There have been quite a few monotheistic religions. the worship of the Most High God, later called Judaism, its expanded ( as to who was able to worship)form Christianity, Islam,Zoroastrianism, and individual city or state gods such as Marduk, chief god of Babylon.Even Egypt was briefly monotheistic.
As well,we can trace goddesses, but they normally have consorts or are part of a polytheistic belief. Zoroastrianism still exists in places such as India, At one time it was the chief religion of Iran. This belief in an uncreated Creator, in truth and order vs chaos,finally fell to Muslim conversion. (so it is worth noting its influence on other religions of the time.) Islam worshiped Allah as the chief God of Mecca long before Mohammad.In some pagan Arab texts he is called Creator.He was not a new God to the Arabs, but elevated by Mohammad to being the only God.He seems to have replaced the Moon God as chief God. http://www.bible.ca/islam/islam-allah-pre-islamic-origin.htm Other Middle eastern forms of God, God as father or chief God, include Ba'al, Bel ( who may have a relationship to Marduk of Babylonia) Elohim, or Yahweh, worshiped since the creation of man, is said to have seven names and to be so holy His name must not be spoken out loud.thus the form we have all seen, YHWH). The difference for those following Abraham is the covenant.( God spoke to individuals all through the Old Testament but chose Abraham to father a people dedicated to Him.) God's people swore to worship him only. He took a personal interest in their daily lives and worship, and when they worshiped other gods they were punished.God chose the sons of Israel to carry on this work, not the first born son of Abraham, Ishmael.Ishmael's sons had their own lands ( they are called dukes in the KJV of the Old Testament.) God further said that this new thing, this people of the covenant, would be a "light to the gentiles." He claimed sovereignty over all of us So..when the Most High God is compared to other chief or father Gods, what occurs? Pharaoh bowed to the God of the Israelites and permitted them to leave, to break the bonds of slavery.Even Osiris and Horus were powerless before the Most High. Used as a scourge to discipline the Israelites, Nebuchadnezzar, a follower of Marduk ( and then of himself) was right up short by the Most High. he was insane for seven years, then restored.He acknowledged the God of Daniel ..after his plan to burn up some of the followers of Yahweh failed.His descendants lost the Kingdom. You also know the stories of Daniel and Esther..two more times when the God of the Israelites proved more powerful than their enemies.Eventually, Cyrus allowed the Israelites to return and rebuild their temple.The great and powerful of the world accepted the sovereignty of the God of Israel. Samson destroyed the temple of Dagon, who was the father of Ba'al .Elijah called on the Most High, who destroyed 450 priests of Ba'al. Islam,which draws from several rich sources, both pagan and monotheistic, claims superiority to the God of Israel.Of greatest discord, the idea of a Messiah, and of a special place for Jews as a Holy people. They do not seem to think they worship the same God. If one is discussing deity in general terms, Allah is indeed just a name for God. If one is discussing the reality of a creator God, the history of the Jewish people should be ample evidence of the sovereignty of the Most High. YHWH has already defeated the source Gods of the middle east. He is not the same. |
Faith and ReasonA grandma's perspective on a few things.. Archives
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