06/25/2023 – ““A Day in the Life of A Desert Rider” – Level V1 – 635 C.E. – Chapter Eleven” / Group Discussion and Fellowship
What a horrific tale from the standpoint of the victimized widow Shimrith, faced with
No practical alternative to the crazy mandate that she marry her brother-in-law Aaron, who
Had killed her husband and brother , and having raped Shimrith. The very last paragraph,
We are left wondering as Abd Umar noticed her at the Akka gates as the “pretty woman whose
Indecision he had witnessed” earlier.
Deuteronomy 25: 5-6 – The Biblical mandate for a surviving brother to marry the widow of a deceased
Brother that died without any children, defined as a “Levirate” marriage, or “Yibbum”.
Note – a Middle Ages split between the two Jewish Groups: Sephardim, led by Maimonides followed the Levirate marriage
Mandate, whereas the Ashkenazi opted for a preference of the Chalilzah, “the taking off the shoe”.
Byzantine Empire – Constantinople:
https://www.britannica.com/question/How-was-the-Byzantine-Empire-different-from-the-Roman-Empire
Nestorianism:
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Nestorianism
Coptic Christians – “Egyptian Separatists”
https://www.learnreligions.com/coptic-christian-beliefs-and-practices-700009
Asian Christianity:
https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/asian-christianity-11629575.html
An excerpt here, pg # 606, that points out the rift between Christian sects, a rift which the Muslims took advantage of:
“When this provocative song erupted outrages Byzantines would try to murder the Egyptians so that Makor was often splashed with blood; but the schism could not be healed, nor would it ever be. Like the great split that was about to engulf the followers of Muhammad, this one between Egypt and the west would endure forever.
In addition to the Byzantine and Egyptian sects Makor owned two additional Christian churches, one supported by Rome for the use of its pilgrims coming from Europe and another for the strange Nestorians of the east, and between these two groups here was also frequent brawling, so that in this little village one could observe a microcosm of the theological anarchy that characterized the church in Asia; the Byzantines from Constantinople, the Romans, the Egyptian separatists and the Nestorians.”
Another excerpt (pg. # 611):
“That day seven hundred and nintety-nine Jews rejected Muhammad; only one saved this life by converting, and when the tragedy had ended, two facts were clear; Jews were not going to join the new religion, but it was impossible to execute them all. They were good farmers and they were needed on the land, so a grudging truce was arranged; if they behaved themselves they could cling to their book, but they would have to pay higher taxes and would no longer be free to move about.”
Jimmy insert:
Muhammad had calculated that Islam was a natural next phase of the Jewish religion. But where is “man created created in the image of God?” In Judaism , no-one could see God’s face and live, but nevertheless, we saw an Old Testament well documented with the very personal and loving relationship between God and his chosen people. Where is the love in Islam? Even Muhammad would not profess an assurance that he was going to heaven.
As we have noted, the Christian crusaders rebelled by ignoring God’s great commission that emphasized a loving witness to non-believers. But, Islam does not even reflect it in its Qur’an. Thoughts? Can you grow a religion of the fervent heart through violence?
As Umar rode into Makor to conquer it, we are told of his observation: “At the edge of the olive grove stood an ordinary farmhouse: The owners tilled a small plot of land, raising grain which they sold to the groats maker, and such farms had always constituted the backbone of Jewish Palestine, and Roman as well; but the hard-riding Arab the little establishment was an affront. Like most men from the desert he held in contempt any man who would tie himself to a piece of land instead of remaining free to roam wherever trade or battle took him.” (Pg #631 – 632)
Soli Deo Gloria! We move on to the “Volkmar” chapter – Level V – 1096-1105 C.E…