The Religion of Egypt: Gods Many, and Lords Many

No country in the world has had a greater fascination, especially for people of western lands, than ancient Egypt. Its pyramids, sphinxes and mummies appeal to the imagination more than the relics of any other people, and their almost unique character has led to endless speculation. In Bible times there was much contact between the Egyptians and the Hebrews, and Scripture students have always been interested by discoveries in the land of the Pharaohs, where climatic conditions have been so favourable for the preservation of old time remains. It is hoped in a short series of articles to discuss the place of the finds within the framework of Egyptian religion and to give some account of their main features. In this endeavour the subject of the godhead naturally claims first place.

In the full development of their religion, the ancient Egyptians had more gods than any other people ever had. In all, about 2,200 have been identified and the names of many more have been lost. It is true that the priests claimed that many of this huge number were merely forms of the sun god, Ra, who was said to have created their names, but it is clear that the people regarded them as separate entities. From the earliest times some Egyptians had attained to the idea of universal divinity in the use of the term “neter,” but this was just a philosophical abstraction corresponding to our “Providence.” It was not worshipped, nor was any temple erected to it. The large number of gods was in some sort due to city and district rivalry. Every district, city, town and village had its own deity, generally with a female counterpart and a son, constituting a triad or trinity; and also a god of evil. All these divinities arose from an original conception that everything that has existed and still exists was made out of one kind of matter, which contained everything in embryo. This matter was water, which was deified under the name Nenu. In the water lived the god Temu or Khepera, better known now as Ra, for countless ages inert and in darkness. At length he rose from the water in the form of the sun and light appeared, the first act of creation. From his own body Ra created Shu and Tefnut and thus the first Triad or Trinity came into being. Shu and Tefnut produced Geb or Seb, the earth-god, and Nut, the sky goddess; and Nut gave birth to Osiris and Isis; Set and Nephthys; and Anpu (or Anubis) and Horus. These constituted the “Great Company” of the gods. They were called the “Nine Gods” from the first nine mentioned, to which later additions were made. Thoth was the mind or intelligence of Ra. He expressed in words the intentions of the gods and his utterance of the name of a thing to be created resulted in its immediate creation. There were variations of this story in various parts of Egypt with different god names. The priests of Sais, for instance, taught that their goddess Net or Neith was self-begotten and self-produced and mother of Ra, albeit a virgin. It represents, however, the consensus of Egyptian ideas. Several suggestions were offered for the appearance of the human race. It was said that the Egyptians were formed out of tears which fell from the Eye of Ra. Another view was that man was made out of potters’ mud and shaped on a wheel by one of the gods.

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Author: F. E. Mitchell

Keywords: Temu, Khepera, Ra, Sun God, Ra sun god, idolatry, idols, Isis, myth, Egyptian myth, Osiris, Gods of the Nile, Gods of Egypt, Egyptian gods, Egyptian deity, Egyptian deities, Egyptian idolatry, idols of Egypt, false gods, Egyptian religion, religion of Egypt, Egypt, Horus, Shu, Anubis, Geb, Hathor

Bible reference(s): Exo 8, Exo 9, Exo 10, Exo 12:12, Exo 20:3, Exo 32:1, Exo 32:4, Exo 32:8, Exo 32:23, Exo 32:31, Exo 34:17, Num 33:4, Jer 43:12, Jer 43:13

Source: “The Religion of Egypt” The Testimony, Vol. 18, No. 207, March 1948, pp. 87-90.

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