The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-04

the functions and character OF the angelic
messengers entertained by the Jews became
rapidly enlarged during the period when they
came into closest contact with the Persians,
whose religion upstuatci the cNistenc" OF q
host OF minor heavenly beings who carried out
the will OF the one supreme deity. Again. the
Persian influence was probably only indirect.
for the Hebrew belief in angels long antedated
the exile. The added prominence given to
angels in the writings OF such prophets as
Ezekiel and IeChariah may be attributed to
the fact that. as Jehovah was In their timc re-
garded as more exalted and further removed
from man than lie had been supposed to
be In earlier days. messengers were re-
CURED to perform His will on earth and
to communicate between Him and his
people. Later Judaism conceived OF n
highly developed hierarchy Of angels. as we
shall perceive II we compare the beginning OF
the conception in the Book of Icchariah and
its full outgrowth in Daniel and Enoch Al
though almost all the names given to these
heavenly beings are OF Hebrew origin, they
present many close points OF similarity to the
Persian system. One OF the names of an evil
angel iAsmodeus: Ishmn-duval hns been
adopted from the Persian into Jewish thought
Book of TobitJ. Another illustration Of the
truth that germs which lay hidden in Judaism
were fortified by contact with the Persian re-
liSiom is found in the growing belief in a
personal spirit of evil who is hostile to Jr-
hovah, and. to n certain extent independent
OF Him. This represented a wide departure
from early Hebrew thought So late "A writer
as the great prophet Of tho exile distinctly as
serted, in the name of Jchovah Il form the
light and create darkness; | make peace and
create evil: am the Lord that docth all these
things" isaiah. xiv. =. Heretofore tho teach
ers OF his race had taS EN- this truth for granted.
The emphatic assertion OF 1t later suggests
either that it had been called in question by
the writer's contact with the Persians. who
saw in the universe continual struggle be-
tween Ahura Mazda lOrmuzdl. the spirit Of
good. and Angra- Mainyus tAhrmanl the spirit
Of evil. and between their respective hosts OF
followers, divine and human. or else that the
prophet found the idea in the minds Of his fell
low eXiles. Such an explanation OF evil
was natural. and the belief in bad as
well as spSi spirits was common in
early Sepeic religions. The Hebrew
germ is found In l. Kings. XIII %.
whore prophet In the days OF Ahab wildly
depicts a scene from the councils OF Jehovah.
In which certain spirit volunteers ana is com
4l'seioned to he lying spiri; in the mouth Of
Shaips prophet. that thereby the king may be
deceived In the vision Of Xcchariah. contained
In tho third chapter Of his prophecy. there
stands hrth to accuse Joshua. the high priest,
All angel who bears for the first time In Jewish
literature the title OF Satan, or the "AiVer
sary, HI Is here obviously Il regularly
accredited official Of heaven. whose duty it
il to present before Jehoyahs tribunal the
charges against mankind; but. as his title
and Jehovah's rebuke suggests. he Is.
II not actually hostile toward mankind, at
least lacking IN the divine spirit OF charity. In
the dramatic prologue to the Book Of job
Satan" is still the title of II trusted official (:
hut his attitude is more clearly antagVnistic
toward mankind, he skllfuly devses meth
DDS whereby the righteous Job may be led TO
commit sin. The adversary has become a
tcmpter The exile or post-eXilir chroncler
illustrates the remarkable development Of this
belief In the rcrsonitcution Of evil. for in his
reproduction OF the original passage in II.
Samue,, xiv, (which reads: Again the anger
Of the Lord was kindicd agains; Israei. and he
moved David against them, saying. Go. num-
Der. Israel and Judah, he writes. Satan stood
up against Israel and moved David to number
Israel" l. Chronicles. XXI. |. When Satan
next energies into prominence in jewish liter
ature he is a distinct personality. at enmty
with Jehovah and righteousness. gifted with
power almost equal to that of God Himself.
and surrounded with hierarchy of evil spirits
corresponding to the spirits of light who do the
will of the Lord.