1. THE ISRAELITES
LESSON 1: BEGINNINGS

2. BEGINNINGS JUDAISM AN ANCIENT AND MODERN RELIGION
GROUP OF ISRAELITES FROM SOUTHWEST ASIA DIFFERENT
WORSHIPPED ONLY ONE GOD.
BELIEVED GOD SENT PROPHETS (MESSENGERS TO SHARE GOD’S WORD OF THE PEOPLE)
ARGUED GOD CREATED AND RULED THE WORLD
POWERFUL BUT JUST AND GOOD
EXPECTS GOODNESS FROM IT’S PEOPLE
ANY PERSON COULD CONNECT THROUGH PRAYER, RELIGIOUS STUDY, AND GOOD/JUST ACTS.
BELIEF IN ONE GOD IS KNOWN AS MONOTHEISM (THE BELIEF IN ONE ALL POWERFUL, JUST, AND PERSONAL GOD.

3. THE HEBREW BIBLE RECORDED BELIEF AND HISTORY
ALSO KNOWN AS THE HEBREW BIBLE OR TANAKH
THROUGH BELIEF AND FAITH OF THE ANCIENT ISRAELITES FORMED THE JUDAIC RELIGION
FOLLOWERS KNOWN AS JEWS
ORIGINAL POPULATION WAS SMALL
IMPORTANT ROLE IN DEVELOPMENT OF CHRISTIANITY AND ISLAM
HEBREW BIBLE KNOWN TO CHRISTIANS AS THE OLD TESTAMENT
INFLUENCED VALUES, ETHICS, AND PRINCIPLES OF MANY SOCIETIES

4. ABRAHAM AROUND 12OO B.C. GREAT CHANGES TAKE PLACE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
EARLY ISRAELITES DEPEND ON HERDING AND TRADING TO SURVIVE
According to bible Abraham and family migrate to Mesopotamia and settle in Canaan. (Today known as Lebanon, Israel, and Jordan)
Israelites believed to be Abrahams descendants.
Travel to Canaan and land be for him and his people forever.
Land referred to as The Promise Land.

5. Isaac and Jacob Took over after Abraham’s death
According to bible: Angel gave Jacob new name of Israel (One who struggles with God)
Descendants called Israelites
12 sons later became leaders of the tribes (separate family groups)
Also known as the Twelve Tribes of Israel
Family migrated after living many years in famine and migrated to Egypt
As Israelite population increase Egyptian Pharaoh grew uneasy
Did not want them to rebel and was forced in slavery.

6. Moses and the Exodus
Worked hard and therefore prayed to God to please be set free.
According to bible: Prophet named Moses came to save them
While tended to sheep in wilderness saw bush on fire
Went to it and was called on by God to tell the Pharaoh to let the Israelites go.
Pharaoh refuse
God sent 10 plagues upon Egypt
Caused problems for Egyptians
Locusts : a grasshopper that often migrates in large numbers
Devoured the fields and spread disease
Pharaoh set them free but after they left Egypt for Canaan he sent his army after them

7. Arrived at the Red Sea but no way to cross through the water
God parted the Red Sea to let his people cross to the other side
Army tried to follow but water fell back in and drowned them
Departure from Egypt known as the Exodus
Jews celebrate Passover to commemorate their freedom from slavery

8. The covenant Way from Egypt received a covenant (agreement with God)
Take them safely to Canaan if followed Gods Law
Moses climbed to Mount Sinai where he received the laws known as the Torah
What God considered to be right and wrong
Most important, the Ten Commandments