Saturday, June 04, 2005

Who was Abraham? (18)

Based on the works of scholars, who will be revealed when the blogging for this topic ends. Works of other authors may be included, but where these are done, full acknowledgement will be made.

Advice: Those who may take offence in seeing biblical (OT) quotations or liberal discussion of OT biblical characters should not read this topic.


Akhenaten became so dedicated to his Aten-worship that he didn’t tolerate any other forms of worship. He desecrated the images of other Egyptian gods, terminated the stipends for the Amun priests (a dangerous move as the Amunites were very powerful) and went about his harsh proselytising way. At the same time, he indulged in every excessive way the advancement, beautification and lives of his new city of gold and light, Akhetaten.

At some point in his religiously intolerant and economically irresponsible rule, the political situation came to a head. Ahmad Osman related in his book that Grand Vizier Aye, his uncle (Queen Tiye’s brother) advised him of his immense unpopularity and the plot to assassinate him. The unrest was probably led by the Amunites. To evade his murder he must surrender the Pharaonic throne in favour of his half brother Smenkhare, and leave the country immediately.

Thus, according to Osman, Akhenaten or Moses was forced to abdicate and leave Egypt in a hurry.

“….. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh, and dwelt in the land of Midian: …” (Exodus 2:15)

But he took along his Pharaonic symbol, the sceptre of authority in the shape of a bronze serpent, and his secret knowledge of kingship.

We’ll hear more of this sceptre later on.

To be continued ……..

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