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Old Testament
Echoes |
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I
have already mentioned under sources the link made in the Gospel of
Matthew with the Story of Moses, and the reference to Hosea. The story of
the miraculous well echoes the story of the
thirsty Israelites and Moses striking the rock to produce water (Exodus
Chapter 17) shown in this picture by Poussin. |
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Another
interesting parallel is the story of the Ark of the Covenant, very much
connected, or course, with Moses. In 1 Samuel chapter 5 the Philistines
capture the Ark - and much good does it do them. It causes the idol of
Dagon to fall to the ground and break into pieces - very much what
apparently happened in Egypt when Jesus passed - see the tumbling
statues here. This event in the Flight story was also presaged in
Isaiah
Ch 19 v 1: ' Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it. |
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One
key difference is that, while Jesus cured the various afflicted people he
met, the Ark brought the Philistines out in 'emarods', to quote the
Authorised version. Not at all pleasant,
especially if much donkey riding was necessary. (Contemporary researchers
have suggested that this is actually a very early reference to Bubonic
Plague - not much better, then.) |
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