The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

in the family and, revealing themselves to a select few, achieve a long submerged authority over the family. When Laban chased Jacob for his teraphim that Rachel had stolen, it was based upon this custom that he did so. To marry a daughter off and present her and her new husband with the family deities was tantamount to transferring the wealth of the line to the new husband’s lineage. This Laban certainly did not want. He was more concerned about recovering the family’s stolen ancestral statues than he was over the loss of his daughters and grandchildren. The potential material wealth that he felt was about to slip through his fingers forever meant more to him. In Laban’s mind, his teraphim could replace whatever material fortune he may have lost to Jacob as long as they remained in his possession. 56. Ancestral Deity—A demonic spirit worshipped and served as the patron spirit of the family line. The deity is usually worshipped at a family altar and believed to be responsible for its progenies’ blessings, provisions, and victories during conflict. The Bible calls their images teraphim, household gods. Rachel stole her father’s when she left home with Jacob. Judges 17:5 and 18:14–20; Hosea 3:4. See Totem. 57. Ancestral Spirit—What would be called a generational spirit today was believed to be the spirit that remained in a family’s lineage after the death of an important member. Ancestral spirits were (and still are) thought to bring good fortune and protection. Many times the ancestral spirit is treated as a departed family member who was empowered and elevated by death. Images of these forces were often made, and household altars were set up for them. The spirit was always tied to the patriarch or matriarch of the family who served as its priest. The main crux of the idea is that the dearly departed left some part of themselves to inhabit and possess the head of the household as a guide or revelator of spiritual matters. In this arrangement, the spirit is granted family like status and rewarded with the veneration and devotional service due a deity, with regular worship conducted where the father, as the customary head of the household, traveled after death through the line to his offspring. In the father’s deceased state the patriarch led the family in the ancient ancestral cult rituals adopted over the years. Generally these were drawn from the patron deity of the land. The names of the spirits were often retained as surnames or added to the family name as a suffix to show the guardian spirit’s presence, possession, and