Topical Encyclopedia Sunworship, the veneration of the sun as a deity or a central figure in religious practices, is a form of idolatry that is explicitly condemned in the Bible. Throughout the Scriptures, the worship of celestial bodies, including the sun, is presented as a deviation from the worship of the one true God, Yahweh. This practice was prevalent among various ancient cultures surrounding Israel, and the Israelites were repeatedly warned against adopting such customs.Biblical Condemnation of Sunworship The Bible explicitly forbids the worship of the sun, moon, and stars. In Deuteronomy 4:19 , Moses warns the Israelites: "And when you look to the heavens and see the sun and moon and stars—all the host of heaven—do not be enticed to bow down and worship what the LORD your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven." This command underscores the belief that the celestial bodies are creations of God, not deities themselves, and should not be objects of worship. In Deuteronomy 17:2-5 , the law prescribes severe punishment for those who engage in sunworship: "If a man or woman among you in one of the towns that the LORD your God gives you is found doing evil in the sight of the LORD your God and transgressing His covenant by going to worship other gods, bowing down to them or to the sun or moon or any of the host of heaven—which I have forbidden—and if it is reported to you and you hear about it, then you must investigate it thoroughly. If it is true and confirmed that this detestable thing has been done in Israel, you must bring out to your gates that man or woman who has done this evil thing and stone that person to death." Historical Instances of Sunworship Despite these clear prohibitions, instances of sunworship infiltrated Israelite society at various times. One notable example is during the reign of King Manasseh of Judah, who "built altars to all the host of heaven in the two courtyards of the house of the LORD" (2 Kings 21:5). This act was part of a broader pattern of idolatry that characterized Manasseh's reign and provoked the anger of God. Another significant instance occurred during the reforms of King Josiah, who sought to eradicate idolatry from Judah. 2 Kings 23:5 records that Josiah "did away with the idolatrous priests appointed by the kings of Judah to burn incense on the high places of the cities of Judah and in the places all around Jerusalem—those who burned incense to Baal, to the sun and moon and constellations, and to all the host of heaven." Symbolism and Misinterpretation The sun is often used symbolically in the Bible to represent God's glory and righteousness. For example, Psalm 84:11 states, "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD gives grace and glory. He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity." However, this symbolic use should not be misconstrued as an endorsement of sunworship. Instead, it highlights God's provision and protection, using the sun as a metaphor for His sustaining power. Theological Implications From a theological perspective, sunworship represents a fundamental misunderstanding of the Creator-creature distinction. By worshiping the sun, individuals elevate a created entity to the status of the Creator, thereby violating the first commandment: "You shall have no other gods before Me" (Exodus 20:3). This idolatry detracts from the exclusive worship and glory due to God alone. Sunworship serves as a cautionary example of the human tendency to replace the worship of God with the veneration of created things. The biblical narrative consistently calls believers to recognize and worship God as the sole Creator and Sustainer of the universe, rejecting all forms of idolatry, including the worship of the sun. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia SUN-WORSHIPsun'-wur-ship: The splendor of the sun makes it a natural object of adoration, once the purer idea of the one true God (Romans 1:20, 21) is parted with, and in most ancient nations the worship of the sun was an outstanding feature. It is found in Babylonian and Assyrian (Samas; special seats of sun-worship were Sippara and Larsa); in Egypt it is a leading feature of the religion (Ra, and, under special phases, Horus, Tum, Aten; a special seat of sun-worship was Heliopollis, the Old Testament On, called in Jeremiah 43:13 Beth-shemesh, "house of the sun"). Other cities bore the same name: Beth-shemesh (Joshua 15:10 = Ir-shemesh; Joshua 19:41, in Judah; Joshua 19:22, in Issachar; Joshua 19:38, in Naphtali; see BETH-SHEMESH). Allusions to, and warnings against, sun-worship are frequent in the Old Testament, as in Leviticus 26:30 2 Chronicles 14:5; 2 Chronicles 34:4, 7; Isaiah 17:8; Isaiah 27:9 Ezekiel 6:4, 6, in which passages for the King James Version "images," "idols," the Revised Version (British and American) has "sun-images" (which see); Job 31:26, 27 and numerous passages show that this form of idolatry latterly penetrated deeply into Judah-even into its temple-worship (2 Kings 23:5, 11, "horses.... given to the sun" (see under HORSES OF THE SUN, "Chariots of the Sun"); and Ezekiel 8:16). Josiah's reformation took account of these abuses (2 Kings 23:5, 11 2 Chronicles 34:4, 7), and Ezekiel strenuously denounced them (8:16;). Library Homilies on Galatians and Ephesians. Thesaurus Sunworship/s/sunworship.htm - 8k Sun-worship Sunstroke Resources Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus |
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