The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

Eden, to provoke God’s curses and corresponding judgment on carnality and perversion. See Fertility Rites. 143. Baal’s Mountain—The term applies to the Bible’s Mount Carmel. See definition. It is the place where the prophet Elijah drew Jezebel’s prophets of Baal and Asherah into contest with the Lord and won. Elijah’s victory succeeded in slaughtering the entire prophetic institution of these two idolatrous deities, and for a season returned the people’s worship to God. 144. Baal of Peor—A Moabite androgyny deity presented as a male and female figure at once. This spirit seduced the new nation of Israel, as it passed through Moabite territory, to join themselves to the gods of its land which angered Jehovah. The incident provoked His wrath and caused thousands of the Israelites to be slain in the wilderness. Numbers 25 and 31:16; Joshua 22:17. 145. Baal Prophets—These were messengers of the nabi institution of Jeroboam, Jezebel, and other promoters of false prophetics, meaning they were prophets who served for pay and to whom finances were most important. They were called and inducted only to privately serve their financial backers. See Nabiim Institution. 1 Kings 18:18, 25, 40; 2 Kings 10:19; Micah 3:5–8; 2 Peter 2. 146. Baal Worship—Baal worship dates back to the first generation of man, to the time when Cain was banished from his father’s land and forced to wander the earth. Baal was worshipped in Tyre as Melkart and Merodach, among other names. Even Zeus worship was devolved from these heinous rites. Prevalent in ancient times as Babylonian worship, Baal, whose name means “possessor, lord of the house, husband, owner, and master,” worship gripped every culture on the planet throughout history. His epithets assured he was never in want of worshippers. Ordinarily Baal was a local deity whose authority was confined to villages. The word Baal finally came to mean “lord” and was prefixed to the names of the many towns that chose him their as national or local god. The deity’s lordship was over the land and its corresponding spheres of life. Baalism (worship of Baal) required human sacrifice, usually the firstborn, according to 2 Kings 16:3 and 21:6. Baals usually had consorts (concubine wives) named Ashtoreth. The couple’s worshippers viewed these deities as the reflection of the face of Baal in the same way as the moon reflected the sun. Baal worship in Israel went back as far as Jonathan and David whose sons’ names included “baal.” Under Jezebel’s tyranny, baalism took on its decided Phoenician character. Jerusalem eventually became a Baal capital as Yahweh’s worship was