Both of these sacred sexual practices existed for thousands of years in Mesopotamia. Baal worship was all about using ritual to control . Astarte ruled all spirits of the dead residing in heaven, visible from earth as stars; hence came her name Astroarche, Queen of the Stars, the mother of souls in heaven, the Moon surrounded by her star-children, to whom she gave their astral (starry) bodies. Sacred prostitution - Wikipedia Inform you of events that happened in the past or will happen in the future. He promised his disciples that his church would overcome all evil, even the gates of Hades itself. Updates? The name "Baal" shows up seven times in Hosea (2:8, 2:13, 2:16, 2:17, 9:10, 11:2, 13:1); four of those ins . Astaroth also encourages slothfulness and laziness so be sure to thank him and finish the ritual properly. In Sicily, Astarte became popular as the Venus Erycina of the Romans. Documents from the thirteenth century BCE indicate the Egyptians considered Anat and Astarte to be two allied war goddesses. Inanna, who later transformed into the Akkadian goddess Ishtar, the Phoenician Astarte and later still as the Greek goddess Aphrodite, is the goddess of love, sex, beauty and fertility. Attractive design ideal for your home, office, church . Many of the gods they worshiped, however, were localized and are now known only under their local names. As for the land of Carthage, the goddess Tanit was worshipped along with Astarte. Asherah was honored as the fertility goddess in various forms and with varying names (Judg. As in Beirut, some coins depicted Astarte, along with Poseidon and Eshmun being praised together. ASTARTE - the Phoenician Goddess of Fertility (Canaanite mythology) These female figurines are associated with domestic religious rituals. a deeper walk-What were the child sacrifices, high places and When Ashtoreth is mentioned in scripture, she is linked to Molech, (also called Milcom in the Bible). God intended to prevent His people from practicing the shrine prostitution of the Canaanites, which He warned against in Leviticus 18:3 and 20:23. 1-74; W. Robertson Smith, Religion of the Semites, Index. Baal, Ashtoreth and Molech - God's Old Testament rivals. Believing the sexual union of Baal and Asherah produced fertility, their worshipers engaged in immoral sex to cause the gods to join together, ensuring good harvests. Brooklyn Museum: Ishtar In the many myths and stories involving Inanna in ancient Mesopotamia, Inanna does not appear as either wife or mother. How Long In Prison? . "The LORD said also unto me in the days of Josiah the king, Hast thou seen that When Epigeius was overthrown by the god Elus, a virgin daughter was sent. Under the kings, this spiritual battle continued. Ashtoreth was the goddess of war and fertility, called Ishtar by Assyrians and Babylonians, called Astarte by Greeks and Romans and called Tanith by North Africans. In this article you will learn who Astaroth actually is, what to expect from him, and two summoning rituals that have worked for myself and magicians that Ive shared these instructions with in the past. In Cyprus, the Phoenicians arrived around BCE and built temples in Astarte's honor; it was here that she first became identified with the Greek goddess Aphrodite. If one is clearly oriented towards good, the other has much darker goals. . Lit." Learn Religions. Because the Bible, in both the Old Testament and the New Testament, recognized the reality of the demonic world and condemned all of its practices (Deut. 6; I Sam. Article Many sorcerers claimed to have the ability to cast out demons (Acts 8:9-24, 13:6-12), as did some Pharisees. (The final e in Astarte may or may not be pronounced.). Devotion to the goddess Tanit/Tinnit, a permutation of Astarte, took place in Mediterranean cave sanctuaries and on Phoenician ships. Sacrifices made to her included firstborn children and newborn animals. 3 When the people of Ashdod rose early the next day, there was Dagon, fallen on his face to the ground before the ark of the Lord. In Ashtoreths worship services, male worshipers had anal sex with priests and priestesses of the goddess. . Transvestism in Ancient Israel - Claude Mariottini The name is particularly associated with her worship in the ancient Levant among the Canaanites and Phoenicians. Practicing occultist and writer with a particular interest in summoning magic. On the other hand, some magicians saw a beautiful demoness instead. One that I've used successfully is: "Hail Astaroth! In 1894, French poet Pierre Louys published a volume of erotic poetry entitled Songs of Bilitis, which he claimed were written by a contemporary of the Greek poet Sappho. [6] One way we can accomplish this is to study the gods that attracted Yahweh's people 3,000 years ago. Required fields are marked *. That Molech worship was already common among the Canaanites when Israel entered the land is evident from the fact that, before Israel entered the land, God warned them against Molech worship as an abomination the Israelites were forbidden to practice, Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, 3, 4, 5. ASTARTE WORSHIP AMONG THE HEBREWS - JewishEncyclopedia.com The cult spread westward from Phoenicia into Greece, Rome, and as far as the British Isles. 20th Century Timeline Of World History: What Happened? The inclusion of this prohibition against Molech worship here may be due to some sexual connection of this kind, or perhaps simply to the lexical link between (zera) meaning seed, semen in v. 20 but offspring in v. The Bible indicates that she was worshiped near trees and poles, called Asherah poles (Deut. Now, I present you with the opportunity to REQUEST A RITUAL directly on this website. The priest or a male member of the community represented Baal. . It took the Assyrian destruction of Israel and the Babylonian Captivity of Judah to convince the Israelites that there is only one omnipotent God. 40-year journey in the wilderness, their Lord accompanied them, protected them, fed them, and guided them to the Promised Land. Learn facts that you cant learn just from reading the bible Transvestism in Ancient . Therefore, it should be taken with the utmost seriousness. "You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the Lord your God.". It is easy (and seductive) to honor possessions, fun, relationships, fame, money, and a host of other potential "gods.". Astarte - Wikipedia 3:7). In a twelfth-century BCE hieratic papyrus, the goddess Neith ordered that Set be given Anat and Astarte as wives. 72-91; Budde, "Religion of Israel," ch. A few Biblical passages make a reference to the worship of a Queen of Heaven, who may have been Astarte. Easter egg activities . Who was Asherah / Ashtoreth? | GotQuestions.org Sacred prostitution has many different characteristics depending on the region, class and the religious ideals of the period and the place, and consequently can have many different definitions. Blind Spot: A Tale of Two Babylons Historical Blindness It is listed on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1754 BC. He is one of the three supreme evil Demons, with Beelzebub and Lucifer, in the Grimoire Verum and Grand Grimoire, which date from about the 18th century. But her cult. Raphael Patai, author of The Hebrew Goddess, suggests that these molds were used to form goddess-shaped cakes either to be burned on an altar or eaten by celebrants (perhaps an ancient precursor of the Catholic host). Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? Idolatry always included sex worship of false gods. Employing both material and textual evidence, it is argued that her worship at sea and at port required a degree of religious competency of seamen that served as crew and combatants on trading vessels and military vessels, respectively. The reaction against Baal and Astarte, inaugurated by the Prophets, had a profound effect upon the moral life of Israel (see "Jour. Jesus provided the ultimate solution to resisting the seductiveness of pagan idol worship. Or maybe it was simply the sinful pagan practices that attracted them to Baal. She guards women's reproductive health. How to do Black Magic: Full Guide (Spells, Curses, Protection Circle..), Obtain knowledge and secrets on any topic that requires study and research. Astarte (also Ashtart, Ashtoreth) In ancient Phoenicia, the great Goddess of fertility, motherhood and war. side by side, while in Upper Egypt the Hebrews considered the goddess the divine consort still in the fifth century BC, The same as in the temples of Ishtar and Inanna, the sacred marriage and temple prostitution were prominent features of the cult, of which Yahweh also complained, Astarte was a beautiful goddess as well as a dangerous one. He also has terrible breath. In the book of Jeremiah, there is a verse referencing this female deity, and Yahwehs anger at the people who honor her: Among some fundamentalist branches of Christianity, there is a theory that Astartes name provides the origin for the Easter holiday which should, therefore, not be celebrated because it is held in honor of a false deity. She can help you find the love of your life, she can make you more attractive to whomever you like and she can improve your current relationship. 7; 3, 5. The earliest deity recognized by the peoples of the ancient Near East was the creator god El. The land was fertile beyond anything the Hebrew nomads had ever seen. Sit in a lotus meditation pose on the floor, Meditate until your mind is empty and relaxed, Visualize a large, dark citadel, monastery or cathedral, Walk around it seven times counter-clockwise (notice the walls, windows, any special features, the main gate..) while silently repeating Hail Astaroth, As you reach the main gate on your seventh circle, enter inside, You will find yourself on a dark stairway spiraling downwards, As you go down the dark stairway you will notice a fiery, infernal light emanating from below the stairway, Go through the portal and you will find yourself in a peaceful, green, endless field, Astaroth will be on the field, approach him while visualizing yourself keeping the silver ring under your nose and greet him humbly, Now is your chance to ask Astaroth all you wanted to know and to receive his well-informed answers. KJV, Jeremiah 3:6, "When Josiah was king of Judah, the LORD said to me, "Jeremiah, you have Solomon is said to have built a high place to her near Jerusalem, which was removed during Josiah's reform (I Kings xi. She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines. Some scholars have proposed that these figurines were dedicated by women desiring to be pregnant or nursing children. Gay Christian 101 - Presenting accurate biblical and historical info defending LGBT Christians from those who rip verses out of context to condemn. World War Two Timeline From The Great War To Germanys Surrender. Tammuz also is her son/consort as he is with Ishtar. Pan was depicted as an ugly man with the horns, legs, and ears of a goat. 3) may be a reference to a form of the cult similar to that known in Cyprus, where swine were sacred to Astarte ("Jour. Semitic describes a group of languages, and by extension, kindred cultures of the Near East and Africa which include Phoenician, Arabic, Hebrew and Assyrian. Answer Asherah, or Ashtoreth, was the name of the chief female deity worshiped in ancient Syria, Phoenicia, and Canaan. Kronos is the north African name for Molech. Patti Wigington is a pagan author, educator, and licensed clergy. It is also the Greek name of Ishtar, who is a Mesopotamian Semitic goddess. Avoid having his presence linger on longer than necessary. This is the most opportune time to ask questions about the past, present and future. Erotic temple rites and sacred prostitution were central to her veneration. According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, "Ashtaroth, the plural form of the goddesss name in Hebrew, became a general term denoting goddesses and paganism.". We would do well to remember the complete powerlessness of the pagan gods, from Baal, Canaan's bloodthirsty fertility god, to Hades, Greek god of the underworld, to prevail against the one true God and his Son, Jesus Christ. Yet Paul used none of those available words, goddess of Canaan and Phoenicia prostitution was practiced in her name and she was served with immoral rites by bands of men and women.. The people of Israel developed their faith in the wilderness. Many, if not all, of the Old Testament gods had disappeared, at least in name, by the time of Jesus. Is Easter a Revised Version of Baal and Ashtaroth Worship - Hedgerow These names all refer to the same false god. How should modern Christians interpret Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13? Astarte was worshipped from the Bronze Age through classical antiquity, and her name is particularly associated with her worship in the ancient Levant among the Canaanites and Phoenicians, though she was originally associated with Amorite cities like Ugarit and Emar, as well as Mari and Ebla. As mother goddess she was widely worshiped throughout Syria and Palestine, although she was frequently paired with Baal, who often took the place of El; as Baal's consort, Asherah was usually given the name Baalat. Many gods and goddesses of the Mediterranean and Middle East appreciate gifts of honey and wine, incense, bread, and fresh meat. But let our friendship extend beyond the limitations oftime and space. The sacrificial use of swine's blood (Isa. Close your eyes and let the energy youve received visualize itself as Astaroth. By the fourth century BCE, kings of the Phoenician city-state Sidon served as priests of Astarte; their wives were her priestesses. 5; II Kings xxiii. Both of these sacred sexual practices existed for thousands of years in Mesopotamia. Jews used the title Astarte to indicate Anat. Astaroth often appears as either a beautiful or an ugly angel or prince, riding a dragon and holding a snake in his left hand. [Scroll to the top] Israelite goddess worship The veneration of Asherah or asherah poles seems to have been fairly widespread in ancient Israel and Judah, and sometimes it was officially sanctioned.The Bible reports that during the days of King Josiah (sixth century B.C.E. HistoryOnTheNet 2000-2019. Copy and paste it, adding a note of your own, into your blog, a Web page, forums, a blog comment, your Facebook account, or anywhere that someone would find this page valuable. Astarte is called in these passages "the abomination of the Zidonians," because, as the inscriptions of Tabnith and Eshmunazer show, she was the chief divinity of that city (see Hoffmann, "Phnizische Inschriften," 57, and "C. I. S." No. My clients tend to be ambitious people from all walks of life. Oh!Perpetually fertilized, virgin and nurse of all that is,Chaste and lascivious, pure and revelling, ineffable, nocturnal, sweet,Breather of fire, foam of the sea!Thou who accordest grace in secret,Thou who unitest,Thou who lovest,Thou who seizest with furious desire the multiplied races of savage beastsAnd couplest the sexes in the wood.Oh, irresistible Astarte!Hear me, take me, possess me, oh, Moon!And thirteen times each year draw from my womb the sweet libation of my blood! When his time is up and he returns from the underworld in springtime, he joyously mates with Inanna and the land reawakens. Several other centers of worship were located in Malta, Eryx and Cythera. But regardless of the appearance of the demon, the behavior, benefits and the dangers associated will the demon will be similar in every case. We enter it unconsciously, we can control our dream for a short time as we are aware of what is happening in it, but then the unconscious dreaming continues, or we, Read More Two Ways to Astral Project & The Demon That Unlocks the PowerContinue, Fellow occultists, I am happy to announce that my new grimoire, Goetia Rising, is now available on Amazon: This is a small book, as a proper grimoire ought to be. Astarte, goddess of war and sexual love, shared so many qualities with her sister, Anath, that they may originally have been seen as a single deity. The Bible's repeated condemnation of child sacrifice shows God's hated of it, especially among his people. The problem is a difficult one, the references to the cult in the Old Testament being so few and so vague. no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. Artemis, the goddess of childbirth and fertility, and Aphrodite, the goddess of love, continued the Asherah cults under a new name (Acts 19:35), but with worship practices that were as immoral as ever. In Islam, Mo-lech is called Malec or Malik (meaning King), believed to be the principle angel in charge of Djahannam, the Islamic version of hell. Phoenician Goddess of Fertility and Sexual Pleasure. Astarte (from Greek . Astarte | Encyclopedia.com It landed near Byblos in a lake at Alphaca. Occultists still refer to the astral body as the invisible double. There was no doubt that Yahweh was God of the wilderness. In Judges 2:13 & 10:6, 1 Samuel 7:3 & 4, 12:10 & 31:10, Ashtaroth refers to the ancient Canaanite fertility goddess, with a slightly different spelling than Ashtoreth. According to TourEgypt.com, "In her Levantine homelands, Astarte is a battlefield goddess. See you on the other side! The Phoenicians called her Astarte, the Assyrians worshiped her as Ishtar, and the Philistines had a temple of Asherah ( 1 Samuel 31:10 ). The cult of Astarte spread westward from Phoenicia into ancient Greece, Rome and as far as the British Isles. (2021, September 8). What Are the Real Origins of Easter? | United Church of God Seth was one of the five Osirian gods. Their names together are the . The Akkadian Ishtar is also, to a greater extent, an astral deity, associated with the planet Venus. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The Phoenicians portrayed Astarte with cow horns, representing fertility. The ensuing generations forgot the God who had rescued them from Egypt ( Judges 2:10-12 ). Cake molds in the shape of horned Astarte dating from the seventeenth century BCE have been found near Nahariah, Israel. A comprehensive historical view of the whole subject helps to understand the fascination of Astarte worship as a seductive and formidable obstacle to the service of Yahweh. This is proved by the fact that Baalim and Ashtaroth are used several times (Judges x. Rituals for summoning the, Read More My New Grimoire Goetia Rising is Now Available!Continue, What is Black Magic? Astaroth is a great and a strong duke, coming forth in the shape of a foul angel, sitting upon an infernal dragon, and carrying on his right hand a viper, who also claimed to rule 40 legions, and had to be approached by the conjurer with a magical ring on account of his stinking breath. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ishtar-Mesopotamian-goddess, Ancient Origins - Love is a Battlefield: The Legend of Ishtar, First Goddess of Love and War, Oracc - Ancient Mesopotamian Gods and Goddesses - Itar. Hail Astaroth! For that reason, God and Moses prohibited Israel from worshiping Moloch in Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2, 3, 4, 5. E. Meyer, Astarte, in Roscher, Lexikon der Griechischen und Rmischen Mythologie; Barton, in Hebraica, ix. Annual Spring time fertility rituals are associated worship of the Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband. It is also the Greek name of Ishtar, who is a Mesopotamian Semitic goddess. She is sometimes referred to as the Lady of the Date Clusters. In the description, it was presented that Astarte was the daughter of Epigeius and Ge, and that she was Elus sister. As goddess of Venus, delighting in bodily love, Ishtar was the protectress of prostitutes and the patroness of the alehouse. In Phenician Colonies. Hail Astaroth! Christians turned Astarte into a male Demon, Astaroth. 3:6,13; Ezek. Astarte is a spirit of abundance, prosperity, love, sex, and war. This place was mentioned in the Book of Joshua and Genesis. The 40 days of Weeping for Tammuz, (Lent). - Hope of Israel ii-v.). with the moon and called the Mother of the Universe, giver of all live on Earth.