ABSTRACT
Monotheism emerged from the Hebrews’ national religion by the mystery of God’s grace. He revealed Himself first as Jahveh, the God of a particular people. The Prophets thus judged phenomena deductively; they did not formulate inductively a conception of God’s rule of the universe, but accepted as justified all that constituted the life of the universe. The terrible experiences which it is said God will bring on the people for their sins are primarily projections into the future of what was happening in the Prophets’ world. God rules the universe according to law. The moral order of the universe, which conforms to God’s nature, is informed, or infused, with justice and love. The doctrine that God is loving informs all the appeals of the Prophets to their own people to reform their national life. In spite of their objection to anthropomorphism, the Prophets could ascribe feeling to God without derogating from His divinity.
