Dictionary of Bible Themes – 8747 false gods
Resources chevron-right Dictionary of Bible Themes chevron-right 8000 The life of the believer chevron-right 8700 Threats to the life of faith chevron-right 8747 false gods
8747 false gods

8747 false gods

Any gods other than the Lord himself. Some of these divinities took the form of images, others were mythical. Some Israelites became involved in idolatrous worship of such gods. The book of Acts records attempts to deify human beings.

False gods associated with foreign nations in the OT

Amon, the chief god of Egypt See also Jer 46:25

Asherah, a Canaanite goddess Ex 34:13-14 Asherah was the consort of El, the chief Canaanite god. Wooden poles, perhaps carved in her image, were often set up in her honour and placed near other pagan objects of worship. See also Dt 7:5; Jdg 6:25-30 Gideon destroys an Asherah pole; 1Ki 14:15,23; 1Ki 15:13; 1Ki 16:33; 1Ki 18:19 Elijah summons 400 prophets of Asherah to Mount Carmel. King Josiah’s reforms: 2Ki 23:4-7,13-16
Isa 27:9; Jer 17:2; Mic 5:14

Ashtoreth, a goddess of war and fertility Jdg 2:12-13 Ashtoreth, the consort of Baal, was associated with the evening star and was worshipped as Ishtar in Babylon and as Athtart in Aram. To the Greeks she was Astarte or Aphrodite and to the Romans, Venus. See also Jdg 10:6; 1Sa 7:3-4; 1Sa 12:10; 1Sa 31:10; 1Ki 11:5,33

Baal, a Canaanite and Phoenician god of fertility and rain Jdg 2:10-13 Baal, meaning “lord”, was pictured standing on a bull, a popular symbol of fertility and strength. Baal was associated with Asherah and Ashtoreth, goddesses of fertility.

Baal-Zebub, a popular deity of the Philistines Mt 12:24 pp Mk 3:22 pp Lk 11:15 Beelzebub is the Greek form of the Hebrew name “Baal-Zebub”, meaning “lord of the flies”. See also 2Ki 1:1-6,16-17

Bel, the chief deity of Babylon Isa 46:1 Bel was another name for the sun god, Marduk. Nebo, the god of learning and writing was the son of Marduk. See also Jer 50:2; Jer 51:44

Chemosh, the chief god of Moab 1Ki 11:7 See also Nu 21:29; 1Ki 11:33; 2Ki 23:13; Jer 48:7,13,46

Dagon, worshipped in Babylonia and Philistia Jdg 16:23 See also 1Sa 5:2-7; 1Ch 10:10

Molech, the chief deity of Ammon 1Ki 11:4-5 See also Lev 18:21 The practice of sacrificing children to Molech was common in Phoenicia and the region; Lev 20:2-5; 1Ki 11:7,33; 2Ki 23:10 Josiah destroyed the area where the altars for child sacrifice were located; 2Ki 23:13; Isa 57:9; Jer 32:35; Jer 49:1,3; Zep 1:5; Ac 7:43

Tammuz, a Babylonian fertility god Eze 8:14

The worship of false gods was a snare to God’s people

Their worship included disgusting rites 1Ki 14:23-24; 1Ki 19:18; Jer 7:31; Hos 13:2

Numerous attempts were made to stop the worship of Baal and other false gods Jdg 6:28-32; 1Ki 18:17-40 See also 2Ki 10:18-28; 2Ki 11:18; 2Ki 23:4-5,13

Attempts to stop false worship proved unsuccessful 2Ki 21:3 The word “Baal” was not orginally a proper name but came to be used as such. See also 2Ch 28:1-4; Hos 13:1-2

Warnings against and condemnation of, the worship of false gods

Ps 40:4; Da 3:29 Nebuchadnezzar came to realise the foolishness of worshipping false gods See also Ps 4:2; Jer 13:25; Jer 16:19; Am 2:4; Zep 1:4

The first Christians were confronted with the worship of Greek and Roman deities

Zeus and Hermes Ac 14:12 Zeus was the patron god of the city of Lystra and his temple was there. Paul was identified as the god Hermes (the Roman Mercury), Zeus’attendant and spokesman.

Artemis Ac 19:24-28 Artemis was the Greek name for the Roman goddess, Diana.

Castor and Pollux See also Ac 28:11 the two “sons of Zeus”, regarded as the guardian deities of sailors

Attempts to deify human beings

Ac 12:21-22; Ac 14:12-15; Ac 28:6

See also

1080God, living
4251moon
6103abomination
6243adultery, spiritual
7312Baal
7324calf worship
7384household gods
7471temples, heathen
8752false worship
8768idolatry
8799polytheism
8840unfaithfulness to God