God's Changing Vision Part 5

With this widespread enlightenment came a new understanding of the “all-powerful”. Though each deity of the time was different, their variances combined to give rise to one higher being and that being was Yahweh. This merging is a major factor in the possibility of the in-depth, rational understanding of this new god and the place He had in the extended history of what began in this area of the world, the Cradle of Civilization (Smith, [1990] 2002).

But with this new god came new rules and Yahweh was a very strict and vengeful, if not wrathful God. He demanded his followers comply with his wishes or burn in damnation and hellfire for eternity. This was usually following his wrath on earth which may have been plague, famine or flood. But, he also promised paradise, a heaven free of the ugliness that was known in society at that time. The only stipulation was to follow the rules set forth by Him.