Jews: The Case for God | Ep 2: Assyria
Summary
TLDRIn this reflective narrative, the speaker shares a personal journey of discovery with their family, exploring the British Museum and its Assyrian wing. They recount the historical confrontation between the ancient kingdom of Judah, led by King Hezekiah, and the powerful Assyrian empire under King Sennacherib. The story highlights the Assyrian conquest of the Middle East, the exile of the northern Israelite tribes, and the miraculous biblical account of an angel of God striking down 185,000 Assyrian troops, leading to the empire's decline and the survival of the Jewish people. The speaker reflects on the enduring presence of Jewish culture and history amidst the ruins of once-great empires, suggesting that the resilience and continuity of the Jewish people serve as a profound testament to a divine presence. The narrative culminates in the celebration of the speaker's daughter's bat mitzvah in Jerusalem, symbolizing the ongoing chain of Jewish heritage and the enduring questions posed by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai about the survival of the Jewish people amidst the fall of other civilizations.
Takeaways
- 📚 The family visited the British Museum to learn about ancient civilizations mentioned in the Bible, aiming to bring biblical books to life for their daughter's upcoming bat mitzvah.
- 🏛 They were particularly interested in the Assyrian wing, which contained reliefs from the palace of King Sanchezer of Asira, a powerful monarch who had conquered the Middle East, including the northern kingdom of Israel.
- 🏺 The reliefs depicted the Assyrian conquest, including the exile and assimilation of the 10 of the 12 biblical tribes, marking a significant loss to Jewish people.
- ✊ Only the kingdom of Judea, ruled by Hezekiah, a descendant of King David, rebelled against Assyria, with the city of Lachish being a notable battleground.
- 🏰 Hezekiah fortified Jerusalem in response to the Assyrian threat, and the 'Broad Wall' he built still stands today in Jerusalem's Jewish quarter.
- 📜 King Sanchezer's boast of capturing Jerusalem is recorded on the 'Prism of Sanchezer', but contrary to his prediction, Jerusalem was not destroyed.
- 🤲 According to the Bible, an angel of God struck down 185,000 Assyrian troops, leading to the decline of the Assyrian empire and the survival of the Jewish people.
- 👨👩👧 The family's presence in the museum and their later celebration of their daughter's bat mitzvah in Jerusalem symbolizes the continuity and resilience of the Jewish people.
- 🌟 The story of the Jewish people, as experienced by the family, serves as a powerful argument for the existence of God, particularly in light of historical challenges and the survival of their culture and faith.
- 🧐 The absence of the Jewish people's 'obituaries' in the form of conquering empires, which no longer exist, raises questions about the unique survival and persistence of the Jewish nation.
- 📖 The script reflects on the importance of studying history and one's cultural heritage, not just as a record of the past, but as a living connection to one's identity and faith.
Q & A
What was the purpose of the family's visit to the British Museum?
-The family visited the British Museum to learn about ancient civilizations mentioned in the Bible, in order to bring the biblical prophetic books to life for their daughter who was preparing for her bat mitzvah.
Which part of the British Museum did the family head to first?
-The family went straight to Room 10B, the Assyrian wing, to see the reliefs of the palace of King Sanchezer of Asira.
What significant historical event is depicted in the reliefs in the museum?
-The reliefs depict the Assyrian conquest of the Middle East, including the northern kingdom of Israel, and the victory of King Sanchezer over the city of Lachish in Judea.
Why was Judea significant in the context of the Assyrian conquests?
-Judea was significant because it was the only country that rebelled against the Assyrian empire, led by King Hezekiah, a descendant of King David.
What is the historical significance of the 'Broad Wall' in Jerusalem?
-The 'Broad Wall' in Jerusalem is a fortification built by King Hezekiah in response to the Assyrian attack and is a testament to the city's resilience and survival.
What artifact in the Israel Museum is related to King Sanchezer's conquests?
-The 'Prism of Sanchezer' in the Israel Museum contains a written account of King Sanchezer's confident prediction of the destruction of Jerusalem.
According to the Bible, what miraculous event occurred before the Assyrian attack on Jerusalem?
-The Bible describes an angel of God striking down 185,000 assembled Assyrian troops, leading to the sudden end of the Assyrian threat to Jerusalem.
What is the significance of the Jewish people's continued existence in the context of the story?
-The continued existence of the Jewish people, despite numerous historical attempts at their destruction, is presented as a testament to a divine miracle and an argument for the existence of God.
Where was the daughter's bat mitzvah celebrated?
-The daughter's bat mitzvah was celebrated in the Old City of Jerusalem, near the site where the Judean troops once faced the Assyrian forces.
What question posed by Rav Shakay is central to the family's reflection on their history and faith?
-The central question is 'Where are the gods of all the other countries that have gone before?', which underscores the enduring nature of the Jewish people and their faith amidst the fall of other empires.
What realization did the father have while standing with his family in the British Museum?
-The father realized that their very presence as a continuing Jewish family, studying the history of their people, is itself a miracle and a powerful argument for the existence of God.
What is the broader implication of the story told in the video script?
-The broader implication is that the survival and resilience of the Jewish people throughout history, despite adversities and the fall of powerful empires that sought their destruction, serves as a profound argument for the divine and the existence of God.
Outlines
📜 Historical Reflections at the British Museum
The first paragraph narrates a personal journey to the British Museum in London where the narrator, his wife, and their daughter explore the Assyrian wing to connect with their Jewish heritage in anticipation of the daughter's bat mitzvah. They focus on the artifacts from the time of King Sanchezer of Assyria, who had conquered much of the Middle East, including the northern kingdom of Israel. The paragraph describes the emotional impact of seeing the Assyrian reliefs depicting the conquest and exile of the Jewish people, and the narrator's realization that they are looking at depictions of their own ancestors. It also discusses the historical context of the Assyrian threat to Jerusalem under King Hezekiah and the biblical account of a miraculous intervention that led to the sudden death of 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, an event not recorded in Assyrian records but which coincided with the decline of the Assyrian empire.
🕍 The Miraculous Continuity of Jewish History
The second paragraph delves into the significance of Jewish survival and continuity as a 'miracle' in the face of historical adversities. The narrator reflects on the idea that while many empires have risen and fallen, the Jewish people have endured. This is highlighted during a visit to the British Museum where they contemplate the obituary of their people by vanished empires. The family's celebration of their daughter's bat mitzvah in Jerusalem, close to where ancient Jewish troops had once stood against the Assyrians, serves as a poignant moment of connection to their heritage. The paragraph concludes with a rhetorical question that ponders the absence of other nations' gods while the Jewish people continue to exist, suggesting that the Jewish story itself is a compelling argument for the existence of God.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Divine
💡Jewish History
💡British Museum
💡Assyrian Empire
💡King Sanchezer
💡Biblical Prophetic Books
💡Exile
💡Judea
💡Broad Wall
💡Prism of Sanchezer
💡Bat Mitzvah
Highlights
The speaker and his family visited the British Museum to learn about ancient civilizations mentioned in the Bible.
They viewed reliefs in the Assyrian wing depicting the palace of King Sanchezer of Asira.
Sanchezer was the most powerful monarch in the world by 701 BCE, having conquered the entire Middle East.
The Assyrians exiled 10 of the 12 biblical tribes, who were lost to the Jewish people forever.
Only the kingdom of Judea, ruled by Hezekiah, rebelled against Assyria.
Sanchezer attacked and achieved a major victory over the city of Lachish in Judea.
The museum displayed images of the Assyrian assault on Lachish, including Jewish soldiers being killed and taken into exile.
The speaker's family, belonging to the Levite tribe, felt a deep connection seeing the images of their ancestors.
In response to the Assyrian threat, Hezekiah fortified Jerusalem and built the Broad Wall, still standing today.
Sanchezer predicted the certain destruction of Jerusalem, but the Bible describes a miraculous intervention.
The Book of Kings says an angel of God struck down 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, saving Jerusalem.
Historians agree that soon after this event, the Assyrian empire declined and ceased to be a world power.
The speaker argues that the survival of the Jewish people is the greatest argument for the existence of God.
The family celebrated their daughter's bat mitzvah in Jerusalem, near where the Judean troops had once faced the Assyrians.
The question asked by Rabbi Shakai to Hezekiah's troops - where are the gods of the nations Assyria conquered? - is still relevant today.
The speaker had a revelation at the British Museum that the ongoing survival of the Jewish people is itself a miracle.
The family's journey from London to Jerusalem underscores the enduring story of the Jewish people and their faith.
Transcripts
[Music]
what if
in a world searching for signs of the
divine the greatest miracle
was right in front of our face what if
jewish history is the greatest argument
for god
this past summer my wife and i took our
daughter
to london we had been studying in
advance of her bat mitzvah
all of the biblical prophetic books from
joshua to malachi
and now we wanted to show her the
british museum
to learn a little about the ancient
civilizations mentioned in the bible
in order to bring those books to life as
the many tourists streamed toward the
elgin marbles
and the rosetta stone we headed straight
to room
10b the assyrian wing in the british
museum
there on the walls were reliefs of the
palace of king
sanchez of asira we were seeing
the decorations of the palace of the man
who had once been the most powerful
monarch in the world
by 701 bce assyria had conquered
the entire middle east their conquests
included
the northern kingdom of israel 10 out of
the 12 biblical tribes
who were exiled and assimilated by
assyria so that they were lost to the
jewish people forever
only one country rebelled against
assyria
and that was judea in the southern
portion of the holy land
ruled by hezekiah a descendant of king
david
in response assyria entered judea and
assaulted
the city of lakesh southwest of
jerusalem and there
king sanchez achieved a victory so
terrifying and overwhelming
that he chose to memorialize it forever
in his palace
it was images of this assault that we
were seeing
in the museum we could see the
victorious assyrian troops
killing jewish soldiers flaying them
decapitating them and we could also see
in one remarkable image
jews being led into exile by their
assyrian captors
mournfully playing dirges on their harps
the art of biblical music
was associated with the tribe of the
levites the tribe to which my family
belongs
and as we stood there we realized that
we could say
what no one else in the museum could say
we are staring at our ancestors
with lachis destroyed sanhera then set
his sights
on the capital of judea jerusalem
in response hezekiah fortified his city
and what he built in response to the
assyrian attack
can still be seen today known as the
broad wall
it sits in the middle of jerusalem's
jewish
quarter every sabbath small children
play
where hezekiah's terrified troops had
once
stood sanchez himself
proudly predicts the certain destruction
of jerusalem
we can see what he wrote it is found on
what is known as
the prism of sanchez which sits in the
israel museum
there sanchez confidently declared as to
hezekiah the jew who rebelled against me
i have trapped him in jerusalem
as a bird is captured in its cage
according to the bible sanchez
came to the very walls that can still be
seen and addressed
the terrified jewish troops telling them
to surrender not to listen to their king
not to defend their sacred city where
rav shaki said
where are all the other gods of all the
countries that have gone before
the gods of the nations that assyria has
already
conquered it all came down to this
moment assyria had conquered all exiled
all assimilated all this was the last
stand
of the jews and
sanchez prediction was about to take
place was about to come true
and then nothing
assyrian records record no conquest of
jerusalem no destruction of the jewish
people
but the bible describes an extraordinary
miracle
and that evening before the assyrian
attack
the book of kings tells us an angel of
god went out and struck
all of the assembled assyrian troops 185
000 in all this is something that is
difficult to wrap one's mind around
185 000 soldiers suddenly dropping dead
but on one fact all historians can agree
soon after this moment the assyrian
empire declines and ceases to be
a world power and
jews continue to exist today
if the biblical account is true then
this would be one of the greatest
miracles in our history greater than the
exodus and the splitting of the sea
but as we stood there with our daughter
in the british museum
a revelation struck me we were the
miracle
it is indeed wondrous for an angel to
attack
assembled hordes from an empire but it
is even more extraordinary
for a father and a mother and their
daughter to study an obituary of their
people
proclaimed thousands of years ago by an
empire that has ceased to exist
while we are about to mark another link
in the chain of our own people
this we did several months later when we
celebrated our daughters bat mitzvah
in the old city of jerusalem just
several steps away
from where the terrified troops of judea
had once faced the assyrian hordes
and as we celebrated the question put by
rav shakay
to hezekiah's troops reverberated
through our souls
where are the gods of all the other
countries that have gone before
why is it that in museums and tourist
sites throughout the world
you can find obituaries for the jewish
people
issued by an assortment of empires that
have long since
ceased to exist why are we still here
we had come to jerusalem to mark this
moment as a family
but it is because we had gone to london
that we realized
that the story of the jewish people is
today the greatest argument
for the existence of god
[Music]
you
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