The false gods in the Bible include all those foreign gods that were worshipped in the land of Canaan and other regions where the Hebrews lived. These included Baal, Ashtoreth, Molech, Chemosh, Milcom, Dagon and also many others. While some of these gods had their own temples, others were worshipped in private homes as idols. The Hebrews were forbidden by God to worship these deities in any way. Instead, they were commanded to destroy them completely (see Deuteronomy 12:2-4). This was because they were considered to be demonic entities who represented the powers of darkness rather than any deity worthy of honor or worship (see I Corinthians 10:20). False gods in the Bible have been identified as idols, graven images, and even statues. Here are some of the false gods that have been mentioned in the Bible and the reasons why they are considered to be false gods.
List Of False Gods In The Bible Pdf is an interesting book that contains over 60 false gods mentioned in the Bible within the book. It will help you get a more understand mind of false gods and their nature. Many people are deceived by these false gods because they are misled to believe in them. This book is one of the best ways to be able to get biblical knowledge so that you won’t have any problem when it comes to knowing about false gods or belief.
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List Of False Gods In The Bible Pdf
The Bible is full of false gods, some of whom are rather well known today. But when you look at these ancient deities more closely, it’s clear that they’re just as evil, corrupt, and perverse as the religious figures in the Bible who worship them.
Section: Ba’al is a Hebrew term that means “lord” or “master,” but in the Bible there’s a definite article – “the Ba’al” – that refers to one specific god.
Section: Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites according to the Old Testament who, along with Ba’al, was introduced into Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 11:7).
Section: Dagon is an ancient Assyrian and Babylonian deity that was primarily associated with fish and/or fishing.
Section: Molech was a Canaanite god worshiped by the Israelites through sacrificing their first-born children.
Section: Marduk is the chief god of Babylon and its Empire in the Bible.
Section: Asherah (also Ashtoreth) was a major goddess of the Canaanites worshiped across the middle east up until about 400 BC.
Section: Ashtoreth was a goddess of love and fertility worshiped throughout much of western Asia; her cult eventually spread to Greece, Rome and Egypt. She is also known as Asherah or Astarte in other parts of the ancient world. Takeaway: The gods named in the Bible are largely reprehensible once you look at them closely.
Ba’al is a Hebrew term that means “lord” or “master,” but in the Bible there’s a definite article – “the Ba’al” – that refers to one specific god.
Ba’al is a Hebrew term that means “lord” or “master,” but in the Bible there’s a definite article – “the Ba’al” – that refers to one specific god. In fact, it’s the same god as Baal (biblical spelling).
The Phoenicians worshipped Ba’al as their chief god and built temples for him all over the Mediterranean world. The temple at Carthage was one of its largest. Some scholars believe that this may have been why Jesus referred to Capernaum as being “on the sea”–because it was near such a pagan temple!
Chemosh was the national deity of the Moabites according to the Old Testament who, along with Ba’al, was introduced into Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 11:7).
Chemosh is a god of the Moabites according to the Old Testament who, along with Ba’al, was introduced into Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 11:7).
Chemosh was also a god of war and fertility; he became associated with Moloch (Ba’al) in the Canaanite pantheon. The Bible mentions him only in passing but he is mentioned as the national deity of Moab. He was apparently known throughout Israel as well since Solomon built altars to him at Gezer and Jerusalem.
Dagon is an ancient Assyrian and Babylonian deity that was primarily associated with fish and/or fishing.
Dagon was a fish-god, who was originally thought to be the son of El and Asherah. He was one of several gods worshipped by the Philistines.
Dagon represented fertility, agriculture and luck. The Philistines had a high regard for Dagon as their national god, but it is not clear whether he was also worshipped in Israel before David made Jerusalem his capital.
The Bible mentions Dagon only twice: once in Joshua 10:4-5 where Jonathan’s forces defeated the Philistines at Aphek (ii Kings 5:1) and again in 1 Samuel 5:1 where the drunken priests brought it into their temple after defeating the Philistines at Ebenezer (2 Samuel 5).
Molech was a Canaanite god worshiped by the Israelites through sacrificing their first-born children.
Molech was a Canaanite god worshiped by the Israelites through sacrificing their first-born children. The Israelites were forbidden from worshiping Molech, but they did it anyway.
Marduk is the chief god of Babylon and its Empire in the Bible.
Marduk, the chief god of Babylon and its Empire in the Bible, is a warrior god as well. The city-state of Babylon was an ancient empire located in modern-day Iraq.
Marduk was originally a Sumerian deity who became ruler over other gods after he defeated Tiamat, a dragon goddess and primordial sea monster that represented chaos. In Babylonian mythology, Marduk was said to be the son of Enki and Ninkurra. He remained king until his death when he was replaced by Nabu (Nebo).
Asherah (also Ashtoreth) was a major goddess of the Canaanites worshiped across the middle east up until about 400 BC.
Asherah (also Ashtoreth) was a major goddess of the Canaanites worshiped across the middle east up until about 400 BC. She was considered to be the wife of El, the head of the Canaanite pantheon, and mother to all of their gods. She is also thought to have been associated with fertility and sexuality and worshiped as an independent goddess in her own right.
Ashtoreth was a goddess of love and fertility worshiped throughout much of western Asia; her cult eventually spread to Greece, Rome and Egypt. She is also known as Asherah or Astarte in other parts of the ancient world.
Ashtoreth was a goddess of love and fertility worshiped throughout much of western Asia; her cult eventually spread to Greece, Rome and Egypt. She is also known as Asherah or Astarte in other parts of the ancient world.
Ashtoreth was worshiped throughout the ancient world, but she was especially popular among people who lived on the Mediterranean coast. In those areas, she was considered the consort of Baal.
The gods named in the Bible are largely reprehensible once you look at them closely.
The gods named in the Bible are largely reprehensible once you look at them closely. For example, Ba’al was a Canaanite god that was worshiped by the Israelites. He had many roles and duties, such as fertility and agriculture, but he was also known as a war god and represented death and disease.
foreign gods in the bible
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The false gods mentioned in the Old Testament were worshiped by the people of Canaan and the nations surrounding the Promised Land, but were these idols just made-up deities or did they actually possess supernatural power?
Many Bible scholars are convinced some of these so-called divine beings could indeed do amazing acts because they were demons, or fallen angels, disguising themselves as gods.
“They sacrificed to demons, which are not God, gods they had not known…,” says Deuteronomy 32:17 (NIV) about idols. When Moses confronted Pharaoh, the Egyptian magicians were able to duplicate some of his miracles, such as turning their staffs into snakes and turning the Nile River into blood. Some Bible scholars attribute those strange deeds to demonic forces.
Major False Gods of the Old Testament
The following are descriptions of some of the major false gods of the Old Testament:
Ashtoreth
Also called Astarte, or Ashtoreth (plural), this goddess of the Canaanites was connected with fertility and maternity. Worship of Ashtoreth was strong at Sidon. She was sometimes called a consort or companion of Baal. King Solomon, influenced by his foreign wives, fell into Ashtoreth worship, which led to his downfall.
Baal
Baal, sometimes called Bel, was the supreme god among the Canaanites, worshiped in many forms, but often as a sun god or storm god. He was a fertility god who supposedly made the earth bear crops and women bear children. Rites involved with Baal worship included cult prostitution and sometimes human sacrifice.
A famous showdown occurred between the prophets of Baal and Elijah at Mount Carmel. Worshiping Baal was a recurring temptation for the Israelites, as noted in the book of Judges. Different regions paid homage to their own local variety of Baal, but all worship of this false god infuriated God the Father, who punished Israel for their unfaithfulness to him.
Chemosh
Chemosh, the subduer, was the national god of the Moabites and was also worshiped by the Ammonites. Rites involving this god were said to be cruel also and may have involved human sacrifice. Solomon erected an altar to Chemosh south of the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem, on the Hill of Corruption. (2 Kings 23:13)
Dagon
This god of the Philistines had the body of a fish and a human head and hands in its statues. Dagon was a god of water and grain. Samson, the Hebrew judge, met his death at the temple of Dagon.
In 1 Samuel 5:1-5, after the Philistines captured the ark of the covenant, they placed it in their temple next to Dagon. The next day Dagon’s statue was toppled to the floor. They set it upright, and the next morning it was again on the floor, with the head and hands broken off. Later, the Philistines put King Saul’s armor in their temple and hung his severed head in the temple of Dagon.
Egyptian Gods
Ancient Egypt had more than 40 false gods, although none are mentioned by name in the Bible. They included Re, creator sun god; Isis, goddess of magic; Osiris, lord of the afterlife; Thoth, god of wisdom and the moon; and Horus, god of the sun. Oddly, the Hebrews were not tempted by these gods during their 400+ years of captivity in Egypt. The Ten Plagues of God against Egypt were humiliations of ten specific Egyptian gods.
Golden Calf
Golden calves occur twice in the Bible: first at the foot of Mount Sinai, fashioned by Aaron, and second in the reign of King Jeroboam (1 Kings 12:26-30). In both instances, the idols were physical representations of Yahweh and were judged by him as sin, since he commanded that no images should be made of him.
Marduk
This god of the Babylonians was associated with fertility and vegetation. Confusion about Mesopotamian gods is common because Marduk had 50 names, including Bel. He was also worshiped by the Assyrians and Persians.
Milcom
This national god of the Ammonites was associated with divination, seeking knowledge of the future through occult means, strongly forbidden by God. Child sacrifice was sometimes connected with Milcom. He was among the false gods worshiped by Solomon at the close of his reign. Moloch, Molech, and Molek were variations of this false god.
Bible References to False Gods:
False gods are mentioned by name in the Bible books of:
- Leviticus
- Numbers
- Judges
- 1 Samuel
- 1 Kings
- 2 Kings
- 1 Chronicles
- 2 Chronicles
- Isaiah
- Jeremiah
- Hosea
- Zephaniah
- Acts
- Romans
False Gods in The New Testament
Back in Bible times, false gods were easy to identify. Baal, Molech, Ashtoreth, Chemosh, Artemis, and others are all present in the pages of Scripture as gods competing for devotion to the God of Israel. In todays day, these names don’t really seem to pop up quite as much. But don’t be fooled—just because we don’t use the same names for false gods doesn’t mean our culture doesn’t have any. We most certainly do! I’ve put together a list of the top ten false gods of our day. There are only a few things to remember about this list.
- I am defining the term “false god” as someone or something that is highly revered, followed devoutly, sacrificed for, and looked to for meaning in life and deliverance from problems.
- I actually have no idea if these are ranked in order, but that they belong on a list of false gods I am fairly certain about.
- This list isn’t perfect.
- Ranking #1 I got right for sure.
Let the list commence!
Dishonourable mentions: power, entertainment, popularity
10. Education
These days we bow at the altar of education. We believe that the problem with criminals is that they lack education and believe that having better access to it will turn them into decent human beings. We gasp at the thought of someone trying to amount to anything without a formal degree. We spend tens of thousands of dollars, and even go way into debt, in order to get an education we aren’t even sure we really want to pursue as a career path. We ignore what anyone has to say unless they have a bunch of letters at the end of their name. In short, we treat education like it is a god that will deliver us from the messy state we find our world in. And while education is important and an extremely valuable thing, it cannot deliver on that promise.
9. Beauty
We revere people who are attractive and dismiss those who aren’t. Whole racks of magazines are devoted to all the beautiful people in the world and all the insignificant details of their lives. They tell us how we too can lose weight and become like them—you know, people who actually matter. We fat-shame overweight people. We spend money on products that promise slimmer waistlines and smoother skin. We fight back father time hoping to look young forever. We dismiss people if they are bland or bald, even if they are wise. We overlook horrible character flaws if someone is good-looking (ex. 50 Shades of Grey). In short, we put way too much stock in a god that is constantly fading away.
Beauty is fleeting (Proverbs 31:30)
8. Comfort
We looooove to take it easy. The reason we work so hard is so that we can relax. Heck, even at work, if we can cut corners here and there to lighten the load we are more than happy to do so. People constantly talk about how they can’t wait for the weekend or the next vacation or the upcoming holiday. We frequently choose the path of least resistance in many areas of life. We do everything we can to avoid hardship, even if the hard things is the right thing to do. We desire life to be smooth sailing and when instead we hit stormy seas we are apt to complain about it. Somehow we have come to expect that life should be a breeze, enjoying the pleasure and leisure and good things in life without having to earn them with blood, sweat, and tears. The problem is that if comfort is our top priority, we are less likely to do the hard things in life—such as love difficult people, sacrifice for others, and follow through on commitments.
7. Substances
We infuse our bodies with all kinds of things to forget about our hurts, numb the pain, or spice up our boring lives. There are the big and obvious ones, like hard drugs, whether they be street drugs or pharmaceuticals. But there are less ominous substances we turn to also, such as pot, nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. Heck, sometimes we even use just regular old junk food because it makes us feel better (aka comfort food). Our bodies react favourably to these things at first because they make us feel good, but in the long run they are addicting substances that harm us in other ways. They promise a better life but can’t deliver on that for the long haul. It eventually becomes self-inflicted slavery to an addiction.
6. Family
Wait a second…family? What is something like family doing on this list? Well, family is a wonderful thing—don’t get me wrong. But family makes a lousy god. People often think, If I could just get a husband I would be happy, or If I could just get a wife I would be happy, or once we have kids and a picture perfect family I will finally be happy. But these things aren’t true. Yes, family can bring great happiness, but it is a complicated happiness that is not unconditional. For example, if you are trusting a spouse to bring meaning to your life, you will inevitably disdain them when they let you down. If you are trusting in kids to make your life worth living, you will be left empty when they grow up and begin their own lives. The truth is that families are messy and difficult. They bring a lot of pleasure but also a lot of pain. Because people aren’t perfect (and hey, neither are you) family will never end up being exactly the way you always pictured it to be, which means you are destined to live in perpetual disappointment if that is where you have placed your hope.
5. Religion
Religion and God are not the same thing. Some people trust in God, but other people trust in religion. The first is a good bet, but the second in a major mistake. Religion itself has little it can do for you. Sure, religious people gain some benefit from their beliefs and devotion. They might have great peace in their lives. Prayer might help them to relieve anxiety. But in the long run, religion without God is an empty shell. You can tell when someone is trusting in religion and not God because they might say something like it doesn’t matter if it’s true because it works for me. This is flawed thinking. The belief that there could be life after death, for example, might bring a sense of comfort when a loved one dies (or you are facing your own death), but that is a false sense of comfort unless it is actually true. Religion offers comfort, but not necessarily real hope. Only God rightly known and understood can bring true hope, because it is a hope that is grounded in reality and not blind faith. Religion can’t deliver you, but God can.
4. Science
It might be true that in our increasingly secular society, more people trust in science than trust in religion. We believe that science has all of the answers for us. We believe that if science confirms something to be true, it must be true—despite the fact that science changes all the time depending on recent findings. We trust that science will give us the solutions to all the plagues that face humanity. Science certainly does benefit us greatly. We enjoy the benefits of technology and medicine and physics every moment of every day. But if we think that science is the one hope for mankind we are fooling ourselves. Mankind cannot save itself. Rather, the one thing mankind is an expert at is self-imploding. Science can help ward that off for a while, but it cannot be counted on to deliver us in the end.
3. Sex
Fifty years ago people would talk freely about death but never hush a word about sex. Nowadays it is the complete reverse. Sex is everywhere. It dominates music, movies, video games, TV shows, advertising, and even just everyday life. To some degree this makes sense: sexuality is a part of human nature and an important and powerful one at that. But when we take a good thing and make it a god-thing we have gone too far. Sex, perhaps more than any other area of life, is considered to be untouchable by moral restraints. The one moral guideline for sex of any kind is consent. Other than that, have at it! But such a sexual free-for-all is also wreaking havoc in the world. Marriages fall apart left and right. STD’s and unplanned pregnancies are common. People are hooked on pornography in increasingly violent forms and at increasingly younger ages. We are destroying ourselves because of our licentiousness. We are even willing to kill our own children to have consequence-free sex. We really aren’t that far off from the ancient gods who required child sacrifice.
2. Money
I’m on the fence about flip-flopping money and sex in the #2 and #3 spots. In the end I went with money here since even a lot of the sex industry is built on the love of money. Sex trafficking, for instance, doesn’t just demonstrate people’s love for sex but also their love for money. The Bible tells us “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10). Truer words have never been spoken. People will do just about anything if it means they can make money off it. We are willing to compromise our integrity if it means that profit is possible. I’m not sure that corruption happens more frequently than when money is at stake. While money is a necessary part of societal living, it should not be the dominant influence in our decision making. Unfortunately, it usually is. Money is one of our culture’s greatest gods.
No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matthew 6:24)
1. Self
You can cut down a troublesome weed by mowing over it, or you can pull it up be the roots once and for all. Every false god on this list is a ultimately just a symptom of an underlying god that rules over all: me. People are inherently self-centred and self-focused. Though we are still capable of being selfless at times, when push comes to shove, we demonstrate who we really are. We all are inclined to put ourselves first. If we can do something that benefits us, even at the expense of someone else, and if we know we can get away with it, we do it almost every time. Even some of our acts of generosity are self-congratulating. We post it on Facebook and make sure everyone knows that we are a good person. This runs completely contrary to what the Bible teaches. The Bible says not that we should embrace our true selves but rather that we must die to self in order to live as God would desire us to. We must put aside selfish ambition and put God and others first. Ultimately, we need to be “born again” and become new people, changed by God from the inside out.
Humanity is broken. We all know it. Things are not as they should be. As a result, we are all looking for answers to solve our problems. My fear is that people are turning to the wrongs things for hope. They are trusting in false gods that cannot deliver them. In that sense, we are lost. As I have said before, humanity needs intervention from the outside. We need help and deliverance by a force more powerful than we. God is our only hope. He alone is the real God of this universe, and the good news is that he loves us and can help us and has a plan for us. But that is of no use to us if we continue to ignore him. I realize I might just sound like a wacko nutjob to someone who doesn’t believe in God or is not particularly “religious”. Nevertheless, I would encourage you to think long and hard about it. Is there anything in this world that is truly worthy of our hope? Or are we broken beyond repair? Thousands of years of human existence has proven that we are not on an evolutionary trajectory upward. We are on a never-ending cycle of chaos. The only way we will ever escape this mess is stop turning to gods that can do nothing but let us down. We must turn to the One True God who is our ever-present help in times of trouble and know that he has it all under control and will sort everything out in the end.