Chapter 3 Judaism: Discovering Our Religious Roots Pages

Overview of Chapter 3 1.A People of Promise 2.The Beginning of a People - Abraham 3.From Slavery to Freedom – Moses 4.The Promised Land – David 5.Babylonian Exile 6.After the Exile

Aim: Who are the People of Promise? 3- 1 Read For REVIEW 2 nd and 3 rd questions Jews chosen by God Covenant – a solemn promise between God and his people Judaism = the religion of the Jews Nearly 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 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 God 1. Polytheism – belief in many gods 2. Monotheism – belief in only one God 3. Abraham = Father of three Religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam II. Abraham’s Descendants, the Israelites A. Ishmael – Abraham son by a slave, Muslin descendants B. Descendants: 1. Isaac – son of Abraham & Sarah, married a. 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 as b. 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 pharaoh B. All male Jewish baby condemned to death, saved by pharaoh’s daughter C. 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 Slavery A. 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 bread 2.Bringing the liberating power of the Exodus into the mist of the present

IV. In the Desert A. manna and quail provided by God B. 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 = cornerstone a. Elevated human understanding of morality = right/wrong b. Promotes freedom because it is an expression of how to love God and neighbor c. 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 it 3. To trust more deeply in God who had saved them

The Promised Land3-4 Read pages 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 Land A. Joshua led the Israelites into Canaan, Moses had died B. constant warfare between Israelites & other tribes C. abandoned Yahweh during hard times

D. Judges were appointed to bring the people back to Yahweh 1. Like ruler or chief 2. recognized by the way they made the spirit of Yahweh present 3. 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 Jerusalem C. Prophets: calling the People back to covenant with Yahweh 1. critics society and injustices, especial treatment of the poor 2. interpret events from God’s point of view a. Isaiah b. Amos c. Elijah d. Hosea e. Micah f. Jeremiah g. Ezekiel

3-5 Crushing Defeat and Painful Exile Homework: 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 return B. 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 religion C. 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 informally 1. Synagogue, where they prayed, retold ancient stories, sang psalms 2. Sabbath sacred day of rest, marked them as different D. Purified by the experience, became closer to God E. 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 Scripture A. Book of Genesis, creation, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and patriarchs B. Written down to help understand and preserve their worldview C. Creations stories not historical 1. God made all of creation, it is good 2. All creation is a gift from God 3. Completely dependent on God 4. Deserves to be treated with respect

3-6 After the Exile Homework: Read pages 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 Judah B. Persians were kind, help them rebuild the Temple C. Jews, derived from Judah, used after the Exile II. The Faithful Practice of Judaism A. Rebuild the city of Jerusalem B. Judaism was practiced with integrity

III. Series of Oppressors A. The Greeks 300 years 1. Cruel, defiled the Temple 2. Hanukkah / Festival of Lights remembrance how the Jews rededicated the Temple B. The Romans 63 years before Jesus 1. Tolerated the Jews, still oppressive dictatorship 2. Temple destroyed by Romans after Jesus death, 70 BC

C. Longing for a Messiah 1. Hope in the coming of a savior to rescue them from oppression 2. Isaiah pointed to someone coming to bring lasting joy and peace a. “Suffering servant” save the people by suffering for them, (Jesus) 3. Messiah the “anointed one” would come from the line of David 4. Coming of the Messiah as the fulfillment of the covenant a. Great military leader

D. Groups among the Jews 1. Sadducees - priestly class, rigidly followed the law, committed to proper worship and daily sacrifices in the Temple 2. Pharisees, Law could be expanded to better direct the lives of people in every detail a. many burdensome laws b. Conflict with Jesus 3. Zealots, revolutionary zeal to overthrow the Roman Empire

4. Social Outcast a. 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