Page 307 - Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible Christianity. Based on the King James Bible

IDOLATRY

challenged Baal and killed 450 of the pagan prophets (1 Dagon (1 Sa. 5:2). Dagon is mentioned 13 times in
Kings 18). Jehu destroyed the Baal temple in Samaria (2 the Bible, always in the context of the Philistines
Ki. 10). Baal worship took many forms. In fact, Baal (Judges 16:23-30). Dagon was closely associated with
worship is called “Baalim” in reference to its plurality Baal. In some legends, Dagon was said to be Baal’s
(Judges 10:6). Baal was depicted as the storm god who father. Like Baal, Dagon appeared in various forms. He
controlled the weather and the crops. He was depicted was a storm god and a god of harvest. He also appeared
as the supreme god seated on a throne. He was also as half man-half fish.
depicted as a calf or a bull. Baal was also called Belos, Diana. A moon goddess that was popular among the
Adad, and Hadad. Ashtaroth was the female or goddess Greeks and Romans (Acts 19:24-35). Diana of the
side of Baal worship (Jud. 2:13). Romans was called Artemis by the Greeks. She was also
Baal-berith (Ju. 8:33). Lord of covenants; worship of the immoral goddess of fertility, and her worship was
Baal by the Shechemites. accompanied by immoral practices such as temple
Baal-peor (Nu. 25:3). Lord of the opening; worship prostitution. She was worshipped under a variety of
of Baal by the Moabites. It was in Moab that the forms, including a woman with many breasts, a
Israelites were seduced to this filthy form of idolatry. seductive woman, and a hunter/warrior. One of her
Baalzebub, Beelzebub (2 Ki. 1:2, 6; 2:16). A god of images was a crescent moon. There was a magnificent
the Philistine city of Ekron. Baal-Zebub means the “lord temple of Diana in Ephesus. It took 220 years to build
of flies.” The Jewish leaders in N.T. times applied this and was one of the “seven wonders of the ancient
title to the devil and blasphemously said Christ was world.” Ephesus’ coins featured images of the goddess.
working in the devil’s power (Mt. 12:22-30; Mk. 3:22; Golden Calf (Ex. 32:1-6). A form of idolatry borrowed
Lk. 11:15-19). from Egypt. The Egyptian god Apis was worshiped as a
Bamah (Eze. 20:29). The word signifies an idolatrous calf or bull. Jeroboam established this form of idolatry
high place’ Bamoth (plural) means “high places,” and in Israel (1 Ki. 12:28), no doubt because of its
refers to Baal worship in high and exposed places (Jos. familiarity to Apis when in Egypt (1 Ki. 11:40).
13:17). High Places. The high places usually referred to
Bel (Is. 46:1; Je. 50:2). The chief male deity of the places of idolatry that were used by the people in their
Babylonians, worshipped as the sun god, one of his daily lives (Lev. 26:30; De. 12:2; 1 Ki. 14:23). In a few
symbols being a disc or a wheel encircling a star and/or passages, the high places refer to worship of Jehovah
rays. Bel was also called Bel-Nimrod, Bel-Nipru, and done in an improper place and manner (1 Ki. 3:2-3; 2
Bel-Merodach (Marduk). Bel-Nimrod doubtless points Ch. 33:17). Usually, though, it refers to the worship of
back to the biblical Nimrod, the founder of the first idols. See also 1 Kings 15:14; 22:43; 2 Ki. 12:3; 14:4;
Babylon kingdom and probably the leader of the 15:4, 35; 16:4; 17:9, 11; 21:3.
idolatrous Tower of Babel (Ge. 10:9-10). Bel had the Jupiter and Mercury (Acts 14:12). Jupiter was
characteristics of Nimrod. He was a proud god-king and supposed to be the most powerful of the Roman gods.
a mighty warrior. Bel-Nipru means “the god of the Another name for him was “Jove,” which means father.
chase” or “the great hunter.” Compare Ge. 10:9. Bel was He was depicted as a large, strong man with a beard.
called “the supreme” and “the father of the gods.” Bel or Mercury was the son and messenger of Jupiter. Mercury
Marduk was worshipped as a dragon and a serpent. The was also called Hermes. He was smaller and had a
Ishtar Gate of Babylon had depictions of Marduk as a winged hat that depicted his speed to carry messages for
dragon. In Nebuchadnezzar’s day, the tower of Babel the gods. We probably see from this how Paul and
was named for Marduk, and the shrine at the top had a Barnabas looked. Barnabas was larger, while Paul was
40-foot-high gold image of the god. Hammurabi’s Code smaller. Compare 2 Co. 10:10.
(c. 1700 BC) mentions Bel and depicts King Marduk. One of Babylon’s chief gods, also called
Hammurabi of Babylon receiving the law from an Merodach. See Bel.
enthroned sun god. The Cyrus Cylinder also mentions Merodach (Je. 50:2). One of Babylon’s chief gods,
Marduk. In fact, Cyrus king of Persia calls Marduk “my also called Marduk. See Bel.
lord.” [See also Nebo.] Milcom (1 Ki. 11:5). An Ammonite idol which is the
Chemosh (Nu. 21:29). A principal god of the same as Moloch.
Moabites and Ammonites, worshipped by Solomon. Moloch (2 Ki. 23:10). Molech and Baal were the
Human sacrifices were offered to Chemosh (2 Ki. 3:27). same, according to the Bible (Je. 32:35). Child sacrifices
Chiun (Am. 5:26). An idol worshipped by Israel in were made to Moloch. The fearful idol was a human
the wilderness. It was one of the astrological gods. See figure with a bull’s head. The large metal idol was
also Remphan. heated by a furnace and the children were burnt alive to

Way of Life Encyclopedia of the Bible & Christianity 307