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Journey to Sinai. Israelites experienced three amazing events as they fled into the desert. Pillars of cloud & fire (Exodus 13:21). This is the third time in the Old Testament narrative when fire is used as a symbol of God’s presence. What are these?????.
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Israelites experienced three amazing events as they fled into the desert. • Pillars of cloud & fire (Exodus 13:21)
This is the third time in the Old Testament narrative when fire is used as a symbol of God’s presence. • What are these?????
Amazing events – continued: • “Rain” of quail in time of hunger – Appeared in evening – (Numbers 11: 31 – 32)
Manna – appeared in the morning (Exodus 16: 14, 31) IV. Water from a rock
Were these (pillars, quail, manna) • Miraculous? • Ordinary? • Literary (symbolic stories)?
Interpretations: • Miraculous events – Worked by God to aid Israel? • Ordinary events – Used by God to aid Israel? • Symbolic stories – Used to express Israel’s faith than God aided them?
The Answer…. Most biblical scholars agree that number two is the most likely.
Ordinary events: • Pillars – volcanic activity • Quail – migration victims • Manna – Insect secretions