Connecting the Dots of the Exodus – Episode 1

This week (Oct 14) on Shabbat Night Live, educators today say the Exodus never happened — but the rocks that prove it beg to differ.

Citing new evidence that connects the dots of history, Dr. Miles Jones reveals how the Exodus not only happened but was the dawn of the world’s first alphabet, which became the model for all others, including English!

Watch the episode — included on this blog post.

While you watch, consider the questions below. The timeline for each discussion topic in the video is noted on each question. Post your answers in the comments section, and let’s get some discussion going!

1. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 16:00) How has the concept of a shared alphabet as a historical and cultural correlative grown over the postwar period for students of scripture? What is the likelihood of this material representative of civilizations ultimately providing support for belief in YeHoVaH, despite the fragility of its preservation and its inherent change through growth and expansion?
2. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 20:00) Similarly, how has the larger subject of language and literacy been marginalized or misinterpreted as part of an educational reflex that seeks to undermine religious belief in much of our Western culture? Why have latter-day revisions of origin theory for both the English language and that of the ancient Hebrews met with such opposition and controversy?
3. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 24:00) How does the discovery of pre-paleo Hebrew inscriptions on Mount Ebal both vindicate the literacy of the ancient Hebrews and redefine the dynamic between this location and Mount Gerizim for today’s believers? How does the contrast between separate demarcations for blessings and curses serve to recall the fundamental principle of obedience and rejection of paganism for those who seek salvation?
4. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 27:00) How does a review of Exodus 24:12 serve to dramatize the inherent integrity between oral and written transmission of knowledge, which has been weakened by longstanding academic skepticism toward nonmaterial traditions? Further, how does the final reference to teaching the law underscore the necessity of preservation of learning through both oral and written means?
5. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 32:00) How do the categorical pronouncements of Deuteronomy 11:22-25 convey an unambiguous statement of justification for the presence of the Hebrews in the Promised Land, one that has been illustrated since the founding of Israel in 1948?  What are some prophetic examples of “territory” that the Jews have come to possess and the “greater and mightier nations” that they have routed in repeated conflicts?
6. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 36:00) How do the survivals of proto-alphabetic inscriptions revealed here suggest the power of Hebrew as a potential lingua franca for the future? What is a likely scenario for its relationship with English, which has already displaced French as the Language of Diplomacy for the Western world and is currently under significant threat from the growing presence of Chinese?
7. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 40:00) How has the defeat of Amalek in Exodus 17 been oversimplified or even trivialized in much Bible teaching, to the point of suggesting an unintentionally comic element within the narrative? How does the inscription presented here serve to justify a more discerning reading that emphasizes the identity of the Amalekites as a formidable and persistent enemy of the Hebrews?
8. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 44:00) How does the latter-day recognition of the likely spread of ancient Hebrew to the seafaring Phoenicians suggest a reassessment of this venerable language as a versatile and practicable form of discourse, however, limited its evidence of survival? How might these discoveries undermine the argument that modern Hebrew is an illegitimate Zionist contrivance from the 19^th and 20^th centuries?
9. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 49:00) How do the examples of Hebraic influence in alphabetics and language growth presented here serve to draw the attention of today’s believers to the Egyptian sojourn of the Hebrews as a key point of reference in YeHoVaH’s plan for our salvation? How might their experience of slavery become an ironic vindication of their narrative, thanks to the historical literacy of this powerful civilization?
10. (VIDEO TIMELINE: 54:00) Similarly, how might this segment of Hebrew history become reframed through the figure of Joseph as a more prominent representative in the Book of Genesis? How have his conflicts with his brothers and his status as an interpreter of dreams come to overshadow his influence upon Egyptian rulership and erudite culture, one that would echo throughout Judeo-Christian history?