Essay Sample on What I Can Learn About Baal in the Two Pictures?

Introduction

In Baal thunderbolt Louvre picture, Stela creates a picture in our minds about who the worshippers of Baal believed, he was. He has a horned crown indicating that he is a god. His harm is holding a spear that looks like vegetation showing that he brings rain and therefore vegetation sprouts leading to food security. His right arm is holding a club which shows authority and also meaning the worshippers believe he fights for them. The little man's arms are crossed showing that he is worshipping and it appears as if Baal is offering protection and that means the worshippers believed that they can get protection from Baal. Material under Baal's feet shows oceanic waves and he is above them. This could show that they believed Baal is very lofty above the Oceans. In Baal Ugarit Louvre picture, the long headdress is a symbol of authority and raised arm means Baal was a symbol of hope to the worshippers.

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The Times Israelites Worshipped Baal

In Numbers 25:3-5, the Israelites worshipped Baal and the Lord was angry with them and instructed Moses to take the people who committed this sin outside that they may be stoned. Psalm 106:28, the Israelites worshipped Baal by eating sacrifices that were for the dead. Judges 2: 11-14, after the death of Joshua the son of Nun, the Israelites forgot about the Lord and served Baal and the Ashtaroth. Judges 8:33, The Israelites went whoring with Baalberith after the death of Gideon. Judges 10:6, the Israelites did evil on the sight of the Lord again by serving Baal and other gods. 1 Kings 16:30-33, Ahab married Jezebel and served Baal. 2 Kings 11: 17-18, the Israelites went and killed the priest of Baal in order to start a new with the Lord. 2 Chronicles 28:1-2 Ahaz built images for Baal and the King worshipped them and when the King worships a god, the people are most likely to be forced into the same.

Characterization and History of the Deity

Deity is a being that is believed to have supernatural powers. This means that they are thought to be far much more powerful than the human race. One would want to worship Baal as a way of pleasing the spouse and that is why the Lord warned Israelites not to get married to their neighbors. Another reason is one getting tempted to worship these idols. Baal worshipping encouraged immoral behaviors like having sex with prostitutes and these immoral behaviors sometimes exhilarate people. Another case is pressure from the people around where one can get into idol worship because his friends and neighbors are doing the same. Israel wanted to be like their neighbors and that is why there are so many cases where they started worshipping Baal as their neighbors. The nations that worshipped Baal were Peor, Lebanon, Zaphon, Syria and Sidon.

The Summary of the Baal Cycle

There is a fight between Baal and Yamm in the first two tablets of the cycle. The story says that there are winter, hail and rainfall in Syria and in the midst of that, a war arises between Baal and Yamm because Yamm has been given Ilu's property by Ilu himself. Baal is not happy because he wants to remain in control over everything and Ilu in a way wants Yamm to take control of Kingship and all the riches. Yamm is Ilu's son and they are not interested in the well-being of Baal. Yamm sends emissaries to Baal to relay this information to him. With the assistance of Kothar, Baal defeats Yamm.

A battle ensues between Baal and Mot, who Baal considers a very tough adversary. Baal meets him and surrenders to him. Baal is in the form of rain and is believed to surrender to other Gods during rainy seasons. Baal dies and this results to drought. Anat looked for Baal's body and gave him a befitting burial and it was this burial that is believed to be helping the earth and bring fertility with him to the earth. Anat slaughters Mot and Baal resurrects showing that Mot did not completely defeat him maybe because of the intervention of El, the father of Gods.

I spent around 20 minutes confessing to God about the things I have valued so much and always desired to have. The greatest desire is on money and this is because in this world I have realized that it is money that makes the difference and one is able to do the things he has ever wished for in his life with money. In the world, money makes one get the best and almost all that he needs. My worship of money is real because of the way I value it and thinking that it can solve my problems.

Most of the time my mind is preoccupied with money, not God. I want to gamble and I feel that somebody should be working every day without rest and worshipping God on weekends. Money can make me do most of the things I want but, it cannot make me get all that I want. It cannot buy appetite, cannot make my spirit be at peace with God.

Conclusion

We are the followers of Christ and the things money would do for me are illegitimate and could put me far from Christ and may plant sin in my heart i.e. I may be proud as a result of having too much money. Money helps us in this life to manage but we should not idolize it and forget about God, our creator. Money should be part of worship to God, only that it should come second to God. I am supposed to ask God to help me get money that can sustain me that I may not sin, not too much that will make me sin. The most beautiful thing for me as a Christian is to find satisfaction in Christ that I may petition my cases before him and always giving thanks to God always. This satisfaction in Christ is great for it makes one be happy and filled. Money, however much one would have, he can never be satisfied but we can get satisfaction from the Lord.

References

Freedman, David, Ed. The Anchor Bible Dictionary. 6 vols. New York: Doubleday, 1992.Hallo, William W., and K. Lawson Younger. "The Context of Scripture. 3 vols." Leiden: Brill 2003 (1997).