THE RELATIONS BETWEEN ISRAEL AND YAHWEH ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

                                          

As far as relations between Israel and Yahweh are concerned, the Old Testament narrative can be divided into two parts. The first, consisting of the initial eleven chapters of Genesis, deals with such universal issues as the creation of the world, the Fall of man, and the spread of sin in mankind. The second part, from Genesis 12 to the book of Malachi, concerns the relations between Israel and Yahweh. These relations, according to scholars, began around 2000 BC with the appearance of God to Abraham, a man from Mesopotamia, from which would arise the Jewish nation.

Such relations form the core of the Old Testament plot and are characterized by apostasy and infidelity on the part of Israel; and love and long-suffering on the part of God. Although the chosen people have witnessed great divine acts in their favor upon their release from Egyptian captivity, during their trek in the wilderness to Canaan and the wars of conquest of the promised land; Israel quickly forgot Him and turned to the cult of the Canaanite gods.

For the Canaanites, it was the god Baal who sent the rain, which was seen as his semen falling on the earth. Thus the worship of him consisted of sexual orgies conducted by prostitutes and cultists (1 Kings 14:24, Hosea 4:14). These were the so-called fertility cults. Israel practiced this cult in periods of its history, even having a place for the utensils of that cult, as well as accommodation for prostitutes (2 Kings 1-30) in the temple, which Solomon raised to the LORD.

There was an alternation of periods of faith and apostasy in Israel. Several kings followed Yahweh; but many others not, among them the great Solomon. "He followed Astaroth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech the loathsome god of the Ammonites." The Molech worship consisted of sexual acts and human sacrifices. Solomon built an altar to him on a hill east of Jerusalem (1 Kings 11: 5-7,33). Because of these deviations, Israel weakened as a nation, was divided into two kingdoms that were later destroyed and taken captive successively by the Assyrians and Babylonians.

During these times, God raised up prophets to reorient the people. In Babylon, he preserved a remnant, who returned and rebuilt Israel, in which 500 years later he would enter the world, through the Son, Jesus Christ. Israel, in the Old Testament, is a symbol of man, of mankind. His relations with God show the condition of human decay, and the divine effort to restore it. Today, as in the time of the Old Covenant, there are many religions in the world that prevent the human being from worshiping the true God. The scheme of the world is anti-God. That is why we must pay attention to our relationship with the Lord and observe what Jesus taught: "Our Father ... your kingdom come" (Matthew 6: 9,10). The Kingdom of God is not a place, but the LORD reigns in our hearts.

Antônio Maia – M.Div.

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