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To: gost2

“Historically accurate” isn’t a good yardstick, because the Biblical histories were not written as histories, as we now think of histories. Their purposes were different.

Histories, as we now think of them, didn’t arise until about 1000 B.C.

By 800 B.C., the oral tradition lyrical poem-songs had advanced to the point of the compiled Iliad and the Odyssey, so had developed quickly in a parallel civilization, and was being put in writing.

However, by then other studies had been around for a long time. The Hebrews had a very elaborate cosmology and a well developed religious philosophy, and it’s easy to tell of their interest in genealogy, diplomacy and military science.

A recent re-translation of the Hebrew Torah discovered that it was created in the poem-song format typical to less literate societies, that used it as a mnemonic device. While they at some point wrote it down, they still used the poem-song to teach, until they lost the expertise of the Hebrew language needed to see its poetic form.

It is known that their histories did not follow logical rules for histories, for example, sometimes referring to individuals as individuals, and other times as their entire tribe. The also were often indifferent to extra-Hebraic peoples, unless they were part of the story, not caring about the greater context of events.

So Biblical history is a patchwork as are the archeological and anthropological studies of the Hebraic period. Biblical history can be very accurate, but it was not designed so that someday, someone could root through their garbage and prove it.

In a manner of speaking, imagine leaving detailed notes to your children about how to lead a good and moral life. But then, a thousand years hence, some stranger tries to put them in 21st Century historical context.


20 posted on 11/14/2008 6:07:21 PM PST by yefragetuwrabrumuy
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To: yefragetuwrabrumuy

All of human history is His Story.

One of the best ways of studying Scripture is by beginning with Genesis and studying through to Revelation in order of historical presentation. The Gospel of the New Testament becomes much more intuitively understood than beginning with Matthew independently of the rest of Scripture.

Likewise, all history and future events are best understood by interpreting them in light of His Word, rather than attempting to interpret His Word by current events or historical evidence.

Faith in Him first in all things.


30 posted on 11/15/2008 8:55:26 AM PST by Cvengr (Adversity in life and death is inevitable. Thru faith in Christ, stress is optional.)
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