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Babylon. Mystery Religion Babylon. Mystery System Babylon. Seat of the beast. Ten horns, Ten Kings. The whore. The great city. Seven mountains. Mother of Harlots. Ships and ship captains. Great, fantastic wealth. Living deliciously. Fornication. The world’s great religions. Cataclysmic destruction. Burning mountains thrown into the sea. Great asteroids hitting the earth. Greatest earthquake in the history of mankind. The list goes on and on. If you didn’t know the context of this book you are reading, you might think I was describing the next great Netflix drama series. Or perhaps hinting at the next great Star Wars Saga. Perhaps a Nicolas Cage movie where he searches for the greatest treasure in the universe? Yes, this prophecy stuff could make for great movie fare! However, be careful. Truth can be much stranger than fiction, and harder to believe.

The imagination runs wild when someone attempts to even consider the story of Babylon past and how it might even apply to Babylon future in the ‘end times’ (whatever those are). Debate has existed for centuries and even thousands of years. Current debate exists when the city of Babylon will come into existence. Where will it be located? What will it be like? Is it really that bad? Or is it good? Confusion, speculation, fear, excitement all enter into the mix of thinking about the great city of Babylon. Is this city a myth, something just carried over with the ‘fables’ of early history? Is there anything known today that even remotely suggests that such a city could ever exist? How could it exist? On and on go the questions. Yet, little to no answers. A little knowledge can be dangerous. Some folks might have an inkling that the fabled city of Babylon is supposed to be around when the earth is somehow destroyed. Some folks might believe that Babylon is supposed to be the greatest city that was ever on the planet. New York? London? Beijing? Paris? Moscow? Rome? Speculation abounds. Maybe one of these cities will be Babylon. Others say, ‘Who cares, I could care less about all of this. It has no bearing on me even if it is not a fable or a myth.’ Yet others, who have never read a Bible, simply shrug their shoulders and think ‘whatever.’

It will take some courage and curiosity to even consider the objective ramifications of such as city and if it truly will ever exist in our day and age. Haven’t people spoken of such a city in rock songs, stories and whatnot for years? Yes, they have. Secular people (those with no Biblical understanding) and Biblical people (those who follow Christ and his word) have both come to think about Babylon and its associations, in different ways and context. Sadly, all of these people, both secular and Biblical, have never really objectively looked at the Babylon scenario. How could they? Nothing exists today or in the future, on the planet that would suggest such a city even exists. Or does it? Try to find it on a map and nada, nothing, zip, zero. There is a city named Babylon in Iraq. However, Saddam Hussein was rebuilding it into a tourist trap before he was eliminated. Nothing of consequence has come from this old city. It is sand and not much is going on there. Maybe a McDonald’s restaurant has opened there. I don’t know.

Ah! Rome! The glorious remnant of the ancient Roman Empire, its art, its architecture, its history, the home to the greatest and wealthiest temple in the world and its universally known ‘prophet’. Surely this must be Babylon!? No disrespect to Italians, but the city is cramped and does not have much room for growth. Yes, it is exquisitely beautiful. There is no mistaking that. Visiting Italy is on my bucket list. Nonetheless, it would be a fantastic place to visit … not so much to live in. We have the same congestion problem in our large cities in the U.S.  Personally, I don’t care what any of our large cities have to offer. I wouldn’t mind visiting them, but I wouldn’t want to live in one. Rome’s glory is past, she had her day in the sun. Besides, who in their right mind would tear down all the beautiful statues, artwork and architecture to rebuild Rome into a fantastic technological and architectural marvel that the world has never seen. Is isn’t going to happen. Who is going to commit $500 Billion to level Rome and Rebuild it, within a few short years? Absurd. No one. O.K. Hey, I got it!

The Islamic capital of Mecca must be Babylon! Hint, you are getting closer and warmer, but you still have a ways to go. That is a good and logical guess! Like Vatican City for Catholicism, Mecca is the holiest place for Islam. If the Vatican is not it, then Mecca surely has to be it! Somehow, it don’t think the Muslim clerics running Mecca would ever allow a chain of movie theaters to arrive in the city showing Hollywood’s latest and greatest ‘G’ rated movies, let alone ‘R’ rated movies. I don’t think anyone in the world would suggest (besides myself in this sentence) that Mecca will become an entertainment mecca (pun intended). Or that non-Muslim people would flock to Mecca for their vacations, even if the clerics would allow that. Radical Islam is held closest to the vest by those in control of Mecca. Movie Theaters? Vacation hot spots with nude beaches? No can do! Would any of the wealthiest on the planet want to invest $500 Billion in taking over Mecca and turning it into the world’s largest assortment of time-share condominiums and high rise hotels for the world’s playboys? No.

Now I’m stumped. You have me convinced that there will be or is supposed to be some great city called Babylon on earth in the near future. We are living in the ‘end-times’, are we not? Where is this city? It is no fair, you are teasing us with this prophecy stuff and you haven’t given us one solid clue or evidence. Maybe you are just making this all up?

Read on my Vacation Bible School (VBS) student of prophecy. You are courageous and curious! Shortly, you will have a profound understanding of one of most symbolic and confusing references in all of the Bible and in the book of Revelation! I trust that you will be blessed with what I’m about to show and explain to you. I trust that you will have a deeper appreciation for God’s word, and your place in it. I trust that this will better your relationship with Christ and prove to you just where we are on God’s prophetic timeclock. Perhaps you will come to realize how important you are to God and what he has to say to all of us. Lastly, if you are not a Christian, I truly hope and pray that this will open your eyes, open your ears and open your mind to what is quickly coming. Perhaps you will consider the truth of this and evaluate your position with Christ’s free offer of forgiveness of your sins, through the shedding of his blood and his resurrection.  Accept his free offer. I did a long, long time ago and many others like yourself have also.  Feel safe in knowing that you will never have to visit Babylon or be here when it blooms. Please … read on! Feel free to mark, draw lines, underline, take notes and use this like a text book! Do your own research, do your own homework, come to your own conclusion. Be a ‘Berean’ and search these things out for yourself. Yes, you can ‘google’ all you want, but be discerning! Stay focused, don’t get sidetracked. Match up what you find tomorrow against what I have provided in this analysis today. Is there a pattern of consistency and similarity? What does the Spirit say to you about these things? Do you have the eyes to see, ears to hear and mind to discern?

A History Lesson – Nimrod, Semiramis and the First Babylon

Part 1: “Back to the Future”:

Yes, we must go ALL THE WAY BACK to the time of Noah and the re-birth of civilization, after the Great Flood. To understand the future, we must first understand the past.

Prior to the Great Flood, the Bible tells us that the earth had become overrun by genetically corrupted human hybrids and animals. God’s creation of man and animals had become so corrupted that evil was continuous and rampant. Men thought of nothing else, but of evil. This occurred between the creation of Adam of Eve and until the time of the Great Flood. We also know that Satan and some of his angels (sons of God) were the perpetrators of this corruption of men on the earth.

… “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of earth, and daughters were born unto them. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on earth, and it grieved him at his heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man and beast, and the creeping thing, and fowls of the air; for it repententh me that I have made them.” (Gen. 6:1-2, 4-7). (Emphasis added).

… “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.” (Gen. 6:11-13).

After God destroyed the existing civilization(s) of evil men around the known world by a Great Flood that covered the entire earth, he elected to spare one man (Noah) and his direct family. “But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD. These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham. And Japheth.” (Gen. 6:8-10). (Emphasis added).

Part 2: “A Second Chance Given to Men”:

Once the ark settled and the waters receded, God gave mankind a second chance through the lineage and genetics of Noah.

… “And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons’ wives with him: Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark. And God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.” (Gen. 8:16-19, 9:1).

… “These are the generations of Noah: Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God. And Noah begat three sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth.” (Gen. 6:9-10). (Emphasis added).

In essence, this was God’s ‘restocking program.’ Through the uncorrupted, unspoiled genetics of Noah and the genetically perfect male and female animal pairs he kept on the ark, God was able to repopulate the earth and to continue with the animal kingdom he originally created. God started over with a clean, genetic slate, as he originally intended. Through Noah’s original three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth, the whole world was repopulated through many generations. “These are the three sons of Noah: and of them was the whole earth overspread. These are the families of the sons of Noah, after their generations, in their nations divided in the earth after the flood.” (Gen. 9:19).

Part 3: “Evil Wastes No Time”:

Satan is always standing at the ready to corrupt and deceive mankind. He wasted no time interceding in man’s affairs once again. It took him only two generations, after Noah’s son, Ham, to pollute mankind.

Noah begat Ham begat Cush begat Nimrod (Gen. 10:1, 10:6, 10:8).

Nimrod is the first foreshadowing of an anti-christ-like figure (one world leader that defies God and promotes a false mystery religion).

… “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. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.” (Gen. 10:8-10). (Emphasis added).

Satan chooses Nimrod to manifest his evil and defiance towards God. In the verse above, is the first instance of the word “kingdom” used in Genesis, after the flood. Historians have noted the conquests of peoples and forced movement of them into cities, under his control. The glorious jewel of his kingdom was known as Babel. Every empire has a kingdom or capital, and Babel was Nimrod’s crown jewel and a monument to himself. Through conquest, warfare and slavery, Nimrod grew the cities under his dominion. Historians agree that this was the beginning of the Sumerian culture, empire and “mystery religion,” and the first known empire on the earth after the flood.

Part 4: “The Crown Jewel of the Empire, the First World Capital, the Great City and Tower … Babel”:

What did Nimrod do? Through conquest, warfare and slavery, Nimrod was able to corral people in the plain (land) of Shinar (modern day Iraq).

What did Nimrod build? Since there was only one language among all peoples on the earth after the flood, Nimrod was able to architect, design, organize, administer and build a great “tower that would reach heaven.” Architects, planners, builders, foremen, brick masons, slaves and bureaucrats all spoke the same language and could follow the same game plan dictated by Nimrod’s satanic vision and influence. This great tower was built surrounded by a glorious and magnificent city. This city was built expressly in defiance of God, for the glorification of man and for the worship of the gods (mystery religion).

What motivated Nimrod to do this? First of all, he was an imposingly large man, skilled in hunting not only animals but in men as well. He was a hunter and killer by instinct and by skills. Secondly, he rejected his great-grandfather’s God “I AM” and instead worshipped false idols, false gods and himself. Nimrod harbored resentment, anger and fury towards “I AM” because of the destruction of evil men before the flood. Nimrod had heard the stories of the great flood, passed down from Noah to Ham to Cush to him.

Nimrod wanted to build a monument to himself, through a tower that would reach into heaven. This structure would make a name for himself and show his greatness to those he conquered. This tower would glorify his city and capital. This tower would rise so high, that if God sent another flood, Nimrod could rise above the flood and defy God. Nimrod was perfectly aware that God specifically instructed his grandfather, Noah, to scatter about the earth and repopulate it. Nimrod rejected God’s instructions and instead, gathered and forced his conquered peoples to live in cities. He could only govern and rule over people safely guarded (trapped, imprisoned) in walled cities. People living in these cities were forced to rely on Nimrod, and his dictatorship, for their survival. They could no longer provide a living for themselves, having been taken away from the livelihood they had been instructed to obtain, from God. Nimrod supplanted God, in every way, of the people he conquered. This was and still is Satan’s eternal plan and will play out again during the Tribulation period described in the book of Revelation. What proof in the Bible is there for this?

… “And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said to one another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad the face of the whole earth.” (Gen. 11:1-4). (Emphasis added).

Genesis 11:5-9 indicates that God saw what Nimrod and these men were doing and instead of destroying them, he changed their one language into many languages. This resulted in no one being able to communicate with one another. Architects couldn’t speak with planners, who couldn’t speak with builders, who couldn’t speak with foremen, who couldn’t speak with brick masons, who couldn’t speak with slaves, etc. They gave up trying to finish building the tower. God scattered these men once again so they could not commune again to build similar things. Genesis, verse 11:9 indicates that this city was called Babel, “Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.” (Emphasis added).

Part 5: Historical accounts for Nimrod, Semiramis (his wife) and Mystery Religion Babylon:

[Author’s note:] It is not the intent of this book to provide a detailed, historical analysis of Nimrod or the Sumerian culture and religion. There are many books and resources available that discuss these subjects in detail. Through historical records and research, it is believed that all of the world’s false religious ideologies, philosophies and doctrines originated, in one form or another, from the Sumerian culture, in the Mesopotamian Valley, and from Babel specifically. Satan provided mankind with the idolatrous and blasphemous seeds of the ‘mystery religion’ at this time. Another Christian writer, Dr. Steven Merrill MD, has done a fantastic amount of research and writing concerning the person of Nimrod, his wife Semiramis and the mystery religion of Babylon that followed along with the dispersion of people from Babel. Dr. Merrill’s excellent book, “Nimrod – Darkness in the Cradle of Civilization,” (Xulon Press), provides a compelling account of this evil man. The following are excerpts from Dr. Merrill’s book.

Pages 331 – 333. No centralized government ruled in Mesopotamia prior to 3000 BC. Historians agree the city of Kish was one of the first cities to develop in the Sumerian civilization. Biblical records identify Nimrod as the son of Cush and grandson of Ham. Nimrods father, Cush probably founded the city of Kish (Kush) and named it after himself.

The Book of Genesis describes eight cities Nimrod either conquered or founded. Eusebius records Ninus (another name for Nimrod) as the first king to rule in Assyria. The prophet Micah referred to Assyria as the land of Nimrod, suggesting Nimrod’s previous control of this land. The first prominent King of Kish, Etana, was the first to conquer the large cities of Mesopotamia and place them under his rule. The exploits of King Etana, noted in extra-Biblical history, approximate those attributed to the Biblical Nimrod, and therefore may indicate these men are one in the same. Many extra-Biblical sources credit Nimrod as the man to develop weapons of warfare. The Jerusalem Targum notes the following about this man: “He was powerful in hunting and in wickedness before the Lord, for he was a hunter of the sons of men, and he said to them, ‘Depart from the judgement of the Lord, and adhere to the judgement of Nimrod!’ Therefore is it said …’As Nimrod [is] the strong one, strong in hunting, and in wickedness before the Lord.’’’

Nimrod is noted as the first to assemble armies for conquest in the post-flood world. He was the first King to conquer the ancient world. “Nimrod was the first who carried on war against his neighbors and he conquered all nations from Assyria to Lybia, as they were yet unacquainted with the arts of war.” All sources describe Nimrod as having an insatiable lust for power and dominion over people. He conquered many large cities and placed them under his authority. The Greek historian Diodorus lived as a contemporary of Julius Caesar. His record states Ninus (Nimrod) built the great city of Ninevah and gave it his name. Diodorus also recorded Ninus as a great warrior who subdued Asia. Josephus, a Jewish historian, noted Nimrod was a tyrant, demanding complete control of his people. He brought people into complete dependence upon him. The Roman historian Justin stated the following about Nimrod: “Ninus strengthened the greatness of his acquired dominion by continued possession. Having subdued, therefore, his neighbors…he went forth against other tribes and every new victory paved the way for another. He subdued all peoples of the east.”

Page 335-336. The hideous death and dismemberment of Nimrod likely caused his followers to fear Shem and his Holy God. Therefore, one might reasonably assume the false religion of Babylon went underground at that time. It became known as the mystery religion of Babylon, because its adherents practiced it in secret. The tongues of seventy different languages disseminated this mystery religion throughout the entire world following God’s judgement at Babel. Indeed, it became the foundation for all religions and philosophies that have fiercely opposed the One True God.

Some have written Nimrod was a giant black Nephilim (human hybrid resulting from fallen angelic sexual relations with women), and they have hypothesized his enormous size was the result of genetic characteristics he inherited from his grandmother. The wife of Ham purportedly descended from Cain – the first son of Adam, who murdered his younger brother Abel. Genesis, Chapter 6, describes the bizarre corruption of Cain’s lineage by demonic angels. The resulting giant progeny were called Nephilim, and they were infamous for their wickedness in the antediluvian world. The Sumerians worshipped them as gods.

The Hebrew word Nimrod means, ‘to rebel,’ or to revolt.’ That definition illustrates the story of this man’s life. He was the chief instigator of the rebellion against God and is credited for building the Tower of Babel.

Pages 340 – 341. Semiramis became a powerful ruler in Mesopotamia following the death of her husband Nimrod. Semiramis wore a crown symbolizing the turreted wall – the first known monarch to wear such a crown. The Sumerian name Sammur-amat was the original name of this woman. The name is translated ‘Gift of the sea.’ The first part of this name, Sammur, becomes Shinar when translated into Hebrew. The land of Shinar is the Biblical name for the region of southern Mesopotamia. People of this land were called Sumerians – a name also derived from Sammur. Both the Sumerians and their land of Shinar (Sumer) were named after this notorious woman. The Sumerians were the first to develop cities in this present world. Most anthropologists credit them with beginning human civilization. Semiramis ruled for more than forty years after Nimrod’s death.

Pages 355, 356, 358, 360. All attempts to trace the origin of goddess worship lead ultimately to one single woman of ancient history – Semiramis. She promoted deification of Nimrod and herself after his death. She contributed substantially to the mystery religion of Babylon. God’s judgement and Nimrod’s execution forced the mystery religion underground. Its adherents realized the danger of practicing their religion in the public domain. Hence, the name ‘mystery religion of Babylon’ refers to its secretive nature. Semiramis commanded total authority over her subjects and clandestinely indoctrinated the priesthood with this mystery religion. Priests and astrologers obeyed her commands, aggressively marketing the mystery religion. Ancient Sumerians knew Semiramis as the goddess Inanna. Ancient Babylonians knew Inanna as Ishtar. The world of antiquity deified Semiramis as Queen of Heaven and Queen of the gods. Goddess worship became wildly popular wherever it was introduced. Nations became intoxicated with the worship of this woman. The mystery religion of Babylon incorporated human deification, Satan worship, and astrology in cultic religious services. Astrologers corrupted the signs of the zodiac to authenticate their new religion. The mystery religion of Babylon was replete with cultic rituals of prostitution, idol worship, child sacrifice, magic, divination, and animal sacrifice. Priests, diviners, magicians and prostitutes all participated regularly in the cultic rituals. The Bible is filled with examples of mediums, astrologers, diviners, temple prostitutes, and child sacrifice, which were all associated with this mystery religion in various civilizations of the ancient world.

Part 6: Conclusion:

Biblical and historical accounts attribute the world’s first anti-christ-like person to Nimrod, the world’s mystery religion to Semiramis – “the Queen of Heaven” and the city surrounding the Tower of Babel as the world’s first capital of an empire. Interestingly, Semiramis served the role as a “false prophet” for Nimrod and instigated the spread of Babylon’s mystery religion. The Bible’s book of Revelation is complete with many verses referencing a future time, during the Tribulation, when another city, mystery religion, dictatorial ruler and empire will arise and dominate the world. Their influence on the world will be EXACTLY as that during Nimrod’s time. It is the intent of this book to suggest that the future version of Nimrod’s vision is becoming manifest in the vision and creation of the great city being called NEOM, in the land of Shur (modern day Saudia Arabia). In order to understand this future city in the period known as the Tribulation, we have to understand first the world of Nimrod, Semiramis and Babel. NEOM will arise from the sands and mountains in what is known today as Saudia Arabia!