Master of My Reality
This is a very good connection! There are many verses that can provide such imagery. One of the gods of the Old Testament, Shaddai, more closely resembles Hephaestus than any others. Apologist claim that this is just another name for god but I'm of the camp that all the names of the OT 'god' were actually separate gods at one point in time. Like Hephaestus, Shaddai is often described as controlling lightning, fire, and smoking mountains (volcanoes); as well as being the forger, crafter of earth. He was also believed to live on a mystical mountain - most commonly Mount Sinai - the Mountain of 'Sin'. Fire, Volcano imagery: Exodus 19: 16 - the Presence of God - On the morning of the third day there was thunder and lightning, with a thick cloud over the mountain, and a very loud trumpet blast. Everyone in the camp trembled. 17 Then Moses led the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. 18 Mount Sinai was covered with smoke, because the LORD descended on it in fire. The smoke billowed up from it like smoke from a furnace, the whole mountain trembled violently, 19 and the sound of the trumpet grew louder and louder. Then Moses spoke and the voice of God answered him. Exodus 20:18 - the Presence of God - And all the people saw the thunderings, and the lightnings, and the noise of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking: and when the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off. Psalms 18:8 - Imagery of God - There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it. Smith, Forger, Crafter: Isaiah 54:16 Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. Isaiah 45 also provides a lot of information on the god creating many things with this hands, e.g. stretching out the heavens, fashioning the earth, etc., etc. Furnaces are mentioned on occasion in the Old Testament figuratively as a means of experience for testing or preparing: Deuteronomy 4:19 And lest thou lift up thine eyes unto heaven, and when thou seest the sun, and the moon, and the stars, even all the host of heaven, shouldest be driven to worship them, and serve them, which the LORD thy God hath divided unto all nations under the whole heaven. 20 But the LORD hath taken you, and brought you forth out of the iron furnace, even out of Egypt, to be unto him a people of inheritance, as ye are this day. Isaiah 48:10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction. In Jeremiah 6 the rebellious are pictured as rejected silver: 28 They are all grievous revolters, walking with slanders: they are brass and iron; they are all corrupters. 29 The bellows are burned, the lead is consumed of the fire; the founder melteth in vain: for the wicked are not plucked away. 30 Reprobate silver shall men call them, because the LORD hath rejected them. And in Ezekiel 22 the rebellious are also referred to as dross, the waste product of a smelting process: 17 And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 18 Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross: all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver. 19 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. 20 As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you. 21 Yea, I will gather you, and blow upon you in the fire of my wrath, and ye shall be melted in the midst therof. 22 As silver is melted in the midst of the furnace, so shall ye be melted in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I the LORD have poured out my fury upon you. Edit: I almost forgot this little tidbit from Exodus 31 in which god provides the ability of craft to Bezalel and his helpers: 1 Then the LORD said to Moses, 2 "See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, 3 and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts- 4 to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, 5 to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of craftsmanship. 6 Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make everything I have commanded you...