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96:1.1 The early [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites] regarded everything as [[being]] indwelt by a [[spirit]]. There were spirits of the [[animal]] and [[vegetable]] worlds; annual spirits, the lord of [[progeny]]; spirits of [[fire]], [[water]], and [[air]]; a veritable [[pantheon]] of spirits to be [[fear]]ed and [[worshiped]]. And the teaching of [[Melchizedek]] regarding a [[Universal]] [[Creator]] never fully destroyed the [[belief]] in these subordinate [[spirits]] or [[nature]] gods.

96:1.1 The early [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites] regarded everything as [[being]] indwelt by a [[spirit]]. There were spirits of the [[animal]] and [[vegetable]] worlds; annual spirits, the lord of [[progeny]]; spirits of [[fire]], [[water]], and [[air]]; a veritable [[pantheon]] of spirits to be [[fear]]ed and [[worshiped]]. And the teaching of [[Melchizedek]] regarding a [[Universal]] [[Creator]] never fully destroyed the [[belief]] in these subordinate [[spirits]] or [[nature]] gods.

96:1.2 The [[progress]] of the [[Hebrews]] from [[polytheism]] through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] to [[monotheism]] was not an unbroken and [[continuous]] [[conceptual]] [[development]]. They [[experienced]] many [[retrogressions]] in the [[evolution]] of their [[Deity]] [[concepts]], while during any one [[epoch]] there existed varying [[ideas]] of [[God]] among [[different]] [[groups]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semite] believers. From time to time numerous terms were applied to their [[concepts]] of [[God]], and in order to prevent [[confusion]] these various [[Deity]] titles will be defined as they pertain to the [[evolution]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_theology Jewish theology]:

96:1.2 The [[progress]] of the [[Hebrews]] from [[polytheism]] through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] to [[monotheism]] was not an unbroken and [[continuous]] [[conceptual]] [[development]]. They [[experienced]] many [[retrogressions]] in the [[evolution]] of their [[Deity]] [[concepts]], while during any one [[epoch]] there existed varying [[ideas]] of [[God]] among [[different]] [[groups]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semite] believers. From time to time numerous terms were applied to their [[concepts]] of [[God]], and in order to prevent [[confusion]] these various [[Deity]] titles will be defined as they pertain to the [[evolution]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_theology Jewish theology]:

*1. 96:1.3 ''[[Yahweh]]'' was the god of the southern [[Palestinian]] [[tribes]], who associated this [[concept]] of [[deity]] with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb], the Sinai volcano. [[Yahweh]] was merely one of the hundreds and thousands of [[nature]] gods which held the [[attention]] and claimed the [[worship]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic Semitic] [[tribes]] and peoples.

*1. 96:1.3 ''[[Yahweh]]'' was the god of the southern [[Palestinian]] [[tribes]], who associated this [[concept]] of [[deity]] with [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb], the Sinai volcano. [[Yahweh]] was merely one of the hundreds and thousands of [[nature]] gods which held the [[attention]] and claimed the [[worship]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semitic Semitic] [[tribes]] and peoples.

*2. 96:1.4 ''[[El Elyon]]''. For centuries after [[Melchizedek]]'s [[sojourn]] at [[Salem]] his [[doctrine]] of [[Deity]] [[persisted]] in various versions but was generally connoted by the term [[El Elyon]], the [[Most High]] [[God]] of [[heaven]]. Many [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites], including the immediate descendants of [[Abraham]], at various times [[worshiped]] both [[Yahweh]] and [[El Elyon]].

*2. 96:1.4 ''[[El Elyon]]''. For centuries after [[Melchizedek]]'s [[sojourn]] at [[Salem]] his [[doctrine]] of [[Deity]] [[persisted]] in various versions but was generally connoted by the term [[El Elyon]], the [[Most High]] [[God]] of [[heaven]]. Many [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites], including the immediate descendants of [[Abraham]], at various times [[worshiped]] both [[Yahweh]] and [[El Elyon]].

*3. 96:1.5 ''[[El Shaddai]]''. It is difficult to [[explain]] what ''El Shaddai'' stood for. This [[idea]] of God was a [[composite]] derived from the teachings of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amenemope_(author) Amenemope]'s [http://www.maat.sofiatopia.org/amen_em_apt.htm Book of Wisdom] [[modified]] by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhanaton Ikhnaton]'s [[doctrine]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aten Aton] and further [[influenced]] by [[Melchizedek]]'s teachings embodied in the [[concept]] of [[El Elyon]]. But as the [[concept]] of [[El Shaddai]] permeated the [[Hebrew]] [[mind]], it became thoroughly colored with the [[Yahweh]] [[beliefs]] of the [[desert]].

*3. 96:1.5 ''[[El Shaddai]]''. It is difficult to [[explain]] what ''El Shaddai'' stood for. This [[idea]] of God was a [[composite]] derived from the teachings of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amenemope_(author) Amenemope]'s [https://www.maat.sofiatopia.org/amen_em_apt.htm Book of Wisdom] [[modified]] by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikhanaton Ikhnaton]'s [[doctrine]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aten Aton] and further [[influenced]] by [[Melchizedek]]'s teachings embodied in the [[concept]] of [[El Elyon]]. But as the [[concept]] of [[El Shaddai]] permeated the [[Hebrew]] [[mind]], it became thoroughly colored with the [[Yahweh]] [[beliefs]] of the [[desert]].

96:1.6 One of the [[dominant]] [[ideas]] of the [[religion]] of this era was the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_reliigon Egyptian] [[concept]] of [[divine]] [[Providence]], the teaching that [[material]] [[prosperity]] was a reward for serving [[El Shaddai]].

96:1.6 One of the [[dominant]] [[ideas]] of the [[religion]] of this era was the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_reliigon Egyptian] [[concept]] of [[divine]] [[Providence]], the teaching that [[material]] [[prosperity]] was a reward for serving [[El Shaddai]].

*4. 96:1.7 ''[[El]]''. Amid all this [[confusion]] of terminology and haziness of [[concept]], many devout believers [[sincerely]] endeavored to [[worship]] all of these evolving [[ideas]] of [[divinity]], and there grew up the [[practice]] of referring to this [[composite]] [[Deity]] as [[El]]. And this term included still other of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouin] nature gods.

*4. 96:1.7 ''[[El]]''. Amid all this [[confusion]] of terminology and haziness of [[concept]], many devout believers [[sincerely]] endeavored to [[worship]] all of these evolving [[ideas]] of [[divinity]], and there grew up the [[practice]] of referring to this [[composite]] [[Deity]] as [[El]]. And this term included still other of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouin] nature gods.

*5. 96:1.8 ''[[Elohim]]''. In [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kish Kish] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur Ur] there long [[persisted]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer Sumerian-Chaldean] [[groups]] who taught a [[three]]-in-[[one]] [[God]] [[concept]] founded on the [[traditions]] of the days of [[Adam]] and [[Melchizedek]]. This [[doctrine]] was carried to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt], where this [[Trinity]] was [[worshiped]] under the name of [[Elohim]], or in the singular as ''Eloah''. The [[philosophic]] circles of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_Religion Egypt] and later [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria Alexandrian] [[teachers]] of Hebraic extraction taught this [[unity]] of [[pluralistic]] [[Gods]], and many of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses Moses]' advisers at the time of the [[exodus]] believed in this [[Trinity]]. But the concept of the trinitarian [[Elohim]] never became a real part of [[Hebrew]] [[theology]] until after they had come under the [[political]] [[influence]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Babylonia Babylonians].

*5. 96:1.8 ''[[Elohim]]''. In [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kish Kish] and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur Ur] there long [[persisted]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sumer Sumerian-Chaldean] [[groups]] who taught a [[three]]-in-[[one]] [[God]] [[concept]] founded on the [[traditions]] of the days of [[Adam]] and [[Melchizedek]]. This [[doctrine]] was carried to [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egypt Egypt], where this [[Trinity]] was [[worshiped]] under the name of [[Elohim]], or in the singular as ''Eloah''. The [[philosophic]] circles of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_Religion Egypt] and later [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Library_of_Alexandria Alexandrian] [[teachers]] of Hebraic extraction taught this [[unity]] of [[pluralistic]] [[Gods]], and many of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moses Moses]' advisers at the time of the [[exodus]] believed in this [[Trinity]]. But the concept of the trinitarian [[Elohim]] never became a real part of [[Hebrew]] [[theology]] until after they had come under the [[political]] [[influence]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Babylonia Babylonians].

*6. 96:1.9 ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism Sundry names]''. The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites] disliked to speak the name of their [[Deity]], and they therefore resorted to numerous appellations from time to time, such as: The Spirit of God, The Lord, The Angel of the Lord, The Almighty, The Holy One, The [[Most High]], Adonai, The [[Ancient of Days]], The Lord God of Israel, The [[Creator]] of [[Heaven]] and [[Earth]], Kyrios, Jah, The Lord of Hosts, and [[The Father]] in Heaven.

*6. 96:1.9 ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Names_of_God_in_Judaism Sundry names]''. The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites] disliked to speak the name of their [[Deity]], and they therefore resorted to numerous appellations from time to time, such as: The Spirit of God, The Lord, The Angel of the Lord, The Almighty, The Holy One, The [[Most High]], Adonai, The [[Ancient of Days]], The Lord God of Israel, The [[Creator]] of [[Heaven]] and [[Earth]], Kyrios, Jah, The Lord of Hosts, and [[The Father]] in Heaven.

96:1.10 [[Jehovah]] is a term which in recent times has been employed to designate the completed [[concept]] of [[Yahweh]] which finally evolved in the long [[Hebrew]] [[experience]]. But the name [[Jehovah]] did not come into use until [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_AD fifteen hundred years after the times of Jesus].

96:1.10 [[Jehovah]] is a term which in recent times has been employed to designate the completed [[concept]] of [[Yahweh]] which finally evolved in the long [[Hebrew]] [[experience]]. But the name [[Jehovah]] did not come into use until [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_AD fifteen hundred years after the times of Jesus].

96:1.11 Up to about [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_BC 2000 B.C.], [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai Mount Sinai] was intermittently active as a volcano, occasional eruptions occurring as late as the time of the [[sojourn]] of the Israelites in this region. The [[fire]] and smoke, together with the thunderous detonations associated with the eruptions of this volcanic [[mountain]], all impressed and [[awed]] the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouins] of the surrounding regions and caused them greatly to fear [[Yahweh]]. This spirit of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb] later became the [[god]] of the [[Hebrew]] [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites], and they [[eventually]] believed him to be supreme over all other gods.

96:1.11 Up to about [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2000_BC 2000 B.C.], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai Mount Sinai] was intermittently active as a volcano, occasional eruptions occurring as late as the time of the [[sojourn]] of the Israelites in this region. The [[fire]] and smoke, together with the thunderous detonations associated with the eruptions of this volcanic [[mountain]], all impressed and [[awed]] the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouins] of the surrounding regions and caused them greatly to fear [[Yahweh]]. This spirit of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb] later became the [[god]] of the [[Hebrew]] [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Semites Semites], and they [[eventually]] believed him to be supreme over all other gods.

96:1.12 The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaanites Canaanites] had long [[revered]] [[Yahweh]], and although many of the [[Kenites]] believed more or less in [[El Elyon]], the supergod of the [[Salem]] [[religion]], a [[majority]] of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannanites Canaanites] held loosely to the [[worship]] of the old [[tribal]] [[deities]]. They were hardly willing to abandon their [[national]] [[deities]] in favor of an international, not to say an [[interplanetary]], [[God]]. They were not [[universal]]-[[deity]] minded, and therefore these [[tribes]] continued to [[worship]] their [[tribal]] [[deities]], including [[Yahweh]] and the silver and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_calf golden calves] which [[symbolized]] the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouin] herders' [[concept]] of the spirit of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai Sinai] volcano.

96:1.12 The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaanites Canaanites] had long [[revered]] [[Yahweh]], and although many of the [[Kenites]] believed more or less in [[El Elyon]], the supergod of the [[Salem]] [[religion]], a [[majority]] of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannanites Canaanites] held loosely to the [[worship]] of the old [[tribal]] [[deities]]. They were hardly willing to abandon their [[national]] [[deities]] in favor of an international, not to say an [[interplanetary]], [[God]]. They were not [[universal]]-[[deity]] minded, and therefore these [[tribes]] continued to [[worship]] their [[tribal]] [[deities]], including [[Yahweh]] and the silver and [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_calf golden calves] which [[symbolized]] the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin Bedouin] herders' [[concept]] of the spirit of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Sinai Sinai] volcano.

96:1.13 The [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Syria Syrians], while [[worshiping]] their gods, also believed in [[Yahweh]] of the [[Hebrews]], for their [[prophets]] said to the Syrian king: "Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them on the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they."[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Kings#Chapter_20]

96:1.13 The [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Syria Syrians], while [[worshiping]] their gods, also believed in [[Yahweh]] of the [[Hebrews]], for their [[prophets]] said to the Syrian king: "Their gods are gods of the hills; therefore they were stronger than we; but let us fight against them on the plain, and surely we shall be stronger than they."[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=First_Book_of_Kings#Chapter_20]

96:1.14 As man advances in [[culture]], the lesser gods are subordinated to a [[supreme]] [[deity]]; the great [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jove Jove] persists only as an exclamation. The [[monotheists]] keep their subordinate gods as spirits, demons, fates, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nereids Nereids], fairies, brownies, dwarfs, banshees, and the evil eye. The [[Hebrews]] passed through [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] and long believed in the [[existence]] of gods other than [[Yahweh]], but they increasingly held that these foreign [[deities]] were subordinate to [[Yahweh]]. They conceded the [[actuality]] of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemosh Chemosh], god of the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites Amorites], but [[maintained]] that he was subordinate to [[Yahweh]].

96:1.14 As man advances in [[culture]], the lesser gods are subordinated to a [[supreme]] [[deity]]; the great [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jove Jove] persists only as an exclamation. The [[monotheists]] keep their subordinate gods as spirits, demons, fates, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nereids Nereids], fairies, brownies, dwarfs, banshees, and the evil eye. The [[Hebrews]] passed through [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henotheism henotheism] and long believed in the [[existence]] of gods other than [[Yahweh]], but they increasingly held that these foreign [[deities]] were subordinate to [[Yahweh]]. They conceded the [[actuality]] of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemosh Chemosh], god of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amorites Amorites], but [[maintained]] that he was subordinate to [[Yahweh]].

96:1.15 The [[idea]] of [[Yahweh]] has undergone the most extensive [[development]] of all the [[mortal]] [[theories]] of [[God]]. Its [[progressive]] [[evolution]] can only be [[compared]] with the [[metamorphosis]] of the [[Buddha]] concept in [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_religion Asia], which in the end led to the [[concept]] of the [[Universal Absolute]] even as the [[Yahweh]] concept finally led to the [[idea]] of the [[Universal Father]]. But as a matter of historic [[fact]], it should be understood that, while the [[Jews]] thus changed their views of [[Deity]] from the tribal god of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb] to the loving and merciful [[Creator]] [[Father]] of later times, they did not [[change]] his name; they continued all the way along to call this evolving concept of [[Deity]], [[Yahweh]].

96:1.15 The [[idea]] of [[Yahweh]] has undergone the most extensive [[development]] of all the [[mortal]] [[theories]] of [[God]]. Its [[progressive]] [[evolution]] can only be [[compared]] with the [[metamorphosis]] of the [[Buddha]] concept in [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_religion Asia], which in the end led to the [[concept]] of the [[Universal Absolute]] even as the [[Yahweh]] concept finally led to the [[idea]] of the [[Universal Father]]. But as a matter of historic [[fact]], it should be understood that, while the [[Jews]] thus changed their views of [[Deity]] from the tribal god of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Horeb Mount Horeb] to the loving and merciful [[Creator]] [[Father]] of later times, they did not [[change]] his name; they continued all the way along to call this evolving concept of [[Deity]], [[Yahweh]].

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_96 Go to Paper 96]</center>

<center>[https://nordan.daynal.org/wiki/index.php?title=Paper_96 Go to Paper 96]</center>