Queen Of Heaven Biblical Figure

The title "Queen of Heaven" appears in the Old Testament, specifically in the book of Jeremiah, referring to a pagan deity worshipped by the Israelites ^{[1, 2]}. This figure is identified with the moon and various ancient Near Eastern goddesses ^{[2, 6]}.

In Jeremiah, the prophet condemns the people of Judah for their idolatry, particularly their worship of the "Queen of Heaven." Jeremiah 7:18 states, "The children gather wood, the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead dough to make cakes for the Queen of Heaven; and they pour out drink offerings to other gods to provoke Me to anger" ^[1]. This worship was a widespread family affair, involving men, women, and children ^[8]. The cakes offered to this deity were often round, resembling the disc of the moon ^[8].

The "Queen of Heaven" was known by different names across the ancient Near East. In Assyria and Babylon, she was called Ishtar, while the Canaanites referred to her as Astarte ^[7]. In the Old Testament, she is frequently associated with Ashtoreth and Baal ^[7]. Even King Solomon had previously worshipped Ashtoreth and built shrines for her, which King Josiah later destroyed ^[7]. The people believed that worshipping the Queen of Heaven brought prosperity, and ceasing this worship would lead to war and famine ^[10]. This mindset was entirely pagan, contrasting sharply with obedience to the Lord ^{[7, 10]}. Despite Jeremiah's warnings, the Judean refugees in Egypt continued their worship, believing it brought them freedom and fulfillment, and that their previous misfortunes were due to abandoning this goddess ^{[7, 9]}.

Separately, the New Testament book of Revelation describes a "woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars" (Revelation 12:1) ^{[3, 4]}. This figure is distinct from the pagan "Queen of Heaven" in Jeremiah. Early Christian interpreters, such as Methodius, understood this woman in Revelation 12 to represent the Church ^[11]. She is described as "our mother," a power distinct from her children, whom prophets sometimes called Jerusalem ^[11].

Later theological developments, particularly within some Christian traditions, saw the title "Queen of Heaven" applied to Mary, the mother of Jesus. Charles Hodge notes that Mary was declared "deificata" and called "Queen of heaven, Queen of queens," with no limits placed on the titles of honor or the prerogatives attributed to her ^[5]. She was said to be exalted above all principalities and powers, seated at the right hand of Christ, and sharing in His universal power ^[5]. All blessings of salvation were sought at her hands ^[5]. However, this application of the title to Mary is a later theological development and is not found in the biblical text itself. John Calvin, for instance, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, does not connect the "Queen of Heaven" of Jeremiah with Mary ^[12]. The "Queen of Heaven" in Jeremiah refers exclusively to a pagan goddess whose worship was condemned by God ^{[1, 6]}.

Sources

Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Queen Of Heaven — (Jeremiah 7:18; 45:17,18,19,25) is the moon Ashtaroth or Astarte to whom worshiped as Hebrew women offered cakes in the streets of Jerusalem.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Queen of heaven — (Jer. 7:18; 44:17, 25), the moon, worshipped by the Assyrians as the receptive power in nature.”
Revelation “A great sign was seen in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. -- Revelation 12:1”
Revelation of John “Revelation of John 12:1 (BBE) — And a great sign was seen in heaven: a A woman clothed with the sun, and with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.”
CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 43: designed for public and private worship in which she was solemnly invoked. No limit was placed to the titles of honour by which she was addressed or to the prerogatives and powers which were attributed to her. She was declared to be deificata . She was called the Queen of heaven, Queen of queens. said to be exalted above all principalities and powers; to be seated at the right hand of Christ, to share with Him in the universal and absolute power committed to his hands. All the blessings of salvation were sought at her hands, as well as pr”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 7:17: 7:17-18 Pagan worship had become a family affair; each member of a family provided some part of the ritual. The object of their worship was Ashtoreth, the Queen of Heaven, the mother goddess of the Canaanites with her family of deities (see 44:17-19).”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 44:17: 44:17 The Judean refugees imagined that they had freedom. They apparently believed that obedience to the Lord entailed bondage and that their pagan worship was the way to fulfillment. • The Queen of Heaven was worshiped under a variety of names throughout the ancient Near East. In Assyria and Babylon she was called “Ishtar,” and the Canaanites called her “Astarte.” In the Old Testament, she is usually called “Ashtoreth” and associated with Baal. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth and built shrines for her, but Josiah eventually destroyed those shrines (2 Kgs 23:13; se”
Jeremiah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jeremiah 7:18: children . . . fathers . . . women--Not merely isolated individuals practised idolatry; young and old, men and women, and whole families, contributed their joint efforts to promote it. Oh, that there were the same zeal for the worship of God as there is for error (Jer 44:17, Jer 44:19; Jer 19:13)! cakes . . . queen of heaven--Cakes were made of honey, fine flour, &c., in a round flat shape to resemble the disc of the moon, to which they were offered. Others read as Margin, "the frame of heaven," that is, the planets generally; so the Septuagint her”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 44:24: 44:24-25 The Lord released the people to serve the Queen of Heaven; they would bear the consequences of their decision (cp. Rom 1:24, 28).”
Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 44:18: 44:18 These Judeans believed that worshiping the Queen of Heaven provided prosperity and that ceasing to worship her would cause war and famine (cp. Hos 2:8). Their mindset was completely pagan.”
Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 6: Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius, Julius Africanus, Methodius, Arnobius — CHAP. V.--THE WOMAN WHO BRINGS FORTH, TO WHOM THE DRAGON IS OPPOSED, THE CHURCH; HER ADORNMENT AND GRACE.: The woman who appeared in heaven clothed with the sun, and crowned with twelve stars, and having the moon for her footstool, and being with child, and travailing in birth, is certainly, according to the accurate interpretation, our mother,(4) O virgins, being a power by herself distinct from her children; whom the prophets, according to the aspect of their subjects, have called sometimes Jerusalem, someti”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 109: 10:4 11:19 11:19 11:19-20 11:26 12:13 13:9 13:9 14:9 14:14 16:20 16:20 18:4 18:7-8 18:9 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:20 18:21 18:21 18:21-22 18:23 18:23 18:24 18:24 18:27 18:31 18:32 18:32 20:10 20:12 20:43-44 22:25-26 28:10 29:4 34:4 34:23 34:24 34:25 36:22 36:22 36:22 36:25 36:26 36:26 36:26-27 36:32 37:4 37:24-26 48:21 48:35 Daniel 2:21 2:34 2:37 2:37-38 2:44 4:17 4:25 4:27 4:27 5:18-19 6:22 7:9 7:10 7:10 7:10 7:25 9 9:5 9:7 9:18 9:18-20 9:20 9:24 9:24 9:26-27 9:27 10:13 10:13 10:20 10:21 12:1 12:1-2 12:2 12:3 Hosea 1:11 2:2 2:9 ”

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