Dr. Alice C. Linsley
Yesu Judges Between the Horns
The Hebrew offered prayers with sacrifices placed on their horned altars. The curved basin of the horned altar represents the bottom edge of the solar orb. This is an example of an "apophatic" or negative image.
The nae Yesu indicates a similar idea. It was not an uncommon name among the ancient Egyptians.
Divinely Appointed Places and People
Many ancient shrine cities had names that began with the solar symbol Y. Jerusalem was called Yeru. On the border of Nubia and Egypt was a holy shrine city on Elephantine Island. It was called Yebu. According to "The Diplomatists Handbook For Africa" by Count Charles Kinsky, Yebu is a variant of Jebu. Yeru-salem was a Jebusite city.
Divine appointment by overshadowing is symbolized by the sun resting in the Y. This is a common image in the ancient world. Sarki Arzika, has written about a connection to the Hausa of Nigeria:
Dear Alice,
"Concerning the Y shaped form you write about, this is a characteristic of ancient Hausa architecture which were of triangular forms and mounted with symbols like rabbit ears at each corner. This Y shape is present on some ancient capes used generally by Maharba (hunters), Priests, and Kings."
Between the Horns
The symbol of the High God resting between the horns of the appointed sacrificial calf was a Messianic image. At the shrine cities of Dan and Bethel the central image was the overshadowed bull calf. This is the same image that Aaron fabricated in the wilderness.
Nowhere in Scripture is Aaron criticized for making the golden calf. However, the people who worshiped the image are criticized. Here a distinction must be made between the symbolism of the golden bull calf and the actions of the people. The distinction is clear when we consider that Christians do not worship the cross. We worship the Messiah who died on the cross to make atonement for sin.
On ancient monuments and reliefs, the ram was shown with the solar orb between the horns. The ram provided by God on Mount Moriah was a symbol of the son of God, HR (Horus in Greek). In ancient Egyptian HR means Most High One. Among the Horite Hebrew HR was said to rise in the east as a lamb and set in the west as a ram in mature strength. He was called "Horus of the two horizons", which expressed two aspects of his nature as both meek and fierce. The Horite Hebrew recognized God Father and God Son. The divinely appointed ram was a symbol of Jesus among some early Christians.
The Divine Son Conceived by Overshadowing
In ancient Egyptian iconography, Hathor, the mother of Horus, is shown wearing the Sun between the horns. She foreshadows the Virgin Mary who conceived by divine overshadowing (Luke 1).
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