Traveling West

Posted on January 10, 2014 by jamesbradfordpate

My church started a new Bible study last night.  It is The Unbreakable Promise: God’s Covenants with Abraham, Moses, and David, With Michael Rydelnik.

One point that Rydelnik made on the DVD was that traveling east in the Hebrew Bible often indicates rebellion against God.  I think of Cain going to the land of Nod east of Eden, and Rydelnik mentioned the Tower of Babel story.  Abraham, however, went west when God called him; so did the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land.  What the significance of this is, that’s an interesting question.  There is a map of the Tabernacle in my HarperCollins Study Bible, and I notice that a person entering the Tabernacle would go west to get to the altar.  I read someplace that this was so the worshiper’s back would be towards the rising sun—-the person was walking west to avoid sun worship.  I don’t know how true this is, but it’s an idea.

About jamesbradfordpate

My name is James Pate. This blog is about my journey. I read books. I watch movies and TV shows. I go to church. I try to find meaning. And, when I can’t do that, I just talk about stuff that I find interesting. I have degrees in fields of religious studies. I have an M.Phil. in the History of Biblical Interpretation from Hebrew Union College in Cincinnati, Ohio. I also have an M.A. in Hebrew Bible from Jewish Theological Seminary, an M.Div. from Harvard Divinity School, and a B.A. from DePauw University.
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