The demon Baal gained famemedieval grimoires. There he occupies a place of honor among the many-sided congregation of infernal essences. In the first part of the Small Key of Solomon, Goetia, Baal is led by an impressive list of seventy-two demons. According to her, he is a powerful king, ruling in the East. At the disposal of Baal are at least 66 legions of infernal spirits. And in the work of Johann Weier "On the deceptions of demons" he is mentioned as minister of the underworld, Commander-in-Chief of the Army of Hell and Chief Cross of the Order of the Fly.
As the demon Baal looks, it became known alsothanks to grimoires. In "Goetia", as in the book of I. Weyer "Pseudo monarchy of demons", he appears an unprecedented three-headed creature. His body resembles a formless mass, from which many spider legs stick out. The body of Baal is crowned with a human head of impressive size with a royal crown. The demon's face, judging by the image in the illustration, is dried and lean, with a huge long nose and gloomy eyes. Out of his body, besides the human, there are two more huge heads: on the right - a frog, and to the left - a cat's. He can appear and not in such a disgusting appearance. Man, cat, and toad are typical creatures in which the demon Baal reincarnates.
Johann Weier noted in one of his books thatThe demon Baal, if desired, can make a person invisible or reward with supernatural wisdom. However, to achieve this honor, it is necessary to meet with him personally.
A person who decided to call a demon to getthese talents, puts on itself as its symbol a metal plate bearing the name "lamen". Thanks to him, according to "Goetia", he will receive the attention and respect of Baal. Before summoning a demon, a person is recommended to draw a protective pentagram with chalk, put candles on its beams and light them. Then read the text of the invocation of Baal. It is rumored that it is only on Saturdays that you call for it.
To get the desired talents, Baal neededrelease outside the protective circle. However, he is treacherous, cunning and cruel, so this step can lead to a huge danger for a person. However, you can send back to hell even such a powerful entity as the demon Baal. The exorcism of the evil spirit is carried out with the help of a simple phrase from the textbook of Papus: "In the name of Adonai, through Gabriel, get Baal!"
The Baal was not always a minion of the underworld.This demonic entity, now occupying significant "posts" in hell, once represented a pagan deity. In ancient times he was called Baal, Balu or Bel. This god was worshiped by Semitic peoples, as well as Phoenicians and Assyrians. To people he was represented in those days differently, rather than now: in the form of an old man or a bull.
His name is translated from obschesemitskogo language as"Master" or "lord". Initially, the word "baal" was a common denominator of the god, in which the members of individual tribes believed. Then his people began to be timed to a certain locality. Later, even the title "Baal" appeared, which was given to princes and city governors. This word came in the name of the famous Carthaginian general Hannibal and the Babylonian prince Belshazzar.
From the day of his appearance, Baal in different tribes andplaces had time to visit the god of fertility, sun, sky, war and other things. In the end, he became the Creator of the whole world and the universe. According to historians, Baal was the first global patron god. The center of his cult was in the city of Tire, from where he also entered the kingdom of Israel. Later it spread to North Africa, modern Europe and Scandinavia, as well as the British Isles. By the power of Baal can be compared with the Greek god Zeus and the Egyptian Seth.
Even when he was a great deityHe was distinguished by an unreasonable cruelty and demanded from the person horrendous deeds. To him as a sacrifice people brought themselves similar, in particular, children. In honor of Baal, insane orgies rolled up, and the priests, in a state of ecstasy, engaged in self-mutilation.
Once in Carthage during the siege of the cityGreek troops have committed the most ambitious act of sacrifice to their deity. Thus, they hoped to get rid of the enemy. The invasion of the Greeks, from the point of view of the Carthaginians, was a direct consequence of the fact that they did not want to give their children to Baal-Hammon, as the deity was called in those places. Instead, the inhabitants of the city sacrificed the offspring of strangers. Carthaginians, realizing their "guilt", burned more than two hundred children. And three hundred inhabitants of the city voluntarily sacrificed themselves, hoping for the help that God could provide, and now the demon Baal. A photo of the bas-relief depicting the rite is presented below.
Acts of human sacrifice performedalso the inhabitants of the kingdom of Israel. With the idolaters to kill their children in the name of Baal, fought prophets Jeremiah and Elijah. It was decided to execute the worshipers of the pagan deity. All of them were killed during the religious revolution of the prophet Elijah. The destruction of the pagans led to the weakening of the cult of Baal.
Active resistance to the bloody god was provided byearly Christian prophets. The struggle against him ended in the complete victory of the Abrahamic religions, and the image of the deity was severely criticized. So the demon Baal appeared. In Christianity, he visited, according to various sources, and the Duke of Hell, and the Devil himself.
Baal is often identified with Beelzebub.In Christianity, he is considered a demon and is mentioned in the Gospel, which says that the so-called Jesus Pharisees and scribes. They believed that Christ cast out demons, using the power of Beelzebub.
The name of this creature is a translator and commentatorBibles E. Jerome identified with the Baal Zebub mentioned in the Old Testament or the "Lord of the Flies". He was still worshiped by the Philistines, who dwelt in the seaside part of the kingdom of Israel in the city of Ekron. Beelzebub is usually portrayed as a huge insect that looks like a fly.
His name could also have come from the word Zabulus, which was used by Jews in those days. So they called Satan. Proceeding from this, the name "Beelzebub" (Baal-Zebub) means "Baal-devil".
In ancient times, the verb zabal also existed. In rabbinical literature, it is used in the sense of "taking out dirt", so the name "Beelzebub" can be interpreted as "the master of filth."
Such transformations survived the demon Baal for allhistory of its existence. He visited both the deity and the Devil himself. And only medieval grinoirs, ordering the infernal hierarchy, were able to determine the final place of Baal in the universe.
