It Is So Painful to Care: How Do I Conquer Apathy? 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. But when a falling away happens around us, perhaps even beginning before we were born, it is easy for our minds to adjust to the point that we almost forget the continuing rebellion against God and His way. 2008 The Gale Group. Ashtoreth is mentioned three times in scripture, in 1 Kings 11:5 & 33, 2 Kings 23:13. 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. Gray, The Legacy of Canaan (rev. The first mention of Molech is in Leviticus 18:21 in which the . The Bible tells us that there were dire consequences for Israel worshiping a false god (Judges 2). Sometimes the leadership of the nation of Israel tolerated and embraced the deities of other nations. They simply evolve. So the word Jezebel finally means one who is a good musician. The word "Baal" derives from the Semitic stem "bel", meaning "lord". 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. Most of the information they gave turned out to be wrong, to be lies. The Laodicean evaluates himself, saying, "I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing" (Revelation 3:17). Baal was considered the supreme. Thus, they developed a syncretic religious system, a blending of the truth of God and outright paganism. Ahaz fostered Baal worship (II Chron. Their reverence for Him was mere intellectual accommodation intended to appease Him. Since the Ugaritic verified the antiquity and authenticity of this divine name, additional instances have been alleged in the Psalter and in Job. All rights reserved. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Claude Doumet-Serhal of the British Museum details recent excavations at Sidon in her article SidonCanaans Firstborn, published in the July/August 2017 issue of Biblical Archaeology Review. The prophet Amos particularizes the epidemic of social injustice in the Kingdom of Israel. But Baal was not exclusively a fertility god. was furnished by Harvard University excavations in the form of personal names containing Baal as the theophorous element, such as bybl, "Baal is my father," bl zmr, "Baal sings" or "Baalis strong," bl zkr, "Baal remembers," bl mny, "Baal is my answer," etc. He sends someone long before the real crisis reaches its peak, while it is building. 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. 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. He then merely floats, going through the motions, even feeling good about himself as he neglects so great salvation (Hebrews 2:3). 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. To accommodate Baal ideology to Yahwism required some radical transformations. You tricked me." Baal's objection to the window somehow concerned his three daughters and the sea-god (Yamm), but the text is broken at this point. . Canaanite Religions and Baal Worship by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson Audio (12:51) Free E-mail Bible Study Grace: Favor for the Undeserving. He was also called the Lord of Rain and Dew, the two forms of moisture that were indispensable for fertile soil in Canaan. Corrections? Baal worship is something I associated only with Old Testament Bible days. Alternate titles: Baal Shamen, Baal Shemin, Baalim. 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. 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. 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). But when heat is applied, and the blood begins rushing into the affected areas, pain immediately occurs. In Phoenician he was called Baal Shamen, Lord of the Heavens. At Shittim they attached themselves to Baal-Peor, ate sacrifices for the dead, and indulged in sacred sexual orgies (Num. 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 the mysterious tablets of Ugarit, discovered by Claude Schaeffer, Baal is the God of rain, thunder, and extraordinary bolts of lightning. Baal transformed into Zeus, who transformed into Jupiter, etc. One of the rooms in this temple had a bench, where offerings would have been placed, and an altar made of . 1:21), would be catastrophic. Sacred sex was a key component. The association of the name Baal-Zephon with Israel's exit from Egypt (Ex. 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.). Baal remains silent during the exchange, whereas God showers a sopping-wet altar with fire. Elijah is quite instructive here. They believed by their actions they could control and manipulate the Gods. 19:5ff.). He is deceived into thinking that his material prosperity proves that God approves of his conduct and attitudes. 2:13) and *Asherah (Judg. 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. They were primarily devoted to the worship of Baal and Asherah (or Asherim, Asheroth). Well dive more into this in the historicity of Baal in a few sections. Why Did Pharaoh Tell Joseph to Enjoy the 'Fat of the Land'? 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. 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. The only trouble is that people like to feel comfortable in moral mediocrity. A religion with such a beginning was doomed to fail, bringing the nation down with it. Jer 32:29. A major question about II Thessalonians 2 is the scope of the described events. . One would think that, if altars increase during this period of prosperity, then religion is flourishing. Kings Ahaz and Manasseh, I would also challenge the suggestion in the text of the article that the location of Lots cave is known. The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. Did the Ancient Israelites Think Children Were People. 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. All Rights Reserved. Unlike Egypt and Mesopotamia, which depend on irrigation, the Promised Land drinks water from the rain of heaven (Deut. 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). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The building materials, gold, silver, and lapis lazuli, were procured and the architect-builder Koshar was invited to dinner and consultation. What the Bible says about Baal is said to be one of the first of Solomon's 72 demons. Not a BAS Library member yet? 4:12; Hos. The Septuagint (LXX) rendered Joshua, the son of Nun, in Greek as Iesous; the same was used for Christs name in the NT. How Is Harry Potter a Literary Christ Figure? Dated to c. 1750 B.C.E., the handle pictures the storm god as a leonine dragon. A third is that he is describing somebody teetering on a tightrope and trying to maintain his balance. Yet such fluidity in the use of the term baal did not prevent it from being attached to a god of distinct character. Recall God's prophecy in Deuteronomy 32:15, predicting that when Israel prospered, then it would rebel. 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. 14:2). "Whatever is not of faith is sin" (Romans 14:23). What Is the Meaning of Psalm 91 and Why Is it Popular? 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. 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). In popular and syncretistic religion in Israel, Yahweh could be equated with both El and Baal. All 450 prophets of Baal do not escape the slaughter that takes place after that. 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. Who were the Sidonians, and what do we know about their religion? COPYRIGHT 2023 BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY SOCIETY 5614 Connecticut Ave NW #343, Washington DC 20015-2604. The judge Gideon was also named Jerubbaal (Judges 6:32), and King Saul had a son named Ishbaal (I Chronicles 8:33). 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. Their commitment went one way, and then it went the other way. She's most famously the mother of Baal, another god who shows up throughout the Old Testament when the Israelites stray after other idols. As we study the operation of the spirit of Baal in the Bible, one can see the fruit of its operation in the USA.. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Baal is said to be one of the first of Solomon's 72 spirits. l, b . YHWH's victory over the waters is connected either with the rescue of Israel at the Exodus (Ps. Paul, then, is letting the church know that it need not be concerned about missing the end time. FREE ebook: Israel: An Archaeological Journey. They were Phoenicians. Baal's sister-consort Anath demanded that Mot release her brother. Did the Carthaginians Really Practice Infant Sacrifice? The variant form Hadad (hdd) is attested to only once in Ugaritic. Apparently in anticipation of developments the artisan god Koshar had cast furnishings of gold and silver. Our nation has embraced the old ancient paganism that we read about in the Bible. During the summer months the rains cease, but the temporary drought is no threat unless it is abnormally prolonged. These soldiers would surrender themselves to the other side to be given a bit of favor and put into prison. He did not like the position God put him in. So it was in the northern kingdom of Israel after its division from the kingdom of Judah. Since you mentioned John baptizing Jesus. In Hosea 10:2, God charges Israel with having a divided heart. The word bal, common Semitic for "owner, master, husband," became the usual designation of the great weather-god of the Western Semites. The word bel can be transformed into vel or val. The king of Assyria took Samaria and carried Israel away to Assyria, and placed them in Halah and by the Habor, the River of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes. The practice of Baal worship was wide spread in Bible times and was very evil. Possibly even more treacherous than this was a parallel development: mixing the worship of Yahweh and Baal. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. A prophet's life is not a happy situation. In this article, well discuss what Scripture has to say about Baal, what we know from history about Baal, and why this ultimately matters to us today. The continued worship of Baal was given as one of the causes for the destruction of Judah (Jer. The Sovereign Creator is not a God who allows His favor to be bought with crumbs. See what over 150,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. 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. 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." Thus they provoked him to anger with their inventions: And the plague brake in upon them. Required fields are marked *. One was 260 days and was used for . BAAL WORSHIP AND SEMITIC RACISM This term was used as a title and name of various local deities worshipped as guardians, heroes, and kings. Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. 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. 30 Verses to Reflect on in the Book of Hebrews. Groves and high places were places of worship erected to Canaanite gods and goddesses. Gen. 41; II Sam. They joined themselves also unto Baalpeor, And ate the sacrifices of the dead. Today Baal churches preach and teach Baal doctrines; prosperity, harvest, sex and fertility. Baal was simply the title (literally, Lord) of the pagan god Molech. At Ras-Shamar, Baal was referred to as the son of Dagon, the Philistines chief god. Your email address will not be published. Today, some evangelicals attempt to prepare the people for what is to come, but their teaching is a mixture of right and wrong. 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. We may not sacrifice our children on altars for everyone to see; instead, we sacrifice them behind closed doors at a doctor's . 6:30; II Kings 16:3233) are associated with him. Avot 5:11 on the connection between tithing and rain). This shows that the Egyptian Cleopatra had maritime connections with the ancient Kerala Tamils. Who were the Sidonians of the Bronze Age (c. 30001200 B.C.E.)? The laws given to Moses by God expressly forbade the Jews to do what was done in Egypt or in Canaan. 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. All through the Old Testament, the people of Israel fell into Baal and Asherah worship, and it is no different for us today.
What Is Jeff Hephner Doing Now,
Why Is Chegg Not Working On Google Chrome,
Articles B