Polytheism
Summary
Polytheism, the belief in and worship of multiple gods, was the prevailing religion of the ancient world against which biblical monotheism stood in stark contrast.
☩Ancient Context
Israel emerged from and lived among polytheistic cultures. Egypt worshipped numerous deities representing natural forces. Canaanites had their pantheon headed by El and Baal. Mesopotamian religions featured Marduk, Ishtar, and many others. Each nation had its gods, and foreign conquest was seen as triumph of one god over another.
☩Biblical Opposition
Scripture's first commandment strikes at polytheism's heart: 'You shall have no other gods before me.' Yahweh alone is God; the so-called gods are nothing—mere idols of wood and stone. Israel's constant temptation to worship other gods brought repeated divine judgment. The prophets mocked the powerlessness of idols compared to the living God.
Related Verses13 mentions
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Polytheism," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. VIII (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).