Shared title of God and gods in the OT

Also see part II on Bible characters.

A popular charge against Catholics by some more radical and low church Protestants, Seventh Day Adventists (Sunday=pagan--though they ignore evidence pagans also had sabbaths), and Jehovah Witnesses (Trinity=pagan--though they ignore their view of Jehovah and Jesus' relationship resembles pagan gods granting their authority to inferior gods) is that we incorporate elements of paganism. This claim is also sometimes made by Jewish anti-missionaries about the New Testament. What they fail to see is that the Bible, the Old Testament especially, itself incorporates some aspects of paganism, demythologizes and baptizes them. Some or much of these can be explained by the verse:

 For it is precept for a precept, precept for a precept, line for a line... --Isaiah 28:10

Generally, translated "line upon line" but the words for "upon" is not there but rather L' is used which means either to, for, about, or concerning. The explanation provided by those such as the interpreter Rashi is God provides a law to counter the law of a pagan deity. Perhaps, part of God's plan was to rob the idols of their glory by taking away their names for Himself.

This article is not to say that the borrowing of ideas is only one way, in fact there are times where pagans copy the Old Testament verses and Jews and others copy from the New Testament. But this article will mostly focus on the former. 

Titles of God:

El shaddai

וַיְהִי אַבְרָם, בֶּן-תִּשְׁעִים שָׁנָה וְתֵשַׁע שָׁנִים; וַיֵּרָא יְהוָה אֶל-אַבְרָם, וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי-אֵל שַׁדַּי--הִתְהַלֵּךְ לְפָנַי, וֶהְיֵה תָמִים--Genesis 17:1

And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him: 'I am God Almighty (el shaddai אֵל שַׁדַּי); walk before Me, and be thou wholehearted.—Genesis 17:1

 The word "shaddai" has been debated a long time, it seems to be a word used before Bible times, or at least influenced by it.

On the matter of the similar titles:

"A number of scholars believe the name Shadday, usually found as El-shadday, reflects the epithet bel sade, 'Lord of the Mountain', currently carried by Amurru."-- Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, pages 32

"In spite of the absence of the theonym Amurru in the Bible, the god nevertheless plays a significant role in OT scholarship. The reason for this is the interpretation of the Shadday (often occurring in the combination El-Shadday) as "Mountaineer" or "the Mountain One' (first proposed by WF Albright, The Names Shaddai and Abram, JBL 54 [1935] 173-204, esp. 184). Various authors consider this the Canaanite equivalent of Amurru's epithet be-l sade, 'Lord of the Mountain', they draw the conclusion that Shadday (or El-shadday) is to be identified with Amurri (eg E Burrows, The Meaning of El Shadai, JTS 41 [1940] 152-160; L. R. Bailey, Israelite 'El Sadday and Amorite Bel Sade, JBL 87 [1968] 434-438; J OUELLETTE, More on 'El sadday and Bel sade, JBL 88 [1969] 470-471....

"The interpretation of sadday as 'the Mountain One;', however, is far from certain. On the basis of Ug sd(y) and Heb sadeh, a meaning 'of the field' is much more plausible. The equation of (El-)Shadday with Amurru must therefore be regarded as unproven."--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, pages 33-34 

The ancient near east John Day disputes the conclusion offered and says:

The two most widely accepted views today render the name El-Shaddai either as 'El, the mountain one', relating it to Akkadian Sadii 'mountain' (and Saddd'u, Saddu'a., 'mountain inhabitant'), or as 'El of the field', connecting it with Hebrew sadeh 'field'. It is a disadvantage to the latter understanding that the Hebrew word for 'field' has ś, whereas Shaddai has š. Since the meaning 'mountain' is thought to derive from the word for 'breast', the fact that Hebrew here has š is also appropriate. Further, Cross observes that in a Hurrian hymn El is described as 'El, the one of the mountain' ('II paban-hi-wi-ni). He also notes that an epithet resembling 'el-Sadday, namely, bel šade 'lord of the mountain' is employed of the Amorite deity called Amurru...Since, moreover, this epithet is here applied to the gods in their role as members of the divine assembly, which characteristically met on a mountain, the meaning 'mountain ones' seems very appropriate, much more so than 'those of the field'. judging from such facts as that this deity is also called Ilu-Amurru and has a liaison with Asratum, the counterpart of Athirat (Asherah), El's consort, Cross suggests that Amurru is to be regarded as the Amorite El.--Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan, Chapter 1: Yahweh and El. pages 32-33. John Day

According to worldhistory.org on the section entitled "Amorite" it says they worshipped a god of similar title: 

Amorite. They worshipped their own pantheon of gods with a chief deity named Amurru (also known as Belu Sadi - 'Lord of the Mountains' whose wife, Belit-Seri was 'Lady of the Desert'), which also became a designation for the people as the Akkadians also referred to them as 'the people of Amurru' and to the region of Syria as 'Amurru'-- https://www.worldhistory.org/amorite/

 Concerning their time and place: 

The Amorites were a Semitic people who seem to have emerged from western Mesopotamia (modern-day Syria) at some point prior to the 3rd millennium BCE. --https://www.worldhistory.org/amorite/

 The peak of Amorite civilization was:

From their first appearance in the historical record, the Amorites had a profound impact on the history of Mesopotamia and are probably best known for their kingdom of Babylonia under the Amorite king Hammurabi (r. 1792-1750 BCE). --https://www.worldhistory.org/amorite/

 As can be seen, Amorite civilization existed before the Patriarch Abraham and peaked before Moses wrote the Torah. 

 The article also notes the Patriarchs came from the same culture as the Amorites:

The scholar Paul Kriwaczek writes:

Terah's family were not Sumerian. They have long been identified with the very people, the Amurru or Amorites, whom Mesopotamian tradition blamed for Ur's downfall. William Hallo, Professor of Assyriology at Yale University, confirms that 'growing linguistic evidence based chiefly on the recorded personal names of persons identified as Amorites…shows that the new group spoke a variety of Semitic ancestral to later Hebrew, Aramaic and Phoenician.' What is more, as depicted in the Bible, the details of the patriarch's tribal organization, naming conventions, family structure, customs of inheritance and land tenure, genealogical schemes, and other vestiges of nomadic life are too close to the more laconic evidence of the cuneiform records to be dismissed out of hand as late fabrications. (163-164) --https://www.worldhistory.org/amorite/

 In fact, if you look at the names of Abraham's ancestors, cities in southern Turkey and Syria still have those names. 

 Baal in Hebrew means Husband/Master. The Bible tends to avoid the word for Baal because of its negative connotation with paganism. Baal was replaced with El…God. We still see some usage of Baal for God:

For thy Maker is thy husband (בֹעֲלַיִךְ vo'alaik), the LORD of hosts is His name; and the Holy One of Israel is thy Redeemer, the God of the whole earth shall He be called.--Isaiah 54:5 

כִּי בֹעֲלַיִךְ עֹשַׂיִךְ, יְהוָה צְבָאוֹת שְׁמוֹ; וְגֹאֲלֵךְ קְדוֹשׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֱלֹהֵי כָל-הָאָרֶץ יִקָּרֵא. --Isaiah 54:5 (Masoretic text)

 The word ba'al means in Hebrew master/husband, 1 Peter makes a point of this double meaning. 

The word/name Ba'al:

Baal (also given as Ba'al) is a Canaanite-Phoenician god of fertility and weather, specifically rainstorms. The name was also used as a title, however, meaning "Lord" and was applied to a number of different deities throughout the ancient Near East. Baal is best known today from the Bible as the antagonist of the Israelite cult of Yahweh.--https://www.worldhistory.org/baal/

 Jastrow on Ba'al says:

בַּעַל m. (b. h.; preced.) 1) husband. Kidd. I, 1 and she becomes her own master בגט ובמיתת הב׳ through a letter of divorce or on the husband’s death; a. v. fr. —2) the idol Baal. Y. Ab. Zar. III, 43ᵃ bot. ב׳ ראש גוייה הוה וכ׳ the Baal was the phallus and had the shape of a bean [read וכאפון]. —3) [the fructifier,] rain (v. Taan. 6ᵇ; cmp. Is. LV, 10). בֵּית בַּ׳ a field sufficiently watered by rain and requiring no artificial irrigation. Tosef. M. Kat. I, 1 שדה (בית) הב׳. B. Bath. III, 1. Tosef. Succ. II, 7 ערבה של ב׳ (sub. בית) a willow in a naturally watered field. Ib. Shebi. II, 4 בשל ב׳ (= בשדה של ב׳), opp. של שוקי. Num. R. s. 16 the Egyptian gods של שקר הם (read שקי) are gods of artificial drainage, but those of Canaan של ב׳ הם are gods of rain; (Tanḥ. Sh’laḥ 13, through misunderstanding, שקר … בעליכח. —4) (mostly in compounds) owner of, master of, possessed of, given to &c.; e.g. ב׳ אבידה owner of a lost object; ב׳ אגדה master of Agadah, lecturer; ב׳ דין opponent in court; v. infra. Pes. 86ᵇ ב׳ השם אני I am so named.—Pl. בְּעָלִים, בְּעָלִין owners; mostly as sing. owner. B. Mets. VIII, 1; a. fr. [Y. Dem. III, 23ᵇ bot. לבלעין, read לבעלין.]

Regardless, El and Ba'al are both names/titles of deities. The Bible is either reusing the title El shaddai from pagan sources, or slightly changed its meaning to fit the Hebraic environment.

 Also, noteworthy is that the Semitic sun god, Shamash, was previously called Utu (see the next section) by the Mesopotamians, and he was referred to as "lord of the mountain": 

Whoever has eaten good bread has also drunk good beer, in the house where the righteous man has filled the bowls with liquor -- the lord of the storehouse, the Great Mountain Enlil; the lady of the storehouse, the great mother Ninlil; youthful Utu, lord of the mountain; Šerida, youthful leader of battle; the Enki and Ninki deities; Enmul and Ninmul. 

Unto distant days, indeed forever, stand by the righteous man who gives you bread, O exalted one, O exalted one, O exalted one -- elalu! Unto distant days, indeed forever, stand by the most righteous of men who gives you bread, O lord of the storehouse, Great Mountain Enlil! O lady of the storehouse, great mother Ninlil! O youthful Utu, lord of the mountain!--The Literature of Ancient Sumer, A šir-namšub to Utu (Utu E), page 260 see also here

Sun of Righteousness/justice:

The title "sun of righteous" is used in the Old Testament, a passage often applied to Christ.

וְזָרְחָה לָכֶם יִרְאֵי שְׁמִי, שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה, וּמַרְפֵּא, בִּכְנָפֶיהָ; וִיצָאתֶם וּפִשְׁתֶּם, כְּעֶגְלֵי מַרְבֵּק

But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness (שֶׁמֶשׁ צְדָקָה shemesh tzakah) arise with healing in its wings; and ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall.—Malachi 3:20

The context of the verse is divine justice/judgement to repay the humans for their works.

The pagan sun god was called "Shamash" (literally sun), and like Malachi's verse was associated with justice and healing:

Shamash was the sun god in the mythology of the ancient Near East. Associated with truth, justice, and healing, he was one of the most active gods in the pantheons of ancient Sumer*, Babylonia*, and Assyria*.-- https://www.encyclopedia.com/philosophy-and-religion/ancient-religions/ancient-religion/shamash

 The god Shamash was also depicted with wings: 

Utu (also known as Shamash, Samas, and Babbar) is the Sumerian god of the sun and divine justice....

He is usually depicted as an old man with a long beard whose shoulders emanate rays of light but is also represented as the solar disc or, in the Neo-Assyrian Period (c. 912-612 BCE), as a disc with wings. The famous law code of Hammurabi (1792-1750 BCE) addresses Shamash by name and claims it was he who provided humanity with law.

As the sun sailing across the sky could obviously see everything that transpired on earth, Utu/Shamash was not only the bringer of light but the arbiter of justice. Scholar Jeremy Black notes how Utu/Shamash "represents the brilliant light of the sun which returns every day to illuminate the life of mankind, as well as giving beneficial warmth which causes plants to grow" (182). The light of the sun was thought to be able to penetrate and pierce every level of the earth, even to the underworld, and illuminate the human heart. There was nothing, therefore, which Utu/Shamash did not see. -- Shamash, Mesopotamian god 

Brittanica:

Shamash was not only the god of justice but also governor of the whole universe; in this aspect he was pictured seated on a throne, holding in his hand the symbols of justice and righteousness, a staff and a ring. Also associated with Shamash is the notched dagger. The god is often pictured with a disk that symbolized the Sun.--https://www.britannica.com/topic/Shamash

Another description says,

UTU - (also known as Shamash, Samas, Babbar) - The Sumerian god of the sun and justice, one of the oldest deities in the Mesopotamian Pantheon, dating from c. 3500 BCE. See SHAMASH.--World History Encyclopedia, The Mesopotamian Pantheon

Here on page 27 you can see imagery of Shamash with solar rays and holding a saw symbolizing judgement.

Here are instances of Shamash being called (universal) judge and being associated with righteousness.

"O Shamash, thou art the judge of the world. thou directest the decisions thereof."--Man and the Sun, Sun of Justice, Babylonian Hymn to the Sun, page 81

The epilogue of the code of Hammurabi describes the Sun god as "judge of heaven and earth":

The king who ruleth among the kings of the cities am I. My words are well considered; there is no wisdom like unto mine. By the command of Shamash, the great judge of heaven and earth, let righteousness go forth in the land: by the order of Marduk, my lord, let no destruction befall my monument. In E-Sagil, which I love, let my name be ever repeated; let the oppressed, who has a case at law, come and stand before this my image as king of righteousness; let him read the inscription, and understand my precious words: the inscription will explain his case to him; he will find out what is just, and his heart will be glad...--Code of Hammurabi, Epilogue

Hammurabi, the king of righteousness, on whom Shamash has conferred right (or law) am I... If a succeeding ruler considers my words, which I have written in this my inscription, if he do not annul my law, nor corrupt my words, nor change my monument, then may Shamash lengthen that king's reign, as he has that of me, the king of righteousness, that he may reign in righteousness over his subjects....May Shamash, the great Judge of heaven and earth, who supporteth all means of livelihood, Lord of life-courage, shatter his dominion, annul his law, destroy his way, make vain the march of his troops, send him in his visions forecasts of the uprooting of the foundations of his throne and of the destruction of his land. May the condemnation of Shamash overtake him forthwith; may he be deprived of water above among the living, and his spirit below in the earth  --Code of Hammurabi Epilogue also see p 273 here 

Continuing on Malachi 3:20 another near east scholar notes:

"and, later, out of the "sun child" known from the art of Palestine/Israel. In the Book of the Dead, the sun-calf is important as a representation of the rising young sun. Traces of Egyptian sun-calf symbolism can be found in the book of Malachi (Schroer 1998)" where those true to YHWH are told: [quotes Malachi 3:20]-- Creation: Biblical Theologies in the Context of the Ancient Near East by Othmar Keel and Silvia Schroer, p 93

It's noteworthy the Jerusalem King Hezekiah used the sun disk, scarab, lotus and ankh in his coins, seals and buildings, despite being one of the most passionate opponents of paganism in Israel's history per 2 Kings 18. 

 Rider of the Clouds

The Old Testament uses the title "rider of the clouds"

מַשָּׂא, מִצְרָיִם:  הִנֵּה יְהוָה רֹכֵב עַל-עָב קַל, וּבָא מִצְרַיִם, וְנָעוּ אֱלִילֵי מִצְרַיִם מִפָּנָיו, וּלְבַב מִצְרַיִם יִמַּס בְּקִרְבּוֹ

The burden of Egypt. Behold, the LORD rideth upon a swift cloud (רֹכֵב עַל-עָב קַל rochev 'al-'av kal), and cometh unto Egypt; and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at His presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt within it—Isaiah 19:1

 Per the Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible: 

Rider upon the Clouds רכב בערבות

In Ps 68:5 [4] Yahweh is referred to as the rokeb ba'arabot. Though often translated as 'rider through the steppe; (based on the meaning 'steppe' of Hebr 'araba), the expression is thought to reflect the Ugaritic epithet rkb 'rpt. 'Rider upon the clouds', traditionally given to Baal.--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, Rider upon the Clouds, p 703-704

On the specific point of Psalm 68:5, the Dictionary suggests the Bible is not simply reusing the Ugaritic title, but using a similar title based on the former:

In the context of Ps 68, the word 'arabot makes good sense when translated as 'steppe, desert'. Verses 8-10[7-9] refer to the Exodus, using the word yesimon as a designation of the wilderness in v 8[7]. Though the fact remains that the Israelites imagined Yahweh as being capable of moving about in a nubilous chariot (see in addition to the texts already mentioned Ps 104:3], this by itself is not enough to maintain that 'arabot needs to be understood as 'cloud'. The choice of the word 'arabot should rather be explained as a deliberate attempt to differentiate Yahweh from Baal; the Baal epithet was adopted yet modified in such a way that it came to signify something entirely different.--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, Rider upon the Clouds, p.705

 Returning to the pagan god Baal:

In the Hebrew Bible, the Phoenician Baal appears as the most prominent divine rival to the Israelite god, Yahweh. Indeed, the two gods share many of the same qualities and epithets. Like Baal, Yahweh is depicted as a god of the storm who sounds his voice in thunder and sends lightning (Ps. 18:10–16). Yahweh is the rider of the clouds (Isa.19:1; Ps. 68:5), who dominates the sea (ym ) and vanquishes primordial dragons or sea monsters, including Tannin and Leviathan the Twisting Serpent (Ps. 74:13–14; Isa. 27:1; 51:9–10; Job 26:12–13). Yahweh is also responsible for human and natural fertility, including the "dew of the heavens and the fat of the earth, the abundance of new grain and wine" (Gen. 27:28). https://www.encyclopedia.com/philosophy-and-religion/ancient-religions/ancient-religion/baal (emphasis mine)

 Concerning the Baal Cycle:

"And Kothar-wa-khasis replied: Let me tell you, Prince Baal, let me repeat, Rider on the Clouds: behold your enemy, Baal, behold, you will kill your enemy, behold you will annihilate your foes. You will take eternal kingship, your dominion forever and ever. --Baal Cycle. Coogan, Stories from Ancient Canaan, 86-115 

Also,

What enemy has risen against Baal, What foe against the Cloud-Rider?   The youths speak up and answer: "No enemy has risen against Baal, No foe against the Cloudrider (lrkb.'rpt)... --Ugaritic Narrative Poetry, The Baal Cycle, page 112, Column IV 2:4-6

 Also, notice the similarity of "you will kill your enemy, behold you will annihilate your foes. You will take eternal kingship, your dominion forever and ever" to the Psalms and Daniel.

Another reference to Baal being called rider of the clouds is:

She lifted up her voice and cried: 

How (is it that) Gupn and Ugar have arrived? What foe rises against Baal, (what) enemy against the rider on the clouds? Did I not destroy Yam the darling of El, did I not make an end of Nahar the great god?--Canaanite Myths and Legends, 2nd edition, by JCL Gibson, The Palace of Baal. page 50

El elyon, God Most High

 וּמַלְכִּי-צֶדֶק מֶלֶךְ שָׁלֵם, הוֹצִיא לֶחֶם וָיָיִן; וְהוּא כֹהֵן, לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן.  וַיְבָרְכֵהוּ, וַיֹּאמַר:  בָּרוּךְ אַבְרָם לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן, קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ.וּבָרוּךְ אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, אֲשֶׁר-מִגֵּן צָרֶיךָ בְּיָדֶךָ; וַיִּתֶּן-לוֹ מַעֲשֵׂר, מִכֹּל...וַיֹּאמֶר אַבְרָם, אֶל-מֶלֶךְ סְדֹם:  הֲרִמֹתִי יָדִי אֶל-יְהוָה אֵל עֶלְיוֹן, קֹנֵה שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ. Genesis 14:18-20,22

And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine; and he was priest of God the Most High [לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן el 'el'yon]. And he blessed him, and said: 'Blessed be Abram of God Most High [לְאֵל עֶלְיוֹן el 'el'yon], Maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God the Most High [אֵל עֶלְיוֹן el 'el'yon], who hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand.' And he gave him a tenth of all...And Abram said to the king of Sodom: 'I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, God Most High, Maker of heaven and earth--Genesis 14:18-20, 22

El elyon is typical translated "most high." As we see both Abram and Melchizedek both using the title and Abram specifying that YHVH is El elyon. Also, noteworthy, there is debate about Melchizedek, his name some interpret as more evidence for a god named "zedek" (tzedekah) or 'righteousness,' also the name of the city Salem (Shalem) is the name of a Canaanite god of the Dusk/evening star, one of the sons of the god El in the pantheon (after an absurdly perverted sexual encounter), half-brother of the god shahar (Dawn/morning star) mentioned in Isaiah 14:12, which has made some conclude he worshipped El, Shalem, or Tzedekah. 

We see that the title is used in the ancient world for several gods also:

"...there is a wide range of evidence to suggest that 'Elyon was a common epithet in the West Semitic region, applied at different times and in different cultures to any god thought to be supreme. One example of the fluidity of the epithet is in its application to the Canaanite deities El and Baal"--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, page 295. El Elyon

 "The fluidity of the epithet 'Elyon is far from restricted to Canaanite tradition alone. The epithet became firmly associated with the Israelite God, Yahweh, for instance. This tradition carries over into later Jewish pseudepigraphic literature and inscriptions and is also found within the NT. The epithet is frequently attested in Greek culture in reference to Zeus as well. We know that the cult of 'Zeus Hypsistos' was recognized at Thebes, Iasos, Mylasa, and Edessa. Further, in Lydia, some form of the Mother goddess was called 'Thea Hypsiste'...Thus, the epithet 'Elyon seems to have enjoyed a rich and widespread usage in the ancient West Semitic world."--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, page 295. El Elyon

 The goddess Anat says about Baal when he gains control of the pantheon by permission of El:

“Our king is Aliyn Baal Our ruler, there is none above him Let us both drain his chalice Both us drain his cup"--nt:V:40. in Gordon, Ugaritic Literature, 23 (as found here)

The Epic of Kirta contain these verses about Baal being "most high":

Look to the earth for Baal's rain, To the field, for the Most High's ('ly) rain! So good for the earth is Baal's rain, And for the field, the Most High's rain!--Ugaritic narrative poetry, p 35, from Epic of Kirta, Column III:4-8, CAT 1:16.iii.4-8

Addendum: 

Morning Star/Dawn

Updated 3/18/2023. Thanks to David, a Facebook user, for reminding me of the "morning star" image that the NT adopts for Christ. I previously wrote about this here of which I will largely self-plaguarise for.

Most are surprised to know that Lucifer is not a Hebrew name, in fact is not even Greek or Aramaic--its Latin. The reason people associated the name Lucifer as Satan's proper name is because of the King James Version of the Bible, where in Isaiah 14:12 it reads:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

אֵיךְ נָפַלְתָּ מִשָּׁמַיִם, הֵילֵל בֶּן-שָׁחַר; נִגְדַּעְתָּ לָאָרֶץ, חוֹלֵשׁ עַל-גּוֹיִם. --Isaiah 14:12 MT

This is proof of the KJV is influenced by the Latin Vulgate which read in Isaiah 14:12:

quomodo cecidisti de caelo lucifer qui mane oriebaris corruisti in terram qui vulnerabas gentes

The King James Version seems to present it as a his name, the original 1611 KJV puts in in the margins an alternative translation "day starre."It also should be noted the person called Lucifer here is not necessary the devil, but a king being addressed.

Strong's Lexicon for the word translated in the KJV as lucifer states its definition as the following:

From 1984 (in the sense of brightness); the morning star: - lucifer.--H1966

The word Lucifer is Latin means "light-bringing" and "The morning-star, the planet Venus". The reason the word "lucifer" or "day star" or "morning star" is brought up is because these terms are given to the Lord Himself.

The Latin Vulgate, the origin of the word "Lucifer" gave the same title to Christ in 2 Peter 1:19:

et habemus firmiorem propheticum sermonem cui bene facitis adtendentes quasi lucernae lucenti in caliginoso loco donec dies inlucescat et lucifer oriatur in cordibus vestris

The English Translation being:

And so, we have an even firmer prophetic word, to which you would do well to listen, as to a light shining within a dark place, until the day dawns, and the daystar [Lucifer] rises, in your hearts.

Lucifer being translated day star. The King James Version of Isaiah 14:12 and 2 Peter 1:19 are:

How art thou fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!--Isaiah 14:12, KJV 1611 translation based on marginal note

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:--2 Peter 1:19. KJV 1611

Note the King James Bible applies the term "day star" to both a king/Devil (before his fall) and Christ.

Now more modern translations of the bible such as the NASB mention "morning star" in the following:

"How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations!--Isaiah 14:12

So we have the prophetic word made more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.-2 Peter 1:19

And I will give him the morning star.--Revelation 2:28

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.--Revelation 22:16

Isaiah 14:12 uses the term "son of dawn," בֶּן-שָׁחַר ben shahar. Dawn in the pagan context that Isaiah is mocking, is Shahar the god of the morning translated as Dawn. 

Shahar also occurs in Ugaritic mythology as the other half of the divine pair Shahar and Shalim, 'Dawn' or 'Morning Star' and 'Dusk'.--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, Helel, page 393

Apart from mention in sacrificial and pantheon lists, the goddess [Asherah] also appears in two theogonic texts, KTU 1.12 i and 1.23, the former describing the birth of 'the devourers' to the handmaids of Athirat and Yarihu, the latter describing two wives of El (seemingly Athirat and perhaps Shapsh) who consummate their marriage with him, and give birth to Shahar and Shalem, the Dioskouroi. These texts have a bearing on several biblical traditions, such as Gen 16, 19:30-38, Ps 8 etc. (Wyatt 1993).--Dictionary of Deities and Demons in the Bible, Asherah, page 100 

On the basis of a number of words and phrases used it is now generally accepted that the origin of the myth must be sought specifically in Canaanite mythology, and this has especially become clear in the light of Ugaritic parallels. Thus, Zaphon (Isa. 14.13) is well known from the Ugaritic texts as the mountain which constituted Baal's throne (cf. KTU2 1.5.1.11; 1.6.1.57-9, etc.), and the words 'I shall ascend above the heights of the clouds' (Isa. 14.14a) again recall Baal, one of whose stock epithets was rkb 'rpt, 'Rider of the clouds' (KTU2 1.5.II.7, etc.). Again, the 'Mount of Assembly' (har mo'ed) in v. 13 recalls the Mountain of divine Assembly (phr m'd, KTU2 1.2.I.14,20,31,74 also called gr II, 'Mt. LI', KTU 1.2.1.20) in the Ugaritic texts. Some have thought also that 'the dawn' (sahar) in v. 12 reflects the Canaanite god Shahar. In v. 14 God is called 'the Most High', Elyon,who is attested as a Canaanite god both in Philo of Byblos....and in the Old Testament, where he is the Jebusite god of Jerusalem (Gen. 14.18-20, 22), although he is also equated with Yahweh, as in the passage being discussed here. As an Aramaean deity he also appears as Elyon in the Sefire treaty (KAI 222.A. 11). Although, he appears to have been basically an El figure (cf. the references to his (seventy) sons in Deut. 32.8, his function as a creator god in Gen. 14.19, 22, and his dwelling on the Mount of Assembly like El in Isa. 14.13), he also appears to have absorbed some of Baal's functions (he is enthroned like Baal in Ps. 47.3 [ET 2] and 97.9, he dwells on Zaphon in Isa. 14.13, he thunders like Baal in Ps. 18.14 [ET 13]). The fact that Elyon has features of both El and Baal would indicate that the myth in Isa. 14.12-15 derives ultimately from the mythology of one of these gods, as do the other Canaanite mythological features noted above. The fact that no attempt by a god to usurp El's throne is known,78 whereas Baal was in conflict with various enemies, would suggest that it is in the mythology surrounding the god Baal that one should seek the origin of the myth in Isa. 14.12-15.--Yahweh and the Gods and Goddesses of Canaan, John Day, page 170-171

Note that the other brother "shalem" may in fact be the origin of the name Jerusalem or Salem, at least.

Christ had no issue taking the title that once was given to a pagan deity to Himself as shown in the above verses of Revelation. 

See part II on Bible characters.

Mormonism: Joseph Smith's King Follet Sermon

Mormonism: Joseph Smith's King Follet Sermon

Two years before the Mormon "prophet" and founder--Joseph Smith died, he gave one of his most infamous and controversial sermons where he asserted God used to be a human and is not eternal, and that Genesis 1 teaches there are multiple Gods. Smith's sermon will be in black and my words in blue.

God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the veil were rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orbit, and who upholds all worlds and all things by His power, was to make himself visible—I say, if you were to see him today, you would see him like a man in form—like yourselves in all the person, image, and very form as a man; for Adam was created in the very fashion, image and likeness of God, and received instruction from, and walked, talked and conversed with Him, as one man talks and communes with another.

Smith here shows that Mormons have a radically different idea of God than Christians, or even other Monotheistic faiths. Mormonism does not believe God is immutable, but rather had to BECOME God.  Going even further, he insists God still looks like a man, but chooses not to show it to us! He bases this on Adam being made in the "image and likeness of God." Like much of Mormon doctrine it seems to have an origin in Jewish mysticism, neo-Platonism, and old fashioned paganism, in this case the rabbinical writing Genesis Rabbah 8:10 does has a section where a rabbi insists Adam looked exactly like God.  However, the issue is we know what "image of God" means in the ancient world, as many Jewish commentaries like Etz Hayim mention, in the ancient Middle East kings were often called the "image of a god," so the Bible here is telling us all human beings are made in the image of God, and this is repeated in the Noachide laws of Genesis  9:6.  So rather that one person being the image of God, all men are, thus democraticizing it, and showing all humans were made to rule the earth and endowed with free will and intellect by God.  Joseph Smith, however, ignoring traditional understanding, or being ignorant of the expression interprets it literally. Furthermore, if God was a man, why doesn't Joseph Smith tell us where God when He was a man came from? Who created him?   

In order to understand the subject of the dead, for consolation of those who mourn for the loss of their friends, it is necessary we should understand the character and being of God and how He came to be so; for I am going to tell you how God came to be God. We have imagined and supposed that God was God from all eternity. I will refute that idea, and take away the veil, so that you may see.

He seems to be only concern with how a man became god and unconcerned with the much bigger question of where he came from.  Furthermore, Smith's statement about God not being God "from eternity" seems to contradict his own holy book: 

For behold, God knowing all things, being from everlasting to everlasting, behold, he sent angels to minister unto the children of men, to make manifest concerning the coming of Christ; and in Christ there should come every good thing.--Moroni 7:22

Perhaps Smith has his own ideas of what "everlasting" and "eternal" mean also?

These ideas are incomprehensible to some, but they are simple. It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God, and to know that we may converse with Him as one man converses with another, and that He was once a man like us; yea, that God himself, the Father of us all, dwelt on an earth, the same as Jesus Christ Himself did; and I will show it from the Bible.

This analogy seems to imply Jesus was not God before hand since he went through the same process as the Father. We know this is not the case because John 1:1 said the "word WAS God" in regards to "the beginning."

Eternal Life to Know God and Jesus Christ

I wish I was in a suitable place to tell it, and that I had the trump of an archangel, so that I could tell the story in such a manner that persecution would cease forever. What did Jesus say? (Mark it, Elder Rigdon!) The scriptures inform us that Jesus said, as the Father hath power in himself, even so hath the Son power—to do what? Why, what the Father did. The answer is obvious—in a manner to lay down his body and take it up again. Jesus, what are you going to do? To lay down my life as my Father did, and take it up again. Do you believe it? If you do not believe it you do not believe the Bible. The scriptures say it, and I defy all the learning and wisdom and all the combined powers of earth and hell together to refute it.

Here we see the "prophet" cannot get the verse right, Mormons say Smith is paraphrasing John 5:26 which reads:

"For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;--John 5:26

 The verse is nothing to do with the Father and Son having died once and needing to resurrect, otherwise someone would have have to have given the Father power to die and resurrect likewise!  Ofcourse, Smith does not want to provide or refer to this person.  Furthermore, Smith completely misunderstands the verse--its talking about the Father posessing life--that is "salvation" and giving the ability to save to the Son, and its not talking about themselves, the whole context of John 5:26 is the Son judgement and giving life to people, whether spiritual or physical, though spiritual life (salvation) is the one emphasized the most as in

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.--John 5:24

 those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.--John 5:29

Furthermore, we have a similar verse to John 5:26 only a few verses before, but about judgement--which Jesus contrasts with life

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,--John 5:22

The Father gave the Son JUDGEMENT and LIFE, refering to the ability to damn and save people, just as verse John 5:29 that I posted above shows!

 Here, then, is eternal life—to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all gods have done before you, namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one; from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings, and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming His name, is not trifling with you or me.

Great advertising technique, tell your members they too can become Gods!  This is incredibly different from the historical Christian doctrine of Theosis, which is about becoming by grace what God is by nature, not about achieving some Divine powers and being transformed into a member of a pantheon! Interestingly, he says there are already gods

The Righteous to Dwell in Everlasting Burnings

These are the first principles of consolation. How consoling to the mourners when they are called to part with a husband, wife, father, mother, child, or dear relative, to know that, although the earthly tabernacle is laid down and dissolved, they shall rise again to dwell in everlasting burnings in immortal glory, not to sorrow, suffer, or die any more, but they shall be heirs of God and joint heirs with Jesus Christ.

If we were to read this section by itself as it it were written by an ordinary, it does not sounds strange, pagan, or crazy, but nothing Joseph Smith his idea of "heirs" is very different.

What is it? To inherit the same power, the same glory and the same exaltation, until you arrive at the station of a god, and ascend the throne of eternal power, the same as those who have gone before. What did Jesus do? Why, I do the things I saw my Father do when worlds came rolling into existence.

This is just a power trip, power is a common theme in new age religions like Wicca too and is part of its appeal to the weak.  Also, notice how Smith seems to invent a quote that vague resembles a real saying of Jesus, partly by combining sayings of Jesus and smashing quotes together--just as he did several times through out the book of Mormon (especially about baptism read 3 Nephi 11):

glory that I had with you before the world existed.--John 17:5

the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.--John 5:19

Mormons like John 5:19 especially, because they argue that Jesus can only ressurect because he was the Father ressurect himself once, however Jesus is talking again about life and judgement, about how the Father is at work, so the Son is likewise as in the verse prior

Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working.”-John 5:17

My Father worked out His kingdom with fear and trembling, and I must do the same; and when I get my kingdom, I shall present it to My Father, so that He may obtain kingdom upon kingdom, and it will exalt Him in glory. He will then take a higher exaltation, and I will take His place, and thereby become exalted myself. So that Jesus treads in the tracks of His Father, and inherits what God did before; and God is thus glorified and exalted in the salvation and exaltation of all His children. It is plain beyond disputation, and you thus learn some of the first principles of the gospel, about which so much hath been said.

"Fear and trembling" is a phrase found about 4 times in the New Testament and is only used about humans, not God, likewise the Book of Mormon uses it obviously in Mormon 9:27 taking from Philippians 2:12 about "working out your salvation with fear and trembling." Who does God have to fear and trembling over? is it himself? The implication is that there is someone he reports to, but of course Smith does not want to talk about that here either!  In this section Smith is still making God the Father and Jesus out to be self seeking for self exaltation and to glorify themselves and ascend up some ladder of godhood--much different than the Jesus of John 17:5 where Jesus asks to be RESTORED to His previous glory, rather than being GIVEN NEW GLORY:

And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was--John 17:5

Furthermore, a Jesus wanting to exalt himself gives us a Jesus radically diffferent that the Biblical one that came in form of a servant as Phillippians 2:7 and was exalted by God the Father because of it, especially since the Mormon Jesus gets to take his father's place! This is an extremely selfish, motivated Jesus--he gets a huge personal payout by helping man kind, he gets to take his father's job!

When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave. I suppose I am not allowed to go into an investigation of anything that is not contained in the Bible. If I do, I think there are so many over-wise men here that they would cry “treason” and put me to death. So I will go to the old Bible and turn commentator today.

Joseph Smith is presenting his religion as a sort of 12 step program where a persons goal is to achieve greater and greater degrees of godhood by working their way up, perhaps even getting to take Jesus' spot?

I shall comment on the very first Hebrew word in the Bible; I will make a comment on the very first sentence of the history of creation in the Bible—Berosheit. I want to analyze the word. Baith—in, by, through, and everything else. Rosh—the head, Sheit—grammatical termination. When the inspired man wrote it, he did not put the baith there. An old Jew without any authority added the word; he thought it too bad to begin to talk about the head!

There is no evidence whatsoever for this assertion that the "baith" or rather "beth" or "beit"--the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet was added to Genesis 1:1, in fact a Mormon apologist from FAIR on this point desperately tried to prove so with the following statement:

The idea that the Hebrew letter b (b) was a later addition was attested by some medieval Jewish commentators. Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra (born 1189), in his commentary on this verse, wrote, “Our scholars said that the bet in [bereshit] is superfluous.” Translator Michael Linetsky notes, “Apparently he refers to Rabbi Saadiah Gaon, followed by Ibn Janah (see Riqmah, p. 86, n. 3) and probably Ibn Balcam (commentary to Hos. 1:1), who rendered our verse as: The beginning of what (or the first thing) God created was the sky and the earth as though the bet had been discarded.”--FAIRMormon on the King Follet Discourse

However, here is what Ibn Ezra REALLY said:

Our sages have said that the [letter] bet was added, like the bet in barishonah (“in the beginning”) Bereshit 13:4, for you find “at the beginning (rishonah) they travelled” Bamidbar 2:9. But were that the meaning, the bet would have been vocalized with a kamatz gadol. And there are those who say that [the word] bereshit always [appears in] attached [form], where the meaning is “at the beginning of the evening, or the night, or the darkness”. But behold, they forgot “he saw a beginning reishit for himself” Devarim 33:21. And there are those who say that the bet is a subject without meaning. Their reason is that it is unthinkable that there is no beginning to the heavens and the earth. Therefore, it said “bereshit. But according to my opinion, it is indeed an attached form, like “At the beginning (bereshit) of the rule of Yehoyakim”. Now don’t wonder how can it be attached to a past tense verb [instead of a noun], for behold, thus: “At the beginning (techilat) spoke Hashem with Hoshea, and Hashem said to Hoshea” Hoshea 1:2, “The city (kiryat) where David camped” Yeshayahu 29:1. The meaning [of this usage] will be explained for you in the second verse.--Ibn Ezra Commentary on Genesis 1:1

The word נוסף is translated as "superfluous" in the work cited by the Mormon apologist, while the work is translated above as "added", which is truer to its real meaning! Translating it as "superfluous" makes no sense because Ibn Ezra is giving reasons why its used. Ibn Ezra is not saying someone added the Beit there--he is saying why the author of Genesis himself added beit to reshit. No matter how its spun, nothing supports Joseph Smith's claim of addition by an "old Jew." 

It read first, “The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods.” That is the true meaning of the words. Baurau signifies to bring forth. If you do not believe it, you do not believe the learned man of God. Learned men can teach you no more than what I have told you. Thus the head God brought forth the Gods in the grand council.

There is so much wrong with this claim. First of all, his rendering requires the reader to assume reshit is refering to the "head of the gods" where "gods" is absence in the Hebrew for "head of the gods." Furthermore, Genesis 1:1 continues on to say "the heavens and the earth"--Smith's claim only makes sense if you ignore the words immediately after. He would have to read "“The head one of the Gods brought forth the Gods. The heaven and the earth." This would not make sense in Hebrew since there is a word that cannot be translated into English 'et' in Genesis 1:1 that tells us "heaven and earth" are the direct objects of the sentence, so they cannot be made part of another sentence! The Hebrew reads:

אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם, וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ--et hashshamayim v'et ha'aretz

Furthermore, Bara or as Smith seems to say it "baurau" NEVER in the Bible means "bring forth"--there are other words that can mean "bring forth." In fact, the Mormon translation of the bible available on the LDS site has "bring forth" several times in Genesis 1 (v 11,12,20, 21, 24; 3:16 etc) and the rest of Genesis and it is NEVER a translation of "bara."

I will transpose and simplify it in the English language. Oh, ye lawyers, ye doctors, and ye priests, who have persecuted me, I want to let you know that the Holy Ghost knows something as well as you do. The head God called together the Gods and sat in grand council to bring forth the world. The grand councilors sat at the head in yonder heavens and contemplated the creation of the worlds which were created at the time. When I say doctors and lawyers, I mean the doctors and lawyers of the scriptures. I have done so hitherto without explanation, to let the lawyers flutter and everybody laugh at them. Some learned doctors might take a notion to say the scriptures say thus and so; and we must believe the scriptures; they are not to be altered. But I am going to show you an error in them.

The scriptuers come no where near Smith's wild claims, he insists on believing the Scripture--I agree and the Scriptures show he is wrong, furthermore, he argues they cannot be altered--however, he accuses without merit Genesis 1:1 being altered by "an old Jew," which suggests Smith himself is altering Scripture.

I have an old edition of the New Testament in the Latin, Hebrew, German and Greek languages. I have been reading the German, and find it to be the most [nearly] correct translation, and to correspond nearest to the revelations which God has given to me for the last fourteen years. It tells about Jacobus, the son of Zebedee. It means Jacob. In the English New Testament it is translated James. Now, if Jacob had the keys, you might talk about James through all eternity and never get the keys. In the 21st [verse] of the fourth chapter of Matthew, my old German edition gives the word Jacob instead of James.The doctors (I mean doctors of law, not physic) say, “If you preach anything not according to the Bible, we will cry treason.” How can we escape the damnation of hell, except God be with us and reveal to us? Men bind us with chains. The Latin says Jacobus, which means Jacob; the Hebrew says Jacob, the Greek says Jacob and the German says Jacob, here we have the testimony of four against one. I thank God that I have got this old book; but I thank him more for the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have got the oldest book in the world; but I have got the oldest book in my heart, even the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have all the four Testaments. Come here, ye learned men, and read, if you can. I should not have introduced this testimony, were it not to back up the word rosh—the head, the Father of the Gods. I should not have brought it up, only to show that I am right.

This is a trivial point that people that read the Bible in other languages see--sometimes different names are used, does it prove anything really no, just that in English we've associated the New Testament people named Jacob (Yaakov) as being "James." It's silly that a person that is a great prophet should make a big deal about this. I seriously doubt Smith could really read German, Latin or Hebrew--the prophet just could see words. If he knew Hebrew--it was the very little he learned from a Hebrew professor the church paid to give lessons--who was not even Mormon.

A Council of the Gods

In the beginning, the head of the Gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted [prepared] a plan to create the world and people it. When we begin to learn this way, we begin to learn the only true God, and what kind of a being we have got to worship. Having a knowledge of God, we begin to know how to approach Him, and how to ask so as to receive an answer.

When we understand the character of God, and know how to come to Him, he begins to unfold the heavens to us, and to tell us all about it. When we are ready to come to him, he is ready to come to us.

Now, I ask all who hear me, why the learned men who are preaching salvation, say that God created the heavens and the earth out of nothing? The reason is, that they are unlearned in the things of God, and have not the gift of the Holy Ghost; they account it blasphemy in any one to contradict their idea. If you tell them that God made the world out of something, they will call you a fool. But I am learned, and know more than all the world put together. The Holy Ghost does, anyhow, and he is within me, and comprehends more than all the world; and I will associate myself with him.

This is neo-Platonism, a Greek Philosophy that some Jews accepted that teaches that the universe is made from eternal, uncreated elements. He humbly says he "knows more than all the world put together!" Yet, he makes very simply mistakes!

Meaning of the Word Create

You ask the learned doctors why they say the world was made out of nothing, and they will answer, “Doesn’t the Bible say he created the world?” And they infer, from the word create, that it must have been made out of nothing. Now, the word create came from the word baurau, which does not mean to create out of nothing; it means to organize; the same as a man would organize materials and build a ship. Hence we infer that God had materials to organize the world out of chaos—chaotic matter, which is element, and in which dwells all the glory. Element had an existence from the time He had. The pure principles of element are principles which can never be destroyed; they may be organized and re-organized, but not destroyed. They had no beginning and can have no end.

This contradicts what he said previously about the word "bara" or as he says "baurau" where he said it means "bring forth," yet now he says it means "to organize." Here Smith plainly shows his pagan thinking, in addition to teaching many gods, he is teaching the universe preexisted God himself, which is exactly what the pagan Greeks believed in their mythology until being enlightened by the Gospel of Christ!