Babylon - So Urce of False Religion
THE MYSTERY RELIGION of Babylon has been symboli¬cally described in the last book of the Bible as a woman “arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: and upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT. THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev. 17:1-6).
When the Bible uses symbolic language, a ‘woman” can symbolise a church. The true church, for example, is likened to a bride, a chaste virgin, a woman without spot or blemish (Eph. 5:27; Rev. 19:7,8). But here, in striking contrast, an unclean woman, a defiled woman, a harlot, is pictured. If it Is here correct to apply this symbolism to a church system. It Is clear that only a defiled and fallen church could be meant! In big capital letters, the Bible calls her ‘MYSTERY BABYLON.”
When John wrote the book of Revelation, Babylon—as a city and empire—had already been destroyed and left in ruins, as the Old Testament prophets had foretold (Isaiah 13: 19-22; Jer.51,52). But the religious concepts and cus¬toms that originated in Babylon continued on and were well represented in many nations of the world. Just what was the religion of ancient Babylon? How did it all begin? What significance does it hold in modem times? How does it all tie in with what John wrote in the book of Revelation?
Turning the pages of time back to the period shortly after the flood, men began to migrate from the east, ‘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” (Gen. 11:2). It was here that the city of Babylon was built and this land became known as Babylonia or later as Mesopotamia.
Here the Euphrates and Tigris rivers had built up rich deposits of earth that could produce crops in abundance. But there were certain problems the people faced. For one thing, the land was overrun with wild animcds which were a constant threat to the safety and peace of the inhabitants (cf. Exodus 23:29,30). Obviously anyone who could success¬fully provide protection from these wild beasts would receive great acclaim from the people.
It was at this point that a large, powerfully-built man by the name of Nimrod appeared on the scene. He became famous as a mighty hunter against the wild animals. The Bible tells us: ‘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. 10:8,9).
Apparently Nimrod’s success as a mighty hunter caused him to become famous among those primitive people. He became ‘a mighty one in the earth—a famous leader in worldly affairs. Gaining this prestige, he devised a better means of protection. Instead of constantly fighting the wild beasts, why not organise the people into cities and surround them with walls of protection? Then, why not organise these cities into a kingdom? Evidently this was the thinking of Nimrod, for the Bible tells us that he organised such a kingdom. “And the beginning of his KINGDOM was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar” (Gen. 10:10). The kingdom of Nimrod is the first mentioned In the Bible.
Whatever advances may have been made by Nimrod would have been well and good, but Nimrod was an ungodly ruler. The name Nimrod comes from marad, meaning, “he rebelled.” The expression that he was a mighty one “before the Lord” can carry a hostile meaning—the word “before” being sometimes used as meaning “against” the Lord. The Jewish Encyclopaedia says that Nimrod was “he who made all the people rebellious against God.”
The noted historian Josephus wrote: “Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God... .He also gradually changed the government into tyr¬anny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God.. .the multitudes were very ready to follow the determi¬nation of Nimrod.. .and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, It grew very high... .The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon.”
Basing his conclusions on information that has come down to us in history, legend, and mythology, Alexander Hislop has written in detail of how Babylonian religion de¬veloped around traditions concerning Nimrod, his wife Semiramis, and her child Tam¬maz. When Nimrod died, according to the old stories, his body was cut into pieces, burnt, and sent to various areas. Similar practices are mentioned in the Bible (Judges 19:29; 1 Sam. 11:7).
Following his death, which was greatly mourned by the people of Babylon, his wife Semirainis claimed he was now the sun god. Later, when she gave birth to a son, she claimed that her son, Tanimuz by name, was their hero Nimrod reborn. (The accompanying cut shows the way Tanimuz came to be represented in classical art.)
The mother of Tanimuz had probably heard the prophecy of the coming Messiah to be born of a woman, for this truth was known from the earliest times (Gen. 3:15). She claimed her son was supernaturally conceived and that he was the promised seed, the “saviour.” In the religion that developed, however, not only was the child worshipped, but the mother was worshipped also!
Much of the Babylonian worship was carried on through mysterious symbols—it was a “mystery” religion. Since the deified Nimrod was believed to be the sun god, fire was con¬sidered his earthly representation. Thus, as we shall see, candles and ritual fires were lighted in his honour. In other forms, he was symbolised by sun images, fish, trees, pillars, and animals.
Centuries later, Paul gave a description which perfectly fits the course that the people of Babylon followed: “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God.. .but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God Into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.. .they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the creator.. .for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections” (Rom. 1:21-26).
This system of idolatry spread from Babylon to the nations, for it was from this location that men were scattered over the face of the earth (Gen. 11:9). As they went from Babylon, they took their worship of the mother and child, and the various mystery symbols with them. Herodotus, the world traveller and historian of antiquity, witnessed the mystery religion and its rites in numerous countries and mentions how Babylon was the primeval source from which all systems of idolatry flowed. Bunsen says that the religious system of Egypt was derived from Asia and “the primitive empire in Babel.” In his noted work Nineveh and its Remains, Layard declares that we have the united testimony of sacred and profane history that idolatry originated in the area of Babylonia—the most ancient of religious systems. All of these historians were quoted by Hislop.5
When Rome became a world empire, it is a known fact that she assimilated into her system the gods and religions from the various pagan countries over which she ruled. Since Babylon was the source of the paganism of these countries, we can see how the early religion of pagan Rome was but the Babylonish worship that had developed into various forms and under different names in the counties to which It had gone.
Bearing this in mind, we notice that It was during the time while Rome was ruling the world that the true saviour, Jesus Christ, was born, lived among men, died, and rose again. He ascended into heaven, sent back the Holy spirit, and the New Testament church was established in the earth. What glorious days! One only has to read the book of Acts to see how much God blessed his people in those days. Multi¬tudes were added to the church. Great signs and wonders were performed as God confirmed his word with signs following.
Christianity, anointed by the Holy Spirit, swept the world like a prairie fire. It encircled the mountains and crossed the oceans. It made kings to tremble and tyrants to fear. It was said of those early Christians that they had “turned the world upside down”!—so powerful was their message and spirit (Acts 17:6).
Before too many years had passed, however, men began to set themselves up as “lords” over God’s people in place of the Holy Spirit. Instead of conquering by spiritual means and by truth—as in the early days—men began to substitute their Ideas and their methods. Attempts to merge paganism into Christianity were being made even in the days when our New Testament was being written, for Paul mentioned that the “mystery of iniquity” was already at work; he warned that there would come a falling away” and some would “depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils”—the counterfeit doctrines of the pagans (2 Thess. 2:3,7; 1 Tim. 4:2).
By the time that Jude wrote the book that bears his name, it was necessary for him to exhort the people to “earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints,” for certain men had crept In who were attempting to substitute things that were no part of the original faith (Jude 1:3,4).
Christianity came face to face with the Babylonian pa¬ganism in its various forms that had been established in the Roman Empire. The early Christians refused to have anything to do with its cus¬toms and beliefs. Much per¬secution resulted. Many Christians were falsely ac¬cused, thrown to the lions, burned at the stake, and in other ways tortured and martyred. Then great changes began to be made. The em¬peror of Rome professed conversion to Christianity. Imperial orders went forth throughout the empire that persecutions should cease. Bishops were given high honours. The church began to receive worldly recognition and power. But for all of this, a great price had to be paid! Many compromises were made with paganism. Instead of the church being separate from the world, it became a part of this world system. The emperor showing favour, demanded a place of leadership in the church; for in paganism, emperors were believed to be gods. From here on, wholesale mixtures of paganism into Christianity were made, especially at Rome.
We believe the pages which follow prove it was this mixture that produced that system which is known today as the Roman Catholic church. We do not doubt that there are many fine, sincere, and devout Catholics. It is not our intention to treat lightly or to ridicule anyone whose beliefs we may here disagree with. Instead, we would hope this book will inspire all people—regardless of their religious affili¬ation—to forsake Babylonish doctrines and seek a return to the faith that was once delivered unto the saints.