April 22, 2003

Judaism

·  Monotheism: belief in one god (one “God”, kind of like one “Moon”)

·  Originiated from Mesopotamia (historically polytheistic)

·  Abraham – patriarch – father – men – d. 2000 BC

-  Revelation from God: “I’m going to make your people my people” (chosen people)

-  God promised he would bless them and make them a great nation

·  Covenant – “Contract” – solemn and binding agreement

-  God said, “If you follow me, I will bless you”

·  Abraham à Isaac à Jacob à Israel (Israelites, Hebrews, Jews)

à Ishmael (Arab?)

·  Drought: everyone went to Egypt and all is well

-  Egypt began to feel uncomfortable with so many foreigners

-  Egypt enslaved them

Judaism 101

·  Purpose of Ten Commandments is to help keep the covenant

·  Covenant: solemn and binding agreement between God and Hebrews

·  Hebrews wandered for 40 years in desert before arriving in the promised land (Canaan)

·  System of judges (leaders through crises) to govern people in Canaan

·  God didn’t want the Hebrews to have a king because he might lead the people away from God, but the Hebrews persisted so God gave them kings

-  Saul

-  David: went from sheppard to military leader, made Jerusalem the capital of Canaan

-  Solomon built temple

·  Jacob (a.k.a. Israel) had 12 sons and their offspring became the 12 tribes of Israel

·  In 921 BC, the Northern and Southern tribes broke up (each had its own king)

-  North became Israel

-  South became Judah

·  In 791 BC Israel was captured by the Assyrians

·  In 586 BC Judah was captured by the Babylonians

·  As a result, synagogues (places of worship and teaching) and rabbis (teachers/priests) were established because people were far away from the temple (only one in Jerusalem; it is a holy place)

·  Messiah: “anointed one”—this king would lead the Hebrews out of oppression

·  In 515 BC Babylon was captured, so the Hebrews were freed and they built a new temple

-  Hebrews became known as the Jews

-  Jews began to spread throughout the world—some stayed in Babylon, some moved back to Canaan

-  From tribal religion to world religion

Covenant: solemn and binding agreement

Step

/ God’s Covenant with Jews
1.  Vow, agreement, etc. (e.g. stick together through sickness and health) / God said “I will be your God and you will be my people.”
2.  Rules (e.g. make soup for the one who is sick) / Ten Commandments
3.  Renew vows (e.g. 25th wedding anniversary) / Jews built new temple
4.  Update and/or create new vows (e.g. stick together through prosperity and poverty) / God sent Jesus to save the people from their sins.

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