HISTORY OF JUDAISM
According to historical data, the Jewish population in the world is estimated about 15 million only. From this total, about 6 million are in America alone and 3 million in Israel. The remaining are spread in different parts of the world. These figures are referred to only Jewish families. This figure is no doubt a surprising to every reader, if we compare the influence Jews achieved in the world. Some of the wonderful things in history are three of the world major religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam. These were the descendants from the belief of the most significant of the political and cultural importance in their time.
If we look into the ancient history, we can find how great powers like Egypt, Assyria, Persia, Babylonia, Greek, Rome, etc… were collapsed miserably, but tiny obscure Jewish nation remain though it was regarded and the people as outsiders and strangely devoted to a peculiar practices and to their odd deity. The ancient empires and their religions were crushed and crumbled to death. But the religion of Jews had influenced millions of people. It is prophesized that in 2000 years half of the world population will become believers and this statement makes us to have confidence that it must be the power of the God Almighty.
The tragic event that has occurred because of its religious influence and it must have suffered incessant persecution primarily in the hands of its daughter Christianity. The main reason for this is because Judaism became a radical as well as religious phenomenon. But Christianity and Islam are not like that. According to their version, a Jew is one born to a Jewish family or one who possesses Jewish religion. Most of them were born Jews and the converts are very few as recorded. In the modern world, there are many Jews who abandoned their ancestral faith and customs. Judaism is a religion of single people and has accepted every aspect of Jewish life. There are some reasons for their persecution. They are not only for their religion but also they appeared to other people as outsiders and strangers in their way of life.
The Old Testament is nothing but the history of Jewish people. Great kings like David, great leaders like Moses, great women like Queen Esther, all disciples and all apostles were from Jewish community only. These people were chosen by God Himself, from the seed of Abraham father of many nations. The main purpose of God in this selection was to carry out the mission of bringing the people of the whole world into His service. “On the day of atonement”
The Everlasting Kingdom of God one of the seven great festivals of God’s chosen people prayer should be conducted. The aim of these prayers was for the conversion of the entire world into Judaism.
At that time many Jewish missionaries had activily tried for the spreading of Judaism especially during the reign of Romans but they could not stand before the Christian missionaries and Islam believers. Judaism is strictly monotheistic that is only one God. According to their feelings and the other God’s are either fictitious or evil powers. The Jewish children when they were able to speak they would be taught the declaration of faith called “Shema” and a verse from the book of Deuteronomy 6th chapter. “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” would be read. All the devoted Jews had to repeat this verse every morning and evening. The same verse is supposed to be said by the dying person also, when he is in conscious stage. Judaism is vehemently disapproved by the Christian worship of Christ and Trinity as departure from monotheism.
The next fundamental principle in the Jewish religion is giving due respect to the Holy Scripture the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament the Christians call it, especially, for the “Pentateuch” the first five books of the Old Testament pinned by Moses with God’s guidance. They are also called “Torah” teaching. The Bible is the written Word of God by human beings inspired by God. The Torah has contained history of the world from its creation by God to the death of Moses at the sight of the promised land Canaan. The Torah also contained detailed rules and regulations given to Moses by God including the Ten commandments and moral rules which were concerned to animal sacrifices offerings observances of Sabbath rules for proper administration of justice and rules for social behavior among themselves in the society, etc.. The rules came into existence when rituals morals and customs were not separated for observation. into When it is said, “Thou shall not kill” its effect is “Thou shall not cut” such noble sayings are there for the good behavior of Gods people.
Then “love thy neighbor” is another rule. It is also a rule for the menstruating woman who is unclean and may not be permitted to enter the Holy places until she has offered a lamb or pigeon or a dove to God. For all such traditional inheritance customs and to such rules this religion gave utmost importance and we can also say this Judaism is an ethical religion. Even prophets and teachers again and again insisted on the people the need for good behavior and genuine repentance for their wrong doings. This is more important than
The Everlasting Kingdom of God the correct performance of rituals or strict observance of customs. The necessary rules of Judaism have for centuries formed a basic moral concept or code of the entire western world.
There is a famous story about a great teacher “Hellel”, who lived in the first century B.C. He was asked by a prospective convert to teach him the complete Torah while he was standing on one leg. Then Hellel answered the convert by saying “that which is hateful unto the do not do unto thy neighbor” This is the whole that he taught to that man. It is not clearly said about the history of Jews and when that religion began. But the main source is only the Bible that was able to give some matter regarding their history. The Bible also tells about the future plan of God for His chosen people. One of the oldest passages in Deuteronomy sixth chapter begins the history of Israel with a few, “Nomadic Semetic tribes men” went to Egypt settled there in a short time increased their population. In order to control the king of Egypt made them slaves. Then they remembered their God and cried unto to Him to save them and God with the mighty hand of Moses with terror and signs brought them to the Promised Land Canaan or also called Palestine at that time the land of milk and honey. Two wonderful things we can see at that time in this context – the tremendous and terrifying power of God and to make us to believe that Palestine is the God given land to Jewish people as their homeland. The Old Testament often personifies a group of people as individuals and Jacob personifies himself as the relation of Israel who occupied Palestine with his 12 sons as 12 tribes and one of them was (Yehude) Judah from whose name Jews derived. According to Biblical history Jacob was the descendant of Abraham who lived in the city of Ur in Mesopotamia and who left the city on the Word of God and settled in Hebron. God must have this plan since a long time to keep his descendants in that place to distinguish from others God wanted to introduce circumcision also. It is well known as mentioned in the history that the Semetic tribes men from Arabia had settled in Mesopotamia well before 2000 B.C. and the story of Abraham might represent the migration of a group of people from UR to Canaan in course of time. The traditions of Abraham and Jacob laid the foundation for undisputable historical figures like Moses.
Moses was the leader of Exodus from Egypt to Canaan the promised land and he was also called the greatest prophet in the Bible. He led Israelites traditionally identified as “Abel Musa” a high peak in the South of Senai Peninsula. Moses went up to the mount and received the Ten Commandments inscribed on blue stone the law God made His covenant and also blueprint for making
The Everlasting Kingdom of God the Tabernacle by which He committed Himself Israel as His Holy nation and His kingdom of priests. The Israelites had spent 40 years in that desert forgot and their God Yehweh though He was guiding them all the way with Moses.
But somehow Moses would restore them to Yehweh and finally died in the sight of river Jordon without entering Canaan. The Israelites wept for him. After Moses Joshua led them by crossing the river Jordan with the Ark of covenant a portable wooden shrine made of Shittim wood. God wished to be present among His people by remaining in that Ark. They forced their way into the Canaanites and the Semitacs who had already occupied their land of Palestine. The ark of covenant was taken to Shiloh which finally became the centre of worship. This significant story can be taken as fundamentally most authentic and accurate account of the Jews regarding their past history. They had to worship only one God and no other God for them. What must have happened to the tribes who left Egypt and accepted Moses as their pattern and Moses influenced the god of storm and war. The Yehweh whose presence was sensed in lightening and in storm clouds on the mountains and who was perhaps worshipped by Medianites where Moses had his first experience of God. The Israelites were joined by another desert tribes for the invasion of Canaan still under Yehweh’s patronage after they had settled in their promised land many of them returned to their own tribal gods and also attracted to the native Canaanite deities. This remarkable story horrified Yehweh. He urged them to cleave unto their God only who brought them from oppression of Egypt, gave them the Promised Land and appointed them for a special purpose in the history as said in the Bible when the Israelites had forgotten Yehweh they were defeated in the battle and when they repented and worshipped Him they won the battle. This shows God wanted to keep them in His control and they also realized that their defeat was their faithlessness toward Yehweh.
God is described in the Old Testament fundamentally a deity of giagenetic and horrifying force. This was clearly brought out on mount Sinai and in the story the powerful plagues which were sent onto the Egyptians to show His power to all heathens. The Ark in which God was travelling must be very powerful as nobody was dared enough to look into it except the priests. As recorded one person looked into it out of curiosity and died on the spot. Another such incident took place in Bethlehem and about 50000 people died in God’s judgment. So the power of God is beyond human perspective. Whenever God was forced into war He exposed His massive destructive power over the enemies.
The Everlasting Kingdom of God unity and against any enemy. This kind of results could take place only when Israelites were in the good books of God. The consequences of any war depended upon the loyalties of Israelites towards their Yehweh and also linked with the preservation of Israel as a nation and the Jewish concept of Holy war. And if we consider war, as second duty of God’s purposes we should recollect how other Holy wars were fought in the past against each other between Christians and Muslims. God wanted to keep His children by using His power. It does not mean He has no love for them. Man is weak by nature especially before God. So he needs proper guidance love and affection from God as small children need support from their parents.
God will take care of us because we are His children. Yehweh in the Old testament is not only violent in nature but also merciful and benevolent towards human kind. He appears in low voice as well as…in fire and storm. He is the father of His people so expects discipline and conduct from them. To keep His people in control sometimes He would expose to foreign aggression so that they might remember their godfather and cry unto Him for help. Then God with all His patience and royalty towards His children would save them from any danger. The most remarkable and praise worthy leaders at that time and also lawgiver to Jews was the great prophet Moses. He was considered to be the divine blessed leader and the prophet of east.
But in Jerusalem there is no room for such good people. In Jewish tradition a prophet as a man supposed to meet God frequently and then bring some good tidings as a spokesman of God. He was supposed to reveal to people how God looks like and what God commanded His people to do for His favor and also the prophet has to explain to the people what is going to happened to them in future. Moses was considered the earliest ancient prophet of Jews. There is one peculiar characteristic in Jerusalem unlike other kingdoms in the world. It has the strange blend of monotheism nationalism and a moral code.
During the eleventh century all the Jewish leaders planned for a king and monarchy for Israel like other countries around because they were disgusted with the rule of judges. Accordingly the descendant of Benjamin, Soul became the first king of Israel but somehow he became selfish and ruled against Gods will and so he was killed in the battle for his selfishness. The next king was David. He was a great warrior and established his kingdom most successfully by acquiring major part of Palestine and stormed the Canaanites also. He got the hill fortress of Jerusalem which he made his capital. In addition to that, he
The Everlasting Kingdom of God brought the Ark of covenant from “Shelloh” with all the pomp and glory in a big procession and in extreme joy. King David also danced with others in the public. As we see in the Bible king David was worthy to be kept as next national leader after Moses. He proved himself as an efficient and most successful king. He earned good name and fame in Jewish history.
King David was succeeded by his son Solomon who was called the richest and wisest king in his time. He was specially known for his wisdom, wealth, infatuation for foreign heathen women his construction of magnificent Gods temple with the Holy of Holies were note worthy. Because of the construction of Gods costliest temple Jerusalem became the most sacred city in the world. And also because of Gods chosen people and the Holy temple were there, it became the geographical and spiritual center of the world. As recorded in the history the major part of book of Genesis was written and compiled from earlier traditions during the time of king Solomon in which the full details of Gods creation and the planning of the world. The concept of God as a creator of universe and planner of the whole world is one of the main reasons to distinguish the Judaic religion from other religions. The world had the beginning and also will have an end. It was made by a maker and the creator and said “It was good” as mentioned in the Bible in the book of Genesis. As said above, the moral of the statement speaks about as neither evil nor pointless but our life has divine origin and some purpose behind it. Life is good and it shall be good and Atheism has no room in Judaism. King Solomon though treated by the world leaders as the wisest man on earth had his own weaknesses he became a womanizer and took 700 women as wives and kept 300 women as concubines. In addition to that he lived with Queen of Sheba also and got a son through her according to history. God did not want to leave Solomon unpunished for his too many heathen wives and his idol worship. So he cursed him by saying that his kingdom would be divided into two after his death.
Accordingly, a Northern kingdom was formed with 10 tribes called the kingdom of Israel with Samaria as the capital and Jeroboam as the king likewise the Southern kingdom was formed with two tribes of Judah and Benjamin which was called the kingdom of Judah with Jerusalem as its capital and Rehoboam son of king Solomon became the king but within a short time wars continued between the two kingdoms They, struggled for their powers and the existence. In the meantime, Sargon 11 of Assyria occupied northern kingdom and deported thousands of Israelites to the Mesopotamia, Iran, etc… and these Israelites who were deported in due course had vanished into the limbo (means
The Everlasting Kingdom of God a situation from which one cannot decide what to do next). They became once and for all the last tribe of Israel and they were forgotten as Israel forever. They were replaced history by the Assyrian settlers who intermarried with the surrounding Northern (Israelites) to form a people called Samaritans on whom the Southern Jews developed complete hatred towards them and that hostility has been continued for centuries. They were looked down upon as if they were outcast. The Southern kingdom of Judah was also controlled by Assyrians at different times then by Egyptians and Babylonians and in 586 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar II destroyed the temple and city of Jerusalem. He took away all gold things and thousands of men as captives to Babylon.
According to Yehweh it is believed that troubled history of both kingdoms was due to continuous lapses from the monotheism of many kings and people who went on “Whoring” of foreign gods and worshipping them as well as Yehweh simultaneously. The same blunder was committed by king Solomon also who imported (foreign) Egyptian and Canaanite gods and goddesses along with his wives. The Israelites who settled in Palestine became good agriculturalists the kings of both Israel and Judah used to pay homage to Canaanite god Baal, the god of storm and winter rains and his concept was goddess Acherah. Their blind belief was that they would get good rains for their crops. Eliza was a prophet who lived at that time when Ahab and Jezebel as wife and husband ruling Israel. It was typical heathen family Eliza means (Yehweh is God). The prophet attacked Ahab and Jezebel for encouraging the cult of Baal and Acherah, with such a ferocity. We all know how the great prophet won the wonderful victory over the priests of Baal on the mount of Carmel by calling down the lightening from heaven which the priest could not do that. This incident made Ahab and his wife terribly angry upon the prophet and he had to flee from their sight in order to save his life.
The Assyrians became a menace to the people of Northern kingdom. They turned fully towards idol worship. In such a typical situation prophets like Amos, Isaiah, Micah came forward to set right the Jewish nation as far as possible. They planned to bring them back to their true and living God. They did not care for surrounding events but spokes strongly in support of the Jewish religion. The heart of that prophetic message was so powerful that it came from God the king of heaven who rules the world. Apart from that God is Holy moral being , the God of righteousness, the God of justice, and of compassion, and of descent living with His creative humanity. So these four prophets attacked
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They checked the secular and naturalistic way of life. They checked the luxury and exploitation of the poor. They felt that this exploitation had inflicted Israel more as the consequences of their settled life in Palestine and wealth from foreign trades. The prophets expressed that “Sin” means not only doing crime or offending others by any means but even breaking the laws of God come under that. We may think “Sin” means ritual or moral transgression but the prophets stressed more on moral behavior. “He had showed you O man what is good and what does. The Lord requires of you, but to do justice and to love kindness and to walk humbly with our God.” As God is always righteous, He expects the same from His people though Indian religious no doubt do not condemn immorality seriously. Judaic religion puts more emphasis on “Sin” an intolerance behavior on the part of man against God. It is like a barrier between God man between man and salvation that is to say, the Judaic religion gave more importance to sexual morality. The strange characteristic of Jewish God in the opinion of foreigners is that He has no wife no goddess as a Queen. And also He has no family, no biography and no visible representation, no making of images of God, which is strictly prohibited in Jewish law. So this Jewish God could not have a consort like heathen god Baal and Indian gods, because “Yahwehuism” was monotheistic. The hidden fact is that God is above sex and it gives impression of ungodliness.
When God created man and woman with different sex, He had some plan in His mind. His plan was continuation of humanity including all spices in nature and other than this is nothing but sexual abuse. The Babylonian captives continued there for about 120 years and some of them were deported to Mesopotamia and to other places. Some of them were well prospered in exile and some of them never returned to Palestine. But they were not prevented from their religious practices and at the same time some Jews became idol worshippers. Some of them who had strong faith used to say “we sat by the waters of Babylon and wept and added O Jerusalem if I forget you let my right hand wither.”
But prophet Ezekiel comforted then by saying that they would be taken to their homeland one day. The situation was such Jerusalem had no king, no Temple, and even the religion was only the scripture. With this, we can understand how far the people could remember the Old Testament and in a short time to the good luck of the Jews. Babylon was conquered by the Persian king Cyrus the great and then Palestine became part of Achaemenid Empire. As
The Everlasting Kingdom of God a result, king Cyrus allowed some of the exiled Jews to return to their desolated Jerusalem.
Then under the leadership of Zerubbabel and some others, started rebuilding of the city and the Temple even though there was some obstruction and Yehweh returned to His earthly home and king Cyrus was kind enough to send back the remaining Jews also to Jerusalem from Babylon including all Temple utensils and Menorah the seven lighted stand. For about two hundred years Judah around Jerusalem region became Persian province and Jerusalem was under the imperial influence of Zoarstrian ideas. The monarchy was not restored in their rule and the immediate political authority came into the hands of high priest in Jerusalem. And he was supported by aristocratic priestly families. Outside Judah also there were some Jewish communities in Babylonian and Egypt. Just at that time, Achalminean Empire fell into the hands of Alexander the great a famous Greek Emperor and his successors kept Judah in their control for another two hundred years.
During this period, the Jews were attracted to the current Hellenistic culture with its mingling of gods religious and philosophies from Greece, Mesopotamia, Syrian, Iran and Egypt. Some of the Jews almost became slaves to that culture but some bluntly refused to accept. These two groups among Jews continued for sometime. Then this Hellenizing trend reached its pinnacle under a particular priest who took the Greek name “Jason” He tried even to change Jerusalem as Greek city. In such circumstances some young artist tolerance and priests who gave more importance to traditions resorted to surgery to make themselves to appear uncircumcised. There were roits everywhere. These conditions forced the seduced ruler Antiochus who called himself Epiphanies. The manifest of God came to Jerusalem to restore peace and order by his
th power(Epiphany is the name of a Christian festival that comes on January 6 in memory of time when magic three wise men came to see baby Jesus in Bethlehem.)
He supported Jason for his steps against Jews and decided to restore order in his dominions by stamping out Jewish religion circumcision observance of Sabbath and other Jewish customs totally prohibited. He made all traditions null and void and Jerusalem’s Holy Temple was changed into a sanctuary of “Zeus” a Greek sky God. Then pigs were sacrificed to that god on the great altar of Yehweh. Then the prostitutes were installed in the Temple of God. The profanation the abomination of desolation as it was called touched the wounded
The Everlasting Kingdom of God hearts of Jews. The result is their reaction was immediate and fierce. Five brothers of Hasmanean family led by Judas known as Maccabaeus the Hammerer conducted a successful war against Syrians.
The result of the war was that the enemies were driven out of Jerusalem. The Temple was purified and rededicated to God in 165 B.C. this remarkable incident was commemorated ever since at Hanukkah, the festival of lights and that used to be lustrated in December with this the Jews achieved the right to observe their religious customs and in 142 B.C. got their independence under Simon the last of Maccabaeus brothers as a high priest and ruler. Still the dispute continued and in the mean time the Romans interfered under the leadership of Pomphy the great.
He stormed Jerusalem and thousands of people were slaughtered like animals at the altar of Yehweh now Judah was swallowed by Roman authorities and ruled by puppet rulers and one of them was Herod the great. He became notorious for political murders and too many wives and marriages. Any way he was successful in maintaining peace. He rebuilt God’s Temple in a magnificent way. But it is said he died of some repulsive disease and people thought. He died such obscure death for his inequalities. When Jews were in such turmoil and suffering during the second and first centuries B.C. some scholars expected God to send a savior Messiah, a redeemer or the anointed one, a king of the house of David who would lead Israel in victory over foreign oppressors and tormentors. According to the prophecy foreign nations would be converted to Yehweh and the Messiah establish His kingdom with Jerusalem as its capital and it would be called the kingdom of righteousness, peace, and prosperity.
The ideal kingdom of David in the past would be projected as future kingdom of Messiah as a superhuman figure but not as a divine one and he would be called the son of David. The concept of last victory was translated by some writers into a picture of great battle between cosmic powers forces of light and forces of darkness. Some people believed that after triumph God would destroy the old world and create a new one. It would be an ideal world of holiness beauty, fertility, and happiness. It would remain forever. It was also believed by some elite that not only faithful who will be living at that time but also the faithful who died already see the newly established kingdom of God. The older Jewish traditions were concerned with the destiny and ultimately triumph of the nation as a whole not with the salvation of individual man and woman but the main purpose of living was only to serve God by multiplying
The Everlasting Kingdom of God the Holy nation by increasing the population. The time from the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple in 70 AD to the end of fifth century came to limelight another authentic book called “Talmud”. It was compelled with details regarding the way of life of Jews and their faith. But it was only next to the Bible. The Talmud recorded about learned people in rabbis the correct interpretation of scriptures, the right living of daily life including ethical rules of diet and hygiene regulation for services and festivals. The Talmud was also like a treasure with sermons model stories legends and popular love lores. Though the Bible is considered ultimate authority regarding the lifestyle of Jews they treated Talmud also another Bible. It contained various items connected to their daily life.
In spite of frequent changes during all these centuries Talmud remained as a book of traditional Jewish devotions and rites. Most of the orthodox and liberal Jews observed the covenants of this book even today. But the present day, tendency is that people want the customs interpreted symbolically the obligation of the devoted person is that he should think about God every morning for giving him another day in his life because it is God’s gift. Next, he must wash both of his hands and say grace before every meal. Actually, the rules concerning to food are really complicated. Prayers are to be conducted in the morning afternoon and evening. If anybody wants to be strict in observing all this code of contact he must bear fringed garments to show that he is completely consecrated himself to God. He must observe each day in the following manner. He must wear fringed shawl during morning prayers called Tallib and all the week days the Tefllil on the head and arm near the heart. Some small boxes would be kept with some wise sayings from the Bible which were written in Hebrew language on parchments. The prime importance of this is to instruct the faithful to love God and to his mind hand and heart to His services. Prayers had to be done to God everyday in Hebrew language in synagogues. At that time the worshippers must keep their heads covered to show their reverence to God. The Temple and synagogues are the same as far as the establishments were concerned. There would be continuous light in the synagogues like the light of menorah in the temple because God created light. The scrolls of Torah handwritten would be kept hanging along with Turenkling silver bells in the Ark at the last end at the time of Sabbath service reading scriptures prayers and sermons would take place. The scrolls would be taken from the Ark at that time and carried them in a procession around the congregation that remain standing. At that time they would recollect past great festivals like Passover which indicate the rebirth of Israelites. They used to
The Everlasting Kingdom of God celebrate this Passover festival as if it was their birthday. They would eat only unleavened bread and bitter herbs as remainder of their oppression of slavery in Egypt and drink wine to forget their sarrow and come to enjoy the life of freedom.
In the autumn season they would celebrate the festival of “Sukkoth.” They would also observe a New Year festival called “Rash Hashanah” as the birthday of the world and the anniversary function of the creation. The “Shofar” the rams horn trumpet would be blown in Synagogues to hail God as the king of the whole world and to call mankind to His presence. After that prayers were conducted for a prosper and happy New Year to come then the next ten days they would spend their time in admitting their sins and repent for them. They prayed to God for His forgiveness also. In this period of introspection and the confession of their faith would culminate in the day of Yon Kippur or the Day of Atonement. It is said in Palestine the sins of people ritually kept on the head of a goat and then drive it into the desert. The devotees would not eat anything on that day but spend that day in prayers in synagogues where their sins were confessed. Finally, the festival would end with the blowing of the Shofar to atone means literally to become at one with God through repentance and His forgiveness. On this day God’s presence is clearly sensed by all devotees though there was periodical persecution and harassment. The intellectuals flourished well in some Muslim countries like Spain and Egypt. But during middle ages those people had some tolerance towards monotheistic religion of Judaism yet these people did not believe in Christianity. And with the compilation of Talmud Judaism became stronger in the sight of people. For years, the Jews who settled Christian European countries there was a radical change because of the crusaders. The Fanaticism of Christian against Muslims automatically spread among Jews also. Many stories were spread among Christians about Jews slaughtering children and used their blood for secret rites. These conditions forced Jews to live in Ghettoes and big walled quarters. Another important thing in the case of Jews was that they became popular in the public as money lenders but due to that above said position the Jews stopped giving money to Christians. As a result they were expelled from European countries. Many fled from Germany and many more massacred in the polish war against Russian and Sweden. Then the partition of Poland in eighteenth century put one million Jews under Russian rule who happened to settle in the area from the “Baltic to the black sea at Odessa.” But the Jewish prostitutes were allowed freely to settle wherever they wanted.
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There are many more incidents of different people and the harassment faced by them for centuries in European countries. It is said some parts of Europe Jewish woman were forced to wear dressed with bells at the bottom so that they would be distinguished wherever they moved. Such a miserable life they led for many years. Above all, the most pathetic was killing of six million Jews by Hitler during the Second World War by keeping them in the concentrated camps. This is really a land mark in Jewish history. However, in nineteenth century the Western Europe saw some freedom from the medieval countries. The eighteenth century worship of reason carried it and they gave more importance to tradition and demanded freedom, tolerance, and inequity by granting liberty and brotherhood Napoleon opened all the Ghettoes in Europe and the Jews after they were liberated from Ghettoes tried to contribute their might in the field of philosophy, science, art and scholarship in the west. The founding father of this school of thought and reformed movement was a philosopher and educator “Moses Mendelssohn” who spent most of his life in Brittan and he was treated as German Plato. He condensed the fundamentals of Judaism in to three brief points. Belief in God’s providence or plan for the world and in the immortality of the soul. His translation of Pentateuch (the five books of Moses or Torah) in to German language encouraged the German Jewish people to speak German freely instead of “Yeddish.” The Jewish German vernacular and to think of themselves as Germans and as well Jewish. The outcome of this reformation was that the first reformed Temple was constructed in Germany in 1810 but his name was not like the old synagogue. The reformed movement which flourished well in the united states particularly set out to modernize the faith and simplify the ritual to Jews who had come from the ghettoes who wished to live with non Jews with their equal terms. The reformation teachers considered many of the Jewish traditional rules observances and dieting rulers, customs were all unnecessary.
But all these reformation principles were bitterly opposed by some orthodox Jews and openly criticized their abandoning Jewishness. The religion was reduced to a vague ethical monotheism and encouraged apostary. The orthodox Jews strongly believed that Torah came directly from God and so they should not forget that truth. There are three divisions of Jews in the United States today with their own pattern of synagogues and school of thought they are – reform, orthodox, and conservative. On the other hand many western Jews have accepted Christianity or seized to follow any faith. The result of that was the revival of Jewish powerful nationalism was created with a demand for
The Everlasting Kingdom of God creation of a new Jewish state. The effective founder of this Zionist movement was “Theodor huze” he was a Hungarian Jewish journalist who called himself for the establishment of a home for the Jewish people in Palestine with the help of international law. Then the first Zionist congress was held in Switzerland and that movement was attended and received strong support from oppressed Jews in the Eastern Europe.
The orthodox Jews approved this Zionism and appealed to other Jews who have already lost faith in their religion. After 1917 the British government pledged unconditional support to Jews and then they began to emigrate to Palestine which was already fully occupied by Arabs, who had settled centuries ago. Actually who must have been responsible for the success of Zionism? It was the unparalleled massacre of Jews in Germany by the dictator Adolf Hitler at that time who brutally killed six million Jews during the second world war. He did this heinous crime with the help of other Germany occupied countries. It is really more than one third of the world Jewish population. The previous opponents of Zionism have changed their minds and called for the state of Israel and it was declared in 1948 by the British government. Zion has regained its promised land after 200 years of exile and depression. It became once more Jewish land and within 10 years period about one million Jews from 60 countries returned to their homeland (Israel). Zionism is as a matter of fact a political but not a religious movement. Still it appealed to the sentiments echoed the towering promises of the prophets in the Bible.
Actually, there are Zionists who saw and still who see the creation of Israel’s divine mission for the coming of the kingdom on the earth. The state of Israel was Israel’s achievement. The people have given to Jewish communities a fresh hope and confidence in their national and religious conditions. CHAPTER -8
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BUILDING OF THE SECOND TEMPLE
According to the historical and the Biblical information the construction of the second Temple was started on the same day of Babylonian army burnt the first Temple called Solomon’s Temple. And on the same foundations it was constructed. From that very day of the destruction and taking away many wise and young men as captives to Babylon the limited member of Jews in Jerusalem did not stop weeping. They humbly begged God for His mercy and have His Temple again. On the other hand the exiled Jews in Babylon turned their faces toward Jerusalem Temple and requested God in their prayers to take them back to Israel so that they would rebuild His Holy House. The marks made by the Babylonian army clearly indicated that the damage done to the Temple was beyond to their imagination and most barbarous.
So the Temple remained in that desolate condition for some decades. Added to that most of the Jews lived out of their native land for centuries and also the throne of king David remained vacant after the last Davidic dynastic ruler Zedekiah who brutally killed by the king Nebuchadnezzar. Now let us study briefly the history of the second Temple and its construction after the return of the exiled Jews after seventy years. According to history, the Percian king Cyrus the Great defeated Babylon and sent back the exiles to Judah. Actually ‘Babel’ was the Hebrew name for Babylon, which became the capital city of the Babylonian kingdom and this same Babylon later became the central Iraq. We can see in the Bible the king Nimrod was the founder of this ancient city. He was called the mighty and powerful king of his time.
We see in the Bible, how people built the tower of Babel with his guidance to worship the terrestrial heavenly bodies like the sun, the moon and stars. The result was that God saw the structure and confused their languages and cheeked rebellious idolaters. The glory of that Babylonian kingdom reached its pinnacle during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar. He ruled for 43 years and became most powerful king on the earth. Babylon’s city was of 350 feet high brick walled and 15 miles long on all sides that was done for the protection of one million people is worth to note. This wonderful city was well known to the world for its beauty, for its paved streets, massive walls, and the temple of Marduk god. Its beautiful Ishtar gate was carved with turquoise white and gold glazed tiles in a design of golden lions and bulls. Above all Babylonian most wonderful hanging gardens were considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
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Such name and fame came to an end, when the united kingdom of Percian and Media, waged war against Babylon in 534 B.C. The Persian Empire was spread from Egypt to India and as far North of the modern Turkey Persia remained as a powerful kingdom for about 200 years, until it was changed into modern Iran in 1935. Media was located in north western part of Iran today. This Media was also conquered by Cyrus in 550 B.C. But the good relationship between the two countries prompted them to merge into one vast country as
th Medo-Persia. Prophet Daniel gave a clear picture in the 5 chapter of his book how this Babylonian empire fell into the hands of Persia on the fateful night. It happened on a national holiday when King Belshazzar hosted one thousand princes of his kingdom in honour of Babylonian gods.
Belshazzar, without caring for the presence of the Persia army outside the strong walls of the city, ordered for the vessels that were brought from the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, by Nebuchadnezzar. The king kept those gold and silver vessels in the Temple of Marduk, one of their gods for decades. The cups were given to all princes that Belshazzar drank wine with pride and arrogance as pride goes before ones fall. He exhibited his invincible nature, the greatness of his gods, and the strength of his army. This was treated as a supreme blasphemy and sacrilege against the Holy God of Heaven. The sacred vessels were also desecrated by the hands of idolatrous gentiles as they engaged themselves in the act of drunken debauchery in those sacred gold cups and honoured the man made gods.
Then all of a sudden, a large hand appeared visible from the wrist of the fingers. The hand floated above the lamp stand along the side wall of the banquet hall. After that the fingernail of its extended index finger wrote four Aramaic words, into the wall lit plaster. This scene created horror in the face of the king. His eyes were wide open desperately. His golden cup with wine was still at his lips. The blood drained totally from his face and the wine cup fell to the ground. Belshazzar fell to his seat and his legs began to shiver and became uncontrollable. There was a total disturbance in the entire banquet hall. Then people began to look at the strange words on the wall. Those words are Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin.
Belshazzar, then called for an emergency meeting of all his astrologers for the interpretation of that strange message from the God. They discussed among themselves but could not give satisfactory answer to the king. He became angry and restless. He cursed them for their failure. In such condition his mother
The Everlasting Kingdom of God ‘Nitocris’, the Queen of Babylon, tried to console him, but advised him to call for Daniel, who was made chief of all Wisemen during the reign of his father. She also certified that Daniel had wisdom to understand anything better than all.
Daniel was called for and he stood before Belshazzar who offered him the third highest position in the kingdom. Daniel gladly accepted to interpret the meaning of those four Aramian words but refused the personal gain.
Daniel revealed that the message was not from his gods like Bel Marduk or Nabee, but from the Most High God, the Lord of Heaven and sovereign over all kingdoms on earth. Daniel without any fear rebuked the king and said that he was responsible for the message as he rebelled against the one “True God” and added the reason for God’s anger for he desecrated the vessels of the Holy Temple with his arrogance. And also Belshazzar praised his false gods and refused to give glory to the sovereign God. So the message concerning his downfall appeared at that time.
Finally Daniel explained the words on the wall in the following manner. God had numbered (Mene) the days of Belshazzar’s reign and it was now finished. God had weighed Tekel him and found him unfit to rule and now God had divided (Parsin). Belshazzar’s kingdom between the Medes and the Persias. So Mene, Tekel, Parsia - these Aramian words means the days of the rule of Belshazzar were numbered, weighed and divided. God’s judgement is always balanced and brief. He had numbered weighed and divided His punishment on Belshazzar the king of Babylon. The main reasons, the Babylonian army destroyed God’s House. Belshazzar willingly blasphemed God by the desecration of the vessels of the Holy Temple. On these two reasons God wanted to take vengeance against Babylon. As Daniel explained correctly the meaning of those words what he said was fulfilled.
The Medo-Persia army planned a strategy to breach the strong walls of Babylon. They patiently waited till the end of the festival they were celebrating inside. The army dug a trench up stream and temporarily diverted the water of the Euphrates into a swampy area. Then the army entered the city through the shallow water at the water tunnel. The Percian army attacked the city and immediately killed Belshazzar. So on October 12, 539 B.C. Babylon was surrendered to Cyrus. The result was Darius, the Medes, got the appointment as the king under him for the newly captured Babylon.
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Prophet Daniel quoted the example of the longing desire of the remaining Jews and the desolate condition of the Temple. He himself was a captive, a Judean, a Davidic prince, and a close relative of the sons of king Josiah. He was taken as a captive in the first batch of deportation in 605 B.C. He was taken to Nebuchadnezzar’s place while he was in his teens (a teenaged boy). He was given training to be an official in the Babylonian government. Even after the conquest of Babylon by the Percian army Daniel retained his official post and became the highest of three presidents. He was supposed to report only to king Darius. Prayer was a moral bending in the case of Daniel as a believer who had deep rooted faith in God. He continued his regular duty of praying to God three times a day, though it was banned by the Percian law which carried a death penalty by wild lions.
The most astonishing thing is that the pattern of prayer followed by Daniel was still in existence with some people that is praying three times a day. This Jewish custom of three times prayer would take us back to King David who clearly said “Evening and morning and at noon will I Pray” (Psalms 55:17) Daniel prayed to God by turning his face towards the destroyed location of the Holy Temple. As a matter of fact this pattern of prayer was organized at the dedication of the first Temple when King Solomon asked the Lord to have His people when they shall pray towards this place (1 Kings 8:30).
In the year 539 BC the Percian rule started in Babylon. Daniel wholeheartedly and with more concern prayed to God for his people. He could know through the prophecy of prophet Jeremiah that God wanted to keep Jerusalem and the people in desolation for seventy years. Daniel believed that he and the other exits were in seventieth year. Yet it seemed there was no regret nor repentance in those people. Israel had not yet turned to God and so God might extend the exile indefinitely to punish them more. Daniel under stood how the first year of Persia rule was (539BC) and it was exactly the seventieth year of the desolation of Jerusalem.
Just at that critical time EZRA came into picture and commented that the prophecy of Jeremiah was fulfilled in the first year of Persia rule. Jeremiah also prophesised that seventy years of exile would result the fall of Babylon. It is said “when seventy years are accomplished that I will punish the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 25:11-12).
So, the seventy years of Jerusalem desolation started in 606 B.C. with the first deportation but not from the second deportation that took place in
The Everlasting Kingdom of God 597 BC, nor the third deportation with the total destruction of the Temple in 586 BC. After the fall of Babylon prophet Daniel sincerely prayed to God and mourned with sack clothes and ashes. He confessed his sin and the sin of his people. He humbly urged God to restore the Holy Temple. He prayed “O Lord according to all Thy righteousness, I beseech thee let Thy anger and Thy fury be turned away from Thy city Jerusalem, Thy holy mountain and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary, that is desolate for the Lords sake” (Daniel 9:16-
17). It is said in (James 5:16) that the continuous prayer of Daniel brought a quick answer from God and the position of exiles was changed almost by overnight.
Now the rule of Cyrus the great was quite different. He declared liberty and allowed people to go to their homelands. In the first year of his reign God prompted the king Cyrus to say, “The Lord God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth, and he hath charged me to build Him an house at Jerusalem which is in Judah (EZRA 1:2). King Cyrus declared his decree in the whole Persia empire and wrote it into the laws of Medes and the Persias the decree was given so much importance that it was quoted four times in scripture also. (2chronicles 36:21-23, EZRA 1:2-4, 5:13-15, 6:3-5) The declaration of king Cyrus contained five more important points.
1)The Temple should be rebuilt in Jerusalem; Cyrus received that by command
from the Lord.
2)The Jews who were exiled would be freed to return to Jerusalem. And the
total number of people that returned to their homeland in the first stage
were 42,360.
3)The Temple would be rebuilt on the same location and on the same
foundation of the first Temple. The king clearly mentioned the dimensions
of the Temple also.
4)Finance would be provided by the Persia government for the purchase of
required materials for the Temple and for initial sacrifices.
5)The holy vessels that were taken away by Nebuchadnezzar during his attack
would be returned safely. Cyrus released the treasureswhich the former
king plundered and kept in the Temple at his god Marduk. The release of
the vessels of the Temple was the fulfilment of the Lord’s promise to preserve
and return the Jews to their home land.
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The king then commanded the treasury officials to prepare the list of the vessels of the Temple that they had at that time. But they could give the list of only some they are :
1)Gold basins-30
2)Silver basins-1,000
3)Pans of censers-29
4)Gold bowels-30
5)Silver bowels-410