Ugaritic texts tell of other fertility aspects of Baal, such as his relations with Anath, his consort and sister, and also his siring a divine bull calf from a heifer. This is typical Israeliltish syncretism, but it will not work. The Name] instead of prouncing the YHWH word even though the Masoretes added the sheva below the Y and the Qamats below the W. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. A second interpretation is that since the falling away contains the definite article, it refers to a unique event in man's history, far greater than anything that has happened before. Bible Study Hosea Old Testament. When the Israelites, following Moses to the Promised Land, were in the vicinity of Peor, some of them fell into idolatry and worshiped Baal Peor. Asherah, along with Astarte and Anath, was one of the three great goddesses of the Canaanite pantheon. It may seem easy to point the finger at the ancient Israelites and say, How could you let a bull statue into Israel? For instance, Hezekiahs son rebuilds the shrines of Baal and the Canaanite goddess Asherah that Hezekiah had torn down: He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. Sign up to receive our email newsletter and never miss an update. Superstitious fear and sexual rites on the one hand fought against faith and loyalty on the other. Besides the names Baal and Haddu, the Ugaritic texts furnish a variety of other titles, such as "Mighty Baal" (aliyn bl) and "Prince, Lord of Earth" (zbl bl ars). Baal transformed into Zeus, who transformed into Jupiter, etc. The heyday of Baal worship in Israel came in the days of Elijah, when the Phoenician princess Jezebel launched a massive campaign to promote Baal. What made the very name Baal anathema to the Israelites was the program of Jezebel, in the 9th century bce, to introduce into Israel her Phoenician cult of Baal in opposition to the official worship of Yahweh (I Kings 18). Baal is also referred to about 12 times as "the Rider of the Clouds" which undoubtedly testifies to his control over the rain and storms. Omissions? This article is about Baal worship in the Bible. Immorality lies in the desire of men to live self-centered lives independent of God, as when Adam and Eve took of the forbidden tree (Genesis 3:1-19). O. Eissfeldt, Beitraege zur Religionsgeschichte des Altertums I (1932); H.L. Paul is not writing about apostasy in a small group of people that will give rise to an international personality, but an event on the world scene that creates the right environment to catapult this figure, backed by the power of Satan, to the heights of power. Val is related to valimai in Tamil. The worship of Moloch, which was practiced at a special site (outside the walls of Jerusalem in the valley of Ben-Hinnom) called Topheth, became firmly established in the time of King Manasseh, his son Amon, and at the beginning of Josiah's reign. The Semitic word Baal means lord or master, and the ancient people believed he was in charge of all of nature and humans. At the foundation of every community is a way of life that its people live and teach their children. Dated to c. 1750 B.C.E., the handle pictures the storm god as a leonine dragon. When we see that our thoughts and ways are not His, we should reform and repent. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. Meaning of Jezebel: This word can be also pronounced as Isabel. The worship of Baal penetrated Jewish religious life during the period of the Judges (Judges 3:7), became common in Israel during the rule of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31-33), and also influenced Judah (2 Chronicles 28:1-2). If the rains failed and drought and death came upon the land and people, it was not because Mot had mangled Baal and made the glowing sun-goddess destructive; it was rather YHWH's way of meting out merited punishment to a faithless and sinful people (Deut. A falling away is taking place right now. Canaanite worship often took place in open-air sites at the tops of hills, referred to in the Bible as "high places." . 7:1416). According to the Bible, centers of worship for Canaanite gods such as Molech and the Baal's were set up in Judah and Israel by apostate kings. Child sacrifice was even practiced in the Valley of Hinnom just outside of Jerusalem. Archaeologists at Sidon have uncovered a 12th-11th-century B.C.E. These people, who became known as the Samaritans, feared the Lord but worshipped their own gods. Molech was another such god. Of special interest is the designation Aliy (ly) which is twice applied to Baal in the Krt Epic: Before the discovery and recognition of this name in Ugaritic, H.S. . Baal was the god of agriculture and fertility in Canaan, becoming a fallen angel and a demon. It may be, however, that these extra Baalim are Baal's attendants, mentioned as the seven or eight lads whom Baal is ordered to take with him in his descent into the netherworld. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? They used the name of God frequently, saying they trusted Him, but they filled the nation with stealing, lying, and murder. Sun worship came from the ancient pagan religion of Baal. Mot refused and boasted how he had mangled Baal. The biblical allusions to YHWH's victory over the sea preserve echoes of the older exploit of Baal (cf. Human-Ram Deity from Sidon. Ritual prostitution only served to erode the family, eventually leading to the destruction of the nation. The Baal-worship so often alluded to and described in Holy Writ might, perhaps, be better styled, id-worship, moon-worship, Melek (Moloch)-worship, or Hadad-worship, according to places and circumstances. They become "settled on their lees," as it says in Zephaniah 1:12. A biblical pharaoh's border monument. One such deity who gripped Israel for a period of time was Baal. It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? 29:35, 32:26; Nah. Thus, according to Sakkunyaton, Baal's natural father was Ouranos and Dagn became his foster-father, while El-Kronos effected the transfer. Lastly, he replaced God with golden calves in Bethel and Dan. Near Baals temple was that of Dagon, given in the tablets as Baals father. What the Bible says about Baal Worship ( From Forerunner Commentary ) 1 Kings 12:26-33 The religion of Israel began with a man, Jeroboam I, who changed the true worship of God. I prefer transliterating the sheva with [*] rather than any other English vowel letter, so I prefer Y*HWaH to YuHWaH or to YaHWeH, for that matter. l /), or Baal (Hebrew: baal), was a title and honorific meaning 'owner', 'lord' in the Northwest Semitic languages spoken in the Levant during antiquity.From its use among people, it came to be applied to gods. Assyria, a kingdom known as much for its innovative weapons as for their brutal implementation, conquered the Kingdom of Israel in 718 BC. Various forms of Baal worship are still going on in the Catholic church; even though these pagan idols were incorporated into Catholicism centuries ago, the worship of the sun still exists to this day. Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. They also worshiped him as a fertility god who provided children. He is a loving Master who only is to be obeyed and servedand only on His terms. For those who think the baptism of John (Yochanan) was something new under the sun recall that he was a Levite as was his father Zechariah (Tsekharya). 26:1920). As such, Baal designated the universal god of fertility, and in that capacity his title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. But when heat is applied, and the blood begins rushing into the affected areas, pain immediately occurs. Baal's response to Mot's invitation to come and be devoured is abject surrender: "Thy slave am I, thine eternal." Its prosperity played a part in corrupting the Israelites' hearts, which is why Hosea mentions the divided or disloyal heart in context with its bountiful fruit. We may not sacrifice our children on altars for everyone to see; instead, we sacrifice them behind closed doors at a doctor's . (the Middle Bronze Age). After we accept His calling, He commands us to become moral as He is. The sequel to this action is furnished by the group of texts which recount Baal's confrontations with Mot. The Canaanites often worshipped her via trees (Asherah poles) because of her association with the tree of life. The bird cannot make up its mind where it wants to settle down, so it just keeps hopping around. He describes Israel as a luxuriant grape vine sending runners in every direction, indicating a bountiful crop. Elijah was sent by God, and he was fulfilling the responsibility of a prophet, to prod the people to whom he was sent to their responsibilities. Today Jezebel has built Baal altars in the name of 'church' and led many to Baal worship. In their spiritually unaware state, they will be incredulous at God's punishment for "such a little bit of sin." 14:13). Isaiah 29:13 clarifies what God means: "Therefore the LORD said: 'Inasmuch as these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment of men.'" Sidons Phoenician Temple. With the help of the sun-goddess Shapsh, Anath locates the dead Baal, carries him to the height of apn, and weeping buries him with funerary sacrifices. Not only do the Jews have to deal with the abomination of Zeus and Antiochus Epiphanes IV (Daniel 8), but the Greek pantheon later gets repeated in the Roman pantheon, and practices from both the Greeks and Romans still exist today. Though it hurts, the pain is indicative of rescue and cure. In artistic depictions and archeological finds, Baal took the shape of a bull or ram and had associations with fertility. 1:21), would be catastrophic. l, b . Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. Baal was a cruel, sensuous, and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness. A religion with such a beginning was doomed to fail, bringing the nation down with it. This establishes the fact that the Cannanites (Phoenicians) has connections with the Tamil speaking ancient Kerala mariners. Commentaries are at odds over what the Hebrew word translated divided means. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. A large part of this world's appeal is its offer of financial security. The laws given to Moses by God expressly forbade the Jews to do what was done in Egypt or in Canaan. As we study the operation of the spirit of Baal in the Bible, one can see the fruit of its operation in the USA.. The cosmic character of afon leads to its use as a synonym for "sky" in Job 26:7: "who stretched out afon on emptiness who suspended earth on naught." (Iron Age) temple. Recall God's wrath when Aaron made a golden calf at the urging of the Israelites in the wilderness and proclaimed a feast to the Lord (Exodus 32:1-5). With human features as well as the eyebrows, nose and horns of a ram, this painted limestone figurine represents a deity and dates to c. 1650 B.C.E. There is no doubt that prosperity is good, but unless one is properly focused and disciplined, it can also be a demanding master because of its power to distract one into idolatry. Updates? "Christian" religions of this world have mixed the traditions of paganism with some of the truth of God's Word. The Assyrians deported the population en masse from its homeland in Canaan, transplanting it virtually in toto to the southern shores of the Caspian Sea. Even as the Canaanite religion waned, Baal took on a new role as Zeus in the Ancient Greek pantheon. In other words, God is saying that He was driven to defeat and scatter Israel because they were guilty of exactly the same sin as the Samaritans! Today, music performers entice young and old in the practice of the worship of Baal-Peor He just goes to sleep as he is freezing to death. In the mysterious tablets of Ugarit, discovered by Claude Schaeffer, Baal is the God of rain, thunder, and extraordinary bolts of lightning. The Canaanites worshiped Baal as the sun god and as the storm godhe is usually depicted holding a lightning boltwho defeated enemies and produced crops. Your email address will not be published. In contrast, the church has had periods of strength and weakness all throughout its historyit goes through cycles of rallying around truth and then gradually letting it slip. Evil practices never go away. The first mention of Molech is in Leviticus 18:21 in which the . The prophet comes along and troubles people by awakening them to their sins, making them feel guilty about their relationships with God and each other. ; Job 3:8, 7:12, 9:13, 26:1213, 38:811, 40:25). The triumph of Baal recounted in the myths and perhaps reenacted in ritual drama gave assurance of help in the present and the future as in the past. Corrections? He established a feast in the eighth month to replace the true Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh. At Shittim they attached themselves to Baal-Peor, ate sacrifices for the dead, and indulged in sacred sexual orgies (Num. In Psalms 48:23, Mount Zion is equated with "the recesses of afon" (the phrase quoted above from Isa. In Tamil Nadu, the following words payachi paarai, Peyazhwar, payans, pai (meaning devil) are currently in use. But God has a different perspective; He says they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). The Israelites fell into the worship of this idol(Numbers 25:3,5,18; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalm 106:28; Hosea 9:10). He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil in Canaan. 2008 The Gale Group. north of Ugarit. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. It proved extremely hard for a monotheistic faith to compete against the Canaanite fertility cult. Although they lived in Israel, Jezebel and her retainers were free to worship Baal. It is not known to what extent the Canaanites considered those various Baalim identical, but the Baal of Ugarit does not seem to have confined his activities to one city, and doubtless other communities agreed in giving him cosmic scope. 18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Apparently in anticipation of developments the artisan god Koshar had cast furnishings of gold and silver. Jun 2. He views them as personally rejecting Him and His Word. Groves and high places were places of worship erected to Canaanite gods and goddesses. No doubt, we cant cover the breadth of verses on Baal here, but we should note that Baal becomes a big player in the book of Judges and during the time of the kings when Israel appears to succumb most to the foreign pantheons. In other words, God is saying that He was driven to defeat and scatter Israel because they were guilty of exactly the same sin as the Samaritans! For one to keep on coming to services and leaving, like a theatergoer, without his options, opinions, or decisions resolved but deferred, is an erosion of character. I appreciate your consideration, and Im sure the Most High does as well! The most prominent idol that they worshiped was Baal. Life in a land dependent on rainfall enhanced the appeal of the Baal cult and its pervasive influence persisted through the centuries, as the unrelenting protests of the prophets and the sporadic efforts at reform attest. In the Bible, Jezebel is notorious for persecuting the worship of Yahweh and for demanding that the Israelites worship Baal. Yet such fluidity in the use of the term baal did not prevent it from being attached to a god of distinct character. Rejection of God's Law. Baal, god worshipped in many ancient Middle Eastern communities, especially among the Canaanites, who apparently considered him a fertility deity and one of the most important gods in the pantheon. Dated to c. 1750 B.C.E. This is God's way of showing that Israel abused its prosperity: It used its prosperity for the purposes of idolatry. 57 Bull Baal. Child sacrifice was a fundamental aspect of Baal worship. Lastly, he replaced God with golden calves in Bethel and Dan. The god Baal was the heathen sun-god spoken of in the Old Testament. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Elijah says disturbing things. Baal in Smith's Bible Dictionary Baal (2) the supreme male divinity of the Phoenician and Canaanitish nations, as Ashtoreth was their supreme female divinity. A DSS fragment has it spelled Iaw in Greek (iota-alpha-omega), which is consistent with Yahoah; see ccat.sas.upenn.edu/rs/rak/lxxjewpap/4QLevB.jpg. It disturbed them. That there were minor Baalim also at Ugarit is indicated by a god list in Akkadian (see Ugaritica, 5, p. 44 ll. Baal and Asherah were two giant stumbling blocks for the people of Israel. Canaanite Religions and Baal Worship by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson Audio (12:51) Free E-mail Bible Study Grace: Favor for the Undeserving. But Jezebels religion is not Jewish whereas the religion of the Tamils is more like that of the Jews. Baal persuaded Asherah to intercede with her husband El, the head of the pantheon, to authorize the construction of a palace. Elijah is quite instructive here. But it could have existed long before that, when God established the law, including laws against eating pork, since pig slaughter and sacrifice were a hallmark of Baal worship. Since El and Dagn are distinct deities, this seeming confusion over Baal's paternity needs explanation. A major question about II Thessalonians 2 is the scope of the described events. The latter title has a biblical echo in the corrupted form Baal-Zebub (II Kings 1:2ff. BAAL-WORSHIP AMONG THE GENTILES.The evidence is hardly of such weight as to justify us in speaking of a worship of Baal. In distress some would naturally revert to the old ways of reviving or reactivating the rain-god prayer, mourning, self-laceration, dancing, and water-pouring (I Kings 18:2628; Hos. Christ warned the Pharisees: "For laying aside the commandments of God, you hold the traditions of men." Our nation has embraced the old ancient paganism that we read about in the Bible. This is the crux of our salvation through Jesus Christ. THIS IS A PROFILE OF PRACTICES, DOCTRINES, AND SYMBOLS OF BAAL WORSHIP . What the Bible says about 30 Verses to Reflect on in the Book of Hebrews. In correlating the sequence of events, Baal's victory over the sea-god, Yamm, is probably to be placed near the beginning of the action, since it was presumably this exploit which gained him the dominant position among the gods, just as *Marduk achieved preeminence by defeating the sea-monster Tiamat. A common designation of Baal in the Ugaritic myths is bn-dgn "son of Dagn"; but Baal is also considered the son of El who is called "Bull El his [i.e., Baal's] father; El King who begot him [Baal]" (tr il abh; il mlk dyknnh). Gray, The Legacy of Canaan (rev. So the word Poeni can be rewritten as Peyeni or as Payani or as Payan. Unlike Egypt and Mesopotamia, which depend on irrigation, the Promised Land drinks water from the rain of heaven (Deut. Baal worship is and has always been pagan; today it is replacing the laws and beliefs based upon Judaeo-Christian roots, which honours the GOD of the Bible, His laws and His ways. It has been suggested that this clash was indirectly a conflict between Baal and El, with Yamm serving as champion for the venerable El, as the Titans fought on behalf of Kronos in the Greek version of the myth and the stone colossus Ulikummi for Kumarbi in the Hurrian-Hittite version which is roughly contemporary with the Ugaritic texts. In Hebrew, it is rendered Yehoshua, and in Aramaic, Yeshua. And Asherah and Baal led the way together (Judges 3:7, 1 Kings 18:19, 2 Kings 23:4). This corrupt blending of a holy God with a pagan goddess became part of everyday religious practice, which is why evil king Manasseh put an Asherah pole . Baal (/ b e. And the statutes, the ordinances, the law, and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall be careful to observe forever; you shall not fear other gods. (the Middle Bronze Age), this impressed handle depicts a ship and a leonine dragon, which is the symbol of the Mesopotamian storm god Adad. Updated: 12/07/2022 The Israelites displayed a pandemic failure to love their fellow man. Apostasy is a defection from trutha forsaking of one spiritual approach in favor of another. The Bible is full of colorful characters, from Noah to Moses to Jesus. She's most famously the mother of Baal, another god who shows up throughout the Old Testament when the Israelites stray after other idols. Some become discouraged with the church because we are always being toldto some measure anywaydisturbing things about ourselves. In the Bible, Baal (also rendered Baal) was an important Canaanite god, often portrayed as the primary enemy of the Hebrew God Yahweh. The only trouble is that people like to feel comfortable in moral mediocrity. The word is used as the name of a town in ancient Israel in Deuteronomy 1:4, Joshua . No doubt, we cant cover the breadth of verses on Baal here, but we should make a note that Baal becomes a big player in the book of Judges and during the time of the kings when Israel appears to succumb most to the foreign pantheons. When religion is ungodly, its power is destructive, and every institution in the nation suffers. However, before the war was over, both sides were summarily executing anybody who did this because those traitors could not be trusted. In their ignorance, the people do not realize the terrible calamity that is coming soon upon modern Israel. 25:111; Ps. He was the god that provided - food - for the people. In the first encounter, Baal is invited to a banquet at which he is to be both guest and main course. The Septuagint (LXX) rendered Joshua, the son of Nun, in Greek as Iesous; the same was used for Christs name in the NT. Behold, you trust in deceptive words to no avail. There was tremendous evil to overcome. For a while, both sidesthe Confederate and the Unionaccepted those turncoats and took their information. a little T-shaped mark that stands for the long-A vowel (like a in father). Can we stop with the Yahweh pronunciation once and for all? The worship of this idol consisted in exposing that part of the body which all persons usually take the utmost care to conceal. The Bereans "received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so" (Acts 17:10-11). He replaced the Levitical priesthood with men of his own choosing. Did the Carthaginians Really Practice Infant Sacrifice? Like ancient Israel, we can easily fall back into our former ways. II Kings 17:33 illustrates their worship: "They feared the LORD, yet served their own gods - according to the rituals of the nations from among whom they were carried away." In short, Scripture has nothing positive to say about Baal. The lesson for us becomes clear, because Jesus says the same thing (Matthew 6:24; 12:25). This is exactly what God warns us to flee, and the only way to come out of it is by developing and maturing in our relationship with God. Israel "feared other gods" (verse 7). Moffatt renders this, "They worshipped the Eternal, and they also served their own gods.". No one answered; no one paid attention" (v. 29 ESV). What is so interesting is that, by verse 35, it is clear God is no longer addressing Himself to the Samaritans, but to Israel: [T]he LORD had made a covenant and charged [Israel], saying: "You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them; but the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, Him you shall worship, and to Him you shall offer sacrifice. Ashtoreth is mentioned three times in scripture, in 1 Kings 11:5 & 33, 2 Kings 23:13. Thus, they developed a syncretic religious system, a blending of the truth of God and outright paganism. Notice the dramatic change of attitude in the people. Scott Broberg Fig Tree Ministries. Ahaz fostered Baal worship (II Chron. A complaint is made to Bull El, father of the gods, that Baal has no house like other gods. Jews nowadays say Ha-Shem [i.e. For seven days a fire burned inside the building, and when it subsided, the house was plated with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli. In many cases, when the king or the nation had wandered from the way, the prophets were sent to correct them (e.g., II Samuel 12:1-15; I Kings 18:17-19; II Kings 21:10-15). . . Since their rejection of the house of David under Jeroboam I, the Israelites had practiced a syncretistic religion (Amos 5:21-26; 8:14; I Kings 12:25-33). The variant form Hadad (hdd) is attested to only once in Ugaritic. Sidon is the birth place of Jezabel. The proposition for the concept is as follows: The Latins called the Phoenicians as Poeni. Ashtar the Awful (ttrr) was then nominated to replace Baal, but when he ascended the throne, his feet did not reach the footstool nor his head the top and so he declined to reign on the heights of apn and descended from Baal's throne, but ruled over all El's earth. 2:13) and *Asherah (Judg. One of the rooms in this temple had a bench, where offerings would have been placed, and an altar made of piled and unhewn stones, which recalls the Biblical command to make altars of uncut stones (see Exodus 20:25). That made God so angry that a plague spread through their ranks; Phinehas stood up and pled their case and the . (The Book of Amos) (Part Two), Searching for Israel (Part Six): Israel Is Fallen, Is Fallen, He established a feast in the eighth month to replace the true. Check out her books at hopebolinger.comfor clean books in most genres, great for adults and kids. Molech was an ancient god worshiped by the people neighboring Israel during Old Testament times.