The origins of the Christian God -1
Yahweh, like most of the other gods of antiquity had undoubtedly his origins in nature. By deriving the root meaning of the word, Yahweh, scholars maintain that he was a storm God. He was also at times connected with earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. His habitation was in southern desert, Nogeb. “The mountains rocked at the presence of Yahweh, the god of Israel.” (Deu:32:2) Yahweh came from Sinai and dawned on us …with his lightening bolt at his right hand. Like other primitive gods ‘he spoke in thunder’
He was jealous god who forced his followers to give up all other gods and even forced them to abandon the worship of the ancestors. He manifested himself in luminous scenes and in volcanic eruptions and seismic disturbances. Mount Horeb and Sinai were his holy mounts.
Yahweh demanded animal and sometimes human sacrifies
Like the other deities of the times, he also demanded sacrifices and rituals. Usually a burnt offering of fruits and animals was liked by him if mixed with some grains and oil poured on the sacrificial animal. The best of the sheep had to be sacrificed and perfectly in accordance with the laws; otherwise, he would have a bitter taste when the buning is over.
At times he demanded human scarifies. The story of the attempt to offer Isaac shows that human sacrifice was not repugnant to Yahweh.
He had a special liking for the first borne. The passage in the Exodus (20:22, 23:33) ‘ the first borne of thy sons shall thou give unto me’ indicates this. There was an annual commemoration of that terrible night when the angel set forth in his bloody campaign against the Egyptians. As the paschal ritual of the Jews was conducted in the memory of the great massacre of the first born, there is a possibility for the first borne to be sacrificed the course of the festival too. .
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