracles in both the Bible and ancient Egypt.
With the amount of doubt generated regarding the truth, and reliability of ancient Egyptian and Biblical documents this could be a minefield.  While most of these documents are dated late, there is no honest reason to do so.  Today, we know thanks to archaeology that writing dates into the 4th millennium as a recording tool for Mesopotamian temples, and in Egypt for the evolving divine pharaonic state.  While by the middle 3rd millennium in Mesopotamia, we find oral traditions are written down by temple scribes i.e., the Gilgamesh stories including the Mesopotamian flood stories.  Writing is a more reliable way of keeping oral traditions alive.  To insist that Egyptian narratives date to the Middle Kingdom, to me hints more to an imperialist attitude of another day, than fitting with the reality of more recent archaeological findings.   
 
Pharaoh Khasekhem, last king of the 2nd dynasty, hints to the importance of seers in Egypt.  During his lifetime, the title “Greatest of Seers” in writing is attested, to his reign. 

Although they tend to be dated to the first intermediate period, Egyptian narratives begin with stories of Pharaoh Snefnu, first king of the 4th dynasty.  Where the first real stories of miracles are found during this popular and famous Pharaoh.  Here we find the first story of ‘parting of the waters’ (a lake in this story) by the court Priest of Inun (Heliopolis) located in the nome of On.  So, Snefnu can please a court lady who lost a treasured piece of jewelry.   

Then looking for more Egyptian miracles we skip down to the 12th dynasty and its founder Pharaoh Amenemhet I.  Please see below.

Egypt: Amenemhat I, 1st King of the 12th Dynasty

“….The first tells us of a gazelle that gave birth to her calf atop the stone that had been chosen for the lid of the King's sarcophagus.  the second was of a ferocious rainstorm that, when subsided, disclosed a well 10 cubits square and full of water.  Of course that was a very good omen in this barren landscape….”

Another story, about his accession is how during the 4th dynasty supposedly a priest predicted Ameny (a shorten version of Amenemhet) would arise to save Egypt.

 
People simply do not understand the importance of these stories of Pharaoh Amenemhet I.  He was a non-royal king, predestined by the gods of his ancient day to rule.  It is understandable a religious nihilist would discount these stories, because so many scholars have tried to place Moses, his many miracles, and the Exodus in the late 6th dynasty.   

Yet, if we limit ourselves to just story-telling we find a surprising parallel continuity of miracles, between two peoples sharing a history.  That dates from the 4th dynasty to the 12th dynasty.  While in Egypt miracles are important in this period, they tend to fade in later historical times.  For the Hebrew people, miracles such an important aspect of their entire early history, continue down into classical times i.e., the miracle of lights.

In closing if seers, and miracles are simply a made up creation by religious freaks, in an attempt to deceive people.  How do they, deal with the Native American seer, Sitting Bull?  Who foresaw the victory at the Little Big Horn.  The vision of Crazy Horse being invincible if his arm is free from restraint, and of Roman Nose being invincible if he had nothing to do with iron? 

Is it scholars?  Time for a scientific evaluation of Biblical Chronology devoid of the historical chronological data that has lead, so many astray from belief in something greater than ourselves.

To all a great day!

Joseph Campbell had similar problems. He couldn'y fathom why the deeds of the ancients all had super human strength.

I have examined the Bibleand have come to my own conclusions about "miracles" or superhuman deeds in general. The OT stories and those of ancient myths and religion all have a common bond. They are stories about the constellatons. In Greece this is easier to see because we have retained the name of the constellatons to match their Ovid myths.

In the Near East it is a little trickier to decipher, but not impossible.

The stories of the patriarchs originated as story about gods. The gods were reduced to humans who did wonderous deeds. This is what the Catholi church did to foreign gods- they made them into saints who did wonderous deeds.

In Judea, things went a little different. They prophets knew the stories were of the constellatons and they used them to make predictions and prophecy. The Dead Sea Scrolls are full of astrological references as well as Bible prophecy books, just pick up Revelaton, it is really overt.

Prophecy, myth, and pagan gods were combined with factual history. This craeted a false history of the Jews. The purpose of this history was to unite the people under one cultural banner. This would create a large state to fight off enimes and give creedence to what would have been an already established priesthood. ( Money and Power).

Because this was a story of the constellation (heaven) is was a story of God and inerrant because it included the history of the heavens as mixed with the earth (Gen 2:4). Astrology was prophecy, so the text which was written about the past could be used to predict the future. The NT story of Matthew is filled with this type of "prophecy fulfillment."

Now there are some weird things that happened in history which got recorded. The Great Famine of 150 years and the plagues in Egypt which followed. There also appears to have been cities destrotyed in Babylon and even in Jusdea from meteors in the Early Bronze Age.  BAR did an article recently on one such translation, but failed to give a good detailed account of the possibility using other scientific sources and evidene, such as meteor craters, which do exist, one of which was only recently discovered (last 20 years) in Iraq as it was a lake.

It is that simple.

[Sekhmet]

Right Michael, thank you for your input.

[Sekhmet]

Great Great Great.HearHear Hear.

A wonderfull post Dear Lady Sekhmet:)

As a mediaevists I have the Saints with all their miracles.
And think of Lourdes , etc.

So Miracles are to believe and beyond rational understanding.
See also St.Joan of Arc ( Jeanne D Arc )

The Holy Catholic Church for instance declares a miraculous healing at Lourdes  when it is beyond rational understanding.

The same with the miracles of Padre Pio .
Bravissimo.

Turanclancath: )

You are most welcome my dear sir Turanclancath.  I rejoice to know this post you enjoyed.