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Baal-worship and The Long Delay

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Recently a group of school children came to the campus of Andrews University and made a tour of the newly refurbished Horn Archaeological Museum. They came away very impressed. More than one was intrigued by the ancient enemy of Israel after-seeing the image of Baal on display. One child said, "I really liked the image of Baal, he’s just so skinny." Another child said, "I really liked ... that miniature figure of Baal."1 Not only children have been fascinated by this false God. The idol of Baal; the worship of Baal; and the subtle far-reaching influence of Baal has held the children of men in sad secret bondage throughout all the ages.

History tells us that the devious path of Baal-worship leads back to the Garden of Eden. Of course there was no actual image set up in that beautiful place, but that in itself is a part of the delusion that we have inherited. The last thing anyone needs for Baal-worship is an actual image of Baal.

Visible evidence of the deep seated enmity towards God began to be seen very soon after the Eden episode. The record says the world’s first city was founded by the world’s first murderer. It was Cain who "builded a city and called the name of the city after the name of his son Enoch" (Genesis 4:17). Men began to praise men and build monuments to themselves. Cain had little confidence in God’s assurance of protection. His faith would be put in the works of man, the splendor of buildings, the protection of stone walls. The root of this counterfeit allegiance, the mystical delusion of Baal-worship was established when the holy pair in Eden called in question the word-of the Lord.

"Hath God said," was the sinister insinuation of the serpent which laid the foundation for the great controversy in this world. There followed the fateful nibble of the forbidden fruit which has until now shackled the human race in depravity. On the surface this may appear not to have anything to do with Baal-worship. But the work of the enemy has always been shrouded in mystery and darkness. We must pursue this.

Even the heroes of faith who hold places of esteem in the sacred record testify to the duplicity of human nature and rarely does spiritual triumph stand untarnished because of either open or secret Baal-worship. The wisdom, love and justice of God made provision to overcome every vestige of this false allegiance. The promise is that the time would come when the Israel of God would understand the terrible sin of Baal-worship, and "then shall the sanctuary be cleansed" (Dan. 8:14). In this positive pronouncement is good news. It proclaims that a process is envisaged that will free forever mankind as well as God Himself who will stand separated and cleansed from the stigma of sin.

Baal-worship Over the Centuries


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