THE ISRAELITES LESSON 1 BEGINNINGS BEGINNINGS JUDAISM AN

THE ISRAELITES LESSON 1: BEGINNINGS

BEGINNINGS • JUDAISM AN ANCIENT AND MODERN RELIGION • GROUP OF ISRAELITES FROM SOUTHWEST ASIA DIFFERENT • WORSHIPPED ONLY ONE GOD. • BELIEVED GOD SENT PROPHETS (MESSENGERS TO SHARE GOD’S WORD OF THE PEOPLE) • ARGUED GOD CREATED AND RULED THE WORLD • POWERFUL BUT JUST AND GOOD • EXPECTS GOODNESS FROM IT’S PEOPLE • ANY PERSON COULD CONNECT THROUGH PRAYER, RELIGIOUS STUDY, AND GOOD/JUST ACTS. • BELIEF IN ONE GOD IS KNOWN AS MONOTHEISM (THE BELIEF IN ONE ALL POWERFUL,

THE HEBREW BIBLE • RECORDED BELIEF AND HISTORY • ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEBREW BIBLE OR TANAKH • THROUGH BELIEF AND FAITH OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES FORMED THE JUDAIC RELIGION • FOLLOWERS KNOWN AS JEWS • ORIGINAL POPULATION WAS SMALL • IMPORTANT ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM • HEBREW BIBLE KNOWN TO CHRISTIANS AS THE OLD TESTAMENT • INFLUENCED VALUES, ETHICS, AND PRINCIPLES OF MANY SOCIETIES

ABRAHAM • AROUND 12 OO B. C. GREAT CHANGES TAKE PLACE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN • EARLY ISRAELITES DEPEND ON HERDING AND TRADING TO SURVIVE • According to bible Abraham and family migrate to Mesopotamia and settle in Canaan. (Today known as Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan) • Israelites believed to be Abrahams descendants. • Travel to Canaan and land be for him and his people forever. • Land referred to as The Promise Land.

ISAAC AND JACOB • Took over after Abraham’s death • According to bible: Angel gave Jacob new name of Israel (One who struggles with God) • Descendants called Israelites • 12 sons later became leaders of the tribes (separate family groups) • Also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel • Family migrated after living many years in famine and migrated to Egypt • As Israelite population increase Egyptian Pharaoh grew uneasy • Did not want them to rebel and was forced in slavery.

MOSES AND THE EXODUS • Worked hard and therefore prayed to God to please be set free. • According to bible: Prophet named Moses came to save them • • While tended to sheep in wilderness saw bush on fire Went to it and was called on by God to tell the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go. Pharaoh refuse God sent 10 plagues upon Egypt • Caused problems for Egyptians • Locusts : a grasshopper that often migrates in large numbers • Devoured the fields and spread disease • Pharaoh set them free but after they left Egypt for Canaan he sent his army after them

• Arrived at the Red Sea but no way to cross through the water • • God parted the Red Sea to let his people cross to the other side Army tried to follow but water fell back in and drowned them Departure from Egypt known as the Exodus Jews celebrate Passover to commemorate their freedom from slavery

THE COVENANT • Way from Egypt received a covenant (agreement with God) • Take them safely to Canaan if followed Gods Law • Moses climbed to Mount Sinai where he received the laws known as the Torah • What God considered to be right and wrong • Most important, the Ten Commandments