My Misreading of Moses' Simple Lesson of Practical Neville
Like everyone else, I tend to interject my prejudices into my interpretation of scripture. Case in point: as a young Christian I learned Exodus 3:14 as the announcement of God's name, "I AM THAT I AM." It is a pretty impressive statement, and much thought has gone into its implications.
Not to deny the truth of the statement, I realize the fact that it just wasn't in Moses' thoughts when he wrote it. Still, when I read what he did write, I stick in the value of my impression -- this is the announcement of God's name, or in truth, nature. In this I am gaming the system: I am looking for some stirring revelation of God, while Moses is just writing about what he was interested in, jethro.
I put a strong interpretive bent in my rendering of Exodus 3: 14's Ahiyeh Ashur hiyeh. The words do not mean intention, imagination, or belief, these are, I think, what Moses was talking about.
Ah, what Moses was talking about. You would never guess by reading the Bible. Yes, there really was a Moses, a ruler and general in central Egypt (as I recall from Faber), who led his people out of Egypt into Palestine and gave them laws. That was famous history. The Moses of the Bible is the germ of the Gospel in us. Israel is God-inspired thoughts and Egypt is amnesia-caused doubt and ignorance. The person(s) who wrote as Moses took in the message of the myths (Pharaoh's daughter) and, growing up, discerned Israel and Egypt as influences within himself.
Moses didn't kill an Egyptian man, his mind stymied a doubt, and IT WORKED. This blew Moses' mind, as it well ought ours. He didn't escape into the wilderness, he withdrew into meditation and contemplation, falling into God's trap. God is glad to teach us when we are willing to listen to him in our imagination, which is him. Moses' Israelite thought worked. It produced jethro -- God's blessing of abundance. Like a little chirping bird, the thought repeated in his mind: "It worked. Why? How? What was it that did? What did I do, and how can I do it again?"
God's name is nice, but Moses was interested in the mechanics of jethro, getting God's goodness. Funny, God didn't say anything about strapping a bunch of magnets around his head. He talked about ASSUMPTION, IMAGINATION and BELIEF, or if you would, FAITH. At least I think he did. It is practical Nevillism: know exactly what you want, assume that you are that, thinking from it, imagine it with all the tones of reality with all its concomitant emotions -- BE IT as you fall asleep -- and remain faithful to the idea that the past is dead and the new is alive.
There is a lot of practical advice on how to keep your head this way: keep a journal, read affirmations, create and frequently review a picture book of what you "have" coming, share with others, read my blog, etc.
Moses was also aware of the myth of Nineveh, Babylonia, and Midian. Over in Midian there was a district known as YHW. My own interpretation of this word is "God acts." Adding the 'H' of grace as a receiving hand or window, I get "God acts through me." Can I prove it? No. But it won't cost you anything to try it.
Not to deny the truth of the statement, I realize the fact that it just wasn't in Moses' thoughts when he wrote it. Still, when I read what he did write, I stick in the value of my impression -- this is the announcement of God's name, or in truth, nature. In this I am gaming the system: I am looking for some stirring revelation of God, while Moses is just writing about what he was interested in, jethro.
I put a strong interpretive bent in my rendering of Exodus 3: 14's Ahiyeh Ashur hiyeh. The words do not mean intention, imagination, or belief, these are, I think, what Moses was talking about.
Ah, what Moses was talking about. You would never guess by reading the Bible. Yes, there really was a Moses, a ruler and general in central Egypt (as I recall from Faber), who led his people out of Egypt into Palestine and gave them laws. That was famous history. The Moses of the Bible is the germ of the Gospel in us. Israel is God-inspired thoughts and Egypt is amnesia-caused doubt and ignorance. The person(s) who wrote as Moses took in the message of the myths (Pharaoh's daughter) and, growing up, discerned Israel and Egypt as influences within himself.
Moses didn't kill an Egyptian man, his mind stymied a doubt, and IT WORKED. This blew Moses' mind, as it well ought ours. He didn't escape into the wilderness, he withdrew into meditation and contemplation, falling into God's trap. God is glad to teach us when we are willing to listen to him in our imagination, which is him. Moses' Israelite thought worked. It produced jethro -- God's blessing of abundance. Like a little chirping bird, the thought repeated in his mind: "It worked. Why? How? What was it that did? What did I do, and how can I do it again?"
God's name is nice, but Moses was interested in the mechanics of jethro, getting God's goodness. Funny, God didn't say anything about strapping a bunch of magnets around his head. He talked about ASSUMPTION, IMAGINATION and BELIEF, or if you would, FAITH. At least I think he did. It is practical Nevillism: know exactly what you want, assume that you are that, thinking from it, imagine it with all the tones of reality with all its concomitant emotions -- BE IT as you fall asleep -- and remain faithful to the idea that the past is dead and the new is alive.
There is a lot of practical advice on how to keep your head this way: keep a journal, read affirmations, create and frequently review a picture book of what you "have" coming, share with others, read my blog, etc.
Moses was also aware of the myth of Nineveh, Babylonia, and Midian. Over in Midian there was a district known as YHW. My own interpretation of this word is "God acts." Adding the 'H' of grace as a receiving hand or window, I get "God acts through me." Can I prove it? No. But it won't cost you anything to try it.
posted by Daniel C. Branham-Steele at
1:12 AM
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