Throughout history, and despite pervasive cynicism, there is growing attention from various individuals on the situation of the demonic entity in society. Most people have heard or become familiar with demoniacs across their lifespan. In an article titled “Spirit possession: Perspectives on pastoral assessment and care,” Research Outreach documents how evil forces depicted in popular cultures and horror movies like “The Exorcist” give more insights on this distressing subject. Regardless of widespread academic distrust, demons have been present for many years (Illueca, 2019). The increasing interest in the occult world and other rituals linked to diabolical are becoming extensive in a wide segment of the populace, prompting renewed vigor in comprehending their actions (Giordan & Possamai, 2018). For instance, in the United States, Gallup surveys demonstrated several people believing in occult activities increased from roughly 55 percent to 70 percent between 1990 and 2004 respectively. Accordingly, Baal, one of the dreadful demonic entities in the Christian demonology is comprehensively described and analyzed.
Description
The word Baal is extracted from the Hebrew Bible but has never been assimilated into their language to represent deity since Israel was barred from mentioning idol names. The term could not be created within Israel as it was detested and abominable. Therefore, he was an imported deity who later penetrated the worshiping culture of Israel. The ghostly being can be an artificial object allotted divine and supernatural status. Since worshiping is an intrinsic desire that is nearly instinctive in people, it results in an attachment to the supernatural character of a higher self-definition of the person (Giordan & Possamai, 2018). Worshiping demands loyalty and belonging to that respective god-like living.
The Old Testament depicts Israelites worshipping Yahweh coupled with a brawl to remain a monotheistic society amid reverence for varied gods. Israel was not merely a people; it was a chosen race loved by God evident by the Lord calling it His son who was rescued from severe suffering in Egypt (King James Bible, 2021, Hosea 11:1). Moreover, in Jeremiah 11:4 (King James Bible, 2021), the strong relationship is further validated in the covenant formula. The pronouncement by the Lord affirms to them that He will be with the people and they shall reciprocate the love. The appearance of Baal represents a man with horns and ahead, just as it has been depicted in many biblical accounts. His hands have been portrayed as raised while holding a fulmination bolt, which denotes fertility and destruction. Occasionally, Baal has been depicted as seated on a divan, signifying a lord or king of gods. The demon Baal also looked like a toad, cat, man, or groupings thereof.
The narrative of Hebrew religion can be seen as a strain between the spiritual understanding of God and worship. It also reflects the promise of real faith by Israelites and numerous pressures arising from idolatry that attempts to materialize and debase the national practice and consciousness. Therefore, the name Baal is prevalent in extra-Biblical periods and the Hebrew Scripture portrays its meaning as a master, owner, husband, or lord. According to the Egyptian stories, Baal is a spiritual entity that refers to the Semitic god while the Canaanites believed it dwelt in springs, rocks, mountain summits, and blessed trees (Faber, 2021). Baal threatens people in many ways to ensure adherence to its requirements. For instance, it is known to bring lightning and thunder, making it seen as the driver of the storms. The expression accentuates the Canaanite belief of its presence evident by the initiation of the nimbus in the sky. Baal was predominantly linked to offering rainfall, making him extremely useful to the people.
When the Israelites reached Canaan after a long journey in the wilderness, they landed in a place of farmers rather than shepherds. Canaan was fertile at levels never seen before by the Hebrew nomads. The Canaanites linked this magnitude of land fertility to their deity, Baal, making Israelites, God’s preferred population begin thinking otherwise. The Israelites began asking hard questions amongst themselves. Could the Lord who steered them out of Egypt across the harsh wilderness also offer fertile land in the promised place? The typical victims were the ancient near east communities who attached divine solutions to some natural cycles and events that sometimes go beyond comprehension. It can be noted that the rainfall situation induced societies to infer the existence of heavenly forces that helped in creating rain (Faber, 2021). The situation implies that the deity Baal remained a spiritual projection among the Canaanites to elucidate the formation of rain where he created pictures to actualize his manifestation.
Within the pantheon of supernatural beings, Baal was a highly popular worshiping creature in Israel seen by several prophetesses and prophets he commanded. From the scriptural narrative, Prophet Elijah and those of Baal engaged in a contest on Mount Camel. Elijah probed to know the extent of Baal worshiping in Israel and moved near the people, seeking to know their loyalty to either God or Baal. He asked them to follow the Lord or those with conflicting opinions to follow Baal (King James Bible, 2021, 1 Kings 18:21-22). Moreover, Baal’s prophets came from Israel and consisted of men who had taken the priestly office in Baalism life. Baal is cited in many instances in the Old Testament, especially when the people are challenged to select whom to worship between him and Yahweh. He is recognized as the main Canaanite god and the books of the first and second Kings cite Baal on many occasions.
The oldest deity across cultures living in the primordial Near East was the maker of god El whose mistress, Asherah (the goddess of fertility) delivered a powerful creature called Baal. Over the periods, there seems just to be one Baal as his dominance became unmatched among other deities, and the revering of El waned (Faber, 2021). Baal defeated other gods such deity of storms, the sea, thunder, lighting, death, and rain. The Hebrews perceived the sea as a destructive and evil thing. Therefore, Baal’s promise to stop storms and manage the destructive effects of the sea combined with his ability to generate abundant harvests, elevated him to attract the Israelites. It is difficult to comprehend why Yahweh adherents failed to understand that only God alone had the authority and powers to control everything in the world. Probably, their desert journey triggered them to examine God’s control over fertile farms. Perhaps, it was just the sinful pagan actions that made Baal appeal to them.
The uses of Baal cut across several aspects of society. First, it serves as a teaching case on elements of demonology. The Israelite comprehension of demonic creatures, as it occurred in the common minds or even in the mythical fancy, resembled in many ways, what has been held in other places. Second, Demons reside in ruins or deserts and can inflict sickness or pain on human beings (Faber, 2021). They can trouble the minds of men and even deceive them. The furtive being who attacked Jacob in the book of Genesis shows a trait that conforms to the widespread conviction connected to some demons whose spirits are active at night and expires at dawn. In Proverbs 21: 16 (King James Bible, 2021), the scripture comments on the shades of the deceased. The congregation of darks continues on mysterious existence but does not interfere with the living. Even in the Israelite common religion, however, there appears to have been moderately little anxiety of spirits emanating from the departed.
Some aspects of the Israelite idols resemble apotropaic measures used in certain religions. The bells attached to the robes of priests recall their application in cultures in the norms that their tinkling scares demonic forces. For example, horns stated in Leviticus 25:9 and Exodus 19:16 (King James, 2021) show an indication of the presence of evil forces in the old days. The coating of doorposts mentioned in Exodus 12:17 (King James Bible, 2021) and even incense indicated in Leviticus 16:12 (King James Bible, 2021) depict ways demonic spirits were scared in the ancient societies. However, it is complicated to estimate the protection levels that these devices offered against evil spirits during those days.
Contextually, the role of Baal presumed that nature to some level determined the kind of god who would be uppermost in the Canaanites’ minds. For instance, the god who gives survival seen past human control warrants reverence and worship. In the context of Canaan and the high need for rain, Baal became profoundly relevant in that world (Faber, 2021). He adequately met societal needs, such as rain, and was identified as a supernatural being, supporting the survival requirements of the people. Therefore, it can be inferred that the people had the appropriate mindset to see and follow what they deemed beneficial from the Baal, especially in a society mainly characterized by multiple demonic entities.
Analysis
The primeval near eastern communities formed the melting pot of multifaceted ritualistic and demonic worship. The covenantal monotheism digressed from the existing context beliefs, and norms of the neighboring societies. For instance, Israel was a place, where Yahweh guided amid deep-rooted myths about divine creatures (Faber, 2021). When Yahweh summoned Abraham, the ancient society’s religiosity, as well as their understanding of God, had already progressed to greater levels. The people in such areas were already satisfied with the nature of their gods. Any situation that would lead to searching for a new deity was met with utter resistance. For example, the Canaanites, Akkadians, and Sumerians had already developed theologies and cosmogonies of their divinities (Faber, 2021). The temples of these communities were full of functional rituals as dictated by their tenets.
Assessment of various pieces of the literature reveals few attempts in abandoning their gods for Yahweh. In 1 Samuel 8:2 (King James Bible, 2021), the scripture depicts the struggles of the preferred persons trying not to emulate other societies but to remain loyal to one God. Israel needed a king and the elders came together with Samuel urging him to walk on the right path. The aspect witnessed in Baal in dominating certain lesser demonic bodies coupled with the provision of other needs in the society made him monstrous. The conflict appears to apply to the god who tussled in controlling the natural forces in attempts to exert their providential and authority powers. In what can be termed secondary divinities, some gods apply what the supreme creatures have created. Therefore, by conquering Yam, Baal instituted an external superiority over the planetary waters used to enrich the earth. By overcoming Yam, it denotes that Baal had powers over water otherwise it could encounter revolt.
Baal is portrayed as a victor and a warrior since he defeated many demonic beings. These deities represent gods or natural forces who can manage nature. One observable aspect is that Baal lived in persistent conflict since his rivals were frequent processes. The aspect of demonology as documented in the New Testament partially reflects a contemporary prevalent belief that also appears in the rabbinic texts and the dualism in Qumran. Those sicknesses in which a pervasion of individual personality exists, making the demon direct man in his speech and acts (King James Bible, 2021, Mark 1:23-26). The rabbinic literature, which refers to demons as evil spirits or unclean spirits, believed these natural powers inhabit waste dwellings and that their possession causes or links to numerous diseases.
The account of how Jesus healed a demoniac by driving a legion of what was termed an unclear spirit into a huge herd of swine is a classical example. The New Testament demonstrates a clear persistence of ancient widespread conviction on the existence and the possible influence of demonic powers (King James Bible, 2021, Mark 5:1-22; Mathew 8:26-34, and Luke 8:24-40). The situation is akin to the parable stated in Mathew 12:39-45 (King James Bible, 2021) where the unclean spirits roving across the wilderness are accompanied by seven devils. Baal, just like other spirits cited in the Old and New Testaments depicts how harmful these supernatural beings can be to human beings.
Some key issues arising from this demonic power were seen during appeasing events. Baal supporters pacified him through the provision of sacrifices, which were common animals, such as bulls or ships (King James Bible, 2021, 1 Kings 18:21-26). Some of the gifts also included pigs, even though God prohibited his society from consuming pork. During a crisis, some of his followers sacrificed their firstborn children to attain individual prosperity, and the scripture terms this practice “abominable” (King James Bible, 2021, Deuteronomy 12:31). Asherah was deified in many ways, comprising through ritual sexual intercourse. While she was understood to be Baal’s mother, she was also seen as his lover. The followers also engaged in sympathetic magic where they presumed they could sway god’s actions by involving in unwarranted behaviors like immoral sex to make the deities join the act for enhanced harvest. The deeds became prevalent and turned the society to practice religious prostitution.
In conclusion, the demon Baal is a widely discussed deity, especially in Christian demonology. The god is cited extensively in the scripture as the main idol among the Canaanites. His followers have staunched attachment and received a wide range of benefits ranging from bountiful harvests to inducing rains by worshiping him. The Israelites upon landing in Canaan were perplexed by this belief and were attracted to him. With numerous backing from peer-reviewed articles and scriptural texts, the research reveals the magnitude of Baal’s significance to his intransigent followers.
References
Giordan, G., & Possamai, A. (2018). Mastering the devil: A sociological analysis of the practice of a Catholic exorcist. Current Sociology, 66(1), 74-91. Web.
Faber, R. (2021). The cosmic spirit: Awakenings at the heart of all religions, the earth, and the multiverse. Wipf and Stock Publishers.
Illueca, M. (2019). Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Spirit Possession and Deliverance Ministries. Journal of Pastoral Care and Counselling, 72 (4), 269-277. Web.
King James Bible. (2021). King James Bible Online. Web.
Spirit possession: Perspectives on pastoral assessment and care. (n.d.). Research Outreach. Web.