What It Was, What It Is, What It Will Be

Babylon

What it Was, What it Is, What it will Be

4 Areas called to not be Ignorant in

There are four areas the God expressly says we are not to be ignorant (to lack information in). We here at CCAAC put a large emphasis into making that we are knowledgeable in these areas, and today we will sharpen our swords in the area of eschatology (the future things, the last day’s things).

1.Spiritual Gifts – 1 Corinthians 12

2.Spiritual Warfare – 2 Corinthians 2:11 / Ephesians 6

3.The Plan of God for Israel – Romans 11

4.Eschatology (Future things) – 1 Thessalonians 4 / Revelation

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ( NKJV ) 13But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope.14For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus.£15For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are aliveand remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.16For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.17Then we who are aliveand remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.18Therefore comfort one another with these words.

12 Key Prophecies we Study

If you have been here with us for any length of time you know we continually track and stay abreast on what is happening in these 12 key points of Biblical prophecy regarding the last days:

1. Israel / Jerusalem / The Middle East
2. Russia (Gog and Magog) Invasion
3. Earthquakes / Famines / Droughts / Pestilence / War
4. Mystery Babylon, One World Religion, The False Prophet
5. Babylon, the World Headquarters – Literal or Figurative
6. European Superstate / The AntiChrist / One World Government
7. Kings of the East
8. The Mark of the Beast
9. Knowledge shall Increase
10. The Great Deception
11. Apostasy / Iniquity / Sin Will Abound
12. The Decline of America

Babylon – Revelation 18

Today we will take a very specific and detailed look at the city the Revelation 18 speaks of, called Babylon.

Revelation 18:1-24 ( NKJV )
1After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.
2And he criedmightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!
3For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.”
4And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.
5For her sinshave reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6Render to her just as she renderedto you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.
7In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sitas queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’
8Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strongis the Lord God whojudges her.
9“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,
10standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

Much Speculation whether Literal or Figurative / Rev 17 is Metaphor

There has been much speculation and debate as to whether the Babylon spoken of in Revelation is the literal city (Babylon), or is it just a figurative city (metaphorically speaking). There are three main reason that people say it is not the actual city, but just used figuratively, is because Revelation 17 speaks of “mystery Babylon” which in the last days is kind of a “1 World Religion”, which melds and merges all the religions of the world. It is the “many roads to God”, the “all roads lead to God”, the “I’m ok and you’re ok religion – lets all just get accept each other as we are”. Bottom line, Jesus isn’t the only Way, and if you say that He is the only way you are a trouble making, hate monger, narrow minded Bible thumper.

Revelation 17:1-5 ( NKJV ) 1Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, sayingto me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters,2with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” 3So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beastwhich was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.4The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the filthiness ofher fornication.5And on her forehead a namewas written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

1 – Rev 17 / 2 – barely a city today / Israel 1948 / 3 – Destroyed as Prophesied Ish & Jer

Well Revelation 17 is a metaphor, but that doesn’t mean that Revelation 18 is. The second reason that people think that the city Babylon in Revelation is not the literal city is because it is barely a city today, mostly run down ruins, and hardly anything resembling the spectacular and splendor of the city spoken of in Revelation 18. Let me just say, that is what the Bible teachers taught for hundreds of years about Israel because for hundreds of years Israel was little more than a pile of ruins, and the people were scattered throughout the world. Thus the Bible teachers said when the Bible speaks of the yet future Israel, it can’t mean literally Israel, so they made it into a metaphor, and said Israel when spoken of in the last days really must mean “the Church”, and thus all kinds of scriptures were twisted and forced to mean the church. Well, On May 14th 1948, all those teachers had to change their theology, because just as Isaiah said, in one day, Israel became a Nation. The third reason many believe this is because they read Isaiah 13-14, and Jeremiah 50-51, which speaks of Persian Empire coming in and destroying the Babylonian Empire, and they say that did happen in 539 when Cyrus came in a took the city, and thus those 4 chapters of prophecy have been fulfilled. So we will look at that, and the other two, and let the Spirit of God bring these things clear.

Isaiah 66:8 ( NKJV ) 8Who has heard such a thing? Who has seen such things? Shall the earth be made to give birth in one day? Or shall a nation be born at once? For as soon as Zion was in labor, She gave birth to her children.

Tell you where I am Going – it is Literal

I will tell where we are going before we begin, and that is that I believe through the Scriptures, historical writings, and news we watch on television every night, that without a doubt, the Babylon spoken of in Revelation 18 is the literal and actual city in Iraq today.

Why Important to You – Change the way you Live / More know – More Sense – World is at Climax

Why is this important to you today? Because if it is the literal city Babylon, what we see on the news today there in modern day Iraq, then that means that we are being plunged into a period of time which the Bible says more about than any other period in human history, as much so if not even more so than when Jesus walked this earth. What does the Bible really say about these days? You need to study these things. Find out what is going on the world scene. The more you know your Bible and the more you know what is going on in the world scene – the more and more you will get the sense that the stage is being set for the final climax of human history (in our lifetime!). It will affect our priorities, it will place a sense of urgency in our lives to accomplish what God is calling us to do; God has a purpose in your life, and the great adventure is to discover what it is. So all these things that are going on around us should be galvanizing us into a set of priorities that affects everything that we do. Our lives should be impacted not by our churches, not by our programs, but by the person of Jesus Christ in our lives. Find out what God’s plan is for your life, get a vision from Him and live, and live fully.

Babylon

Ancient Mesopotamia / Al Hillah – 55m South of Baghdad

Babylon was a city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad.

See Map

Bible – Tale of 2 Cities

The Bible is literally a tale of 2 Cities (JerusalemBabylon)

• Jerusalem - city of God (everlasting life - a city that never ends and can't be overthrown)
• Babylon - picture of all the world has to offer (which in the end - ends in ruin - just like what world offers to you).

Mentioned over 300 Times / Mentioned 4 times in Genealogy of Christ

Babylon is mentioned over 300 times in the Bible. Next to Jerusalem (some 824 times), Babylon is the most mentioned city in the Bible. Babylon is actually alluded to 4 times in the genealogy of Jesus.

Babylon is mention in Hebrew (262 times in 233 verses), Aramaic (26 times in 22 verses), and Greek (12 times in 11 verses). It is also called Shinar in the Hebrew (8 times in 8 verses. So 296 times in OT and 12 times NT = total 308 times

First – Last Mention

1st Mention – Gen 10:10 (Nimrod and the tower of Babel), last Mention – Rev 18:21 (the utter destruction in the last days):

Genesis 10:8-10 ( NKJV ) 8Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth.9He was a mighty hunter before theLord; therefore it is said, “Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before theLord.”10And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Revelation 18:21 ( NKJV ) 21Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threwit into the sea, saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

To know Future – must know it’s Past

To understand the future of Babylon we must know its past.

Babylon’s History

Capital 1st World Dictator – Nimrod / Some think it Antichrist in End / Nimrod – Rebel / All False

It was the capital of the first world dictator, Nimrod; and there are many Bible teachers who believe it will be the capital of the last world dictator the anti-christ in the Last Days (makes sense that the world leader would place himself in the world’s center – but I am not totally sure to be honest). Nimrod means “we will rebel”. In Genesis 10 it reads that Nimrod was a mighty hunter before the Lord, but the translation is should really say that he was a “mighty hunter in defiance against the Lord”. Nimrod was in rebellion against God, the ways of the Lord, and we know the story as he gathered the people to build the tower of Babel (in Babylon). The literal translation of Babel is “gateway to God”. And Nimrod in his defiance against the Lord was making his own way to reach heaven, rather than way the Lord prescribes. Now I don’t necessarily think they thought they could build a stairway to heaven, but more like this was some type of temple that tied in with astrology. Whatever the case, Babel is the beginning of all false religions, for they all have that in common in that they prescribe that there is another way to heaven apart from Gods way, that man through his worlds and his ways may reach heaven.

Came into Existence 2300 BC / Peaked Nebuchadnezzar 600 BC / Hanging Gardens

The Babylonian empire came into being around 2300BC, and reached its zenith under King Nebuchadnezzar around 600 BC. Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest military might on the planet. The HangingGardens of Babylon were one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World during his reign.

Historian Herodotus

Here are some interesting facts according to the historian Herodotus (Bk 1, 178-186) about Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon:

• -In the form of a square, 14 miles on each side, and of enormous magnitude
• -The brick wall was 56 miles long, 300 feet high, 25 feet thick with another wall 75 feet behind the first wall, and the wall extended 35 feet below the ground
• -250 towers that were 450 feet high
• -A wide and deep moat that encircled the city
• -The EuphratesRiver also flowed through the middle of the city. Ferry boats and a 1/2 mi. long bridge with drawbridges closed at night
• -"HangingGardens"(one of the wonders of the ancient world) and water was raised from the river by hydraulic pumps
• -Eight massive gates that led to the inner city and 100 brass gates
• -Streets were paved with stone slabs 3 feet square
• -The great Tower (Ziggurat) and 53 temples including the "GreatTemple of Marduk." 180 altars to Ishtar
• -Golden image of Baal and the Golden Table (both weighing over 50,000 lbs of solid gold.)
• -2 golden lions, a solid gold human figure (18 feet high)
• -Nebuchadnezzar’s palace was considered to be the most magnificent building ever erected on earth.

Israel to spend 70 Years Captivity

Israel would spend 70 years in Babylon under captivity because of their disobedience to the lord for not giving the land of Israel a Sabbath as commanded by the Lord; they were told by the Lord that every seventh year they were to not plow the land, but just eat from what grew up over the year. The Lord designed it this way to give them a rest from their labors, and let him do the laboring for them, and thus calling them to trust that He would provide. Well Israel didn’t trust the Lord and continued to harvest the land, even after repeated warnings from the prophets (Jeremiah 25:11). So after 490 years, God’s grace and warnings came to an end, and as prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah, they went into captivity for 70 years. The 70 years was one year of reach year they robbed the Lord (70 times 70 equals 490). Nebuchadnezzar and Babylon was the instrument that God used for His discipline of Israel. Here in lies a good example for us today, for anyone who thinks they will rob (holding back) God of what is His, don’t mistake his patience of waiting for you to respond with His accepting what you are doing is ok.

Jeremiah 25:11-12 ( NKJV ) 11And this whole land shall be a desolationand an astonishment, and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. 12‘Then it will come to pass, when seventy years are completed,that I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation, the land of the Chaldeans, for their iniquity,’ says theLord; ‘and I will make it a perpetual desolation.

2 Chronicles 36:21 ( NKJV ) 21to fulfill the word of theLord by the mouth of Jeremiah, until the land had enjoyed her Sabbaths. As long as she lay desolate she kept Sabbath, to fulfill seventy years.

Story of Daniel & Friends / Articles from Temple

We of course know the stories of Daniel and his friends being brought to Babylon. Skilled craftsmen from Judah weredeported to assist the immense building programthen going on at Babylon. Nebuchadnezzar also brought in the articles from the Temple in Jerusalem:

Daniel 1:1-2 ( NKJV ) 1In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.2And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the articles of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar to the house of his god; and he brought the articles into the treasure house of his god

Would Fall to Persian Empire / Handwriting on the Wall

Babylon would fall to the Persian Empire under Belshazzar (Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson). In his arrogance Belshazzar throws aparty for 1,000 nobles while the Persian army ison their near horizon. Belshazzarthought his Babylon was impenetrable, for it was surrounded by walls that were considered impenetrable. Of course we know the story of the fingers of a hand of God areseen writing on the wall of the banquet hall…Danielis called to interpret.