The story of God's people Israel is one of transition. They begin as a nomadic people wandering from place to place trying to graze their sheep and live in peace (circa 1500 BCE). This nomadic life gives way to a more settled existence after their liberation and migration from Egypt (circa 1200 BCE). The next transition in their lives, which took place under King David (circa 1000 BCE) begins to center around a few cities and larger settlements. When David conquers Jerusalem and proclaims it as his city and the capital of the nation the still rather agrarian populace begin to gain a greater sense of nationality rather than tribal identity; though as the story of Israel unfolds, the tribal identity will still win out after the death of David's son Solomon.
What might you ask does this short history have to do with worship? The answer is that even as the nation was becoming more settled and centralized, there was a push to centralize worship as well. The sacrificial system which we discussed last week, consisting of Sabbath, weekly sacrifices and annual festivals was led by the priests in local villages and at cultic sites around the countryside. There was no centralized religious structure that regulated all aspects of this worship. The result of this was two-fold.
First there was a great deal of religious independence which allowed for a mixing of religious customs and traditions. Thus the Israelites would often worship the gods of their neighbors along with the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. This religious syncretism meant that some of the worship in which the people engaged (cult prostitution and child sacrifice) was the exact opposite of the worship and manner of life desired by YHWH.
Second, because there was no centralized worship it meant that the central government in Jerusalem could exert less control over the people in the outlying areas. As with any government, David and his offspring desired to control the people in such a way as to enhance their own claim to kingship. Under David we witness the first efforts to consolidate worship in Jerusalem. David does this by bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. The Ark was a cultic symbol which had been the focus of worship by the Israelite people during their nomadic journeys. It was the symbol of God's presence with the people as they left Egypt. By bringing this religious relic into the city, David began to focus religious power and thus worship within the sphere of his own power.
This consolidation of worship and religious authority continued under David's son Solomon as Solomon built the first temple in Jerusalem. The purpose of the Temple was twofold. First, as we have been discussing, it was to consolidate religious observances (mainly sacrifices) in one place in order that the nation had to look toward Jerusalem for its religious center. This meant that there began to be a drive to destroy all of the outlying shrines at which sacrifices had been given. These included places such as Bethel which was an ancient Israelite shrine. Second it was intended to regulate the sacrificial system so that there was consistency in religious practice. One thing that we need to remember is that during this time there were no local gatherings for worship as we think of worship (synagogue or church).
It was during this period that the Psalms began to be used in Temple worship. Levites would recite particular Psalms during offerings, festivals and at the beginning of each new month. In addition there were ritual prayers which were offered. The best known was the Shema, which began, "Hear O Israel the Lord, the Lord is our God; the Lord is One." This prayer is still in use today. Finally there were blessings which the priests would bestow upon the people as they arrived and as they left the Temple. In essence the Temple allowed for the creation of a semi-official liturgy which was to be used by God's people.
As we shall see next week, this centralization of worship was resisted and ultimately defeated by the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians.
No comments:
Post a Comment