In the spring of 1928, an Arab peasant working in his field on the Syrian coast of the Mediterranean struck his plough against a slab of solid rock. He loosened the ground from around the slab and lifted the rock out of the soil. He discovered that the slab had concealed a partially-broken stairway leading deep into the earth. With his lit lantern he followed the steps until he reached the entrance of a vaulted tomb. Inside the dusty tomb he found a preserved number of artifacts including clay and metal vessels. Beyond the artifacts, and wavering shadows of his light, laid a city of the ancient dead.
Winin months after a report of the discovery, a team of French archeologists started excavations. The location was known as Ras-ash Shamrah in Northern Syria, located in the outskirts of modern Latakia. The researchers unearthed, restored, and deciphered many cuneiform tablets that dated back nearly 4000 years. For a brief and thought-provoking moment they unearthed an ancient deity, the great god Baal who ruled his people some thirty centuries before the time of Christ. Baal was worshipped throughout the entire Middle Eastern world.The excavation and discovery of Baal provided proof of a deity that was worshiped by the Babylonians. He was also called Mercury and Hermes by the Greeks, Jupiter by the Romans, and Adonis by the Phoenicians. The Canaanites always considered Baal as god of the sun and sex. His influence in Canaan was so great that many of the minor deities representing Baal were called Baalim, suggesting the god Baal was everywhere at once. In places of worship Baalim was placed in front of the worshippers and spoken of as Baal as if he was present before them. Similar to the concept of a father represented by the son.
To the Samitic world, baal, meant husband, possessor, or lord and prince. Everywhere, Baal was a living word. Mothers named their children after him; names like Hannibal (the grace of Baal), and Asdrubal (Baal is my helper). Cities dedicated in his honour were given the names of Baal-God, Baal-Parazin, and Baal-Hana.
The priests of Baal declared that the god was created by a primal universal force called El, the elemental god, and Athirate, the goddess of the earth who holds the ocean in her womb. They became the parents of the gods. Baal was their firstborn and was given the sun for his throne. In later times, the priests decreed that Baal and El were one and the same, and Baal's consort was Astarte or Ashtoreth.
Ashtoreth, was also known as Aphrodite to the Greeks, Ishtar to the Babylonians, Nana to the Sumerians, and Venus to her devotees in Rome. Regardless of her name or place, she was the wife of Baal, the virgin queen of heaven who bore fruit although she never conceived.
Marble temples and alters honouring Baal and Astarte could be found on sacred hills throughout the land of Canaan. Occasionally a moat was seen surrounding some temples that added to the natural beauty of the grounds. At the beginning of spring, evening fires were lit on Canaan's hills where the worshippers of Baal made their way to the temple where they participated in and celebrated the life of the god.
The Canaanites believed the reproductive force was the most powerful and mysterious manifestation of creation. It was the cause of all life, and all things that came into existence; farm animals, grains for harvest, birds, fish and human babies. This intimate association with the reproductive urge and the power of generation was the object of devotion. Baal was its personification.
Everything belonged to Baal. The locations of the smaller temples and shrines were determined by the fertility of some natural object; a tree, a stone, a stream, flowers, wild animals, etc. In particular, a stream suggested it was in the water that Baal lived. When the god's shrines were built, fruit trees were planted, and walls were constructed to sanctify the worshippers. It was also constructed to keep out beggars, lepers and venders.
The worshippers were restricted in how far they can enter the temples. Only the priests advanced into the inner sanctum where a muscular figure of Baal carved out of granite, sat upon a throne bathed in a light that filtered through an opening to the sky.
The influence of Baal was slowly reconstructed in the twentieth century. The archeological site at Ras-ash Shamrah revived the histories of ancient lands. As in my book When Sex Was Religion, the Semitic Canaanites were a religious and industrious, freedom-loving people. They were great admirers of horses and loved games in which horses played a major part. They had good knowledge of agriculture and expert artisans, creating impressive sculptured pieces in bronze, copper, gold, and silver, always reserving their ablest talent for creating statues of Baal.
Throughout the years, while hymns were sung to Baal, the psalms of the Israelites were chanted to Jehovah; and while the history of Canaan's god was being dramatized, the story of the God of Israel was beginning. 
Ashtoreth at the entrance of ancient temples
The Temple of Baal in Palmyra, Syria. The Temple of Baal was destroyed by ISIS in 2017.
The mention of Baal in the Bible.
Judges 2:11 Deuteronomy 4:3 1Samuel 7:4 2 Kings 8:27, 11:18, 16:3, 28:2
Zephaniah 1: 4-6
1 Kings 16:31-33
18:18-19,22,25-29
Jeremiah 2:23, 19:5
Numbers 25:3
Hosea 2:17
No comments:
Post a Comment