Bible Mysteries II

In which I further record, if only for my own musings, mysterious what-ifs and why-ises from the greatest book of literature in Western Civilization ...


* Who were the “sons of God” who mated with the “daughters of men” in Genesis 6? Were the “sons of God” some type of angel or other heavenly creature? Did this union supply the cause for the Flood?

* Who were the “Nephilim” of Genesis 6 – the offspring of the “sons of God” and the “daughters of men”? Were they some sort of race of “giants”, as hinted at in Numbers 13?

* What did Noah do, exactly, to “find favor in the eyes of the Lord?” Did he receive a warning from God and, perhaps, tried to get others to repent? And though no good deeds are mentioned before the Flood, does not his drunkenness, mentioned immediately after, suggest perhaps he was not so righteous?

* Why did all but two members of every species of animal have to die, too, for the wickedness of mankind? Were the animals “sinful,” too?

* Does the Flood and its suggestion of a cleansing and purifying bath, foreshadow the sacrament of Baptism?

* Why was the tower of Babel built (Genesis 11 says it is only “to make a name for ourselves”)? Was it to storm heaven, to war against God? Who exactly wanted to build it? Did Noah’s great-grandson Nimrod build it (his kingdom contained the land of Shinar, where the tower was built)? Nimrod was previously described as a mighty man and a mighty hunter. The etymology of the name implies “rebellion.” Was Nimrod a previously-mentioned giant, and was the tower built by giants? And if so, did the giants somehow survive the Flood?

* What was the fate of the tower of Babel? The Bible says God only scattered the men and made their speech unintelligble to each other, but says nothing about destroying the tower.

* What had Abraham done to merit God’s blessings? Is it because he was the first practicing monothiest? If so, just how and where did polytheism develop? Was Abraham an astronomer (he was born in Chaldea, famous in ancient times for its devotion to astronomy and astrology)? Did his study of the heavens lead him to conclude in the existence of one God?

* Who is Melchizedek, the priest-king who encounters Abraham in Genesis 14? Nothing is said of his family, his genealogy, nor the location of his kingdom, Salem. Though he blesses Abraham, what is the lesson to be learned here? Is he superhuman in some way, angelic or divine? Is he the archangel Michael (in the sense he is an instrument of God’s justice)? Or was he, as other commentators think, Noah’s son Shem (Melchizedek being an honorific name)? What is the “Order of Melchizedek” mentioned in Psalm 110?

* What was praisworthy about Isaac’s life? Is it that he was a willing sacrifice during Abraham’s testing? Is this a foreshadowing of the Crucifixion?

* What was the “ladder” Jacob dreamt of? Was it a dream, or was it a physical manifestatoin while he lay sleeping? If it was some sort of message, why a dream, and why did God not simply speak to Jacob? What was the message?

* Who was the “man” Jacob wrestled with in Genesis 32? An angel? Several times in the Bible beings who appear to be men actually turn out to be angels. Why does the confrontation take place at night, and last until dawn? If the “man” was an angel, why does he say “you have stuggled with God?”

* Why did God choose to appear before Moses as a burning bush on Mount Horeb? Surely there must be more majestic ways God can manifest Himself? Is it symbolism? If so, of what exactly is it symbolic?

* Why, after commissioning Moses, does God immediately try to kill him, as is mysteriously related in Exodus 4:24-26?

* How were Pharaoh’s priests able to turn their staves into snakes? Did you know that at least two of them had names, Jannes and Jambres (see 2 Tim 3), and some traditions claim that Balaam, Job, and Jethro were also advisors to Pharaoh?

* Was an angel of God hidden within the pillar of cloud that led the Hebrews out of Egypt (Ex 14:19, 23:20-21, Num 20:15-16)? Since the angel is not named, can it be identified with divine Wisdom (see Sir 24:3-4, which speaks of Wisdom as a mist or a cloud)?

(Still more “mysteries” tomorrow …)