What Every Believer Should Know What Every Believer Should Know about Babylonabout Babylon

Impacting a Proud, Pagan Culture through Humble Service

“Better it is to be of an

humble spirit with the

lowly, than to divide the

spoil with the proud.”

Proverbs 16:19

“Now I Nebuchadnezzar

praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all whose

works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to

abase.”

Daniel 4:37

Separation & InfluenceSeparation & Influence““I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the

world, but that thou shouldest keep them from world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil (one). They are not of the world, even as the evil (one). They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy

truth; thy word is truth” – truth; thy word is truth” – John 17:15-17John 17:15-17

1. Sanctification (separation unto God) precedes 1. Sanctification (separation unto God) precedes infiltration (impacting a culture)infiltration (impacting a culture)

2. Impacting a culture is in proportion to the 2. Impacting a culture is in proportion to the degree we are separate and sanctifieddegree we are separate and sanctified

The Second Thousand YearsThe Second Thousand Years“The Development of Nations”“The Development of Nations”

NOAH (956 years)

Japheth – Intellect (language) Europe

Shem – Spiritual (customs) East Asia

Ham – Physical (skills) North Africa

Pleasure ... Mixed Generation

Power ... Giant Generation

Pride ... Wicked Generation

Wickedness Increases

Noah and his family

The Flood

2348 B.C.

Peleg

Tower of Babel

2155 B.C.

Nimrod

Dispersion of the Races

Akkadian,

Sumerian,

Chaldean

(Advanced Cultures)

Noahic

Covenant

Home

Church

State

• Founded by Cush, son of Ham and father of Nimrod

• Babel; Belus; Baal; “god of confusion” is the source of all mystery occult religions and conspiracies

• The Goddess Mother and the Son; Semiramis and Ninus (Nimrod and his wife) are symbolized in ancient empires and pagan religions

• The Tower of Babel and the Dispersion (2150 BC); combining advanced technology, rebellion and witchcraft was dispersed around the globe

• The ultimate perversion of the Trinity, Lucifer, Mother (and Child), and Demonic gods demanding blood sacrifice and sexual perversion

BABYLONBABYLONUnderstanding its RootsUnderstanding its Roots

• “For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.” – Isaiah 14:13-14

• “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king.” – 1st Samuel 15:23

• “…Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore… with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication…. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, 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.” – Revelation 17:1-5

BABYLON IN THE BIBLEBABYLON IN THE BIBLESymbol of Pride, Rebellion and WitchcraftSymbol of Pride, Rebellion and Witchcraft

• “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility. – Proverbs 18:12

• “….be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time” – 1st Peter 5:5-6

THE FEAR OF THE LORDTHE FEAR OF THE LORDKey to Humility and HonorKey to Humility and Honor

The Fourth Thousand YearsThe Fourth Thousand Years“The Captivity of God’s People”“The Captivity of God’s People”

Solomon Jonah Nahum Josiah Jeremiah Daniel Malachi

Assyrian Empire

(power)

Israel Divided

Babylonian Empire

(pride)

Persian Empire

(LAW of Medes & Persians)

Greek Empire

(pleasure)

Assyrian captivity of Israel

722 BC

Babylonian captivity of

Judah

586 BC

Revival &

Reform

Nineveh

repents

Destruction of Nineveh

Daniel disciples

Cyrus

Alexander the Great

336-323 B C

Restoration

and Promise

Daniel stands

950 BC 760 625 609 605 590-539 538-444 BC…………..

(pleasure)

• New Babylon rules the earth for 88 years – from 606-538 BC • Nabopolassar was co-ruler with his son until 606 BC• Son married Amyitis; daughter of a Median monarch• Nebuchadnezzar reigned for half the dynasty (44 years)• A “divine” monarch who built fortification walls 87 by 350 feet• Erected hanging gardens for his wife to be like her homeland• Constructed canals and underground irrigation systems• Nebuchadnezzar removed his captives from their soil and

cause them to do slave labor in building Babylon• Emulated the pride of Babylon; and when humbled by God,

his wife ruled in his place

The New Babylonian EmpireThe New Babylonian EmpireA Revival of Pride and RebellionA Revival of Pride and Rebellion

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian Empire“An Empire of Pride”“An Empire of Pride”

Josiah Jeremiah Daniel Ezekiel’s visions

Josiah’s revival & reforms

The Babylonian Empire

Daniel taken captive at 16

609 BC

Nebuchadnezzar judged for pride

Judah taken captive

Jeremiah warns of 70 year captivity

Daniel interprets the king’s dream

Decree of Cyrus for Jews to return

Daniel interprets the Handwriting

on the wall

636-609 609 605 595 586 570-563 539 538 BC

Daniel’s friends refuse to bow

Daniel in the

lion’s den (82)

Nabopolassar / NEBUCHADNEZZAR Evil-Meroduch Neriglisser Laborosoardel Nabonedius Belshazzar

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian EmpireLesson 1 – Lesson 1 – Believers must embrace a Believers must embrace a KingdomKingdom understandingunderstanding of their times of their times

• Daniel was inspired by Jeremiah who was inspired by Josiah – legacy of multi-generational continuity

• Daniel’s preparation (home & church) prepared him to remain pure in captivity

• A believer’s stand must be a lawful resistance to tyranny, respecting those who persecute you and creatively seeking ways to demonstrate love

• Believers need to understand and embrace the captivity of their times; knowing God’s purpose in it

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian EmpireLesson 2 – Lesson 2 – Believers must be willing to Believers must be willing to

embrace a philosophy of embrace a philosophy of separationseparation

• Daniel’s friends would not bow to the idolatry of the State – (separate from music & trends of day)

• Faithfulness to go into the fire is true success – separation unto God

• Covenant rests on a willingness to cut out that which offends God – separate from sin

• True success is the ability to stand alone

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian EmpireLesson 3 – Lesson 3 – Believers must learn to minister Believers must learn to minister

in captivity through love and in captivity through love and serviceservice• 25 years of loving service elapse between Daniel

chapters 4 and 5; spanning two empires• Not until the last ruler of Babylon, when Daniel

is probably 82, is he called forth to prophesy by Nebuchadnezzar’s wife

• He is promoted to rule only after he was separated, his faith tested, and served faithfully

• Daniel rules Babylon for approximately one hour, when Cyrus conquers during the idolatrous feast

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian EmpireLesson 4 – Lesson 4 – Believers must embrace the Believers must embrace the

crosscross and not promote themselves and not promote themselves• Daniel became Prime Minister under Darius• He instructed Cyrus on God’s providential

work in his life; preparing him for such an hour

• He benefited Persia by decentralizing power and increasing self-government under law

• No one could find hypocrisy in his walk with God

• He looked for no short-cuts from God• He boldly continued to pray, waiting for God’s

deliverance

The Babylonian EmpireThe Babylonian Empire“How to Conquer Pride”“How to Conquer Pride”

“overcome evil with good” – Romans 12:21

1) Embrace a Kingdom understanding of the times in which you live

2) Be willing to separate from that which defiles

3) Learn to minister in captivity through love and service that truly benefits the other person

4) Do not promote yourself, but embrace the cross and wait for God to give you influence