Obelisk

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=120 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="084f0f21egerdp.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B><IMG SRC="042203c0.jpg" border=0 width="32" height="60" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>Crossbearer.net</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>      | </B></FONT><B>    </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Crossbearer.net"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     </B><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" ><B>| </B></FONT><B>  </B><A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Freemasonry and Shriners"><U>Freemasonry and Shriners</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="JAHBULON"><U>JAH-BUL-ON</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Albert Pike"><U>Albert Pike</U></A>   |   <B>Obelisk</B>   |   <A HREF="id150.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Former Masons Speak"><U>Former Masons Speak</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id158.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Exposing the Masons"><U>Exposing the Masons</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id187.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Curse of Hiram Abiff"><U>Curse of Hiram Abiff</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id192.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Morals and Dogma"><U>Morals and Dogma</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id253.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="History of Freemasonry"><U>History of Freemasonry</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id243.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Masonic Inner Fraternity"><U>Masonic Inner Fraternity</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id311.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="A Closer Look at Freemasonry"><U>A Closer Look at Freemasonry</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="083f2f02egerdp.jpg"> <div> Return to <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id40.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Catholic Idolatry"><U>Catholic Idolatry</U></A></FONT> page.</div> <bR> <div> The Obelisk was used in Egyptian worship and is an IDOL of pagan history.</div> <bR> <div> Write me: <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000CC" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="id18.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Me"><U>e-mail</U></A></FONT></div> <bR> <div>  <IMG SRC="https://members.tripod.com/bin/counter/id34.htm?FF0000" ALT="[Tripod Counter]">  </div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.biblegateway.com/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.biblegateway.com/"><U>Bible search</U></A><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#66334C" FACE="Arial" > click here to find a Bible verse. (open in New Window to retain this web page)</FONT></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=360 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="086f0f03.jpg"> <div> <I>Obelisk</I></div> <bR> <div> 2 Kings 17:9-11 </div> <div>     <I>And the </I><I><B>children of Israel</B></I><I> did secretly those </I><I><B>things that were </B></I><I><B><U>not right</U></B></I><I> against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. [10] And they set them up images </I><I><B><U>and groves (Hebrew "asherah" - obelisks)</U></B></I><I> in every high hill, and under every green tree: [11] And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; </I><I><B><U>and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger</U></B></I><I>: </I></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="6744ef40.jpg" border=0 width="334" height="500" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">      <IMG SRC="67380aa0.png" border=0 width="640" height="426" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><U>Karnak Temple</U></B></div> <bR> <div> Obelisk from the Great Temple at Karnak located in Northern Thebes. Originally obelisks were erected in pairs at the entrances to ancient Egyptian temples. They were cut from a single stone, usually red granite. One pair of obelisks at Karnak erected by Thutmose I is 80 feet high and weighs 143 tons.</div> <bR> <div>   <IMG SRC="67242e50.png" border=0 width="322" height="485" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <B><U>Luxor Temple</U></B></div> <bR> <div> The Temple of Luxor is located in southern Thebes along the east bank of the Nile River. The Temple was built by Amenhotep III and dedicated to Amon-Re, king of the gods, his consort Mut, and their son Khons. The Temple was later added to by Tutankhamen, Horemheb and Ramses II. Thebes was capital of the ancient Egyptian empire during its peak.   </div> <bR> <div> Links on the Obelisk</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><A HREF="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/explore/luxor.html" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/explo"><U>NOVA</U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >       </FONT><A HREF="http://www.touregypt.net/karnak.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.touregypt.net/karnak.htm"><U>Tour Egypt.net</U></A>     <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisk#Egyptian_obelisks" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisk#Egy"><U>Wikipedia Encyclopedia</U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B><U> Freemasonry and the Obelisk !</U></B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="71375ea0.jpg" border=0 width="373" height="234" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The above photo is </div> <div> typical of a Masonic grave site. The Obelisk </div> <div> (asherah) is used as the headstone </div> <div> of the deceased Masonic Lodge member!</div> <bR> <div> <B><U>Asherah</U></B></div> <bR> <div> The <B>Obelisk</B> in the Bible is called “<B>Asherah</B>” in Hebrew, the KJV uses the word “<B>groves</B>”!</div> <bR> <div> The Strongs Concordance defines it as:</div> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><B>'asherah,</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><I>ash-ay-raw'</I></FONT>; or <I><B>'asheyrah</B></I>, ash-ay-raw'; Strongs 842, from Hebrew 833 ('ashar); <I>happy; Asherah</I> (or Astarte) a <B>Phoenician goddess</B>; also <B>an </B><I><B>image</B></I><B> of the same</B> :- <B>grove</B>.  Compare Hebrew 6253 (<B>`Ashtoreth</B>).</div> <bR> <div> The word “<B>asherah</B>” is from the root `ashar, <I>to be </I><I><B>straight</B></I><I>, </I><I><B>erect </B></I><I>or </I><I><B>upright</B></I>.</div> <div> <B>Asherah</B> (KJV - <B>groves</B>) is found in the scriptures 40 times, always referring to<B> idol worship</B>. </div> <bR> <div> The Companion Bible, appendix  42, defines "asherah" as follows:</div> <div> It was an upright pillar connected with <B>Baal-worship</B>, and is associated with the <B>goddess Ashtoreth</B>, being the representation of the <B>productive principal</B> of life, and Baal being the representative of the <B>generative principal</B>. The image, which represents the Phoenician Ashtoreth of Paphos, as the sole object of worship in her temple, was an <B>upright block of stone</B>, anointed with oil, and <B>covered with an embroidered cloth</B>. </div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <IMG SRC="2eb6b1f0.jpg" border=0 width="107" height="287" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The above Masonic </div> <div> grave stone has the </div> <div> "embroidered cloth",</div> <div>  carved in stone, upon</div> <div>  the obelisk!</div> <bR> <div> Some Masonic grave stones have the embroidered cloth, in stone, covering the Asherah image. The Companion Bible defines this stone idol as the image of the “<B>Phallus</B>”, or “<B>images of men</B>” as seen in Ezekiel 16:17.</div> <bR> <div> Such stones are to be found all over the Semitic world, the Companion Bible continues, even the Mahommedan sacred stone (Kaaba) at Mecca remains an object of reverence.</div> <bR> <div> Asherah - the <B>obelisk</B>, is an abomination unto the Lord!</div> <bR> <div> 2 Chron. 34:3-4 </div> <div>     <I>For in the eighth year of his reign, while he (Josiah) was yet young, he began to seek after the God of David his father: and in the twelfth year </I><I><B>he began to purge</B></I><I> Judah and Jerusalem from the high places, </I><I><B><U>and the groves (asherah</U></B></I><I><B>)</B></I><I>, and the carved images, and the molten images. [4] And they brake down the </I><I><B>altars of Baalim</B></I><I> in his presence; and the images, that were on high above them, he cut down; and </I><I><B><U>the groves (asherah),</U></B></I><I> and the carved images, and the molten images, </I><I><B><U>he brake in pieces, and made dust of them, and strowed it upon the graves of them that had sacrificed unto them. </U></B></I></div> <bR> <div>      </div> <div> 2 Chron. 34:7 </div> <div>     <I><B><U>And when he had broken down the altars and the groves (asherah), </U></B></I><I>and had beaten the graven images into powder, and cut down all the idols throughout all the land of Israel, he returned to Jerusalem. </I></div> <bR> <bR> <div> 2 Kings 17:9-11 </div> <div>     <I>And the </I><I><B>children of Israel</B></I><I> did secretly those </I><I><B>things that were </B></I><I><B><U>not right</U></B></I><I> against the Lord their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. [10] And they set them up images </I><I><B><U>and groves (asherah)</U></B></I><I> in every high hill, and under every green tree: [11] And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the Lord carried away before them; </I><I><B><U>and wrought wicked things to provoke the Lord to anger</U></B></I><I>: </I></div> <bR> <div> 1 Kings 18:19  <I>Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the </I><I><B>prophets of Baal</B></I><I> four hundred and fifty, </I><I><B><U>and the prophets of the groves ['asherah] four hundred</U></B></I><I>, which eat at Jezebel’s table</I>” </div> <bR> <div>     </div> <div> I don't believe that any True Christian would want this object placed over their grave site, replacing the cross of Jesus Christ, by which our sins were nailed to give us victory over death, hell and the grave!</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <U>Below are some study resources for a deeper study!</U></div> <bR> <div> <B>'Asherah </B></div> <div> (From <I>Dakes Annotated Bible</I>)</div> <bR> <div> Hebrew: 'asherah (HSN-842), <B>a pillar</B> or image of wood. It was set up <B><U>with the image of Baal and worshiped as the wife of Baal by lewd rites and sensual practices</U></B>. </div> <div> 'Asherah (HSN-842) is always rendered grove in the KJV, but retained as a proper name in the English Revised Version (1885) The word comes from the root yashar (HSN-3474), "to be straight, upright, erect." <B>The pillar was set upright in the ground like a totem pole</B>. It was either a living tree with the top cut off and the trunk fashioned into a certain shape (Deut. 16:21), or a log fashioned into an idol and set erect in the ground (1 Kings 14:15; 1 Kings 16:33; Isaiah 17:8). Though usually made of wood (Judges 6:26), it was perhaps <B><U>in some cases made of stone</U></B>. Such poles could be cut down (Exodus 34:13), plucked up (Micah 5:14), burnt (Deut. 12:3), and broken in pieces (2 Chron. 34:4). </div> <bR> <div> That they were not groves of trees is clear from 2 Kings 17:10, where they are forbidden to be set up under any green tree. Worshiped as a symbol of the tree of life, the idol came to be <B><U>associated with procreation</U></B>. As such, 'Asherah (HSN-842) became an object of impure, <B><U>perverse worship by crowds of devotees involved in demonized, obscene orgies</U></B>. The worship centered in the Canaanite nations and then spread into other </div> <div> nations. Relics of it are found among all heathen peoples. <B><U>The first mention of the idol in the Bible stamps it as a special object of God's hatred</U></B>; it was at this idol that God revealed His name as Jealous (Exodus 34:13-14; cp. 1 Kings 14:15; 1 Kings 15:13; 1 Kings 16:32-33; 2 Chron. 36:14). It led to the destruction of all Canaanite nations and, with other things, caused Israel to be banished among other nations. The true nature of this form of idolatry is made clear in Jeremiah 5:7; Jeremiah 7:30-31; Jeremiah 19:4-5; Jeremiah 32:34-35; Hosea 4:12-14; Amos 2:7-9, and in other passages where grove is found (Exodus 34:13; Deut. 7:5; Deut. 12:3; Deut. 16:21; Judges 3:7; Judges 6:25-30; 1 Kings 14:15,23; 1 Kings 15:13; 1 Kings 16:33; 1 Kings 18:19; 2 Kings 13:6; 2 Kings 17:10,16; 2 Kings 18:4; 2 Kings 21:3,7; 2 Kings 23:4-15; 2 Chron. 14:3; 2 Chron. 15:16; 2 Chron. 17:6; 2 Chron. 19:3; 2 Chron. 24:18; 2 Chron. 31:1; 2 Chron. 33:3,19; 2 Chron. 34:3-7; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9; Jeremiah 17:2; Micah 5:14). </div> <div> (From <I>Dakes Annotated Bible</I>)</div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>'ASHERAH </B></div> <div> (From <I>Vine’s complete expository dictionary)</I></div> <bR> <div> <I>'asherah</I> (842), “Asherah, Asherim (pl.).” This noun, which has an Ugaritic cognate, first appears in the Bible in passages anticipating the settlement in Palestine. The word’s most frequent appearances, however, are usually in historical literature. Of its 40 appearances, 4 are in Israel’s law code, 4 in Judges, 4 in prophetic books, and the rest are in 1 Kings and 2 Chronicles. </div> <bR> <div> <I>'Asherah</I> refers to <B><U>a cultic object representing the presence of the Canaanite goddess Asherah</U></B>. When the people of Israel entered Palestine, they were to have nothing to do with the idolatrous religions of its inhabitants. Rather, God said, “But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves [<I>'asherim</I>] …” (Exod. 34:13). This cult object was manufactured from wood (Judg. 6:26; 1 Kings 14:15) and it could be burned (Deut. 12:3). Some scholars conclude that it was a sacred pole set up near an altar to Baal. Since there was only one goddess with this name, the plural (<I>'asherim</I>) probably represents her several “poles.” </div> <bR> <div> <I><B><U>'Asherah</U></B></I><B><U> signifies the name of the goddess herself</U></B>: “<I>Now therefore send, and gather to me all Israel unto mount Carmel, and the prophets of Baal four hundred and fifty, </I><I><B><U>and the prophets of the groves [</U></B></I><I><B><U>'</U></B></I><I><B><U>asherah</U></B></I><I><B><U>] four hundred</U></B></I><I>, which eat at Jezebel’s table</I>” (1 Kings 18:19). </div> <bR> <div> The Canaanites believed that <I>'asherah</I> ruled the sea, was the mother of all the gods including Baal, and sometimes was his deadly enemy. Apparently, the mythology of Canaan maintained that <I>'asherah</I> was the consort of Baal, who had displaced El as their highest god. Thus her sacred objects (poles) were immediately beside altars to Baal, and she was worshiped along with him. <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >(From W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, <I>Vine’s complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament words [computer file], electronic ed., Logos Library System</I>, (Nashville: Thomas Nelson) 1997, c1996.)</FONT></div> <bR> <div> The above definition of “asherah”, as an object of idol worship, is confirmed also in Smith’s Bible Dictionary, New Naves Topical Bible and Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>