Topical Bible: Egypt: Religion of, Idolatrous

◄ Egypt: Religion of, Idolatrous ►

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Egypt, a prominent nation in biblical history, is frequently mentioned in the Scriptures as a land characterized by its idolatrous practices. The religious landscape of ancient Egypt was marked by a complex pantheon of gods and goddesses, which stood in stark contrast to the monotheistic worship of Yahweh by the Israelites.

The Egyptians worshiped a multitude of deities, each associated with various aspects of life and nature. Among the most prominent were Ra, the sun god; Osiris, the god of the afterlife; Isis, the goddess of magic and motherhood; and Anubis, the god of mummification and the afterlife. These deities were often represented in human form with animal features, reflecting the Egyptians' belief in the divine nature of animals.

The Bible frequently highlights the idolatrous nature of Egyptian religion. In the book of Exodus, the plagues that God inflicted upon Egypt were direct challenges to the Egyptian gods, demonstrating the supremacy of Yahweh over the false deities of Egypt. For instance, the plague of darkness (Exodus 10:21-23) was a direct affront to Ra, the sun god, illustrating the power of the God of Israel over the Egyptian pantheon.

The Israelites' sojourn in Egypt exposed them to these idolatrous practices, which later became a snare to them. In Ezekiel 20:7-8 , God recounts how He commanded the Israelites to abandon the detestable practices of Egypt: "And I said to them: ‘Each of you must throw away the abominations before his eyes, and not defile yourselves with the idols of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ But they rebelled against Me and refused to listen. They did not cast away the abominations before their eyes, nor did they forsake the idols of Egypt."

The influence of Egyptian idolatry is further evidenced in the incident of the golden calf (Exodus 32), where the Israelites, having left Egypt, fashioned a calf idol reminiscent of the Egyptian bull god Apis. This act of rebellion against God’s commandments underscores the lingering impact of Egyptian religious practices on the Israelites.

Throughout the Old Testament, Egypt is often portrayed as a symbol of worldly power and idolatry, serving as a warning to the Israelites against turning away from the worship of the one true God. In Isaiah 19:1 , the prophet declares, "Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt will tremble before Him, and the hearts of the Egyptians will melt within them."

The idolatrous religion of Egypt, with its elaborate rituals and multitude of gods, stands as a testament to the spiritual challenges faced by the Israelites. The biblical narrative consistently contrasts the false worship of Egypt with the covenantal relationship between Yahweh and His chosen people, emphasizing the call to exclusive devotion to the Lord.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 12:12
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, and will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the LORD.
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Numbers 33:4
For the Egyptians buried all their firstborn, which the LORD had smitten among them: on their gods also the LORD executed judgments.
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Isaiah 19:1
The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rides on a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the middle of it.
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Ezekiel 29:7
When they took hold of you by your hand, you did break, and rend all their shoulder: and when they leaned on you, you brake, and made all their loins to be at a stand.
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Library

Demolition of the Idolatrous Temples at Alexandria, and the ...
... V. Chapter XVI."Demolition of the Idolatrous Temples at ... in-chief of the troops in
Egypt, assisted Theophilus ... was accustomed to say that the religion of the ...
/.../chapter xvi demolition of the idolatrous.htm

Flavian and Evagrius, Bishops of Antioch. The Events at Alexandria ...
... general of the military legions in Egypt; and Evagrius ... by the destruction of the
idolatrous statues, he ... not warrant their renouncing their religion; for that ...
/.../chapter xv flavian and evagrius bishops.htm

Extension of Our Doctrines, and Complete Demolition of Idolatrous ...
... of our Doctrines, and Complete Demolition of Idolatrous Temples ... It is said that the
river of Egypt did not ... owed to God and the interests of religion, replied as ...
/.../chapter xx extension of our doctrines.htm

The Kingdom of Judah.
... A study of these will show that some are idolatrous prophets and ... Egypt, Assyria,
Babylon, Media, Phoenicia, Carthage, Greece and Rome all ... (2) Religion must set ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xiv the kingdom of.htm

From Abraham to Egypt.
... Religion had become real to him and his whole future career ... There is no mention of
the bondage in Egypt nor of ... was both the true and false or idolatrous worship ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iv from abraham to.htm

Judaism and Heathenism in Contact.
... were sown in the field of the idolatrous world. ... Worshippers, a mystic and ascetic
sect in Egypt, akin to ... could only be effected by a new religion revealed from ...
/.../history of the christian church volume i/section 13 judaism and heathenism.htm

The Captivity of Judah.
... are, even to the present day, no idolatrous Jews; (c ... way for a purer and more spiritual
religion; (f) The ... refer especially to the conditions of those in Egypt. ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter xv the captivity of.htm

From the Flood to Abraham
... of Egypt are the eternal monuments of the religious devotion of these ancient people.
Their religion was, however, filled with all sorts of idolatrous abuses ...
/.../tidwell/the bible period by period/chapter iii from the flood.htm

The Flight into Egypt and St. John the Baptist in the Desert
... Their religion had become very degraded ... the people by reminding them of the plagues
of Egypt. ... They carried on a revolting idolatrous worship, which consisted of ...
/.../emmerich/the life of the blessed virgin mary/xvi the flight into egypt.htm

Ezekiel
... mechanical way, which suggests that his religion is a ... The weird fate of Egypt in
the underworld, xxxii.17 ... the destruction of Jerusalem and her idolatrous people ...
//christianbookshelf.org/mcfadyen/introduction to the old testament/ezekiel.htm