Tuesday, 26 March, 2019

No Other Gods

Posted on Wednesday, 31 December, 2014Sunday, 20 August, 2017 by Zheluo Cai

Exodus 20:3

The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me,” makes a theological, not a philosophical demand. It does not speculate whether there are any other gods and, if so, how many. It states a categorical demand that total allegiance is the choice put before the Hebrews after Yahweh’s act of total liberation. “Before me” (literally, “to my face”) should be translated more sharply as “in defiance of me,” or “in opposition to me,” or even by the English idiom “to my face” (as in the expression “He insulted me to my face”). Yahweh demands a one-to-one relationship excluding all other deities. Translated into practical terms for Israel, the demand means, “Offer no sacrifice to any other god.” All worship belongs to Yahweh alone, and he will brook no opposition. In the twentieth century, the commandment means, “You shall have no other priority in life before God.” The first commandment is just as relevant today as it was at Sinai and much more frequently rejected.

Ashby, G. W. (1998). Go out and meet God: a commentary on the Book of Exodus (p. 88). Grand Rapids, MI; Edinburgh: Wm. B. Eerdmans; Handsel Press.

Warning - Cyclone Idai in Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe Friday, 22 March, 2019
Parts of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe have been severely affected by Tropical Cyclone Idai. US residents should avoid nonessential travel to Beira City and the surrounding area in Mozambique. Travelers to other affected parts of Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe should take steps to prevent illness and injury.
Alert - Drug-Resistant Infections in Patients Who Had Weight-Loss Surgery in Mexico Friday, 15 March, 2019
Some US residents returning from Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, have been diagnosed with infections caused by an antibiotic-resistant form of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria. (weight loss surgery, bariatric, Tijuana, Mexico, Grand View Hospital, VIM, carbapenemase)

ASTRONOMY PHOTO OF THE DAY: The Red Rectangle Nebula. Credit: ESA, Hubble, NASA. The Red Rectangle nebula lies 2,300 light years towards the constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). At its centre is an aging binary star system that powers the nebula. The unusual shape is likely due to a thick dust torus which pinches the otherwise spherical outflow into tip-touching cone shapes, with the outflow occurring in fits and starts. In a few million years, as one of the central stars becomes further depleted of nuclear fuel, it will likely bloom into a planetary nebula.

NASA Updates Spacewalk Assignments, Announces Final Preview Briefing Monday, 25 March, 2019
With the first in a series of three spacewalks successfully completed at the International Space Station, NASA has updated astronaut assignments for the remaining two spacewalks and will preview the third in an upcoming news conference on NASA Television and the agency’s website.
NASA Television to Broadcast Fifth Meeting of the National Space Council Monday, 25 March, 2019
NASA Television and the agency’s website will provide live coverage of the fifth meeting of the National Space Council starting at 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 26.

Central African Republic - Level 4: Do Not Travel Monday, 25 March, 2019
Do not travel to Central African Republic (CAR) due to crime and civil unrest. Violent crime, such as armed robbery, aggravated battery, and homicide, is common. Large areas of the country are controlled by armed groups who regularly kidnap, injure, and/or kill civilians. In the event of unrest, airport, land border, and road closures may […]
French Polynesia - Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions Monday, 25 March, 2019
Exercise normal precautions in French Polynesia. Read the Safety and Security section on the country information page. If you decide to travel to French Polynesia: Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive security messages and make it easier to locate you in an emergency. Follow the Department of State on Facebook and […]

THE FLAG OF PORTUGAL: The flag is a rectangular bicolour with a field unevenly divided into green on the hoist, and red on the fly. The lesser version of the national coat of arms (i.e. armillary sphere and Portuguese shield) is centred over the colour boundary at equal distance from the upper and lower edges. On 30 June 1911, less than a year after the downfall of the constitutional monarchy, this design was officially adopted. The green and red represent the hope of the nation (green) and the blood of those who died defending it.

WORK OF ART: American Gothic is a 1930 painting by Grant Wood in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. The painting depicted the American Gothic House in Eldon, Iowa, along with “the kind of people I fancied should live in that house;” a farmer standing beside a woman who has been interpreted to be his sister. The figures were modelled by Wood’s sister, Nan Wood Graham, and their dentist, Dr Byron McKeeby. American Gothic is one of the most familiar images in 20th-century American pop art scene.

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