Let me begin by quoting the Apostle Paul:

“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high (epouranios – heavenly) places.” – Ephesians 6:12

Scholars tell us that many of the “mythical gods” have several names, depending on the culture that worships them. For example, Baal of the Middle East is the same as Zeus of the Greeks, who is the same as Jupiter of the Romans. Same god, different names.

I would like to try to follow the Thread of Evil associated with Baal/Zeus/Jupiter.

As we know from the Bible, Baal was worshipped by the Canaanites and others who lived near Israel. Later, even some of Israel worshipped Baal. This worship included child sacrifice among other abominations.

By the time of Hellenistic Antiochus IV Epiphanes, Zeus was worshipped. Antiochus was king of the Seleucids who conquered Judah in 167 B.C. Antiochus is a type or foreshadow of the anti-Christ of the Last Days. He sacrificed a pig on the Temple altar and erected an idol of Zeus within the Temple.

This was a high point in Satan’s career. Remember his statement in Isaiah 14:13, “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation …” Antiochus helped Satan achieve his goal. But the Jews recaptured the Temple under the leadership of the Maccabees about 165-164 B.C., and the idol of Zeus was destroyed.

The Thread of Evil then moved to Pergamos in Asia Minor, which is Turkey today. Building of the Altar of Zeus began in Pergamos between 170 B.C. and 159 B.C. My guess is it began in 165-164 B.C. when the idol of Zeus was removed from the Temple of God. To understand the importance of this pagan building, we must read the opinion of the Lord Jesus.

“And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write … I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat (thronos – throne) is.” – The Revelation 2:12-13

The Throne of Satan, or the Altar of Zeus, a site of pagan worship including the sacrifice of innocent children, fell into disuse during the Christian Age and became dormant. The sand and dirt of many centuries covered it until it was discovered by a German archaeologist in 1871. Carl Humann began excavation of the edifice in 1878 and shipped the pieces to his homeland, to Germany.

Italian specialists worked on the many sculptures and friezes for several years. It is interesting that several of the friezes depict giants. The Altar of Zeus was assembled and completed in Berlin in 1889. From 1897-1899 a museum was constructed to display the altar.

© Raimond Spekking

The Thread of Evil began its work anew. A new building for the altar was begun just prior to World War One, but was delayed due to the war and the subsequent disruption of the German economy. It was completed in 1930, the same year the National Socialist Party (the Nazis) rose from obscurity to become the second most powerful political party in Germany.

Soon after, the Nazis won more elections and Adolf Hitler was appointed as Chancellor of Germany in 1933. Albert Speer, a young German architect, was commissioned to design the grandstand and speaker’s podium for Hitler’s Zeppelinfeld in Nuremberg. Speer was impressed by the Altar of Zeus, and used it as a model for the Nuremberg grandstand.

When you see films of Hitler speaking before great rallies with thousands of people in attendance, he was standing on a replica of the Throne of Satan. From a historic perspective, we can see that Hitler was speaking for Satan. The great evil that was done prior to and during World War Two certainly centered on Berlin, Germany, the location of the Altar of Zeus.

It is estimated that sixty million people lost their lives during World War Two. We are told that the Nazis killed six million Jews, or about ten percent, a tithe of all war dead. The Firstfruits were the first to be offered in sacrifice, according to the instructions of the Lord. The Prophet Jeremiah told us that Israel was the Firstfruits of the Lord. (Jeremiah 2:3) The Thread of Evil was doing its work in the world, and centered in Germany.

In the panoply of worshipped spiritual beings, Baal, Zeus, and Jupiter are the same entity. The name differed depending upon the culture in which it was worshipped.

I have traced the Thread of Evil from the time when Antiochus IV Epiphanes captured Jerusalem and placed an idol of Zeus in the Temple of God. Perhaps by coincidence (which I doubt) when the Jews regained possession of the Temple about 165-164 B.C., the building of the Altar of Zeus began in Pergamos in Asia Minor, or modern-day Turkey. In His letter to the church in Pergamos, the Lord noted that Pergamos was the location of Satan’s seat, or throne. (The Revelation 2:12-13) Satan’s throne was the Altar of Zeus.

With the advent of Christianity the Altar of Zeus fell into disuse, and ultimately into obscurity. This dormancy ended in the late 19th Century when a German archaeologist uncovered the ruins of the altar. The portions of the Altar of Zeus that were recoverable were sent to Berlin, Germany and housed in a museum there. The Thread of Evil began again with two world-wide wars that focused on Germany, and culminated with the destruction and division of that nation into East Germany and West Germany. Remember, Satan is all about death, destruction and division.

The museum housing the Altar of Zeus ended up in East Germany, controlled by the Soviet Union. Always greedy for booty, the Soviets moved the altar to Russia. Coincidentally, the focus of evil also moved to Russia. It was at that time that the “Cold War” began, and Russia was able to build a nuclear bomb. Mankind was theoretically capable of destroying mankind, which would have brought joy to Satan. Joseph Stalin and the Communists followed the same program as Adolf Hitler; Jews were persecuted, the Bible had to be smuggled into Russia, and churches became government buildings.

There are other interesting “coincidences.” Joseph Stalin was born in 1878, the year excavation of the Altar of Zeus began. Adolf Hitler was born in 1889, the year that restoration of the altar was completed.

The Altar of Zeus was subsequently returned to Berlin, where it now resides. Today, Germany is the economic and political backbone of the European Union. We must wait to see if the Thread of Evil begins again in Germany or the European Union.

Photo - REObama.com

It is curious that the Democratic National Committee modeled its podium after the Altar of Zeus/Baal/Jupiter in its 2008 convention.

In the meantime, a reconstruction of the Arch of Baal has made its appearance in London, England, New York City and Washington, D.C. The latter appearance was September 26, 2018 and it stood in our nation’s capital during the hearing of the confirmation of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

As part of pagan worship, child sacrifices were made to Baal. Remember that our struggle is not with human beings, but with spiritual beings. (Ephesians 6:12) The sacrifice of innocent babies is to satisfy the bloodlust of these spiritual beings. Child sacrifice to the god Baal exists in the United States. An estimated 50-60 million innocent children have been offered up at the altar of Baal.

It seems to be more than coincidence that the Arch of Baal was here when child sacrifice in our nation was purportedly being decided. The Kavanaugh confirmation was all about his views on abortion. Whether abortion laws in the United States will be changed remains to be seen. But it appears that the spirit of Zeus/Baal/Jupiter was here during that critical time.

Pray that the sacrifice of the innocent will cease! Pray for our nation. Pray for our leaders. May the Lord’s will be done, and may He be praised forever and ever!