Forlong - Rivers of Life

Sun Worship.
on Mount Peli-on, overlooking the gulf of Pegasis—a triple solar connection. But
enough; this establishes the prevalence of solar ideas over all Asia Minor, including
the parts occupied by Jews and other Shemites.
From these heavenly giants we are naturally led to remember the more or less
mythic earthly ones, who appear to have been common in Syria. The Seriptures call
the Emims, who lived about Shaveh-Kiriatham, a giant race, 1 beside whom the people
of ancient Hebron—the Anakimæ—the “chosen tribes” were like grasshoppers. 2 We
hear also of the Zuzims, whose chief town was Ham, between the Rivers Arnon and
Jabok. The Jhaveh liked and made uae of giants; he was to “call them in his wrath
and take vengeance on his enemies;” “he would destroy the power of Egypt,” he said,
“by the sword of his giants,” showing how necessary “giants,” “Rephaim,” “strong
men” were, nay, even Satan, for the carrying out of these Purposes. 3
The orthodox Godwyn considers Molok, Baal, and Saturn as one, or phases of the
one Solar Fire-god, who was the special favorite of the Amonite and Moabites, but who
was also worshipped and duly sacrificed to, in the valley of Ben-hinnon. He says: “the
seventy elders translate Malak—Archon Basileus, Adram Molok, and Anam Melech.”
With the Jews and Phenicians he was Baal-Samen or Shamain, that is Lord of
heaven, Jupiter or the Sun; and his female was the moon, Queen of heaven. Sankuniathon,
Plato, and Eusebius, all acknowledge this. Saturn was also a hollow God to
whom children were sacrificed; and on such occasions Tophs or drums were beat to
prevent parents hearing the cries of their offspring; hence the valley came to be called
Gehenna or the “vale of crying or roaring.” Bullocks, calves, and lambs were
Molek’s usual offerings; children his “extraordinary” ones. 4 It is very important
to observe that the learned Porphyry, who had travelled all over Asia and India,
seems to have considered Saturn and Is-ra-el the same. The PHENICIANS, he says,
CALLED MOLEK, ISRAEL; adding, “he had by ANOBRETH one only Son called Jeud
(Iyooda a Jew) in the Phenician language (no doubt from the Hebrew JECID) signifying
an only begotten, and applied to Isaac, 5 which he offered upon an altar purposely
prepared.” 6 This adds one to the many proofs, that these Israelites were wandering
Arab tribes who eame up from the deserts amongst the more civilised Phenicians, and
shows that Jews worshipped Sun and Fire, even more prominently than the coast tribes
on which account they were called Saturnites ir Is-ra-el-ites, and held to be Malekites.
The Planet Saturn was considered by the Rabim of the Talmud to be the abode
of their guardian angel—he who was “the direct inspirer of the law and the prophets,”
and therefore one whom the Alexandrian Kabalists particularly venerated. The
Christian Gnostic Valentinus therefore taught that the Planet Saturn was the abode
1 Gen. xiv. 5.
2 Num. xiii. 33. Deut. ii. 10, and ix. 2.
3 Godwyn’s Eccles. Rites, II., III., IV., 150,
where we see Rephaim = Repham = Remphan.
17.
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4 Ec. R. p. 147.
5 Gen. xxii. 2.
6 Godwyn quoting Euseb. Præper. Evang. I. 7,