Intermediaries between God and Israel

Tradition or narrative

The second essential idea: Israel's relationship with God depends on intermediaries, who often turn out flawed. Since God cannot be seen (some texts hint he may have a body, but apart from Moses and a few exceptional mortals, seeing him is lethal) and even hearing his voice was overwhelming, Deuteronomy says that at Sinai the Israelites could not bear to hear it and turned to Moses.1

Tradition or narrative

Israelites relied on objects to stand for the divine presence or carry it. The best known is the Ark of the Covenant, a chest of wood that held the covenant tablets of Sinai and acted as God's throne or footstool, with the figures of two cherubs at its sides. Approaching or even gazing at it was so perilous that it stayed concealed inside a tent, the Tabernacle. David brought it to Jerusalem, and soon afterward it was installed in Solomon's Temple.3

Tradition or narrative

The Temple became a further sign of God's presence. He was believed to dwell in its inner chamber, the Holy of Holies, and Israelites who came on pilgrim festivals such as Sukkot, Passover and Shavuot sensed that they were physically close to him.4

Tradition or narrative

The second way of interacting with God was through special people empowered to speak or act on his behalf: the prophet, the king and the priest, whose authority came from their status as God's representative or servant. Many biblical texts are ascribed to prophets, others to the founders of the monarchy, David and Solomon, and the priests left behind the ritual legislation of the Five Books.5

Tradition or narrative

A prophet served as God's mouthpiece, able both to hear him and to reply. Some saw visions or dreamed, some heard a voice, some read the signs God sent. Much prophecy foretells, sometimes grim punishment and sometimes a hopeful era of peace with God, though at least occasionally the Israelites could alter what lay ahead by changing their behavior. Prophets also denounced the injustices of the wealthy and powerful, comforted people in danger or ruin, and at times argued with God for mercy.6

Tradition or narrative

Moses is the pattern for the prophet as go-between: he passes on God's words, proves God's might by wonders, and pleads for the people when God is angry. One biblical passage (Numbers 12:6 to 8) says that later prophets were less close to God, perceiving him in visions and dreams, whereas Moses addressed him 'face to face'.7

Tradition or narrative

To be a priest one had to descend from Aaron, Moses's brother. The wider tribe of Levi, Aaron's own, were assigned subordinate duties at the sanctuary, as a lesser order of Temple staff who watched over it and kept up its worship (the Levites). The priest brought Israel's gifts before the Lord, safeguarded the shrine's sanctity, and relayed God's messages by means of the Urim and Thummim, enigmatic objects the priests wore.9

Tradition or narrative

The priests were, in the fullest sense, God's servants, who tended his Temple and handled the offerings made to him, and they were also specialists with the skills to build and run the sanctuary, to ward off the impurity forever endangering it and making it unfit for God, and to direct sacrifices and other rites.10

Tradition or narrative

Kingship, too, passed by descent: for the Bible only David's heirs are rightful kings. The king commanded Israel's armies for God, dispensed justice, and kept God within reach by building and maintaining the Temple. God names David and his successors his 'sons' and, in something like a covenant with David, vows to keep his kingdom going forever.11

Tradition or narrative

A prophet bestowed kingship by installing the ruler as God's agent in a rite of anointing, in which oil was poured over his head or body. That rite is why a king could be called the 'anointed one', the mashiach, which gives us 'messiah'.12