Chapter 3Judaism: Discovering Our Religious Roots

Pages 59 - 85

Overview of Chapter 3

1. A People of Promise2. The Beginning of a People - Abraham3. From Slavery to Freedom – Moses4. The Promised Land – David5. Babylonian Exile6. After the Exile

Aim: Who are the People of Promise? 3-1Read 59-62 For REVIEW 2nd and 3rd questions

• Jews chosen by God Covenant – a solemn promise between God and his people

• Judaism = the religion of the JewsNearly 4 thousands years ago

• Salvations History- the story of God’s action and Revelations among a people throughout their history

The Beginnings of a People 3-2 pages 63-65 Students completed an outline

Aim: What was the beginning of God’s chosen people? I. Abraham, Father of Biblical Faith

A. Hebrews = Abraham’s people B. The Covenant Begins

1. Abraham’s family would be as numerous as the starts 2. Sarah – Abraham's wife 3. Canaan – the promised land where the Hebrews

settled 4. Physical sign – male’s circumcised, sign of

commitment

C. One God1. Polytheism – belief in many gods

2. Monotheism – belief in only one God3. Abraham = Father of three Religions: Judaism,

Christianity, and Islam II. Abraham’s Descendants, the Israelites

A. Ishmael – Abraham son by a slave, Muslin descendantsB. Descendants:

1. Isaac – son of Abraham & Sarah, marrieda. Rebekah – wife of Isaac, gave birth to

2. Jacob – God gave him the name Israel “one who contended with divine & humans beings”

a. Israelites – Jewish people would be known asb. Had twelves son, favorite was Joseph

C. Patriarchs and Matriarchs 1. Patriarchs – Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph

2. Matriarchs – Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel D. Joseph in Egypt

1. Special robe – coat of many colors 2. brothers tried to kill him 3. sold as a slave to Egypt

a. pharaohs – Egyptian kings

From Slavery to Freedom 3-3 Read pages 66 – 70. Review question on page 70

Aim: How did the Jew’s go from Slavery to Freedom? I. Moses, the people’s greatest leader

A. son of a Hebrew slave but raised by pharaohB. All male Jewish baby condemned to death, saved by pharaoh’s daughterC. Yahweh – “I am who am”

1. Very nature of God- present yet beyond us 2. Refused to pronounce it – Lord

II. The Exodus: Escape from SlaveryA. Exodus – the events of God’s freeing the Israelites from slavery

B. Returned to Canaan = Promised Land III. The Passover Feast

A. Exodus is remember every year with a special memorial meal, the Seder

1. Lamb and Unleavened bread2. Bringing the liberating power of the Exodus into the mist

of the present

IV. In the DesertA. manna and quail provided by GodB. Mount Sinai where the encounter between Moses and Yahweh took place

1. Sinai Covenant the pledge between God and the Israelites

a. The Law describes the Israelites end of the bargain = their responsibility in the sacred covenant

2. Mosaic Law = the Ten Commandments = cornerstonea. Elevated human understanding of morality = right/wrongb. Promotes freedom because it is an expression of

how to love God and neighborc. Not a burden, devotion to God who had freed them

C. Wandering for Forty Years 1. Moses spend 40 days receiving the Law

2. People built idol of a golden calf & festival to honor it3. To trust more deeply in God who had saved them

The Promised Land 3-4Read pages 70 -73. FOR REVIEW page 73 Aim: How did the Hebrew’s live in the Promised Land? I. The Promised Land – the land flowing with milk and honey A. today = Palestine, Israel, the Holy Land

II. Taking over the LandA. Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan, Moses had diedB. constant warfare between Israelites & other tribesC. abandoned Yahweh during hard times

D. Judges were appointed to bring the people back to Yahweh1. Like ruler or chief2. recognized by the way they made the spirit of Yahweh

present3. Samson superhuman feats

E. Twelve Tribes of Israel from the twelve sons of Jacob

III. A Kingdom for the Israelites A. United Kingdom under David. all twelve tribes

1. David chosen by God and anointed by prophet Samuel 2. thousand year before Jesus 3. set up the capital at Jerusalem 4. “Glory Day” under David 5. God can act through persons of great weakness, flaws

and who sin 6. God’s promise, David’s line would deliver them 7. Solomon, David's son

a. build the Temple in Jerusalem b. rich, powerful, famous for his wisdom

B. Solomon, not a model king at the end 1. after his death kingdom split into two

a. northern kingdom Israel, capital Samaria b. southern kingdom Judah, capital JerusalemC. Prophets: calling the People back to covenant with Yahweh

1. critics society and injustices, especial treatment of the poor2. interpret events from God’s point of view

a. Isaiah b. Amosc. Elijahd. Hoseae. Micahf. Jeremiahg. Ezekiel

3-5 Crushing Defeat and Painful ExileHomework: Read pages 74 – 77. Answer the FOR REVIEW questions on page 77

Aim: How did the Israelites handle crushing defeat and painful Exile? I. Israel, the northern kingdom fell to the Assyrians 722 BC

A. They were dispersed, never to returnB. Jewish Dispersion, settlement of the Jews outside the

Promised Land II. The Babylonian Exile (50 years)

A. southern kingdom Judah fell to the Babylonian Empire 587 BC B. forced to leave, exiled to a place intolerant of the

Jewish religionC. city of Jerusalem and Temple destroyed

III. Renewal in the Midst of Exile A. Led to deeper thought, more serious reflection

B. Yahweh did not abandoned then, they abandoned Yahweh

C. Began to worship more informally1. Synagogue, where they prayed, retold ancient

stories, sang psalms2. Sabbath sacred day of rest, marked them as different

D. Purified by the experience, became closer to GodE. New covenant Jeremiah 31:33 “ I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be there God, and they shall be my people”

IV. People of the Book, writing of Hebrew ScriptureA. Book of Genesis, creation, Adam and Eve, Noah,

Abraham and patriarchsB. Written down to help understand and preserve their

worldviewC. Creations stories not historical

1. God made all of creation, it is good2. All creation is a gift from God3. Completely dependent on God4. Deserves to be treated with respect

3-6 After the ExileHomework: Read pages 78- 84. Answer the FOR REVIEW question on page 84

Aim: What was life like for the Israelites after the Exile? I. Persian Empire concurred the Babylonians after 50 years

A. Remnant, the Jews who had remained faithful, returned to JudahB. Persians were kind, help them rebuild the Temple C. Jews, derived from Judah, used after the Exile

II. The Faithful Practice of JudaismA. Rebuild the city of JerusalemB. Judaism was practiced with integrity

III. Series of OppressorsA. The Greeks 300 years

1. Cruel, defiled the Temple2. Hanukkah / Festival of Lights remembrance how

the Jews rededicated the TempleB. The Romans 63 years before Jesus

1. Tolerated the Jews, still oppressive dictatorship2. Temple destroyed by Romans after Jesus death,

70 BC

C. Longing for a Messiah1. Hope in the coming of a savior to rescue them from oppression2. Isaiah pointed to someone coming to bring lasting joy

and peacea. “Suffering servant” save the people by

suffering for them, (Jesus)3. Messiah the “anointed one” would come from the line of David4. Coming of the Messiah as the fulfillment of the covenant

a. Great military leader

D. Groups among the Jews1. Sadducees - priestly class, rigidly followed the law, committed to proper worship and daily sacrifices in the Temple2. Pharisees, Law could be expanded to better direct the lives of people in every detail

a. many burdensome lawsb. Conflict with Jesus

3. Zealots, revolutionary zeal to overthrow the Roman Empire

4. Social Outcasta. Women, lower than men b. Samaritans, not accepted as true Israelites’,

they intermarried with pagans, did not worship “properly” c. People with leprosy or diseases

IV. Jesus: Fulfillment of the longing for a Messiah