Exodus Comes to Life Syllabus

INTRODUCTORY CLASS:  Evidence of the Sojourn and Family of Joseph: the 

Most Historically Attested-to Family of Biblical Persons”

We will delve into the evidence for revealing the historical Joseph to be the vizier Ankhu. 

This will include a review of material from our earlier courses: the dramatic details of the reign of Pharaoh Amenemhat III, who we believe to have raised up Joseph from prison and ruled at the time of historical Great Famine. The excavated remains of the mansion of Jacob, the palace and Tomb of Joseph, and what I interpret to be the official family seal, probably belonging to the biblical Ephraim (whose historical identity you will learn), or Joseph’s grandson Resheph. 

New: We will take a deeper dive into the famous “Beni Hassan painting” of Semites entering the Egypt, and present breath-taking, images I’ve never presented before of the family of Ankhu (“Tzafenat Pa-Ankh”, Yoseph the Vizier, his wife Asenat (Senet), and their sons.

In the final 45 minutes, we will present the course curriculum, and various educational packages we can now offer.

CLASS 2: HOW SHOULD WE APPROACH BIBLICAL HISTORY ACCORDING TO MOSES? 

We will review (from last course) key rules of rational interpretation of the Torah set forth by the early rabbis. We will then review why the New Chronology of David Rohl, which provides an astonishing support for Torah truth, is the most solid chronological foundation for biblical archaeology, enjoying formidable "anchors" of proof. We will explore EIGHT of those anchors.

We will also introduce our amazing syllabus.

CLASS 3: THE HISTORICAL MOSES AND SLAVERY OF ISRAEL IN EGYPT

We will learn about the profound evidence for the slavery of the Israelites, and how we identity the pharaoh who enslaved us (“who knew not Joseph”), the actual, historical personage of Prince Moses, and his powerful father-in-law.

Completing our defense of New Chronology: Taking on the challenge presented by Professor David Falk on Jericho 

CLASS 4: THE TOKEN MIRACLE SIGNS OF MOSES TO PROVE HIS DIVINE AGENCY

We will study what are arguably the most difficult miracles of all to understand: The Burning Bush, Moses’ and Aaron’s staffs transforming into serpents and crocodiles. The sign of leprosy on Moses that seems to appear and disappear. 

CLASS 5: THE SCIENTIFIC BASIS OF THE TEN PLAGUES

We will demystify the Plagues, showing them to be examples of HaShem operating through the laws of nature. We will learn how Egyptology and other fields of research can inform us as to their strong level of scientific feasibility, provide good evidence that they indeed occurred, all in a single timeframe in Egyptian history – one supported by the Torah's own best traditional chronology. 

CLASS 6: UNDERSTANDING THE EXODUS CENSUS NUMBERS

Knowing the true, real-world scale of the Exodus (which is suggested by the Torah itself, in spite of its census tallies) is foundational to understanding almost everything about the events described in the Torah. 

We will explore, in depth, not only how a solution well-known to academia brilliantly explains the Torah’s wording and true tribal censuses, but the most plausible reasons as to why the Torah’s tallies present the math as they do.

CLASS 7: THE MOST LIKELY MOUNTS SINAI & ḤOREB VERSUS COMPETING SITES

Besides a trouncing debunk of any notion of Mt. Sinai being in present-day Saudi Arabia, we will learn the strengths and weaknesses of various candidates for Mount Sinai: Har Kharkom in the southern Negev, Khashm et-Tarif in the northern Sinai, and what was until recently our favorite: traditional Mount Sinai, Jebel Musa. 

Finally, we will present our new champion: Jebel Saniya and Jebel Ghoriba, near Serabit el-Khadim in the southern Sinai.  We will go beyond what was presented by Dr. Peter Van der Veen and myself in Patterns of Evidence. 

CLASS 8: MANNA AND THE “EXODUS INSCRIPTIONS”, PART I

According to new interpretations by your presenter, gaining critical academic support, 21 early Hebrew, Proto-Alphabetic inscriptions in the Sinai Desert seem to be Hebrew relics from the Sojourn and Slavery period. Found in the Sinai Desert at a site called Serabit el-Khadim, ten of these Proto-Alphabetic inscriptions could date to the time of the Exodus itself. They may well have been authored by the Israelite leadership, if not Moses himself. 

This class will give general foundation of understanding, an essential background, to understanding and appreciating the significance of these  inscriptions to our case for the truth of the Book of Exodus.  

This is amazing fruit of my own work over the last six years, which will feed into a doctoral thesis. 

CLASS 9: THE “EXODUS INSCRIPTIONS” PART II

With the background provided in the previous session, we will now dive more deeply, exploring the breadth of the early Hebrew, Proto-Alphabetic inscriptions at Serabit el-Khadim.

Like the last class, this will be a unique, unprecedented opportunity to view still unpublished, authoritative research. I am told these could represent the greatest find in biblical archaeology in decades.

CLASS 10: A HISTORY OF OUR PERCEPTION AND FAITH IN HASHEM (YHWH) AND UNDERSTANDING PROPHECY 

In order to understand the prophecy of Moses and his divine agency, we need to better understand HaShem, our evolving perception of Him, the prophecy of Moses, and of prophecy in general.

Accordingly, in this class we will explore the deepest roots of the evolving faith in HaShem (Yah, YHWH) from its Adamite and early Hebrew roots. We will also explore the field of consciousness, and nature of prophecy itself – both that of Moses and the seers who predated him and of later generations.

CLASS 11: UNDERSTANDING THE HISTORY OF THE TRANSMISSION OF THE TORAH OF MOSES, “TORAH FROM HEAVEN” 

Based on broad set of archaeological evidence from the broader region, I will present my best understanding of how the Pentateuch came to be. This will include Deuteronomy, widely (mis)understood to be a much later work.  In other words, how, from inscribed tablets and precisely maintained oral traditions, our clearly refined and expanded Torah text truly represents of the Torah of Moses.

While tipping our hat to the key, undeniable points landed by the academic critical study of the text, we will debunk the Wellhausen/ Documentary Hypothesis. 

Note: Sadly, when more narrowly religious-minded thinkers engage in such arguments, they are commonly unaware of the issues, the “game pieces on the board”, so to speak, that one must admit in order to have a rational discussion with a knowledgeable opponent. 

You will learn the legitimate points made by scholarship that even early rabbis well understood. 

Most importantly, you will learn arguments, and a totally unique, original line of logic your presenter has developed, that might be the only honest, tenable means of defending the Mosaic origin of the Torah.

CLASS 12: A “TORAH FROM HEAVEN”

We will explore in as objective a manner as possible, the humility and broad vision of the text, and the quality of the prophecies of the Pentateuch. Without lowering our heads to make a “primitive”, ancient text look grander than it is, how does the Torah stand the test of time, speaking with such relevance to our own times?

CLASS 13: THE QORAH EPISODE AND COPPER SNAKE OF MOSES

We will demystify and reveal the scientific reality of one of the most seemingly preposterous episodes in the Torah: the swallowing of Qorah by the earth, the subsequent immolation of 250 Levites bringing incense, a plague that then fells “thousands” which is then treated by the incense itself, and finally a snake attack that is treated by the copper snake fashioned by Moses.

CLASS 14: THE BILAAM EPISODE AND TOUGH MORAL ATTACKS ON THE TORAH 

We will learn just how so many (and just how many) perished in the mass promiscuity with the Midianite seductresses at Ba`al Pe’or and uncover how and why they were understandably charged with murder. 

We will handle the very toughest moral challenges leveled at the Torah: the judgment of `Amaleq and the young Midianite prisoners of war.

Finally, we will speak of how the Torah treats the enduring challenge as to why good people seem to suffer, and the wicked prosper.

CLASS 15: PICKING UP LOOSE ENDS, Q&A

Considering the bold, very broad scope of the planned material for Classes 1-13, we need a class to treat material we didn’t have time for in the previous sessions. This class will give us the opportunity to learn and explore any of those points we need to skip, and to respond to some of your important questions.