Scripture means many things by the term “fulfillment”. First off, in class on Thursday, we talked about how both the New Testament and Jesus himself can be seen as a fulfillment of the promises laid out in the Old Testament wherein God promises his people kingship, law and covenant, temple, and nations, and in the New Testament, we begin to see this play out. Richard Hayes remarks that a key aspect of Matthew’s Bible is the “bold identification of Jesus as Emmanuel, ‘God is with us’”. Hosea’s words that Joseph takes Mary and Jesus and flees to Egypt “that what the Lord said through the prophet might be fulfilled: ‘Out of Egypt I called my son’” is important because it again serves as a fulfillment of what was said in the Old Testament. 

Matthew signals the historical progress of everything moving toward Jesus in the structure of the genealogy in chapter one. Unlike similar texts in the Old Testament, the account does not move from a great ancestor (for example Abraham), but everything moves toward Jesus, and identifies him as the ultimate, and the start of a new history. Jesus essentially serves as the finisher of Israel’s history. In the opening chapters of the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, it is also established Jesus’s kingship and how he will essentially fulfill the covenant laid out in the Old Testament. The character of Jesus serves as Moses’s descendant- the one who has an equal relationship with God. It is also established that Jesus will lead the nation of Israel to the fulfillment of its true identity, and we see this play out in later chapters where he gains followers and resembles Moses, preaching to all from the top of a mountain about the new covenant that has been bestowed. As we continue to read the New Testament, more and more remnants of the Old Testament shall appear and will guide our reading.

Through my reading of the chapters in Numbers, I would say that there are many factors that lead to the wilderness generation’s condemnation. In the opening chapters of this narrative, the beginning of the journey that the Israelites embark on to the Promised Land is discussed. While one might believe that these people would be excited to journey to the land that God has so graciously appointed theirs, the Israelites are hesitant and negative about every aspect of the trip. Even when they arrive, they are skeptical that God has actually brought them here for a reason. In response to this, God becomes angry and places a 40 year plague among them which disables them from entering the Promised Land. The fact that they did not trust in and show gratitude is what I believe plays a large role in their condemnation. Even Moses, a fervent follower of God and great leader to the people, suffers and dies. I believe that the reason for Moses’s condemnation is seen in the closing passage of Deuteronomy 34, wherein it is discussed that Moses was and forever will be the prophet with whom God was closest to and had the same relationship with. Moses’s death is symbolic of the end of one chapter and the start of a new- one of hope and fresh starts for the future. Though Moses is no longer able to be the connection between the Israelites and God, through reading these narratives of the Old Testament, we are able to reflect on and appreciate his work and the virtues he possessed. Again, through the closing passage of Deuteronomy 34, we are able to see a true end of a chapter as well as new hope for the future. The text means to say that the events of Moses’s generation, while upsetting and not showing true faith in God, serve as examples and set a benchmark for which the characters of the next narratives of the Bible will exceed.

The concepts of purity and impurity become extremely complex when talking about religion and moral codes. The main message of Douglas’s writing is that “rituals of purity and impurity create unity in experience”. As seen in Leviticus, purity has more of a ceremonial connotation whereas later in the Bible this comes in the form of moral actions. This makes sense as at the time these events occur, ritual sacrifice was integral to society, similar to how God tells Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in order to bless him. The function of the emphasis on purity laws in Israel is that in order for humans to be in communion with God, there must be order and an establishment as humans as followers of God. In looking at purity/impurity in terms of this, God requires the maintenance of purity not because humans are inherently impure or not worthy, but to instill that to enter a covenant with the divine, you must be willing to sacrifice and follow God’s rules. To receive God’s blessing, humans must be “clean”. 

In terms of the food laws, I again believe that this goes along with the concept that God requires we sacrifice, in a different respect, in order to be blessed. By not eating certain animals or mixing different food groups, God is giving rules for how the Jews should live so that they can be blessed. I personally think that the thought behind the food laws is more important than the laws themselves as the principle of God establishing Himself as lord but offering communion with humans has been a common theme throughout the Old Testament so far. This is seen in the narrative of Noah’s Ark, wherein after the flood God allows for the consumption of animals but requires that the blood be drained as an act of sacrifice. 

“Who is God?” There is no one clear and concise answer to this question. God is different to each individual who thinks about it. Everyone has their own relationship with the divine and what they even call God. For example, people who are monotheistic believe that there is one divine being that both transcends the human world and is present in their personal lives- at least this is the biblical view of God. People who are polytheistic, for example Hindus, believe in deities who encompass different components of the ultimate divine. For atheists, God is an imaginative being by whom people seek comfort and latch on for as a result of desperately searching for something/someone to tell them how to live their lives. Even within the same religion, for example Catholicism, there are different views on what qualities God has. Some people live in fear of God, fervently following what the Bible teaches and never straying away. Others view God as a friend, someone who is very much present in their lives and guides us through our day. These are just two perspectives- there are so many more. For me, I believe that God is a guiding force. He is a friend, protector, leader, and so much more. I believe that God is present in all aspects of my life, and is always there for me. My prayers are never structured- I truly just seek to have a conversation with He who always is there for me. God answers me in many ways. Whether it be something as large as a direct sign that I was looking for or something as small as a beautiful sunrise, I know that God listens and is there for me. Everyone’s relationship with the divine is different, and this is what gives rise to the plethora of identity that the divine takes on.

We have finally reached the final narrative of the Book of Genesis. Here, the last part of the identity of Israel is revealed. The story of Joseph begins with jealousy. Growing up, Joseph was the favorite among his brothers in his father’s eyes, and eventually this anger and jealousy stems to his brothers selling him into slavery, an ultimate act of treachery. This again goes back to the common theme of taking versus receiving that we have followed since the first day of class- Joseph’s brothers send him away in order to take his father’s favor away from him. When Joseph goes to Egypt, he is eventually able to earn the Pharaoh’s favor by successfully interpreting dreams. Joseph earns a very high status in Egyptian society as he predicts the famine that would overcome Egypt and helps prepare for them. Joseph’s planting of the cup, in my opinion, is that of revenge. He plants his prized cup in his youngest brother’s bag, and essentially wants to see if they will act the same as he did (knowing they will be caught) when he was a slave. Joseph wants to see if his other brothers will leave Benjamin in the dust or will remain by his side. We often talk about the importance of family as shown in Genesis, and I think this is a great example of the true emphasis that was put on family and brotherhood. Eventually, Judah sacrifices his life to save Benjamin, and this in a way re-establishes their familial ties. When Joseph reveals his true identity to his brothers, that being the brother they had sold into slavery so many years ago, the family is reconciled. This in a way can be viewed as “receiving”- God gave Joseph the gifts and talents to be able to rise up in society and overcome his situation so that in turn he could reconcile his family.

In the Genesis narrative, Jacob spends the night alone on a riverside on his journey back to Canaan. There, he encounters a “man”, and they wrestle until daybreak. In the Christian interpretation of the narrative, “Jacob wrestled with God”. However, this can also be interpreted as a self conflict Jacob faces within himself. Jacob faces conflict in his relationship with his brother, Esau. A common theme that we have seen in our reading and discussed thoroughly in class is that of taking versus receiving. In the story of Jacob, Jacob takes Isaac’s (his father’s) blessing away from his twin brother, Esau. Jacob and Esau had a rivalrous relationship, and this battle that Jacob waged against Esau can be seen as, “an expression of the deep struggle and dilemma” (Kass 447). This is a reason why this “wrestling with God” can be seen as an internal conflict. In the narrative, Jacob prevails. In defeating this “man”, he receives a new name- Israel (meaning that one has struggled with yet prevailed with God). He becomes maimed from this battle, however, emotionally, he prevails. This literal interpretation of this passage can be seen as Jacob’s defeat in this physical battle, however Jacob triumphed in the emotional battle within. However, in this narrative, Jacob comes to the realization that he is nothing without God. After this battle, he is blessed, but he is physically pained. He then lives on, blessed by God. In viewing the battle this way, both God and Jacob are essentially both winners. Jacob’s relationship with himself, God, his brother, and his father, is improved. He lives on as a Child of God. God is a winner in the respect that once again, Jacob realizes that without God, he is nothing. Jacob’s eyes are opened to the power of God, and by God’s mercy, he is shown that God is good and has saving power.

Religion, on the most basic level, is a system of beliefs. Beyond that, the word has a plethora of meanings. Wikipedia defines religion as “is a social-cultural system of designated behaviors and practices, morals, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that relates humanity to supernatural, transcendental, or spiritual elements.” However, it mentions that there is no officially agreed upon definition on what constitutes a religion. I believe that religion goes much deeper than simply a set of beliefs. For example, someone could believe in a conspiracy theory, and the web of that in itself is a system of beliefs. But that is not a religion. Religion is also not simply belief in a being higher than oneself, like God. For example, Atheism is a religion. Religion in a way is a system of beliefs that requires a response. It places personal demands upon us and encourages us to conduct our daily lives in a way that is unique, a way that makes us better people. For many religions, such as Islam and Buddhism, this comes in the form of daily prayer and fast. But more than that, a good religion seeks to change the way we live our lives for the better. In Christianity, we are challenged to live each day as Jesus lived his. We are pushed to be kind and loving, because in this religion a core virtue is that God is love. Religions are a great part of our world. They unite many people and provide a moral code for how we should live our lives. When a religion is criticized, it is often due to a manipulation by those who do not understand it, or do understand it and manipulate it for others who are vulnerable. But religion in itself is an uplifting concept that fosters personal and communal growth.

According to Wilken, faith is unavoidable for a few distinct reasons. He writes that “a desire to know the truth of things has been implanted in our souls and is natural to human beings”, and this is very true. It is innate in us to strive to dive deeper in the pursuit of knowledge of the world around us. But there are simply some things we cannot understand through ourselves alone. This is why faith is unavoidable- we as humans are inclined to believe in something, to believe that there is a deeper truth that is simply waiting to be uncovered. Wilken expresses the idea that “religion, however, is not a deduction from what one knows. If one begins with proofs and resolves to hold only what can be proven, one will never have done with beginning”. This is a continuation of the idea that religion and faith are not ignorance or foolishness, but are a complement and continuation of the pursuit for knowledge that lies innate in us. Even one who claims to not be spiritual in the slightness has faith. The desire for knowledge causes one to wonder about the whole world, and when thinking about the ways of the world, it is unavoidable for one to not ponder the existence of God.

Faith is also beneficial. Believing in something bigger than oneself creates connections between people and creates communities. It strengthens relationships as well as deepens our own self-confidence and faith in ourselves. Faith helps us connect to others in a way that delves deeper than simply surface-level interaction. It gives people a sense of self, purpose, and meaning in your life. Religious communities are there for each other during tough times and support each other in their daily lives. Faith is unavoidable. Simple as that. But it is beneficial in so many ways.

Abraham agrees to the request made of him by God, to sacrifice his only son, Isaac,, as a result of his deep faith and trust in Him. Abraham has deep faith in the Lord, and because Isaac was born as a result of a miracle made by God (Sarah herself laughed when she heard she would bear a son at 90 years old), Abraham put his trust in God and obeyed. It can also be inferred from the text that because God emphasized Isaac’s importance, Abraham obeys Him because he perhaps believes that Isaac will be resurrected/saved and play a large role in God’s plan. Abraham responds to God’s request with immediate obedience. I do not think that Abraham is lying in 22:5-8. At the surface, it may seem this way, but with careful and meaningful reading of the text, one can see that Abraham is not directly lying to his son. Abraham says to Isaac that  “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering”. While clearly he does not want to reveal to Isaac what God ordered he do, he is telling the truth as through having strong faith in God, he believes that God will show him what to do in this situation and because God is good, He would not allow his son to be hurt. God’s intention in making Abraham go through with this ordeal is a test of his faith. This situation shows readers of the Bible what it means to have trust in God, and by putting Abraham in this situation, God expresses this. I believe that in this situation, Abraham is praiseworthy in the eyes of God and with a Christian lens because of his deep faith in God. God, on the other hand, through putting Abraham in this extreme situation, is not acting the way we would expect him to.

The narrative of Noah furthers the concerns present in the account of Adam, Eve, and original sin in Genesis 3. In the beginning of the story of Noah and his ark, we are reminded that “God created man” and did so in “His own likeness”, and there are strong elements of Genesis 1 present (Kass 153). In the line of ten generations from Adam to Noah, each man lives an astounding amount, however mortality is introduced, similar to the “prophecy of human mortality” given by God to Adam and Eve (Kass 154). Noah is the first man who enters a world in which death is “already present” (Kass 155). Mortality is already received as a part of the human condition. This is the first similarity present. Another concern that is furthered in the account of Noah is that of sin. In the narrative of Noah, the world is completely wiped away, and only Noah, his family, and two of every kind of living creature is to stay. Noah survives because he is obedient and walks with God. The Flood can be compared to the banishment of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. In the Flood, there is a restoration of the “watery chaos” of the original world. This is similar to the banishment from the garden in that by sending Adam and Eve away, God restores the order that separates the divine from the mortal. Also in this account we see the difference between sin and following God. Adam and Eve disobey God and are punished, whereas Noah “asks no questions and raises no objections” to God, and he is saved. Noah himself has saving virtues and is chosen by God because of his “righteousness”. This is contrasted in the faults expressed in Adam and Eve’s character. Through both accounts, we learn more about the human condition.