RMPS - Int2/Higher - World Religions - Judaism - Education Scotland

THE FINAL AIM OF EXISTENCE
The Covenant
There were a number of occasions in the early history of the Jewish
people when God made promises; first to Abraham, who was the
founding father of the Jewish people; and later to Moses, who was the
leader who led them out of Egypt and who converted the children of
Israel from a disparate group of slaves into a nation.
Abraham had realised that there could only be one God, that there was
no other god and that it was foolish for people to worship idols which
they had made with their own hands. God told him to leave his homeland
and go to ‘a land which I will show you’ (Genesis 12: 1). God tested
his faith and because he showed himself to be completely faithful and
obedient, God made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 17: 2 and 4). He
promised him and his descendants the land of Canaan for evermore
(Genesis 15: 18 and 17: 7–8). Circumcision for males, Brit Milah, became
the sign of the covenant, agreement or promise (Genesis 17: 9–
11).
A somewhat different form of agreement was made with Moses and the
people of Israel after he had led the Jews out of Egypt. Here the
covenant is based on the whole of the laws that God gave to Moses to
transmit to the children of Israel (Exodus 24: 3 and 7). The promises
that were made then were conditional on good behaviour (Leviticus 26:
3–4). However, despite the warning of the dire consequences if the
children of Israel were not faithful to God (Leviticus 26: 14ff), the
promise was made that the children of Israel would not in the end be
rejected and that God would not break His initial covenant with them
(Leviticus 26: 43–45). These promises have been kept by God up till the
present day and observant Jews and even many secular Jews believe that
God will keep his promises in the future.
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Sources
Genesis 17: 2 And I will make My covenant between me and thee.
Genesis 17: 4 As for Me, behold. My covenant is with thee, and thou shalt
be the father of a multitude of nations.
Genesis 15: 18 In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying:
‘Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great
river, the river Euphrates.
RMPS: WORLD RELIGIONS – JUDAISM (INT 2, H)
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