24-0128p - Detailed Summary

The sermon titled "Did Moses Have a Laptop?" begins with an acknowledgment of modern technology, humorously questioning if Moses had access to a laptop when he wrote the Torah.

The pastor notes that the first true mobile computer, the Osborne 1, was introduced in 1981, humorously highlighting the anachronism of Moses having one.

Moses, as instructed by God, communicates God’s words and judgments to the Israelites, who agree to follow them.

A covenant ritual is described where Moses writes down God’s words, builds an altar, sets up twelve pillars for the tribes, and involves animal sacrifices.

The pastor clarifies that the Bible claims Moses wrote the law, which is synonymous with the Torah or Pentateuch.

The Pentateuch is described as consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy, derived from Greek words meaning "five books."

The Hebrew term "Torah" is introduced, linked to the same books, with a cultural reference from the TV series "The Chosen."

The sermon addresses the significance of Moses' authorship, arguing that doubting it could undermine the credibility of the entire Bible.

It’s posited that attacks on Moses' authorship aim to discredit the Bible, emphasizing the inerrancy of scripture.

The sermon discusses one main criticism: the claim that writing was not developed during Moses' time, thus he could not have written the Torah.

Reference to Exodus 17 where Moses is commanded by God to write an account of the battle with Amalek, showing that writing was part of Moses' role.

Deuteronomy 31 is cited where Moses writes down the law, which is to be publicly read during the Feast of Tabernacles, reinforcing the written tradition.

Malachi 4:4 and John 1:43-45 are mentioned to underline the continuity of Moses' law from the Old to the New Testament.

The pastor emphasizes the importance of remembering Moses' law as a testament to its divine origin.

Mark 12:24-27 is used to show Jesus acknowledging Moses' writings, specifically the book of Moses, further supporting Moses' authorship.

The sermon introduces the documentary hypothesis, which suggests that the Pentateuch was compiled from four different documents written much later than Moses' time.

The timeline of Moses' life versus the alleged late development of writing is discussed, challenging the hypothesis’s foundation.

The pastor quotes scholars like Julius Wellhausen and Herman Schultz, who believed Moses lived in a pre-literate society, thus could not have written the Torah.

The sermon begins to refute the hypothesis by mentioning archaeological discoveries like the Ugaritic alphabet, indicating that writing existed during Moses' era.

Details the discovery in 1928 of Ugaritic tablets at Rosh Shammara, suggesting an advanced scribal culture contemporary to or before Moses, directly challenging the assumption that writing was not known in Moses' time.

Details the discovery in 1928 of Ugaritic tablets at Rosh Shammara, suggesting an advanced scribal culture contemporary to or before Moses, directly challenging the assumption that writing was not known in Moses' time.

In 1949, more tablets were found at Rosh Shammara by the same archaeologist, confirming the sequence of the Ugaritic alphabet matches modern Hebrew, dating it back at least 3500 years.

In 1933, J. L. Starkey excavated Lachish, finding a pottery pitcher with an inscription in 11 archaic letters, known as the earliest Hebrew inscription.

The discovery of the Code of Hammurabi in 1901-1902 at Susa, written on black diorite, establishes that laws similar to Mosaic laws were written centuries before Moses, around 2000-1700 BC, proving writing was known well before Moses' time.

The sermon argues that these archaeological findings dismantle the foundational assumptions of the documentary hypothesis, likening the debate to that between Darwin’s theories and factual evidence.

The sermon concludes with Jesus' words from John 5:45-46, where Jesus references Moses as his accuser and confirms that Moses wrote about him, emphasizing the importance of believing in Moses' writings for believing in Jesus.

The pastor underscores that the belief in Moses' authorship is supported not only by biblical claims but also by extra-biblical writings and archaeological discoveries, advocating for the inherent truth of the Bible.