Tara Farhid

Essay Topic: Topic 9

Word Count: # 1381
RLG326: Early Christianity & Rabbinic Judaism
Professor: Arthur J. Droge
Date of Submission: October 23, 2014

Title: Babylonian Exile, an End or a New Beginning?

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In this essay I argue that the development of the Israelite-Judean religion from a set of
temple based rituals, laws and traditions to the conventional Judaism, is emerged after the fall of
Jerusalem in 587 BCE to the Babylonians. Based on my analyses when the life of the people of
Israel came to an end, the history of Judaism began and the conventional Judaism was born.
Firstly, as part of this analysis, I will provide a brief overview of the Israelite-Judean
tradition and investigate the description of the main theosophical concepts (i.e. God, gods,
divinities, apocalyptic visions, etc.) as reflected in the pre-exilic biblical scriptures. Then I will
provide an overview of the same concepts as part of the conventional post-exilic Jewish faith.
Subsequently, I will compare and contrast the pre-exilic and post-exilic trends and spot impending
changes and developments.
Although in surface it is commonly believed that Judaism is a religion that completely
revealed to Moses, and was totally monotheistic and apocalyptic from the beginning, however, the
fact is that during the Biblical period the Israelite-Judean religion was neither Monotheistic nor
apocalyptic and in fact it has undergone substantial changes and augmentation throughout history. It
is evident that Judaism transformed from a temple based religion in the small kingdoms of Israel
and Judah, into a fully monotheistic and apocalyptic religion, during the exilic period in Babylon.
Most of these changes emerged under the cultural influence of other cultures or simply to keep the
archaic faith relevant and compatible with the Jewish life in Diasporas.
As Boyrin explains, initially the term "Jew" carried an ethnical theme, and the IsraeliteJudean religion typically exhibited cultural identity and political interest of the Jewish people and
intended to serve their interest against other nations (Boring, 68-69). As stated by Geller, despite
what is concealed in the surface, generally the Israelite-Judean religion was initially a cult similar to
other cults in the ancient Near East, as opposed to an already totally monotheistic, covenantal,
Torah-oriented faith (Geller, 2027). Although YHVH was the national deity of both kingdoms of

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Israel and Judah, its worship was of a monolatrous1 nature as opposed to monotheistic (Geller,
2021). Furthermore, in pre-exilic era, YHVH was often portrayed in an anthropomorphic image,
seated on his heavenly throne, leading battles against Israels foes (Geller 2022).
Indeed there are many references to the existence of plural Gods as part of the pre-exilic
biblical traditions. For example in Genesis the God warns that man mustnt eat the tree of life
otherwise he would be wise as Gods (Gen. 3:5). Also as part of Job there is a mention of the sons
of God including Satan presenting themselves before the LORD (Job 1.1-3.26). Particularly Satan
was portrayed as a physical being able to walk and talk with others. This strictly contradicts the
monotheistic and transcendental nature of the God as part of conventional Judaism. Furthermore, as
part of the Ten Commandments LORD says, You shall have no other gods before me (Ex. 20:3).
And the next commandment notes, for the LORD your God am a jealous God (Deuteronomy
6:15), and They stirred him to jealousy with strange gods (Deuteronomy 32:16). Apparently this
jealousy was due to the existence of other Gods.
According to Deuteronomy: When the most High (Elyon) divided to the nations their
inheritance, when he separated the sons of Adam, he set the bounds of the people according to the
number of the children of Israel. (Deut. 32:8). This again confirms the monolaterous nature of the
pre-exilic Israelite-Judean faith and the fact that they acknowledged the existence of other Gods
while only were bound to worship one God who was their national deity.
Furthermore as Geller indicated eschatological and messianic2 traditions were also part of
the later additions (Geller 2023). It is evident that there were no records of eschatological beliefs as
part of the pre-exilic Jewish tradition up to the end of the biblical period and these ideas made their
way in Jewish scriptures during the last two centuries B.C.E. The earliest reference to the
1

recognising the existence of multiple gods, but worshiping one deity only
a set of religious beliefs concerning the final events of history, and the ultimate destiny of the world (i.e. concepts as
heaven or hell, resurrection of the dead, individual and final judgment, etc.), that expresses hope for the coming of a
messianic age and an era of ideal peace
2

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eschatological beliefs in Judaism can be traced in the Book of Daniel, for example:
At that time (= the end of time) Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people,
shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish, such as has never occurred since nations first
came into existence. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found
written in the book. Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to
everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. (Daniel 12:1-2)
A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands
attended him... (Daniel 7:10)

Given the similarity of these eschatological ideas with the Zoroastrian parallels, in addition
to the long Persian presence in Jerusalem at the time and a substantial Jewish Diaspora in
Mesopotamia, it is likely that the fully developed eschatology in Judaism emerges under the
influence of Zoroastrianism. And here the idea of resurrection of the dead (Daniel 12.1-4), was
discussed for the first time, a central doctrine of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, which is otherwise
unattested in the Hebrew Bible itself.
At this point, also the jurisdiction of YHVH expanded from Israel to the universal realm and
transformed from an anthropomorphic national deity to a transcendental omnipresent being. God is
no longer a national deity in priestly tradition (unlike the Deuteronomy) but a cosmic God (Genesis
1-2.4a). For the first time in Jewish literature Yahveh was celebrated as Creator, by Second Isaiah (a
prophet of the Exilic period), as Ahura Mazda had been celebrated by Zoroastrians:
I, Yahweh, who created all things . . . I made the earth, and created man on it . . . . Let the
skies rain down justice . . . I, Yahweh, have created it' (Isaiah 44. 24, 4 5 . 8 , 1 2).

Moreover it is likely that the appearance of angels in post biblical Jewish texts was a
Zoroastrian influence as well, given that once the anthropomorphic biblical God who could appear
in person to associate with the Jewish people3 transformed to a cosmic God, semi-divine

In the Pentateuch, for example, God talks with and instructs his prophets and is conceived as having desire, emotions
(such as anger, grief and happiness), intention, and other attributes characteristic of a human person.

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intermediaries were required for connection purposes. Besides, the complicated hierarchy of angelic
beings in post biblical texts, also seems to be an echo of the Zoroastrian concept of the holy court of
the Yazatas. On the other hand, the Jewish concept of seven chief archangels was perhaps also
inspired by the seven Amesha Spentas.4 Although Jews had their own ideas of angels, however after
the exile, the nature of the Jewish angels was changed and they were given names and personalities.
The concept of guardian angels in Judaism and Christianity may also have been inspired by fravashi
in Zoroastrianism.5
After the fall of Jerusalem in 587 B.C.E. the Jewish people started living in Diaspora and
needed to base their religion on book rather than the temple, given that they no longer has access to
the temple and Tabernacle. At this point transformation of Yahveh from an anthropomorphic
national deity to a universal God was more applicable for the Jews living in exile. Also in response
to the fact that history failed to live up to the biblical prophesies and covenants, the Deuteronomic
hope rendered implausible and hence were replaced by apocalyptic visions.
In conclusion, based on this analysis it is evident that Judaism went through a set of major
changes during the period of Babylonian exile and the conventional Judaism as the monotheistic
and apocalyptic faith we know today seems to be the product of this period. Although the IsraeliteJudean religion existed long before this era, but it seems that its tenets were initially geared towards
a set of ethnical and local traditions, laws and ways of living, as opposed to a universal theology
present in the conventional priestly post exilic Judaism. While some of the key components of the
pre-exilic Israelite-Judean faith, such as Jewish laws and cultural traditions, were maintained as
applicable, however the theosophical component emerged as a new augmentation during the
Babylonian exile.

4
5

the guardian spirits of Zoroastrian belief

the divine guardian spirit of each individual human being