The Jewish view of God
A summary of what Jews believe about God
God exists
There is only one God
There are no other gods
God can't be subdivided into different persons (unlike the Christian view of God)
Jews should worship only the one God
God is Transcendent:
God is above and beyond all earthly things.
God doesn't have a body
Which means that God is neither female nor male.
God created the universe without help
God is omnipresent:
God is everywhere, all the time.
God is omnipotent:
God can do anything at all.
God is beyond time:
God has always existed
God will always exist.
God is just, but God is also merciful
God punishes the bad
God rewards the good
God is forgiving towards those who mess things up.
God is personal and accessible.
God is interested in each individual
God listens to each individual
God sometimes speaks to individuals, but in unexpected ways.
The Jews brought new ideas about God
The Jewish idea of God is particularly important to the world because it was the Jews who developed two new ideas about God:
There is only one God
God chooses to behave in a way that is both just and fair.
Before Judaism, people believed in lots of gods, and those gods behaved no better than human beings with supernatural powers.
The Jews found themselves with a God who was ethical and good.