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              Bible Study by
              Abouna Angelos
              Images of Mary
           in the Old Testament

Virgin Birth (Genesis 3:15)
- God refers to Eve's "seed," a Hebrew
  word referring to man
- Indicates virgin birth, image of Mary
- First "Good News"

Story of Jacob (Genesis 27)
- Mother Rebekah is a "type" of St. Mary
- Rebekah favors Jacob b/c he accepts
  God's covenant
- Isaac favors Esau because he is oldest
  and manlier
- Rebekah dresses Jacob as Esau w/
  goatskins and oils
- Jacob is blessed by Isaac
  * Symbolic of preparation of sacrifice
    of son to God
  * Like Mary bearing Jesus's body to be
    crucified

Mary as "Second"/"New" Eve
- "Eve" -> "Eva" -> city/village of living
- Mary is city of the new life through
  Jesus
- Represented by Mary's icon on Eastern
  wall in Arm. Church

Sarah
- God chose Israel because he made
  covenant with Isaac
  * God's actions, not man's, bring favor
  * Like God's choosing Mary
- Isaac's birth is miraculous, like
  Jesus's to Mary
- Isaac sacrificed yet continued living,
  like Jesus

The Ark of the Covenant
* 10 Commandments
  - Word of God, like Jesus
  - Given to Israelites to know God
  - Kept in box as Jesus was kept in Mary
* Aaron's rod (Dt 17)
  - Israelites wanted to be priests
    (Dt 16)
  - Moses had each tribe give a staff
  - Only Aaron's staff sprouted in Ark of
    Covenant
    * God's sign that Aaron's family would
      be priests
  - Like Mary bearing Jesus in presence of
    God (Ark of Cov.)
* Pot of Manna
  - Life (Jesus) contained in a pot (Mary)

The Burning Bush
  - God (Jesus) is in the burning bush
    (Mary)

Ruth
- Given grace as a foreigner by Boaz
- "Grace" in Heb. ("Khasad") is feeling
  towards one's family
- God gives Mary grace shows acceptance in
  His family

Prayer of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1)
- Hannah has no child for many years,
  mocked
- Later is blessed with miraculous son
  Samuel
- Prayer echoes Mary's prayer (Luke 1:46)
- Both Mary and Hannah raised from poor
  backgrounds

Virgin Birth Predicted (Isaiah 7:14)
- Two versions of Bible, Greek and Hebrew
- Hebrew prophesies "teenage girl," Greek,
  "virgin"
- Disciples used Greek, hence "virgin"
  used in Matthew
- Prediction of Mary in time of Ahaz's
  crisis
  * Judah about to be attacked by Israel,
    Assyria

* END OF BIBLE STUDY *

Next time
- Finish Old Testament images, read New
  Testament images
- Read:
  * Luke 1
  * Matthew 1
  * Patriarch looking for feminine figure
    in OT
    + Genesis
    + Psalms

Words of Wisdom from Abouna:
- Bible is like an autostereogram
- Spend your time either reading or
  thinking
- More people alive today than have ever
  died -> many distractions
- Media is like gorging oneself with food,
  cannot digest
- Instead, do the following (in order of
  priority)
  1) Think
  2) Pray/listen to prayers
  3) Listen to sermons (not too many that
     you cannot digest)
- Match your circle of influence with your
  circle of concern (from "7 Habits of
  Highly Effective People")
- Keep in mind the Serenity Prayer