The prophet's dictionary guide to the supernatural

displaced by it under Ahab’s dynasty. During this king’s reign, an amazing four hundred prophets served his wife, Jezebel, while Baal’s wife Asherah had four hundred fifty. Beyond these were the countless priests and priestess, along with the prophets and sodomites that served the religion. Baal prophets resorted to divination that invariably included prophecies that supported its fertility rites, predicted the outcome of godless wars, and promoted demonic rituals as the way to the higher powers of Israel’s God. See Leviticus 17:7; Deuteronomy 32:17; 2 Chronicles 11:15. Baal worship called for the priests to fall into ecstatic orgiastic frenzies, offer up incense to symbolize the prayers of the worshippers, and sacrifice a whole burnt offering. They further included bloodletting to attract the deity’s attention to grant their petitions. As a nature god Baal, with his wife Asherah, was celebrated with a host of sordid fertility rights. Some writings note him as the son of Dagon and the storm god. Baalism was addictive because of its perverse erotically driven worship led by priests and priestesses on the high places. The phrase “high places” was significant as their religion required its worshippers to publicly perform sexual acts on high hills in full view of all. See Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel 2:22. Today, we would see this as excessive public displays of affection or adult entertainment when filmed. The mark of all Canaanite religions was the extreme and often sadistic emphasis on sex and its performance in public places. As such, the god demanded sacred meals, communion, lewd dances (such as those in adult bars and clubs), and the slaughter of something and someone to bathe the altar in blood. Baal’s temple, not unlike his consort Asherah, were prototypical of today’s brothels and the high hills that so offended the Lord are reflected in pornography. The ancient sites contained chambers for the prostitutes, sodomites, and harlots to service worshippers. See 1 Kings 14:23–24; 2 Kings 23:7. Revelry, gaiety, and licentiousness characterized the scope of Baal worship. These explain why Jehovah had such a problem with the religion, and its toll on the health, welfare, and hygiene of His people. The biblical shechem’s version of baalism involved slaughtering and offering asses on the altar and the male worshippers were dubbed “sons of the asses” which tied it to Amorite and Mari worship. 147. Baalpeor—Moabite deity worshipped as Chemosh. It is merely their variation of ancient Baal worship. Numbers 25 records the story of Israel’s seduction by this deity and its costs to the people of God. 148. Baalzebub/Beelzebub—The Philistine variation of the god Baal. He was