4. A JEWISH WORLDVIEW
BY DR. EARL PARVIN
INTRODUCTION – [Feb. 2018]
As a Christian who has a Biblical understanding of the position of the Jew in God’s economy, it is important to understand a Jewish Worldview. The Muslim does not understand that the Jew is the ‘apple of God’s eye’ [Zec 2:8] or that anyone who hates the Jew is in deep trouble, [I Jn 2:9-11, 3:15]. Nor does he understand that God has given the land of Palestine to His people, Israel [Du 30:5]. There are about 14 million Jews living in the world, 6 million in Israel, 5 million in US and 1 million in Europe.
It is also important for us as Christians to understand that the Jewish Worldview of the 21st century is not the same Jewish Worldview as understood in the Old Testament. Tragically today, Israel has turned her back on Jehovah and is being punished for her unfaithfulness, even though excited to be back in the Land. Sadly the average Jew is an atheist who does not believe in God. Even so, God has not forsaken Israel and will miraculously gather her back from where He has scattered her, to His land [Du 30:1-4], finish her transgression [Dnl 9:24], and receive her back to Himself in the Millennium [II Ch 7:14].
When Titus the Roman destroyed the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD, it was no longer possible to maintain the Old Testament, blood sacrificial system. It was during their captivity in Babylon that Synagogal Judaism developed without blood sacrifices. Those same synagogues have been developed all over the world, wherever the Jew has fled for his life. Hitler was only one of many who persecuted the Jew, but he inhumanely slaughtered six million Jews in the gas chamber holocaust of Germany. This fact of history cannot be denied even if the President of Iran & Hamas seek to put their spin on the reality of history.
About half of world Jewry is back in Israel where they struggle to survive Palestinian Terrorism [understand Arab Terrorism] by building walls instead of turning to Jehovah God and seeking forgiveness, His blessing and protection [Ez 38:11]. In European countries where there is a large Muslim immigrant population, such as France, anti-Semitism is on the rise. Only in America is the Jew able to live in relative peace. However even in the US, Islamic terrorism happens.
One problem the Jew faces, concerns who he really is, for he is no longer certain as to what makes him a people. It was understood that to be a Jew there had to be a Jewish mother, or a certain percentage of Jewish blood, but today, it is anyone who claims to be a Jew. And some of those are questioned as acceptable, for instance some Ashkenazi Jews from Europe and others from Africa.
Jews may be considered in several broad categories indicating how religious they are: 1. Orthodox Jew. They represent 7% and seek to meticulously follow the laws, said to be one for each day of the year and one for each bone of the body. Services are held in Hebrew. 2. Conservative Jew. They represent 25% and make an effort to walk a middle road, to restore Jewishness without legalism. Their services are held in both the vernacular and Hebrew. 3. Reform Jew. They are 32% and seek to retain Jewishness, but without concern for any legalism. Their services are totally in the vernacular. 4. Fulfilled [Messianic] Jew. They are 20% and have found Jesus Christ as their Messiah and want to retain some Jewishness. 5. Secular Jews. They are 16% and have no religious beliefs and little interest in retaining any Jewishness. They are pursuing the ‘American’ dream, so to speak.
The center of Jewish life is the Synagogue. It has a different meaning for the various groups of Jews, however, for most, it has become a community center and place of social gathering. For a service to take place, there must be 10 adult males as a quorum for the divine Presence. The Jew maintains a strong work ethic and pursues higher education, because Jewish teaching encourages it.
The calendar of special events is important to the Jew. The Sabbath [Ex 20:8-11] is the most important, and is the 7th day of the week. Throughout the year there are important festivals and fasts to keep, each commemorating some event in their Biblical history where God intervened. However, these events, which were meant to be a reminder of a great God who lovingly delivered them, are now an empty celebration of a God who is tragically now but a fogy mist of history [Jer 3:16]. The Bar Mitzvah is celebrated when a Jewish boy turns 13. Upon entering a synagogue, a cap, called a Yarmulka, as head covering is put on and a prayer shawl is worn. For some the phylacteries are worn, containing scripture portions. A mezuzah is available to nail on the door post of the house in which is found a scripture portion. The menorah is faithfully lit and the Passover duly celebrated with a Seder service, but the miraculous deliverance from bondage in Egypt has little remembrance. Most tragic of all, is the loss of meaning of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest of all Jewish holidays, where prayers are offered for forgiveness of sins and reconciliation. The Bible is clear, they would find God when they seek him with their whole heart [Jer 24:7] not feignedly [Jer 3:10].
Zionism, for many, has become the new faith, which is both religious and political. A major problem for Israel as they seek to absorb Jews from the Diaspora is the overwhelming number of cultures [worldwide] and languages [33] they bring. Hebrew is the lingua franca, however Arabic and English are widely spoken. The unifying factor in such diversity is seen in the final statement of the Passover Seder Service,…”next year in Jerusalem”. Just how to explain this phrase is not altogether clear.
THE PRESUPPOSITIONS:
1. THE NECESSITY OF FAITH
Remember the definition of faith. “Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence”. The great desire of the Jew is to return to the Holy Land, called ‘Making Aliyah’ or ‘going up. Those who live in Israel, more than anything else, want peace. They believe that the meticulous keeping of the law will bring happiness. They must maintain their Jewishness, whatever that is to them. They are a covenant people and the Eternal Nation. Their faith is placed in a covenant, not the God who made the covenant. By faith they want peace and a united Jerusalem as their capitol. They are happy with a two state solution; however, the Arabs are not. Their faith seems to be in armament [David’s Sling, Iron Dome] and the nation [US?] which supplies it. [President Obama abandoned Israel, but President Trump has returned as their protector].
2. THE EXISTENCE OF GOD
Most Jews, pay lip service to a god about whom they know almost nothing, nor have any hope that he plays any part in their lives. There is no conversational prayer to god, but a rote repetition of formalized prayers read from the prayer book. Prayer is secondary to the study of the Torah. Anderson in the World’s Religions, quotes an article entitled, ‘The Banishment of God’, which asserts, ‘God hardly enters at all actively into the thought of the Jew today’ [p39]. Yet, they will stand before the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, praying to a god they do not know and place written prayers in the niches in the wall. This wall is all that is left of their temple. The sages have said that it is the ‘gate of heaven’, [Gen 28:17] bringing prayers into the presence of God. But, neglecting Jesus, who is the “way, Truth and life. No one comes to the Father except through me” [Jn 14:6].
The declaration of faith in the oneness of God is declared every morning and evening: expressed in the Shema quoting Du 6:4 “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.” This rules out any belief in the Trinity. Unfortunately they do not quote the rest of the passage…” Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children”. Nor do they have a clear theology or doctrinal statement.
3. THE WORD OF GOD
The Jewish Synagogue will always have an Ark or cupboard in the front of the auditorium, with doors and/or drapes which conceal the presence of the sacred scrolls of the Old Testament. Over the Ark is usually a red light continually burning, signifying the light of the candelabra of the Tabernacle or Temple. These scrolls will be laboriously and meticulously hand-written on parchment or vellum. They will be covered with a beautiful, ornate cloth cover and often graced with silver medallions or shields. When the Scrolls are ceremoniously removed from the Ark, they are carefully placed on a pulpit with rails on which the Scroll can be unrolled to the portion to be melodiously chanted by the professional cantor as he follows the script with a silver pointer. [The reverence for the Scrolls is reminiscent of the Sikh’s reverence for Granth Sahib, their Guru, god].
The Old Testament books of the Bible are considered sacred to the Jew, especially the Pentateuch
The Talmudic books are the final interpretation of the Law by Jewish scholars at least for the Orthodox Jews.
The Jews do not have a copy of their Scriptures in their home as we do to read and study. They hear it read in the Synagogue, and comments made by the Rabbi.
4. THE STANDARD OF TRUTH
The 613 laws of Torah as explained in Talmud, located in the Ark in the Synagogue, but little understood in the personal daily life. [Said to be one for each day and bone in body].
5. THE STANDARD OF ETHICAL MORALITY = [System of works to be Jewish]
Involves, practicing the following doctrines: positive Jewish beliefs concerning God, the Torah and Israel, the sacred festivals, the holy resolve to maintain Israel’s identity and the life consecrated by Jewish observances. [Dr Hertz, Affirmations of Judaism]
CONCLUSION:
A Jewish Worldview may be expressed as follows:
The Jewish Worldview is not so much built on a religious experience, as on an expression of a national consciousness of an Eternal Nation = [I am IN THE LAND – even if I have lost everything, a refugee, and impoverished --- I’m home!]. An elect people with a Covenant and a cut above everyone else.
DISCUSSION:
1. In the Jewish Worldview, what is his attitude toward death?
2. What is the meaning of Zionism in the Jewish Worldview?
3. In the Jewish Worldview, what is his attitude toward a Fulfilled Jew?
4. In the Jewish Worldview, what is his attitude toward Jesus Christ?
HOMEWORK:
Seek to meet a Jewish person and ask him what his view of heaven is and how to get there.
Judaism PPt.
Israel My Friend series.