Thursday, April 25th

Religions Of The Middle East

Announcements- Exam dates extended to: Mon. 29th 9am-8pm,
Tues. 30th 9-8
Wed. 1st 9-8,
Thurs. 2nd 9-8
Fri. 3rd 9-5.(5:00 on Friday last chance to take exam. Exam format is Mult. choice, and True/False.

* First 3 questions answered for assignment #5.
1. Reheboam's stiff hand with regard to Northern tribes and his idol threats of building more.
2. Solomon built Pagan temples to allow for Idol worship, and he began worshiping pagan gods himself. God allowed things to take their natural course, and ( because of the contract in Deuteronomy 28) Solomon was cursed.
3. Babylonian Captivity- Israelites were captives in Babylon from: 586bc-538bc, which was called 6th century b.c. The Babylonians took the cream of the crop of the Israelites and left the others behind. Others that were left behind formed their own religious gatherings that consisted of no Priestly rituals and sacrifices, and no Temple. Judaism became a religion centered around the study of scriptures, led by a Rabbi(teacher) in a local home, later called a synagogue.

* Reminder of the kings of Israel:
- Saul
- David
- Solomon- who built the Temple that was destroyed in 70AD and is why Jews no longer make sacrifices.

Synagogue System - Local, didn't have to travel long distances. And Devotional, everyday time spent in worship.

Temple System - Central- some had to travel long distances.More for rituals and sacrifices, with scriptures being only somewhat important.


** Side-note The Ark of The Covenant replicas can be seen in Jewish synagogues today.

------------------ JOB ------------------

- Satan (meaning the adversary or the enemy) doesn't appear until history books of the Monarchy. There is a bet between God and Satan as to how faithful Job is. God allows satan to take Job's possessions. Job loses: his family, his house , his servants, his cattle, and, after another bet with Satan, Job loses his health. Many of these things he loses to nomads.

- Job's comforters say that he must've sinned (Deut. 28).

The book of Job answers the question of why do good people suffer by saying that: 1. Man can't hope to understand Gods reasons for doing what he does. 2. It is not our place to question God- we should trust and obey him. 3. It is futile to challenge God's authority. 4. Suffering is a test of faith.

The idea or religion of Zoroastrianism (persian) is one that believes that: there is a good God and an evil God, there is a hierchy of angels, there is a resurrection of the dead, and a Heaven and Hell.

- Influences of the belief in resurrection of the dead are: Zoroastrianism, the vision of the valley of dried bones (a picture of ressurection), and concerns about God's justice.

There is an exam review on Tuesday and if you want to be ahead, you can start reading The Gospel of Mark.