My Understanding of Religion
Page 16
Although there are no sure dates for Abraham or Moses, Abraham's departure from Ur is placed between 2000 BC and 1850 BC and the exit of Moses and the Israelites from Egypt about 1250 BC. The oldest written sources of information about Abraham and Moses are found in the Pentateuch and probably date from the 10th century BC. These sources are known as J and E. Source J (Yahwist) appears devised to establish Israel's right to Canaan: the Promised Land. Source E (Elohist) originated in the northern kingdom (Israel) in the 8th century BC. Other sources, known as D and P, are thought to date to about the 5th century BC. In Jewish and Christian tradition Moses is seen as the author of the Pentateuch or first five books of the Bible. This tradition is clearly mistaken.
By tradition the religion of Moses is related to the religion of Abraham. The same god is said to illuminate both religions. Promises made to Abraham were fulfilled through the religion of Moses: Abraham's descendants took possession of the Promised Land. It is maintained the god of Abraham identified himself to Moses as YAHWEH. The literal meaning of YAHWEH appears to be 'I am/shall be what I am/shall be'. Some scholars speculate Jethro, father-in-law of Moses, introduced Moses and the Israelites to YAHWEH worship. On a visit to Moses at the 'mountain of God' Jethro took the leading role in a religious ceremony attended by Moses and other important Hebrews. It is this occasion that leads some scholars to propose YAHWEH as a Kenite god. The Kenites are supposed to be descendants of Cain. The tribe of Judah eventually absorbed them. Mt Sinai is the mountain upon which the Law was given to Moses. The name Sinai probably comes from the original name of the moon god Sin. YAHWEH manifested his presence and 'spoke' to Moses in a tent called the Tabernacle. Smoke coming from the Tabernacle meant the Israelites did not travel. YAHWEH made himself known to Moses through a burning bush. The significance of this event remains obscure. It appears the story refers to no known fertility or agricultural deity. It is possible the burning bush story may be related to Tree of Life stories.
In 'Exodus' the angel of YAHWEH appears to Moses in a flame of fire from the middle of a bush. Then YAHWEH speaks to Moses from the middle of the bush, and identifies himself as the god of Abraham. Evidently, the burning bush was used to facilitate the manifestation of YAHWEH and his angel. Such a bush might have psychedelic properties. One bush with psychedelic features, used in religious practices in Africa and India, is Cannabis sativa. The great amount of material - thoughts and feelings - released from the unconscious by psychedelic agents like cannabis is alluded to in the literal meaning of psychedelic: mind-manifesting. Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the active ingredient in cannabis. A substance like THC found naturally in the human brain has been named anandamide - from the Sanskrit word for bliss: ananda. Unlike heroin, cannabis is not physically addictive. There are no withdrawal symptoms associated with cannabis. No other plant could more appropriately serve as the burning bush of 'Exodus'.
Judaic tradition claims Moses is the greatest of the Jewish prophets. Other Jewish prophets are: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.
Deuteronomy, (source D: dates to the 5th century BC), is written as a farewell address by Moses. Law is the basic theme of Deuteronomy. One part of it is known as 'the law book'. In Deuteronomy 'Moses' tells the Israelites what they can expect if they keep the law of YAHWEH, and what will happen if they do not keep it. The author informs them that YAHWEH will send them another prophet like Moses, and that YAHWEH would place their nation 'high above all nations he hath made'. Deuteronomy ends with Moses climbing Mt Pisgah to view the Promised Land. He is never seen again - one tradition records YAHWEH buried Moses in the valley opposite Beth-peor. The closing words of Deuteronomy spotlight Moses as a great prophet whom YAHWEH 'knew face to face'.
The part of the Old Testament known as the Prophets is separated into two sections: section one is known as the Former Prophets, and section two is known as the Latter Prophets. The Former Prophets contains four books: Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings. The Latter Prophets contains the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Prophets - Christian tradition also includes the Book of Daniel and Lamentations; in Hebrew tradition Lamentations, Ruth, the Song of Solomon, Ecclesiastes, and Esther constitute the Megillot (five scrolls read on Jewish festivals). The Latter Prophets are linked to the development of Jewish, and Christian, eschatology. Eschatology is concerned with beliefs about the final destiny of humankind and their world. Old Testament eschatology springs from the promise YAHWEH made to deliver the Hebrews from Egypt and place them in a land flowing with milk and honey. Through their experiences of Israel's disobedience to the laws of YAHWEH the prophets developed the concept of the 'day of the Lord'. During the 8th century BC, a time of political catastrophe for the Hebrews, the prophets took up the concept of the 'day of the Lord' and proclaimed it a day of judgement over all peoples. Another important eschatological thread, the Messiah from the house of David, draws on Samuel's prophecy that YAHWEH would establish the kingdom of David's seed forever. Jewish eschatology binds the future of Israel to the ultimate fate of all peoples and of the whole world.
It is not unusual for the Book of Isaiah to be divided into three parts: First Isaiah, Deutero-Isaiah, and Trito-Isaiah. First Isaiah holds the prophecies of Isaiah. Isaiah or his followers in Jerusalem wrote it between about 740 BC and 700 BC. A few chapters were written after 586 BC, and several others were written after 500 BC. Isaiah or his early followers could not have written these chapters. Deutero-Isaiah and Trito-Isaiah were written by the 'school' of Isaiah in Babylon, with chapters 56-66 being written after the return from the Babylonian Exile in 538 BC. The Book of Isaiah probably achieved its present form during the 4th century BC. Isaiah lived during the last years of the northern kingdom of Israel and during the rule of four kings of Judah: Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah. Isaiah felt called to be a prophet when he had a vision (of winged creatures) in the Temple in 742 BC. From that time until about 687 BC Isaiah's prophecies influenced the course of Judah's history. Isaiah considered the Hebrews had rebelled against YAHWEH, and he likened Jerusalem to a harlot. The coming 'day of the Lord' is a motif found in Isaiah, as is the Davidic Messiah motif. Deutero-Isaiah contains material about the Suffering Servant, which in Christian tradition is viewed as a prophecy about Jesus Christ. Some scholars insist the Suffering Servant is the nation of Israel. In Trito-Isaiah emphasis is placed upon the correct motivation in the worship of YAHWEH.
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