30.     A DIFFERENT STORY

The so-called Exodus had nothing to do with the rescue of an improbable number of 600,000 people, and nothing to do with an improbably remote Mt Sinai. All that was just a cover story.

The real story had everything to do with a cross-border incursion into Egypt to obtain a supply of the sacred tablets of ‘hot’ lapis lazuli from the Pharaoh’s production factory at Giza. Moses had a dream (‘vision’) that if he could arm himself with nuclear ‘rods’ from the Pharaoh’s armory at Giza, then with the power of YHWH in his hand he could eliminate his enemies and occupy the Promised Land. Hebrew texts described the Pharaohs’ weapons as ‘the rods of our fathers’… after-all, they had been enabled when Abraham re-educated the descendant Egyptians in the secrets of the stars. So they were the rods of our [Hebrew] inheritance … our rightful inheritance. [1]

Moses, with a small group of family, entered Egypt where they ‘negotiated’ with the Pharaoh for access to the nuclear weapons arsenal at Giza. That resulted in a conflict with ‘rods’ causing plagues of radiation fallout and the Pharaoh reluctantly conceded to access. Moses went into the mount and reappeared glowing with rosy cheeks, bearing sacred tablets which were placed in a secure gold-lined ‘ark’ for safety. They left for Palestine but were pursued by a reneging Pharaoh – at which Moses opened the waves of the ‘reed waters’ and slaughtered the Pharaoh’s army with raging winds, lightning and fire.

The detailed events were vividly described in the Vulgate Latin and KJV English Bibles, and Whiston’s translation of Josephus’ Antiquities.

From his earlier years in an exalted position in Egypt Moses had a vision, a ‘mental image’ of the nuclear device as a ‘burning bush’ – a branching, blooming ball of incandescence but without flame. And he knew it produced ‘hot’ lapis lazuli tablets which were the source of the power of YHWH – the ‘god’ of Abraham.  He needed the power of god’s arm to achieve his territorial ambitions in the land of milk and honey which was presently occupied by the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. So he set out to Egypt equipped with his ‘rod’, which burned his hand when he tested it, making it ‘leprous’. He went prepared to smite Egypt with all ‘my wonders’ (of YHWH), and also took up a collection of clothes, jewels, silver and gold – to later make safety equipment.

Moses and Aaron met with the Pharaoh and negotiated by casting down their rods which became  serpents. The ‘serpent’ was naive imagery for an unseen enemy causing death by poisoning – by radiation sickness. The Pharaoh’s magicians retaliated by casting down their rods but Moses’ rod swallowed them up. It ‘consumed’ them, defeating them. Just how Moses and Aaron alone defeated the might of the Pharaoh is not fully explained. But the accounts are consistent on the point that Moses’ rod swallowed, devoured or consumed those of the Pharaoh.

The exchange of the power of the rods released excessive radiation which caused a range of ‘plagues’ to break out – all colourfully animated in traditional accounts, but actually manifestations of the ill-effects of radiation. Defeated and plagued, the Pharaoh reluctantly granted Moses access to the Great Pyramid.

Moses and his people made camp near the monte (mount or mound), and he instructed the people to stay back out of danger – not to approach the ‘edge’, lest anyone who even touches the mount will surely be killed. The mount, locally reputed to be occupied by YHWH, was the highest peak in the area (which Mt Sinai is not) and characterized by extremely steep sides, difficult to climb. Nevertheless, Moses climbed up and went inside the mount. It was initially dormant but after three days it rose again in a thick cloud with thunder and lightning and flame. The mount quaked and the fire of a furnace went up; the glory of YHWH came forth like a devouring fire.

After a time Moses came down out of the mount glowing with rosy cheeks and bearing tablets of sapphire (blue) stone which were like the ‘body of heaven’ (cf Egyptian heaven and earth). He placed them for safety in a portable vessel called an ‘ark’ which was a wood-framed box lined in and out with gold. Gold is a very good radiation reflector (insulator) and Josephus specifically noted the hinges and lid were very finely made so it was perfectly sealed. The contents were acutely dangerous as witnessed later when Aaron’s two sons, Nadab and Abihu, were fatally burned by the unquenchable ‘strange fire’. And when Miriam was merely exposed to the cloud she became ‘leprous’, with burned and bleached skin.

Because of the occupational health and safety concerns Moses issued very detailed instructions for safety clothing to be worn by the appointed ‘priests’, who were the Levite sons of Aaron. The safety clothing included white linen overalls, a gold woven apron (ephod), a girdle, a breastplate and a special hat (mitre). And these priests when they come near the tabernacle shall always wear these clothes otherwise they die. The breastplate was fixed with various jewels – the Urim and Thummin – and Josephus added the explanation that these jewels shined and flashed ‘when god was present’. As if they were safety badges warning of exposure. In another odd twist, Moses took gold idols of the people (who had been distantly exposed) and ground them into a fine powder which he dispersed in water and made them drink the concoction. He made the people drink colloidal gold – which has been recorded from ancient Egypt as a medical elixir and even today is commercially available with a range of claimed fabulous benefits.

And everyone was warned of the dire consequences of not obeying the safety rules – you will be struck by radiation poisoning and plagues. Leviticus warned … if you do not follow the rules you will be struck by terror, consumption, burning ague, sorrow of heart, and barrenness. Plagues will destroy your crops and cattle and wild beasts will walk among you.

Now, with the ark filled with sapphire tablets and everyone safely equipped, Moses and his family departed for Palestine – but the Pharaoh had only agreed under duress and now with second thoughts he roused his army in pursuit. At the point of confrontation Moses turned back and lifted up his rod and ‘opened the waves’ against the Pharaoh and destroyed them – not with water – but explicitly with raging winds, thunder, lightning and fire.

Moses opened the waves from the hollow tube of the ‘reed’; he opened the ‘reed waters’ which was naively mistranslated as opening (dividing) the ‘Red Sea’. But the Pharaoh was overcome by waves of radiation, not of water.

Exodus said the arm of god (YHWH) was glorious (brilliant), it sent forth wrath with a blast from its nostrils, and did blow with its winds. Josephus said the Egyptian army was destroyed by storms of wind, dreadful thunder and lightning, flashes of fire and darting thunderbolts. Not one man survived.

So the Pharaoh’s army was annihilated – though this was not recorded in Egypt – and the Israelites went on into Midian (the upper Arabian peninsula) and Palestine. Moses was now well equipped and, in the Biblical record, he issued every man with a rod according to the house of their fathers – the rod of his inheritance, the Lord of hosts was its name; it was his battle axe and weapon of war to break in pieces the nations and destroy kingdoms. The dukes of Edom will be amazed; trembling will take hold of the mighty men of Moab, and the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away. [2] And the rods blossomed into life; and their wrath was upon the multitude causing pestilence, famine, baldness, feeble hands, knees as weak as water, and horror covered them. [3]

They came upon the Amalekites (in Jordan) and Moses stood on a hill with the rod in his hand, and when he raised his hand Israel prevailed. The slain were too many to be counted. The power of YHWH sent fear before them, delivering and driving out all the inhabitants of the land. From the rod a ‘hornet’ went before them – recalling the Egyptian ‘reed and bee’. But in a curious nod to environmental responsibility, the records noted it would be undesirable to drive out all the enemies in one year – lest the land become desolate and the beasts of the field multiply. Only drive them out little by little. [4]

After wandering in the desert for some time Moses led the people to the borders of the promised land of milk and honey in Canaan – but his forward scouts reported well-defended towns and giant men of old, so Moses decided against a frontal attack. Some dissenters decided to attack anyway, without authority and without YHWH, and were soundly defeated with many killed.

So Moses withdrew again to the desert. But he faced further mutiny in the camp when seditious rebels led by Corah demanded control over the sacred fire. Moses allowed 250 men to make ‘offerings to the altar’, but it developed a very bright and terrible flame, as brilliant a fire as anyone had ever seen – and the men were totally destroyed by fire without a trace remaining. They were vaporized.

The further wanderings in the desert were not without incident. The Hebrews ventured into the land of the Amorites where they sought passage, but King Sihon refused and took up arms. Josephus explained that Moses felt he ought not to bear this insult but was obliged to respond. So he went against the Amorites and made slaughter of them all and took possession of their land.  When the giant King Og came to attempt rescue he too was slain and his army destroyed. And so too five kings of the Midianites, of whom an immense multitude fell, too many to be numbered.  All by the hand of YHWH.

Moses was now 120 years of age and approaching the end of his days. He gathered everyone together and delivered a very long sermon to the people for their proper conduct in the time ahead when they would pass over Jordan and take possession of Canaan.  His instructions were rather uncompromising, including the advice ‘to leave none of your enemies alive, but look upon it as for your advantage to destroy them all’. It was a very long parting sermon from which Josephus highlighted the gist … ‘O children of Israel there is but one source of happiness for all mankind, the favor of YHWH’. In his 1736 translation William Whiston was so impressed with this aphorism that he made a footnote exhorting all Jews and Christians to constantly remember it. Without a trace of irony he repeated naively … there is but one source of happiness, the favour of YHWH.

 Moses was a villain or a hero. He had a vision of a Promised Land, and with nuclear weapons stolen from the Pharaoh of Egypt he wiped out resident tribes to establish a new nation-state.

On that ominous note Moses departed leaving Joshua to lead the children into Canaan, favoured as they were with the power of the rod. Their new god YHWH was a man of war. He went forth out of Zion with a devouring fire. He stretched out his right arm, the rod of his inheritance, his weapon of war to break nations into pieces and destroy kingdoms. He stood on the top of a hill with the rod in his hand … and when he raised his hand, Israel prevailed.[5]

[1] Exodus, 15; Jeremiah, 51

[2] Exodus, 15

[3] Numbers, 17; Psalms 44,45,110; Exodus, 15,17; Isaiah, 30; Ezekiel,7; Jeremiah,51

[4] Exodus,23

[5] Exodus, 15, 17; Jeremiah, 51