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Current Research in Israel in Archaeological and Text Stu...

Current Research in Israel in Archaeological and Text Studies: Biblical Doctrine and Principles Re-Examined

Dr. Roy B. Blizzard
First Session – January 25, 1988

Introduction

To begin with it is essential that you wipe your mind clean like the chalk is wiped off of a blackboard. Forget that you knew anything and approach this study with the attitude of “I don’t know anything, and I’m just going to approach each of these particular issues and see what the Lord wants to write on the spiritual slate of my mind.”

The real difficult thing that I had to come to grips with was the fact that about 98% of everything that we have ever believed and have ever been taught in Christianity is wrong. A couple of years ago, a colleague of mine, David Bivin, and I were working on a manuscript, Jesus, the Rabbi and His Rabbinic Method of Teaching, and in the middle of the study he said, “Roy, let’s make a list of everything that we know is wrong in Christianity.”

They decided to put down the things that are universally taught in Christianity that are right. They couldn’t come up with one thing that is universally taught in Christendom that is right. David went back home and wrote back a letter from the Jerusalem School, where they sat down and tried to figure out something that was rightfully taught. Since they couldn’t come up with anything, they did write down a number of theological errors into which the Church has fallen, largely because it divorced itself from its original Hebraic roots.

Key Contrasts: Judaism and Christianity

1. Nature of God

Judaism: The nature of God is that He is one! (Monotheism of the Scriptures).

Christianity: The nature of God is Trinitarianism, Tritheism, or Dualism.

2. Nature of Man

Judaism: The nature of man is the same as the nature of God. If God is one, then so is man. God is a unity of the sum and total of all of His parts, and man, therefore, is a unity of the sum and total of all of his parts.

Christianity: If God is a triune being, then man also has to be a triune being. Thus, we talk of the Trinity of man. In some instances, you’ll find those who will speak of the duality of man. Basically, the Christian concept of man is that he is a triune being of body–soul–spirit.

3. Nature of Sin

Judaism: Man is born good and he is what his parents are, which is the reason the parents are enjoined to bring up a child in the way that he should go, and when he comes to the age of accountability (the time for bar mitzvah) when the boy and girl become a son or daughter of the covenant, they are what their parents are. At the age of accountability, they make a public declaration that they will continue to walk in the ways of their fathers.

Christianity: Basically, it teaches the doctrine of original sin proposed in the fifth century by Augustine. This declares that man is not just born evil, but that he is conceived in evil. From the moment of conception, when the sperm unites with the egg and cellular division begins, that which is formed within the womb is evil, a sinner that is in need of redemption. Man is a victim of original sin and therefore has no choice but to sin.

4. Forgiveness of Sin (Atonement)

Judaism: There are two (2) categories of sin:

Willful sin – for which there is no provision made for atonement. The person who commits it is just cut off. That person could have at one time been in fellowship with God. This means that the Jewish view completely cuts the foundation right out from under the Christian idea of eternal security, which is totally foreign to the Hebrew mind. It’s not even a concept that the Hebrew mind can identify with.

Weakness of the flesh (missing the mark) – for these sins, provisions for atonement were made.

Christianity: Man may sin in this life and still be saved if he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that one of the greatest heresies perpetuated in Christianity today is the heresy of “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” This leads to the doctrine of eternal security. So as long as you believe, you can do whatever you want to and you’ll ultimately be saved. You may even sin in this life and be pardoned by God in the next life if you’ve got enough concerned relatives who will pray and pay to get you out of Purgatory. This view results in all kinds of unbiblical doctrines relative to eternal security, Purgatory, etc.

5. The Devil

Judaism: He is a created being who was created by God and is subject to God. God also created hell and He owns it, and He decides who goes there. The Devil is subject to God.

Christianity: In most cases, unconsciously, our concept of God—and therefore the Devil—is dualistic. The Devil has power, and there are two equal forces in the world (good and evil) warring against one another, but ultimately good is going to prevail over evil.

6. Organizational Structure of the Community of God

Judaism: The community of God is an autonomous, self-governed organism. The functionaries are equally involved in religious life as well as secular life. There is no ecclesiastical hierarchy, no paid clergy. It is a community that emphasizes the priesthood of all of its members. The highest spiritual authority in the community is the community itself.

Christianity: We have a concept of church as opposed to community. Church is a building, a denomination, or something one does on Sunday, like a religious service. It does not have the same organizational functionaries as the community of God revealed in the biblical text. It is ecclesiastical and hierarchical.

7. Mission of the Community–Church

Judaism: There is an emphasis upon two things that are intricately interwoven and inseparably linked together:

Study – the highest form of worship is study. The pious in Judaism would ask: “What is the purpose of study?” The purpose is not just an intellectual exercise, but to lead men into action and service to the community. Biblical faith can be summed up in two words: Study and Action.

Christianity: A strong emphasis upon preaching the gospel, evangelizing, etc. Usually, those evangelized are part of other denominations, so preaching and evangelizing are often directed toward those who are already saved instead of serving as instruction for spiritual growth.

8. Salvation

Judaism: The Rabbis desired that the rule of God, in the lives of these people, might be extended over all the earth. Their concept of mission is to extend that kingdom. But, they believe that the righteous of all nations will have their part in the world to come, even though they don’t happen to be members of the community.

Christianity: If one is not a member of the church, and often a particular denomination, they will go to hell. What does it mean to be saved? We throw out all of these theological catch terms, and most of us don’t have any idea of what they mean. What does it mean to be saved? Does that mean that we’ll get to go to heaven? Is it something that keeps us out of Hell? Saved, according to Biblical faith, is not something that gets you into heaven, and sin is not something that causes you to go to hell. Just about all of the words that we use, like sin, salvation, and righteousness, are words that have completely different meanings in Hebrew than they do in English.

9. Spirituality

Judaism: Saved is not something that gets you into heaven. The concept of Biblical faith is a concept in which all life is sacred and in which one is living in eternity today. Spirituality is a thing of this world rather than otherworldly.

Christianity: The whole focus of one’s life is basically otherworldly, rather than seeing spirituality as an aspect of one’s life in the here and now. This has two implications:

In Christianity, we tend to compartmentalize our lives. There are those aspects that are secular and others that are spiritual, like going to church, etc. A secular activity would be going to the toilet. Nobody would think that would be very spiritual. Did you know that there is a prayer that you pray when you go to the toilet? You thank God that you are able to go.

Basically and fundamentally, Christianity is a religion of death! People are just waiting to die to get their reward. “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.” “Mansions over on the hilltop.” If I can just struggle through this world, I’ll get to the pearly gates, streets of gold, etc. People get excited about being able to die and getting to go to heaven. Much of our preaching has to do with what heaven is going to be like and staying out of hell. Because of this concept of spirituality, it influences our concept of benevolence.

10. Benevolence

Judaism: We can sum up the whole of Biblical faith in one word: tzedakah (צְדָקָה). In English, it is translated as “righteousness,” but it really doesn’t mean that. In Hebrew, tzedakah is used in two senses:

In the broad sense of the meaning of the word, it refers to God’s salvation. Many times it is used synonymously for salvation.

In the narrow sense of the word, and in the practical application in daily life, tzedakah can be translated as “charity” or “almsgiving.”

In this concept of Biblical faith, benevolence is something one does for his fellow man (poor, naked, sick). And it is not just limited to those of the community—it is for all! That’s the reason why no other people on the face of the earth, who were themselves impoverished, would go to such lengths, at great expense and cost of human life, to assist others from completely different faiths who were impoverished and threatened with annihilation, than the Jews.

The great sacrifice they have made in Lebanon when the rest of the Christian world couldn’t have cared less, when 200,000 Lebanese Christians were slaughtered by the Muslim Arabs—no one said a word, not one religious organization or denomination—until the Israelis started beating the poor Arabs over the head.

Christianity: Benevolence is giving to ministries.

11. Identity

Judaism: There are just two classes of people:

Those who are a part of the family of God.

Those who aren’t.

Those who are a part of the family of God are called Jews, and those who are not are called Gentiles or pagans. One is either born into the family of God or becomes a part of the family by a process known as proselytization.

Christianity: The church is Gentile. It has no part in Israel. The Jews have been rejected, cut off, because they crucified Jesus, rejected their Messiah, and they have now been replaced by the Church, which is the new Israel. Israel is spiritualized, and references to Israel in Scripture are basically referring to the Church when blessings are concerned, not physical Israel. Christians have lost, basically, all concepts of Jewish identity or the Hebrew foundations of their faith.

12. Nature of This Life

Judaism: This life is preparation for the world to come. This is the Biblical perspective. Trials and temptations come from God’s hand and are often blessings in disguise to correct or refine our character.

Christianity: One can basically order God around! God becomes a servant who is subject to the whims of the individual Christian. One can write one’s own ticket by speaking to God. Trials and temptations are a curse. They don’t come from God but the Devil, and there is no reason that we should ever experience any of them if we just use positive confession.

13. Bible

Judaism: It is basically a Hebrew document. It is referred to as the Written Word. But, as the Written Word, it is not all of the communication of God to His people. There is a vast volume of material that equally comes from God that was communicated orally as opposed to written form, known as the Oral Law.

Christianity: Part of the Bible is a Hebrew document, but the New Testament is basically Greek, a Hellenistic document. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God.

14. Prophecy (and the Time of the End)

Judaism: One cannot know the coming of the Lord nor the time of the end, nor should one even speculate about these things. But one should continually keep his garments through repentance because His coming is going to be sudden, like a thief in the night.

Christianity: Have an unbalanced fascination in Bible prophecy. We are interested in the signs of the times, end-time events, etc. The coming of the Lord will be soon! He really won’t be unexpected since the believer will be able to interpret the signs of His coming.

15. Faith

Judaism: Faith equals action or faithfulness.

Christianity: Faith equals belief.

16. Response Towards Evil

Judaism: Has legitimacy in defending oneself. Defense of one’s person and property is not just proper but expected.

Christianity: Passive resistance or the belief that there is religious merit in suffering and persecution (turning the other cheek).

17. Marriage and Sex

Judaism: Marriage is a partnership. Husband and wife are considered equals, and the sexual relationship is good and not evil. It is so good that it is called “sanctification” or “holy.” The injunction is that a man should have sexual relations with his wife on the Sabbath, for a thing of holiness should be done at the time of holiness by holy people.

Christianity: The woman is seen as an inferior and subservient individual who is to be in forced submission to her husband. Sex is inherently sinful, and there is the erroneous Christian view that abstinence from sex is meritorious. Even marital sex is at the very least a “venial” sin, or one that can be forgiven, as opposed to a “mortal” sin.

18. Science in the Bible

Judaism: There is no conflict between the two. The Bible and the words of the Bible are couched in such abstract terms that it is really impossible to translate these ambiguous concepts into English. The Hebrew, the nature of the language itself, doesn’t contain the mechanism to express itself in scientific terms. Narratives in the Bible relating to scientific accounts, such as creation, are just simple narratives. When lined up against the very best that we know in science, there are no fundamental conflicts.

Christianity: We look at the Bible as being literal and infallible. So we have to go to great lengths to explain how the earth was created in six literal days of 24 hours each. So we have constructed all kinds of theories (Reconstructionism – “the gap theory,” Creationism). These are the two most popular.

Biblical Doctrine and Principles Re-Examined

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Current Research in Israel in Archaeological and Text Studies: Biblical Doctrine and Principles Re-Examined

Dr. Roy B. Blizzard
First Session – January 25, 1988

Introduction

To begin with it is essential that you wipe your mind clean like the chalk is wiped off of a blackboard. Forget that you knew anything and approach this study with the attitude of “I don’t know anything, and I’m just going to approach each of these particular issues and see what the Lord wants to write on the spiritual slate of my mind.”

The real difficult thing that I had to come to grips with was the fact that about 98% of everything that we have ever believed and have ever been taught in Christianity is wrong. A couple of years ago, a colleague of mine, David Bivin, and I were working on a manuscript, Jesus, the Rabbi and His Rabbinic Method of Teaching, and in the middle of the study he said, “Roy, let’s make a list of everything that we know is wrong in Christianity.”

They decided to put down the things that are universally taught in Christianity that are right. They couldn’t come up with one thing that is universally taught in Christendom that is right. David went back home and wrote back a letter from the Jerusalem School, where they sat down and tried to figure out something that was rightfully taught. Since they couldn’t come up with anything, they did write down a number of theological errors into which the Church has fallen, largely because it divorced itself from its original Hebraic roots.

Key Contrasts: Judaism and Christianity

1. Nature of God

Judaism: The nature of God is that He is one! (Monotheism of the Scriptures).

Christianity: The nature of God is Trinitarianism, Tritheism, or Dualism.

2. Nature of Man

Judaism: The nature of man is the same as the nature of God. If God is one, then so is man. God is a unity of the sum and total of all of His parts, and man, therefore, is a unity of the sum and total of all of his parts.

Christianity: If God is a triune being, then man also has to be a triune being. Thus, we talk of the Trinity of man. In some instances, you’ll find those who will speak of the duality of man. Basically, the Christian concept of man is that he is a triune being of body–soul–spirit.

3. Nature of Sin

Judaism: Man is born good and he is what his parents are, which is the reason the parents are enjoined to bring up a child in the way that he should go, and when he comes to the age of accountability (the time for bar mitzvah) when the boy and girl become a son or daughter of the covenant, they are what their parents are. At the age of accountability, they make a public declaration that they will continue to walk in the ways of their fathers.

Christianity: Basically, it teaches the doctrine of original sin proposed in the fifth century by Augustine. This declares that man is not just born evil, but that he is conceived in evil. From the moment of conception, when the sperm unites with the egg and cellular division begins, that which is formed within the womb is evil, a sinner that is in need of redemption. Man is a victim of original sin and therefore has no choice but to sin.

4. Forgiveness of Sin (Atonement)

Judaism: There are two (2) categories of sin:

Willful sin – for which there is no provision made for atonement. The person who commits it is just cut off. That person could have at one time been in fellowship with God. This means that the Jewish view completely cuts the foundation right out from under the Christian idea of eternal security, which is totally foreign to the Hebrew mind. It’s not even a concept that the Hebrew mind can identify with.

Weakness of the flesh (missing the mark) – for these sins, provisions for atonement were made.

Christianity: Man may sin in this life and still be saved if he believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. I believe that one of the greatest heresies perpetuated in Christianity today is the heresy of “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you shall be saved.” This leads to the doctrine of eternal security. So as long as you believe, you can do whatever you want to and you’ll ultimately be saved. You may even sin in this life and be pardoned by God in the next life if you’ve got enough concerned relatives who will pray and pay to get you out of Purgatory. This view results in all kinds of unbiblical doctrines relative to eternal security, Purgatory, etc.

5. The Devil

Judaism: He is a created being who was created by God and is subject to God. God also created hell and He owns it, and He decides who goes there. The Devil is subject to God.

Christianity: In most cases, unconsciously, our concept of God—and therefore the Devil—is dualistic. The Devil has power, and there are two equal forces in the world (good and evil) warring against one another, but ultimately good is going to prevail over evil.

6. Organizational Structure of the Community of God

Judaism: The community of God is an autonomous, self-governed organism. The functionaries are equally involved in religious life as well as secular life. There is no ecclesiastical hierarchy, no paid clergy. It is a community that emphasizes the priesthood of all of its members. The highest spiritual authority in the community is the community itself.

Christianity: We have a concept of church as opposed to community. Church is a building, a denomination, or something one does on Sunday, like a religious service. It does not have the same organizational functionaries as the community of God revealed in the biblical text. It is ecclesiastical and hierarchical.

7. Mission of the Community–Church

Judaism: There is an emphasis upon two things that are intricately interwoven and inseparably linked together:

Study – the highest form of worship is study. The pious in Judaism would ask: “What is the purpose of study?” The purpose is not just an intellectual exercise, but to lead men into action and service to the community. Biblical faith can be summed up in two words: Study and Action.

Christianity: A strong emphasis upon preaching the gospel, evangelizing, etc. Usually, those evangelized are part of other denominations, so preaching and evangelizing are often directed toward those who are already saved instead of serving as instruction for spiritual growth.

8. Salvation

Judaism: The Rabbis desired that the rule of God, in the lives of these people, might be extended over all the earth. Their concept of mission is to extend that kingdom. But, they believe that the righteous of all nations will have their part in the world to come, even though they don’t happen to be members of the community.

Christianity: If one is not a member of the church, and often a particular denomination, they will go to hell. What does it mean to be saved? We throw out all of these theological catch terms, and most of us don’t have any idea of what they mean. What does it mean to be saved? Does that mean that we’ll get to go to heaven? Is it something that keeps us out of Hell? Saved, according to Biblical faith, is not something that gets you into heaven, and sin is not something that causes you to go to hell. Just about all of the words that we use, like sin, salvation, and righteousness, are words that have completely different meanings in Hebrew than they do in English.

9. Spirituality

Judaism: Saved is not something that gets you into heaven. The concept of Biblical faith is a concept in which all life is sacred and in which one is living in eternity today. Spirituality is a thing of this world rather than otherworldly.

Christianity: The whole focus of one’s life is basically otherworldly, rather than seeing spirituality as an aspect of one’s life in the here and now. This has two implications:

In Christianity, we tend to compartmentalize our lives. There are those aspects that are secular and others that are spiritual, like going to church, etc. A secular activity would be going to the toilet. Nobody would think that would be very spiritual. Did you know that there is a prayer that you pray when you go to the toilet? You thank God that you are able to go.

Basically and fundamentally, Christianity is a religion of death! People are just waiting to die to get their reward. “This world is not my home, I’m just passing through.” “Mansions over on the hilltop.” If I can just struggle through this world, I’ll get to the pearly gates, streets of gold, etc. People get excited about being able to die and getting to go to heaven. Much of our preaching has to do with what heaven is going to be like and staying out of hell. Because of this concept of spirituality, it influences our concept of benevolence.

10. Benevolence

Judaism: We can sum up the whole of Biblical faith in one word: tzedakah (צְדָקָה). In English, it is translated as “righteousness,” but it really doesn’t mean that. In Hebrew, tzedakah is used in two senses:

In the broad sense of the meaning of the word, it refers to God’s salvation. Many times it is used synonymously for salvation.

In the narrow sense of the word, and in the practical application in daily life, tzedakah can be translated as “charity” or “almsgiving.”

In this concept of Biblical faith, benevolence is something one does for his fellow man (poor, naked, sick). And it is not just limited to those of the community—it is for all! That’s the reason why no other people on the face of the earth, who were themselves impoverished, would go to such lengths, at great expense and cost of human life, to assist others from completely different faiths who were impoverished and threatened with annihilation, than the Jews.

The great sacrifice they have made in Lebanon when the rest of the Christian world couldn’t have cared less, when 200,000 Lebanese Christians were slaughtered by the Muslim Arabs—no one said a word, not one religious organization or denomination—until the Israelis started beating the poor Arabs over the head.

Christianity: Benevolence is giving to ministries.

11. Identity

Judaism: There are just two classes of people:

Those who are a part of the family of God.

Those who aren’t.

Those who are a part of the family of God are called Jews, and those who are not are called Gentiles or pagans. One is either born into the family of God or becomes a part of the family by a process known as proselytization.

Christianity: The church is Gentile. It has no part in Israel. The Jews have been rejected, cut off, because they crucified Jesus, rejected their Messiah, and they have now been replaced by the Church, which is the new Israel. Israel is spiritualized, and references to Israel in Scripture are basically referring to the Church when blessings are concerned, not physical Israel. Christians have lost, basically, all concepts of Jewish identity or the Hebrew foundations of their faith.

12. Nature of This Life

Judaism: This life is preparation for the world to come. This is the Biblical perspective. Trials and temptations come from God’s hand and are often blessings in disguise to correct or refine our character.

Christianity: One can basically order God around! God becomes a servant who is subject to the whims of the individual Christian. One can write one’s own ticket by speaking to God. Trials and temptations are a curse. They don’t come from God but the Devil, and there is no reason that we should ever experience any of them if we just use positive confession.

13. Bible

Judaism: It is basically a Hebrew document. It is referred to as the Written Word. But, as the Written Word, it is not all of the communication of God to His people. There is a vast volume of material that equally comes from God that was communicated orally as opposed to written form, known as the Oral Law.

Christianity: Part of the Bible is a Hebrew document, but the New Testament is basically Greek, a Hellenistic document. The Bible is the inerrant Word of God.

14. Prophecy (and the Time of the End)

Judaism: One cannot know the coming of the Lord nor the time of the end, nor should one even speculate about these things. But one should continually keep his garments through repentance because His coming is going to be sudden, like a thief in the night.

Christianity: Have an unbalanced fascination in Bible prophecy. We are interested in the signs of the times, end-time events, etc. The coming of the Lord will be soon! He really won’t be unexpected since the believer will be able to interpret the signs of His coming.

15. Faith

Judaism: Faith equals action or faithfulness.

Christianity: Faith equals belief.

16. Response Towards Evil

Judaism: Has legitimacy in defending oneself. Defense of one’s person and property is not just proper but expected.

Christianity: Passive resistance or the belief that there is religious merit in suffering and persecution (turning the other cheek).

17. Marriage and Sex

Judaism: Marriage is a partnership. Husband and wife are considered equals, and the sexual relationship is good and not evil. It is so good that it is called “sanctification” or “holy.” The injunction is that a man should have sexual relations with his wife on the Sabbath, for a thing of holiness should be done at the time of holiness by holy people.

Christianity: The woman is seen as an inferior and subservient individual who is to be in forced submission to her husband. Sex is inherently sinful, and there is the erroneous Christian view that abstinence from sex is meritorious. Even marital sex is at the very least a “venial” sin, or one that can be forgiven, as opposed to a “mortal” sin.

18. Science and the Bible

Judaism: There is no conflict between the two. The Bible and the words of the Bible are couched in such abstract terms that it is really impossible to translate these ambiguous concepts into English. The Hebrew, the nature of the language itself, doesn’t contain the mechanism to express itself in scientific terms. Narratives in the Bible relating to scientific accounts, such as creation, are just simple narratives. When lined up against the very best that we know in science, there are no fundamental conflicts.

Christianity: We look at the Bible as being literal and infallible. So we have to go to great lengths to explain how the earth was created in six literal days of 24 hours each. So we have constructed all kinds of theories (Reconstructionism – “the gap theory,” Creationism). These are the two most popular.

ISBE Article on Judaism Pt. 1

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By Dr. Roy Blizzard

The following article is an article on Judaism that l wrote several years ago for The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia:  The article was published in a much-condensed form, as I knew it would be. However, I wrote the article the way I wanted it and not necessarily the way the publishers of the I.S.B.E. wanted it. I am going to share with you the article as it was originally written. Because of the length of the article, it will be posted in installments here on Bible Scholars.

Judaism can be defined as the outgrowth of biblical faith. Prior to Abraham, the father of the Hebrew nation, biblical faith is the simple belief in the one and only God, YHWH. YHWH is the name by which the biblical God, Elohim, is known. With Abraham, we have the beginning of the Hebrew nation, the nation elected by YHWH to be the perpetuator of biblical faith. The religion of Abraham was a simple theocracy in which every man served as a priest, or one who had the capacity to draw near to God. Biblically, the period is known as the Patriarchal period; during which the family head, or patriarch, ruled his family group. Abraham's son (by his wife Sarah), Isaac succeeded his father as the tribal head. Isaac was, in turn, succeeded by his son, Jacob. Jacob, his wives, their handmaidens who also bore children to Jacob, and all the members of his family, as well as their servants, ultimately wound up in Egypt, where they sojourned for a period of approximately 400 years. At the end of their 400 years stay in Egypt, God raised up a man by the name of Moses to lead the descendants of Jacob, known as “Israelites," back to Cannan, the land promised by God to Abraham and his descendants. On their journey back to Canaan, Moses and the children of Israel received the "Law of God" at Mt. Sinai. The "Law" given by God to Moses became the system of religious rules and regulations by which God's "chosen" people were to live.

Back in Canaan, the Israelites were divided into tribes according to the 12 sons of Jacob. From their return to Canaan until the United Hebrew Monarchy with Saul, David, and Solomon, the nation of Israel consisted of a nation of loosely connected tribes. With David, the tribes were united into a confederation of tribes with their religious center at Jerusalem. After the death of Solomon, David's son, the 12 tribes were divided into Israel (ten tribes), to the north in Canaan, and Judah (2 tribes), to the south.

In 722/721 B.C.E., the Northern Kingdom of Israel was carried away into Assyrian captivity under Sargon I. In Assyria they intermarried and basically lost their national identity. Those left behind in Israel also intermarried, and reappeared on the historical scene as the Samaritans, the hated half-blood Jew of the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, as well as the time of Jesus. The Southern Kingdom of Judah continued from the division in 931 B.C.E. until 586 B.C.E., when they were carried into Babylonian captivity by Nebuchadnezzar.

From the time of Abraham until the time of the return to the Southern the Kingdom of Judah from exile in Babylon, the faith of the Bible can best be called the Hebrew religion. It is only after the period of the Babylonian exile (606 B.C.E.-538 B.C.E.) that the biblical faith can be accurately called Judaism.

In 536 B.C.E. a small band of exiles (approximately 40,000), remnants of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, returned to Jerusalem from Babylon and reinstituted YHWH worship in the land. They rebuilt the Temple of YHWH, destroyed by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.E., and rededicated it to YHWH in 516 B.C.E. For those of the Southern Kingdom carried into exile, Babylon served as the crucible in which the gold of YHWH worship was refined and that a relatively stable religious system emerged out of an earlier biblical YHWH-ism. Because it was basically centered around the Tempie of YHWH in Jerusalem and was located in the territory of the old Southern Kingdom of Judah, this refined religious system was known as Judaism. Although on the one hand God's kingdom extended to all men, on the other there is that sense in which the Jews are a separate people. In this sense they were to refrain from intermarriage with pagan peoples and to keep themselves separate from pagan practices which would lead to impurity and sin. This separateness was intricately interwoven with the concept of nationalism. It was impossible to separate the people from their religion or their, religion from their nation, i.e., Israel. In this concept of nationalism, there is to be found a sense of mission. It is the mission of the nation to be the protector and promulgator of YHWH worship and to serve as the guardian of the faith. In this concept of nationalism, it is further impossible to separate the people from their land. Israel is both a nation as well as a place: a special place above all others on the face of the earth, Eretz Yisrael, the land of Israel.

In its separateness from all other religions and peoples, other unique features developed within Judaism, one of the most important being its system of laws. However, again, Judaism's concept of law cannot be compared to a system of dogmas or creed as in other religions. Observance of law was a privilege granted by God to his special people; it was not so much for keeping man from sin as it was to instruct him how to live before God and with his fellow man. These laws are known as the taryag mitzvot (תרי"ג מצוות), or 613 commandments. However, the Hebrew word mitzvah (מצווה) does not carry the same connotation of "commandment" as does the English, but rather, "a good work." Accordingly, there were 24 positive mitzvot (מצוות) and 36 negative mitzvot (מצוות). In other words, ... you shall, and ... you shall not. It was these 613 laws that separated Israel and the Jew from all other nations and peoples.

It is, in fact, an understanding of this concept of Law that assists our understanding the principal institutions in Judaism that developed historically after the period of the Babylonian exile. Some scholars attribute the canonization of Jewish scripture and law to Ezra and his contemporaries around 400 B.C.E.

In this new period in biblical history, known as the Second Temple Period, the religious system that emerges retains most of the fundamental theological concepts of historic biblical faith, while at the same time introducing us to new institutions (synagogue, or bet-kenesset, bet-seder, bet-midrash), and to new religious groups such, as the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, etc.). Just exactly when, how, and why the institution of the synagogue (Greek for "assembly," or bet-kenesset in Hebrew) originated is impossible to pinpoint. However, by the first centuries B.C.E./C.E., it was already a well-established institution in Eretz Israel. While the Temple of YVWH was still standing, it served principally as an institution of prayer and worship. It was not yet the formalized religious institution that developed after the destruction of the Temple.

We know much today about the wondering, peripatetic rabbi/teacher of this period. There were hundreds of rabbis/teachers traversing the land of Israel, teaching even in the most remote, parts of the land. The Talmud informs us of teaching methods of instruction utilized by the rabbis in this period. As early as the time of Hillel (d. 30 C.E.) various methods of rabbinic instruction had been formulated. These were known as the seven rules of Hillel, which were later expanded to thirteen by Rabbi lshmael. As far as the education of small children was concerned, again the Talmud is replete with references to the methods used by the rabbis in teaching their pupils the methods of memorizing the alphabet, the first of the biblical books used in instructing small children (Leviticus-dealing with laws of purity; the rabbis said, "let those who are pure study first those things that relate to purity"), methods used in learning to write, etc. It can safely be said that the emphasis in biblical faith is upon teaching and study rather than religious observance. Because of the emphasis placed in Judaism upon teaching and study, it was natural that various schools of biblical interpretation (or sects) should develop out of the mainstream of Jewish religious thought.

In the 1st century B.C.E./C.E., there were many such sects. However, because of space, we will briefly note those most commonly known: the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, Zealots, Samaritans, and Herodians. It is difficult to say with any degree of certainty when the Pharisees arose as a separate sect within Judaism.

According to most authorities, it was sometime during the 2nd century B.C.E. When we are first introduced to them. They appear as an already powerful political party in opposition to the sect of the Sadducees. The Hebrew word פְּרוּשִׁים (perushim), which is transliterated as “Pharisees" in English, means literally "interpreters." Interpreters, of course, of the Law. It was the Pharisees who were the guardians of the faith. As such, they were rigid in their observance of the rituals they interpreted as being an indication of holiness and righteousness. Central to their belief in the proper interpretation of law was study of Torah. Instruction of Torah was uniquely the focus of Pharisaism, and therefore, they established synagogues and schools everywhere. Knowledge of Torah was the power for the education of the Jewish people. Every father was enjoined to see that his son was instructed in the Law of God.

Whereas the Sadducees rejected all but the written law, the Pharisees claimed Mosaical authority for their ritual observances. They established laws for spiritual cleansing, benedictions for all occasions, rules against the mingling of different kinds of foods at meals, daily recital of the Shema, the wearing of phylacteries, regular daily prayers, and commanded all that they should “make a fence around the Law (Avoth 1:1). This dictum was for the purpose of keeping God’s people from participating in forbidden practices.

Given only surface examination, it would seem that the Pharisees were unusually strict and unbending in their interpretation and application of law, but such is not entirely true. In fact, it was the Pharisees who were often the more lenient and considerate, especially when it came to human relations and feelings. For example, the Sadducees interpreted "an eye for an eye" literally, whereas the Pharisees allowed adequate monetary compensation. While the Sadducees required strict observance of the laws of virginity and levirate laws, the Pharisees followed a course of decency and common sense. The Sadducees' observance of the feasts and festivals was sterile and austere; the Pharisees believed these days to be days of joy and gladness. But perhaps the greatest difference of all was the esteem with which the Pharisees regarded women. They granted to women the privilege of lighting the Sabbath candles, of welcoming the "Queen Sabbath" into the home. They exalted women and recognized them as the builder and caretaker of the home. Josephus relates (Antiquities XVll,2,4) that it was for just that reason that the Pharisees were held in such high esteem by Jewish women. Josephus further relates that they were virtuous and sober, and despised luxuries.

The Sadducees, claiming to be descendants of Zaddok, the chief priest from the days of the United Hebrew Monarchy with David and Solomon (I Kings 1 :34; 2:35; 1 Chronicles 29:22), represented the priestly aristocracy. It was, according to Josephus (Antiquities 6, 10, 13), the party of the rich. Little is actually known about their religious views except what is written in the New Testament or in Josephus.

As noted above, they rejected all but the written law, and were harsh in their treatment of the criminal and strict in functions relating to the Temple arid to sacrifice. From Mark 12:12, they apparently did not believe in a resurrection or the immortality of the soul. In Acts 23:8 it is stated that they also denied the existence of either angels or demons.

The Essenes can be identified as an ascetic, communal sect that was probably an offshoot of the Hasidim of the period prior to the Maccabean Revolt (i.e., 2nd century B.C.E./ end of 1st century C.E.). The ancient historians, Pliny, Josephus, and Hippolytus, all have much to say about them in their writings, although at times differing in their descriptions considerably.

Little can be said with certainty about the etymology of the name, but perhaps as good guess as any is that it derives from the Aramaic asa, or to “heal.” In this sense it would refer to the healing of the total man, both body and spirit.

The Essenes of Pliny, Josephus, Hippolytus, and other early historians are described as communalistic, despising any material possessions. Two groups are mentioned by Josephus, one celibate, and the other not celibate. All emphasized strict observance of ritual, especially observance of the Sabbath and of ritual immersion, which was practiced daily. They rejected the Temple and Temple observances, considering them corrupt; and went out into the wilderness to await the coming of the Lord. In this regard we add an interesting note from the community of Qumran frequently associated with the Essenes, that gave us the Dead Sea Scrolls. In the complete Isaiah scroll from Qumran (Isa. Q1), the scroll shows clear oil stains from hands at the passage in 40:3: “…the voice of one crying:

Prepare in the desert

               A highway for YHWH;

In the dry places make straight

               A pathway for our God.”

Apparently, this passage was frequently read by the community, as it gave meaning to their being with either the Essenes or the inhabitants of Qumran.

The Herodians were also called Boethusians, after Boethus, whose daughter Mariamne was one of the wives of King Herod the Great.   As a priestly party they are often identified with the Sadducees previously noted. If not identical with the Sadducees, they at least sided with them in their opposition to the Pharisees.                                         ·

Of all the major sects of the Jews, the historical background of the Samaritans (with exception of the followers of Jesus) is the best attested. In 932 B.C.E. after the death of Solomon, the Kingdom of Israel was divided--ten tribes to the North (Israel); and two tribes to the South (Judah). The Northern Kingdom of Israel basically rejected YHWH worship and the Temple of Jerusalem and was constantly in conflict with the kings of the Southern kingdom. In 722/721 B.C.E., the Northern Kingdom (known as Samaria after the fame of their capital city of Samaria, built by King Omri in the 9th century B.C.E.) was defeated by Sargon II of Assyria, and the capital city of Samaria was destroyed. The cylinder of Sargon, a baked clay prism chronicling the reign of Sargon II, describes the battle and states that Sargon carried away 27,290 inhabitants of the country. For some unknown reason, perhaps as a military precaution; Sargon repopulated the Northern Kingdom with peoples from other far-off, conquered countries. Only the poorer and uneducated population of the conquered kingdom remained behind in the land, and many of these 'intermarried with the alien settlers. This was the historical situation of the Northern Kingdom when the Old Testament comes to a close.

During the Hellenistic period, with the blessings of Alexander the Great (ca. 332), a Temple was built on Mt. Gerizim (הר גריזים), overlooking the ancient city of Shechem (שכם). From that day until the present, Mt. Gerizim has remained the center of Samaritan worship. This Temple stood for about 200 years until it was destroyed, and Samaria was occupied by John Hyrcanus (יוחנן הורקנוס) of Judah. From that time onward, there was much enmity between the Samaritans and the Jews — so much so, that by the time of Herod the Great (הורדוס הגדול), the Samaritans usually sided with the enemies of the Jews. During the reign of Herod the Great, Samaria was rebuilt and refurbished in his typical magnificent manner, and the name of the city was changed to Sebaste (Σεβαστή in Greek), in honor of Augustus Caesar ("Sebaste" in Greek). During the time of Vespasian, the father of Titus, the city of Shechem was conquered by the Romans, who named it Flavia Neapolis (Φλαβία Νεάπολις), the Arabic corruption of which gives us the modern name, Nablus (נבלוס). During the Bar Kochbah Revolt (מרד בר כוכבא) (132–135 C.E.), the Samaritans again sided with the Romans against the Jews, and as a result, the Romans assisted in the rebuilding of the Temple on Mt. Gerizim. This Temple stood until 484 C.E., when it was again destroyed, and from that time until today, the fortunes of the Samaritans decreased until only a small and insignificant number remain. From the 5th century B.C.E. onward, the relationship between Jew and Samaritan was, in the main, hostile, although their basic religious dogmas are closely related to, if not identical with, those of the Jews. They, of course, considered Mt. Gerizim to be the sacred place of worship as opposed to Jerusalem. They accepted only the Torah (תורה) as spiritually valid, and in this regard, were probably similar in thought to the Sadducees (צדוקים). Some suggest that they also rejected the belief in angels and demons, as well as the immortality of the soul. Regarding God, they espoused the same monotheistic concept as the Jews. Moses was a prophet, and God gave His perfect law to him. As far as a Messiah concept is concerned, the Samaritans believed that the Taheb (תאהב) would come, live 110 years, and then die. Afterwards would follow the resurrection and the final judgment.

As is easily discerned, the theology of the Samaritan religion is not unlike that of Judaism. This is no doubt due to the immediate association with the religious belief they both shared in common as well as their close geographical proximity. Only a small number of Samaritans are alive today, and their principal struggle is with continued future existence as opposed to learning. Their religious center continues to be Mt. Gerizim and they continue to offer annual sacrifices there. However, scattered and surrounded as they are by hostile peoples, their future seems bleak.

"Zealot" (Hebrew, kannaim (קנאים)) was the name given to those individuals who vigorously opposed the dominion of pagan Rome or idolatry of any kind. On occasion they are also associated with the Essenes (איסיים). Therefore, it is difficult to pinpoint their origin or to specifically enumerate their beliefs. As a general term, kannaim (קנאים) was the name by which all those who were zealous for the honor and sanctity of the Law and the Temple services were known. If not actually part of the sect, they were at least in sympathy with the sect of the Pharisees (פרושים), especially those of the more legalistic school of Shammai (שמאי).

Perhaps their origin can be associated with the Maccabean Revolt in the 2nd century B.C.E. In I Maccabees 2:27, Mattathias' call, "Whosoever is zealous of the Law, and maintains the covenant, let him follow me," might be pointed to as the organizational call to religious and national defense. Josephus has much to say about the Zealots, frequently called by him, sicarii (cut-throats, murderers), after the dagger (sicae) they wore in their cloaks, and with which they would kill anyone they felt to be transgressing the law, especially idolatry. It was because of this latter transgression that they so   vigorously resisted Herod.  During his rule, he introduced institutions contrary to the spirit of Judaism, especially the pagan images to which homage was to be paid.  During the Jewish Revolt (60-73  C.E.), the Zealots became an aggressive and powerful political force with which to be reckoned. They were relentless in their opposition to Rome, and it was under the leadership of Eleazar ben Yair that the    Zealots conquered the mighty fortress of Masada and held out against the Romans for three years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Their death by suicide, rather than being taken by the Romans, is well known by every student of Jewish history and is a dramatic indication of their contempt for Rome. It’s interesting, and perhaps significant, that many scroll fragments were unearthed in the archaeological discoveries at Masada. Most of these were identical in age and script type (some apparently written by hand) to those excavated at the Dead Sea community of Qumran. It is for this reason, as well as association of the Zealots with the Essenes by Hippolytus and others, that some scholars now question the identification of the inhabitants of Qumran with the typical Essene of the 1st century B.C.E./C.E.

Jewish history has established throughout the centuries since Masada and Bar Kochbah that study of Torah and acts of tzedakah are of far greater importance than Temple and state, but the Zealot of old can find his counterpart in the Israeli of today who deems nationalism essential to the survival of historical Judaism.

The sect that was to have the greatest effect on historic Judaism was that of Messianism, with Jesus of Nazareth and his followers. Although historically the movement ultimately led to the Christianity of the third and fourth centuries C.E. and following, at its inception, it was a movement strictly within the framework of historic, Pharisaic Judaism of the 1st century C.E.

Jesus, a Jewish rabbi from Nazareth, appeared on the historical scene around 27 C.E., preaching and teaching throughout the land of Israel. In a very rabbinic way he claimed to be the Messiah of God, and that he had come to "seek and to save those that which are lost" and to establish his Kingdom. "Kingdom," a central theme in Judaism, became for Jesus, those who followed him and who demonstrate his rule in their lives and in action.

From its inception this was a movement strictly within the bounds of historic Judaism. Therefore, all those who followed after him were Jews. Even the religious leaders of his day-scribes, Pharisees, rulers of the Jews-followed after him and listened to his teaching eagerly. It was only the corrupt spiritual leaders of his day that manifested hostility to his teaching, and it was they that ultimately conspired for his death. It is however, a grave error to say that the Jews crucified Jesus or that they never accepted him, as is commonly believed in modern Christianity. In fact, it was the Jews who did follow him, everywhere he went.  It was the Jews who publicly proclaimed him as the "Son of David" and cast their garments in his path as he rode into Jerusalem, thusly proclaiming him to be the fulfillment of Zachariah 9:9, the promised King that was to come, having salvation in his hand.

After his crucifixion at the hands of the Romans and his resurrection, it was Jews from all over the country that accepted him as Messiah during the "feast of weeks" (Shavuot (שבועות)) in 30 C.E. When the Jerusalem Council convened under the leadership of James (יעקב), the brother of Jesus, it is estimated that there were 50,000 to 60,000 "believers," as they called themselves, in the city of Jerusalem alone. By 90 C.E., the number of the believing Jews had grown to such a degree that in many parts of the country they outnumbered those Jews who had not accepted Jesus as Messiah. Their great numbers finally posed a threat to the whole structure of historic Judaism.

In desperation, a special rabbinical council was called by Rabbi Gamaliel II (רבי גמליאל השני) (grandson of Gamaliel I (רבי גמליאל הראשון), under whom Paul had studied), to deal with the specific question, “What are we going to do about all these minim (מינים, "sectarians," as they were called, a play on the word ma'amin (מאמין), or "believers")?" An ingenious solution was found. Into the 18 Oral Blessings, recited in the synagogue every Sabbath, a slight modification was made on the 12th blessing, so that a curse was pronounced on all the sectarians, heathens, and notzrim (נוצרים). Of course, the believers would not pronounce this curse upon themselves, and it ultimately led to their departure from the synagogue and the mainstream Jewish religious activity. However, this was a slow process in Israel, and it seems, from recent archaeological excavations at Capernaum (כפר נחום), that the believing Jews (the notzrim (נוצרים)) worshipped alongside those of historic Judaism in a relatively harmonious context well into the 4th century C.E.

It is only after the non-Jews were admitted into the fellowship of the believers and the "Church" spread to the west that a gradual departure from the basic foundations of historic Judaism took place in the movement of those who accepted Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah. As the movement moved to the west and the non-Jewish Church became stronger and stronger and came in contact with the philosophies of Hellenism, the seeds of departure from the original Jewish foundation were sown. They were planted in western soil by Hellenistic (Greek) hands, and soon the basic theologies of early Messianism underwent a drastic modification that found its full fruition in the ecclesiastical Church of the 4th century C.E. and onward. These changes were so radical that there is little resemblance between the Christianity of the 20th century and the Jewish Messianism of the 1st century.

The following examples show the principal theological difference between historical Judaism, or biblical faith, and the ecclesiastical Christianity that developed and formalized from the 4th century C.E. and onward.

Nature of God

Judaism:  Monotheism (One God)

Christianity: Trinity or Tri-Theism--a doctrine which was proposed by Athanasius in the 4th century

Nature of Man

Judaism: Unity of body and spirit

Christianity: Triune or Trinity of body, soul and spirit

Nature of Sin

Judaism:    Man is born good. Until Bar Mitzvah he is what his parents are. From the age of 13 he is considered a responsible adult who can choose to do good or do evil.

Christianity: Original sin. Man is born evil, a victim of Adam's original sin. This was first proposed by Augustine in the 5th century C.E.

Forgiveness of Sin

Judaism: There is no provision for atonement for the "willful" sin. The person is simply cut off from God. The Jewish view cuts the foundation from under the doctrine of "eternal security" and the resultant heresy of antinomianism.                  

Christianity: Man may sin in this life and still be pardoned in the next. This doctrine led to the concept of purgatory, final restitution of all things, etc.

Nature of the Devil

Judaism:  It is a common noun meaning an “adversary” who opposes and obstructs.

Christianity: Dualism-there are two equally powerful forces, one evil, the other good.

Marriage and Sex

Judaism: Sex was ordained by God and is holy and pure in the bonds of marriage.

Christianity: The act of sex was the "original sin," and is always bad, even among the married and for procreation, and is always a "venial sin."

Organizational Structure of the Community

Judaism: The synagogue replaced the Temple. The home in a sense, can replace the synagogue. The synagogue and its functionaries are equally involved in the religious and secular life of the community. It emphasizes community participation in acts of charity (tzedakah or righteousness).

Christianity: · Church is a building, denomination, or something one does on Sunday. It is ecclesiastical and hierarchical. Church is a religious service rather than a community.

Mission of the Synagogue/Church

Judaism: Teaching and study of Torah.

Christianity: Preaching and evangelizing, with little emphasis on study or Spiritual growth.

Emunah - Faith or Faithfulness to God is a verb.

Judaism: Faith equals action towards God with good deeds.

Christianity: Faith in God, elevating belief above tangible action.

Religious Merit

Judaism: Merit in acts of tzedakah, or charity towards others.

Christianity: Merit in suffering, asceticism and martyrdom.

Prophecy or Eschatology

Judaism: The Jewish perspective is recorded in the Mishnah (Oral Torah), Hagigah 2:1 where it is stated that it would have been better to have never been born if one preoccupied themselves with these four questions…what is above?; what is below?; what is in the future?; what is in the past?

Christianity: Jesus is coming soon. The time of the end is at hand.

Although many other examples could be given, these are sufficient to illustrate the vast gulf between historic Judaism and contemporary Christianity. This gulf should serve as a call to Christianity to move back closer to her historic "Hebrew" roots.

ISBE Article on Judaism Pt. 2

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By Dr. Roy Blizzard

After the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the reconstruction of Jewish thought was undertaken by the Pharisees, who shaped the later history and character of Jewish life and thought. It was perhaps their concept of God's Kingdom, and their altruistic view of their fellow man that led to the declaration of the Jewish social and religious ethic after the destruction of the Temple, i.e., that study of Torah (תּוֹרָה), recitation of daily prayers, and acts of tzedakah (צְדָקָה, charity towards one's fellow man) replaced the sacrifices of the Temple.

With the destruction of the Temple, the Sadducees no longer had a reason for which to exist. They simply disappeared. However, it appears that the Samaritans, with whom they are frequently identified, adopted some of their views. In the New Testament they are considered to be identical to the Herodians (Mark 12:13), although an exact identification is difficult to establish.

Until the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE, the main concentration of the rabbis in their teaching was on Haggadah (preaching of the great themes of the Bible, rich with allegory, parable, homily, simile, etc.). The common man loved Haggadah, for he was strengthened and encouraged by it. It was spiritual food.

There was also a need for a legal system within the framework of the Jewish community. There was a need for courts and for judges to make rulings and decisions on legal matters. Daily, there were civil judgments to render and decisions to be made as to what was "permitted" and what was "forbidden," what was clean and what was unclean. A system of courts developed in the Jewish community, from the lowest court consisting of just three judges, all the way to the Great Sanhedrin (סנהדרין הגדולה) in Jerusalem, the Supreme Court of the people, with 71 judges. In early Judaism (1st and 2nd centuries BCE and CE), there were three basic courts of law. Every community of less than 120 inhabitants had a bet-din (בֵּית דִּין, "house of judgment") of only three judges who judged civil matters (Sanhedrin 1:1). Communities of more than 120 inhabitants were entitled to a bet-din (בֵּית דִּין) of 23 members, called a Sanhedrin Ketannah (סנהדרין קטנה), or "small Sanhedrin" (Sanhedrin 1:6). The small Sanhedrin judged criminal cases and capital cases as well. The third court was the Sanhedrin Gedolah (סנהדרין גדולה), or "Great Sanhedrin," of 71 members that sat in Jerusalem. This court had essentially unlimited judicial, legislative, and administrative powers. Certain crimes, such as uttering a false prophecy, could be judged only by the Great Sanhedrin (סנהדרין הגדולה) (Sanhedrin 1:5).However, in spite of this elaborate legal system, the place of Halachah (a system of laws) and the percentage of Halachah in the total body of Oral Law was much less than that of Haggadah. It was only after the destruction of the Temple that we note this growing preoccupation on the part of the rabbis with Halachah. Because of the political pressures from without and the internal pressures in Judaism itself, it was a struggle for the people of God to survive. Awesome political and spiritual forces seemed bent on annihilating the people of God.

After the destruction of the Temple, Judaism was in a shambles. Most of the political and nationalistic leaders had been annihilated and only a few of the religious leaders remained. One famous rabbi, Yochanan ben Zakkai (יוחנן בן זכאי), had the intelligence and foresight to correctly predict the impending doom. In 68 CE, before the destruction of the Temple, he had himself carried out of the city of Jerusalem in a coffin by his students to the camp of the Roman general Vespasian. There, in an audience with Vespasian, he prophesied Vespasian's victory and the destruction of the Temple, quoting the passage in Isaiah 10:34: "Lebanon (The Temple) shall fall by a mighty one." Vespasian was sufficiently impressed to grant Yochanan's request to spare the sages of Israel and to allow him and his students to continue their study at Yavne (יבנה) (Jabneh, or Jamnia). Yochanan moved to Yavne and established an academy in association with the bet-din (בֵּית דִּין, "house of judgment") of Yavne, and there he remained. Upon hearing of the destruction of the Temple, he rent his clothes and wept. But he realized that out of the smoldering ruins of the Temple a new Judaism must be built. He immediately converted his school at Yavne into the center of Judaism and transferred to the academy, of which he was Nasi (נשיא, "president"), the functions of the Great Sanhedrin (סנהדרין) of Jerusalem. In this manner, the continuity of spiritual leadership was maintained.

Yochanan remained as the head of the academy and the Sanhedrin (סנהדרין) until he was succeeded in 80 CE by Rabbi Gamaliel II (רבי גמליאל השני), grandson of Rabbi Gamaliel I (רבי גמליאל הראשון), mentioned in Acts 5:34 and 22:3, under whom Paul had studied. Without question, Yochanan did more than any of his contemporaries to preserve Judaism and to prepare the way for it to rise again from the ashes of destruction.
But this new religious leadership had to muster every resource at its disposal and use its wits as never before to preserve the existence of Judaism under these circumstances, so the drift toward Halachah (הֲלָכָה) was natural and inevitable. The rabbis had to take drastic measures to preserve historic Judaism as they saw it.

At the same time that the rabbis were taking drastic measures to expel the internal forces that threatened the structure of Judaism, they also began to more precisely define orthodoxy. Their focus was more and more upon Halachah (הֲלָכָה) to purify and preserve the faith. Thusly, they began to develop a "credo" that defined what it meant to be a Jew and to live as a Jew. It was far less important at this critical time to "sermonize" on the great haggadic (אגדה, aggadic) themes than it was to survive.

By the end of the 1st century CE, there was a strong movement within Judaism toward a more structured religious system, and an attempt to more clearly define "What is a Jew?" Coupled with this was a move away from Haggadah (אגדה) toward Halachah (הֲלָכָה). Until the time of Judah the President (Yehudah HaNasi, יהודה הנשיא) (of the Sanhedrin (סנהדרין)), circa 200 CE, the body of law known as the Oral Law was just that. It was considered equally as the law God gave to Moses at Sinai (Avoth 1:1), but was communicated orally until written down by Judah the President. This body of Oral Law had been assembled by Rabbi Akivah (רבי עקיבא) (ca. 50–135 CE) and was known as the Mishnah (משנה).

Before the time of Rabbi Judah (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, רבי יהודה הנשיא), no one had preserved these oral laws and/or traditions except for personal and private use. Once Rabbi Judah broke with tradition and wrote his work for public use, other collections of Oral Law were made, incorporating the material Rabbi Judah had not used in his Mishnah (משנה). One kindred work is known as the Tosephta (תוספתא), "supplement" or “addition." It is about four times larger than the Mishnah and is divided according to the same books and chapters in identical order to the Mishnah, and contains the same type of material as that found in the Mishnah. It was approximately 200 years after Rabbi Judah compiled the Mishnah, at the beginning of the 5th century CE, before the material in the Tosephta was collected and edited.

The Mishnah (משנה) and the Tosephta (תוספתא) contain laws, rulings, and ethical maxims that are divided into six divisions, called "orders": Zeraim (זרעים, "seeds"); Moed (מועד, "festivals"); Nashim (נשים, "women"); Nezikin (נזיקין, "damages"); Kodashim (קדשים, "sacred things"); and Tohorot (טהרות, "purity"). These six divisions are subdivided into 63 chapters called "tractates." Additional material considered a part of the Oral Law was arranged as a commentary on one of the books of the Torah, with interpretations or exegesis for each chapter and verse, and often words. These works are three in number: the Mekhilta (מכילתא), Sifra (ספרא), and Sifre (ספרי).

Mekhilta (מכילתא, "a measuring vessel") is an exegetical commentary on most of the Book of Exodus (chapters 12:1–23:19; 31:12–17; 35:1–3). Sifra (ספרא, "a book") is an exegetical commentary on the entire Book of Leviticus. Sifre (ספרי, "books") contains rabbinic rulings and commentary on large portions of the Books of Numbers and Deuteronomy.

Even these works did not exhaust all of the oral traditions and commentaries that were extant when Rabbi Judah (Rabbi Yehudah HaNasi, רבי יהודה הנשיא) began compiling his Mishnah (משנה). Much additional Oral Law is to be found in the Gemara (גמרא), the commentary on the Mishnah. Many of these additional "oral laws" actually predate the Mishnah of Rabbi Judah. When this material appears in the Gemara, it is labeled Baraita (ברייתא), or extraneous "oral laws," or those not belonging to the Mishnah of Rabbi Judah. Although these oral laws have not been collected together and are scattered throughout the Gemara, they nevertheless form a sixth body of Oral Law. The Gemara, together with the Mishnah, is known as the Talmud (תלמוד). There are two versions of the Talmud, one compiled by Jewish scholars in Babylon (Babylonian Talmud, תלמוד בבלי), and one compiled by Jewish scholars in Palestine (Jerusalem Talmud, תלמוד ירושלמי).

Being the work of two different schools of scholars, the Gemara, or commentary, in each of the versions of the Talmud differs considerably, but the Mishnah in both is the Mishnah of Rabbi Judah. The Babylonian Talmud was completed about 500 CE, approximately 100 years after the completion of the Jerusalem Talmud. The Babylonian Talmud is a gigantic sea of rabbinic learning, consisting of 2,500,000 words, spread over 5,894 folio pages of approximately 10 1/2" x 14" in size. Although the Jerusalem Talmud is also a monumental work, it is ten times smaller (574 folio pages) than the Babylonian Talmud.

The Babylonian Talmud is today the focus of Jewish religious education, and when the word "Talmud" appears alone, it is understood to be the Babylonian Talmud as opposed to the Jerusalem Talmud. The Talmud holds a position of the highest esteem in Orthodox Judaism. To study it, to be illuminated by it, is the goal of every young Orthodox Jewish person. The sages, or scholars, of the Talmud are looked upon, as heroes would be in the secular realm. To the Orthodox, the Talmudic scholar is the real hero of their world.

It is difficult, if not impossible, to give a definitive definition of historic Judaism, as it is not just a religious system of dogmas and creeds. Judaism is unique among other religious systems, in that it is impossible to separate the religious system from the Jewish people (referring once to only those of the tribe of Judah, but now to all Jewish history), or to separate the people from the land, Israel, the land of covenant, the "promised land." Nor can Judaism be separated from its legal system, given to Moses by YHWH at Sinai.

Above all, the fundamental tenet of Judaism is monotheism, the belief in only one God. This belief is epitomized in the statement of Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear O Israel, the Lord your God is One." Judaism is the guardian of pure monotheistic faith. This one God is all powerful (Omnipotent), all seeing (Omnipresent), and all-knowing (Omniscient).

The God of the Bible is also a God of justice on the one hand, and mercy on the other. He is a God who is concerned with the fortunes of his people, and therefore he is a God of history. Opposed to the pagan deities of the period, far removed from the people and from the world, YHWH (יהוה) is the God who enters into a covenant relationship with his people, with whom he lives in an intimacy of personal fellowship. In this personal fellowship he promises to dwell within the individual (Exodus 25:8; 1 Corinthians 6:19) and direct his paths (Proverbs 3:6). For those who follow after him and hearken to his voice, he is the God who leads his people (El Tzevaot, אֵל צְבָאוֹת), who heals his people (YHWH Yeraphe, יְהוָה רֹפְאֶךָ), who performs miracles for his people (YHWH Nisi, יְהוָה נִסִּי), who sustains, sanctifies, leads, and shows mercy unto. For those who hearken not unto his voice and transgress his commandments, he is at the same time a God of wrath and justice. It is this care and concern for his people that stands in striking contrast to the paganism of that day. Heathenism degraded man and forced him to bow to the whims of capricious gods. Judaism elevated man to the level of YHWH (יהוה) in whose image and likeness he was created (Genesis 1:26ff).

Man, therefore, was both human and divine. Man, according to the rabbis, "is made for two worlds: the world that is now, and the world to come" (Genesis Rabbah (בראשית רבה) VIII). The nature of man in Judaism stands in striking contrast to the heathenism of the ancient world and Christianity of today. Judaism declared that because man was created in the image and likeness of God, he was therefore born into this world basically good. He was what his parents were until the age of accountability (12 for girls and 13 for boys), and therefore, the parents were enjoined to "train up a child in the way he should go; and when he becomes an adolescent [and able to choose for himself], he will continue to walk in it" (Proverbs 22:6). However, at birth the child was endowed with an inclination to do good (yetzer hatov (יצר הטוב)) and an inclination to do evil (yetzer hara (יצר הרע)), i.e., the freedom of choice. In this also he was like God in whose image he was created, with the power to choose good or evil.

Again, this concept of man stands in dramatic contrast to prevailing Christian theology and the doctrine of original sin (first proposed by Augustine in the 5th century CE), in which man is born into this world a sinner and, therefore, from the moment of birth, in need of redemption. Freedom of choice, the right to choose evil or good, is a fundamental principle of Judaism: "See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil;…therefore, choose life" (Deuteronomy 30:15,19). Those who choose life are a part of God's Kingdom.

Kingdom of God is another concept unique to Judaism. Kingdom is first alluded to in Exodus 15:18: "The Lord shall reign for ever and ever." For the rabbis, kingdom was God ruling over his people, who were in turn demonstrating his rule in their lives in action. The rabbis desired for God's kingdom to be extended over all the earth. In this concept of kingdom, we see another unique characteristic of Judaism ­-the universality of all mankind. Though God's law was communicated through the descendants of Abraham, it was originally intended for all mankind. Israel was chosen to be the vehicle through which all nations of the earth should be blessed. In this concept of the kingdom of God extending to all peoples of the earth, Judaism is again unique. Although in a special way the nation of Israel is God's chosen, yet the righteous of all nations will have their part in the world to come.

Although the gods of the pagan peoples contemporary with Second Temple period Jewry were unique to the particular religious system, the one true God of the Jews, YHWH (יהוה), was the God of all. The Jewish God, YHWH (יהוה) (henceforth, Yahweh) was the creator of the universe, Lord of all and Lord over all. In this regard one characteristic of Yahweh stands out above all others. Yahweh is God of Righteousness (Tzedakah (צְדָקָה)). Yahweh requires righteousness of his people and not sacrifice.

In this sense, Law was not to be considered as something "BAD," or temporary, later to be replaced by something better, (as is generally believed in Christianity), but instead, something "GOOD." Law was true, pure, holy, righteous, just, merciful, perfect. Rather than considered a burden to be borne, Law was considered to be a privilege to be joyfully fulfilled in the daily living of one's life before God.

This concept of Law led naturally to the idea that the highest MOOD of the Hebrew, or Jewish, religion was JOY. The highest form of worship one could offer unto God was, therefore, the study of his "Law," or Torah.

If such was in fact the case, how is it that Jesus seemed to so frequently come into conflict with the Pharisees, frequently accusing them of hypocrisy? The fact is that Jesus himself was, if not an actual Pharisee; closely aligned with them, as was also the Apostle Paul. Jesus' conflict was not with the mainstream of Pharisaic thought, but rather with the hypocritical Pharisee who "makes his phylacteries wide and the fringes (tzitzit) of his garment long." However, Jesus was not the only one to cry out against Pharisaic hypocrisy. In fact, no one hated hypocrisy more than the Pharisees, nor was anyone more severe a critic of hypocrisy than the Pharisees themselves. The Talmud mentions seven classes of Pharisees, which are considered as hypocrites or fools (Yer. Ber. IX 146; Sotah 22b). It is these types of Pharisees Jesus denounced as "hypocrites" and "offspring of vipers," "whitened sepulchers full of dead men's bones," who "strain at a gnat and swallow a camel" (Matthew 6:2-5,16; 12:34; 23:24-27). So also are hypocrites denounced by the Pharisees themselves, and Jesus instructs his disciples to "do as the Pharisees, who sit on Moses' seat, instruct you to do; but don't do as they do, because they don't do what they say" (Matthew 23:1-4). In reality, Jesus, as a Pharisee, is a friend to the Pharisees, and vice versa.

Perhaps the principal reason there is such an affinity with the teaching of Jesus on the part of the Pharisees is due in part to the essential doctrine of the Pharisee, which is often overlooked, that of the Messianic hope. It is this doctrine that formed the foundation of Pharisaic thought. The coming of Messiah would herald the establishment of God's Kingdom.

This concept of the Kingdom of God was central to Pharisaic belief and instruction. The hope of the Pharisee was that God's rule should be extended over all the earth and that he should "reign forever and ever" (Exodus 15:18). God's Kingship necessitated the performance of God's commandments ­ both as regards God as ruler, and as regards one's relationship to his fellow man. Therefore, the Pharisaic ethos was, "Be holy, as the Lord your God is holy" (Leviticus 19:2).

The principal institution was, and ideally remains, the home ­ the husband and wife joined together training their children "in the way they should go." Basic religious education centered around the home, and was the parents' responsibility. However, the synagogue was a convenient institution, not only for prayer and worship, but also as the focus or center of community activities. However, nothing in Jewish Law demanded that a Jew attend synagogue a single day in his life in order to be a good Jew. Again, the principal institution and the foundation of Jewish society was the home.

By the 1st/2nd centuries BCE, religious education had begun to spread beyond the home into a more formal program of education that centered around another Jewish institution, the bet sefer (secondary school) and the bet midrash (high school). By the end of the 1st century CE, the educational institution in Judaism had become the most important, even exceeding in importance the synagogue, the place of prayer and worship.

Much emphasis is placed upon the importance of study in Judaism. In the Mishnah (Oral Law) it is recorded:

At five years [the age is reached] for [the study of] Scriptures, at ten for [the study of] the Mishnah (משנה), at thirteen for the Mitzvoth (מצוות, "commandments"), at fifteen for [the study of] the Talmud (תלמוד), at eighteen for marriage, at twenty for pursuing one's vocation, at thirty for [moving out in one's full vigor or strength and power] strength… (Pirkei Avot (פרקי אבות),  Chapters of the Fathers, V, 25).

Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch (1808-88), in his commentary on the above quotation, from Chapters of the Fathers (Pirke Avoth), wrote:

When it is said that at the age of five one is ready for the study of scriptures, and at ten for the study of Mishnah, it does not mean that a boy need study the Scriptures only until he is ten years old, the Mishnah until he is fifteen, that he need study the Talmud no longer than until his eighteenth or twentieth year, and that thereafter the study of Torah [LAW] must yield place to other pursuits. Quite the contrary it is pointed out here that it is incumbent upon us to occupy ourselves with the Scriptures, as well as with the Mishnah and the Talmud throughout our lives. We are bidden to return to this sacred pursuit over and over again, for the Torah [LAW] is the one inexhaustible source of knowledge of what is good and true and worthwhile, and the longer and the more faithfully we occupy ourselves with it, the broader and stronger will our power of spiritual vision grow. Therefore, let the Torah [LAW] remain at your side even when you are old and when your energies for all other pursuits have declined, and do not depart from it as long as you live, for you can acquire no greater consecration for your endeavors. (Chapters of the Fathers, Translation and Commentary by Rabbi Samson Raphael Hirsch, Philipp Feldheim, Inc., New York, 1967, 96).

Although the quote from the Mishnah dates from 165-200 CE, it certainly reflects the emphasis placed upon study in the 1st and 2nd centuries BCE/CE in Judaism.

It is this theme of Tzedakah that underlies the biblical text and historic Judaism. All the laws of Judaism were designed to show man how he was to live before God and with his fellow man. The Levitical system with its focus on sacrifice and service was in reality designed to direct a spiritual people to a God to be served in spirit and in truth. In the midst of the sacrificial system, the prophets warn, "Has the Lord as great a delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22).

Because kingdom extends to all, Judaism is not, as other religions (chiefly Christianity), a system of creeds or beliefs upon which eternal life depends; rather, Judaism is a way of life; the way in which the righteous should walk. Again, the recurring theme of tzedakah, or righteousness, is central to life in the world. Righteousness in this sense is not holiness, but right living in this world before God and with one's fellow man. This "right living" extended to the care and concern for one's neighbor and all those who were in need. Passages such as Psalm 37 reflect this depth of earthly relationships with one's fellow man: "…the righteous showeth mercy, and giveth. Such as these shall be blessed of Him and shall inherit the earth."

Alongside of the development of "rabbinic" Judaism is a growing interest in the esoteric and mystical element in Jewish thought. Perhaps this esoteric element can be traced back to the 2nd/3rd centuries BCE, but it begins to blossom under the influence of the Hellenistic thought of the 3rd and fourth4th centuries CE. It is during the Middle Ages that the mystical stream of Jewish thought reaches its zenith of popularity. This mystical and esoteric element was known as Kabbalah, or that which was "received," e.g. "received doctrine." In, the 16th century, the Kabbalists flocked to the city of Safad, in northern Galilee, and made it their religious center. The principal exponent of Kabbalah was Rabbi Isaac Luria, better known as Ha'ari, "the Lion." His many disciples were known as Gurie Ha'ari, or "the lion's cubs."

In Safad, many scholars and sages achieved great fame. One was Rabbi Joseph Caro, author of Shulchan Aruch, or the "set table," and another was Rabbi Jacob Bierav, who advocated restoration of the Sanhedrin and believed that from Safad enlightenment and learning would spread to the entire world of Judaism. The synagogues of some of the early sages of Kabbalah are still being used in Safad today, and may be visited by visitors to that city.

The principal work in Kabbalah is the Zohar, or "brightness," a document generally attributed to Moses de Leon, circa 1280-1286. In this work, the mystical and the symbolic is exalted above the legal and the literal, and secret meanings are given to every word, and even to every letter of the Torah. As Kabbalah radiated out from Safad, many governments developed under the influence of some great sage or spiritual leader, or developed unique concepts peculiar to the area or country to which it spread. From the 17th century and onward, a more balanced view, emphasizing the ethical and moral foundations of Kabbalah, developed in literary form by many great preachers until well into the 19th century. The influence of Kabbalah on Judaism was great, and was one of the most powerful movements ever to affect the development of Judaism. (For an excellent treatment of Kabbalah, see the Encyclopedia Judaica, Vol. X, 489-653.)

As a movement within Judaism, Kabbalah probably had more influence upon the oriental element in Judaism than upon the occidental element. Perhaps from as early as the Second Temple period, there were Jews in Spain. Throughout the centuries they became an important economic and political force in that country ­ so much so, that in 1492 a decree was issued that all Jews in Spain must either convert to Christianity or leave. This decree remained in force in Spain until 1968. Many did convert, but most left. Of those that left, the larger percentage migrated to eastern countries, many which in recent history have been a part of the Arab world. These Jews became known as the Sephardim, after the Hebrew word for Spain, Sepharad. Today, the oriental Jews are generally known as the Sephardim, as opposed to the European Jews that are, generally called Ashkenazim, after the Hebrew word for Germany, Ashkenaz. The Ashkenazim are principally those Jews whose background is western, or European, as opposed to eastern, or Oriental.

Although the fundamental tenets of Judaism remain basically the same, for both the Sephardic and the Ashkenazi Jew, yet there remains a considerable difference in each one's approach to law. On the one hand, the Sephardic Jew is more oriented toward Kabbalah and the mystical and emotional element in Judaism. As a result, he tends to be more liberal when it comes to the observance of certain points of law. On the other hand, the Ashkenazi is oriented more toward Halachah and tends to take a more severe or legalistic approach to the observance of the 613 Commandments of Law.

These two approaches to Torah, coupled with the difference in the cultural background of the Ashkenazi and the Sepharadi, has led to certain tensions in Israel following their return to Israel from the lands of Diaspora. In general terms, it can be said that it is the Ashkenazis who occupy the most influential positions in the government, military politics, and religious office. Basically, they serve in the most favorable positions and/or occupations in the country. Additionally, although it would not want to be admitted, the Ashkenazi generally tends to look down on the Sepharadi in subtle ways that frequently lead to increased tensions between the two.

On the other hand, the Sepharadi, generally speaking, tends to occupy positions of a more menial nature and those associated with certain types of businesses and trades oriented toward arts and crafts. The Sepharadim, because of their social and economic status in the country, tend to resent the Ashkenazim.

Complicating the social and cultural picture in Israel today is the current situation in Judaism religiously. Although worldwide Judaism can be said to be divided into three principal groups, Orthodox, Conservative, and Reform, it is probably more correct to speak of just two main streams in Jewish thought today, that of the legalistic or Orthodox approach to Torah, and that of the more liberal, or Reform. Thus, Judaism presents two streams or currents of thought running parallel to each other: the one, more conservative, legalistic, emphasizing the nationalistic, the mystical, the ritualistic, the spiritual; the other, the more liberal, progressive, rational. These two basic streams of thought continue to cause certain tensions in Judaism as it seeks to undertake God's divine purpose, both for the Jew and for the world.

On the final note, it should be said, however, that these tensions cannot be likened to those that exist in Christianity, the offspring of Judaism. Whereas tensions exist, both religious and cultural, there still prevails, a basic concept of historical, religious, and nationalistic purpose that ultimately draws all Jews together in a oneness of desire to both survive and fulfill God's eternal purpose. Opposed to this sense of a religious, historical, and nationalistic purpose, totally foreign to Christian thinking, is a lack of any sense of historical, cultural, or religious roots. The unfortunate result of Christianity's failure to understand her historical and religious Jewish roots has, to a large degree, contributed to the over 400 separatist denominations or sects within Christianity and a lack of any sense of historical, national, or religious purpose such as that which exists in Judaism.

Prophecy, Eschatology and the Hebrew Mind

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Prophecy, Eschatology and the Hebrew Mind

By Dr. Roy Blizzard

Prophecy. It is the "in" thing. People are talking about it, writing about it. "Prophetic News", "The World in Prophecy", "End Times Newsletter", plus a spate of others cross my desk every month. People want to know about it. People want to hear about it. People want to read about it. It is exciting. It is sensational. It lets us know that the end is near and helps us to prepare for Messiah's coming which, by all accounts, will be "soon."

If you want to get a crowd together today, just announce a teaching on prophecy, or organize a prophecy conference! Only one thing will attract a bigger crowd ­ a miracle service! People want to know about prophecy. They want to see a miracle. I will admit that it is exciting and frequently sounds so good.

There is only one problem. It is basically wrong. The root of the problem is an inability on the part of the occidental Western mind to understand Hebrew apocalyptic literature. It is an inability to project oneself back 2,000-2,700 years in time to a culture and a language totally foreign to the Western mind of today and try to interpret the allegorical, the abstract, into prophecies, literalisms.

In Hebrew, there are three different words that are translated in the English so as to imply a look into the future. The first is roeh. In Hebrew, it is resh aleph hey from the verb ra'ah, which means "to see." The roeh was a seer and it is used in Isaiah 30:10 of the seers as a class.

The same word is used for Samuel in 1 Samuel 5 and implies one who sees or knows things, although not necessarily futuristic. Their seeing could be likened to a "word of knowledge," or a "word of wisdom."

The second is chozeh, which also means a seer, or a visionary, one who sees visions. The verb is chazah and a chazon is a vision. It is used frequently of prophets such as Gad, Amos, Iddo, Jehu, as well as of historical writers who are known as divre hachozim.

2 Chronicles 33:18 implies one who perceives with the inner vision. Although it can mean to "see," as in an ecstatic state such as Isaiah and Ezekiel, it can also mean to see with intelligence, or from experience, and is frequently used synonymously with navi. The word most commonly translated as "prophesies" in English is the Hebrew navi, which means a spokesman, a speaker, one who speaks forth.

In its oldest form, the verb navah denoted religious ecstasy, sometimes accompanied in the ecstatic state with song and music. In its later form, it meant, essentially, religious instruction with only occasional futuristic predictions. In most instances, the futuristic predictions were peripheral to the message and not the heart of it.

In primitive stages of development, traces of the primitive arts and practices of soothsaying and divination can be found, but the idea of seeing things veiled from the common eye and declaring the things just seen to the people of God soon becomes characteristic of the true prophet. It was his or her privilege to understand and know God's will and to communicate His will and words to the people.

Somehow, it has escaped the Western world that the ideas, the images, and theologies of both the Old and the New Testaments relative to the "end of the days," the "end time," or simply "the end," are all Hebraic and must be understood in the broader context of Hebrew eschatology.

Eschatology comes from the Greek to eschata, denoting "the end of days," or in Hebrew acharit hayamim, or haketz, "the end." Eschatology expresses the hope of greater things to come for Israel and for mankind. These views begin with the patriarchs and are solidified with Moses in Israel's final victory over the nations of the world.

The prophets sound forth the coming judgment with the "day of the Lord," a time when God's wrath is to be directed against all the ungodly, and a time for salvation of the righteous. It becomes a day of wrath for the pagans, a day of triumph for Israel. The final destruction of the heathen world empires is a feature in many of the later prophecies of Ezekiel, Isaiah, Zechariah, Haggai, etc., in contrast to the salvation promised to Israel (Isaiah 34, 35).

The origin of the term, "day of the Lord," is obscure. Although Amos is one of the first to use the term yom yud hey vav hey, the idea certainly dates from a period of time much earlier than his. There is a hint of a general belief in a future time found in the Accadian ina almti, which means simply, "in the future." Nonetheless, by the time of Amos (8th century BCE), the idea that there was a time coming when God would bring His people a complete victory over their foes and lead them into an age of everlasting peace and prosperity was common.

In addition to this concept of the "day of the Lord," prophets from the time of Amos onward spoke of a Messianic future through the reign of a "son from the house of David," an age of bliss, perfect peace and harmony among all creatures, a new heaven, and a new earth (Isaiah 11:1-10; 65:17-25). In this Messianic kingdom, death would be swallowed up and the righteous raised from the dead, and all would behold the glory of the Lord (Isaiah 24:21; 25:8; 26:19). The idea of a resurrection was first expressed by Ezekiel (Ezekiel 37) in reference to the Jewish nation.

Under the influence of Persian theology, the resurrection was made a part of the "day of judgment." The clearest expression of this belief is in Daniel 12:12, and from the time of Daniel onward, a concept of resurrection and of life after death becomes a focus of mainstream Jewish thought. There is no basis in the Old Testament for retribution for the soul after death. Under the influence of Babylonian and Persian theology, the ancient Hebrew concept of Sheol is replaced by Gehenna (Hebrew, Gy Hinnom), the valley west and south of the ancient city of Jerusalem. Since it had been defiled as "the place of the Topheth worship of Molech (2 Kings 23:10; Jeremiah 32:35)," it was cursed by Jeremiah, who predicted that the valley would be filled with corpses to be burned and rot like "dung upon the face of the earth" (Jeremiah 7:32; 8:3). 4 Ezra 7:36, the Assumption of Moses, 10:19; 2 Baruch 85:12-13 add further details from Testamental writings to the eternal suffering to be endured by the wicked. Gehenna was pictured as having seven levels (Sotah 10b), each lower than the other, and has seven names, Sheol, Abbadon, "pit of corruption," "horrible pit," "mire of clay," "shadow of death," and "nether parts of the earth." It is also called Tophet (Isaiah 30:33), and there are seven kinds of pains experienced there (2 Esdras 7:81). Genesis Rabah 28 says that the generation of the flood will be released in due time whereas Toseptha Sanhedrin 85 declares "the punishment of those who have led others into heresy will never cease."

The "abode of the righteous" is spoken of as having three levels (1 Enoch 8), each higher than the other, the uppermost being next to the abode of God. In this paradise of God, man returned to the original peace and joy of Gan Eden, the Garden of Eden, as it was before Adam's sin (Isaiah 51:3; Ezekiel 36:55).

The Dead Sea Scrolls are replete with references to the end of time and about a time of judgment when God will judge both angels and men and the end of the world in some great cosmic conflagration. Because of God's promise of a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65:17), the more mystical of the apocalyptic prophets and writers expected a new Jerusalem built of sapphire, gold, and precious stones, with gates, walls, and towers of marvelous size and wondrous splendor. The expectation included a heavenly temple, miqdash shel ma'alah, coming down from on high. The scroll of The War Between the Sons of Darkness and the Sons of Light (1 QM 2:1-6) gives instructions on how the priests and Levites are to function in the new temple. The famous Temple Scroll, translated by Professor Yigael Yadin, on display in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem, presents detailed description for the construction of the new temple along with the instructions for ritual purity, sacrifices, and festivals.

It is important to note that all these eschatalogical themes are Jewish ­ the "day of the Lord," the "last days," the "war of Gog and Magog," the "gathering of the exiles," the "Messianic age," the resurrection, the "final judgment," the "Messianic banquet," the "new heaven and new earth." They are all Jewish theological concepts. Why is that important ­ that they are all thoroughly Jewish both in spirit and conception? The Hebrew language is realistic; whereas, the Western mind is idealistic. The Biblical prophets were filled with divine enthusiasm. Their messages were filled with allegory and metaphor. In a state of inspired ecstasy, the prophet would often speak forth things fully understood only by them and, therefore, subject to varying interpretations. Thus, it was that the rabbis frequently disagreed as to its proper interpretation. It was not uncommon for one to make some pronouncement or prediction that failed to come to pass ­ not at all unlike some contemporary end-time prophets. Not only the year of redemption, but even the very month and day was fixed by those who calculated the end. According to Rabbi Joshua (Mekhilta, Pisha 14), it was to occur on the 14th day of Nisan. Since none of the calculations proved true, the scholars concluded that when the Messiah would come was one of the things that was hidden from men (Sanhedrin 97a). Even more striking was the pronouncement, "May the bones of those who calculate the end rot, for they say: 'Since the time has arrived and He has not come, He will never come (Sanhedrin 97b).'"

Herein do we see a very real danger in playing with prophecy. The danger is in the idea that Messiah is coming "soon." 2013 Reasons Why the Lord Will Come in 2013 ­ during the Feast of Tabernacles, to be exact! If my theology states that the Lord is coming soon, whether "soon" is tomorrow, a month from now, or a year from now, it still leaves time for me to exercise my own will and then allows time to repent. The theology of the "soon" coming of the Lord is subject to grave abuse. One says, "I can buy this car and not have to make any payments for six months and drive it until the Lord comes and never have to make a payment," or some other idea just as absurd. But, it has been done! It is being done! Nowhere in the teachings of Jesus is the idea that the coming of Messiah will be "soon." Rather, His coming will be sudden, as a thief in the night, at a time when you think not. Therefore, the clear injunction is, "Be ready, for at a time when you think not, the Son of Man cometh." In other words, if you do not believe that the Messiah could come NOW, at any moment, your theology is wrong! Rabbi Jose, in Derek Eretz Rabah 11, taught that "He who announces the Messianic time based on calculation forfeits his own share in the future." In the Mishnah, Order Moed, Tractate Chagigah, Chapter 2, Mishnah 1, it states, "Whoever puts his mind to these four matters, it were better for him if he had not come into the world: what is above, what is below, what is in front, what is behind, for [it continues in the commentary] these speculations lead to no result whatever and do not even serve any useful academic or philosophical purposes, but only cause a falling away from true moral teaching" (Mishnah, Blackman, Judaica Press, Volume 2, 494). Biblical faith is very much a religion of today, now. Remember the teaching of Jesus, "Take no thought for the morrow, what you eat, what you drink, or what you wear. Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (the demonstration of God's power in action through your actions) and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6:31-34). It's an admonition we would all do well to heed.

Dr. Roy Blizzard's Transformative Experience

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Dr. Roy Blizzard's Bio

Dr. Roy B. Blizzard is President of Bible Scholars, a Texas-based organization dedicated to biblical research and education.

A native of Joplin, Missouri, Dr. Blizzard attended Oklahoma Military Academy and has a B.A. degree from Philips University in Enid, Oklahoma. He has an M.A. from Eastern New Mexico University in Portales, New Mexico, an M.A. from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Ph.D. in Hebrew Studies from the University of Texas at Austin.

From 1968 to June 1974, he taught Hebrew, Biblical History, and Biblical Archaeology at the University of Texas at Austin.

Dr. Blizzard studied at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, Israel, in the summer of 1966. In the summer of 1973, he worked on the archaeological excavations at Tel Qasile, where he excavated a Philistine Temple dating from 1200 B.C. In 1968, 1971, and 1972, he worked on the excavations at the Western Wall, or "Wailing Wall," at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.

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(Dr. Blizzard in striped shirt excavating at Tel Qasile...being visited by General Moshe Dayan)

Since then, Dr. Blizzard has spent much of his time in Israel and the Middle East in study and research. He was a licensed guide in Israel and has directed numerous Historical and Archaeological Study Seminars in Israel and Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, and Italy.

Dr. Blizzard hosted over 500 television programs about Israel and Judaism for various television networks and is a frequent television and radio guest.

He is the author of Let Judah Go Up First, and the co-author of Understanding the Difficult Words of Jesus. He is also the author of Tithing, Giving and Prosperity, The Passover Haggadah for Christians and Jews, The Mountain of the Lord, Mishnah and the Words of Jesus, Jesus the Rabbi and His Rabbinic Method of Teaching, as well as many other articles and lecture series. All of his programs and offerings are available at www.biblescholars.org.

Dr. Roy Blizzard’s Transformative Experience

By Andrew Garza

In a recent interview with Nehemiah Gordon, Dr. Blizzard tells his background story that led to his epistemological transformation and exceptional Bible scholar career:

Gordon: Dr. Blizzard, tell us how this began in 1966.

In 1966, I had a friend of mine who had been one of my young men in the congregation I served in Oklahoma. I had been a pastor for 13 years at a Christian church. After earning my bachelor's degree in religion from Phillips University in Enid, Oklahoma—which no longer exists—I continued my studies in religion.

This young man, David Bivin, was studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. I had just finished my master’s degree at Eastern New Mexico University in anthropology and archaeology, and he invited me to come over to Jerusalem to study at the Hebrew University. He said, "If you'd come over, you can live with me." At that time, he was living at “Rechov Shimshon Shta’im” in the Baka area of Jerusalem.
I, of course, was as poor as Job's turkey. I didn’t have the money to go, so I went to the bank and borrowed it. That’s how I got to Israel to study at Hebrew University in 1966.

Gordon: Talk about stepping out on faith.

Yes, it was. But fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately, depending on how you look at it—I was studying at the Hebrew University for about six weeks when I realized that everything I had studied before—my bachelor’s degree, my master’s, and even 13 years as a pastor—was wrong.

Gordon: You’re saying everything you learned was wrong?

Not intentionally wrong, but it came from a completely different background and perspective—a Christian perspective. Everything I had learned was... I hate to use the term “wrong,” because...

Gordon: Would you say you went to Israel in 1966 with all the answers?

No, I didn’t. I thought I had all the answers, but after six weeks, I realized I didn’t know anything. When I came back home, I said, “I can’t continue to do what I’m doing and be intellectually honest. I’ve got to go back to school.”
So I began a search to figure out where to go. Someone told me that the University of Ohio had a good Hebrew program. I’m a pilot, so I flew up there. But I came back home and said, “No, that’s not going to work.” They didn’t have any grant money, and I found out they had snow.
Even though my name is Blizzard, I don’t like anything that’s white or cold. So I started looking elsewhere and was told there was a Hebrew program at the University of Texas in Austin. I flew down, met with the chairman of the department, Baharon Aharon at the time.
He told me, “We basically don’t have any funds. I can’t promise you anything. But if you come down and start studying, I’ll do what I can.” So I moved my family—everything—with no guarantees. I just went to the University of Texas, walked in, and said, “Well, I’m here.” He made me his administrative assistant.
I didn’t know a Hebrew character from a chicken track on the ground.

Gordon: You know what I love about you? Yesterday we were talking in Hebrew, and you said, “I bet I’m the only one you’ve ever spoken to with an Ozarkian hillbilly accent—while speaking fluent Hebrew.”

Yes, I said that. What’s incredible is, a lot of people wouldn’t think UT-Austin had any kind of Hebrew program. But after 12 weeks, I was taking courses in Hebrew—not just studying it, but receiving instruction in Hebrew from native Israelis.

Gordon: Who knew that was going on at UT-Austin?

Yes, it was very impressive for the time. To my knowledge, there was nothing else like it in the country. I did two years of Hebrew in just 12 weeks.
After my first year—this was in 1968—Prof. Bardon told me, “If you go to Israel and work on an archaeological excavation at the Temple Mount with one of my former colleagues,” who turned out to be Prof. Benjamin Mazar...

Gordon: Just for background: in 1967, Israel liberated the eastern half of Jerusalem. One of the first things they did was start excavating around what we now call the Western Wall—though it’s actually the southern wall. You were part of those excavations.

Yes, I started in '68. I was excavating with Prof. Mazar. He and I became very good friends. I got to know his whole family and continued to excavate every year—sometimes five times a year.
I began taking university students on historical and archaeological study seminars. They had the opportunity to actually excavate, tour, and study different archaeological sites.

Gordon: And the Temple Mount excavations were the most impressive in the whole country.

Yes, although there were other excavations going on, everyone wanted to be at the Temple Mount.
Some people who’ve followed me for years might remember me sitting on the steps leading up to the Temple Mount—steps people walked on from the city of David into the temple.

Gordon: You were involved in excavating those very steps.

Yes, that’s right.

Gordon: What was that like? How deep were those steps buried?

Only about that far. Just a few layers of dirt. The first shovelful and we were hitting stone.
The area was known as the “Ophel,” and it was all built up. There was actually an Arab tent on top of the ground back then. We used to sit up on the wall that joined the Temple Mount and watch them during their noon hour.
After a few excavation seasons, they moved through the wall into the area of the Ophel.

Gordan: What else did you find in addition to the steps?

Ritual immersion baths—mikvas—where people would immerse and cleanse themselves before entering the temple.

Gordon: Let’s give that more detail. Those steps—the monumental staircase—led up to the southern wall of the Temple Mount. That was the meeting place for Jews during the three pilgrim festivals.

Yes, that’s where they sat.

Gordon: I think of the Talmudic account of the rabbi sitting on those steps, making a decree about the calendar from that spot. So some kind of rabbinical council met there—and you excavated that very spot?

Yes, right there. That’s where they came together for the festivals of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.
We didn’t know that when we started. I just happened to be close personal friends with Prof. Mazar.

Gordon: And you had a degree in archaeology.

Yes, but that didn’t impress the other archaeologists I was working with in Israel at the time. I was just seen as another laborer—handed a shovel and told where to dig. But with that first shovel, we hit stone. That later turned out to be the monumental staircase.
But what’s really significant—immediately adjacent to the staircase was a series of ritual immersion baths—mikva’ot. I had the opportunity to personally excavate the largest and first one uncovered at the Temple Mount.

But it’s not just the mikvas that are important. Remember in the New Testament, Acts chapter 2, the events on the day of Pentecost? It says the people all went up and got into “the house.”

Gordon: Everyone in Christendom thinks that means a literal house. Like Peter’s rented loft.

Right. But it had to be a pretty big loft! What the text says is that they went into “Ha’ba’it”—the house.

Gordon: Which means...?

The Temple.

Gordon: So you’re saying Acts chapter 2 took place not in someone’s home, but at the Temple?

Not just in the courtyard—but specifically at the monumental staircase. That’s where they gathered for Pentecost.

Gordon: So that’s the same spot where the rabbinical court met, and where the events of Acts 2 took place?

Exactly.

Gordon: How many Christian pilgrims go to the Holy Land and are told that?

None. They all go to the Holy Land, but they don’t know that.

Gordon: This is huge.

Yes, it is.

Taking the First Step
Back in 1966, Dr. Blizzard was comfortable in his world as a pastor with degrees in religion and anthropology. But his friend David Bivin—who was studying at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem—challenged that comfort by inviting him to join him in Jerusalem. Even though money was tight, Dr. Blizzard took the risk, borrowing enough to make the journey without really knowing what lay ahead.

This wasn’t just a regular study trip. In six short weeks at the Hebrew University, he discovered that all his previous learning and his 13 years of pastoring hadn't prepared him for the deeper truths he encountered. It was a wake-up call—a mix of expanding what he knew and who he was. In philosopher L.A. Paul’s terms, it was a transformative experience.

The Heart of a Transformative Experience
According to the philosopher L.A. Paul, transformative experiences are those that fundamentally alter one’s perspective and identity. They are not choices where one can predict the outcome based on past knowledge; they are encounters that reframe the self in ways previously unimaginable. Parenthood is Paul’s paradigm case of transformation. Prior to having a child, one cannot anticipate what it will be like to become a parent. Further, having a child changes the parent in a personally transformative way. Core preferences and life goals are often reshaped around a new priority: the child. The way the new parent sees the world and perceives terror and joy shifts. Dr. Blizzard’s narrative embodies this concept. Arriving with confidence shaped by rigorous theological and academic training, he soon discovered the inadequacy of his previous learning when faced with the complexities and nuances of ancient Jewish traditions and archaeology in Jerusalem.

The transformative nature of his journey is highlighted by his profound realization: despite all his previous accomplishments, he knew very little about the deeper, historical truths of the Biblical text. This led him to a decisive moment of intellectual honesty—an acknowledgment that to truly understand, he needed to return to the academy and expand his horizons. His decision to enroll at the University of Texas, despite the challenges of limited funding and unfamiliarity with the Hebrew language, underscores the essence of a transformative choice. It’s a vivid illustration of how personal growth sometimes demands stepping away from comfort zones and embracing uncertainty.

Immersing in a New World
At UT-Austin, Dr. Blizzard dove headfirst into a transformative experience. In just 12 weeks, he went from not recognizing a single Hebrew character to confidently taking courses entirely in Hebrew. This wasn’t just about mastering a language—it was about radically expanding how he viewed the world. His perspective on learning and what was possible grew immensely.

His adventures weren’t confined to the classroom. Dr. Blizzard eventually found himself on digs at the Temple Mount in Jerusalem—a place teeming with history. Excavating the monumental staircase and uncovering ancient ritual baths (mikva’ot) made history feel real. These hands-on experiences connected him with the past and deepened his understanding of his faith and identity.
Jean Piaget’s theories on cognitive development offer a useful framework to understand how a transformation happens on both an intellectual and personal level. Two central ideas in his work—assimilation and accommodation—play key roles in this process.

Assimilation: Fitting New Experiences Into Old Frameworks
Assimilation is the process of taking in new experiences or information and trying to make sense of them by fitting them into your existing mental schemas (the frameworks or patterns you use to understand the world). For example, if you’ve learned about the basics of a subject, you might try to connect any new details to what you already know. In everyday terms, it’s like using a familiar pair of glasses to look at something new—initially, you try to see the new object with the same understanding you have for old ones.
In a transformative experience, like the one Dr. Blizzard went through, assimilation might start out when he first encountered new ideas and practices in Jerusalem. His mind initially attempted to process these experiences by relating them to his earlier learning as a pastor and scholar. However, when the new experiences proved too different or complex to fit neatly into his existing knowledge, simple assimilation was not enough.

Accommodation: Adjusting to New Realities
Accommodation is the process where your mental schemas adjust, expand, or even change entirely to incorporate new experiences that don’t fit into your old ways of thinking. In other words, when you face information that clashes with what you previously believed or understood, you have to modify your mental framework. This can be challenging because it means letting go of some of your prior assumptions and being open to change.

In Dr. Blizzard’s story, after a short time in Jerusalem, he realized that what he had known was incomplete, prompting him to change his approach to learning. Instead of forcing new insights into the old schema (assimilation), he had to adjust his existing beliefs (accommodation). This shift allowed him to engage with a broader spectrum of knowledge, transforming both his understanding (epistemic expansion) and his self-concept (personal expansion).

How They Work Together in Transformation
A transformative experience often involves Piaget’s equilibration, a cycle between assimilation and accommodation. At first, you try to understand new information using what you already know (assimilation). When this new information doesn’t fit, you must alter your mental models (accommodation). Over time, this cycle leads to a more refined and enriched understanding of the world—a process that is at the heart of both cognitive development and the transformative experiences described by thinkers like L.A. Paul.
In essence, true transformation happens when you’re willing to let your mind adjust to new challenges. Rather than clinging rigidly to old ways of thinking, you embrace a dynamic process where assimilation and accommodation work together. This leads to intellectual growth, deep personal insight, and a more flexible approach to learning—qualities essential for facing the unknown and evolving as a person.

By appreciating how assimilation helps you initially process new ideas and how accommodation forces you to adapt and expand your knowledge, you get a clearer picture of how cognitive development supports significant personal and intellectual transformation.

The Role of Critical Thinking
Critical thinking plays a huge part in shaping transformative experiences, but it’s not always easy to exercise when you’re stepping outside your own experience. When you're diving into the unknown, your usual ways of reasoning might not be enough on their own. That’s where developing certain intellectual traits can really help. Traits like intellectual humility, intellectual autonomy, intellectual integrity, intellectual courage, intellectual perseverance, confidence in reason, intellectual empathy, and fairmindedness prepare you to face new ideas and challenges head-on.

For example, Louis Pasteur famously responded to questions about accidental discoveries by saying that these moments weren’t as accidental as they seemed because a prepared scientific mind can turn chance into breakthroughs. In much the same way, cultivating these intellectual traits makes you ready to embrace transformative experiences. When you’re open to challenging your own beliefs and stepping outside your comfort zone, you’re setting the stage for both personal growth and a deeper understanding of the world around you.

The Big Change: Epistemic and Personal Expansion
Dr. Blizzard’s journey is a classic example of a transformative experience as L.A. Paul describes. It’s not just about gathering more facts—it’s about completely rethinking everything you thought you knew. His time in Jerusalem and at UT-Austin forced him to question long-held beliefs, expand his knowledge base (epistemic expansion), and grow on a personal level.

The transformation wasn’t gradual. It was a sudden, sometimes messy, shift that reshaped both his mind and his heart. Embracing the unfamiliar meant reimagining his identity as a thinker, a learner, and a person of faith. This kind of change takes real courage and an open mind, traits that are built up over time through intellectual perseverance and fairness of thought. The Apostle Paul had a Transformative Experience on the road to Damascus, which is a famous example. He later wrote in Romans 12:2 “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” King James Version (KJV)

Wrapping Up
Dr. Blizzard’s story shows us that sometimes the bravest thing you can do is step into the unknown. His leap from a comfortable past into an eye-opening future embodies the transformative experiences described by L.A. Paul—where both the way we think and who we are can change in profound ways. By daring to question everything he thought he knew and by nurturing the intellectual traits that empower us to learn and grow, he not only transformed his own life but also set an inspiring example for others.

In the end, transformation isn’t always predictable or easy. It’s messy, it’s challenging, and it’s incredibly rewarding. And sometimes, taking that leap of faith is exactly what you need to unlock a whole new world of understanding and possibility.

A Personal Testimony
It was November 16, 1985 and I was sitting in my office while working for a major oil company in the pipeline division, and I turned on my radio to listen to Marlon Maddox’s radio program called Point of View. Maddox introduced his guest as Dr. Roy Blizzard, with the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, and my mind became hyper alert! The Center for Judaic-Christian Studies? I wondered what were the implications of this title? Maddox went on to say that this group espoused that Jesus wasn’t a Christian, he was a Jew and operated entirely within the culture of first-century Judaism in Israel. Having many questions about my beliefs, I was somehow prepared in a Louis Pasteur way: I realized that I knew nothing about Judaism, I knew nothing about Hebrew, I knew nothing about rabbinic methods of teaching. In fact, at that moment I realized that perhaps, I really knew nothing in an Aristotelian way about the Bible, but had always thought I did. I think that anyone that has been exposed to Dr. Blizzard’s teachings have experienced their own transformative experience.

After attending one of Dr. Blizzard's early pastor/teacher seminars in Austin, due to his scholarship I was inspired to go back to college and complete my bachelor and master's degree in psychology. I studied Hebrew and Greek on my own, as well as ancient Judaism and early Christianity. I use my knowledge of psychology and critical thinking to continue to search for information that can lead to new transformative experiences that will expand my knowledge.

 

Dr. Blizzard's Audio Series Now on YouTube

All of Dr. Blizzard's taped audio seminars are now available on the Bible Scholars YouTube channel.

The series includes:

Foundations for Study (Includes: Inspiration of the Bible, How to Study the Bible, and Renewing the Mind)

The series, Foundations for Study, is presented to serve as a starting point for your study of the bible. It is an intelligent and logical presentation of evidence that serves to establish the inspiration of the scriptures. In addition, you will be directed to materials that will assist you in your study and enable you to work with the original texts.

The way in which the material is presented will challenge you to renew your mind and reexamine a number of traditional practices. This series serves as a foundation upon which all other series are built.

Beginnings in Biblical Study (Includes: The Nature of God & The Nature of Man, Historical Roots, and Organizational Structure of the First Century Church)

This series, Beginnings in Biblical Studies presents basic foundational material for beginning any study of the Bible. Once it is established that the Bible is an inspired document (Foundations for Study), what is the principal doctrine of Biblical faith? It is the Monotheism of the scriptures, the idea that there is just one God who is the God of all. This series discusses the nature of God, including the subject of dualism, as well as the nature of the one created in His image, man. The questions relating to man as well as God must be seen in their proper historical context so there is considerable discussion on the historical foundations of faith.

The series concludes with a look at how the first-century community of God was organized and how it functioned. We strongly recommend listening to the series, Foundations for Study before moving on to this series.

Who is Jesus Anyway? (Includes: Who is Jesus, The Faith of Jesus, and Listen! Jesus Speaks)

In both Jewish and Christian circles the one question of supreme importance is "Who is Jesus anyway?"

In this series, we attempt to answer this question from a historical, cultural and linguistic perspective. An attempt is made to listen to what Jesus has to say about himself and of course being a Jew, a Rabbi, and speaking Hebrew, that question is not easily answered without taking all of these facts into consideration.

Additionally, you will grow to understand why Jesus believes and teaches as he does and in so doing you will be able to understand more of Jesus' words when he speaks.

Jesus the Rabbi (Includes: Jesus the Rabbi & His Rabbinic Method of Teaching, and Mishnah & the Words of Jesus)

This series is an excellent continuation of the series Who is Jesus? as it describes the first century Rabbi, the methods of teaching they used and illustrates that Jesus serves as the best example of the life and teaching of a first-century Rabbi of any known from Jewish history.

The similarity to Jesus' teaching and those of rabbis both preceding and following him are striking. The comparison with the teaching of Jesus and those of the rabbis of the Mishnah are both interesting and illuminating.

Understanding Your God-Given Talents (Includes: Understanding the Holy Spirit & Fruit of the Spirit)

This seminar Understanding Your God Given Talents is a new and updated presentation of our old Understanding the Holy Spirit seminar. I believe this seminar to be one of the most important, if not the most important of the seminars we offer.

In this particular series we ask the questions

What is your purpose in life?
Who are you?
What is your unique motivational gift?
What is your personality type?
How do you think?
Where do you fall in the birth order?

The answer to all of these questions determines our psychological makeup as well as our ability to understand others and ourselves.

The Blood Covenant (Includes: Tithing, Giving & Prosperity and Let Judah Go Up First)

The Blood Covenant is a unique study tracing the subject of Biblical atonement from the Old Testament into the New. Topics such as water baptism and the Lord's Supper and their relation to God's total scheme of redemption are examined.

Tithing, Giving, and Prosperity is an educated study on the Biblical subject of tithing. This study presents the Biblical background on the subject and its later introduction into Christianity through a capitulary of Constantine, king of the Francs, as well as an in-depth study of the host of words translated into English as "prosper" and/or "prosperity." This work will assist in your understanding of a Jewish practice that has almost attained the status of an ordinance in many parts of Christendom today.

Science and the Bible (Includes: What is man that thou are mindful of him?)

Science and the Bible is a comparison of the four principle theories of creation; transformism, reconstructionism, creationism and spontaneous creation, with the Hebrew Text of Genesis Chapter 1. Questions and problems that plague the searching mind about creation are closely examined in light of the original Hebrew account in Genesis, Chapters 1 and 2. This fascinating, in-depth study establishes Biblically and scientifically that there need be NO conflict between science and the Bible.

What is Man That Thou Art Mindful of Him is actually a continuation of the study of Science and the Bible beginning with Day 6 of creation and demonstrating God's plan for man. Assisting you to understand exactly who you really are by virtue of creation.

The Role of Women in the Community of God (Includes: What is man that thou are mindful of him?)

The modern-day teachings on the subject of women in the Church, submission, and covering are set in their proper Biblical perspective.  The Role of Women in the Community of God  is a refreshingly different, scholarly treatment of the subject of the role of women in the church, designed to eliminate the myths and popular misconceptions surrounding this topic.

A Historical and Chronological Survey of the Old Testament

A college-level course on the historical development of God's dealing with mankind in chronological order. Major themes will be emphasized in historical order rather than an exegesis book by book. H.I. Hester's book: "The Heart of Hebrew History" can be used as a companion.

Foundations of Our Faith I & IV

Contributing Scholars

Dr. Robert Lindsey
Dr. William Sanford La Sor
Dr. Brad Young
David Bivin
Dr. Halvor and Mirja Ronning
Dr. Marvin Wilson
Dr. Roy Blizzard
Dr. Ken Hansen
Rabbi Hershel Jaffe
Rabbi Rachael Levine
Dwight Pryor
Martin J. Mann
Roy Blizzard, III
William McDonald

Discussion Topics and Contributor Background

“The Sources for the Life of Jesus”

“The Words of Jesus”

Dr. Robert Lindsey, along with the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, was a pioneer in synoptic studies. Their discovery has changed forever the approach of biblical scholarship to the synoptic gospels. Dr. Lindsey lived in Israel for more than four decades and was the Pastor of the Narkis Street Baptist Congregation in Jerusalem for many years.

“Learning from Jewish Interpretation of Scripture”

Dr. William Sanford La Sor was a long-time professor at Fuller Theological Seminary in California and held six degrees and two doctorates. Dr. La Sor was a very prolific author and had a working knowledge of 20 languages.

“The Background to the Lord’s Prayer”

“The Parables of Jesus in Their Jewish Setting”

Dr. Brad Young earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in Judaism and Early Christianity at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem where he studied for ten years. He is a founding member of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research and is an authority on the life and teachings of Jesus as well as authoring books and articles.

“The Importance of Hebraic Perspective for Christian Growth”

David Bivin studied at the Hebrew University on a Rotary Foundation Fellowship where he did postgraduate work in Jewish history and literature. He is a member of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research, has written over 100 scholarly articles and papers, and is also the founder and editor of the Jerusalem Perspective.

“God’s Law, Man’s Faith, and Resulting Holiness”

Dr. Halvor and Mirja Ronning are long-time residents of Israel who are well-known in Christian and academic circles and hold several degrees between them. Halvor is also a licensed tour guide and Mirja has been a teacher and translator and they both continue to lecture.

“Hebrew Thought in the Life of the Church”

“Loving, Leaning, & living: On Getting Our Act Together”

Dr. Marvin Wilson is the Harold J. Ockenga Professor of Biblical and Theological Studies at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. He is a leader in dialogue between Christians and Jews, has co-edited many books and has written numerous articles on Christian-Jewish relations.

“The Community of God in Jesus’ Day”

“Believing a Lie”

Dr. Roy Blizzard – see website bio

“Characteristics of the Pharisees”

Dr. William McDonald was one of the students supported by Yavo for several years and distinguished himself in Washington, DC when he participated in a diplomatic seder in the Israeli Embassy. MacDonald holds Masters degrees in Divinity as well as Biblical Literature and Hebrew History, Cultures and Semitic Languages from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma and received a doctorate in Hebrew Studies from the University of Texas since this seminar was held.

“The Rich Young Ruler”

Dr. Ken Hanson is a professor of Jewish history at Oral Roberts University, His doctorate is from the University of Texas at Austin, where he taught the Hebrew language for several years His dissertation research was on the subject of the Dead Sea Scrolls in relation to early rabbinic Halakha. Dr. Hanson holds a B.A. from the University of Illinois, including work at the Institute of Holy Land Studies in Jerusalem, Israel. His M.A. is from Regent University and he has worked with CBN’s Middle East Television in Lebanon.

“Knowing God, the Highest Form of Worship”

Dr. Dwight Pryor is the founder and President for the Center for Judaic-Christian Studies, and a founding board member of the Jerusalem School for the Study of the Synoptic Gospels. He graduated with special distinction from the University of Oklahoma. Dwight draws from his college and graduate studies in Philosophy and Hebrew Studies to communicate key biblical truths in a clear and inspired manner, teaching in churches and conferences across the U.S.

“Hanging Onto Hope”

Rabbi Hershel Jaffe is co-author of Why Me? Why Anyone? The dramatic story of Rabbi Jaffe’s battle with leukemia and his triumph over illness and despair. A former prison chaplain, Hirshel Jaffe is Rabbi of Temple Beth Jacob in Newburgh, N.Y. He was honored with a Doctorate from his seminary, The Hebrew Union College.

“Hebrew as a Spoken Language in Judea in the First Century”

Martin J. Mann is a graduate of the University of Texas where he received a B.A. degree with highest honors, completing a major in history and a minor in classical Greek. While at the University of Texas, Martin concentrated on studies in modern Hebrew, classical Greek, and both ancient and Middle-Eastern history. Martin has also attended United Wesleyan College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Understanding the Difficult Words of Paul

Roy Blizzard, III is a specialist in Israel, Hebrew language and culture, and in the Classical languages and cultures. He is a graduate of the University of Texas and has studied and traveled extensively in Israel. Mr. Blizzard is the author of numerous articles on biblical topics.

“The Woman’s Role”

Rachel D.Levine has a B.A. degree from the University of Miami and a M.Ed. from Florida Atlantic University. She has an extensive background in religious and archaeological studies, having participated in excavations in Tel Aviv in 1973. She has done additional studies with the Biblical Archaeology Society and is a member of the American Academy of Religion and the Society for Biblical Literature.

The Journey Out of Africa – Humanity’s First Steps and Spiritual Awakening

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Introduction

The migration of early humans out of Africa is one of the most remarkable milestones in human history. This journey, shaped by climate shifts, survival struggles, and innovation, laid the foundation for modern human populations across the globe. However, beyond mere survival, this period also offers some of the earliest glimpses into human spirituality and symbolic thinking. Furthermore, the crossing of the Red Sea carries echoes of profound religious significance, later embedded in Biblical narratives. Intriguingly, this journey also led early humans into fertile oasis-like regions such as southern Arabia’s “Eden” and the sacred lands of Mount Carmel in Israel, which would later hold spiritual importance in Judaism. The Carmel Caves on Mt. Carmel are one of Dr. Roy Blizzard’s favorite archaeological sites.

The Sahara Barrier and Early Attempts

Around 100,000 years ago, a pioneering group of modern humans ventured beyond Africa into the Middle East. Evidence from the Skhul and Qafzeh Caves, part of the Carmel Caves complex on Mount Carmel in Israel, reveals ten human burials, representing the oldest modern human remains found outside Africa. These Carmel Caves, overlooking the Mediterranean, are among the most significant prehistoric sites in the region.

This discovery is not only significant for dating human migration but also for revealing the first signs of spirituality and symbolic behavior.

These individuals were deliberately buried, a practice that suggests care for the dead and an understanding of mortality. Some graves contained shell beads and jewelry, including a boar’s tooth amulet, indicating ritualistic customs and perhaps the earliest belief in an afterlife. Such symbolic behavior marks a cognitive leap—humans were beginning to attach meaning to death and express their inner spiritual worlds.

The Spiritual Significance of Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel, where these earliest modern human burials were found, holds deep spiritual significance in later religious history. Thousands of years after these ancient pioneers, the Biblical patriarch Abraham was called by God to journey to Canaan—the region that included Mount Carmel—to settle in the land promised to his descendants (Genesis 12:1-7).

Mount Carmel is also prominently featured in later Biblical accounts, such as the Prophet Elijah’s confrontation with the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18). The coincidence of early human spiritual practices and later sacred narratives in this region suggests that certain places became deeply intertwined with the evolving human sense of the divine over millennia.

One could imagine that the early human burials, infused with symbolic objects, might represent the very roots of the spiritual intuition that blossomed into the faith traditions that would later sanctify these lands.

The Red Sea Crossing – Echoes of Faith and Survival

Around 90,000 years ago, as climate shifts caused sea levels to drop, the Bab el Mandeb strait (Gate of Grief) narrowed to just 11 kilometers. This allowed a small group—perhaps only a few hundred individuals—to cross from Africa to Arabia, marking the start of the successful human migration out of Africa.

This crossing holds symbolic resonance with later religious texts, particularly the Biblical story of Moses leading the Israelites across the Red Sea. While the timeframes are vastly different, both events represent journeys of hope, survival, and faith through a perilous water crossing. These parallels suggest that the deep-rooted human narrative of overcoming great barriers to find a better life may have been imprinted in our cultural memory since these ancient journeys.

The Oasis of Eden – A Refuge in Southern Arabia

Once these early humans crossed into Arabia, they faced harsh desert conditions. However, southern Saudi Arabia near Oman is believed to have once held fertile, oasis-like regions, providing vital refuges for early humans. Fascinatingly, one such area is actually called Eden.

This "Eden," near modern-day Dhofar, is thought to have been a green corridor during wetter climatic periods, made possible by monsoon rains creating fertile valleys and freshwater sources. Archaeologists and geologists believe that this oasis may have allowed Stone Age migrants to survive and push further into Asia.

The name Eden resonates profoundly with the Biblical Garden of Eden, described as the birthplace of humanity in Genesis. While the Biblical Eden is often considered allegorical, the existence of an actual oasis called Eden hints at a deeper connection between human survival and the cultural memory of paradise.
These rare green sanctuaries in an otherwise unforgiving desert would have appeared as true havens to migrating families, reinforcing the enduring human association between gardens, fertility, and divine blessing.

Tools and Adaptation in Arabia

Archaeologist Jeff Rose uncovered stone tools in Oman, confirming that early humans adapted to the harsh Arabian environment. These tools, such as Burin chisels, show technological ingenuity, enabling humans to work with hides, bones, and wood for survival.
The discovery of ancient tools scattered across Arabia suggests continuous human activity, likely centered around fertile zones like the Eden region, which acted as crucial stepping stones for further migration.

The Spiritual Evolution of Early Humans

The burial practices in the Carmel Caves and the ritual objects placed with the dead suggest that early humans were not only biological beings but also spiritual ones. These behaviors represent the dawn of religious thought, where humans began grappling with life, death, and the possibility of an afterlife.

The fact that these burials occurred on Mount Carmel, a place that would later become sacred in Judaism, hints at a long, perhaps subconscious connection between certain landscapes and human spirituality.

Later, God’s call to Abraham to settle in this very region can be seen as part of a broader, timeless human story—a story that began with those first pioneers laying their dead to rest with shells and beads, contemplating the mysteries of life and death.

Conclusion

The journey out of Africa was not merely a physical migration—it was also a spiritual and intellectual awakening. Early humans were learning to adapt to harsh climates, create tools, and build cultures, but they were also beginning to reflect on their place in the universe.

The crossing of the Red Sea, later echoed in religious texts, became both a literal and symbolic gateway—ushering humanity into new lands and new ways of thinking about life, death, and the divine.
The Carmel Caves burials in Israel represent the first stirrings of human spirituality, in a region that would later be sanctified in the story of Abraham and the birth of the Abrahamic faiths.
The oasis of Eden in southern Arabia stands as a powerful reminder that human survival has often depended on the existence of rare, fertile havens, which would later shape our deepest cultural visions of paradise and divine favor.

Survey of the New Testament

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We are seeking a complete set of Dr. Blizzard's New Testament Survey tape series for conversion to mp3 audio format. We have an incomplete set but won't release anything less than the complete series. Email details at biblescholars@proton. me .

Historical and Chronological Survey of the Old Testament

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We have digitized the Historical and Chronological Survey of the Old Testament thanks to a Bible Scholars partner. It is a free download, if possible a contribution of any amount would be appreciated. Email us at biblescholars@proton.me for access.