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The Baal Book: A Biography of the Devil
Ancient Near Eastern texts such as The Baal Cycle portray the pagan god Baal as a rebel—the hero of a revolution, worshiped and glorified for his long string of victories. In The Baal A Biography of the Devil, Fr. Stephen De Young shows that the Hebrew Scriptures consciously turn the Baal story on its head, depicting him as a failed and defeated rebel who nonetheless tries to steal the glory that belongs to Almighty God. From these Scriptures, the figure of the Devil emerged within Jewish and Christian Tradition. Father De Young works through the Old and New Testament passages that refer to various Baal stories, and he surveys Baal worship through followers’ beliefs, religious practices, and liturgical life. In these pages, we will see that the figures of Baal and the Devil—the prince of demons—are one and the same.
- GenresTheology
140 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 2, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
February 17, 2026
A much needed work that explains "different" figures from the old and new testaments. belial, Beelzebub, anti-christ, and the evil one being the same from the NT. linking these names to the Baal cycle was really helpful in understanding the devil or Satan in the old testament. it helps that this book is concise as well at 105 pages you don't get bogged down on the details.
cutting edge biblical/historical theology is right up my nerdy alley!
five stars
cutting edge biblical/historical theology is right up my nerdy alley!
five stars
November 5, 2025
Fr. Stephen De Young’s The Baal Book explores the haunting transformations of how a Canaanite storm-god worshipped across the Levant became the template for the Biblical Satan. Drawing on archaeology, the Hebrew Bible, and early Christian theology, De Young shows that Israel’s understanding of evil did not emerge in a vacuum—it was formed in the shadow of Baal.
Before discussing theology, De Young is frank about the moral corruption surrounding Baal worship as practiced in the ancient Near East. Archaeological and textual evidence from sites like Ugarit and Carthage points to child sacrifice, ritualized sexual acts including bestiality, and the use of slaves as temple prostitutes—acts condemned repeatedly in the Hebrew Scriptures. Against this backdrop, the Torah’s purity laws and prohibitions on mixing seed, blood, or species take on a new light: they are not arbitrary rules, but deliberate antidotes to the cultic chaos of Baalism.
Central to De Young’s argument is the Baal Cycle, a series of epic poems unearthed in 1928 at the ancient city of Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra, on the Syrian coast). Written in Ugaritic cuneiform and dating to roughly the 14th–11th centuries BC, these clay tablets describe Baal Hadad as a storm and fertility god who battles Yam (the Sea) and Mot (Death) to secure his throne among the gods.
The Baal Cycle revealed, for the first time, a full literary and theological system parallel to—and older than—much of the Hebrew Bible. The language of the Psalms and Prophets often echoes this mythic world: Yahweh, too, “rides upon the clouds,” “rebukes the sea,” and “crushes Leviathan.” Yet in the Biblical telling, those ancient storm-god victories are claimed for Yahweh alone. Where Baal dies and resurrects cyclically with the seasons, Yahweh defeats death utterly. De Young shows that Israel’s theology often appropriated and inverted Baal’s imagery to proclaim monotheism.
De Young also situates Baal within the broader Indo-Mediterranean pantheon. The Canaanite Baal Hadad shares linguistic and thematic roots with Greek Zeus and a handful of other deities from the region—each a sky-or storm deity ruling from a mountaintop, wielding thunder, and defeating a sea or serpent god. These parallels suggest a shared proto-myth in which divine kingship was established through combat with chaos.
Over centuries, as trade and conquest blended cultures, these figures often merged back together in practice. Phoenician colonies equated Baal Hammon with Cronus or Saturn; in some Greek texts, Zeus Baal appears as a hybrid deity. This syncretism underscores how ancient Mediterranean religion was less about exclusive worship than about identifying one’s local god with the supreme cosmic ruler—an identification the Israelites steadfastly resisted.
He includes a fascinating linguistic note on Jezebel, the infamous queen who promoted Baal worship in Israel. Her name, he argues, is likely a Hebrew parody. The probable original—Baal-zebaal, meaning “Baal is Lord”—would have been unacceptable in Hebrew scripture. So the scribes rendered it Izevel, “Where is Baal?”, a deliberate taunt encapsulating the Biblical theme of divine impotence: Baal is absent, silent, dead. The mocking renaming of Jezebel becomes, in miniature, Israel’s polemic against the Baal cult itself.
One of De Young’s most striking insights is that many Old Testament laws can be read as counter-rituals to Baal worship. The ban on child sacrifice, the insistence on sexual purity, the rejection of temple prostitution, and the emphasis on clean versus unclean animals all served to differentiate Israel from its neighbors. The Hebrew priesthood’s strict codes created a moral firewall between Yahweh’s worship and the moral collapse of the fertility cults around them.
Seen this way, the Law is not a burdensome set of taboos but a program of spiritual resistance, replacing pagan imitation of nature’s cycles with covenantal holiness grounded in ethical behavior and justice.
For readers interested in how Hebrew thought evolved amid competing mythologies, The Baal Book is invaluable. De Young’s treatment brings to life the comparative-mythological world in which the Bible was born—where every rainstorm, bull symbol, and sacred grove carried theological weight. The Old Testament’s fierce monotheism becomes all the more remarkable when one grasps how saturated the surrounding culture was with Baalism and its related deities.
De Young’s expertise as both theologian and historian shines throughout. His command of Ugaritic sources, Second Temple literature, and early Christian interpretation makes him a trustworthy guide. Yet, as he himself admits, this is not an academic monograph. The prose is accessible, the footnotes few, and the purpose devotional as much as analytical. That balance makes it especially effective for readers who want to understand the context behind Old Testament texts without wading into dense scholarship.
The Baal Book is a compelling fusion of theology, archaeology, and mythic history. It invites readers to see the Bible not as an isolated revelation, but as a divine argument against the spiritual powers of its age. In reclaiming the story of Baal—from thunder god to fallen angel—Stephen De Young helps us understand both the devil’s ancient lineage and the radical distinctiveness of Israel’s faith.
Recommended for:
Readers seeking historical and mythological context for Old Testament writings
Those curious about the continuity between ancient Near Eastern religion and Biblical theology
Anyone exploring how myth and monotheism collide
Not for:
Readers expecting exhaustive academic documentation or purely secular analysis
Before discussing theology, De Young is frank about the moral corruption surrounding Baal worship as practiced in the ancient Near East. Archaeological and textual evidence from sites like Ugarit and Carthage points to child sacrifice, ritualized sexual acts including bestiality, and the use of slaves as temple prostitutes—acts condemned repeatedly in the Hebrew Scriptures. Against this backdrop, the Torah’s purity laws and prohibitions on mixing seed, blood, or species take on a new light: they are not arbitrary rules, but deliberate antidotes to the cultic chaos of Baalism.
Central to De Young’s argument is the Baal Cycle, a series of epic poems unearthed in 1928 at the ancient city of Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra, on the Syrian coast). Written in Ugaritic cuneiform and dating to roughly the 14th–11th centuries BC, these clay tablets describe Baal Hadad as a storm and fertility god who battles Yam (the Sea) and Mot (Death) to secure his throne among the gods.
The Baal Cycle revealed, for the first time, a full literary and theological system parallel to—and older than—much of the Hebrew Bible. The language of the Psalms and Prophets often echoes this mythic world: Yahweh, too, “rides upon the clouds,” “rebukes the sea,” and “crushes Leviathan.” Yet in the Biblical telling, those ancient storm-god victories are claimed for Yahweh alone. Where Baal dies and resurrects cyclically with the seasons, Yahweh defeats death utterly. De Young shows that Israel’s theology often appropriated and inverted Baal’s imagery to proclaim monotheism.
De Young also situates Baal within the broader Indo-Mediterranean pantheon. The Canaanite Baal Hadad shares linguistic and thematic roots with Greek Zeus and a handful of other deities from the region—each a sky-or storm deity ruling from a mountaintop, wielding thunder, and defeating a sea or serpent god. These parallels suggest a shared proto-myth in which divine kingship was established through combat with chaos.
Over centuries, as trade and conquest blended cultures, these figures often merged back together in practice. Phoenician colonies equated Baal Hammon with Cronus or Saturn; in some Greek texts, Zeus Baal appears as a hybrid deity. This syncretism underscores how ancient Mediterranean religion was less about exclusive worship than about identifying one’s local god with the supreme cosmic ruler—an identification the Israelites steadfastly resisted.
He includes a fascinating linguistic note on Jezebel, the infamous queen who promoted Baal worship in Israel. Her name, he argues, is likely a Hebrew parody. The probable original—Baal-zebaal, meaning “Baal is Lord”—would have been unacceptable in Hebrew scripture. So the scribes rendered it Izevel, “Where is Baal?”, a deliberate taunt encapsulating the Biblical theme of divine impotence: Baal is absent, silent, dead. The mocking renaming of Jezebel becomes, in miniature, Israel’s polemic against the Baal cult itself.
One of De Young’s most striking insights is that many Old Testament laws can be read as counter-rituals to Baal worship. The ban on child sacrifice, the insistence on sexual purity, the rejection of temple prostitution, and the emphasis on clean versus unclean animals all served to differentiate Israel from its neighbors. The Hebrew priesthood’s strict codes created a moral firewall between Yahweh’s worship and the moral collapse of the fertility cults around them.
Seen this way, the Law is not a burdensome set of taboos but a program of spiritual resistance, replacing pagan imitation of nature’s cycles with covenantal holiness grounded in ethical behavior and justice.
For readers interested in how Hebrew thought evolved amid competing mythologies, The Baal Book is invaluable. De Young’s treatment brings to life the comparative-mythological world in which the Bible was born—where every rainstorm, bull symbol, and sacred grove carried theological weight. The Old Testament’s fierce monotheism becomes all the more remarkable when one grasps how saturated the surrounding culture was with Baalism and its related deities.
De Young’s expertise as both theologian and historian shines throughout. His command of Ugaritic sources, Second Temple literature, and early Christian interpretation makes him a trustworthy guide. Yet, as he himself admits, this is not an academic monograph. The prose is accessible, the footnotes few, and the purpose devotional as much as analytical. That balance makes it especially effective for readers who want to understand the context behind Old Testament texts without wading into dense scholarship.
The Baal Book is a compelling fusion of theology, archaeology, and mythic history. It invites readers to see the Bible not as an isolated revelation, but as a divine argument against the spiritual powers of its age. In reclaiming the story of Baal—from thunder god to fallen angel—Stephen De Young helps us understand both the devil’s ancient lineage and the radical distinctiveness of Israel’s faith.
Recommended for:
Readers seeking historical and mythological context for Old Testament writings
Those curious about the continuity between ancient Near Eastern religion and Biblical theology
Anyone exploring how myth and monotheism collide
Not for:
Readers expecting exhaustive academic documentation or purely secular analysis
December 7, 2025
Funny to say it this way, but few people understand the devil the way Stephen De Young does. This thin volume gives a compelling account of the different faces Satan, Lucifer, or Ba’al has assumed throughout the Biblical canon and mythological traditions, with a guide to the framing narrative that usually accompanies his rise. If you’ve ever been one to use “satan” or the devil in everyday speech but suspected you didn’t fully understand what you mean by it, De Young’s work on the world of spirits is very helpful.
February 9, 2026
Great introductory book on the history of the evil one and deepening the understanding of the polemics used in the Old Testament against the pagan gods.
Includes pointing out shortcomings in modern day scholarship of the Old Testament, which ironically avoids ever studying the actual Old Testament.
Delves a bit deeper into traditional Christian teachings, for example on Genesis 3 which typically focuses on the fall of Adam and Eve. Fr. De Young points out that the serpent fell as well. While some schools of thought dismiss the serpent as a "talking animal" it would not have been viewed that way in ancient interpretation:
As the serpent receives his consequences for trying to usurp the power of God and is made lower than the creation:
Fr. De Young goes through some of the Prophets and Psalms explaining examples of the polemics used in Scripture while using some of the very phrases used by worshippers of Ba'al are utilized to actually reveal the Most High God.
Sets straight the notion that the Hebrews and Christians practice merely an offshoot of old Ba'al pagan worship by highlighting the differences between the two.
He briefly touches on the New Testament period when worship of Ba'al had largely died down to be replaced by Roman pantheon of gods, still related to Ba'al.
Illustrates how the early concepts of Ba'al and his father El are contiguous throughout history and are in fact the same character known by a variety of names. The basic framework remains the same: the son of the god overthrows his father and becomes ruler of the weather, the sea and eventually the underworld. He proclaims his defeats as victories. His followers engage in all manner of perversity: idolatry, all manner of sexual immorality such as temple prostitution (slavery of women and girls and boys used for sex acts with both humans and animals), bestiality, pedophilia, ritual orgies, child sacrifice, cannibalism, etc.
This cult is alive and well in our modern age. For example, just revealed in the Epstein files (child sex trafficker and alleged Mossad/CIA agent) is the name of one of his bank accounts: Baal. The files give a small window into the ongoing depravity as well as the global financial transactions driving foreign policies, wars, even pandemics in addition to all the pagan rites listed above.
Includes pointing out shortcomings in modern day scholarship of the Old Testament, which ironically avoids ever studying the actual Old Testament.
Delves a bit deeper into traditional Christian teachings, for example on Genesis 3 which typically focuses on the fall of Adam and Eve. Fr. De Young points out that the serpent fell as well. While some schools of thought dismiss the serpent as a "talking animal" it would not have been viewed that way in ancient interpretation:
The word here translated as "serpent" is itself a sort of wordplay. The Hebrew consonants "n-ch-sh" can be vocalized or pronounced in several different ways. Depending on this pronunciation, it could be the word for a snake, serpent, or even dragon. It could be the adjective that means "shining" like brass. It could also be a word for subtlety or deceit. Different elements of the story reflect these variations in meaning, such as his introduction as the cleverest of the beasts. Put together, these meanings describe a spiritual power, serpentine in nature like one of the seraphim, who is shining and devious.
The being attempts to seduce the first woman into partaking of the knowledge of good and evil--knowledge for which she is not ready. He promises that doing so will make her like him and his fellow powers. Contained within this promise is the central notion of later paganism: To worship and serve a spiritual power is to become like it, to acquire its powers....
As the serpent receives his consequences for trying to usurp the power of God and is made lower than the creation:
Ancient people knew that snakes did not eat dirt....The dust that the serpent would henceforth eat is the same dust--the same word in the text--as the dust from which humans were made and to which they would return when they died (v.19). The serpent is not only banished to the underworld, he is made the eater of the dead, their devourer....
...The curse levied on the serpent, however, gets worse. Even this kingdom of dust and ashes will not be his permanently. His ultimate defeat will come through one of the woman's descendants who will one day crush his head (v. 15). This is a prophecy not only of judgment against the serpent but of the defeat and destruction of death itself
Fr. De Young goes through some of the Prophets and Psalms explaining examples of the polemics used in Scripture while using some of the very phrases used by worshippers of Ba'al are utilized to actually reveal the Most High God.
Sets straight the notion that the Hebrews and Christians practice merely an offshoot of old Ba'al pagan worship by highlighting the differences between the two.
He briefly touches on the New Testament period when worship of Ba'al had largely died down to be replaced by Roman pantheon of gods, still related to Ba'al.
Illustrates how the early concepts of Ba'al and his father El are contiguous throughout history and are in fact the same character known by a variety of names. The basic framework remains the same: the son of the god overthrows his father and becomes ruler of the weather, the sea and eventually the underworld. He proclaims his defeats as victories. His followers engage in all manner of perversity: idolatry, all manner of sexual immorality such as temple prostitution (slavery of women and girls and boys used for sex acts with both humans and animals), bestiality, pedophilia, ritual orgies, child sacrifice, cannibalism, etc.
This cult is alive and well in our modern age. For example, just revealed in the Epstein files (child sex trafficker and alleged Mossad/CIA agent) is the name of one of his bank accounts: Baal. The files give a small window into the ongoing depravity as well as the global financial transactions driving foreign policies, wars, even pandemics in addition to all the pagan rites listed above.
December 24, 2025
Fr. Stephen does a great job of introducing laypeople to the context of Baal worship in the Scriptures and how that relates to the Devil and the Satan.
**Spoiler**
Towards the end of the book, he demonstrates how the concept of the Antichrist was present in the Second Temple period and wasn't coined by the NT and how this figure relates to the human representation of demonic institutions with the forces of darkness behind him.
"Early Christianity understood that the real warfare was spiritual warfare. The cure for the deception of the Devil was the truth of the gospel of Christ. This was true not only for the regular people of the nations who had been subjected to Rome and also subjected to the demonic powers by false, pagan worship, this was true all the way up to the emperor, the Antichrist himself whom St. Paul sought not to defeat or kill but to convert. When that great representative of the power of Baal on earth converted to Christianity in the reign of St. Constantine, the entire world was transformed."
**Spoiler**
Towards the end of the book, he demonstrates how the concept of the Antichrist was present in the Second Temple period and wasn't coined by the NT and how this figure relates to the human representation of demonic institutions with the forces of darkness behind him.
"Early Christianity understood that the real warfare was spiritual warfare. The cure for the deception of the Devil was the truth of the gospel of Christ. This was true not only for the regular people of the nations who had been subjected to Rome and also subjected to the demonic powers by false, pagan worship, this was true all the way up to the emperor, the Antichrist himself whom St. Paul sought not to defeat or kill but to convert. When that great representative of the power of Baal on earth converted to Christianity in the reign of St. Constantine, the entire world was transformed."
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 7, 2025
Fr. Stephen De Young has a way of taking even the most difficult or esoteric of topics and making it accessible to a layperson without a scholarly background in Ancient Near Eastern religions and languages. This volume presents not only a summary of the Baal Cycle and how it inverts reality. Baal did not descend into the underworld as a conqueror but defeated by the One True God. Tracing Baal's appearances throughout the Old Testament made it readily apparent to this reader how oversized a role he had in the ancient world. Moving to the New Testament, Baal didn't disappear but was rather adopted by the Greeks and Romans, nevertheless, the New Testament authors don't pull their punches in declaring that Baal's false gospel has been overthrown by the true gospel of Christ. I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants to deepen their understanding of not only Baal worship but also how God has overcome the Devil.
November 3, 2025
Within this text, Father Stephen de Young provides a brief yet rich companion to your study of Holy Scripture. The study and understanding of the Baal cycle and its evolution through the narrative of the Old and New testament and its relevance to Sacred History.
To give an example, Fr. Stephen delineates how the imagery of the Son of Man is a direct jab at the worshippers of Baal, who they title as the Cloud Rider. Likewise, after reading Fr. Stephen's explanation of how Baal worship works, one understands the actions, desperate ritual acts, and the severity of the ultimate defeat of the Baal priests in 1 Kings by Elijah on Mount Carmel. It is a deeply engaging read that I highly recommend for any individual seeking to understand their Bible and faith better.
To give an example, Fr. Stephen delineates how the imagery of the Son of Man is a direct jab at the worshippers of Baal, who they title as the Cloud Rider. Likewise, after reading Fr. Stephen's explanation of how Baal worship works, one understands the actions, desperate ritual acts, and the severity of the ultimate defeat of the Baal priests in 1 Kings by Elijah on Mount Carmel. It is a deeply engaging read that I highly recommend for any individual seeking to understand their Bible and faith better.
November 3, 2025
The Baal Book: A Biography of the Devil is a compact but richly informative book that deepened my understanding of Old Testament history and the context of Baal worship. It gave me a fuller picture of the spiritual world behind Scripture and renewed my desire to study biblical history more deeply. The discussion of Baal and related figures in the Old and New Testaments was especially enlightening. Though some background details were complex, they only added to the book’s depth. De Young manages to balance careful scholarship with accessible writing, making ancient themes come alive for modern readers. I highly recommend it to anyone who wants a deeper grasp of Baal’s place in the biblical story and the enduring conflict between true and false worship.
October 9, 2025
In depth description of Baal
As usual Fr Stephen De Young has delivered a concise clear history and description of how mankind was deceived by Baal aka the devil. He goes into great detail of how this progressed in early history among the various pagan peoples of the levant. He also describes the truth about Baal and the Son of Man as told in the Old and New testaments. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the false religions that worshiped Baal and the true religion that has always worshiped the one true God.
As usual Fr Stephen De Young has delivered a concise clear history and description of how mankind was deceived by Baal aka the devil. He goes into great detail of how this progressed in early history among the various pagan peoples of the levant. He also describes the truth about Baal and the Son of Man as told in the Old and New testaments. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in the false religions that worshiped Baal and the true religion that has always worshiped the one true God.
November 16, 2025
A Profoundly Valuable Read
Truly a fantastic book and a great read. Very approachable for the lay person, like myself, and still very deep. Know your enemy and read this book. God have mercy on us all.
Truly a fantastic book and a great read. Very approachable for the lay person, like myself, and still very deep. Know your enemy and read this book. God have mercy on us all.
December 22, 2025
Fantastic oral icon of what Satan really is and what to make of his attempts to mislead the nations.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews