At the center of the Mystery Religions was the understanding that everyone everywhere was worshiping the same gods under different names. A lamb-styled god is persistent in pagan religions. This book was written to churches that were in the center of these Mystery Religions. They were very familiar with the imagery presented. A lamb-like deity born from the earth was very familiar to them. They probably passed images of him every day in the marketplace. In the pagan Mystery Religions, there is always a minor god that is born from a cave, a furrow, or a hole of some kind. This god has lamb’s horns and sometimes cloven feet. He was called the Prophet and gifted miraculous powers and magic; on persons, places, and things. It was said that when the priests of Tages were in procession, images winked and wept, idols laughed, and lamps seemed to spontaneously light.
FYI: In the USA, we do not think of lambs as having horns, as most lambs have their horns removed when they are young. Makes them easier to handle.
This lamb-like god was the mediator for all the other gods. If the devotee wanted something from Osiris, the devotee would first have to go to Khnum, Num, Nub (in Egypt). If one wanted something from Jupiter, one would first offer a sacrifice to Numa (in Rome), etc. This lamb-like god knew what the other gods required to be placated.
Some of the names these pagan gods were known by:
| Name | Country |
| Tages | Etruria/Etruscans |
| Nebo | Babylon |
| Khnum, Num, Nub | Egypt |
| Numa or Nyma pampibus | Rome |
Although the Bible teaches that there is only one true mediator, there are always those who would usurp this position for themselves.
For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 1Tim. 2:5
As Christianity became corrupted, it adopted many pagan ideas, including the need for other mediators. Mary and the Saints, priests, bishops, cardinals, and ultimately, the popes all claimed they were bridges to God.