THE ECLIPSE, BAAL (Sun-god) and THE ASHTORETHS (Moon-goddess)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The solar eclipse of 11th August 1999 which streaked over Europe and the Middle East was marked by intense spiritual activities on either side of the divide. While intercessors sent prayer squads to some of the countries affected by the eclipse as others stood in the gap worldwide; Satanists, spiritists, sorceress and the like kept vigil in many countries especially in the covens of Cornwall and Devon (England) where the eclipse first appeared. Countries which experienced the total eclipse include England, France, Germany, Poland, Romania, Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Romania, Pakistan, India, Egypt, Spain, Italy, Portugal and Bosnia. Like the eclipse that marked the spiritual battles while Christ was on the cross (Matt. 27:45), this total eclipse also lasted three (3) hours in all.

2.0 ECLIPSES IN THE BIBLE

Several passages in the scriptures describe phenomena which are akin to (or may be called) eclipse. (See Isaiah 13:10, Isaiah 24:21-23, Eze 23:7-8, Joel 2: 31, Amos 8:9 Matt. 24: 29. Matt 27: 45 etc.) These occurrences are in most cases linked with what the Bible calls the day of the Lord  i.e. of his wrath, anger, vengeance, judgment etc. see Isaiah 13: 6-13, Joel  2: 1-11, Joel 3: 1-
17, Amos 5: 1-20, Zephaniah 1, and their  cross - references). Specifically, eclipses in the Bible are linked with God’s proclamation to:

a. Punish Babylon and its gods (idols) Isaiah 13:11-13;
b. Punish Egypt and its gods (idols) Eze 32:17;
c. Judge the nations of the world Joel 3: 1-17, Isaiah 24;
d. Pour out His Spirit on all men Joel 2: 28-23;
e. The gathering of the elect Matt 24:29-32;

Eclipses are also used by God to cut off sorcerers and diviners from tapping the power of the sun and moon to manipulate events and men under the sun. Steve Okitika (personal communication) explained Paul’s proclamation against the sorcerer Bar- Jesus (Acts 13: 4-12) in this light “... And now indeed the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time. And immediately a dark mist fell on him ...” verse 11. This also explains why witches gathered in covens worldwide before the eclipse to maximize their manipulations.

3.0 BAAL AND ASTHEROTHS

The sun and the moon are represented in the Bible by various gods depending on the nations involved. Among the Israelites, they are worshipped together as Baal and Astheroths respectively (see Judges 2: 13, 10: 6, I Samuel 7: 3- 4, 12: 10, 2 King 17: 16, Also Deut. 4: 19 and 2 Kings 23: 4-5), Elijah and Jehu contended with prophets of Baal (I King 18 and 2 King 10: 18-28. While the sun is usually represented as a male sky god, the moon is presented as a female earth goddess of fertility.

Reference to the sun-god and its worship in the scriptures include:

1. Baal (meaning lord, possessor of everything Judges 2: 13, 10: 6, I Sam 7:4 etc.).
2. Jupiter (= Zeus the most brilliant) Acts 14: 8- 15, 19: 35. In idolatrous Lystra, Barnabas was called Jupiter (Zeus) after he and Paul performed the miracle.
3. Deus (= god, heavens, the god who gives light from heaven and fertility on earth);
4. Mark (or Murdoch) A Babylonian god = Jupiter. The great lord, illuminator of the gods) Isaiah 39; 1-8 Jeremiah 50 2).
5. Nimrod: The Assyrians believe Marduk is same god as Nimrod. Nimrod was the 1st rebel on earth in audacity and adulterous wickedness who founded the Assyrian/Babylonian kingdom Gen.10:8
6. Chemosh (the swift, the sun god of the Moabites, Judges 11: 24, 1Kings 11:7, Jer. 48: 7, 13, 28;
7. Milcom (= high god) The sun-god of the Ammonites Also known as Molech (I King 11:5, 7, 33).
8. Nibhaz (=the lord of darkness. An idol of Avites. Also known as Anubis in Egypt (2 King 17:31).

In addition to the above names of the sun-god, various biblical cities and towns were named after the sun-god or were noted for the worship of the sun-god. They include:

• Ur (of Chaldeans) ( = the great light i.e. the sun) Gen 11: 28 to 12: 1, Neh. 9:7 It was from this city that the patriarch Abraham was called out .Ur is the modern day Tell- Mugheir in Iraq.
• Thebes (also known as No or No-Amon Egypt (= City of the god Jupiter) Jer., 46: 25, Eze 30: 14, Nah 3:8-10 God declared Judgment on this idolatrous city.
• Rameses (Egypt): City of the sun-god Ra. The children of Israel started the Exodus from this point. Gen 47: 11, Exodus 12: 37.
• Athens of Greece (meaning “fountain of fire” i.e., of the sun).This was the city in Acts 17:16-34 where Paul was greatly upset when he noticed it was full of idols. One of those divinely touched by his massage was Dionysius (Acts 17: 34) whose name translated means the bright god i.e. the sun.
• Heliopolis (Ancient On, Also known as Beth-shemesh) of Egypt: meaning City (House) of the sun Jer. 43: 13. Potipherah, priest of the sun-god was the father of Asenath who Pharaoh gave to Joseph as wife Gen, 41:45.  Modern day Alexandria.
• Gaza (Azzah) Philistine town meaning heat, fire, sun-worshippers Jer. 47,
• Cretes = “belonging to the sun’; an island of sun worshippers Titus was left behind at Cretans “to set in order the things lacking ... (Titus 1:5) because the “Cretens are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons’’ (Titus 1:12) (Just as Timothy was left at Ephesus, the city of the moon for same purpose; I Tim. 1: 3-4.
• Province of Lycaonia = Country sacred to the sun, country of the god of light. Acts 14:6-18. It was in Lystra, a city of Lycaonia that Barnabas was venerated as Jupiter.

References to the moon god and its worship - they include:

1. Diana: The great mother, nourisher, luminous, perfect. Acts 19:24-28. Just as shrines were made to Diana in Ephesus, shrines are still made to her today by Roman Catholics in the name of Virgin Mary.
2. Artemis: the same as Diana above. Also known as Artemas = gift of Diana. Artemis had a temple in Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6).
3. Astheroths (or Asharaoth or Astartes): a collective name for various moon/fertility goddess among the Canaanites (Judges 2:13, 10:6; 1 Sam. 7:3- 4 etc.). Saul’s armor was fastened in the temple of Astheroth at his death (I Sam. 31:10).
4. Queen of Heaven: another name for Astheroth/Diana. Jer. 7:18, Jer. 44:17-25. Today she is venerated as Virgin Mary among Roman Catholics.
5. Tartak: the moon-goddess among the Avites (2 King 17:29-31). Worshipped simultaneously with the sun-god Nibhaz.

Just as there were cities named for the sun-god and its worship so also are biblical towns for the moon-goddess and her worship. They include:

1. Ephesus = city of the moon, sacred to Artermis. Acts 19:17-35. It is the modern-day Asalook in Turkey which has same meaning. The riot instigated by Demetrus, smith of the shrine of Diana was in Ephesus (Acts 19:23-41). Paul recorded that he fought with ‘beasts’ at Ephesus (I Cor. 15:32, 16: 8-9, 2 Cor. 1:8, Acts 19:21-28). Paul specifically left Timothy at Ephesus to
   correct false doctrine (I Tim. 3: 1-4), just as he left Titus in Cretes (city of the sun) for the same purpose (Titus 1:5). It was in Ephesus that the church lost its saltiness Rev 2: 1-7, when Christianity became a state during Constantinople’s reign.
2. Macedonia: of Greece; = motherland of the moon. Paul was given a specific vision of God to come over to Macedonia to set the captives free Acts 16:9-10. Greece was the 1st evangelized European country.
3. Asia = land of fire (sun?). The province of Asia contained the towns Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum and Troas - all of which were notorious for Diana (moon) worship and other forms of idolatry Acts 19:27, 2 Cor. 1:8, Rev. 2:8-9, Rev. 2:12-16).
4. Ur of the Chaldeans: Gen 11:28 to 12:1 Contains the great temple tower of ziggurat called ‘The mountain of Heaven ‘. Cuneiform tablets discovered records a prayer to Nannar, the moon-god by King Nabodius (556-536 BC) (Thompson Chain Reference Bible).

4.0 THE PATH OF THE ECLIPSE

Another observation of spiritual significance of the 11th August 1999 was the careful divine selection of the countries which the eclipse passes over. There are countries/cities which historically are strongholds of sun and moon-worship, of Islam and of Roman Catholicism. They also had been part of the ancient idolatrous Sumerian (Assyrian/Babylonian), and Egyptian civilization - the world’s oldest civilization - the world’s oldest civilization - and their successor Greek/Roman Empires. Some of the countries and cities are:

1. Turkey: Asalook (modern Ephesus = city of moon), Tsarus (where the Gentile missionary Paul came from), Antioch (where followers of Christ were first called Christians, Smyra (now called Izmit,) Lystra, Derbe, Constantinople (Istanbul) and Iconuim are some cities of biblical importance located in Turkey.
2. Greece: 1st European country to be evangelize (Acts 16:10). Contains Athens, Macedonia, Thessalonica, Corinth and Berea. The Greek Alexandra the Great conquered ancient Egypt in 350 BC and inherited its idolatrous heritage
3. Yugoslavia (Bosnia): Illycum Roman 15:19.
4. Italy: Rome. Headquarters of Roman Catholic Church
5. France: prides itself as being the first daughter of the Roman Catholic Church. Exerts spiritual, cultural, economic and social influence on the Francophone countries of the world.
6. Iraq: site of ancient Sumerian (Assyrian/Babylonian) kingdom. Ancient Ur and Nineveh, part of modern Iraq. Stop Press; The Guardian of 30\8\99 report Iraq plans to develop Ur before the Pope’s visit in Dec 1999.
7. Egypt: capital of ancient Egyptian civilization which seeks a spiritual rebirth by its 7th millennium at end of this century when it will be 7000 years old. Thebes, Rameses and Heliopolis (modern day Alexandria) part of Egypt.
8. England: motherland of Protestantism. Became part of Ancient Roman Kingdom of Julius Caesar in 30 BC. Cornwall in England where the eclipse first reached the land has an ancient Christian background but is now more famous for its witches’ coven.
9. Spain: once a World Power. Exported Roman Catholism to many parts of the world.
10. India: Part of Persian Kingdom at the time of Esther (Esther 1:1). Contains the world’s greatest concentration and number of gods.

All the other countries could fit into at least one of the categories mentioned earlier i.e. ancient and modern anti-Christian strongholds.

5.0 THE DAY OF THE LORD

Obvious from the foregoing is that the spirit of the Lord has always had a running battle against all forms of idolatry including the worship of the sun and moon - whether among the Canaanites (Deut. 4:19, in Egypt (Jer. 46; 25, Eze 30: 14-16) in Babylon (Jer. 50:2) among the Avites (2 King 17:29-31) or even among his people Israel (Judges 2:13, 2 King 17:16). When God decided to judge idolatry on the day of the Lord, eclipses are physical manifestation (Isaiah 13: 9-13, Eze 32: 1-8, Joel 2:30-31, 3:17-18, Matt. 24:29-31, 27: 45 etc.

God was literally shaking the heavens and the earth (Haggai 2: 6-9, Joel 3:15-16) to punish on high the host of exalted ones and on the earth the kings of the earth (Isaiah 24:21). He is also pouring His spirit on all flesh (Joel 2:28) to lift up a standard against the resurgence and rebirth of the spirit of idolatry.  Such resurgence is typified by the advertisement on CNN on the rebirth of Egypt at its seventh millennium, the rebuilding of Ur in Iraq and the various “cultural revivals” and “tourists attraction”.

6.0 THE EARTHQUAKE IN TURKEY

Perhaps what confirms that the eclipse of 11th August was a divine judgment against the countries concerned was the earthquake that struck Turkey barely a week after the eclipse. Earthquakes are manifestation of Gods divine punishment (see Isaiah 29:6, Zech. 14:2-4, Matt. 24:7, Rev. 6:12-17 (see the article Mountains, Strongholds and Earthquakes. Lampstand Letters, April 1999).
The earthquake was reported to be the worst in the century with more 12,000 dead and 30,000 unaccounted for. A number of historically and spiritual factors probably made the Lord to start his judgment with Turkey

1. According to “Operation World”. It is the largest unreached nation in the world.
2. It straddles between the two continents of Europe and Asia.
3. Paul concentrated a lot of his effort at making the country turn from Diana worship to worship of Christ. Paul was from Tarsus (in Turkey), Antioch where he started his 1st missionary trip to Gentiles, and where believers were first called Christians), Ephesus (modern Asalook) the city of moon, and Smyrna (modern Izmit) are all located in Turkey (Izmit was the epicenter of this earthquake and accounted for about 50% of all deaths). To whom much is given, much is expected.
4. It was also in Turkey that the church lost its saltiness when the church and state became one during the reign of Constantinople
5. For centuries, the Turkish Ottoman Empire was the guardian of all the Holy places of Islam; and its chief protagonists.

Of course Turkey (and the Turks) are not necessarily worse sinners than others (see Luke 13:2-5). Neither can we talk of “innocent people” being involved because none is “innocent” before God (Isaiah 64:6). God’s punishment of Turkey is only a parable to other nations especially Iraq, that except they repent they will likewise perish (Luke 13:5).

7.0 CONCLUSION

The Lord is lifting the Spirit of judgment against the resurgence of ancient idolatry, so that the mountain of the Lord will be highest above all mountains that all nations flow into it (Isaiah.2:1-3) Our responsibility as intercessors is to “go into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in the day of battle’ (Eze.13:5, 22:30-31). It is the time for judgment against the nations that stand against the knowledge of Christ (Joel.3, Amos.1-2 etc.) But judgment usually begins in the house of the Lord. (Eze.9:6) God is going to judge all idolatry in the land, starting from the idolatry in the temple (Eze.8:1-9:11). So let’s stand in the gap for the church Eze.22:30-31 and watch over the nations. Amen.

8.0 LET US PRAY

1. Watch and Pray against the resurgence of ancient Egyptian and Babylonic idolatry. Set your face particularly against the rebirth the Spirit of Egypt and planned development of ancient Ur of Chaldeans, Iraq.
2. Watch and Pray especially against ancient idolatry masquerading as traditional religion (Oro, Egungun, Ekpe etc.), cultural revival or tourist attraction in your locality.
3. Ask God to judge the spirit of the Queen of heaven in its various manifestations especially the worship of “Virgin Mary”
4. Ask for judgment against Islamic strongholds of the world as God did against communism.
5. Ask God to abundantly pour our His Spirit on men to raise a standard against the millennium onslaught of ancient idolatry.
6. Pray to be among those marked apart before the day of judgment (Eze. 9:1-6)

9.0 BENEDCITION

...I will shake all nations, and the desired of all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory, says the Lord Almighty. Haggai.2:7

10.0 REFERENCES for further reading

1. Cruden’s Complete Concordance of the Bible:
2. Johnstone P.J. Operation World 4th Edition STL. Books WEC Publications.
3. Mountains, Strongholds and Earthquake: Lampstand Letters, No.9 April, 1999, U.I. P.O. Box 4150 Ibadan, Nigeria.
4. The Bible in Today’s English Version (TEV).
5. The Guardian. Vol. 16, No. 7596 August 30 1999.
6. The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV)
7. The Holy Bible, New King James Version (NKJV)
8. Thompson Chain Reference Bible.