baal worship practices in the bible

The conflict of Yahwism and Baalism reached a crisis with Elijah's challenge to Baal's prophets to settle the question whether it was Baal or YHWH who really supplied the rain (I Kings 18). 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. Blending the lies of this world with the truth of God produces a foul mixture called syncretism (James 3:10-13). 3:23). The Baal-worship so often alluded to and described in Holy Writ might, perhaps, be better styled Cid-worship, moon-worship, Melek ()-worship, or Hadad-worship, according to places and circumstances.Many of the practices mentioned were most probably common to the worship . A frequent epithet is "Cloud Rider" (rkb rpt) which has an almost identical parallel in Psalms 68:5. The bulk of the Ugaritic mythological texts is concerned with the activities of Baal. 27:1, 30:7, 51:910; Ezek. Sacred sex was a key component. Since you mentioned John baptizing Jesus. Download our mobile app for on-the-go access to the Jewish Virtual Library, Encyclopaedia Judaica, 1998 - 2023 American-Israeli Cooperative Enterprise. 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. At Ras-Shamar, Baal was referred to as the son of Dagon, the Philistines chief god. In the Bible, Jezebel is notorious for persecuting the worship of Yahweh and for demanding that the Israelites worship Baal. They were straddling the fence in a precarious state of imbalance, attempting to combine the worship of God with the more popular worship of Baal and Asherah. El and Anath mourn violently, mutilating their faces and bodies. Pagan Religious Practices. Baal's worshipers appeased him by offering sacrifices, usually animals such as sheep or bulls (1 Kings 18:23). Baal was a god of prosperity, god of harvest, sex and fertility. 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. (verses 9-11). The Bible is full of colorful characters, from Noah to Moses to Jesus. 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. Figs and grapes ripen during the dry season and the grain harvest also takes place before the rains resume. Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. Your email address will not be published. The judge Gideon was also named Jerubbaal (Judges 6:32), and King Saul had a son named Ishbaal (I Chronicles 8:33). The motifs of these myths were adopted and adapted in Jewish and Christian eschatology. Because Canaan depended on rain to grow crops and survive, he was numero uno. The worship of Baal was popular in Egypt from the later New Kingdom in about 1400 bce to its end (1075 bce). Assyria, a kingdom known as much for its innovative weapons as for their brutal implementation, conquered the Kingdom of Israel in 718 BC. 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). a little T-shaped mark that stands for the long-A vowel (like a in father). God set up the Levites within Israel to function as the teachers of His way of life, and He sent the prophets as watchdogs on the Levites and civil leaders. Whoever is missing shall not live.". The god Baal was the heathen sun-god spoken of in the Old Testament. The word is used as the name of a town in ancient Israel in Deuteronomy 1:4, Joshua . But Baal was not exclusively a fertility god. However, God shows there is a possible harmful, secondary effect: As people become financially secure, their attention is diverted from His purpose to vain and unimportant things. While it is acceptable to say that it was in what is now Jordan, to point to a particular cave and say, This is it. is ridiculous. Consequently, during this tumultuous time, most Jews kept their faith and identity outwardly but bowed to Baal when necessary to appease Jezebel as well as mainstream culture. Tamil is connected with the Phoenician. With the help of wonder weapons supplied and blessed by the versatile Koshar (the craftsman god), Baal was able to defeat and rout the sea-god. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, make offerings to Baal, and go after other gods that you have not known, and then come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered!only to go on doing all these abominations? What Tamils are you speaking of? In Psalms 89:13 afon and yamin, in parellelism with Tabor and Hermon, hardly designate the directions north and south; yamin is almost certainly a corruption of Amana, the southern portion of the Taurus mountains, the alteration of amanah to yamin being occasioned by the misunderstanding of afon as the direction rather than the name of the holy mountain. Drought and the Fall of the Hittite Empire. 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. Nevertheless, despite the biblical tendency to avoid the use of the word as a proper name, it is now quite clear that by pre-Israelite times the term had become the usual name of the weather-god of Syria-Palestine. In Phoenician he was called Baal Shamen, Lord of the Heavens. 33 Bible Verses about Baal Worship, History So Israel joined themselves to Baal of Peor, and the Lord was angry against Israel. He describes Israel as a luxuriant grape vine sending runners in every direction, indicating a bountiful crop. Christ warned the Pharisees: "For laying aside the commandments of God, you hold the traditions of men." For a while, both sidesthe Confederate and the Unionaccepted those turncoats and took their information. Hope Bolingeris an acquisitions editor at End Game Press, and the author 21+ books. Apparently in anticipation of developments the artisan god Koshar had cast furnishings of gold and silver. 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. Now another presentation that the Phoenicians who are also connected with the Canaanites had traded with the trading mariners of Kerala, India. 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. Elijah is quite instructive here. Essentially, the Phoenicians were the Canaanites who survived from the Bronze Age into the Iron Age and who were not supplanted by new people groups (Philistines, Israelites, etc.). This establishes the fact that the Cannanites (Phoenicians) has connections with the Tamil speaking ancient Kerala mariners. In the El-Amarna letters the logogram for the weather-god is conventionally read Addu, but that it is sometimes to be read Baluis indicated by the addition of the phonetic complement-lu, as well as by the names like Mut dIm written syllabically as mu-ut-ba-a-lum. Thus, they developed a syncretic religious system, a blending of the truth of God and outright paganism. Groves and high places were places of worship erected to Canaanite gods and goddesses. Jesus says, "They are blind leaders of the blind. In mythological texts from the Late Bronze Age (c. 1550-1200 B.C.E) city-state of Ugarit, she is called "the creatress of the gods"; her consort at Ugarit, the god El, is . Some scholars believe that the Canaanites also sacrificed pigs and that God prohibited his people from eating pork in part to prevent this horrible cult from being established among them. Sidon's Phoenician Temple. The religion of Israel began with a man, Jeroboam I, who changed the true worship of God (I Kings 12:26-33). (the Middle Bronze Age), this impressed handle depicts a ship and a leonine dragon, which is the symbol of the Mesopotamian storm god Adad. The Israelites rejected the law of God and relied on the traditions of Gentile nations. BAAL WORSHIP AND SEMITIC RACISM This term was used as a title and name of various local deities worshipped as guardians, heroes, and kings. Their reverence for Him was mere intellectual accommodation intended to appease Him. He wanted people to like him, which is understandable. Israel's false religion, represented by the altars of Bethel, is at the root of her problems. Ahaz fostered Baal worship (II Chron. Scott Broberg Fig Tree Ministries. 106:28). After we accept His calling, He commands us to become moral as He is. He sends someone long before the real crisis reaches its peak, while it is building. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. Sidons Storm God. 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. Child sacrifice was a fundamental aspect of Baal worship. He may have replaced the Sabbath with Sunday worship. In the formative stages of Israels history, the presence of Baal names did not necessarily mean apostasy or even syncretism. The Tetragrammaton should be rendered as Yahoah, with the vav being pronounced as the o in Torah, menorah, Eloah (singular form of Elohim), and Yehoshua (=Joshua, Christs REAL name). Prepare to Meet Your God! When religion is ungodly, its power is destructive, and every institution in the nation suffers. The association of the name Baal-Zephon with Israel's exit from Egypt (Ex. Indeed, religion flourished, as Amos, Hosea's contemporary, clearly reports (see Amos 5:21-27). Israel "feared other gods" (verse 7). And she has taken over many so-called churches. 4. He is the king of the east and governs an army of 66 legions of demons." Did you catch that? Baal worship was rooted in sensuality and involved ritualistic prostitution in the temples. 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). A major question about II Thessalonians 2 is the scope of the described events. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them (2 Kings 21:3). First was sexual orgies "under every green tree," where promiscuity and perverted sex acts were the norm. He is a loving Master who only is to be obeyed and servedand only on His terms. Gen. 41; II Sam. He just goes to sleep as he is freezing to death. Although they lived in Israel, Jezebel and her retainers were free to worship Baal. Who were the Sidonians of the Bronze Age (c. 30001200 B.C.E.)? The divine child was named Demarous, one of the cognomens of Zeus-Baal-Hadad. Elijah prepared the way for Elisha, who had a double portion of Elijah's spirit and did many more miracles. John W. Ritenbaugh 2:11; 3:7; 8:33), while the singular of the word in combination with other terms apparently designated minor or local gods, such as Baal-Berith, Baal-Gad, Baal-Hamon, Baal-Hazor, Baal-Hermon, or, in the feminine form, a goddess, Baalat-Beer, Baalat-Gebal. The basis for this view was the fact that in biblical usage the plural of the term, with the article, "the Baalim," appears to designate minor local gods (Judg. The ancient Tamils had connections with the Syrians and Sidon. You tricked me." The Canaanites often worshipped her via trees (Asherah poles) because of her association with the tree of life. Baal Worship Baal-Berith Berbers Bet (Ha)-Midrash Bet Din Bethar Bibliophiles Bloodletting Chronicles of Kings of Israel Episcopus Judaeorum Essenes Exile Fable Flood Forced Baptism Garden of Eden Glass Golden Calf Goliath Great Revolt Great Synagogue Hannah and her Seven Sons Hasmoneans/Maccabees Hebrew Printing Hekdesh Herod Herodian Dynasty (Jeremiah 7:8-10). What modern-day Baals have we worshipped in place of God? A solution has been supplied by a tradition ascribed to the ancient Phoenician priest Sakkunyaton (Greek Sanchuniathn) that when El-Kronos defeated Ouranos, he captured in the battle Ouranos' pregnant concubine and gave her to Dagn. They were not committed to the side that they were supposed to be on. O. Eissfeldt, Beitraege zur Religionsgeschichte des Altertums I (1932); H.L. 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. guilty of adopting the ghastly Canaanite practice of child sacrifice. . The prophet turns the heat on, and they become angry with him when he is actually working to make them better. 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. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Let no one be missing, for I have a great sacrifice for Baal. 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. 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). THIS IS A PROFILE OF PRACTICES, DOCTRINES, AND SYMBOLS OF BAAL WORSHIP . 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. He did not like the position God put him in. 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. In Tamil Nadu, the following words payachi paarai, Peyazhwar, payans, pai (meaning devil) are currently in use. Baal was a fertility and earth god of the ancient cultures and was later exported to Egypt where he was worshipped as the storm god. The eschatological traits were taken over with the Canaanite myths. 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. Revelation 2:14 "THE DOCTRINES OF . Today,. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_washing_in_Judaism#Full-body_immersion_.28Tvilah.29, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jordan_River, https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conversion_to_Judaism. II Kings 17:7-17 catalogs the sins of Israel: Widespread idolatry. So-called from Mount Peor, where this worship was celebrated, the Baal of Peor. Charles Whitaker Baal was a cruel, sensuous, and revolting false god whose worship involved sexual degradation and lewdness. The name "Baal" shows up seven times in Hosea (2:8, 2:13, 2:16, 2:17 . Child sacrifice was even practiced in the Valley of Hinnom just outside of Jerusalem. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Once Elijah began preaching, their conscience pricked them, and it encouraged them to worship the true God. Extra-biblical evidence for the flourishing Baal cult at Samaria in the ninth and eighth centuries B.C.E. Baal Worship The Battle for the Israelites' Hearts For nearly a thousand years, a battle raged for the hearts of the Israelite nation. As such, Baal designated the universal god of fertility, and in that capacity his title was Prince, Lord of the Earth. Baal was also worshipped by various communities as a local god. 10:1113; 14:22). As we study the operation of the spirit of Baal in the Bible, one can see the fruit of its operation in the USA.. 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. This describes to a T what Israel did then and their descendants are continuing to do today. Well dive more into this in the historicity of Baal in a few sections. After a sortie against the sea-god, Baal returned to his house and ordered Koshar to install a window; Koshar laughed, reminded Baal of the debate, and complied. The Name] instead of prouncing the YHWH word even though the Masoretes added the sheva below the Y and the Qamats below the W. 29:35, 32:26; Nah. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Who Was Baal? How could you worship Baal? But if we dont exercise extreme discernment, we may find ourselves doing the same with modern-day baals. Baal was the god of rain, wind, and fertility. I know the firstborn of Creation through and for Him everything was made would appreciate it! 74:1314, 89:910, 93:1ff. They were primarily devoted to the worship of Baal and Asherah (or Asherim, Asheroth). The Macedonian Cleopatra planned to send her son to India through the Red Sea. When we see that our thoughts and ways are not His, we should reform and repent. Did the Ancient Israelites Think Children Were People. In the books of Kings and Chronicles, we can read the record of a given king who turned away from God and served the Baals, and the foolishness sounds quick and casual because we are reading a summary. Thus in any year anxiety about the rainfall would be a continuing concern of the inhabitants which would suffice to give rise to rites to ensure the coming of the rains. 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 was this Israelite worship of Baal which was challenged by the Hebrew prophet Elijah in his famous conflict with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel in I Kings 18, when he challenged the. He established a feast in the eighth month to replace the true Feast of Tabernacles in the seventh. 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. Looking at these two definitions we can say . By submitting to Him, we take a small step in being transformed into what He is. The Bible tells us that there were dire consequences for Israel worshiping a false god (Judges 2). It is related that on one occasion a strange ruler came to the place where Peor was worshiped, to sacrifice to him; but when he heard of this silly practise, he caused his soldiers to attack and kill the worshipers of the god (Sifre, Num. The summer drought did not mean that YHWH had died (like Baal), nor did the return of the rains signal the resurrection. The beliefs and practices of the Canaanites were not only detestable, but they also . This chapter reports on the behavior of the people placed in Israel after Israel's conquest and deportation by Assyria between 722-720 BC. God's pattern is being established. 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. Baal's 450 prophets worked themselves into a frenzy, cutting themselves, dancing, and chanting to their god. 14:13). The second major background factor that we need to grasp somewhat to read Hosea well is the worship of the Canaanite god Baal (s). So it was that, about 250 years after it was established, the ten-tribed northern kingdom became extinct as a sovereign nation. All through the Old Testament, the people of Israel fell into Baal and Asherah worship, and it is no different for us today. A vivid description of theophany in a thunderstorm is found in Psalms 18:715 (= II Sam. Recall the mention in Hosea 10:1 of increasing and embellishing altars just before Israel fell to Assyria. The name is more likely derived from the god Baal. Superstitious fear and sexual rites on the one hand fought against faith and loyalty on the other. This time, Baal puts up a fight and holds Mot off in battle. 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). One interpretation is that it is a localized occurrence, in the sense of it happening just within the little flockthe church. 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). Fertility was envisaged in terms of seven-year cycles. Our nation has embraced the old ancient paganism that we read about in the Bible. But God has a different perspective; He says they are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked (Revelation 3:17). (NASB). 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. 14:2). The Hebrew word suggests "smoothness" or "flattering," describing people who "talk the talk" but do not "walk the walk.". Photo Credit: iStock/Getty Images Plus/ggenova. California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? Two practices in particular are mentioned in Scripture. John W. Ritenbaugh The worship of this idol consisted in exposing that part of the body which all persons usually take the utmost care to conceal. 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. The Semitic word "baal" (meaning '"Lord") was also used to refer to various deities of the Levant. "like a bird in a tree. In this regard, Elijah was a type of John the Baptist, and Elisha, a type of Christ. Lastly, he replaced God with golden calves in Bethel and Dan. Observing Christmas and Easter in the name of Christ is no different. We may not sacrifice our children on altars for everyone to see; instead, we sacrifice them behind closed doors at a doctor's . Isai is music in Tamil and Vallavi means an expert. ADD. He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil in Canaan. The above comment is by Prof. Abraham Joseph, M.Sc., M.Phil. The right remedy, according to Israel's prophets, was to repudiate Baal completely and to seek and return to Israel's true God (Isa. (the Iron Age). In Canaanite religion her primary role was that of mother goddess. The god of arts and crafts, Kothar, then proceeded to build for Baal the most beautiful of palaces which spread over an area of 10,000 acres. What do we know about the religion surrounding this Canaanite deity, and how did it affect those in the Old Testament? Now the king of Assyria went throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria and besieged it for three years. A complex religion with traditions and gods from all over the ancient Middle East, Baal worship offered something for everyone. He could, and did, withhold the rain from one city and lavish it on another (Amos 4:7). In the Bible, Jezebel is notorious for persecuting the worship of Yahweh and for demanding that the Israelites worship Baal. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Since Baal was, like almost all ancient deities, a fertility god, the human act of intercourse demonstrated that they wanted Baal to prosper them. ( The first is the Assyrian crisis, discussed here.) Scholars previously associated the theonym with solar cults and with a variety of unrelated patron deities, but inscriptions have . 1:711). For seven days a fire burned inside the building, and when it subsided, the house was plated with gold, silver, and lapis lazuli. Baal was considered the supreme. Let's exemplify Baal doctrines as preached . Val is related to valimai in Tamil. Baal is said to be one of the first of Solomon's 72 spirits. Notably, an impressed handle found near a Canaanite grave at the site depicts Sidons storm god and a ship. Whatever the case, there is no doubt about Elijah's intent: "How long will you keep shifting from one opinion to the other?" 1:21), would be catastrophic. 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! Baal's house was constructed in an extraordinary fashion. One would think that, if altars increase during this period of prosperity, then religion is flourishing. Today Jezebel has built Baal altars in the name of 'church' and led many to Baal worship. 26:1920). 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. Sidon is the birth place of Jezabel. No one answered; no one paid attention" (v. 29 ESV). He may have replaced the Sabbath with Sunday worship. Jews nowadays say Ha-Shem [i.e. They think that what they are doing is right, but they are deceived. Photo: Courtesy of Claude Doumet-Serhal. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. In a normal good year, when the rains come in due season, there is no hiatus in productivity, for the land yields its increase, the trees produce their fruit, the threshing overlaps, the vintage overlaps the sowing, and there is food aplenty, prosperity, and peace (Lev.

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