Astarte is a spirit of abundance, prosperity, love, sex, and war. Now available on Amazon. Why is Cybele vital to understanding Romans 1? Those familiar with the Greek myth of Demeter and Persephone will recognize the precedence found in the earlier Inanna myths. Good News Translation He worshiped Astarte, the goddess of Sidon, and Molech, the disgusting god of Ammon. She. Much of our knowledge of the origins and character of these fertility cults remains tentative and widely debated. This sunrise worship of the sun god is condemned by Yahweh in Ezekiel. . Molech represented the male principle of life and reproduction while Ashtoreth represented the female principle of fertility. As recounted by the English monk Bede, the 7th-8th century "father of English history," the former pagans in England called . She is everywhere the great female principle, answering to the Baal of the Canaanites and Phoenicians and to the Dagon of the Philistines. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Ashtoreth and the queen of heaven. Required fields are marked *. Bibliography: J. Selden, De dis Syris, ii, 2, London, 1617; F. Mnter, Die Religion der Carthager, pp. Blow out the candle and go into another room. Note that Lent is a moveable observance, connected to and preceding the festival of Easter. Or would the fertility god of Canaan have to be honored? Ahab, with his wife's encouragement, built a temple to Baal at his capital, Samaria. Jeremiah (vii. Seth was the God of chaos, darkness, the desert and drought. It is best to understand these rituals as a religious act of devotion to the goddess rather than as sex per se. She was known in Arabia as "Athtar," and inBabylonia as "Ishtar." The God Seth Facts. In the Lemegeton, he appears as either a beautiful or an ugly angel, riding a dragon and holding a viper. Hail Astaroth!. Lucid dreaming most often occurs between 3 and 5 AM. Baal has also been portrayed seated on a throne, possibly as the king or lord of the gods. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The so-called Queen of Heaven, whose worship is detested in Jeremiah 7:18; 44:17 - 19, 25, may be Astarte, although cases have also been made for other Canaanite goddesses or the Mesopotamian Ishtar. Learn about covens and degree systems, initiation, Sabbat and Esbat rites, and other milestones such as handfastings, birth, and death. Plutarch, AD 46-127, senior priest of the oracle at Delphi, gives this description of the fire god. The Catholic Church slowly and gradually grafted these pagan customs on to the name and resurrection of Christ . I conduct summoning rituals for clients - https://occultist.net/product/ritual-for-hire/, To learn more about practical magick, get my latest book "The Psy-Mage Compendium" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ouvops, If youre into ceremonial magick, youve seen plenty of grimoires and other magic books describing various demons. The first recorded mention of Astartes name dates back to 1478 B.C.E., but her cult was already well established by then. Yet in spite of being so anti-gay, the NET Bible links the Mo-lech worship of Leviticus 18:21 and 20:2-5, 13, with sexual sin and with spiritual prostitution, "I will cut off from the midst of their people both him and all who follow after him in spiritual prostitution, to commit prostitution by worshiping Molech (Hebrew - to commit harlotry after Molech)." vii. she is gone up upon every high The goddess Astarte bore Elus seven daughters (Titanides) and two sons (Pothos and Eros). Corrections? According to TourEgypt.com, "In her Levantine homelands, Astarte is a battlefield goddess. In Ashtoreths worship services, male worshipers had anal sex with priests and priestesses of the goddess. 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. The Interpreter's Dictionary of The Bible, Volume 3, Abingdon, 1990, pages 933-934. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Astaroth loves to complain to those who are willing to listen about how he was unjustly punished by God along with other Fallen Angels. However, even among those who . Erotic temple rites and sacred prostitution were central to her veneration. The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca, Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses. Give now to help That The World May Know Ministries reveal the heart of Scripturethrough life-changing study tours, an engaging film series, and morefor a greater understanding of Gods Word than ever before. The word translated Mo-lech or Moloch (the spelling varies), occurs multiple times in the Bible, in Leviticus 18:21, 20:2, 3, 4, 5, 1 Kings 11:7, 2 Kings 23:10, Jeremiah 32:35, Amos 5:25-26, Acts 7:42-43. It was discovered that Astarte was linked with the Uni-Astre of the Etruscans. He was known by many names, all signifying the same false god. In Phoenicia, several states including Byblos, Tyre and Sidon were among the centers of worship for Astarte. Bibl. 14) attest various forms of this worship in their time, which may refer to a direct importation from Babylonia. Romans 1, in historical context, is about ancient Roman fertility goddess worshipers who engaged in shrine prostitution to worship Cybele, not gays and lesbians. When the Israelites entered Canaan, they found a land of farmers, not shepherds, as they had been in the wilderness. Inanna was also a fertility figure, and, as goddess of the storehouse and the bride of the god Dumuzi-Amaushumgalana, who represented the growth and fecundity of the date palm, she was characterized as young, beautiful, and impulsivenever as helpmate or mother. The Molech idol was a large hollow brass statue with the head of a bull and the bulging belly of a man. In this manifestation her symbol is a star with 6, 8, or 16 rays within a circle. It is listed on the Biblical Timeline Chart around 1754 BC. 3:6,13; Ezek. But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images, the star of your god, which ye made to yourselves." According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art: "Although there existed no single state theology, the major gods reflect local geographical concerns about the fertility of the earth and the importance of water as well as relationships to the sky and the underworld." One way we can accomplish this is to study the gods that attracted Yahweh's people 3,000 years ago. Cleitarchus, an ancient historian, around 315 BC, gives this description of a fire god at Carthage. Make you invisible and lead to hidden treasures. Deuteronomy 16:21. As with many deities, offerings are an important component of honoring Astarte in ritual and prayer. She was also flanked by several sphinxes, and there was a bowl held just underneath her pierced breasts. Astaroth is particularly ambiguous since hes evolved from an ancient goddess, providing him/her with multiple forms of manifestation. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. It was designed like an old fashioned pot-bellied stove, with the belly as the firebox. 13, xxviii. By the time of Ahab and Jezebel, the fertility cults appeared to have the official sanction of Israel's leaders. The issue with God was not committed faithful non-cultic sexual relationships or gay marriages between two men or two women. My New Grimoire Goetia Rising is Now Available! Your support now will help strengthen marriages, equip parents to raise godly children, save preborn babies, reach out to orphans and more by supporting our daily broadcasts, online and print resources, counseling, and life-changing initiatives. Amazing Bible Timeline with World History, http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/arc/profilecoin/html/religion.html>http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/arc/profilecoin/html/religion.html, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Astarte_(goddess)#mediaviewer/File:Dama_de_Galera_(M.A.N._Madrid)_01.jpg, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Astarte_(goddess)#mediaviewer/File:The_worship_of_Ashtoreth.jpg. A trace of this among the Hebrews appears in Deut. Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses Written by Judika Illes Copyright 2009 by Judika Illes. What Are The Names of the Thieves Crucified With Christ. )Continue, Many will compare astral projection with lucid dreams, but there is one important difference. On the other hand, some magicians saw a beautiful demoness instead. This action will also remove this member from your connections and send a report to the site admin. Phone Toll Free: 877-966-7300 or 816-584-3077, [This article continues after a message from the authors], These Articles are Written by the Publishers of, Amazing Bible Timeline with World History 2023. All the while, prophets like Elijah (which means ? 10:20-21), we can be sure these practices continued and were a temptation to many. How should modern Christians interpret Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13? Repeat for as many times as you think is necessary. 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. The book of Judges records the ongoing struggle: the Israelites attraction to, and worship of, the Canaanite gods; God's disciplinary response; the people's repentance; and God's merciful forgiveness until the next time the Israelites reached for Baal instead of Yahweh. ancient Canaanite fertility cults used same sex rituals to worship their false gods. ii-v.). Bibl. When youre done, end the ritual along these lines: Thank you mighty Astaroth for lending me your powers and knowledge. Semitic describes a group of languages, and by extension, kindred cultures of the Near East and Africa which include Phoenician, Arabic, Hebrew and Assyrian. It landed near Byblos in a lake at Alphaca. Rituals connected to the worship of Ishtar/Inanna include a Sacred Marriage in which a male ruler is identified with Dumuzi. Some scholars believe that the Canaanites also sacrificed pigs and that God prohibited his people from eating pork in part to prevent this horrible cult from being established among them. And if Astarte is not close . Some scholars have proposed that these figurines were dedicated by women desiring to be pregnant or nursing children. Deuteronomy 22:5 is prohibiting a specific kind of transvestism, one in which men dressed as women and women dressed as men would identify themselves as servants of Asherah, prostitute themselves in the temple of Yahweh, and thus bring ritual impurity to the worship of the God of Israel. Abraham lived in the Negev desert, where God made his covenant of blood with him and sealed it with circumcision. Pan was depicted as an ugly man with the horns, legs, and ears of a goat. Groves, hilltops, and caves; she had important temples in Beirut, Byblos, Sidon, Tyre, Malta, Cytherea, and Eryx (now Mount Erice, Sicily). According to Donald Harden, there was a statue of Astarte discovered in Tutugi, which was located near Granada, in Spain. Regardless their opinion, notice that even anti-gay Christians admit Leviticus 18:22, "Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination." The NET Bible, not considered gay friendly by anyone, takes a strong anti-gay position on Leviticus. 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. English: Astarte, a Semitic goddess whose name appears in the Bible as Ashtoreth. 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. Like her Akkadian counterpart Itar, she is an astral deity and is associated with the evening star. For example, when the Peleset (Philistines) killed Saul and his three sons on Mount Gilboa, they deposited the enemy armor as spoils in the temple of "Ashtoreth.". Yahweh is God? 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. The grotto itself was part of a temple complex used in the worship of the Greek god Pan. Mesopotamian Governments: How Were They Structured? But not by those who do not believe this was the date of Christs birth, and say the exact date is unknown. Lit." His mistress, the fertility goddess Asherah, gave birth to many gods, including a powerful god named Baal ("Lord"). Astarte is the counterpart of the Babylonian goddess Ishtar. . creditability by many who accept that Christ was born on December 25th. (worship of the god Hercules), I made a voyage to Tyre in Phoenicia, hearing there was a temple of . But her cult. This place was mentioned in the Book of Joshua and Genesis. When Ashtoreth is mentioned in scripture, she is linked to Molech, (also called Milcom in the Bible). The Encyclopedia of Witches, Witchcraft and Wicca written by Rosemary Ellen Guiley Copyright 1989, 1999, 2008 by Visionary Living, Inc. Astarte was worshipped by Canaanites, Egyptians, Hebrews, Philistines, and Phoenicians, but exactly who is she? https://www.learnreligions.com/who-is-astarte-2561500 (accessed March 5, 2023). Idolatry always included sex worship of false gods. Asherah was honored as the fertility goddess in various forms and with varying names (Judg. Wigington, Patti. Elath, literarily Lady, is a title for the spirit named Asherah. Who was Asherah / Ashtoreth? Case closed, or at least that's how Hislop presents iteggs appear in different cultural traditions, so they must all be tied to a single earlier tradition, and the goddess Astarte is said to have emerged from an egg, so surely all instances of sacred egg traditions must really be instances of Astarte worship. He is also the keeper of secrets throughout time, knowing past, present and the future. Your email address will not be published. Ishtar is the Akkadian counterpart of the West Semitic goddess Astarte. E. Meyer, Astarte, in Roscher, Lexikon der Griechischen und Rmischen Mythologie; Barton, in Hebraica, ix. Astarte, the queen of heaven, was almost as fierce as Anat but less remote than Athirat. ), Hosea, Isaiah, and Jeremiah thundered that Yahweh alone deserved the people?s allegiance. (The final e in Astarte may or may not be pronounced.). In the Hebrew Bible, the worship of Astarte is repeatedly condemned, an indication that for at least some ancient Israelites, the cult of Astarte held great appeal. Yet it is packed with high-powered rituals that are seeing the light of day for the first time in this century. Lit." 28, note). Astarte was a goddess honored in the Eastern Mediterranean area, before being renamed by the Greeks. She was known in Arabia as "Athtar," and inBabylonia as "Ishtar." Her name appears in the Old Testament (I Kings xi. Many, if not all, of the Old Testament gods had disappeared, at least in name, by the time of Jesus. Seeker of Wisdom and Keeper of Time! Astarte Worship Rituals The worship rituals of Astrate include making offerings to the goddess at her temple, which is located in the city of Babylon. In Matthew 16:18, Jesus referred to the gates of Hades, or the underworld, believed by some to be the grotto at Caesarea Philippi, from which one of the sources of the Jordan River came. God prohibited Israel from adopting the cultic sexual fertility goddess worship of Egypt and Canaan, Lev 18:3, 20:23. World War Two Timeline From The Great War To Germanys Surrender. no doubt seen what wayward Israel has done. According to the New Unger's Bible Dictionary: "The word Easter is of Saxon origin, Eastra, the goddess of spring, in whose honour sacrifices were offered about Passover time each year. As early as 1450 BC, as they wandered in the wilderness, Israel was worshiping Moloch, even before they entered the land of Canaan. In Cyprus she was an ancient divinity with origins linked to the worship of the powers of life; a goddess of fertility who was worshiped on the island since the Iron Age, and whom the Cypriots presumably did not at that time call Aphrodite. The adjective spiritual was inserted by the translators because in their opinion this is not a reference to literal prostitution but figuratively compares idolatry to prostitution. Reveal yourself in the flames before me! 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. Some scholars believe that the Canaanites also sacrificed pigs and that God prohibited his people from eating pork in part to prevent this horrible cult from being established among them. Astarte is a spirit of abundance, prosperity, love, sex, and war. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the Hebrews first learned Baal worship from the agricultural Canaanites. The land was fertile beyond anything the Hebrew nomads had ever seen. According to Encyclopedia Brittanica, "Ashtaroth, the plural form of the goddesss name in Hebrew, became a general term denoting goddesses and paganism.". Most children and families who color or hide Easter eggs as part of their Resurrection Sunday tradition have no knowledge of the origin of these traditions. There appears to have been only one Baal, who was manifested in lesser Baals at different places and times. Many of the gods they worshiped, however, were localized and are now known only under their local names. How to do Black Magic: Full Guide (Spells, Curses, Protection Circle..), Obtain knowledge and secrets on any topic that requires study and research. In her role as a warrior goddess, one who is dominant and fearless, she is sometimes portrayed wearing a set of bull horns. Her role. With this preliminary information in mind, here are the 2 best rituals for summoning Astaroth: The Candlelight Invocation Light a candle and turn off all the other lights Stare into the candlelight and quiet your mind Recite an invocation. Recite an invocation. And their pagan worship snared some of the children of Israel. When his time is up and he returns from the underworld in springtime, he joyously mates with Inanna and the land reawakens. 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. She is linked with war, sexuality and fertility. All rights reserved. Attractive design ideal for your home, office, church . Sometimes my clients are also not comfortable dealing with the spiritual world on their own or lack the necessary items and solitude to even conduct these rituals. The Torah condemns the worship of false deities, and the Hebrew people were occasionally punished for honoring Astarte and Baal. In the description, it was presented that Astarte was the daughter of Epigeius and Ge, and that she was Elus sister. 21.". There stands in their midst a bronze statue of Kronos, its hands extended over a bronze brazier, the flames of which engulf the child. Jesus provided the ultimate solution to resisting the seductiveness of pagan idol worship. Asherah (Hebrew ), also spelled Ashera, was a major northwest Semitic mother goddess, appearing also in Akkadian sources as Ashratu, in Hittite as Asherdu and in Ugaritic as Athirat. The Bible called this practice "detestable" (Deut. Your email address will not be published. We need to learn from Israel's experience and respond to Jesus' command for total allegiance. That the Hebrew God is the best known of all gods worshiped in the world today needs no explanation. As goddess of Venus, delighting in bodily love, Ishtar was the protectress of prostitutes and the patroness of the alehouse. 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. Ashtart is a Semitic Goddess of love and war and the Canaanite Great Goddess who is the cult partner of Ba'al (the King). One that Ive used successfully is: Hail Astaroth! And it was through he flattery of, to build a house on Saphon, a mountain situated in the sides of the north, In spite of her maiden and mother titles Anat was an aggressive goddess who slew Baal enemies. It can be very difficult to distinguish between West Semitic spirits because of their tradition of addressing spirits by both a personal name and an honorific. 12). All of the following may be true: Astarte is the title of the Cypriot goddess whose Greek name is Aphrodite. Astarte is one of the names that was commonly linked with the female divinity of the people during the early Bronze Age. Easter is celebrated on a day specified only by the Roman Catholic Church, and not the Bible, and is fixed based on the sun and the Spring or Vernal equinox. Easter egg activities . In later myth she was known as Queen of the Universe, taking on the powers of An, Enlil, and Enki. His right hand (sometimes both hands) is raised, and he holds a lightning bolt, signifying both destruction and fertility. Through the sexual act, divine fertile energy was released on the land ensuring good crops and productive herds. Fertility rites were practiced at the numerous shrines which dotted the land, as well as at the major sanctuaries A characteristic feature of the fertility cult was sacral sexual intercourse by priests and priestesses and other specially consecrated persons, sacred prostitutes of both sexes Child-sacrifice was also a feature of the rites. vii. the lady of the mountain. One can readily see why God and Moses called this pagan religious practice and the sexual rites associated with it, abomination. Systems of Transliteration Citation of Proper Names. Kronos is the north African name for Molech. Participation in these sects was highly secretive, and few details of their ceremonies survive. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Bible Charts and Maps, PO Box 171053, Austin, TX 78717 The first risk is health related. and 20:13, are in the context of harlotry or prostitution and Molech worship. . 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.