From Zodiac Symbols to the One True God

In the depths of antiquity, Babylonian symbolism enlivened the divine through images of animals and zodiac signs, creating a unique system in which celestial phenomena permeated sacred spaces. These images were not merely decorative elements – they became the starting point for a transformative process of belief. Over time, through the reinterpretation of traditional images, these ancient symbols found new embodiment in the concept of a single, true God who rises above all other manifestations. This cultural and religious evolution demonstrates how the powerful symbolism of the Sun and the heavenly bodies reflected humanity’s deep spiritual quests, facilitating the transition from idolatry to a monotheistic understanding of divine reality. This process of transformation not only solidified faith in a higher power but also forever altered the landscape of religious thought, proving that even ancient myths can serve as the foundation for a new level of spiritual comprehension of the world.

How do the Babylonian images of God relate to the concept of the true God, and what role do these images play in shaping religious beliefs?

The Babylonian images of God, expressed through depictions of animals and zodiac signs, constitute an ancient symbolic system that later overlapped with emerging ideas of a single, true God. As the material shows, these images were used in sacred spaces and had a strong connection to celestial phenomena. For example, one excerpt from source 1284_6416.txt states:

"The animal images, painted on the walls of the house of the Lord, are nothing other than Babylonian star gods, depicted as animals in the celestial circle of the Zodiac: for even the cherubim, bearing the throne of Adonai, Lord, God Most High, are winged Assyro-Babylonian bulls, Kherubu (Ezekiel I, 6–7). The Sun, among the stars, is the Lord-God, Adonai-Adon-Tammuz, among other gods, sons of God: 'I said: you are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High'" (source: 1284_6416.txt).

This excerpt indicates that Babylonian symbols, which represented the deity in animal form, became part of a visual and cultural legacy later used to form the concept of the one true God. In this system, the true God is associated with the Sun, standing above all other deities and symbols, which underscores the difference between true worship and idolatry. In other words, although Babylonian images and borrowings from astronomical symbolism originally appeared in various forms, it was their transformation and reimagination within the monotheistic tradition that led to the formation of religious beliefs where the true God emerges as the supreme and sole reality, transcending all earthly and stellar images.

Thus, the Babylonian images of God played a crucial role in the development of religious symbolism, serving as the starting point for a cultural transformation and rethinking of those forms that ultimately acquired a new, exalted meaning in the context of the concept of the true God.