Baal

Baal

Baal was a spurious god of the Old Testament and an idol of the Phoenicians. He was the son of the pagan god Dagon and introduced to the Hebrews by the Tyrians. The children of Israel were inclined to forsake the commandments of Jehovah and worship Baal, make idols of him and kiss his image. The name Baal means Lord and is used for the master of the house or the owner of the property, like a landlord. He would be the god of the house or of the local land and neighboring vicinity. Baal was worshiped as the god of vineyards and groves, the god of nature and fertility bringing thunder and winter rains. He was the warrior god who champions divine order and opposes chaos. One would imagine him coming in the clouds, holding a thunderbolt in his hand and bringing refreshing rain.
The word Baalim is plural of Baal. Baalim are worshipped under many names as the Sun god and god of fertility and by Beelzebub as the lord of flies. The people would build houses, shrines and altars to Baalim and make images of them and burn incense to them. Sacrificing to Baal would bless the produce of the land and increase of the cattle. Baal is often associated with the goddess Ashtaroth. As early as the third millennium BC, the ancient priest Berosus served lord "Belus" or "Bel", as he was called then and it was Berosus that partially erected the Tower of Babel in his honor on the plain of Shinar. These early writings of Berosus also are among the historical documents that relate the story of the great flood.
Elijah protected the true prophets of God and opposed the false prophets of Baal. The worshippers of Baal in Israel were far more numerous than the prophets of the Lord but existed side by side with the true worshippers. "And Elijah came unto all the people and said, 'How long halt you between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow Him; but if Baal, then follow him'. And the people answered him not a word." The message of Elijah was to forsake the worship of Baal, in whom they called Lord, and worship the true God. " And it came to pass when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Are you he that troubles Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but you and your father's house in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed Baalim."
The practice of the Baal worshippers included aberrant sexual behavior and religious rites of sexual union in disobedience to the commandments of Jehovah. They would sacrifice their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto him. This would explain why Elijah was so opposed to the prophets of Baal and hated them so much.
[380, BD, Judges 2, I Kings 18, 19, Jeremiah 19]

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