Religions of the Middle East
Tuesday,April 23rd

Announcements: First Mid-Term Exam will commence on: Thurs.4/25,Mon.4/29,Tues.4/30,and Wed.5/1 until 5:00p.m. at the Social Science Computer and Testing Lab (Center 423)
A Study Guide was also handed out.

Leadership of Israel, Judges through Diaspora

Israel under Judges
-Loose confederation of tribes
-Occasional military, political leaders

Israel under Monarchy
-Israel's desire to have a central authority who has power to raise an Army to protect Israel.

Kings of United Israel
-Saul
-David
-Solomon
Kings of Fractured Israel
-Reheboam
-Jereboam

King Saul
-First King of Israel
-Fired as King for being insubordinate
-Reasons: 1)Sacrifices to God thus usurping the task from the Levite priests
2)Botches the Amalekite Genocide by bringing back the King of the Amalakites, brings back livestock, doesn't kill all the amalekites.
3)Medium at Endor: Saul has medium raise Prophet Samuel. Example showing old testament idea of afterlife or lack there of in early Judaism, 2000BC-400BC. Possible exception: Daniel 12
Also shows that the dead areunconcious and rest in the grave (Sheol)
-End result: Saul commits suicide to avoid torture and humiliation at the hands of the philistines who he was at war with.
-This story is another example of corporate responsibility and how obedience ri God's Law is of primary importance.


King David-"Man after God's own heart"
-Powerful, charismatic leader
-Expansionist
-Promised an everlasting Dynasty
-Type of the Messiah-military leader who would defeat Israel's enemies and rule over a secure Kingdom.
David's Sins
-Adultury with Bathsheba
-Has Uriah the Hittite,Bathsheba's husband, placed in a postition to be killed
-Nathan the Prophet tells lamb story to David which is used to point out David's murder and adultery
-David Repents and is forgiven but he is punished: God kills his infant child, incites rebellion and humiliates David when his son Absalom sleeps with David's wives, after Absalom is killed.

Prophet: person God speaks through to deliver messages(generally to leaders of Israel)
-Nathan is David's prophet

King Solomon-one of David's sons
-Public works projects(liked to build)
-Built first temple to Yahwah
-All the building sapped Israel's resources
-Sin's: built pagan temple's for his numerous foreign wives, and committed Idolatry

Kings of Fractured Israel
-Reheboam (Son of Solomon): doesn't listen to older advisors and takes younger advisor's advice and decide's to rule tyrannicaly. Get's Southern Kingdom of Israel, Kindoms of Judah and part of Benjamin, 1-2 tribes.
-Jereboam: no Kingly lineage, formerly a commoner who moved up the social structure by working on the many public works projects. Popular leader who gets kingdom of Israel(Northern Kingdom),10 tribes.

Sundering of Israel
-Assyria: conquers Kingdom of Israel and assimilated(dispersed), some went back to Judah later on, 722BC.
-Babylonians conquer Kingdom of Judah,586BC.
-MedoPersians conquer babylonians
-People of Judah allowed to resettle after captivity
-Greeks conquer MedoPersians
-Romans conquer Greeks
-70AD-Diaspora-"The Scattering" from revolt against Romans
-Israel not a country again until 1948.