No More Sun God
Praise the Lord! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. Psalm 150:1 NASB
Praise – One of the consistent themes of pagan worship is the worship of the sun. In fact, the Christian idea of Sunday worship is actually derived from this pagan practice, not, as most preachers suggest, from the day of the resurrection. It is interesting that the word for praise, halal, has two roots in Hebrew. The first means, “to shine” and is used to describe the celestial bodies, obviously connected to the worship of the heavens in ancient pagan religions. The second root, halal, means, “to praise, to boast” and describes sincere devotion and thankfulness to YHVH. While all of the examples of the first root are related to pagan gods, the second root is used most often to extol the God of Israel. Is this not another case of “borrowing” a concept from the pagan world and “converting” it for use in a proper context? The real God replaces the sun god, but the actions of human beings in worship are not replaced. They are altered so that they have the proper object of worship. God simply uses what the people already knew but in a different way.
It’s unlikely that you think of a pagan sun god when you say haleluyah. After centuries of repositioning the root so that it points to the one true God, we no longer recognize that once the same sound would have pointed us toward worshipping the sun. But the ancient people of the Semitic cultures would have been aware of this striking difference. To them haleluyah had significant practical impact. It meant the pagan gods were gone. YHVH took over their place.
Perhaps we need a little awareness of the history of words in order to appreciate how they are used in paradigm shifts. To move from pagan worship to worship of YHVH means that the same words are no longer the same. They are infused with radically different meanings. What does this tell us about the way that we use the words that originally belonged to the ancient tribes of the Near East? Do you suppose that our understanding of righteousness, atonement, sacrifice, mercy, forgiveness, wrath or justice is the same as what these words meant to those ancient cultures? Can you imagine what it must have been like for the children of Israel to emerge from pagan Egypt, equipped with Egyptian mythology about chaos, the deep, the dark and have Moses relate God’s gentle organizing action according to Genesis 1:2? Without linguistic history, we just naturally assume that these words mean what we think they mean. But they don’t! Our job is to understand them as they were originally understood, and that means historical, linguistic work. So, praise God and pass the lexicons.
Halleluyah!
Topical Index: halleluyah, halal, praise, shine, gods, Psalm 150:1
And I am so thankful for your work, Skip! Thank you for helping me understand and “work” out this salvation. There is so much to relearn! What a journey! Hallelu Yah
In Isaiah 14, the name Lucifer also has its origins in this word “hallel”, does it not?
Which would throw the real origin back into heaven, before the darkness. Hallel was praising YHVH in glory and brightness, before he became dark light.
I think I am just being a little jealous for the glory of YHVH, here. Don’t want sin to garner any credit that rightfully belongs to Him, that’s all! I am convinced that there is nothing original about sin. It has to be total plagiarism.
I think the Tower of Babel confused minds when it confused language, and origins got perverted and misunderstood and misapplied, but they still came from somewhere. The origin of worship was instituted in front of the gates of the Garden of Eden after the Fall, and faithfully carried out after the Flood by Noah. These children had been taught right once upon a time…
I am confused. We’re not YHWH’s ways ordained from the beginning? Was He not worshipped before the sun gods were? Did He not say “don’t worship me in the manner they worship their gods? Hence the golden calf. Please enlighten me. This article must be way over my pea brain.
I think I am having the same problem. Skip wrote:
“Is this not another case of “borrowing” a concept from the pagan world and “converting” it for use in a proper context? The real God replaces the sun god, but the actions of human beings in worship are not replaced. They are altered so that they have the proper object of worship. God simply uses what the people already knew but in a different way.”
This sounds a whole lot like the justification for Christmas, but I think that the comment is more nuanced than that. Skip, help!
Christmas? Since when is a pagan holiday left untouched. Christmas trees? Santa Claus? When God alters a pagan practice, He writes about it in His book. Where is Christmas in the Book?
The point of the Today’s Word edition is that ancient pagan practices were altered and incorporated into the worship of Israel, not Christianity. Circumcision, baptism, fertility festivals, sun and moon worship, astrology were changed. What God endorsed was not determined by the populace but by the prophets.
It was Constantine, with his kuriakon and his superimposition of Mithra back onto the Messiah that virtually flipped the Jewish concept. Contantine hated Jews, loved himself and his own power and saw an opportunity to use dupes for his own aggrandizement. Constantine’s kuriaka (kuriakon) were places of worship for Mithra, his favorite god. Constantine had a willing group of people who were ready to dump the God of Israel, His Messiah (and His people) for a new more accommodating image. Constantine was not looking out for the welfare of Christians, he was using them for his own purposes. The idea of Church as we know it was just as foreign to Paul as a laptop was to Thomas Jefferson.
Or could it be said that the ancient practices and festivals were corrupted by pagans and their true meanings recovered/restored by Israel?
That’s what I’m saying, Luis. Everything I have ever seen in the realm of evil has been borrowed, copied, corrupted from, credit stolen from, or taken out of context of, the true. I think the true has to put it into reality before evil can even have a something to work with. Evil invented nothing that I have ever been able to find. Evil is not even real. It is a construct; a perversion; and it certainly has no power of its own, either to invent(!) or to implement. I have seen that all that good stuff has to be handed over by someone’s choice before evil can even wink into existence. I am tired of giving the devil credit. See? There is something else that has to be given before it exists! Just sayin’. Sure, we have been given the task of cleaning up the perverted, and that has to include worship. We have to take back territory, but that is our prerogative, our assignment, as children of the Kingdom, is it not? To me, that includes taking back credit from where there has been an attempt to steal that. The Lord created all THINGS, and all those things are lawful for us, even though only some, or one at a time(!) are expedient for us (correct to express love with). Evil, search as I might, is not one of those THINGS. Evil is not a thing. It is just misplaced power from the good, and it enjoys no power but what it can persuade someone to give it. It is a tear in the fabric of the Real. The way I read it, our job is to restore: to sew that tear back up. We have to remember that the devil is a defeated foe, and I think we have to do our part to keep it that way. At least in our neck of the woods. With all due respect, the way I read my Genesis, we were definitely worshiping the true God BEFORE we were bewitched by that lying, thieving snake, no matter how the rest of those supposed ‘history’ books were written.
Well said “Little Laura”
Um, “parakeet”, to you?
Just having fun with your name Laurita. The “ita” is the feminine diminitave suffix in Spanish and other latin based languages which means little.
Luisito
Me, too. I understand “Laura” to mean “parrot” so the “ita” would mean “little”. Thus, parakeet. Is that right? I am obviously so not Spanish!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura_(given_name)
I guess what I meant was that your statement is exactly the statement that Christians use to justify changing the pagan practices to bring them more in line with what YHWH would want. However, they do not recognize that while He has authority to cleanse pagan practices and bring them into proper use, the Christians (and Jews for that matter), do not have such authority.
Exactly. Only God can make this change and when He does, He clearly spells it out.
That was my thought also! Plus ‘converting’ the Sabbath to Sunday.
“Praise God and pass the lexicons!” This brought a smile to my face. Praise YHVH for His deliverance, His Face upon my face, His light to me. Praise YHVH for all His benefits, He is great and worthy of praise!
Sorry, I was responding to Jordan and Lauretta. The replies seem to end up in unintended locations. 🙂
Do you want me to ask Mark to look at this problem and see if there is something wrong with the code?
God created the angels (and demons… and free will with the opportunity to sin… and God created sin and its definition!) Whatever pagans or whomever wants to twist/use for his/her own self-worship/fantasy doesn’t reduce or change at all what God has created.
I don’t think I understand your point here, Skip, nor do I understand the argument posed (but I’m glad for both!)
THIS is what I focused on in your post: “…we just naturally assume that these words mean what we think they mean.” Ah, now there’s something we can comprehend! It’s the whole reason for a lot of poor communication between older generations and younger generations (of Americans at least) and between people in general.
Think of the words “gay” (used to mean joyful or giddy), “fantastic” (used to refer to a fantasy mindset), “backlog” (used to refer to the largest log in the back of a fireplace), “awful” (use to be a reference for something awesome); “awesome” (now means “cool”); “cool” (used to mean something on the cold side but now sometimes mean groovy. I’m guessing “groovy” used to mean something that had grooves in it!) How about words that didn’t even exist a generation ago, like the computer/techno language (“cell/text/message me”) ; “mouse;” “motherboard.”
You get the point.
Yes, I get the point. Do you get my point? Languages are a function of the people who use them. Meaning comes from the way a word is used in its culture. So if the root of Hallelujah was once used to describe the sun god (shine), then that culture used the word differently than the way God instructed His people to use the word, BUT it is fascinating to see how the words are connected and how they change meanings. So when we use the word “sin” or “atonement” or “saved” or “carnal,” we often assume that the meaning we give the word IN OUR CULTURE AND CONTEXT is the same meaning that the word had when it was written. This is a classic exegetical mistake. And we are hereby instructed to be careful with our assumptions about the meanings of biblical terms.
For example, I just had a conversation with a reader, explaining that the word “image” in Genesis 1:26 is NOT the same as “icon,” the Greek parallel, because “icon” in Greek is a representational copy of the original as a physical entity. But Hebrew doesn’t work like that. We are not representational copies of God. Obviously, He is spirit, infinite, immutable, perfect, eternal, etc. We are NONE of those things, so clearly when God says that He will make Man in His image, He does not mean representational copy. The text suggests that what God has in mind are the ACTIONS that constitute who He is, and those we can copy (although not perfectly, of course). Hebrew views image as a VERB, not a NOUN. So, when you read Genesis 1:26, are you thinking like the first audience, that is, verbally? Or do you substitute your definition of “image” for theirs?
Many Hebrew words function like this. Halleluyah is only one such word.
I appreciate, very much, knowing the accurate meanings. I am sickened at knowing the reality of Constantine’s edicts and how they have shaped much of what we – think – we know about God. I am also grieved at the religious spirit that has taken over much of what we now know as “the church” and how it has stolen Life from the body. I believe that same religious spirit, that has been at work throughout history…with it’s legalistic views and unforgiving edicts has also worked to quietly ease the human heart to sleep while keeping it’s mind actively, tirelessly working to prove every small point of the law that can be found. I never once, stood over my children with a hammer and threatened to pound, “You shall make your bed everyday” – “You shall say Yes Maam.” –
I loved them..walked through their days with them, laughed with them and cried with them…and they, as naturally as could be, absorbed all life’s routines. My Father God has dealt with me in the same way. Never once has He thundered into my life with “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.” But you know what? I would never dream of worshipping another god and throughout my life as my priorities would become twisted or bent…a very quiet reality would rise in my heart and mind…oh, wait….am I worshipping this thing? Immediately, I wanted to make things right with my Father…..and immediately – He loved me back to His Heart. I certainly want to know and understand with my mind because I’ve known some whose hearts are so foolish they do mindless things and become lost. I am grateful – eternally so – that when my heart and mind are focused on Him…and I love Him more than any god…language god, money god, self god….or the god of religious expectations – that could ever lure me away – He in turn will fight for me and I will be safe. I think He is just so much bigger than we understand – much bigger than the words we use or the error we innocently get lost in for a time – such as with Constantine-He is just not that “torn up” about it.
As with Joseph…..what the enemy meant for evil….God turns it to good. I don’t have a Christmas tree but if giving a homeless child a gift at “Christmas” will give the opportunity to let them see Jesus-I have no problem. I will forever explain…”Do you know when Jesus was REALLY born? Actually, it was most probably a little before “Christmas” during the feast of Tabernacles….so men could understand how God came to Tabernacle with men on earth.” But if a big party to share the Love of God dressed in red will give me that opportunity – I have no problem with that at all. As for Him…..He is so untouched by a religious spirit that it’s no problem for Him either……the Love is what’s important….because that’s the only way they will know Him. They will know HIm by His Love through us. Like the old story-the “wind” will try to blow the coat off the man walking down the road, but the warmth of the sun (Son) will warm him so completely, he will shed it on his own. As with Joseph and his brothers – who God did not rip off the universe for what they did to Joseph-I am convinced He will do again…what man meant for evil He will use for good.
Hi Marsha – I used to take the same position as you did with doing “good” at Christmas time – that it was a witness. But I gradually became aware that my “witness” — no matter what my intent was — was actually to the spirit of Christmas, or Santa or whatever Yule spirit floats your boat. On the other hand, if I go out of my way to meet a need for that homeless child at ANOTHER time of year, the recipients are generally shocked. People don’t expect kindness in the heat of the summer (for example). But the (western) world as a whole EXPECTS “goodness” from others at this time of year. Have your heard people complain about mean or inconsiderate behaviors and attach the modifier “and at Christmas time, too” — as if somehow that makes the behavior even worse? I’m not saying we shouldn’t meet dire needs when we see them, at ANY time of year, but I do think we should avoid the bandwagons of this worldly seasonal parade, and let the world carry on with whatever it has to do to feel virtuous once a year.
In my community, the toy drive has been claiming that 90,000 children in our community may not get a toy at Christmas, if don’t all put one in the collection barrel. There are nearly a half a million people in our city limits, so 90,000 children suggests that almost 20% are in so much poverty that they won’t get toys — and as a former public health nurse in this community, I know that statistic is garbage. For over ten years, my base was a neighborhood school in one of the most drug-infested, crime-ridden, low income areas in the city; I can guarantee you that we did not have 10% of our student population with the prospect of no toys or inadequate food on Christmas day — or any other time of year. In our school with almost 900 students, we typically had 3-4 families, maybe 15-25 people, who were really without anything. It wasn’t always the same 3-4 families, and it was not usually at Christmas, that these people were in need, but the numbers held pretty steady over the decade that I served that neighborhood.
There are good things done in the name of Christmas, but I think I would rather see my efforts focused on those who are in need, when the rest of the world has forgotten them. I don’t have limitless funds, so my choice is to put money aside in this season, so that I am prepared to meet those needs as they come up during other times of the year. There will still be a lot of winter left after Christmas passes, and it will be much colder in January than it is right now. A generous donation at another time may be better used than that given as just another part of the excess of this season. (And to be clear, that doesn’t apply to those in dire need – those needs must be met whenever we become aware of them.)
Hi Suzanne – Just saw your reply…running a little behind! I agree with you 100%. I suppose I should have used the word – if – a little more clearly. If – the opportunity arises that will have an eternal impact – I don’t have a problem with it. Like you I’m more than cautious as to where my donation for anything goes…I’m not convinced every outlet can be trusted. It’s been my experience to be listening and ready anytime I hear Him say…”That one.” – and that’s at ANY time of the year!
I believe the same way Marsha!! ANYTIME of the year! No one owns the days, except YHVH, even if they think they do! When HE speaks we should listen and obey…do! I would be most arrogant to say no, it’s Christmas time and I don’t participate in that pagan holiday. I have a really dear friend, who celebrates Christmas, ask if I wanted to participate in help clothe and feed homeless people she came in contact. She is taking the items to them and wishing them a Merry Christmas today (Tuesday). She knows we don’t celebrate but still asked. How would my actions of saying “no, I’ll do it after Christmas”, reflect on what she hears me say about Torah? ANYTIME, ANYDAY, when HE says “Do this!”, I will obey!
Shalom!
I’ve always been blessed when I hear how, in city governments, businesses, hospitals etc., during Christmas-those employees, doctors, whatever, who are Jewish would work the Christmas holiday for their Christian coworkers and vice versa. They may not even realize completely how their actions are God’s Love being released in their atmosphere. That’s what He’s about….wherever He is able to interject a bit of Himself (Love) in the mix He’s blessed. Inetta, you are living Ephesians 5:16,17, “Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days…understand what the Lord wants.” It’s so easy to get confused in the mix of “sounds” filling up our “battleground” atmosphere…it takes us a while to sort it all out. I am praying for you and for each of us the promise in Hebrews 13:20,21.
“The God of peace brought the Great Shepherd of the sheep, our Lord Jesus, back to life through the blood of an eternal promise. May this God of Peace prepare you to do every good thing He wants. May He work in us through Jesus Christ to do what is pleasing to Him. Glory belongs to Jesus Christ forever. Amen.” (As Jesus said – He only did what He saw the Father doing-whether that was walking through a Samaritan town and releasing His Love there or raising a dead child to life…..it’s what He does.) Shalom!
I need help with this….I was taught that haleluyah was the highest praise….so all this time I was worshipping the sun or are you saying that the definition has changed to be able to worship YHWH?
I am saying that the root word was once, but NO LONGER, used in one of its forms in sun worship. God transformed that practice into worship of the One True God, YHVH. Your use of the term is perfect because it has been converted into a new meaning.