Welles and I completed the first week of reading the Bible in 90 days. We have now read both Genesis and Exodus. There are so many things that I am learning or have forgotten. It's really a great way to read, too because I feel like I am getting so much more out of the reading. When we studied Genesis several years ago, we would read one to two chapters a week and discuss in Sunday School once a week. By that time, it was so easy to forget what was read just two weeks before.
Overall, it seems to be going very well. Thanks so much to those of you who have given encouragement. Apparently Leviticus and Ezekiel are going to be the hardest chapters to read through.
On the more humorous side, we have talked about some of the strange incidents in Genesis and Exodus. I also listened to the weekly lesson given by Jack Modesett today, and he had some of the same realizations that we did:
1) Abraham was really a chicken and "pimped out" his wife. Twice - Abraham told the authorities in the town he was visiting that his wife was his sister. He was afraid they would kill him if not. Twice! Why didn't he learn the first time??? 10 And Abimelech asked Abraham, "What was your reason for doing this?" 11 Abraham replied, "I said to myself, 'There is surely no fear of God in this place, and they will kill me because of my wife.' 12 Besides, she really is my sister, the daughter of my father though not of my mother; and she became my wife. 13 And when God had me wander from my father's household, I said to her, 'This is how you can show your love to me: Everywhere we go, say of me, "He is my brother." ' "
2) Jacob had his good moments and his bad. As Jack says, "Jacob must be the most mixed-up person in scripture." He stole his brother's birthright, marries sisters, lies to their father (his father-in-law), etc. Of course Laban, the father-in-law, tricked him into marrying sisters.
3) Joseph really comes off like a goody-two-shoes. "He was a spoiled, arrogant punk-kid, and it's no wonder his brothers sold him into slavery."
4) Moses could have benefitted from a speech therapist. "10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue. 11 The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ? 12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say." 13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
Eventually, after much protest, the Lord allowed Aaron, Moses' brother, to speak. Moses fed him his lines, though!
There are so many more fascinating things. We really are learning so much!