11-12-20

Ryan

Western civilization 101

2020

The Hebrews regarded god as fully sovereign. He ruled over all and was subject to nothing, Yahweh’s existence and power did not derive from a preexisting realm, as was the case with the gods of peoples. He created and governed the natural world and shaped the moral laws that govern human beings. HE WAS NOT SUBSERVIENT TO FATE BUT DETERMINED WHAT HAPPENED.

Whereas near eastern gods dwelt within nature, the Hebrew god was transcendent, above nature and not apart of it. Yahweh was not identified with any natural force and did not dwell within a particular place in heaven or earth. Nature was gods creation but not itself divine. All natural phenomena were divested of any supernatural quality. The stars and the planets were creations of Yahweh, not divinities or abodes of divinities. The Hebrew neither regarded them with awe or worshiped them. This removal of god from nature is a prerequisite for scientific thought.

In contrast to pagan gods, who were indifferent to human beings, Yahweh was attentive to human needs. By asserting that god was one, sovereign, transcendental, and good, the Hebrews effected a religious revolution that separated them entirely from the worldview of the other peoples of the ancient near east.

Jewish history was marked by the emergence of spiritually inspired individuals called prophets, who felt compelled to act as gods messengers. THE PROPHETS believed that god had commanded them to speak and legitimated their words. Among the prophets were Amos, a Shepard from Judea in the south, his younger contemporary Hosea, from Israel in the north; Isaiah of Jerusalem; and Jeremiah, who witnessed the siege of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans in the early sixth century B.C.

No knowledge of God in the land:

“By swearing, and lying, and killing, and stealing, and committing adultery, they break out, and blood touched blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and everyone that dwelleth within, shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of heaven; yea the fishes of the sea also will be taken away. Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest. Therefore shall thou fall in the day, and the prophet also shall fall with thee in the night, and I will destroy thy mother.” (Hosea 4-2:5)

The prophets saw national misfortune as an opportunity for repentance and reform. In the late eighth century an angry Isaiah warned:

“The lord will enter into Judgment with the elders of his people, and the princes thereof. It is ye that have eaten up the vineyard; the spoil of the poor is in your houses, what men ye that crush my people, and grind the face of the poor?” (Isiah 3-14:15) Judas wicked rulers.

“Hate the evil and love the good

And establish justice in the gate.” (Amos 5:15)

For Amos, god made no separation between Religion and social conduct. The people of the times were farmers and poor and often sold as slaves to the wealthy.

“I hate, I despise your feasts, and I will take no delight in your solemn assemblies, Yea though ye offer me burnt offerings, and meal-offerings, I will not accept them; neither will I regard peace offerings of your fat beasts. Take away the noise of thy songs; and let me not hear the melody of psalteries. But let justice well up as waters, and righteousness as a mighty stream.(Amos 5-21:24)

God is compassionate, insisted the prophets. He cares for all, especially the poor, the unfortunate, the suffering, and the defenseless. Justice and righteousness are God’s principle concern and his supreme commandments. God’s injunctions, declared Isiah, were to

“Seek justice, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow.”(Isiah 1:17)

Prophets stressed the direct spiritual-ethical encounter between the individual and god. Their concern was the inner person rather than the outer forms of religious activity. Holding that the essence of the covenant was universal righteousness, the prophets criticized priests whose commitment to rites and rituals was not supported by a deeper spiritual insight or matched by a zeal for morality in daily life. To the prophets an ethical sin was far worse than ritual omission. To the prophets god demands righteousness, living justly before god. To live unjustly, to mistreat one’s neighbors, to act without compassion- these actions violated God’s laws and endangered the entire social order. The prophets thus helped shape a social conscious that has become part of the western tradition. This revolutionary social doctrine states that everyone has a god given right to social justice and fair treatment; that each individual has an ethical responsibility to denounce evil and oppose mistreatment of others; And that community has a moral responsibility to assist the unfortunate.

The prophets were not pacifist’s, particularly if a war was being waged against the enemies of Yahweh. Where virtually everyone glorified the warrior, the prophets of universalism envisioned the day when peace would rule over the earth, when nations

“Shall beat their swords into plowshares, and[RS1] their spear into pruning hooks; Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, Neither shall they learn war anymore.” (Isaiah 2:4)

Individualism:

In envisioning a day when “Everyone shall die for his own iniquity” Jeremiah explicitly emphasized individual responsibility. “I will put the law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts.” (Jeremiah 31:33)

He also predicted the doom of Judah in the early sixth century because of its collective sins of violating gods’ covenant. The prophet’s emphasis on individual responsibility for his or her own actions is a key component of western thought.

“When Israel was a child, Then I loved him, and called my son out of E’-gypt.” (Hosea 11:2)

The prophet speaks of je’-sus coming out of Egypt. It is messianic because it is seen in the new testament in Matthew 21 when he’ rod would seek to destroy the child.

“And when they were departed, Behold, the angel of the lord appeared to joseph in a dream, saying, arise, and take the young child and his mother and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: For He’-rod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and the mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of He’-rod: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the prophet, saying, out of Egypt have I called my son.” (Mt. 21-13:15) (Messianic Theology of the new and old testament) (western civilization volume:1 perry)