Israel and Humanity - Biblical Universalism

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III.

Biblical Universalism.

Judaism, or by what we learn their sacred writings, either because their rabbis teach us, he was fully aware that the God he proclaimed was indeed the universal God? Just open the book of Psalms and prophetic books to find numerous and striking testimony.

"From sunrise to sunset the name of the Lord is celebrated" [1] It must have thought that the word mabo used here indicates the time of sunset, rather than setting it works in both directions and we find with the second meaning in the famous Malachi passage we will quote. The following verse seems tied to an obvious allusion to the "God Most High," the Supreme God by all adored. "The Lord is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens."

Psalm VIII seems to recognize implicitly that the true God, one way or the other, is universally loved. Man, compared to the splendours of the firmament, that is nothing yet in reality it is nothing that equals greatness. Everything in the physical creation bends under his rule and his angels are only marginally higher, because it is the voice that proclaims intelligent [2] around here below the majesty and the sovereign power of the Creator: "O Lord our God, thy name is beautiful all the earth! .

But names have come forward to the decisive testimony of the universal worship of the true God. We might want to do more beautiful, more expressive. The breath of universalism is rejected as Israel seems to the background to leave only the humanity as a whole and what is more surprising still, the pagan humanity. The prophet Malachi, who in an age of general decadence, has vied with the eagles of the prophecy, Isaiah and Ezekiel, their flights in the most sublime and incomparable added by this passage from a precious jewel in the crown of all Israel. He begins by complaining that affected contempt for the high altar modest after Zerubbabel, in place of the old. For a few grand temple if they thought that the victim was having a spot well enough. "Offer it now unto thy governor; You will he good, you will he welcome? [3] "bitter allusion to the bondage in which the Persian government was then the Jews. Rather than desecrate the sanctuary and that the Lord does not close it doors! "I take no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, and the offerings of your hand are not pleasant to me [4]. "What language is the prophet he then heard on behalf of the national God who, having been in Israel all his kindnesses, stood for nothing, so they say, the rest of the world? He speaks in such a way that this one passage is enough to confuse those who dare to speak to us and the Jewish particularism. "From where the sun rises to where it sets, my name is great among the nations, and in any place or burn incense in honor of my name and are presented pure offerings, because my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the LORD of hosts "[5]. Not only the Jew who speaks for humanity is not excluded from God's concerns, but this time it is Israel itself which seems to be, at least the possible rejection of the chosen people is indicated if clear that the apostles were Christians has been later transformed into an irrevocable decision and heinous that a threat here is conditional inspired by love hurt. [6] There is a passage in Jeremiah that we can justly be compared with that of Malachi. "No one is like unto thee, O Lord! You are great, and your name is great in power. Who would not fear thee, O King of nations? To you that fear is due. Yes, among all the wise guys and all their kingdoms, they say there is none like unto thee! "Jeremiah [7] The words that we underscore are not in the text, but they seem needed however to make the true meaning of this passage in the style familiar to ellyptique Hebrew. Imagine there be indeed a more petty, more distant tone which we have accustomed the prophets when they speak of God's greatness, of celebrating the Creator of heaven and earth, saying he has no equal sages among the nations? The following verses also leave no doubt about the true inter- tion of this passage already contained by Maimonides and by the Zohar. After acknowledging what is good and true in pagan religions, the universal religion of God, the prophet condemns the way that the error that defaces the cult and who is incarnate in the wooden idol of god we want to worship.

The verse of Zechariah, who announced the future triumph of monotheism implies also that there are many now have some knowledge of God among the Gentiles. "The Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the LORD will be one and his name "[8]. This can only mean one thing: the name of God, that is his real character, more or less ignored by people now who still worship under false names, that false representations, will finally be recognized and universally loved by all. We cite in support of this interpretation two very remarkable passages of the Psalms.

The first is provided by the Psalm XLVIII compound return from an expedition of the Israelites with the Phoenicians. "The Lord is great, it is the object of all praise ... Here, the kings (that is to say, apparently Huram Solomon) had coordinated: they only spend together, they watched while stunned ... O God! We believe in your love among your [9] temple. Like your name, O God! and thy praise unto the ends of the earth. " The Israelites return to their expressed their surprise therefore to have found the name of truth and praise God even in the remotest regions.

The other passage to which we refer is found in Psalm LXXXVII. "I declare Egypt and Babylon among those who know me. Here, the land of the Philistines, Tyre, with Ethiopia, where they are born. And of Zion it is said: All are born, and it is the Most High who strengthens. The LORD account by registering people: that's where they were born. " Without doubt the psalmist points out in this last verse of the few God-fearing Gentiles who are therefore treated as if they were themselves the son of Zion, but no less expressly acknowledges that he exists and that so true worshipers of God are found in all peoples.


References

  1. Ps. CXIII, 3.
  2. Page 109
  3. Malachi, i. 8.
  4. Ibid. worms. 10.
  5. Ibid. worms. 11.
  6. Page 110
  7. X 6.7. Zohar Sect. Mishpatim
  8. Zechariah XIV, 9.
  9. Page 111