1. Identifying Babylon From Genesis & Daniel

2. Overview The origins of Babylon The character of Babylon The history of Babylon

3. From Genesis to Revelation First identified for us in Genesis. Last mentioned in the Revelation to John. Gen. 10 – records her birth Dan. 5:30-31 – overthrown by the Medes.

4. Identifying Babylon - Impetus “Come out of her my people…” Rev. 18:4 “that ye receive not of her plagues…” (v8) death, mourning, famine and consuming fire.

5. Babylon = Israel? XX.—That for this purpose God will send Jesus Christ personally to the earth at the close of the times of the Gentiles.— Acts 3:20,21; Psa. 102:16,21; 2Tim 4:1; Acts 1:9,11; Dan 7:13. XXI.—That the kingdom which he will establish will be the kingdom of Israel restored, in the territory it formerly occupied, viz., the land bequeathed for an everlasting possession to Abraham and his seed (the Christ) by covenant.—Mic 4:6–8; Amos 9:11,15; Eze 37:21,22; Jer 23:3– 8; Gen 13:14–17; Heb 11:8,9; Gal 3:16; Lev 26:42; Mic 7:20. XXII.—That this restoration of the kingdom again to Israel will involve the ingathering of God’s chosen but scattered nation, the Jews; their reinstatement in the land of their fathers, when it shall have been reclaimed from “the desolation of many generations”; the building again of Jerusalem to become “the throne of the Lord” and the metropolis of the whole earth.—Isa 11:12; Jer 31:10; Zec 8:7,8; Eze 36:34,36; Isa 51:3; 60:15; 62:4; Jer 3:17; Mic 4:7,8; Joel 3:17; Isa 24:23.

6. Babylon’s Origin

7. About Nimrod Nimrod = rebellion – to revolt “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD.” Gen. 6 – “mighty men of renown (a name), men of old (everlasting).” Before the Lord – in the face of – an affront to Yahweh

8. Two Ways The way of Cain –Build cities –Daughters of men (Lamech) Adah = to adorn oneself Zillah = to grow dark - shadow The way of Seth –Sons of God –“then began men to call themselves by the name of the LORD”

9. Two Ways ‘enmity’ – strife, war, hostility ‘thee’ = The Serpent‘and the woman’ = Eve ‘thy seed’ = The Seed of the Serpent, those who follow the ways of the serpent ‘and her seed’ = The Seed of the Woman, allegorically those who follow her ways ‘thou (the serpent) shalt bruise his (the seed of the woman) heal’ = The serpent would deal a crushing blow to the heel of the woman’s seed. ‘it (the seed of the woman) shall bruise thy (the serpent) head’ = The seed of the woman would deal a crushing blow to the head of the serpent

10. Two Ways Two ways identified: –The way of the serpent – reasoning that excludes God –The way of the woman – calling to remembrance God’s word in response to any circumstance

11. Two Ways Two seeds – two ways – two peoples at war from Genesis to Revelation Seed of the woman – Israel (Gal. 4:21-31) Seed of the serpent – Babylon (Jer. 51:7,49 with Rev. 14:8)

12. About Nimrod “And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. Out of that land he went forth into Assyria, and builded Nineveh, and Rehoboth- ir, and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah (the same is the great city).” Gen. 10:10-12 ASV

13. The Tower of Babel “one language and one speech” = one ideology “and they said” – “and a man said to his neighbour” mgn. “let us make us a name” History records – “God will never be able to flood us out again”

15. Babylon History records that Cush – also called Kish and Bel settled in Babylon first Bel = “the confounder” … of languages Bel – later called Baal and Jannus Cush began the form of false religion that spread throughout Canaan

16. Nimrod in History Gilgamesh Epic Babylonian story of early history. Gilgamesh = Nimrod Enuma Elish (Egypt)

17. Untimely Death Nimrod died young – judicially executed The Two Babylons “…the Egyptian account of the death of Osiris. The Egyptians say, that the grand enemy {Sem} of their God {Nimrod} overcame him, not by open violence, but that, having entered into a conspiracy with seventy-two of the leading men of Egypt, he got him into his power, put him to death, and then cut his dead body into pieces, and sent the different parts to so many different cities throughout the country.” Nimrod – king priest of Babylon slain by Shem – king priest of Salem (if Bro. Thomas is correct in identifying Shem with Melchizedek)

18. Semiramis’ Tale Semiramus, the mother of Nimrod ruled with him. At Nimrod’s death her power would be removed – unless … Gen. 3:15 “the ancient world in general, were perfectly aware of the primeval promise in Eden, and they knew right well that the bruising of the heel of the promised seed implied his death, and that the curse would only be removed from the world by the death of the Grand Deliverer.” The Two Babylons Nimrod was the promised seed – continued to live as diety Semiramis was not the mother of diety – who would remove her from the throne?

19. Semiramis, the mother of God Ishtar Ashtoreth (I Kng. 11) Queen of Heaven (Jer. 44) Diana (Act. 19) Isis (Egypt) Mary, the mother of God

20. Virgin Mother of God

21. Nimrod by other names Ninus – (Niniveh = inhabitant of Ninus) Nabu Molech (Ammonites) Gilgamesh (Babylon) Achilles (Greek) Thor (Scandanavian) Vishnu (Indian) Theolt (Mexican) Tammuz (Zidon) Osiris (Horus)

22. Babylon Dispersed “from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” Took the religion of Babylon and the fable of Semiramis with them into all nations.

23. Babylon Dispersed “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.” Jer. 51:7

24. Mystery Religion Dispersed Mother Nation

25. Babylonian Confederacy Gen. 14 Confederacy of Nations – lead by Shinar Takes Abraham’s natural seed into captivity Defeated by Abraham’s household Fellowship with the king priest of Salem

26. Foreshadows? Genesis 14Prophecies Array of nationsArray of nations (Eze. 38:2-6,13) Babylonian confederacy from the northGogian confederacy from the north (Eze. 38:2-3) No explicit reason given for the war“I will put hooks into thy jaws” (Eze. 38:4) Takes Abram’s extended family into captivity Half of Israel taken captive (Zec. 14:2) Abram and his allies make warIsrael’s allies stand by her (Eze. 38:13) Abram’s defeat of the confederacyGod’s servants overthrow confederacy of nations (Eze. 38:18-23) Abram enjoys fellowship with Melchizedek Marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9) Glory belongs to God – Blessings from God To the glory of God the Father (Phi. 2:11)

28. From Daniel Her character confirmed –Statue of a man –Built as an image of worship –Self indulgence Her history –Head of all nations –Destroyed by the Medes

29. Character of Babylon Dan. 2 – “thou art this head of Gold” Statue of a man – consistent with secular history of Babylon

30. Head of the Nations The thinking of the nations comes from Babylon

31. Head of Gold “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.” Jer. 51:7

32. Character of Babylon “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold” Dan. 3:1 “ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:” Dan. 3:5

33. Character of Babylon “The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” Dan. 4:30

34. Character of Babylon Dan. 5:1-6

35. Character of Babylon the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers Daniel 2:2; 4:7; 5:7 – Nation of mysteries – magic

36. Character of Babylon Aggrandizement and worship of men Religion of Mystery Self worship Self indulgence; drunkenness

37. History of Babylon Daniel 7 – History of kingdom of men through God’s eyes = beasts –Assyrio-Babylonian Lion –Medo-Persian Bear

43. History of Babylon An end of the nation? Dan. 7:11-12 “the rest of the beasts had their dominion taken away” Dan. 2:45 – full image standing at Christ’s return Babylon in some form is present at Christ’s return!

44. Summary - Origins Seed of the serpent – kingdom of Babylon Mystery religion established at foundation of world Nimrod – king priest of Babylon Worship of the mother (of God) and the son (God the son). Dispersed paganism became foundation for world religions

45. Summary - Character Aggrandizement and worship of men Religion of Mystery Self worship Self indulgence; drunkenness

46. Summary - History Genesis 10-11 – to build a name – tower of Babel Genesis 14 – Northern Confederacy Head (mother) of nations Overthrown by the Medes Yet still exists