The Almighty, Shekhinah, the Messiah and the Covenant with Abraham
The Nature of the Almighty
In Judaism, God is often referred to as the Almighty. Jewish belief rests on strict monotheism — the Almighty is One: not one god among many, and not a being made up of separate parts, but a single, indivisible source of all existence. This oneness shapes every other Jewish belief about God.
The Torah gives further characteristics of the Almighty. As Creator, the Almighty brought the universe into being and, according to Genesis 2, formed the first human being from the dust of the ground and breathed life into him. This shows a close, personal relationship between the Almighty and humanity from the very beginning of creation.
As Law-Giver, the Almighty reveals commandments through the Torah that guide how Jews should live, worship and treat one another. Keeping these commandments is understood as a response to a relationship, not just obedience to rules.
As Judge, the Almighty sees every action and intention and will judge all people fairly. For Jews today, this belief encourages ethical living — because the Almighty judges justly, moral behaviour has real, lasting significance.
The Almighty has four key characteristics in Jewish belief: One (absolute monotheism), Creator (shown in Genesis 2, forming humanity from dust), Law-Giver (revealing commandments through the Torah) and Judge (holding all people accountable). Together these shape why Jews see their relationship with God as personal and demanding.
The Shekhinah
Shekhinah means the dwelling or settling of the divine presence among the Jewish people. Its importance is shown in 2 Chronicles 7:1–3, which describes the dedication of Solomon’s Temple: “fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.” The presence was so overwhelming that the priests could not enter the building.
This passage matters to Jews today because it shows that the Almighty, though transcendent and beyond full human understanding, chooses to be close to His people. The Shekhinah is both comforting — a sign that the Almighty has not abandoned the Jewish people — and awesome, since it cannot be controlled or fully explained.
Different forms of Orthodox Judaism do not all understand the Shekhinah in exactly the same way. Some Orthodox communities, shaped by Jewish mysticism, treat the Shekhinah as an active, almost personal presence that can be felt directly in prayer, study and acts of holiness, and closely bound up with the coming of the Messiah. Other, more rationalist Orthodox communities are more cautious about describing the Shekhinah in personal terms, treating it instead as a way of speaking about the Almighty’s nearness rather than a separate presence in its own right.
Both views agree that the Shekhinah is real and important, and both link its fullest return to the future Messianic Age. The difference lies in how directly and personally the divine presence is described in everyday religious life — a distinction that matters when explaining why Jews continue to value prayer and holy living even without a Temple standing in Jerusalem today.
The Messiah and the Messianic Age
The Messiah (from the Hebrew for ‘anointed one’) is a promised future king, a human descendant of King David, not a divine figure. Messiahship is shown in Jeremiah 23:5–8, where the Almighty promises: “I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” This king will gather the scattered Jewish people and rule with justice.
The coming of the Messiah will begin the Messianic Age: a time when the exiled Jewish people are gathered back to the land of Israel, the Temple is rebuilt, war and injustice end, and all nations recognise the Almighty. Jews believe this age has not yet arrived, since the world still contains suffering and conflict.
Orthodox Judaism generally expects a specific, individual Messiah: a real future person from David’s line who will physically rebuild the Temple and end exile. Reform Judaism tends to reinterpret this belief as the gradual coming of a Messianic Age brought about through human moral progress, rather than the arrival of one named individual.
Both Orthodox and Reform Jews agree that the Jewish people share responsibility for bringing the Messianic Age closer through righteous action, charity and justice — sometimes called tikkun olam (‘repairing the world’). This means messianic hope is not simply passive waiting; it calls Jews today to live ethically, since every act of justice contributes to redemption.
Jeremiah 23:5–8 promises a righteous king from David’s line. Orthodox Jews expect a specific individual Messiah; Reform Jews emphasise a gradually-achieved Messianic Age. Both traditions teach that Jews share responsibility for bringing this age closer through ethical action.
The Covenant with Abraham
A covenant is a binding agreement between the Almighty and His people. The covenant with Abraham, described in Genesis 17, is the foundation of the relationship between the Almighty and the Jewish people. The Almighty promises Abraham that he will be the father of many nations, that his descendants will be greatly increased in number, and that the land of Canaan will belong to them forever as an everlasting possession. In return, Abraham and his male descendants are commanded to be circumcised as the physical sign of the covenant.
This covenant is unconditional in the sense that the Almighty commits to keeping His promise regardless of Israel’s later failures, though obedience is still expected. The land promised to Abraham and his descendants — often called the Promised Land — is central to Jewish identity today. For many Jews, the connection to this land is not simply historical or political but a matter of faith: it is the land the Almighty covenanted to Abraham’s family, and its ongoing significance is one reason the land of Israel matters so deeply to Jewish communities worldwide, including in Britain.
Genesis 17 records the Almighty’s covenant with Abraham: he will father many nations, his descendants will be greatly increased in number, and they will inherit the land of Canaan as an everlasting possession. Circumcision is given as the physical sign of this covenant, which remains central to Jewish identity and the significance of the Promised Land today.