The Bull god was also none in Ugaritic as El and early Israelites seemed to worship this same Canaanite god for whom they got their name. Is the fact that they made a golden calf when they supposedly came out of Egypt a clue that they thought of Yahweh as this same god??
Bull God
by Crazyguy 7 Replies latest watchtower bible
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prologos
even in last week's cong."bible"study, the wt god had BULL POWER.
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transhuman68
Cow-abunga, dude! You may be onto something...
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transhuman68
LOL, killed another thread! This is all I can find about the golden calf in my own books...
STRANGE GODS
Bull cults in the ancient world
Why did Aaron choose to make a golden calf as an idol for the people? The word translated "calf" in the narrative refers more specifically to a young bull. Thus the choice may well have related to the practice of bull worship, which was prevalent in ancient Egypt and Canaan. Fearsomely strong, notoriously quick-tempered, bulls were revered throughout much of the ancient world as symbols of strength and fertility. The bull appears in the art and sacred texts of Syria, Mesopotamia, and Egypt.Early records from Memphis, in Egypt, reveal that the Egyptians worshiped a live bull known as Apis. The animal was thought to be a manifestation of the city's patron deity, Ptah, creator of the universe. Apis became identified with Osiris, legendary god of the sun and of immortality.
When the Israelites reached the Promised Land in the 13th century B.C., the bull cult was already ancient there. Canaanite temples were sometimes built with images of bronze bulls in their foundations.
It was perhaps for this reason that the Israelites in moments of doubt were tempted by bull cults. Young bulls were favored sacrificial animals, and bovine images appeared in shrines. Before the entrance to Solomon's Temple, "twelve bronze bulls" (Jeremiah 52:20) supported a huge basin called the "molten sea." Many scholars also think that the cherubim on the Ark of the Covenant were in the form of winged bulls. Later, Israel's King Jeroboam erected golden bulls in two sanctuaries. (1 Kings 12:28 ) Many believe that he intended these images as pedestals on which Yahweh stood invisibly- as perhaps had Aaron in making the golden calf.
It's a misleading article, as it relies on the myth that the Israelites came from Egypt; but it does seem to show that bovine creatures were a part of Yahweh worship in some way.
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Crazyguy
One thing to not forget is the golden calf apparently was not to replace god but just a physical representation of him, because Aaron then stated we will have a festival for yah tomorrow.
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nancy drew
Yea! Jehovahs a wild Bull and the govening body is a bunch of rodeo clowns.
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CaptainSchmideo
You know, this has made sit up and think.
Could the "cherubim" in Ezekiel's vision be more representive of the deities of Assyrian, Egypt, et al? Their mythology was rife with animal headed gods.
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Crazyguy
They (cherubim) were also on the ark of the Covenant, El was also known as a God of Covenants. Cherubim also guarded the garden of eden not angels (messengers)