JEHOVA TAKES A REST.
God rests and lets the Hebrews take care of themselves for a period
of four hundred and seventy-six years.
During these several centuries we hear nothing of miracle or of
prophecy, of any importance. In fact, we have passed the only time
God or Jehova made himself at all conspicuous. He never appeared
again so prominently. He made his exit with Moses. When we hear of
Jehova it is but the mere echo of his former self.
It is not our purpose to examine or criticise the balance of the Old
Testament, but for the sake of showing how human and natural is all
the course of these people struggling and making an attempt to exist
as a nation, it will be well to consider the actual state of affairs
of God's people, after they had become a nation.
Joshua, the disciple of Moses, the general and leader after him,
subdued and conquered the territory Moses had indicated, and divided
the land among eleven tribes.
He followed the example of his master. He was a man of resolution and
energy, and at this time he had a well-disciplined army. He was quick
and active in his movements, with the prestige of Moses to back him. He
made war on neighboring nations, slaughtered, hanged, and conquered,
sparing nothing. He was shrewd and strategic. He consolidated the
nation. He was wise, eloquent, and persuasive.
This closes the existence of the republican or theocratic form of
government, not a very glorious career of the Hebrews as a nation.
Nothing very remarkable occurs during these four centuries, but we have
a variety of incidents, all interwoven with superstitious notions of
a barbaric, miraculous nature. Besides the introduction of the Box,
called the ark, female agitators and heroines are introduced. Debora
and Barak deliver the people from Sisera, by means of Mrs. Jael Heber,
who drives a tent-nail through his temple while he is asleep. Then
there is great rejoicing and another miracle is performed.
Meantime they were in slavery under the Assyrians for eighty
years--freed by Othniel; under the Moabites eighteen years--freed
by one Ehud. Under the Canaanites they were in slavery twenty years,
and were delivered by Barak and Debora. The Midianites afflicted the
country for seven years, and Gideon delivered them.
And this period called the era of the judges winds up with the
Benjamites abusing the wife of a Levite, from the effects of which
she dies. Thereupon the husband cuts the body up in twelve pieces
and sends one to each of the Twelve Tribes--of course through his
brother Levites. War is made upon the Benjamites whereby they are
nearly exterminated.
Lust, robbery, plunder, slaughter, superstition, and barbarism marked
these few centuries with little intermission.
The Levites had utilized the time in establishing the church and
their priestly order, and that was actually the governing power during
the four hundred and seventy-six years, but always under the name of
the God of Moses, and was therefore designated the theocratic form
of government.
I ask now in all seriousness, can anyone possessing a reasonable
amount of understanding really believe that a God, such as Jews and
Christians would make us believe that Jehova is, could behave in the
manner recited in the history of the judges? It is a poor god that
cannot restrain his people from committing crimes and depredations,
restraining their brutal instincts and passions, keeping them in order,
at peace among themselves and with others.
These intestine quarrels began in Moses's time, at the formation
and organization of the Jews as a nation, and ceased only with their
destruction.
The church which was called into life by Moses was firmly established
during this period with all the priestly paraphernalia of an Egyptian
temple. Aaron may rightly be considered as the first pope of the
church, and the Levites the priestly tribe.
"And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and
an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a miter, and a girdle,
and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his
sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And they
shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet and fine linen"
(Ex. xxviii, 4, 5). These theatrical garments we have to this day in
the Christian churches. Some additions have been made, corresponding
and harmonizing with the events that have occurred since.
We must not for one moment suppose that the Hebrews were the only
people that were active and struggled for existence--which existence in
their case this Jehova Christendom still looks upon as most miraculous.
As a nation the Jews never invented anything. Jehova is the only
thing humanity at large has inherited, and he has been a cause of
quarrel and discord ever since. Joshua dies 1443 and Saul is made
king 1095. Other nations during this period advance more rapidly in
civilization without God, without Jehova, than the Hebrews do with
his assistance. Dardanus, king of Troy, is busy building cities 1480
B.C. Danmoni invades Ireland 1463 B.C. Perseus establishes the kingdom
of Mycene 1457 B.C. Crockery is made by the Greeks 1490 B.C. All
kinds of tools and weapons are being made. At 1453 Olympic games are
celebrated in Greece. Hercules makes his appearance and arrives in
Phrygia 1225 B.C. The Trojan war begins 1194 and Helen elopes with
Paris 1204 B.C. Latinus in 1239 reigns in Italy. In 1141 the temple
of Ephesus is burnt by the Amazons. Many nations may be cited using
dancing music. Singing had already developed. I cite these few items
to show that the world was doing bravely without Jehova or God. In 1115
the Chinese not only knew of the mariner's compass, but were compiling
a standard dictionary containing forty thousand characters--which is
said to have been completed by Pa-aut-she 1100 B.C.
These brief statements, these few historical facts--and there are
any number of them--I recite for the purpose of showing that other
nations developed, other kingdoms existed, other peoples had already
made considerable advances in art, science, lawmaking, government,
priestcraft, without God, without Jehova, without the ark. These other
nations had their oracles, their ceremonies, their customs. And what is
more, they still exist as nations. They no doubt had their wonders,
their miracles, their spirits, their souls, their ghosts, their
holy of holies, their sanctums, their angels, and their divinities,
and whatever else has from time to time been invented to control and
deceive the masses and to satisfy the priests.
What everybody should understand is that these Hebrews during the
theocratic form of government were no better than, and in fact not
so good as, other nations, or any of their neighbors.
The stage of civilization has never yet advanced beyond the natural
capacity and capability of the people at any time. Whatever stage has
been reached in the world's progress in the past, it was in harmony and
corresponded with the degree of nervous culture that had been attained.
And just in proportion as the senses were developed, intelligence
and understanding advanced. The senses are the sole originators of
ideas. The collective experience and training of these senses becomes
the standard by which we may judge the height of knowledge any class
of people may have reached.
Nations kept pace with one another, copying from one another,
imitating or modifying or improving those things and conditions with
which they were brought in contact, whether by travel, commercial
intercourse, or war. All these means of communication served as
a means of exchanging ideas, of adopting, rejecting, or improving
whatever degree of civilization had been attained.
At no time has any individual, community, or nation been especially
favored by any supernatural endowment, influence, or miraculous
contribution towards their advancement. But each has always been
improved by the force, energy, power, of some individual or individuals
whose training and education has been such as to fit him or them to
concentrate and carry out the ideas that have perhaps been floating
for a greater or lesser time in the intellectual atmosphere. When
civilization has outgrown the swaddlings of the times, something
must yield. A change is sure to be effected. Although it may not
take place without a struggle, or at once, ultimately it will and
must attain the necessary accommodation.
Change or revolution has never yet taken place without some new ideas
having been evolved. Doubts have arisen, and processes of reasoning
have been set in motion, plans made, in order to upset the old ideas,
to replace them by the new.
New ideas and improvements ripen slowly. The minds of men are not
ready to receive and adopt them. Skepticism as to the existing state
of things makes way for the newer and advanced condition of affairs.
Our understanding and reasoning faculties are limited to the state
of progress and the steps that have been made in the advancement of
civilization. We may be a little before our time, but never very much.
We could never have had an electric light if Volta had not discovered
the battery. Nor would steam power be so generally used if the marquis
of Worcester had not had the idea suggested to him A.D. 1663 of a
way to drive up water by fire, etc.
Men must learn to know and understand that all knowledge, whether
belonging to mythology, idolatry, fable, romance, theology, philosophy,
or science--all rules adopted for our mode of conduct, either as
individuals, communities, or governments--are the products of the
brain, evolved by degrees by a perfectly natural process.
And just as we advance from infancy to childhood, from childhood to
youth, from youth to puberty, from puberty to manhood, from manhood
to maturity, from maturity to reasoning, from reasoning to judgment,
from judgment to wisdom, so humanity has gone step by step, through
many thousands of centuries perhaps, slowly improving in intelligence,
accumulating experience. Observing so many phenomena in nature they
did not understand, it was all surprise and wonder. And not being able
to account for them, in consequence of the infantile development of
their nerve centers, admiration of their beauty and usefulness led
to gratitude and worship. And they at length made themselves images
representing these extraordinary phases. Thus idols in all probability
originated. Like children with dolls, they dressed them, painted them,
played with them, imitated living beings in their form and shape,
endowing them with some of the best human qualities or virtues known
to them.
The collection of these representations, especially the most prominent
ones, formed in due time the center or focus round which fables and
myths gathered. The older they grew, the more they were honored,
till at length they became established institutions.
The history of the human race begins with fables, myths, childish
stories, and with idols. These prevail until some one arises and either
disputes their authenticity or proves them unreasonable. This tends to
produce new ideas, disputes, conflicts, angry passions, and separation.
Differences of opinion concerning old ideas and methods lead to the
formation of new ones, especially when the old ones cease to interest
and become impracticable or burdensome. New ideas in time take the
place of the old ones, improved, modified, and adapted to the existing
circumstances and conditions.
The Levites had for several centuries attempted to govern the Hebrews
by means of ecclesiastical discipline, laws, and leadership, but
finally discovered that it was anything but a success. Every form had
been tried. They were threatened with destruction, in spite of their
Jehova and the wooden Box, the ark. Some new stimulant had to be tried
to bring about a more healthy condition of affairs. To consolidate
the nation if possible, to infuse a new spirit, and divert ideas from
discontent, turmoil, and dissension, a king was suggested. Samuel
finding a very tall man who bore an excellent reputation for courage
and wise conduct, one of the tribe of Benjamin, he selected him as
a proper person to become king of the Jews. This man's name was Saul.
Samuel himself not only was a clever priest and prophet, but also
possessed the necessary qualities to make a good general. It was he
who defeated the Philistines after they had gained one victory over
the Israelites and captured their ark.
During this period of their existence as a republic, an ecclesiastical
republic--the theocracy, as it is called--they had to contend and
struggle, and undergo many vicissitudes. It was barbarian fighting
against barbarian. Regardless of their having on the one side Jehova
and the ark, and on the other side Dagon & Co., the victory always
remained with the best-disciplined or more numerous army, which also
possessed good generalship.