The On Jewish Expectations And Subsequent Disappointment

1:6 How are the political aspirations of Judaism given a spiritual fulfillment in Acts? What two interrelated traditions echo in question of the disciples about restoration of the kingdom to Israel? How does Acts confirm the hopes of the disciples?

After their exile, around fifty-thousand Jews returned to Jerusalem which was now called Judaea. The leader of Judea, the Persian King Cyrus, allowed the Jews to return and to build another place of worship (Fisher 251). The second temple was built in 515 BCE and according to the text Living Religions, became “the central symbol to a scattered Jewish nation” (Fisher). The temple became a place where the Torah was formed and where the religion prospered. However, Jewish prosperity was not going to last. After four centuries of Roman rule, that was domineering and dreadful, a group of Jews decided to rebel against their oppressors. This led to Jews being slaughtered by the Romans and to the second Temple being destroyed. All that is left of the Temple are foundation stones which are referred to as the Western Wall. The temple has never been rebuilt and the Western Wall has become a place for prayer and remembrance for Jews all over the world. Jewish people look at the Western Wall as a representation of the hardships and oppression that their religion and people have endured. According to the article, Mystical Secret of the Western Wall:

Writing in the late 1980s, Herbert Schlossberg provides a thorough analysis of current trends in American culture in his book Idols for Destruction: The Conflict of Christian Faith and American Culture. Many scholars have examined Western civilization and concluded that we are in its declining years. Some use analogies of space: rise, zenith, and fall; others use analogies of biology: birth, maturity, and death. Schlossberg refuses to see all cultures as following these patterns, but rather attempts to use the concept of judgment, based on the biblical example of the prophets: “With their silver and gold they made idols for their own destruction” (Hos. 8:4). If the idols are destroyed, and we return to worship the true God, we can expect

The jewish people are hopeful and the weather in the setting mirrors that throughout the chapter. The weather sets the mood and mirrors the jewish people’s hope. “Trees were in bloom, it was a year like so many others with it’s spring, it’s engagements, it’s weddings.” The spring is hopeful and new with many possibilities and the jewish people’s hope is mirrored by the spring weather. While the jews are living in ghettos the weather is nice and they still feel good about their situation. “A sunny spring day, people strolled seemingly carefree through crowded streets.” A sunny spring day would make you feel calm and carefree much like the jewish people feel. The germans showed up in their town and lived in their homes but they don’t feel

Throughout history the Jewish people have undertaken a great deal of enslavement. They were first enslaved by the Egyptians than later enslaved by the Germans. Their enslavement has defined their identity. One can dispute the Jews would not be in existence if they were not enslaved. From the article, The Sacrifice of Daniel, on the Believer, author Josh Kun disputes, “there is no Jewish identity if the Jew is loved.” (Kun p. 369). The Jewish identity is rooted in a passive identity with a need to be detested by superior identities. This shows the Jewish sexual identity has a lack of masculinity.

are represented through the tainting of their culture through the use of negative stereotypes, but even more so by the descriptive examples of anti-Semitism and religious traditions. One of many mentioned stereotypes, is the perception that all Jews are wealthy one of the times that this is asserted is when it states, “If you got it right on your bar-mitzvah who knows but the rich uncle might buy you a Parker 51 set.” (Richler 28). The context of this is when a comparison between European and Jewish children is made, and because of the presumption that a Jewish boy would receive an expensive pen set from his uncle demonstrates

1a. Describe the Jews’ view of God and their basic worldview in the Intertestamental Period. Concerned with practice, orthopraxy rather than right thoughts Jews held on to all the essential features of the OT. However, there were concerted efforts made to reinstate traditional institutions. (Scott, Jewish background of the New Testament 2000:265) In addition the retention, practice, and application of Monotheism, covenant, and law the three main pillars of OT religion made Intertestamental Judaism unique. The Jews viewed God distinctly based on these three pillars. (Scott, Jewish backgrounds of the New Testament 2000:266) God was consistently recognized as Creator and the Being by whose providence the created order was sustained. The

In considering the common traits shared by the “Great Churches” series, it is first important to consider not only what commonalities are present, but which commonalities are distinctive. For example, one might expect a high percentage of churches within the series to have some sort of music program or inclusion of people of all ages. Music or multi-generational appeal could thus be considered commonalities. They are not, however, distinctive commonalities. One might expect a high percentage of other churches to also have music programs or attempt to have multigenerational appeal. A number of the great churches, however, specifically identified the use of music as a way to engage young people. This specific trait represents a possible distinctive commonality. This paper will identify two categories of distinct commonalities found in a survey of eight of Christian Century’s “Great Churches.” In identifying both descriptive commonalities and determinative commonalities it is the goal of this paper to provide a profile of what characteristics identify and enable the ideal protestant church as found in the Christian Century’s 1950 series.

The selection of words do not speak to me in a contextual manner but, rather the tone or concern for the church, for example, compliance, portentous times, war, greed, and avarice, study, monogamy, unity, and differences. These words created a sense of conflict, disruption, and troubling times. From my twenty-first century mindset, I thought there must have been a very divisive attitude among the people and a lack of trust was rising.

“Haggai and Zechariah are complementary prophets of the postexilic period” (HW 678). Haggai urged the people of Jerusalem to rebuild the temple of God while Zechariah called for spiritual renewal among God’s people. During the time of Haggai a decree was issued allowing conquered peoples who were deported by the Babylonians to return to their homelands. During this time the first group of emigrants returned to Jerusalem. Scripture states in Haggai 1:7-8, “Thus says the Lord of hosts: ‘Consider your ways! Go up to the mountains and bring wood and build the temple, that I may take pleasure in it and be glorified’, says the Lord” (New King James Version). Haggai’s messages from the Lord implored the people to once again build the temple.

Another way this affected the original listener was by finally opening the door to having a personal, powerful, and intimate relationship with Yeshua. In the Jewish culture, everyone read and studied the Torah. It was not like how it is today in the West. When speaking of knowledge, God isn’t referring to intellect most of the time. The word heart really means the mind in much of scripture. When Jesus said He wants His people to know Him, He means to love Him with everything, which is shown by obeying His commandments. Love is a decision, not just an emotion. The whole reason Jesus came back was to reestablish the connection that was lost with the fall of man. Jesus abolished the sin barrier that had been between God and man for so long. A Father wants a true and pure relationship with his children; God is the exact same way in the sense of wanting intimacy. He desired this close relationship so badly that He sent His only Son, His FIRSTBORN to bore the cross and face rejection yet again. Even when looking at the significance of the firstborn to the Jewish culture will provide an even richer revelation to how incredible and infinite Adonai’s agape love is for His Children.

Our changing church culture remains an incubator for change. Society is changing each day. Every facet of life is quickly changing. The moral fiber of a nation is being tested and is changing. The need for stability, or an anchor for life is desperately needed and sought. Church is the place that’s always offered stability in such times. It’s been the anchor for life that people need and desire. When that stable placed is shaken with change, people get restless. When no good reason is given for change, it can cause

Karl Marx's essay, "On the Jewish Question,” is commonly read as a criticism of liberalism and not for what Marx has to say about Jews and Judaism. For a long period, the “Jewish question” was a topic of concern in Western political thought in the post- enlightenment period. Jews were the “other” who cannot be integrated into European society, which questioned the integrity and scope of secular rationality and the theory and practice of modern politics. In short the ‘Jewish Question’ tries to answer how Jews can achieve political emancipation in Germany. “The German Jews desire emancipation. What kind of emancipation do they desire? Civic, political emancipation” (Tucker, p.26). Now in modern times the “Jewish Question” has evolved to become

The book of Haggai was written in 520 B.C, with the fall of Babylon approximately 19 years earlier in 539 B.C. Under the rule of the Persian King Cyrus, the Jews were encouraged to return to their country of origin and to rebuild the Jerusalem temple so that their God would once again have a house to live in (Ezra 1:1-4). However, after many years in Babylonian captivity the Jews had built homes, started successful businesses, married and raised families. As might be expected, many were reluctant to leave their safe way of like for their troubled homeland. The Jews became confused about what their true priorities were. Haggai was sent to them with a message of exhortation and hope to complete the construction of the temple (Swindol,

The church is one that has always sought to get the word out to the masses in the most direct way possible. One of the most recent ways that this direct communication has changed in this digital age is the introduction of the computer to the churches arsenal. We will take a closer look into the reason for some of these churches location, some of the issues that can be a problem in this sort of setting, how the church has reacted to the introduction of digital media, and what this will mean for the way that the church will develop in the current digital age.