Belief Differences Exercise

Israel’s Beliefs Other’s Nations Beliefs

- The Bible generally conceives of Yahweh in - Other nations believed polytheism which
anthropomorphic terms—that is, with human means many gods
form (see Exod. 24:9-11, 33:20-23) and - Other nations who crafted images of their
characteristics (for example, he has human gods
emotions and the ability to see, hear, smell, and - The Egyptians believed their god-king the
walk). Also, Yahweh lived in a big house (a pharaoh, was responsible for maintaining the
temple), with servants (priests) to care for his life-giving Nile River and for the sun’s daily
The beliefs needs (sacrifices). rising. They believed pharaoh as god and
on - The Hebrew Bible generally denigrates divine king.
Deity images (see Exod. 32:4-6, Isa. 44:9-20) and in - Ba'al was a Canaanite storm god who was
places strongly opposes giving Yahweh any worshiped by other surrounding people who
material form (see Exod. 20:4-6). were not following the commandments of
Yahweh.
- Another important deity of the Ancient Near
East was Asherah, a mother goddess figure of
the sea. In some instances, it is suggested that
Asherah was actually the consort (spouse or
companion) of Yahweh.
The beliefs
on - The sacrifices of Israel were designed to provide - Attributed to the numerous gods and
Sacrifice fellowship with the deity, to appease the gods, goddesses worshiped in polytheistic cultures
and to ensure continuance of divine favor as opposed to the singleness of thought in
- Israel people beliefs that fire and bloodletting is Israel’s sacrificial system
needed for sacrifice - The lack of burning by fire in most other
- Having a set of sacrifices for only one God nations’ sacrifices, or the absence of
streamlined and focused Israel’s worldview bloodletting or the role of blood in general
- The way it was linked to the covenantal other nations’ practices.
relationship with God. the sacrifices made up a - Other nations commonly used the sacrificial
major ingredient of the covenant bond between as a means of clairvoyance, to discern the
Israel and God. future actions of the gods.
- Israel’s use of the sacrifices is its concept of - Priestly specialists believed they could
 Belief Differences Exercise
holiness. It was based on the elevated moral and
ethical nature of God.
- It also impacted Israel’s use of the sacrificial
system for worship of Yahweh.
- God made a covenant with Israel people which -
is an agreement between them
- The covenant involved ethical behavior;
promises of land and descendants. Sinai -
covenant is a demand of having a relationship
The beliefs with God. It placed God’s Torah (law) at the
on very center of his relationship with Israel.
Covenant - The term of the covenant were the result of -
God’s grace and love for his people.
- Laws are a part of life.
- Breaking them only hurts us and proves that
God’s laws are just and true
The beliefs
on - Israel’s desert sanctuary, the tabernacle, and -
Tabernacl after it, Solomon’s Temple, had this same
e structure, with three areas – an entrance
courtyard, a holy place or antechamber for only
the priests, and a most holy cubicle, the holiest
of holy places. The holy of holies was only
accessible by the high priest, and then only once
a year on the Day of Atonement (Leviticus 16).
- But Israel was not permitted to worship God in
physical form (the first two of the Ten
Commandments, Exodus 20:3-6, Deuteronomy
5:7-10).
- In Israel’s Holy of Holies was only a strange
box – the ark of the covenant – surrounded by
decipher the future by studying and “reading”
a dead animal’s entrails.
There was no covenant made with God and
other nations and there was no agreement
between them
They believed that their kings or leaders were
the gods who provided them and gave them
victory and believe that they had the highest
authority
They have laws but made by them and broke
by them for their own goodness
- Their lives depended on their leader’s
decision
- There is no grace to forgive them and clean
them from their guilt and sin
Archaeological discoveries have brought to
light numerous temples in the Levant of
multi-roomed structures, with adjacent or
internal open spaces and courtyards used for
sacrifices and other worship purposes. All of
this evidence from the ancient Levant prior to
Israel’s arrival in the land illustrates the
degree to which Israelite worship practices
resembled those of the land’s earlier
inhabitants. Most of these non-Israelite
temples had an inner compartment, or holy of
holies, usually blocked from public view, and
often set into a rear wall of a long hall, or
chamber. Courtyards served as the place for
 Belief Differences Exercise
winged creatures or cherubim. This was God’s
throne, from which he invisibly ruled the
universe, and sustained and ordered Israel’s -
existence. The cherubim formed the throne of
God, and the ark was God’s footstool.
- God could not be contained in such a room, and -
His presence could not be reduced to any form
in heaven above, earth beneath, or anything in
the water under the earth.
- Passover, the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost), and -
the Feast of Tabernacles (Booths) all coincide
with agricultural festivals (Thanksgiving to
God)
- Israel’s feasts are deeply historicized; each is
associated with an event in Israel’s history. -
Passover becomes a commemoration of the
exodus from Egypt, Pentecost is associated with -
the giving of the law and the covenant at Mount
The beliefs Sinai, and the Feast of Tabernacles becomes a -
on reminder of Israel’s sojourn through the
Festivals wilderness.
- Israel was the same in all these ways – worship -
space, sacrifices, and festivals. Yet Israel was
also unique in all these ways.
- The most striking feature of Israel’s worship
was its devotion to the singular God, Yahweh, at
the exclusion of all other gods (Deuteronomy
6:4-9).
The beliefs
on - All the laws are from God who is holy and -
Laws righteous
sacrifice of animals and public presentation of
offerings.
Among Israel’s neighbors, the innermost
section of the temple housed the physical idol
of the deity.
The temple pattern among Israel’s neighbors
moved progressively to a physical idol made
by human hands in the inner sanctum.
Israel’s neighbors celebrated these festivals
for the purpose of dramatizing cosmic events
and manipulating nature. Ancients believed
this was instrumental for securing fertility and
prosperity.
Fertility themes are entirely absent in Israel’s
festivals.
There was no historical festival in other
nations like Israel
Israel was the same in all these ways –
worship space, sacrifices, and festivals. Israel
was also unique in all these ways.
The structure of Israel’s worship space in the
temple, the use of animal sacrifices, and their
agricultural festivals would have been
familiar cultural features to their neighbors.
Indeed, the Canaanites, Edomites, and
Arameans would have been comfortable with
these features of Israelite life. But the
substance of these cultural features was
transformed for Israel in ways that set them
apart as unique.
All the laws were from their own knowledge
and wisdom
 Belief Differences Exercise
- There are many laws - moral law, civil law, - They only had civil laws
sacrificial law, ceremonial law, and casuistic - Their laws were for their people
law.
- The laws are intended for all societies.