In Stage 1 (Definition & Laws), the journey begins. Rules and guidelines are established for how to succeed in the new growth environment.

Judaism brought prophesy – a profound shift in perspective – which set human spiritual evolution in motion. Moses’s receipt of the Ten Commandments gave humanity guidelines on how to stay safe, healthy and spiritually productive. Moses also established a special covenant between God and his Chosen People who were set aside for a specific evolutionary purpose.

Judaism and the Advent of Prophesy

Judaism brought a big shift in perspective. To understand how significant the shift was, consider it in the context of religious thought thus far. (Huston Smith describes this change in perspective in his masterpiece, The World Religions.)

In Hinduism, God is everywhere, permeating all, even taking many forms. Later Hindu texts portrayed God as a completely unified, omnipotent entity.

The Hebrews saw God as unified and all-powerful, too. But to them, God became paternal – a benevolent, omnipotent parent who was to be worshipped and obeyed–and who could get really mad if disregarded. (Does this sound like your childhood?)

It had been easy for the Brahmins, authors of the Hindu sacred texts, to believe that God was everywhere – the Brahmins held all the power and privilege in their society. Life was cushy, so of course it was easy to see a benevolent God in all things!

But the Hebrews were underdogs, slaves. They did not have a good lot in life. So for the first time, there was a separation between the way things were and the way things ought to be. The Hebrews believed in a God who would some day deliver them to a Promised Land–out of bondage and despair. God was pushing for change out of God’s love for humanity. The Hebrews knew they were no longer in Paradise, but had to get back.

This separation between the present and the heavenly ideal brought the advent of prophesy – a long lineage beginning with Abraham and continuing through Judaism, Christianity and Islam – foretelling how things could and should be different for humankind. 

If the Hebrews no longer saw God in all things (as had the Brahmins), what they did see in all things was meaning. Natural and historical events were God’s way of making His Will known, of showing humankind its way forward into promise.

Thus the expectations of goals, transition and fulfillment were established in human consciousness. The journey of human spiritual evolution began.

Moses and The Ten Commandments

Then along came Moses (1391-1271 B.C.), the Hebrews’ next great prophet after Abraham.

Through his spiritual epiphanies on Mt. Sinai, Moses received from God two significant things:

• God’s command to deliver the Hebrew slaves from bondage in Egypt; and
• The Ten Commandments: concrete laws dictating how humankind should live in accordance to God in order to evolve and flourish successfully.

The Ten Commandments are:

1. I Am the Lord Your God. You shall have no other gods before me.
   I am your ultimate authority. Worship Me above all other things.
   
2. You shall not make for yourself a graven image of Me.
   Don’t get caught up in idolatry and worship any representations of Me.
3. You shall not take My name in vain.
   Only use My name in holy, reverential ways.
4. Remember the sabbath day and keep it holy.
   Put aside regular time each week to actively seek me out and develop your relationship with Me.The remaining commandments helped maintain social order. They all basically said, “You shall not mess with the key things that hold social fabric together: family (5), life (6), marriages (7), property (8), truth (9), belongings (10):
5. Honor your father and mother.
6. You shall not kill.
7. You shall not commit adultery.
8. You shall not steal.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (i.e., lie).
10. You shall not covet (desire something that is not yours).

In becoming conscious of these Commandments, Moses brought to humankind clear, precise rules directing the attitudes and behavior that would best yield productive spiritual growth within this growth medium called Earth.

Notice also that Moses’s own life follows the same pattern of stages we’ve been describing (as does the life of all major spiritual teachers).

The Chosen People

Moses’ receipt of the Ten Commandments also furthered the Covenant relationship between God and the Jews begun with Abraham. But now, the Ten Commandments made the Covenant relationship conditional – i.e., the Jews had to obey the laws of the Ten Commandments to maintain the Covenant.

This requirement is very significant. It will also clarify the essential evolutionary role of the “Chosen People” when we discuss the constants of the seven-stage evolutionary system.

In summary, the teachings brought to humankind in Stage 1 through Judaism:

• set the course of evolving consciousness in motion;
• established laws for a healthy, productive environment; including
• establishing a necessary Covenant relationship with a select group of humans who were obliged to uphold the law.

View the next stage: Stirrings 

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