Monotheism

Review of the previous post

The previous post, post number 20 of 22, discussed the spread of Yahwism.

Preview of this post

This post, post number 21 of 22 discusses the disappearance of Yahwism.

The disappearance of Yahwism

According to the Bible, the name YHWH is not to be spoken. The only exception was the high priest in the Temple (see, for example Ecclesiasticus 50:20-21). With the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, animal sacrifices could no longer be practiced and the role of the high priest rendered superfluous. Since only the high priest could utter the name YHWH, the cult of Yahwism could no longer be practiced. However, the end of Yahwism did not mark the end of monotheism. Indeed, it gave it further impetus since the god was now not named and could become a universal god; this god was transcendental.

From the above and from the discussion of Nationalism in the essay “Judaism and Nationalism,” it can be seen that even though Yahwism may have weakened during the Babylonian Exile, it changed into the beginnings of monotheism, and then ultimately disappeared after the destruction of the Temple by the Romans, it was the progenitor of universal monotheism as well as Messianism and thus the Jewish religion.

Preview of the next post

The next post, post number 22 of 22, is the final post in this series and presents a summary and conclusion for this series.