The Evolution of Old Testament ReligionOrchard, W. E. (William Edwin)
Religion
The Evolution of Old Testament Religion
Orchard, W. E. (William Edwin)
Bible. Old Testament -- Theology; Judaism -- History -- To 70 A.D.
will I visit upon you all your iniquities." They fall back again
and again on His absolute fidelity and truthfulness. The arbitrary
character which is ascribed to Jehovah in the Books of Samuel has
completely disappeared; the Prophet can say: "Come and let us reason
together, saith Jehovah."
Universalism is the necessary corollary to Monotheism, but the strong
sense of Israel as His chosen instrument hinders the clear statement
of this truth by the Prophets. A particular regard for Israel still
colours their vision; but they are altogether against the popular
estimate in maintaining that this choice was made solely as a means
for reaching the whole world. Universalism is seen forming in the idea
that Jehovah is concerned with the punishment of other nations, since
He it is who will punish them for their sins; not only for their hatred
of His chosen, but for their cruelty to other nations: He will punish
Moab for his inhumanity to Edom (Amos ii. 1). This is a great advance.
Even when the surrounding nations afflict Israel it is not because the
Lord has no control over them, but it is He that raises up the hostile
powers as instruments of His chastisement. Even kinder views are to be
found in Amos, in whose tiny book we find nearly all the characteristic
ideas of the Prophets; for Jehovah is said to have been concerned in
the early migratory movements not only of the Hebrews, but of the
hated Philistines and Assyrians (Amos ix. 7). The grand universalism
of Isaiah xix. 19-25 only needs us to recall the part that Egypt and
Assyria played in the history of Israel, in order to appreciate its
magnanimity. Yet in spite of these passages, the outlook as a whole
is centred on Israel, and works of a definitely universalistic nature
could hardly have found a place in the canon. This spirit probably made
it necessary for the writer of "Jonah" to embody his universalistic
doctrines in the form of an obscure parable about a Prophet and a
whale. It was the same national bigotry that led to the rejection of
the Son of man.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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