Because Canaan depended on rain to grow crops and survive, he was numero uno. Sun worship came from the ancient pagan religion of Baal. 22:816). . That Baal appears to be a relative newcomer in the Ugaritic pantheon has been generally recognized, and it may be that Sakkhunyaton's story about Baal's paternity reflects a mythologizing of the process by which Baal was integrated into the family of El. Today Jezebel has built Baal altars in the name of 'church' and led many to Baal worship. 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 ). It disturbed them. Who were the Sidonians, and what do we know about their religion? Sometimes the leadership of the nation of Israel tolerated and embraced the deities of other nations. One was 260 days and was used for . At one point in A Stillness at Appomattox by Bruce Catton, he deals with soldiers who left the service of their armyeither the Confederate army or the Union army. He was also king of the gods, and, to achieve that position, he was portrayed as seizing the divine kingship from Yamm, the sea god. In artistic depictions and archeological finds, Baal took the shape of a bull or ram and had associations with fertility. The latest archaeological discoveries shed light on Biblical Sidon and provide a window into the Sidonians polytheistic religion and worship practices during the Bronze and Iron Ages. 33:7) has been made the basis of intriguing speculation by Eissfeldt. When the rain failed, it was inevitable that some would question YHWH's power and resort to Baal. How many pagan ideas have we let seep in? The only trouble is that people like to feel comfortable in moral mediocrity. In the Judeo-Christian tradition Asherah is considered a false Canaanite deity and a major source of temptation to the Israelites. . Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. To accommodate Baal ideology to Yahwism required some radical transformations. In exchange, they would offer information about their unit. In spite of the fact that the word is used as the theophorous element in personal names, such as Eshbaal, Merib-Baal, Jerub Baal, it was long believed that the term remained an appellation and did not become a proper name, except in the case of the Mesopotamian Bel and in late theological speculation. The god Baal was the heathen sun-god spoken of in the Old Testament. Elijah is quite instructive here. Sidons Storm God. (From Forerunner Commentary). Apostasy is a defection from trutha forsaking of one spiritual approach in favor of another. A falling away is taking place right now. Now the word isai, simply means music in Tamil. The first mention of Molech is in Leviticus 18:21 in which the . Elijah's work was to reveal the true God to Israel in a time of growing national crisis. The Israelites displayed a pandemic failure to love their fellow man. Baal worship also included, at times, child sacrifice, which we see some Israelite kings engaging with later on. Canaanite worship often took place in open-air sites at the tops of hills, referred to in the Bible as "high places." . Since the Ugaritic verified the antiquity and authenticity of this divine name, additional instances have been alleged in the Psalter and in Job. The Lord said to Moses, "Take all the leaders of the people and execute them in broad daylight before the Lord, so that the fierce anger of the Lord may turn away from Israel." 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). But when heat is applied, and the blood begins rushing into the affected areas, pain immediately occurs. Reuben Alcalay, a famous Hebrew lexicographer, stated that Yehoshua is closely related to Let there be So, lets be intellectually honest and start using the proper English translation: Joshua. Who were the Sidonians of the Iron Age (c. 1200586 B.C.E.)? Asherah was a fertility goddess. How could you worship Baal? But if we dont exercise extreme discernment, we may find ourselves doing the same with modern-day baals. In other words, prosperity turns people's heads. These Israelites were lethargic in terms of true, spiritual matters. Baal persuaded Asherah to intercede with her husband El, the head of the pantheon, to authorize the construction of a palace. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. That made God so angry that a plague spread through their ranks; Phinehas stood up and pled their case and the . In the parallel Ugaritic list, which is unfortunately very fragmentary, the "Weather-god, Lord of Mount azi" apparently corresponds to Baal apn, while those following are termed simply Baalim (blm). So it was that, about 250 years after it was established, the ten-tribed northern kingdom became extinct as a sovereign nation. In the Bible, Baal (also rendered Baal) was an important Canaanite god, often portrayed as the primary enemy of the Hebrew God Yahweh. In addition to Baal still influencing religions and pagan practices today, we must take note of what happened to the Israelites and vigilantly watch our churches. If Baal triumphed, a seven-year cycle of fertility would ensue; but, if he were vanquished by Mot, seven years of drought and famine would ensue. In their spiritually unaware state, they will be incredulous at God's punishment for "such a little bit of sin." Some of Judah's kings spent years tearing down shrines and high places to foreign gods (II Chronicles 34:1-7). As we study the operation of the spirit of Baal in the Bible, one can see the fruit of its operation in the USA.. Because of their self-procured wealth and affluence, they think they are being blessed with material things. 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. 10:25, 12:24; Mark 3:22; Luke 11:15, 18). This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. ; Job 3:8, 7:12, 9:13, 26:1213, 38:811, 40:25). Jun 2. ; contact address: [emailprotected]. Some extraordinary discoveries from recent excavations have allowed us to partially reconstruct Sidonian religion during the Bronze and Iron Agesshowing that Baal worship at the site had deep roots. Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/ggenova. Yet if you asked most people who believe and follow this new morality, I suspect few would have ever heard of Baal. Only the individual could decide which side he would be on, because Elijah made it clear, "God does not want you the way you are. 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. Baal worship spread rapidly when the king of Israel, Ahab, married Jezebel, the princess of Tyre (1 Kings 16:31-32). Alan, how said anything about John baptizing Jesus? Smith, The Ugaritic Baal Cycle (1994). All rights reserved. In the first encounter, Baal is invited to a banquet at which he is to be both guest and main course. Baal is said to be one of the first of Solomon's 72 demons. A general understanding about the bamah and . Isa. During the summer months the rains cease, but the temporary drought is no threat unless it is abnormally prolonged. Omissions? Burning incense, worship of the sun, moon, astrology, and ancestor worship are all earmarks of the Baal religion. 11:1011). Kings Ahaz and Manasseh, 3:8; Ps. Lastly, he replaced God with golden calves in Bethel and Dan. If it is of men, it will not work very long. The events leading up to the Day of the Lord will be unmistakable to those with eyes to see. Notice the dramatic change of attitude in the people. The ancient Tamils had connections with the Syrians and Sidon. A god Baal apn was known from Egyptian and Akkadian sources before the discovery of the Ugaritic documents. (verses 9-11). The violence and injustice in Israelite society ultimately stemmed from the false teaching proclaimed from the pulpits. He takes something loathsome and vile, something that is a direct affront to almighty God, a pagan idol, and turns it into a cute little children's fairy tale, so that you can buy the book, see the movies, get the cuddly toy, and bingo! "Christian" religions of this world have mixed the traditions of paganism with some of the truth of God's Word. 25:111; Ps. Child sacrifice was a fundamental aspect of Baal worship. But not all years are good, and in a bad year, or a series of bad years, when the rains fail, the skies become like iron, the land like brass, and man's toil is futile for the earth will not yield its increase (Lev. north of Ugarit. The Israelites fell into the worship of this idol(Numbers 25:3,5,18; Deuteronomy 4:3; Psalm 106:28; Hosea 9:10). The summer drought did not mean that YHWH had died (like Baal), nor did the return of the rains signal the resurrection. Looking at these two definitions we can say . He may have replaced the Sabbath with Sunday worship. They were primarily devoted to the worship of Baal and Asherah (or Asherim, Asheroth). Doumet-Serhal explains the significance of the handles iconography: The dragon epitomizes the most fundamental ancient mythical perception of the Mesopotamian storm god. 27:1, 30:7, 51:910; Ezek. After a textual gap, there is a report that Baal's corpse has been found. The Kingdom of Israel fell below the historian's radar. "But there was no voice. Baal was a cruel, sensuous, and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness. Apparently in anticipation of developments the artisan god Koshar had cast furnishings of gold and silver. Historical Background of HoseaBaal and Idolatry. The latter name (Amarna, Addu) is to be related to Arabic hadda ("break," "crash") with reference to thunder. In the Bible, Baal is spoken of in a negative light, as an idol and a false god, and is associated with idolatry and paganism. The Largest Baal Worship Service on the Planet is in America August 27, 2017 by Andy Roman "They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." Daniel 5:4. The lesson for us becomes clear, because Jesus says the same thing (Matthew 6:24; 12:25). For this reason, God shows that the preacher, not the civil authority, is the most vital part of the community. 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. Indeed, throughout its history, the most important god at Sidon was the storm godknown during the Phoenician period as Baal or Bel. Searching for Israel (Part Six): Israel Is Fallen, Is Fallen. Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. John W. Ritenbaugh In Hosea 10:2, God charges Israel with having a divided heart. The biblical allusions to YHWH's victory over the sea preserve echoes of the older exploit of Baal (cf. Thus the basis of the Baal cult was the utter dependence of life on the rains which were regarded as Baal's bounty. Most of the information they gave turned out to be wrong, to be lies. Assyria, a kingdom known as much for its innovative weapons as for their brutal implementation, conquered the Kingdom of Israel in 718 BC. Speech is completely original and produced exclusively by Grace Digital Network Music licensed through Artlist.io Footage licensed through Filmpac.com and S. If anyone could get an award for Having the Worst Neighbors, it would most likely go to the ancient Israelites. He established a feast in the eighth month to replace the true Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh. Right now, though, we are witnessing a steady defection from the basic principles of the Bible, away from what we call the Judeo-Christian ethic. The combined letters o and e is joined to pronounce the sound ye. So-called from Mount Peor, where this worship was celebrated, the Baal of Peor. They were Phoenicians. 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. 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." (the Middle Bronze Age). It was under the Sol Invictus cult that CHRISTIANITY as a religion BEGAN TO BE ACCEPTED AND GROW, but THERE WAS A BIG PRICE THE EARLY ROMAN CHURCH HAD TO PAY. Baal Worship Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. He may have replaced the Sabbath with Sunday worship. Most modern translations use "false," "deceitful," or "faithless," and none of these are wrong, including "divided." ), from an original Baal-Zebul, which is preserved in this form in the New Testament (Matt. Did the Ancient Israelites Think Children Were People. The Sovereign Creator is not a God who allows His favor to be bought with crumbs. A biblical pharaoh's border monument. Israel "feared other gods" (verse 7). 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. Biblical Sidon is perhaps most infamously known as the birthplace of the Phoenician princess Jezebel (1 Kings 16:31), who became queen of the Israelites during King Ahabs reign in the ninth century B.C.E. Their reverence for Him was mere intellectual accommodation intended to appease Him. 4:12; Hos. Horrendous and repulsive aspects of the worship sexual excesses and perversions (Isa. The Bible speaks of the destruction of Baal's temples and the idols associated with him. The Jordan River (Nahar ha-Yarden) qualified as a mikveh as its flowing living waters originated from a natural spring (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River). In the El-Amarna letters Canaanite clients addressed the Egyptian king as "My Baal, my Addu." The rains were fully controlled by YHWH who called them from the sea and poured them out on the surface of the earth (Amos 5:8b; 9:6b). The most prominent idol that they worshiped was Baal. Because of their self-absorption, God's "sudden" punishment will stun the people of the United States, Canada, Britain, Australia, and the other nations of modern Israel, including some members of the true church. By the time of the prophet Hosea (mid-8th century bce) the antagonism to Baalism was so strong that the use of the term Baal was often replaced by the contemptuous boshet (shame); in compound proper names, for example, Ishbosheth replaced the earlier Ishbaal. What is so interesting is that, by verse 36, God is no longer reporting on the Samaritans but is addressing Israel. O. Eissfeldt, Beitraege zur Religionsgeschichte des Altertums I (1932); H.L. (verse 8). 11:17; I Kings 8:3536; Jer. Although Baal is mentioned almost 100 times in the Bible, he is best known from the narratives of I and II Kings which include the story of the Phoenician princess Jezebel (d. c. 842 BCE), who encouraged his worship, and her struggle with the prophet Elijah, champion of the cult of Yahweh. 28:2); Hezekiah attempted to eliminate it; Manasseh his son again gave it royal support (II Kings 21:3); and Josiah in his turn purged the Temple of YHWH of the utensils made for Baal and Asherah (II Kings 23:4). Required fields are marked *. Portions of ancient Baal liturgy were adapted to the praise of Israel's God, as the Ugaritic poems have shown. Psalm 68 may have been written, in part, as a polemic against Baal worship wherein it is indicated in verse 4 that YHWH is the one who rides the clouds. There are several ideas as to exactly what Elijah meant by "How long will you falter between two opinions?" 2:13) and *Asherah (Judg. Knowledge of Baals personality and functions derives chiefly from a number of tablets uncovered from 1929 onward at Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra), in northern Syria, and dating to the middle of the 2nd millennium bce. The word bel can be transformed into vel or val. Avot 5:11 on the connection between tithing and rain). The tablets, although closely attached to the worship of Baal at his local temple, probably represent Canaanite belief generally. 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. Thus, IF one is to pronounce the Tetragrammaton according to the masoretic vowel-markings, then it should probably be pronounced something like yuh-WAH or yuh-HWAH. Elijah had to take drastic measures to prevent Baal worship from completely eradicating the worship of the true God (I Kings 18:20-40). The Bible tells us that there were dire consequences for Israel worshiping a false god (Judges 2). Sidons Phoenician Temple. However, even though their origins were Canaanite, the Phoenicians established their own distinct culture. 3:10; cf. 18 Then Jehu gathered all the people together, and said to them, "Ahab served Baal a little, Jehu will serve him much. The second major background factor that we need to grasp somewhat to read Hosea well is the worship of the Canaanite god Baal (s). The proposition for the concept is as follows: The Latins called the Phoenicians as Poeni. And the covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 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. 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). He then merely floats, going through the motions, even feeling good about himself as he neglects so great salvation (Hebrews 2:3). 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. For a while, both sidesthe Confederate and the Unionaccepted those turncoats and took their information. A large part of this world's appeal is its offer of financial security. BAAL-WORSHIP AMONG THE GENTILES.The evidence is hardly of such weight as to justify us in speaking of a worship of Baal. 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.'" The Laodicean evaluates himself, saying, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (Revelation 3:17). 33 Bible Verses about Baal Worship, History So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. Baal transformed into Zeus, who transformed into Jupiter, etc. He views them as personally rejecting Him and His Word. The bird cannot make up its mind where it wants to settle down, so it just keeps hopping around. God wants to transform us from people who are bent on pleasing ourselves to people who show concern for others. This god also, apparently according to Canaanite lore, defeated El and had associations with the sun and thunder. Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. 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. 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. 9:20 presents a parallel is mistaken since the Ugaritic text mentions the sea-god and not Death (Mot) in connection with the window.) This chapter reports on the behavior of the people placed in Israel after Israel's conquest and deportation by Assyria between 722-720 BC. They used the name of God frequently, saying they trusted Him, but they filled the nation with stealing, lying, and murder. This viewpoint was developed as the basic and final argument against Baalism. The worship of Baal in Syria-Palestine was inextricably bound to the economy of the land which depends on the regularity and adequacy of the rains. a little T-shaped mark that stands for the long-A vowel (like a in father). A religion with such a beginning was doomed to fail, bringing the nation down with it. Ashtaroth is mentioned 12 times in the Old Testament. . As such, Baal designated the universal god of fertility, and in that capacity his title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. 74:1314, 89:910, 93:1ff. Theoretically, the Israelites did not believe in idols, but in reality, they did. In daily life, they conformed to and reflected the Babylonish system just as Israel does today. 8. He was overseeing a tevilah (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_washing_in_Judaism#Full-body_immersion_.28Tvilah.29) in a mikveh (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikveh). Now another presentation that the Phoenicians who are also connected with the Canaanites had traded with the trading mariners of Kerala, India. 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). Hosea exposes the problem between God and Israel. 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). Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books.