It is a known fact that some form of polytheism preceded monotheistic Judaism (re Golden calf, etc.) and during the exodus accounts I’ m aware of suggest that Moses had monotheistic views - he appeals for succor to one god, not many. Per same sources, there was some sort of my-god-is-bigger-than-yours magic battle between Moses and Egyptian priests. There too the setup is very monotheistic, even for the Egyptians.
We’re talking about the (late) bronze age here?
Some truly fantastic and beautiful artwork there. My understanding is that a direct historical relationship based on archaeological evidence between Aten and YHWH hasn’t been established. Based on the iconography Aten seems to have been a sun god. Did YHWH as conceived by the Hebrews evolve from a sun god? Based on my reading, the scholarly consensus is that YHWH evolved from a storm god. But, I’m sure it’s not that simple. There are instances of sun symboloism attached to YHWH in the Hebrew Bible e.g.:
Psalm 84:11 (NIV): “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless”. The sun here symbolizes YHWH’s providing and protective presence.
Malachi 4:2 (NIV): “But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves”. This verse uses the imagery of the rising sun to represent the coming of the Messiah or God’s healing justice.
Isaiah 60:1-3 (NKJV): “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the LORD is risen upon you… The Gentiles shall come to your light, And kings to the brightness of your rising”. This passage connects the rising sun with the arrival of God’s glory and its impact on the nations.
Psalm 19:4-6 (NIV): “In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber…nothing is deprived of its warmth”. This highlights the sun’s presence and its role in demonstrating God’s creative power, linking its radiance to God’s glory and righteousness.
Right. But I don’t know what the historical basis for that story is.
Ancient Egypt 18th Royal Dynasty.
You should read some Ahmed Osman, the guy is a king of historians.
Don’t forget the depictions of Moses holding the stone tablets up in the air is present under the sun’s rays.
Catholicism preceded Christianity, Judaism, and Islam.. what’s with the competition?
Why the competition?
I don’t know how you figure that. Catholics trace their origin to Jesus. If you accept that, it **is ** the original Christianity. That’s questionable, hence there are other Christianities. In any case, Christianity came out of Judaism which preceded it. Islam came later.
I wrote the post facetiously as if there were a competition for which religion is the most monotheistic. I do think that in the minds of some folks that’s a thing. But, “why” is a good question.
.
Why do you care, aren’t you Hindu?
.
Why is the whole world in the whole world’s business? Smoke and mirrors brar..
I baulk at labels. You could say I’m a perennialist or a universalist or Christian Vedantist.
I care because as someone once said, “Nothing human is foreign to me” and I believe there is truth in any religion worthy of the name.
This video is a discussion with one of the foremost archeologists studying ancient Israel. It supports the OP.
https://www.youtube.com/live/ok1dNzzmLDk?si=pXRaUrYPKGwt911L
Here’s the video’s blurb :
Join MythVision live with Dr. Gad Barnea for a fresh look at how Judaism and Samaritanism took shape under empire. We’ll start in Persian-period Egypt, where the famous “Passover Letter” from Elephantine looks less like a grassroots memo and more like a top-down Ḥananiah decree. Drawing on Barnea’s study, we’ll follow this imperial fixer as he issues orders, negotiates with governors, and navigates crises—right down to that unforgettable line, “Khnum is against us.” It’s a vivid window into how Yahwists in the 410s BCE lived, worshiped, and survived inside an Achaemenid system.
From there, we pivot north to identity: who got to call themselves “Israel” in the Persian and Ptolemaic eras? Using Barnea’s work on early Samarian identity, we trace the surprising revival of “Israel” as an ethnonym, shifts in divine-name spellings (YW → YHW), Samarian coinage that mirrors imperial iconography, and diaspora inscriptions from places like Delos and Egypt. The emerging picture centers on Mount Gerizim and temple-tax networks—evidence that Samaria often outpaced Yehud in the 4th century when it came to visible institutions and reach.
Why does this matter? Because it’s the machinery of identity being built in real time: imperial administration, names and coins, petitions and temples, propaganda and practice. If you’ve ever asked when Torah observance becomes historically tangible, or who drew the boundaries of “Israel,” this conversation connects the dots—with receipts.