When reading the bible, I always tend to focus on the tensions created between God and his followers. The hierarchical dynamic that these parables create is often complex and unwarranted. At various points in Exodus, the phrase “fearing God” is used to exemplify one’s belief in his powers and his greatness. The primary example of this is displayed in the first verse of Exodus which dealt with the issue of midwives in Egypt: “So God dealt well with the midwives; and the people multiplied and became very strong. And because the midwives FEARED God, he gave them families” (Exodus 1). What function does fear play in this religion and why is it necessary to establish the hierarchical structure put in place by the Lord? Further, why is the claim that the “[pharoah} does not yet fear the Lord God” (Exodus 9) used as a justification to continue to subject he and his people to more trials? What does that say about the religion as a whole?
Beginning with the selection of Moses as the prophet that was meant to liberate the Israelites from Egypt, the book of exodus tells the story of this emancipation and the arduous journey which follows. Once God makes this selection, he gives Moses the power to perform a few miraculous signs- transforming his staff into a snake, his hand in his cloak, and the ability to change water into blood. The performance of these signs were meant to convey power, however, they prove to be insufficient in the eyes of God. God chooses to inhibit the pharaoh from being swayed merely as a result of these miracles: “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh; for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his officials, in order that I may show signs of mine amongst them, and that you may tell your children and grandchildren how I have made fools of the Egyptians” (Exodus 10). Here, we can continue to see the abuse of the hierarchical structure that is put in place in the bible. Although God teaches Moses several miracles to perform in front of the Pharaoh in order to get him to let all of his people go, God also makes sure to keep the pharaoh's heart “hardened” so that he could prolong this process. Because God chooses to maintain the pharos hear unswayed, the egyptian people were subjected to various different plagues ranging from the locusts to the murders of their first born sons. Why was this a necessary process in order to free the Israelites? What are other mechanisms used in the bible to promote this dynamic?
I don't know if instilling fear was necessary in order to free the Israelites, per se, but the "Exodus" surely made it seem like there was an urgency and immediacy to this cause. No one, even including Moses at first, was truly convinced by God's message and omnipotence. When God appeared as a burning bush to Moses, Moses initially resisted. It wasn't till God was angered and gave Moses a magical staff that Moses finally complied. In a much more colloquial form, I believe it's similar to how we see policemen interrogate criminals on those CSI TV shows. In those scenarios there is a sense of urgency for the possible danger of others in the near future. Interrogating a criminal or suspect in a sweet manner simply isn't as effective as using force or a threatening tone because nothing is more important to someone than their own life. To God, the ends of freeing the Israelites and placing them on the path of spiritual upliftment justified the means of killing thousands of the Egyptians. Although God is supposed to maintain this all-loving and peaceful persona his duty of emancipating the Israelites literally and spiritually must have outweighed using force, fear and power. Throughout history and in religious texts, Gods have used less violent methods to acquire justice and reach a spiritual goal (i.e. Lord Mahavira underwent physical torture in numerous occasions but remained mentally peaceful to prove the power of his soul to others). However,at a time of vulnerability for the Israelites and Egyptians, fear must have been the most efficient method of coercion.
ReplyDeleteI think this is always a really important and confusing question (why God seems to rely upon fear as a motivating force), and I agree with parts of Sohum's response as well. I think that, viewing this book from our own perspectives, it might be extra hard to understand and sympathize with God using fear as a motivation, even though so many forces in our world also rely on fear bordering on emotional terrorism, such as the police interrogations that Sohum mentioned. However, I think "fearing" God, or trusting that God will hold up his end of the bargain of protecting you and your peoples in return for your faith and your fearful obedience seems to be an appealing exchange to a lot of the characters brought up in this text. For example, in 1 Samuel 2, Hannah spends many verses in ardent prayer for the Lord, but her prayer does not only focus on his benevolence and generosity; each phrase is carefully weighted, with one part acknowledging his helpfulness (He raises up the poor from the dust, he lifts the needy from the ash heap") while continuing to address his role in rectifying injustices through violence ("The Lord kills [...] he brings low"). I wonder about the context in which a belief system rooted in a God like this takes root, and how this becomes an attractive system to so many people; it may be that such a clear organization (such as the one Hannah believes in) is a great relief from the chaos and lawlessness of the ancient world.
ReplyDeleteDaniel's point resonates with those I was attempting to make in class on Tuesday. Fear of God is much more nuanced than simple fear. There is, absolutely, a devoted, grateful aspect to the Fear of God that is encouraged throughout the Hebrew Bible. Hannah's prayer begins with the affirmation, "my strength is exalted in the Lord. My mouth derides my enemies because I rejoice in the thy salvation" (1 Samuel 2, 1). Undeniably, Hannah recognizes that all accomplished by her and her people is a doing of her god, that their very strength is one derived from the same. Hannah too asserts, with her god, "the bows of the mighty are broken, but the feeble gird on strength. Those who were full have hired themselves out of bread, but those who were hungry have ceased to hunger. The bare was borne seven, but she who has many children is forlorn" (1 Samuel 2, 4-5). Her god's favor, Hannah does not refuse to recognize, is with the weak or rather those who were weak--saved by his own strength, freed from enslavement in Egypt. There is a dependency highlighted by Hannah. She suggest that all received is given by her god. The incredible inverting of who is powerful and who weak is an act of Hannah's god who has favored her people and shown strength through them. Hannah praises the strength of her god, may suggest why people should be fearful of that god, but in the end praises her god because of he has saved her people, uplifted them, and liberated them. Hannah's worship is out of gratitude just as much as one could say it is out of fear.
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