The Hebrew Scriptures

The Evolution of the Relationship of Man and God(s)

The relationship between god(s) and human beings is very ambiguous, and thus can become very complicated. Through analyzing early world literature, such as, the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and the Qur’an, this paper will work to frame the evolution of the relationship between god(s) and human beings. All of these scriptures have eternal moral principles recurrent to god(s) relationship to mankind. The narrators write from an omniscient perspective, writing even god’s inner thoughts.

In 1500 B.C.E., Israel was caught in between the Egyptians and Mesopotamians struggle for power over Palestine. During 900-100 B.C.E Israel’s great poets, priests, and prophets wrote the Hebrew Scriptures, a collection of religion, literature, and history (Book1 page 131). Sometime between 1500-1300 B.C.E. the Hebrew people were exiled from Israel, and while travelling southward, were enslaved by the Egyptians (Book 1 page 134). The scriptures tell the stories of the creation of the world, the creation of man and woman, the flood, and first murder, the exodus, to name a few. Originally the scriptures were written in Hebrew and later translated

to other languages. The Hebrew Scriptures are included in the Bible, or biblia in Greek, meaning “little books.” The scriptures are compromised of thirty-nine books and are the basis for the religions of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. And is the most influential book in the Western World. The Hebrew Scriptures includes some of the earliest stories about the relationship formed between god and man. In the The Hebrew Genesis; The Flood, Chapter 6:1-3, 5-8, god is described as upset, a human characteristic associated with God that is done throughout the text.
“When mankind began to increase and to spread all over the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of the gods saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; so they took for themselves such women as they chose. […] When the Lord saw that man had done much evil on earth and that his thoughts and inclinations were always evil, he was sorry that he had made man on earth, and he was grieved at heart. He said, ‘This race of men whom I have created, I will wipe them off the face of the earth –man and beast, reptiles and birds. I am sorry that I ever made them.’”
The flood story, describes god(s) reaction to the turmoil of man on earth. “The sons of gods,” is plural implying there is more than one god, polytheism. It seems that god was not happy with man and angry even. The term “god” can be defined as the “creator or ruler or the universe and source of all moral authority” (Webster Dictionary). Mankind was not living up to the expect-ations that god had in mind, thus making him upset. While having an inner conversation, god decides that he will use his moral authority, and power, and do away with all “the evil on earth,” by “wiping them off the face of the earth.” It seems god is so angry with man he wants to start over with a new race of mankind and wipes all others out, hoping the new race will evolve and have a better understanding of their role in respect to god. Here in the flood book, man disappoints god and god shows no mercy for the evil inclinations of man. Later in the book god floods the earth and leaves only one man alive, Noah, The Hebrew Genesis; The Flood, Chapter 8:20-21.
“Then Noah built an alter to the LORD. He took ritually clean beasts and birds of every kind, and offered whole-offerings on the alter. When the LORD smelt the soothing odor, he said within himself…”
Here “god” is also referred to as “lord,” both words mean supreme authority in this context. Showing god is sovereign. This is acknowledged after the flood subsided and Noah thanked god and offered him beasts. Again, we are reminded that the lord’s identity is made up of some human characteristics. God could smell, making him relatable to the people. This is also a recurring theme, in the preceding story of Cain and Abel; Abel gave the lord the first born of his flock, making the lord happy. This defined what sacrifices god liked and would show favor. In the scripture we see how Noah was earnest in his faith, and followed the lord’s guidance when he was told to build the ark and gather the creatures. This made the lord happy and he states, “Never again will I curse the ground because of man, however evil his inclinations may be from his youth upward. I will never again kill every living creature, as I have just done.” This gives mankind faith in god, if you praise god and do good, god will spare you. This opened the lord’s eyes, and he no longer thought of all men as evil, but now knew that his creation of mankind, could live up to his expectations, if first provided with guidance and principles. The Hebrew Genesis; The Ten Commandments, Chapter 20:3, lays the foundation for the principles mankind must live by in order to be seen as righteous to the lord.
“You shall have no other god to set against me. You shall not make a carved image for yourself nor the likeness of anything in the heavens above, or on the earth below, or in the waters under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous god.”
This is a very important turning point in the relationship between god and man. The first point that can be made from this scripture is that there was now to be the belief of only one god. Which was a change in how the ancient Egyptians saw themselves and ruled their dynasties. The influence of the early Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten, who ruled over the 18th dynasty in Egypt from 1352-1338 B.C.E., is evident is this text, concerning the evolving relationship between man and god. Akhenaten created the concept of monotheism, worshiping one deity, or god. The second point that can be made, is that god is making a clear distinctions between himself and other deities or worship. God, again, is portrayed as showing human characteristics of jealousy, relating to mankind. Here god sets his expectations of man. The people of the ancient Hebrew society believed if a man lived righteous they would live in the kingdom of heaven in their afterlife. In order to live righteous a man must lived by the principles of the Ten Commandments. Going forward god make sure his expectations were clear, if man kept faith, like Noah, he would protect them. During great turmoil in Israel these scriptures gave society faith in something greater, something sovereign.
As society progress from the ancient world, and Christianity expanded across the Near East, there was a need to revise the current Hebrew Scriptures and create The New Testament. The roman Emperor Constantine, gave Christians his protection and in 330 C.E. he built the Eastern imperial Capital in Constantinople, on the southern edge of the Black Sea, in the Mediterranean. Since the books of the Hebrew Scriptures, was taken as a literal representation of a convent between Jews, Moses, and God, symbolizing god’s favoritism of Jews it needed to become inclusive. Written in 50 C.E., beginning with Paul’s early letters, was completed in less than a century. The New Testament is a book comprised of five sections. The first section tells the story of the life and death of Jesus, the apostles, and the missionary activities of the fifth decade of the first century. It would be more inclusive to all of mankind, “meeting the growing need in these early churches for historical, ethical and theological documents” (Book2, Page 23). The moral principles outlined in The New Testament would not only enforce the eternal moral principles, but there would be new principles outlined by Jesus when he gives the sermon on the mountaintop.
The New Testament: The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-2
“When he saw the crowds of people he went up on the mountain. There he seated himself, and when his disciples had come up to him, he opened his lips to teach them and he said…”
We don’t exactly who makes up the “crowds of people,” but we can assume the people are from Jerusalem, and near by.

The absence of a description of the crowd makes it inclusive to all. Now any man can relate to the text. These new principles outlined by Jesus are the foundation of Christian worship today and expresses a new covenant between god and all of mankind. Here Jesus is speaking to the people; god is no longer directly talking to mankind. This indicates another shift in the relationship between man and god. God now decides who he feels is worthy of receiving his knowledge, only a prophet. Jesus, portrayed as a prophet, is enlightening the people to god’s commands. Here he gives his own words merit and power by enforcing god’s original Ten Commandments (Matthew

5:17,38-39).
“Do not suppose that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets. I have not come to do away with them but to enforce them… You have heard that they were told, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist injury, but if anyone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other to him too.”
Here Jesus is telling the crowd to be forgiving and tolerant of others. With the spreading of Christianity, there was a need to incorporate acceptance for others. If the goal was to spread, the relationship between god and mankind needed to grow too. The New Testament was written in Greek, the language of commerce in the Near East. This way many could read it and embrace the message sand morals. Christianity was thieving under the Roman Empire. Although god seemed to be physically distancing himself from mankind, he was getting spiritually closer and more people were practicing faith.
In Mecca, a different perspective of the Hebrew Scriptures was coming to fruition, with the creation of the Qur’an. Islam, a new religion, would be lead by the prophet Muhammad (c. 570-632 B.C.E.), and the Qur’an would be come the holy bible of Islam. The Qur’an is a compilation of biblical dreams the prophet Muhammad had over a period of 22 years (610-632 C.E.). Muhammad a man that couldn’t read or write had Zaid Ibn Thabit, his secretary, transcribed it in for him. This was done during 651-562 C.E., and was written in Arabic, known in Islam as god’s true laguage. Muhammad created the religion of Islam and fought to expand and protect it. (Book2, Page 100). The fight for expansion, jihad, went on for 100 years after Muhammad’s death. Due to the spread of Islam the idea of one god was important and needed to be enforced. We see that in this in Sura 96 of the Qur’an.
The Qur’an: Sura 96:1-5, 112:1,4
“Recite in the name of your Lord who created –created man from clots of blood. Recite! Your Lord is the Most Bountiful One, who by the pen taught man what he did not know. Indeed, man transgresses in thinking himself his own master: for to your Lord all things return… Say ‘God is One, the Eternal God. He begot none, nor was He begotten. None is equal to Him.’”
Here Muhammad is speaking and in enforcing the belief of one gold, monotheism. He is also denies that Jesus, as believed by Christian and Jews, is god’s son, as noted in the New Testament. He states that man has forgotten who has the sovereign power. This is change in the relationship witnessed in earlier ancient texts. Although incorporating beliefs and principles from the Hebrew Scriptures, The Qur’an aims to expand upon it. This book reminds man that god is everlasting and eternal, and has taught man all he knows. For without the relationship with god, man would be nonexistent.
It is evident god’s relationship with mankind has evolved over time. From mankind having a direct relationship with god, to having a distant, more spiritual, relationship with god. The relationship between mankind and god as presented through the Hebrew Scriptures, the New Testament, and the Qur’an, is complicated and ambiguous. But one conclusion can be made, the same eternal moral principles are evident throughout these books, lead a righteous path and follow the principles put forth by god in the scriptures and you shall live in the Kingdom of Heaven, beside god.