Jewish Apocalypticism: A Mode of Religiosity

Jewish apocalypticism, rooted in the idea of God revealing ultimate truths through intermediaries like angels, focuses on the unveiling of hidden knowledge about the cosmos, the origin of evil, the end of the world, and the nature of the universe. This form of religiosity emphasizes a deterministic view of history, where even negative events are part of a divine plan. It differs from traditional Israelite beliefs by introducing concepts of an afterlife, leading to the development of ideas surrounding heaven, hell, salvation, and messianic figures, thus setting the stage for the evolution of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.