Monday, September 30, 2013

Who Took Sir Edmund's Picture?

I remember watching a film looking down as Sir Edmund Hillary ascended to the highest peak in the world. Then it hit me. Who took the picture if Sir Edmund was the first one there?

I wonder who surveyed all the mountains in the world to determine which one was the highest? Do they pay people to do this?

Obviously, the film was a recreation and should have been captioned, "First man's second ascension of world's highest peak, after he sets up his camera." Really, that is being picky on my part. After all, he made it, and that's what counts.

But it hits me that when Moses wrote that God confronted Cain over the murder of his brother, Cain's countenance fell. That this murder occurred would have sufficed to tell the story. How did Moses not only know of the event, the exchange of words, but even of the expression on Cain's face?

When Jacob wrestled all night with the angel, we learn that Jacob received the name "Israel". But we are also told that the angel touched Jacob's thigh and that Jacob limped for the rest of his life. Surely, many people asked Jacob, "Did you hurt your leg? Why are you limping?" I imagine his eyes lighting up as he told the story of his wrestling match with God!

Such details, revealed by the Holy Spirit, add so much to these accounts. These people become so much more human as you visualise them, don't they?

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