Source: Margaret Barker, Temple Theology: An Introduction (London: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 2004), 75–93.
4. The Lost Lady of the Bible.mp4
The Lost Lady of First Temple Theology.pdf
The_Purge_of_the_Queen_of_Heaven.m4a
This topic explores the idea of a "Lost Lady" who was central to the religion of ancient Jerusalem, particularly within the First Temple. The study pieces together evidence from various sources, including the Hebrew Bible, apocryphal texts like the Book of Enoch, archaeological findings such as female figurines and inscriptions mentioning Asherah, and early Christian writings. The text argues that this divine feminine figure, associated with Wisdom, the Queen of Heaven, and potentially the Mother of the Lord, was a significant object of worship involving specific rituals and symbols like incense, bread, the menorah (identified as a stylized "tree of fire"), and anointing oil. The study posits that the religious reforms under King Josiah attempted to suppress this older tradition, leading to its eventual marginalization but not complete erasure, as its echoes can be found in later Jewish and early Christian beliefs and practices, particularly in imagery associated with Mary.
For centuries, the religion of the Old Testament has been understood as a story of strict, patriarchal monotheism. The central figure is a singular, male God, and any deviation from His worship is treated as idolatry and apostasy. This narrative, passed down through generations, forms the bedrock of modern Judeo-Christian traditions.
But what if that isn't the whole story? Archaeological discoveries and a closer reading of ancient texts—some preserved for millennia, others only recently uncovered—reveal a far more complex and surprising history. They point to a powerful female deity who was once central to the spiritual life of ancient Israel, a divine partner to the God Yhwh. This was the sophisticated theology of the First Temple, a memory systematically suppressed by the reformers of the Second Temple period.
This is the story of the "Lost Lady," a goddess known as the Queen of Heaven, Asherah, or Wisdom. She was worshipped in the heart of Jerusalem, in the First Temple itself, before a religious purge sought to erase her from history. Yet, her memory was never fully extinguished. It survived, hidden in plain sight within the very scriptures that were meant to replace her.