How did the Baal cycle explain the continuing struggle between life and death?

In the mythology of ancient Canaan, the Baal cycle explains the struggle between life and death as a perpetual, seasonal conflict between Baal, the god of life, fertility, and rain, and Mot, the god of death and sterility.12

This struggle was understood in terms of seven-year cycles. The dynamics of this relationship functioned as follows:2

• The Conflict: Baal, the "Lord of the Earth," was responsible for the moisture necessary for fertile soil. He was locked in a mortal struggle with Mot, who represented the powers that opposed life.21
• The Cycle of Famine and Fertility: If Baal triumphed over Mot, a seven-year period of fertility and abundance would follow. Conversely, if Baal were vanquished and swallowed by Mot, the land would suffer seven years of drought and famine.23
• Resurrection and Continuity: The cycle was not permanent, as Baal’s sister, the goddess Anath, played a critical role in his restoration. After searching for and burying her brother, Anath confronted Mot, defeated him, and scattered his body like grain. This intervention allowed Baal to return to life, embodying the resilience and continuity of the natural order.13

Ultimately, the myth depicted the prevailing order of the world as the result of these divine struggles, where the temporary victory of death was always countered by the resurgence of life.3