type, HIST
see, CREATION, YES BAD, GENESIS, EDEN, ADI N, SATIN, SERPENT, ABEL, CAIN, ENOCH, FLOOD, NOAH, BABEL, ABRAHAM, MELCHISEDEC, ISAAC, JACOB, VISIONS, THEOPHAN, EGYPT, JOSEPH , MIRACLE, EXODUS, MARA, PEANUTS, QUAIL, REFIDIM, SINAI, THEOCRACY, TABERNÍ ASS, LEVITE, LEVITICUS, CAMP, NUMBERS, WILDERNESS PILGRIMAGE, CORE, SHEIN, OG, SHITTIM, BALAAM, WORSE, PAGAN DIVINITIES, MADIíN, DEUTERONOMY, JOSHUA, CANAíN, CONQUEST, SHILO, JUDGES, SAMUEL, SAUL, DAVID, SOLOMI“N, ROBOAM, ISRAEL, SAMARIA, SARGI“N, HEZEKI AS, ASSYRIA, MANASSEH, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, JEWISH, CAPTIVITY, ZERUBBABEL, NEHEMI AS, JERUSALEM, EZRA, CANON, ALEXANDER, VERSIONS OF THE BIBLE, JASI“N, ANTIOCUS, MACABEES, PHARISEES, SADDUCEES, SANHEDRI N, JUDEA, HEROD, PROCURATOR, JESUS CHRIST, GOSPEL, API“STOL, PENTECOST, HOLY SPIRIT, TONGUES (GIFT OF), BAPTISM, CHURCH, ANANí AS, SAFIRA, DIÍ CONO, ESTEBAN, PHILIP, CORNELIUS, COUNCIL OF JERUSALEM, PAUL, JOHN, PETER, SANTIAGO
vet, Biblical history records the events that form the basis of God’s revelation to man (cf. Mr. 10:2-9; Ro. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). It can be divided into four periods: (a) The account of creation, showing the relationship between God and the world and recounting the origin of humanity. (b) A section outlining the beginning of the story, indicating the relationship between God and the human race, and establishing the need for the chosen people. (c) The history of the chosen people, God’s attitude toward this chosen people, and the preparation for the coming of the Christ. (d) The story of the founding of the Christian church, called to bring the good news to all nations. I. The account of creation, the relationship between God and the world, the origin of humanity (Gen. 1:1-2:3). (See CREATION, YES BADO.). Fundamental doctrine: God is the Creator and Lord of all. By teaching monotheism, this account refutes materialism and polytheism. By affirming the personality and omnipotence of God, it shows the logic of his supernatural manifestation and intervention in the history of humanity. II. Sketch of the beginning of the story, showing the relationship between God and the human race, establishing the need for the chosen people (Gen. 2:4-11:26). The events of this period, divided into two parts by the cataclysm of the Flood, are only given in a very schematic way, with the exception of the story of the Flood, whereby the events that took about a year occupy two whole chapters, indicating the capital importance given in the Bible to this event. This section has a symmetrical construction. There are 10 generations before the Flood from Adam to Noah, 10 generations after the Flood from Shem to Abraham (Gen. 5:1-11:26). The post-Flood period is likewise divided into two beginning with Peleg (= “division” Gen. 10:25), at the time of which the earth was divided. From Shem to Peleg there are 5 generations and another 5 from Reu to Abram. The events of the antediluvian period are: the command given to Adam to remain dependent on God, in his state of innocence, his fall due to his disobedience, and the entrance of the reign of death due to sin, the judgment of the Flood, and the salvation of Noah and his family. The post-Flood period includes the unconditional covenant with Noah; the new mandate given to man, the increase in population, the growing independence of men from God, the punishment that came upon them through the confusion of languages and the dispersion of nations. Seth’s genealogy is given to Abraham through Shem; Likewise, the common origin of this genealogical line with the other families of the earth is evidenced. These events took place in the region of the Tigris and Euphrates basin. In any case all the precise geographical data are located in this region (Gen. 8:4; 10:10; 11:2, 28). (See especially GENESIS, EDEN, ADI N, SATIN, SERPENT, ABEL, CAIN, ENOCH, FLOOD, NOE, BABEL) III. History of the chosen people, God’s attitude towards them and the preparations for the coming of the Christ. This period differs from the preceding one in that its historical center moves from the Euphrates valley to Palestine, to the country of Canaan. God frequently manifests himself to the patriarchs through theophanies. Of the four great epochs marked by miracles, three are found within this epoch: The departure from Egypt and conquest of Canaan, under Moses and Joshua; the fight to the death between the cult of Jehovah and the cult of Baal, at the time of Elijah and Elisha; captivity in Babylon. With the exception of rare occasions, there are centuries without miracles that separate the times in which they manifested in abundance. The history of the chosen people can be divided into stages marked by their external developments: (A) An independent tribe, under the leadership of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, in Canaan. The patriarch was both priest and head, responsible for the tribe. Elements of this story are found under the headings ABRAHAM, MELCHISEDEC, ISAAC, JACOB, VISIONS, THEOPHANI A. (B) A people of 12 tribes, long-time slaves in Egypt. (See EGYPT, JOSEPH, MIRACLE, EXODUS, MARA, PEANUTS, QUAIL, REFIDIM.) (C) An independent nation, established at Sinai. When he accepted the pact that God offered him, the people became a nation. This covenant includes the Ten Commandments, and constituted the fundamental law of the nation, of which God was the sovereign king. Since then present in the tabernacle in the midst of his people, God reveals his will to the prophet and the priest. By the laws that He promulgates, by the judgments that He pronounces, by the instruments that He calls forth, Jehovah exercises legislative, executive, and judicial authority. The nation was, from this point on: (a) A community of twelve tribes, governed by a theocratic constitution, and possessing a single central sanctuary (Ex. 19 to 1 Sam. 7). The high priest was the spitting image of the nation; the prophets were there to assist him, and sometimes to direct him, as in the case of Moses. (See SINAI, THEOCRACY, TABERNÍ ASS, LEVITA, LEVI TICO, CAMP.). Leaving Sinai, the Israelites headed for Kadesh. Their lack of faith caused the Lord to return them to the desert, where they wandered for 38 years. (See NUMBERS, WILDERNESS PILGRIMAGE, CORE.). Finally, they circled the country of Edom and found a pass up the Arnon River. This was followed by the conquest of the country east of the Jordan. (See SEHí“N, OG.) The camp was then broken up in the Jordan valley. (See SITIM, BALAAM, PEOR, PAGAN DIVINITIES, MADIí N, DEUTERONOMY.). After Moses’ death, the Israelites crossed the Jordan, conquering the country of Canaan. (See JOSHUA, CANAI N, CONQUEST, SHILO.) Joshua died after the Israelites settled in the land of Canaan. God raised up able and influential men, fifteen in number, succeeding each other at intervals in between. These judges directed the expeditions against the enemies of the town, and governed it. It was then that tendencies towards unity were manifested; national feeling manifested itself on one and another occasion; yet too often natural obstacles, petty jealousies, local interests, were allowed to be divisive factors. The history of Israel offers shining examples of piety, but it also exhibits the fact that the people fell easily into disbelief. (See JUDGES, SAMUEL.). The beneficiaries of the covenant, the people of God, revealed during this period all their weaknesses and vices. From the very beginning, the lack of faith in God was revealed, already in Kadesh. Jealousy among the tribes manifested itself early on in the revolt of Korah and his supporters against the priesthood of Aaron and the authority of Moses. The affair of the golden calf, the fall for the scheme of Baal-peor, all evidenced how inclined the Israelites were toward idolatry. The alliance with the Gibeonites and the failure to seize Jebus (Jerusalem) constituted the great political errors committed in this period. All of these negative elements had a heavy influence on Israel’s later history. (b) A united monarchy of the twelve tribes. The people had not managed to manifest the unity stipulated by their religion and, at the time of the Judges, “each one did what seemed good to him” (Judges 21:25). The threatening attitude of neighboring nations made Israel long for the presence of a strong government and a respected military leader. At this time, Samuel was already an old man. The Israelites turned away from the ideal of theocracy, and asked for another king besides Jehovah (1 Sam. 8:5-7). Since then, in addition to the high priest and the prophet, there has been an earthly monarch, invested with supreme authority, reigning permanently in place of the Judges that God had raised up. Saul was the first king. Presumptuous and unable to admit the superiority of the high priest and the prophet, he lost the privilege of founding a dynasty. The kingdom was taken from him. God withdrew from him, and the prophet Samuel also withdrew from him, because he had willfully disobeyed God’s formal commands. David was then the chosen one. (See SAMUEL, SAUL, DAVID.). Under David’s reign, the twelve tribes were united after seven years of civil war; Jerusalem, wrested from the Jebusites, became the capital of the religious center of the kingdom, the limits of which were extended by further conquest to the northeast of Damascus. The acquired territories were made tributary. Israel imposed garrisons in the country of Edom. Solomon, David’s successor, built the temple, and adorned Jerusalem, developing its fortifications and giving great splendor to Israel. But his tributary exactions aroused discontent among the people, and his fall into idolatry, under the influence of his foreign wives, caused him to incur the displeasure of God. His son and his successor, Rehoboam, failed to discern the seriousness of the situation, and in the face of his arrogant attitude ten tribes rebelled against the house of David. Therefore, Judah and Benjamin came to form the southern kingdom (see SOLOMI“N, ROBOAM), and the rest of the tribes formed the northern kingdom. (c) Two rival kingdoms: A monarchy made up mainly of the tribe of Judah, and a schismatic and apostate kingdom created by the ten rebellious tribes. The causes that led to this split were ancient and diverse (see ISRAEL). The kingdom of Judah, stronger, had the material power. In addition, its geographical location provided better natural defenses; it had the capital, a stable government, and the cultural center to which the people were accustomed. It also had moral strength: history shows that the conviction of adherence to a dynasty considered legitimate is always a factor of power. Above all, the kingdom of Judah benefited from the exalting influence of the true…