The first mention we find of Babylon is after the Flood. Nimrod, “a great hunter before the Lord” (Genesis 10:9) had a kingdom which included the city of Babylon. Of course, this is where the Tower of Babel was built. This is also the first rebellion after the Flood. In fact, some Bible commentators say that Nimrod was a great hunter in the face of the Lord. Nimrod may have acted in spite of God. Before the Flood there is no mention of kingdoms. The first use of the word “kingdom” in the Bible is in reference to that of Nimrod. I do not believe that building a great political power was according to the plan of God.
Some commentators believe that Nimrod is a cryptogram of the Hebrew word marad, which means “rebel”. Nimrod rebelled by creating a political kingdom. The Babylonians, or Chaldeans, are thought to be the inventors of astrology. Nimrod rebelled by building the Tower of Babel. It is assumed that the tower was also for astrological purposes. Astrology is a form of spiritual rebellion.
In addition, Babylon is the source of many of the pagan myths that still influence people today. Nimrod, the father, and his wife Semiramis, the mother, were the basis for the Mother Goddess myth. The Mother Goddess myth is found in many pagan lands and cultures and always is illustrated with the mother holding her infant child, the son of Nimrod. The child’s name is Tammuz and his birthday is celebrated at the Winter solstice, or about December 21st (within four days of Christmas). Does this sound familiar? Another pagan myth is Astarte, the fertility goddess. This, too, started in Babylon. The symbols of Astarte, or fertility, are eggs, chicks and rabbits. It is from her name that we get the term “Easter”.
We know that the source of rebellion is Satan, and he is the great counterfeiter. He created a three-part rebellion to counter the three-part Godhead of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This three-part rebellion is described in the Bible as Mystery Babylon. The three parts are Spiritual Babylon, Political Babylon and Commercial Babylon. The Lord has spoken against all three in His Word.
These three parts have been intertwined down through history. It is easy to see the connection between political power and wealth, but the spiritual side, while always there, is sometimes more difficult to observe. In the great kingdoms described in the Bible, it was all about political power and wealth, and though unstated, the absence of honoring God. If you do not honor the Lord, you will naturally honor His spiritual opposite, Satan.
An example is Nebuchadnezzar, the greatest king of all according to Daniel 2:36-38. Nebuchadnezzar failed to honor God and became insane for seven periods of time. Later, he was brought back to his senses and honored God (Daniel 4:28-37). His grandson, Belshazzar, mocked the Lord. He is the one whose knees began to knock together when a hand began writing on the wall (Daniel 5:5-6). Satan, like nature, abhors a vacuum. If you do not honor God, then Satan will step into the void. So in history, we find this unholy trinity of Spiritual, Political and Commercial Babylon.
A more recent example of the trinity of Spiritual, Political and Commercial Babylon is the Knights Templar. This may offend some because this was supposed to be a religious order. They were certainly politically connected because they were awarded the choice real estate of Jerusalem when it was captured. The Templars were given control of the traditional Temple Mount. The founding of this order is always associated with Godfroi de Bouillon, leader of the Crusaders who captured Jerusalem in 1099. De Bouillon was a descendant of the deposed King Dagobert II, and King Merovee. It was King Merovee who claimed blasphemous descent from Jesus and Mary Magdalene. De Bouillon, or his brother who succeeded him, took the title of “King of Jerusalem”. To this day, the descendants of Godfroi de Bouillon still claim the title, King of Jerusalem. This title may also be blasphemous because it may be a title given to King Jesus.
The Knights Templar were incredibly wealthy and were the first international bankers, showing us Commercial Babylon. They owned great estates all over Europe. They also owned a large fleet of ships. If you wanted to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, you went on a Templar ship, because if you traveled by an Arab ship, you quite likely would be sold into slavery.
The Knights Templar invented the idea of the bank draft. In medieval times it was dangerous to carry a bag of gold from one land to another. So you went to the Templars, who were in many countries, gave them your gold and received a coded document. Highwaymen were not interested in paper; they wanted gold or silver. When you arrived at the land of your destination, you presented the document to the Templars there and received an equal amount of gold.
So we see the political side and the commercial side of the Knights Templar. What about the spiritual side? King Phillip of France owed the Templars money and they owed him no allegiance; so he convinced the Pope to order their arrest. When the Templars were arrested and their estates confiscated, many allegations of spiritual impropriety came forth. But these were obtained under the duress of torture. However, as I have reported earlier, I have been in a Templar “church.” The building was round, which is typical of Templar places of worship. The floor of the “church” was covered with stone effigies of fallen knights in their armor. Around the perimeter of the “sanctuary” were carved faces of some very unhappy people. One was sticking out his tongue. Another had a rat chewing on his face. It is difficult to equate this to Christian worship.
In a Knights Templar place of worship in Spain there is a window high above the entrance. From the exterior the stone dividers of this window appear to form a rose pattern not unlike the Tudor rose. However, when viewed from the inside the pattern appears to be a Satanic pentagram. This window seems to present a metaphor of the Templars. From the outside they appeared to be one thing; from the inside, another.
Neither the Knights Templar wealth nor their fleet of ships were captured when they were arrested in 1307. They were apparently forewarned. Perhaps this great fortune was the capital basis of international banking, or Commercial Babylon, that has existed even until today. It appears that the Templars are a link in the continuity of the three-part Mystery Babylon.
Mystery Babylon is still with us today. Political, Spiritual and Commercial Babylon all flourish and are still intertwined. New York City could be the seat of this rebellion. The United Nations Building is a type of the Tower of Babel. Every language in the world is spoken and translated there. The United Nations is a good example of Political Babylon, where the empire-building desire of Nimrod is continued today in an effort to consolidate all countries under the power of the United Nations. Interestingly, the land upon which the United Nations Building stands was donated by the Rockefeller family.
The Rockefellers have long inter-married with international banking families. Just as royal marriages are arranged for political alliances, the international bankers arrange marriages within their various families for commercial alliances. Of course, the Rockefellers had their own bank, the Chase-Manhattan Bank, and are a representation of Commercial Babylon. It is easy to visualize Commercial Babylon when you consider that less than 150 years ago the most prominent building in any city, town or village was the church with its spires. Today, the church spires are obscured by the skyscrapers of commerce. Commercial Babylon has usurped the Church.
Sad to say, Spiritual Babylon thrives today, also. In a recent survey, the fastest growing “religion” was Wiccan witchcraft. Whether it is New Age spiritualism, witchcraft, nature or creation worship or one of numerous cults, the underlying theme is rebellion against God the Creator.
The thread of rebellion that runs through history comes to a conclusion in the Revelation, chapters 17 and 18. Many believe these chapters refer to the Catholic Church because of the seven hills in verse 17:9. The Holy Roman Empire was definitely a spiritual and political power at one time. Just as the Templars no longer exist, the Holy Roman Empire no longer exists.
There are three “woes” for the three-part rebellion. The first woe is for Commercial Babylon and her merchants (Revelation 18:11). The second is for Political Babylon, dressed in purple and silk like royalty (Revelation 18:16). The third is for Spiritual Babylon and the way she treated the saints, apostles and prophets (Revelation 18:20).
These woes are a summation of the purpose of the Great Tribulation. Satan directed his rebellion through mankind, which grew more and more wicked until God was grieved that He had made man (Genesis 6:6). The Lord caused the Flood which gave the earth a fresh start. But the first thing after the Flood we once again find rebellion in the form of Nimrod and the Tower of Babel. This Satan-inspired rebellion has continued in various forms down though the ages. The Great Tribulation will result in the destruction of the Mystery Babylon rebellion. And the Lord Jesus will reign! May His Name be praised and honored now and forever.
The United States is the richest country in the world. The United States buys more merchandise than any other country. The United States very likely represents Commercial Babylon and New York City is the hub of this commerce. Frankly, the Lord does not have kind things to say about great wealth. The Bible speaks of the destruction of the “merchants of Tarshish”, which are a representation of Commercial Babylon. “Cross over to Tarshish; wail, you people” - Isaiah 23:6-9; “The ships of Tarshish serve as carriers . . . They will raise their voice and cry bitterly over you” - Ezekiel 27:25-31; “the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn . . . They will throw dust on their heads with weeping and mourning” - Revelation 18:11-19; “Now listen you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming upon you”- James 5:1-6.
The Revelation is a complex, multi-layered book. For that reason many avoid studying this book, which contains two promises of blessing for those who do. Many Bible scholars have noted that the Revelation appears to outline history from the time of the Early Church until the Return of the Lord. If this is a correct interpretation, the events described in chapter 18 are the last to occur before the Return of the Lord Jesus in chapter 19.
I do not know if chapter 18 points to September 11th, but the first thing that came to my mind as I watched the burning World Trade Center was Revelation 18:17-18. “In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin! Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off. When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, ‘Was there ever a city like this great city?’”
How many times have you heard New Yorkers say, “There is no place like New York City”? “This is the carefree city that lived in safety. She said to herself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’” (Zephaniah 2:15) Please read Isaiah 47; the entire chapter. This haughty phrase is repeated twice in this chapter describing the fall of Babylon. Ezekiel chapter 27 follows the same theme.
Further condemnation of Commercial Babylon is found in Zephaniah 1:11 - “Wail, you who live in the market district, all your merchants will be wiped out, . . .” The last verse of the book of the prophet Zechariah (14:21) says, “And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite (or merchant*) in the house of the Lord Almighty.” The prophet was describing the results of the Lord defeating all the nations of the world, who had gathered around Jerusalem to fight against it.
We certainly live in interesting times. It appears that Commercial Babylon, Political Babylon and Spiritual Babylon are coming to a peak. We know from scripture how the Lord will deal with this unholy trinity. We just don’t know when. If you live as if the Lord were to return this day, you can only be blessed for it. Praise the Name of the Lord! Maranatha!
* Strong’s Concordance defines Canaanite as “a pedlar”. Peloubet says the name became a synonym for “merchant”.