Judaism: inception

Even after he became king of Israel, David was engaged in almost constant warfare to defend the kingdom. King David was a great military conqueror, but he could not conquer himself. King David was just a child when he defeated Goliath! The Philistines were at war with Saul. Their champion fighter, Goliath, taunted the armies of Israel daily. But no Hebrew soldier had dared to face this giant of a man.

King David is one of the most important figures in Jewish history. The hereditary bloodline of King David will become the only legitimate royal bloodline in Jewish history. King David was a spiritual warrior enforcing the importance of a relationship with God. His dedication to life, and spirituality paved the way for how we worship today. From David will come all the future kings of Judah and ultimately, at the end of history, the Messiah. David was “human” serving God in the upmost even thought at times he backslid, committing some unforgiveable sins.

David, newly anointed but still a boy, was deeply offended by the giant’s haughty, mocking challenges. He was zealous to defend the Lord’s name. Armed with the inferior weapons of a shepherd, but empowered by God, David killed the mighty Goliath. With their hero down, the Philistines scattered in fear. This achievement marked Israel’s first conquest at the hands of David. Proving his valor, David confirmed that he was worthy to become Israel’s next King. In battle, David killed many of Israel’s enemies. But he refused to kill King Saul, despite several opportunities. Saul, God’s first anointed king, pursued David out of mad jealousy for years, but David would not raise a hand against him.

David also backslid and after a night of lust fathered a child, Solomon with Bethesda. Adulterous acts are always frowned upon, but David was still David and his faith in God never wavered. He centered not only his life but the lives of his people around a strong relationship with God. David wrote one of the most used books of the bibles Psalms. This was something that I was not aware of until this course.

The Star of David; The evolution of the six-pointed Jewish star, the Magen David,” literally the “Shield of David, also known as the hexagram is multifaceted. The most common and universally recognized sign of Judaism and Jewish identity, both within and outside of the Jewish community, it has only achieved this status in the last two hundred years. Before that it was chiefly associated with magic or with the insignia of individual families or communities. Yet despite its equivocal history, Jews have long been attracted to this design and have sought to ascribe to it venerable origins. In our own day, its universal Jewish popularity, especially as the symbol of the State of Israel, has made the question of its origins moot.