Podcasts about ancient babylon

Cyrus' exemplary leadership forged a patchwork of ethnicities into an empire that founded Persian rule in the Middle East, Professor Lynette Mitchell explains. Cyrus the Great (or the Elder) is known to many through the Cyrus Cylinder exhibit preserved in the British Museum, which tells us that he was chosen by God for his special virtues to become ‘king of the four corners of the world'.[1]  Indeed, he created a Persian empire that extended from the Greek communities of Asia Minor to the marches of India.  Ever since, virtues of a great strategic leader have been attributed to him, including by Xenophon who, as a Greek, might have been expected to be hostile to Cyrus' expansion. Instead, Xenophon took him as a model for the ideal leader in war and peace. Even today, the stories of his leadership are revered in management literature. But does the reality justify the acclaim? Professor Lynette Mitchell of the University of Exeter has discovered her interest in the life and achievements of Cyrus from her earlier research on Greek culture and customs, on which she has published widely. Her book, Cyrus the Great: A Biography of Kingship, was published by Routledge in 2023. [1] Irving Finkel (ed.): The Cyrus Cylinder: The King of Persia's Proclamation from Ancient Babylon. (London: I-.B- Tauris, 2013)

Greg Jenner is joined in ancient Mesopotamia by Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid and comedian Phil Wang to learn about the history of cuneiform, the oldest writing system in the world.In the 19th Century, European scholars began to translate inscriptions found on ruins and clay tablets from ancient Mesopotamia - an area of the world between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers that encompasses modern Iraq, as well as parts of Syria, Iran, Turkey and Kuwait. The script they deciphered became known as cuneiform, and this distinctive wedge-shaped writing system is perhaps the oldest in the world. The earliest cuneiform tablet is in fact over 5,000 years old.These clay tablets reveal much about the daily life of people in this part of the ancient world, recording everything from the amounts of beer sold by brewers and the best way to ask the gods for advice, to squabbles between husbands and wives and even the lullabies used to get babies to sleep. The first recorded epic poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, is also preserved thanks to cuneiform. This episode traces the history of cuneiform, exploring how this script worked, who used it and what they used it for, what it tells us about the inhabitants of ancient Mesopotamia, and how it was finally deciphered.If you're a fan of historical puzzles, amazing archaeological finds and the intimate details of everyday life in the ancient world, you'll love our episode on cuneiform.If you want more from Dr Moudhy Al-Rashid, check out our episode on Ancient Babylon. And for more ancient history with Phil Wang, listen to our episodes on the history of Kung Fu and the Terracotta Warriors. You're Dead To Me is the comedy podcast that takes history seriously. Every episode, Greg Jenner brings together the best names in history and comedy to learn and laugh about the past. Hosted by: Greg Jenner Research by: Hannah Cusworth and Matt Ryan Written by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow, Emma Nagouse, and Greg Jenner Produced by: Emmie Rose Price-Goodfellow and Greg Jenner Audio Producer: Steve Hankey Production Coordinator: Ben Hollands Senior Producer: Emma Nagouse Executive Editor: James Cook

Send us a textIn the last episode we discussed the rise and fall of the Akkadian Empire and the Ur III Dynasty - The Neo-Sumerian Empire. We begin this episode with the Old Babylonian Period, the eight kingdoms, and the rise and fall of the Babylonian Empire under Hammurabi.Checkout the video version at:https://www.youtube.com/@DWAncientBabylonSupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistory

Send us a textIn the last episode we covered the Early Dynastic Period, from about 2900-2350 B.C. We left off with discussing the differences between northern and southern Babylonia and how the city of Kish functioned as an intermediate point between these two worlds. We begin this episode with the world's first empire: the Akkadian Empire – created by Sargon the Great.Checkout the video version at:https://www.youtube.com/@DWAncientBabylonSupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistory

Send us a textIn the last episode we covered the fourth millennium, roughly between 3500-3000 B.C. with the origins of the city-state. We begin this episode with a focus on Babylonia during the Early Dynastic Period, from 2900-2350 B.C.CONTENTS00:00 - Intro01:29 - 3.1 - Political Developments in Southern Mesopotamia06:22 - 3.2 - The Sumerian King List08:52 - 3.3 - The Umma-Lagash Border Conflict13:19 - 3.4 - Writing and Language15:10 - 3.5 - Northern MesopotamiaCheckout the video version at:https://www.youtube.com/@DWAncientBabylonSupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistory

In this special Haunting Season episode of Magic and Medicines, Eleanor dusts off her old grimoires and fetches up a severed head to guide us through the history of the arcane art of Necromancy!We start by discussing the modern conception of Necromancy, not least in video games, including summoning skeleton armies or raising the dead, and then jump back in time to explore how what was once considered a serious, sacred, and deeply helpful form of spiritual practice developed the macabre connotations it has today. The journey takes us to some strange places, including ones where, it turns out, Pythagoras was a wizard, as was Jesus (who supposedly sported quite the range of funky tattoos) as well as examples of Necromancy from Ancient Babylon and famous texts like Homer's Odyssey. From there we dig into how anti-Christian propaganda and the preoccupations of particular witch-hunters and alchemists saw Necromancy morphing from an almost tender, if sometimes comic set of practices to become taboo and unholy. Along the way, we touch base with the likes of John Dee, James I, King Cleomenes I of Sparta, swing by some ruins of Oracles of the Dead, chew over some ideas repopularised by the Spiritualised movement, and much more besides...Martin will be back on Saturday for our Local Legends interview with Jonathan Sims, author and co-creator of The Magnus Archives and Magnus Protocol, and - aside from today's brand new, truly epic Patreon Exclusive mega-ghost story, we will then be back on Monday with our next installment of original tales for Haunting Season 2024.And hey, who's that standing behind you?The Three Ravens is an English Myth and Folklore podcast hosted by award-winning writers Martin Vaux and Eleanor Conlon.Released on Mondays, each weekly episode focuses on one of England's 39 historic counties, exploring the history, folklore and traditions of the area, from ghosts and mermaids to mythical monsters, half-forgotten heroes, bloody legends, and much, much more. Then, and most importantly, the pair take turns to tell a new version of an ancient story from that county - all before discussing what that tale might mean, where it might have come from, and the truths it reveals about England's hidden past...Bonus Episodes are released on Thursdays (Magic and Medicines about folk remedies and arcane spells, Three Ravens Bestiary about cryptids and mythical creatures, Dying Arts about endangered heritage crafts, and Something Wicked about folkloric true crime from across history) plus Local Legends episodes on Saturdays - interviews with acclaimed authors, folklorists, podcasters and historians with unique perspectives on that week's county.With a range of exclusive content on Patreon, too, including audio ghost tours, the Three Ravens Newsletter, and monthly Three Ravens Film Club episodes about folk horror films from across the decades, why not join us around the campfire and listen in?Learn more at www.threeravenspodcast.com, join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast, and find links to our social media channels here: https://linktr.ee/threeravenspodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today on Moment of Zen, we're airing a discussion between Samo Burja and Rudyard Lynch - two intellectual heavyweights tackling the idea that civilizations may have inherent differences that can alter our understanding of the course of history and politics. Both Samo and Rudyard are hosts of Turpentine shows, Live Players and History 102, respectively. This is a fascinating discussion on threads that bridge Silicon Valley with ancient civilizations like Babylon, the impact of Abrahamic religions, and the idea that societies go through cycles that may upend our current assumptions CHECK OUT: Live Players: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5fbMTkHBnom1JIBWYNVBK1 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/live-players-with-samo-burja-and-erik-torenberg/id1718925188 History 102: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/36Kqo3BMMUBGTDo1IEYihm Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/history-102-with-whatifalthists-rudyard-lynch-and/id1730633913 —

In this episode of History 102, Rudyard Lynch and Erik Torenberg are joined by Bismarck Analysis's Samo Burja (podcast host: Live Players) to uncover the hidden threads connecting ancient Babylon to Silicon Valley. Did you know that 2,500 years ago, people complained about information overload just like we do today? Or that some civilizations saw 70% of their population enslaved? Rudyard and Samo peel back the layers of history, revealing: The shocking similarities between ancient Athens and the Taliban Why California might be birthing new religions as we speak How deforestation toppled empires (and why it matters now) From psychedelic Greek philosophers to the eerie parallels between Polish-Lithuanian and Cambodian history, this episode is a mind-bending tour of humanity's greatest triumphs and strangest quirks.

On this National Fashion Day, we have a letter from 3,800 years ago that shows some things never change, like teenagers nagging their parents for a fancier set of clothes. Plus: an artist in Japan designs a pair of jeans that look like they're hanging out unzipped... because that's something someone needs, apparently? Reading Ancient Mail (JSTOR)  Jeans designed to look like your fly is down (Boing Boing) Backing our show on Patreon is always in fashion --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coolweirdawesome/support

In the last episode, we observed a brief chronology and focused on the geography of the Ancient Near East. In this episode, we will begin with a detailed breakdown of the historical timeline starting with the prehistoric developments that took place prior to written history.Checkout the video version at:https://www.youtube.com/@DWAncientBabylonSupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistory

What can recent archaeological discoveries tell us about the historicity of the Bible? The miraculous destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the equally miraculous fall of Jericho seem far-fetched to modern-day skeptics and Bible critics. But is it reasonable to discount what's written in the Bible when excavation findings have consistently corroborated events recorded in the Old Testament? In this fascinating podcast episode, Frank invites best-selling author and archaeologist, Joel P. Kramer, to unpack some of the greatest archaeological evidence for the validity of both history and prophecy recorded in the Bible. On his popular YouTube channel, Expedition Bible, Joel documents many of the sites referenced in Scripture, giving viewers the opportunity to see the Bible come to life! Throughout their talk, Frank and Joel will cover topics like: What is Joel's greatest personal find? Is there anything special about Ancient Babylon today? How has the secularization of archaeology affected the field? Why should biblical chronology be considered more reliable than pottery chronology? How was the Moabite Stone discovered and why is it considered one of the greatest archaeological finds of all time?   As you'll hear during this episode, archaeology and the Bible work together like a jigsaw puzzle. As experts in the field continue to uncover ancient artifacts, the Bible gives context to many of those unique finds. To learn more about the exciting advances in biblical archaeology, be sure to check out Joel's YouTube channel and purchase his best-selling book, 'Where God Came Down.' To view the entire VIDEO PODCAST be sure to join our CrossExamined private community. It's the perfect place to jump into some great discussions with like-minded Christians while simultaneously providing financial support for our ministry. You can also SUPPORT THE PODCAST HERE. Expedition Bible on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ExpeditionBible Joel's book: https://a.co/d/77yRIyJ

Babylonic is an adjective that means tumultuous.  Babylon was an ancient city in Mesopotamia and was noted for its great luxury as well as its corruption. Since the mid-20th century, the adjective babylonic has been used to describe an environment that resembles Ancient Babylon. Here's an example: I enjoyed working at the post office but found the place babylonic. There was air conditioning, snacks and free back rubs — but only for the upper management.

Welcome to the DW World History Series. Join us as we take you back to where it all began - a story involving numerous empires – from the dawn of civilization to the death of Darius III in 330 B.C. - while focusing on the artifacts, the literature, the religions, and the kings that made the Near East the cradle of civilization.Checkout the video version at:https://www.youtube.com/@DWAncientBabylonSupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistorySupport the showThis Podcast series is available on all major platforms.See more resources, maps, and information at:https://www.dwworldhistory.comOutlines, Maps, and Episode Guides for this series are available for download at:https://www.patreon.com/DWWorldHistory

As Sam is still away, we've dug out one our favourite podcasts from the archives. Back in 2019 Sam spoke to the historian Tom Holland, about his book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity and an account of the myriad ways – many of them invisible to us – that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? 

As Sam is still away, we've dug out one our favourite podcasts from the archives. Back in 2019 Sam spoke to the historian Tom Holland, about his book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity and an account of the myriad ways – many of them invisible to us – that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? 

Podcast: The Book Club Episode: Tom Holland: DominionRelease date: 2019-12-04In this week's Book Club, Sam's guest is the historian Tom Holland, author of the new book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity -- and an account of the myriad ways, many of them invisible to us, that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? Presented by Sam Leith.

Podcast: The Book Club Episode: Tom Holland: DominionRelease date: 2019-12-04In this week's Book Club, Sam's guest is the historian Tom Holland, author of the new book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity -- and an account of the myriad ways, many of them invisible to us, that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? Presented by Sam Leith.

VOTE FOR THE THREE RAVENS PODCAST IN THE BRITISH PODCAST AWARDS HERE: https://www.britishpodcastawards.com/votingIn this Bonus Episode, Martin and Eleanor talk about the surprising history and folklore of Unicorns.Part of the new "Three Ravens Bestiary" series, they discuss the historical evidence of unicorns from Ancient Babylon, Persepolis and the Indus Valley before digging into the ways unicorns have been differently depicted through Ancient Greek writings, the Bible, Medieval tapestries, Scottish nationalism, and the modern-day LGBTQIA+ movement.Learn more about The Three Ravens Podcast at www.threeravenspodcast.com and join our Patreon at www.patreon.com/threeravenspodcast. Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In episode three we go back, way back, to Ancient Babylon as we try to uncover the origins of debt based money and those who enact it. Beginning with the tower of Babel we discover how Ancient Babylon developed as a result of a schism in the post flood world between the God fearing Noah and his occult worshipping kin. Next we chart the development of money lending in and around the temples of Ancient Babylon which then led to the enactment of a FIAT money system using clay tablets. From here the banking clans were formed and a quasi global military-industrial-slavery complex grew up in and out of Ancient Babylon. In part two for members (https://parallelmike.com/) we look more closely at the darker parts of this story, specifically the deal the original bankers made with Moloch in order to receive knowledge of how to enact a global matrix of control using FIAT money. We also explore the bloodlines of banking elite and consider if todays banking oligarchy might truly trade their line back to that of Nimrod who himself is rumoured to have stemmed from an Anunnaki blood line.

Summary Pastor Bill and Pastor Newms were discussing Genesis 1 and the history of how it became included as part of the book of Genesis. They discussed how during the captivity in Babylon, stories from Babylon were added to the existing Genesis 2, as they provided more detail to the creation story. Pastor Newms then reminded Pastor Bill that the Judeans, ancestors of the Jews, were originally a polytheistic people. In summary, the conversation revolved around the history of Genesis 1 and the Judeans. The conversation discussed the ancient Israelites and their belief in multiple gods and their worship of Ashra, a female deity who was believed to be the wife of Yahweh. Yahweh is mentioned in both Sumerian mythology and in the Mosaic Law. Despite this, the Israelites continued to worship other gods, so God punished them by sending them into captivity. The descendants of these captives went on to become the Samaritans, who still held onto some of their beliefs and were expecting the Messiah. Despite their own experiences with God, they eventually gave up the worship of Asherah. Pastor Bill and Pastor Newms discussed the origin of the story of Genesis 1. They noted that it was likely adapted from Sumerian myth by the Babylonians, who wanted the Jewish people to worship their king as a monotheistic god. However, the Jewish people saw similarities between the Sumerian myth and their own history, and made changes to make it more palatable to their own culture. They read Genesis 1, noting the broader strokes of the story, as compared to the more detailed account of Genesis 2. Ultimately, the conversation concluded with an invitation to read Genesis 1. God began the creation of the world by separating light from darkness and creating an expanse between the waters. He then caused the earth to produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants, and fruit trees. He made the two great lights to rule over the day and night and placed stars in the sky. He also caused the waters to swarm with living creatures and the earth to produce livestock, creatures that crawl, and wildlife. On the fifth day, God looked on His creation and saw that it was good.   The topic according to AI In the religious reflection being discussed, the authors believe that the creation story in the book of Genesis is a historical truth and has a significant impact on our relationship with God as our creator. They argue that the form of the document, its position at the beginning of the book of Genesis, and historical evidence all support the idea that the creation of the heavens, the earth, and all living things is a work of God and an objective fact. The authors critique the limitations of science in establishing the periods of creation and argue that the conclusions about fossiliferous formations and the plants and animals they contain are not established truths and have not been confirmed by continued research. The author summarizes the creation story in Genesis 1:1-13, which describes the creation of heaven and earth, including the creation of light, the firmament, the sea, the earth and its fruits, the lights of heaven, fish and fowl, beasts, man, and food for both. The text stresses the importance of recognizing God's presence in our lives and putting Him first in all things. Humans were created in God's image and given the ability to have dominion over the earth, but it is important to ask God to control the evil in our hearts. The authors also emphasize the importance of examining one's daily work and making improvements, as well as the divine proportioning of day and night, with light symbolizing God, truth, heaven, and decency. The beauty of nature is seen as evidence of the existence of God, and the darkness in the book of Genesis is a symbol of the ongoing struggle between light and darkness. The authors' central belief is that God is the creator of all things and that creation serves to reveal the truth about His nature and character. They see the relationship between science and God as complementary, with design being at the core of both, and believe that the concept of light and darkness in the book of Genesis is a symbol of the ongoing struggle between good and evil. The author encourages us to live in the Spirit and serve the common good, putting God first in all things, as they believe this is the greatest honor and safety for all. The authors also focus on two specific Hebrew words in the creation story, "nephesh" and "tannin," and offer alternative interpretations to gain a deeper understanding of their significance. They assert that the universe and all its elements were created for a purpose, as an expression of God's love and grace for humanity, and that everything in creation is imbued with a Divine Blessing that serves to preserve the community and support all life. The author presents a comprehensive view of the creation of the sea and air creatures in the Bible, as they see it as a demonstration of God's wisdom, power, and love. They believe that the creation of the universe is not just a physical event but a spiritual one as well, and that the universe was created with a purpose and a specific role to play in God's overall plan. The author interprets the creation story in Genesis 1 as a depiction of God's creative work and argues that all elements of the universe, including sea and air creatures, are symbols of God's glory and power. They delve into the meanings of the Hebrew words "nephesh" and "tannin" used in Genesis 1, offering alternative interpretations to shed light on their significance in the creation story. The authors highlight the numerous ways in which God's presence and power are manifested in the universe, from the physical laws governing the movement of stars and planets to the intricate and diverse forms of life on earth. They emphasize the importance of recognizing the hand of God in the creation of the universe and trusting in Him for our daily sustenance and blessings.   Timestamps 25:07 Conversation Summary: Genesis 1 Overview + 28:45 Exploring the Ancient Polytheistic Beliefs of the Israelites + 34:02 Discussion of the Development of Monotheism in Ancient Babylon + 37:28 Summary of Genesis 1: Creation of the Heavens and the Earth + 40:17 Conversation Summary: Exploring the Creation of Man in Genesis 1-2 + 42:20 Conversation on Splitting Chapters and Verses in the Bible + 45:34 Conversation between Pastors Bill and Newms on the Nature of the Bible + 47:09 Conversation between Pastor Bill and Pastor Newms on Faith and Eternity + 50:42 Exploring the Significance of Faith in Genesis 1 + 56:29 Conversation Summary: Exploring the Identity of the Conqueror in Revelation 21:7-8 + 1:00:51 "Exploring the Different Translations of the Bible: A Conversation between Pastors Bill and Newms" + 1:05:40 Conversation Between Pastor Newms and Pastor Bill on the Podcast "Ekk House" + 1:07:31 Conversation Summary: Disagreeing and Appreciating New Listeners +   Transcription Pastor Bill: [0:01] Hello and welcome to season 4 episode 11 of The Berean Manifesto; Faith, Hope, and Love for the Modern Christian. I'm Pastor Bill and I'm joined by Pastor Newms. So last week we had all kinds of technical difficulties that I was completely oblivious to until I went to go listen to the thing. Pastor Newms tried to bring it up at the very, very beginning, but he wasn't as forceful as I, you know, as I actually needed him to be. So I didn't really pick up what he was putting down and I just pushed just ahead Yeah, I was like apologies pastor Newms I should have listened better when you were saying I mean last week and Some people might not have even noticed I'm gonna be honest like it's one of those things where are you kidding me? It was horrible. Pastor Newms: [0:47] Well, it was horrible once it went through well Yeah, it was horrible. But like I'll be honest your audio has sounded worse because of technical like oh it's a bad night so you're in and out oh it's fuzzy cuz discourse so it's one of those where it's like okay how much do I bring up the fact that it could be electrical issues like microphone issues it could just be like the the internet is so garbage there that the laser beam doesn't want to work at the moment like you know we're not using cables in the lane yeah like so I was like maybe you know you know I don't know man I don't know but it um it was yeah I. Pastor Bill: [1:35] Got my retro Justice League shirt on Pastor Newms: I do not have a retro shirt on I have a shirt that's from an active anime and manga Which so I bought this shirt, and I didn't wear it I hadn't worn it because I wasn't far enough in the anime to justify wearing an anime shirt if that makes sense I don't know if anyone else does that But so I pulled it out of the back of the closet today and um put it on and my youngest daughter who is Far farther ahead in this particular. Anime than I am she is. Um, where'd that shirt come from? What do you mean? Um, your shirt, you've never worn that shirt. Where did you get that shirt? Uh, is that a... is that a you shirt? Like, asking, is this a you only? Can I steal this shirt when you're not looking? Will you get upset if I steal this shirt when you're not looking? You know, and I'm like, yes it is. It's a me only shirt. I didn't wear it because I wasn't... and she's like, well I mean can you even name the characters on it? I'm like look, you're not weeb-guilting me into giving you the shirt and no I can't name all of them but weeb-guilting? You can't have this shirt so not your shirt and for in case it's my hero academia in case you can't, I realize you can't actually see it But, um... Yeah, so then she proceeds to tell me each person and what their quirk superpower is. And, uh... I think I'm trying to keep it to myself. Pastor Bill: [3:39] Am I in Justice League of America? Pastor Newms: [3:44] It is. Pastor Bill: [3:48] And Batman's got his blue cowl on, so this is more 50s, 60s... Pastor Newms: [3:56] And and that's the you know Weird arrow when they were you know when his costume was I mean sorry Green Lantern when it was a We like it's a different You know Style It's not his. Pastor Bill: [4:19] Black pants, black boots, black mask. Green... uh, green... underwear, green boots. Pastor Newms: [4:27] Bill says it's the... Biggs says it's the 70s. Pastor Bill: [4:32] Did they keep this up all the way through the 70s? Pastor Newms: [4:35] You guys can argue about DC lore later, cause... Pastor Bill: [4:37] I was just basing it off of the Blue Cowl. I know the Blue Cowl... Pastor Newms: [4:48] Um... anyway. I don't know. Oh, he says the 70s is when the Saturday cartoons were showing that style, but that's not necessarily possibly when the books were still using that style. Alright, Pastor Bill, how was your week? Pastor Bill: [5:04] My week... There was rain. Pastor Newms: [5:10] And wind. And storms. Pastor Bill: [5:13] Some roof leakage. I see the water damage in the ceiling above my desk. You know like that discoloration that What's the word Cheat rock gets when it gets wet Yeah Yeah, I had to move my stuff around on my desk and put a big bowl out until the storm stopped because it was tripping just Doop doop doop doop doop doop doop. I was like, oh no, that's not good Your house terrifies me sir Yeah Yeah Yeah, all right nightmare. Pastor Newms: [5:53] It just blew over During the storms like you woke up and the house had gone boop Um hadn't hurt any of y'all because the the house is so old. It just kind of went. Yeah And you guys were able to get out but it just went meh um Okay fell over and everything that fell on us was so weak and brittle. Yeah, it just meh it broke over us. Meh meh meh so um uh yeah it was one of those you have nothing to worry about the house is just gonna go meh and you got nothing to worry about well shelter shelter Okay, my week was good. Um, my week was weird um, I was busy but but like it was an okay busy and then at night I just had stuff all week It was weird. I have stuff a lot more now And it's weird me an invite on Facebook to a Yeah. Sure thing Yeah, that's the men's group at the church and every last Friday last Monday of the month they do a thing and I thought I had sent it to you before but I hadn't so I sent it to you so in case you wanted to watch it because I was sitting in the audience watching it it's good they're a good group very good group I like it I don't dislike like it which is weird because I've been I've been out of organized church for so long it's you know hiding in mega churches not serving not doing anything and then I'm very quickly getting involved more and more the next three Saturdays I actually have things at the church so it's it's good it's it's a it's a good thing but it's a weird thing and like today rain was like I don't like it and I was like why she goes I don't like being out of the house this much we're out of the house way too much at this point like that's my girl but we have to be a little it's okay so um yeah so it was it was a was a good week. Pastor Bill: [8:32] All right. I think it's my week to pull a card. Pastor Newms: [8:35] It is. Okidoki-o. Okidoki-o, pull the card. Pastor Bill: [8:53] That's fair. Pastor Newms: [8:54] Okay. I couldn't see it. It was behind my face. So I'm like, I'm like, what are you doing? Like pull the card? What are you looking at me for homie you said you were full of the car Oh, you're looking at the card that makes much more sense than you staring at my picture Yes, I'm staring at a picture of Newms If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? The problem here is this. It's like I hate your stipulations on these cards. Just answer That's the dadgum question. The easiest answer is pizza. Pastor Bill: [9:38] And the reason that is thingsy. Pastor Newms: [9:39] Well, the problem is Pete exactly Diverse like exactly that's why it's the easy answer So the question like if it's you could only have pepperoni pizza No, I couldn't do that. Like I would end up with a gout flare-up that would rival, you know 15 1600s type gout flare-ups like it would be terrible. But like And you can't answer salad because no or a film Yeah, or some random chemical that because I've been told you can't be allergic to chlorophyll But yet I'm allergic to anything that's green or pretends to be green There are people that are straight-up allergic to water that walk the earth. You can't tell me you can't be allergic to chlorophyll I can't tell you I've been told by physicians and allergists that that's not a thing, but of course You know Hey, he's 80. Pastor Bill: [10:32] It's not a thing until science discovers it. Yeah, and then suddenly they're like hey, it's a new thing And we're like probably not Probably was just really rare. Pastor Newms: [10:41] Yeah, or you just didn't notice it yet Um, yeah, you just hadn't noticed yet Yeah I was actually talking to someone today about dieting and how I need to get back into it and such and it's like but it's really hard at this point of being almost 40 because Like I I can't just have salads and like, you know salads with a little protein and you know, you're good to go Like I can't do it. And so it ends up being like the only valid Option is like a keto style option and that's expensive and It's a tight line to walk with a guarantee two to three week gout flare-up at the beginning Your body gets used to it and actually starts burning the chemicals, the purine protein, So then you stop, you know, like I when I did it like five years ago now, But it's so... Pastor Bill: [11:38] Purine protein, I thought it was an acid issue. Pastor Newms: [11:43] It's, no, it's technically, it's a protein that, so it's a protein that your body then turns into an acid that then you expel. But with... Pastor Bill: [11:56] You don't expel. Pastor Newms: [11:56] I don't expel. It crystallizes. Yeah. But talking about the purine protein half is much more socially acceptable than speaking about the uric acid half because people don't like to talk about bodily fluids. Right. They don't like to equate piss with blood even though that's where pee comes from, from your blood. Yeah. They don't like to... So I usually just stick with the protein side and, oh, and then the kidneys process it wrong for me and then leave it at that as opposed to because people are like why are you talking about that it's like because it's a health issue why are you not um but so it's you know it's one of those it's it's a funny thing is I'm trying to figure out how to get healthier because it's affecting my my side affecting my knees but I find it funny when people drink a bunch of water or you know drink a drink and they're like Man, it's going right through me and I'm like, I mean not technically it's not technically going right through you technically What's happening is your your body is is breaking down more blood into urea in? Pastor Bill: [13:13] Preparation for the intake of the liquids that you're in taking But that liquid you're in taking is not actually leaving the stuff that you drank before is leaving But it's from your blood anyway Anyway, it's not going right for you. Pastor Newms: [13:27] It's just, that's not how it works. weird aspect though because it. Pastor Bill: [13:35] It appears very quickly, like certain beverages and certain things affect very quickly because you're some of it your body's just like uh-uh and so like the first round around the body your body's like I'm it's out it went through your whole body but your body's like it's out like I ain't putting this in like there's some things that there's some things that we literally had to add I can't remember the chemical name for it now but it's basically antifreeze in the chemical makeup we had to add it to it so that our body would hold it and not just straight drop it like a lot of vitamins a lot of minerals you know those pills will have that additive additive chemical that is you know identical to antifreeze under a microscope but isn't actually the antifreeze that forces your body to hold on to it instead of just flushing it out the bottom. Pastor Newms: [14:38] Yeah, that's always interesting. The body is weird. The human body is really, really weird. Pastor Bill: [14:45] Like when you get dehydrated and your body's like, must flush all liquids now I'm dehydrated. Pastor Newms: [14:51] Oop, you're gone. Wait, wait, you're yep. You're gone I'm back. Yep. Pastor Bill: [15:00] You're back now Must flush all liquids is the last thing we have helpful to flush all the liquids when you're dehydrated body Yes, but how do I tell you that? I need more liquids. Yeah, I'm pretty sure by the point the body dumps So I'm I already know I already know. Pastor Newms: [15:16] Yeah, I Don't I don't need extra alarms, I know But do we Cuz I'll be sick and just ignoring the fact that I need to drink something until I stop sweating and then I'm like, oh I'm not sweating no more That's a problem. Pastor Bill: [15:34] You know those old cartoons where they're honest a desert island and one cartoon character looks at over at the other and They start looking like a big ham This water bottle here next to my bed That's on my desk when I when I'm getting low on water man And that thing starts to look like salvation. Like I'm like, it's like glowing gold halo, you know? And it's like, oh, when I look at my water jug, oh yeah, I need to drink some water. Pastor Newms: [16:01] No, I don't, I don't, I don't got that. So what food, what food would you, would you eat forever? Pastor Bill: [16:08] Salad, I would just, I would eat salad. I, the only reason I, I like to have at least a salad a day. The only times I don't is when we can't afford it Because salad is expensive but but yeah, I would have They go help in a salad for every meal I love salad man. You always have it's great I'll live oil on there some a little bit of salt a little bit of garlic and that's the other thing you Can bet you don't put a lot in your salad even it's not even like it's just it's gross, homie some lettuce and spinach some I don't know just add a little color in there and just yeah, I'm into it. Pastor Newms: [16:53] My stomach hurts thinking about it. Pastor Bill: [16:56] And when I eat, when I eat a salad everyday I feel amazing compared to when I don't. You know, just at least one salad a day and my body's just like yeah well yeah, it's cause it's a salad, it's what I would We covered this last week. This is what we're supposed to be eating is clean healthy Salads and greens not But yeah fatty bacon every morning if I could afford it or they were just gonna provide the food I would eat a salad at every meal. Struggle to say that I would give up meat if salad was an option at every meal I but I probably wouldn't have any qualms about that. Pastor Newms: [17:39] I probably could You come over to Jerry and I submit having a salad with it at every meal instead of Anything else but it's just so dang expensive and and yeah it is and the amount you have to Have is expensive also because the caloric intake is not high on it Which is why the additives like the girls love the chicken Caesar Salads, I think it is I guess the Caesar and you know, it comes with the little thing and it They're good for like, you know a day after you buy them if you're lucky because of Farm to table is not great on salads and you would think it would be with how expensive it is, but it's not Well, it's not necessarily farm to table The problem is it's it's all the hands in between right from farm to when it finally gets to right? That's what I'm saying. It's it's not we don't have just farm to table We have you know that did that did that did that did that did that did that did that did that to us in between? Pastor Bill: [18:52] Yeah Anywho, and it appears that says yeah says your mother eats it without salad dressing. I had forgotten that but that doesn't surprise me. That's why I put on the olive oil. That is my salad dressing just a little bit of olive oil and some salt and garlic. That's my that is my salad dressing like I couldn't I can't stand the thought of adding on all those empty calories with the salad dressing just for the sake of some just weak flavoring. Pastor Newms: [19:29] Some of those calories are very big calories. They're not empty. Some of them are very fatty. Pastor Bill: [19:36] They're big, but they're empty. Pastor Newms: [19:37] I'm joking. I know what you meant. It was just... That like buttermilk ranch is a very heavy additive of... I know that's what you meant by... buy it. All right. Pastor Bill: [20:07] The whole new USB setup over here at my desk because I bumped the desk the wrong way. Something disconnects and the daisy chain goes down. The daisy chain goes down like I'm using a laptop. That's only got two USB ports What's has to be the camera and the other one has to be a daisy chain that that works the? Keyboard the mouse the microphone Everything else is on this little port over here And if I bump the desk the wrong way the whole thing goes down And then we got to wait for it to come back up again And then we wonder why the expensive computer that we bought just burnt out sitting in your house for some unknown reason in your house electricity just expensive computer had lots of USB ports it did it did but your run a mouse and a keyboard and a microphone no I know I I don't mean because of your daisy chain I mean because of the electricity in your house and the you know the. Pastor Newms: [21:09] The leaking roof and when a computer fries to a point where everything in it fries at once that that's an issue it's so hard to actually happen because of all the transistors and little safety things that are in each of the parts to keep that from happening and the whole big block of power supply that's whole job is to I protect computer and you had a nice one and it just Because I was worried about that exact issue and I Don't know how it happened because it happened when it wasn't even storming So that was the that was like like had the house got hit by electricity I would have been like yeah, it happens, but it wasn't it was everything everything in this house goes down quickly Like we were you and I was you and I were talking the other day about the last time we had an electrician come out He was like, yeah. Pastor Bill: [22:11] Oh This fuse box was outlawed like 20 years ago You know, I'm technically not even supposed to work on this thing Well, what am I supposed to do? But yeah, like we burn through microwaves real fast. We go through ovens real fast. I mean, we had to find creative. Like right now we have one burner that works on our stove top and then we have two air fryers and a microwave and a griddle. And that's how we cook everything because the oven doesn't work. The other three burners don't work because they all got burned out by the electricity because the electricity is crazy in this house. Pastor Newms: [22:50] Anyway. Pastor Bill: [22:56] So that's how my week was. Oh yeah, we're past that. Big says, have to kill the dirt flavor. Bigs, if your salad tastes like dirt, either A, you're buying from a crappy company, or B, you need to clean your food before you eat it, bro. Just rinse that salad off. Rinse the lettuce or something. It shouldn't taste like dirt unless you're eating beets. Beets just taste like dirt. Or dragon fruit. and fruit seeds those taste like dirt too. If you're just having a regular old salad, it shouldn't taste like dirt I think that's more of just a Colloquialism not an actual Oh, you don't think he means it actually means it tastes like because I was being like beets actually tastes like dirt and so the dragon fruit seeds well potatoes, I mean Lettuce doesn't even grow in the ground. Pastor Newms: [23:49] So if you're eating the part that's in the ground you you've done something wrong already but um I think he I think he just means that whole like it's rabbit food. It tastes like dirt. Um Uh, listen god made dirt dirt don't hurt it does man, it does though The microbes that are in dirt can kill you And speed up the decompressing If you've never built up an immune system If you don't go outside and touch grass, yeah, it does. You're right Like there's this internet thing about you you've been inside too long go touch grass and like I Had I need to go touch some grass and kill you and I'm like, okay I was like I've been inside they're like you need to go outside and I'm like I can't Like the Sun if I'm out there for more than seven minutes I burn and And if I actually touch grass, I'm gonna have a rash so All these you know, these people are like, oh if you just go stand and center yourself in the grass and connect with Mother Nature I'll die. At least I'm not a leadership black pepper, Pastor Bill: [25:07] Thanks Yeah, glad it works for you, um Mother nature's trying to kill me At least All right, so we're in this series where we've been going through the beginning And we did you know, we started in Genesis and we touched on John chapter 1 and we came back to Genesis and Last week we reached the very end of Genesis chapter 1 And so tonight we're just gonna look back at Genesis 1 and do a summary. We're gonna do an overcap we're gonna just talk in general about Genesis 1, right? And so If you remember when we started the series we talked about kind of the history of how Genesis 1 became a part of the book of Genesis and Do you remember what we said, Pastor Newms? Pastor Newms: [26:12] Huh? This is your turn to talk. No, I mean, it... The story from Genesis 1 was kind of added in... Um... to the aspects during the time of captivity in Babylon from the Babylonian stories, because it was like, hey, those line up really well with what we've got written in Genesis 2 already, and they specify some things better than what Genesis 2 does because Genesis 2 is very generic in some of the things it says. So yeah, this has more detail. Let's use it. That makes sense. Pastor Bill: [26:53] You more or less painted the picture. You got a little sloppy around the lines there, but yeah, that's the general idea. Before they went into captivity, the creation story started with what We would call Genesis chapter 2 they didn't call it Genesis chapter 2 They just called it the creation of man they didn't have chapters then either so they just called it laughter the book That's scroll over there That's good. Well, it wasn't even scrolls really. That's true It kind of was by that point. So why were they in captivity in Babylon? What happened there? Pastor Newms: [27:34] One of the many times they screwed up. Alright. Pastor Bill: [27:40] So what happened is that throughout history the Judean people, which there technically weren't Judeans yet, we're talking about the ancestors of the Judean people who eventually settled in Judea and then became the Jews. They were a polytheistic people. They had multiple gods and they worshiped multiple gods and they believed in multiple gods and despite their oral passing down of religion and despite what they believed the Mosaic Law read and despite all of these things, they were still polytheistic and they continued to go back to worshiping other gods over and over and over even though we see over and over and over gods going, no, focus, you know, me, focus on me. So it got to this one point where... A female deity known as Ashra, who the ancient peoples believed was the wife of the god Yahweh. Now you should recognize the name Yahweh because that is actually the name of two historical entities. One is a Sumerian wind god that the Sumerians believed was the god of storms and wind and weather and that he blew through the deserts with his rage and his fury. And then Yahweh is also the name that God identifies with themselves when they're speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai. They call themselves Yahweh. And it's not so much that they call themselves Yahweh, but it's that God releases a series of sounds that then Moses writes down and when humans go to repeat those series of sounds it comes out as Yahweh. And more specifically it is I AM or I EXIST. And if you drill down into the, you know, more into what they're saying there it's I exist because I want to basically. There was nothing and then there was me. I am. And so we have this idea of Yahweh who people believed was married to a goddess named Asherah. And Asherah had become very popular amongst the people of Israel, the descendants of Israel. And Asherah poles, think of like a maple with the long strings, the ribbons, you know, that you've You've seen them in the Germanic and the Nordic cultures, the Maple, and they run around them with the ribbons, and they tie them off. It's still part of Norse mythology celebrations today even in the places where they believe in the Norse religions, the Maple thing. They don't always call it a Maple and they definitely don't call it an Ashrop Hall. But this is what the idea was. They had these Ashera poles and they were burning incense to Ashera and they were worshiping Ashera alongside of Yahweh and it had yet identified her as you know the wife of God So this was going on and God told them to cut it out multiple tops Multiple times you got to stop doing this you got to stop doing that people would tear them down Okay, people would rebuild them people would tear them down So God says, okay, that's enough. So, um, God hands them over to the King of Babylon, right? Puts them into slavery. And it's not one of those things where you're like, nah, God wouldn't do that. No, no. When you look back at history, God always chastises, corrects, puts back on the right path his own people. Period. If your theology tells you that God is just going to spoil you and give you good things, then you've only got half of your theology right. Because the other half of that is that God is a good Father that disciplines his children. God wants to give you the cattle on a thousand hills, but God will also send you away to go eat in the slop in the pig's troughs for a while before you decide to come home like the prodigal son. This is how God offered. Pastor Newms: [32:38] Okay. Pastor Bill: [32:40] So God sends them into captivity. Now there is a small group of people up in the mountains where the Babylonians, not a mountainous people can't get to they're like now that's not worth it right babelans you're like we're not doing it there's no slave worth climbing those mountains we're not doing that now these people their descendants go on to be the Samaritans right so we see that play out in the New Testament their descendants Americans the people that continue to worship Asherah up on the mountain. Now, eventually, they gave up Asherah and they have their own experiences with God that we don't have the recordings of, but we do have the woman at the well talking to Jesus who's like, but we follow this law and we follow this law and our forefather, Jacob, he told us this and this and we're expecting the Messiah. And they had their own whole history and experiences with God that rival that of the actual Israelites that we do have recorded in the Bible. So it's kind of interesting there. But while in Babylon, the people are exposed to this idea that monotheism is paramount. Now the god that the Babylonians wanted them to worship was their king, right? They wanted them to worship their king, the god their king, because all the other gods had quote unquote died so that this god could be king. But they didn't quite buy that. But they saw in the histories of the Babylonians who had adopted a lot of Sumerian myth and take a look at that and they go, this story makes a whole lot of sense with what we know. And not only that, but it's got greater detail, right? Because when you go and you look at Genesis chapter 2, it's kind of broad strokes, right? God created man and God created the animals and there's nothing about when that happens. There's, you know, it's not a lot of detail there. It's very broad. And so it's very broad. It's very broad and you can see their connection. A lot of people call it contradiction. There's contradictions between these two accounts and I'm like but is there though I mean are you just looking for contradictions or or what Okay. So they pick up this this new story that we know of as Genesis one and they uh adapt it and they adopt it and they they make They make some changes to the story right um But not a lot. Um Um, that's not even true they they make a lot of changes to the story to make it more palatable to the Jewish ear. Pastor Newms: [36:08] And to help align. Pastor Bill: [36:09] To help align with Genesis 2. Pastor Newms: [36:12] Yeah. Pastor Bill: [36:13] I have the story over there, but it's kind of convoluted and confusing for the Western ear, so I'm not going to pull that out. So let's read Genesis chapter 1, and then we'll go from there. That's Okay. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And we had fun with that one. We spent a whole episode on just Genesis 1. Now the earth was formless and empty. Darkness covered the surface of the watery depths, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the water. Then God said, Let there be light, and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light day, and the darkness He called night. There was an evening, and there was a morning, one day. Then God said, Let there be an expanse between the waters, separating water from water. So God made the expanse and separated the water under the expanse from the water above the expanse. And it was so. God called the expanse sky. Evening came and then morning, the second day. Then God said, let the water under the sky be gathered into one place and let the dry land appear. Mention the video and start the video. I lost my place. Oh, and it was so. God called the dry land earth and the gathering of the water he called seas. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, Let the earth produce vegetation, seed-bearing plants and fruit trees on the earth bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And it was so. The earth produced vegetation, seed-bearing plants according to their kinds, and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Evening came and then morning, the third day. Then God said, Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky, separate the day from the night. They will serve as signs for seasons and for days and years. There will be lights in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, and it was so. God made the two great lights, the greater light to rule over the day and the lesser light to rule over the night, as well as the stars. God placed them in the expanse of the sky to provide light on the earth, to rule the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness, and God saw that it was good. Morning came and then morning, the fourth day. Then God said, Let the waters swarm with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the sky. So God created the large sea creatures and every living creature that moves and swarms in the water, according to their kinds. He also created every winged creature according to its kind, and God saw that it was good. God blessed them, be fruitful, multiply, and fill the waters of the sea, and let the birds multiply on the earth. Evening came, and then morning, the fifth day. Then God said, let the earth produce living creatures according to their kinds, livestock, creatures that crawl, and the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds. And it was so. So God made the wildlife of the earth according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that crawl on the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Then God said, Let us make man in our image according to our likeness. They will rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, the livestock, the whole earth, and the creatures that crawl on the earth. So God created man in his own image. He created him in the image of God. He created the male and female. God blessed them and God said to them, Be fruitful. Multiply, fill the earth and subdue it, rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth. God also said, Look, I have given you every seed-bearing plant on the surface of the entire earth and every tree whose fruit contains seed. This will be food for you. For all the wildlife of the earth, for every bird of the sky, and for every creature that crawls on the earth, everything having the breath of life in it, I have given. Every green plant for food, and it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed. Evening came, and then morning, the sixth day.", Okay. Anything jump out at you there that you wanted to talk about again? Highlights that you want to make sure that we walk away with? Pastor Newms: [41:39] Um... In seriousness, no. Um, in funny internet meme, my only thought was at what point did the birds get replaced by the robots? Um, but, um... Pastor Bill: [42:00] That was within the last century, bro. Pastor Newms: [42:02] I know, I'm just saying, like, you know, it was one of those, I was like, hee hee, Birds aren't real. So... You have to have a CIA because the CIA can replace the birds with robots. Right. Yeah. So it has to be after man. No, I mean we've talked about it. So there's nothing really that jumps out at me today differently than how it has over the last couple of weeks. Sometimes that does happen. Let's be honest. honest. But no, I mean, I think it's pretty, it's pretty cut and dry. I do always find it interesting and I don't necessarily like where chapters and verses are split. When we split our chapters and verses? Like, why do we not end? 2 3 as the end of one like that's where one should end Like we shouldn't start the next with and God rests on the seventh day well that but it he should rest at the end because the end is the You did that because you wanted Sunday to be the day of rest which is the first day of the week didn't yeah But you know, it's that whole aspect of like come on that that's part of the whole the same story and, so that that um, that part always irritates me, but that's not what we Talked about I always hate that that Genesis one ends with and the sixth day We got more to go This part of the story is not over So, agreed. That nope, you're gone. I'm back. Okay, cool. Pastor Bill: [44:02] You're back. Genesis one is not a Christian text. Genesis one is not a Jewish text. Genesis one is what? It's ancient Babylonian creation myth. Pastor Newms: [44:17] Right. Pastor Bill: [44:20] To me so is two through one through three if you're saying it from that standpoint but Well, yeah, cuz they went and added the numbers later, but anyway So when we read Genesis one, we're not reading the the point-blank account of God Of Yahweh of how creation happened. We're reading the Caption of the Babylonian creation myth and this one This is one of the reasons why we were using a plural for God Because the Babylonians they were polytheistic Right? And then became monotheistic when they started having the God Kings. And so you've got this weird thing. And the beauty of it all is it requires faith. I don't need faith, or I shouldn't need faith, when I crack open a history textbook. When I crack open a history textbook, I should just be reading fact. Pastor Newms: [45:34] Right? Pastor Bill: [45:36] Should. Pastor Newms: [45:37] Sure. Pastor Bill: [45:38] I'm not saying every history textbook is like that. I'm saying that's the expectation. Because when I open a history textbook or a science textbook, I should be reading fact. Pastor Newms: [45:48] Sure. Pastor Bill: [45:48] There's no faith that should need to be involved. Should need to be involved. This, the Bible, is not written under that assumption. This is not intended to be a historical document. This is intended to be taken by faith. Can't stress this hard enough. I don't know. Pastor Newms: [46:17] Well, the Bible plainly says we pull you apart what All scripture is god-breathed and for the use of teaching preach, you know You know all the you know, we've we've beat that verse To death and I don't want to butcher because I don't have it in front of me but it's it's the you know, there are certain and And to be historically accurate is not in that list. It's to teach, to have faith for religious purposes. It's a religious book. And so we build our faith on it. Is some of it historical? Pastor Bill: [46:53] Absolutely. Pastor Newms: [46:56] Is some of it poetry? Yes. Is some of it stories written down? Yes. Is some of it letters from one homeboy to another? Yes. Pastor Bill: [47:09] But man, I left my Coke. Pastor Newms: [47:10] Can you send that with so-and-so when they leave? But in that, there are aspects. But one of the biggest things about all of it is it requires faith. Because for any of it to be true, you have to believe it. Now me, as a natural born skeptic, I don't view the world as you do. And I don't trust anybody ever. And so I have to have faith in some people. Because my natural is this ain't true. But it's written down. Doesn't mean it's true. Doesn't mean it's true. But it's documented. It's got date and timestamps. Hacker can fix that. I don't... We're dealing with programmers, no historical accuracy can be proved sometimes. But that being said, the aspects of... It takes faith to believe this. It takes faith to walk it out. And the bigger aspect, as you're mentioning, is it's not just faith to believe, it's faith to actually walk it out. Because people are like, oh, well, this is just the creation story. There's not much, you know, in it. But no, there's a lot of in it because you've got things like, you know, dominion. You've got things like, there's a bunch of concepts that are deeper meanings than just, hey, here you go, that you look at with some of these heavy-weighted words that we miss when we just... And for those of you out there in audioland, is when you move your hand from the top to the bottom, so when you're just looking at it, just so we're clear on... Because I forget often that that doesn't translate in... It'd be fun to see what the transcription service makes of... Pastor Bill: [49:16] Let's see how many more times I can do it. I'm fed up with all the transcription services. It's crazy. Pastor Newms: [49:21] Is the new one not working again? Pastor Bill: [49:24] It worked that first time and then I couldn't get it to work again. It kept just not accepting any new input. and I was like this is crazy. Hmm. Pastor Newms: [49:39] Because it was nice. Pastor Bill: [49:40] It was so nice and I want it so bad. Um. She's I don't know, serving me crazy. I'm looking up a specific. Verse here. Do there's a verse in Revelations It talks about all the people that won't have a place in eternity. Pastor Newms: [50:16] And I'm assuming by place in eternity you mean place in heaven because everyone has a place It's just not everyone's place is as nice as everyone else's some of them their eternal place is death in hell so it's like Not it's a place eternal death, that's crazy Oh, here we go. Pastor Bill: [50:42] Okay So the whole point of all of this of everything from the very beginning is faith. Without faith it's impossible to please God. The whole point of life, the whole point of living, the whole point of creating humanity was faith. We're going to teach these, we're going to put these things out there. They're going to be a lesser shadow of us, God said. This whole point is to learn faith. We're intentionally ignorant. So that we can learn faith. So that we can step into eternity with God. I shudder to say equal footing, but it's almost like that. It's almost like if we're not at this certain level with God, then we can't step into eternity with Him. But what I was thinking about was Revelation chapter 21. And we're going to start at verse 8. And I want everyone to just stick with me. But the cowards, faithless, detestable murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars. Their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is second death. The takeaway from this verse that I've seen over and over and over is weaponization. People have used this as a weapon against other people over and over and over and over. But what it is, is a statement on identity politics. These are all identity statements. A coward is an identity. Faithless is an identity. Detestable identity. Murderers is an identity. The sexually immoral is an identity. Sorcerers is an identity. Idolaters is an identity. Liars is an identity. And everyone at some point in their life falls into one of these identities. They can be identified or identifies themselves as something in this list. But faith. And Christ came to set us free and to show us what faith really is and how faith really is. And when we find faith and we find that faith of salvation in Christ, this is not our identities anymore. Who once was a coward is now a faithful follower of Christ. Who once was a, faithless person a liar is now faithful. This whole point of this verse is identity. Because the whole point of life is faith. When you achieve that faith that Christ was talking about, that certain level of faith that Jesus said could only be achieved through Him, that becomes your new identity. Am I cis or homosexual or heterosexual or fat or ugly or a coward or faithless or a murderer? None of those things anymore because I'm first and foremost faithful. Does that mean I'm no longer cis or I'm no longer homosexual, no longer heterosexual? Well, according to the gospel that Jesus preached, that Paul then triumphed, all those secondary identities that we try to define ourselves by mean nothing once your identity is faithful. And that is my big takeaway as to why Genesis 1 is so important. It's here in these words that we see this fantastical outlay of when this happened and this happened and the world was a giant ball of cesspool that God hovered over and warred against the darkness. It takes a lot of faith to read that and go, I believe, even though this isn't a textbook, even though this isn't a historical document, even though this isn't any of those things that people try to make this that takes it out of the context that it exists in, That's where I see Genesis 1 laying. It's the foundation of faith. And that's my takeaway. Pastor Newms: [56:29] And you know, sometimes we disagree on things, as we do. And I'm going to disagree with you for a second, because you should have started in seven. And here's why I say that. Eight starts with a but, so while you were talking I of course went above because I hate starting with buts. And seven says the one who conquers will inherit these things. These things being what's talked about in six, well actually what's talked about in five of creating everything new. Pastor Bill: [57:07] We should have started in five? Pastor Newms: [57:09] Well, five starts with a then, so you'd have to go above. Anyway, we're not, should have started in Genesis one, oh wait. So, the one who conquers will inherit these things and I will be his God and he will be my son. And we often talk about how words are, eh? And this is one of the times I actually agree more with the KJV or the NASB's translation. Because Conqueror is, I understand the use of Conqueror, and I understand the use of what the KJV uses, which is overcome. Both of which are accurate because it's overcoming through Conquering. So they're both accurate translations, neither one of them is not. But the important part there is the ones that do meaning they you know I will in six it's I will freely give the thirsty from the spring of water of life the one who conquers will inherit these things so like what you're talking about of having faith and the identity of the people in eight. The people who have conquered. By conquering their identity issues and stepping over those aspects will become, and technically that he is person and the son is child. So they will be children of God. That is the identity that they should be, not the identity of all the other things that are listed in the next verse. And so it's when you really look at, when you start looking at identity and looking at what we call ourselves and how we act and how we, like you were saying, and then you take that one step further of the ones that conquer, the ones that grab ahold of being my children and that being who they are, they will not be the cowards, the faithless, detestable because it takes faith. And I find the coward to be fun because that can also be translated faithless. So it's the cowards because of lack of faith and the unbelieving people because they don't have faith. Both are both, both of the first two are really people who don't have faith. It's two different aspects of not having faith. Being afraid because you don't have faith and not agreeing because you don't have faith. And so it's that interestingness of looking at those two words, that list of identities, and then translating that back to what's the important identity that we should be grasping. And we've talked about this before, of our identity should be follower of Christ, Son of God, not Son of God being Son of God, but Son of God as children of God, let's be clear there. You call yourself the Son of God, you need to check yourself. Anyway, so I just found that to be interesting, some interesting aspect as you were reading 8 and explaining, you know, the identity aspects of those. That Seven then is and of course as you mentioned and the important is six and then above that is the important is five and then we have to go to four and Then we end up in Genesis one. Pastor Bill: [1:00:51] Yeah, I found the wording of seven interesting just overall is It should be in my opinion the victorious Will Become heirs of of everything. And then it says, I shall personally be their God and the same. Will be my and in context that shouldn't be the word son it should be in our modern language descendants it's a figurative kinship like a child a foul a son um it's not not meaning direct child direct son direct it means right a descendant you know like a grandfather would look at his grandson well he's still saying the word son you know he would that's my son that's my you know You know, it's my grandson. It's that kind of a word. But yeah, it's interesting the choices they make when they translate certain things that really goes a lot into the politics of the day and the way they saw things. Pastor Newms: [1:02:04] I find it funny that the CSB translates one of the ones he. One of the he's one and one of the he's he, as opposed to just saying person both times or one both times. Whereas the KJV does he both and the NASB does he once and one once. So I find that kind of stuff to be interesting when you look at the people that are doing the translation. The words are slightly different because it's overcome error. Pastor Bill: [1:02:36] One of the interesting things about the TSP is they have that the whole panel of inter-denominational people that all have to sign had to sign off on each verse. Pastor Newms: [1:02:51] Yeah. Pastor Bill: [1:02:52] The translation of each verse. So even in that, there are certain ways that it phrases things that it's like, oh yeah, I know exactly which denomination refused to sign off until you put that word there. Pastor Newms: [1:03:07] Well, and you know, it's one of the things that are so interesting about the translation of the Bible when as we talk about stuff, one who, the one who overcomes, the one who conquers, he that overcometh in the three versions that I keep up all the time. All of that is just the one word for the, for. To subdue literally conqueror overcomer prevail Someone who gets the victory so it's it's that aspect of it's it's one word that we've got to translate between four and Three and four words to get it to understand for an English reader to just go Okay because Conqueror doesn't necessarily mean the one who, but on the same token, it does. So it's that it's that sometimes if we were to just do a word for word translation, like some people have done in the past, it's hard to read because the word for word doesn't flow because English has a flow to it because of how many other languages we bastardized to get to where we are. But that's one of those things that's interesting when you have a half sentence, technically a full sentence. He that overcomeeth is a full sentence, kind of. Pastor Bill: [1:04:39] That is a full sentence, it really is. Pastor Newms: [1:04:43] It's one word. It is, it's one word in the original. Interesting. That is. Pastor Bill: [1:04:54] But okay so we are not going to do the topic according to AI this week but if you are interested in seeing what the AI's what the AI had to say about the summary of the seven different concordances that I read I will put it in the transcription on this podcast so you can go find that it'll be there and you're gone again. Paragraphs long, six paragraphs. If you want to go find that in the transcription I'll make sure it's there. Even if I can't get a good transcription to add on I'll go ahead and put this in there and mark. Pastor Newms: [1:05:40] Okay, so, um, Pastor Bill is at this point just gone. He's talking, but it is not working. Pastor Bill: [1:05:47] This is those little green things lit up the whole time. I never lost my little green box. Pastor Newms: [1:05:52] It didn't send it to us though. Weird. So the the aspects, Pastor Bill is going to put the thing that Pastor Newms hates, which is the AI interpretation into the transcript, whether or not you always hate my noobs. I do hate it. I just don't Anyway, um have fun describing growl also, um the And then pastor bill was saying Now he's back so he can just say what he was saying about next time and joining us and all that Festo is the podcast that comes out once a week on On Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Pastor Bill: [1:06:34] Central Standard Time hopefully I can stop saying standard at some point if they'll ever actually standardize the time in the US and um Passion is shaking said no it won't happen and we record it live on Sunday nights at 630 p.m Central Standard Time if you'd like to join us for that live recording you can go to our website e ekk house and find out which twitch which YouTube and which Facebook we are live on and then you can watch as we broadcast live and Participate in the chat you can type out your messages questions concerns Contradictions, whatever and we can respond to them right then and there live on the podcast and in that way you can actually be a part of the conversation If this podcast has helped you or you found it informative you think someone else might like it then feel free to send it over to them. We like new listeners and we don't like just being a echo chamber over here. Echo chambers are bad. Echo chambers are bad, you know. And so we appreciate new people coming in and new looks on life and we do our best not to sound condescending even though both of us have kind of that personality where We're pretty much everything we say usually comes across as sounding condescending, but we truly don't mean it that way. We truly do love sharing what we do know and we are open to people seeing things a different way. Like in this conversation, we disagreed on something and that's fine. It wasn't that big of a thing that we disagreed on, but we have disagreed on big things in the past between the two of us and we've both sounded like pompous jerks discussing it. In the end, there's only one thing we all have to agree on. I didn't know you said it like a In the end there's only the one thing that we have to agree on agree on and that's the salvation issue. The one the faith in Christ alone for salvation. That's the one thing everything else you're allowed to see anything from scripture the way you want to and we may come back at you and say, hey, well, you know, historically this or this other verse says this, and we're not trying to demean you, we're just trying to, what's the word, we add more things to someone's purview so they can see all the information. Expand, we're just trying to expand the information that you have if we have more information. So yeah, so come and join us and all of that to say we're not jerks, we're just slightly autistic. Alright, so we love you guys. Have a great week. Pastor Newms: [1:09:25] I love the be safe out there while you pretend to be just slightly. Pastor Bill: [1:09:30] And until next time. My collar has been has been bugging. I'm really aware of my collar all night. Which is bugging the heck out of me. Pastor Newms: [1:09:38] I'm nothing to do like what we've already talked about. My collar is seriously bugging all night long. And you gave me no pause so this will end up happen to be in the outgoing. Pastor Bill: [1:09:47] Yeah, well, I know. That's exactly what I intended.

In 7th Part of Our Revelation Sermon Series we look at Revelation 17 & 18 at Jesus goes into the Judgment of Mystery Babylon which is America . How do we know this? First take a look at some visual examples of America and Ancient Babylon and how it was destroyed and is currently desolate where nothing grows and lives in the Bible in Jeremiah 25 we see this ? We look at the Symbols of Liberty in the United states one of the biggest being the Statue of Liberty or Lady Liberty. We look at the description of the Great Whore who sits on many waters in Revelation 17 when we observe America we can see that it sits on the Atlantic Pacific and Arctic Oceans if we include South America . We also see the AntiChrist Beast Rise and this Babylon the Great Riding on the Beast we read more of the description of the Rise of the Anti Christ In 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12 and the Judgement of Mystery Babylon or Babylon the Great in Isaiah 47 . We shared a couple of visuals Pictures and videos during this Sermon please see the link below for the video version. Amen https://www.smucd.org/post/sermon-series-72-revelation-prt-7 https://www.smucd.org/blog https://www.smucd.org/donate #SMUCD #JESUS #Baptism #BLIND #SIGHT #Rest #Slavery #Earings #Israel #TheBible #BlackHistory #peace #works #grace #deuteronomy28 #christ #prophecy #Hebrews #Sermons #Oneness #thePast #TheFuture #Revelation #Newtestament #Oldtestament #conversation #TheMultitude #radio #Holy #refined #thefire #HolySpirit #mercy #wisdom #Proverbs #Acts #Peter #Paul #Apostles #fellowship #seek #knocking #Skills #talents #crafts #Arts #building #Raisingstones #Raising #Refining #ANTICHRIST #CRYPTOCURRENCY #BEASTSYSTEM #144,000 #Onehundredfourtyfourthousand --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/smucd-podcast/message

“Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries. . . . Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror.” — Isaiah 47:12 It may be surprising to hear that sorcery is still practiced today, not just in remote parts of the world but even in towns and cities in the Western world, and among well-educated people. Some sources say it's actually on the rise. Ancient Babylon was full of sorcery in Isaiah's time. And many people credited sorcery for the rise of Babylon. But God showed Isaiah that Babylon would fall, and it did—and no amount of sorcery could save it. Through Isaiah, the Lord mocks sorcery in this passage. It has no power over the true God. Babylon's downfall came not from a lack of sorcery or misreading the stars. Babylon fell because all its attention to manipulating natural and super­natural forces came down to selfishness, which leads only to ruin. Modern sorcery or witchcraft is no different. It misses the big picture. And even if it saw the big picture, it would be powerless to bring it about or stop it. Don't fall prey to the promises of today's sorcerers and their crafts. In the end all true good is in the hands of God. Lord and God, protect and strengthen us with your true goodness. Though strange and powerful forces may be at work around us, help us always to trust in you. Amen.

We have had some extraordinary events happen in the news recently and when they happened, I felt alarm bells going off in my spirit. I believe we are close to seeing a prophesy come to pass and be fulfilled concerning the end of days judgment of modern-day Babylon. Who is the end of days daughter of Babylon nation? Is this nation related to the Mystery Babylon woman described in Revelation 17 and 18? What events are happening in the news that indicate that her destruction is drawing near? What will happen to Yahweh's people when Babylon falls? How will Yahweh protect his people during this time? These are some of the questions we examine in this teaching. Produced by https://bridgeconnectorministries.com/ Watch VIDEO of this teaching at: https://rumble.com/v1krjq3-does-cyrus-of-persia-give-us-a-key-to-understanding-the-future-judgment-of-.html News stories referenced in the video: https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/16/middleeast/iran-joins-shanghai-coop-mime-intl/index.html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-celebrates-iran-joining-asian-security-alliance-including-china/ar-AA11S85N https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-717199 https://www.pandemic.news/2022-08-09-one-in-six-vaccinated-adults-health-problems.html https://pandemic.news/2022-09-15-nejm-study-covid-vaccines-destroy-natural-immunity.html

We have had some extraordinary events happen in the news recently and when they happened, I felt alarm bells going off in my spirit. I believe we are close to seeing a prophesy come to pass and be fulfilled concerning the end of days judgment of modern-day Babylon. Who is the end of days daughter of Babylon nation? Is this nation related to the Mystery Babylon woman described in Revelation 17 and 18? What events are happening in the news that indicate that her destruction is drawing near? What will happen to Yahweh's people when Babylon falls? How will Yahweh protect his people during this time? These are some of the questions we examine in this teaching. Watch the video of this teaching: https://rumble.com/v1krjq3-does-cyrus-of-persia-give-us-a-key-to-understanding-the-future-judgment-of-.html Produced by https://bridgeconnectorministries.com/ Also visit us at: https://www.dailyaudiotorah.com/ News stories referenced in the video: https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/16/middleeast/iran-joins-shanghai-coop-mime-intl/index.html https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/putin-celebrates-iran-joining-asian-security-alliance-including-china/ar-AA11S85N https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-717199 https://www.pandemic.news/2022-08-09-one-in-six-vaccinated-adults-health-problems.html https://pandemic.news/2022-09-15-nejm-study-covid-vaccines-destroy-natural-immunity.html --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bridge-connector/support

Jesus encourages us to “transform the times” (Luke 12:54-56). Today, we will see how Ancient Babylon experienced three different moves of God through the life of Daniel. And, how to be resilient in our faith in a modern-day Babylonian culture.

Jesus encourages us to “understand the times” (Luke 12:54-56). Today, we will learn how to understand our modern-day Babylonian culture and how to be resilient in our faith like Daniel did in Ancient Babylon.

Blessed is the One Who Stays Awake Revelation 16 By William Klock There's an old story of a clergyman, who out of concern for a parishioner who had been absent for some time, went to visit her at home.  He saw her car in the driveway.  The drapes were drawn, but he could see the lights were one.  He could hear the faint sound of the TV.  She was clearly home.  He knocked on the door and waited.  No answer.  Then he heard the TV go silent.  He knocked again.  Still no answer.  He waited.  Out of the corner of his eye he saw a faint movement of the living room drapes, as if someone had peeked around the edge.  Still no answer.  He rang the doorbell and waited again.  Still nothing.  He sighed, pulled one of his cards from his pocket, and slipped it into the front door's weather stripping.  Then he had an idea.  If anyone needed to read her Bible, it was she.  So he took the card back, pulled out his pen, and wrote on the back “Revelation 3:20”—“Behold, I stand at the door and knock”—and slipped the card back into the weatherstripping.  “She'll have to look that one up,” he thought, “and maybe she'll keep reading while her Bible's open.”  He rang the bell one more time, waited again, and left. On Sunday morning he was pleased to see that the woman was in church, but she left too quickly for him to greet her.  Then, as he was getting ready to leave the church, one of the wardens approached, holding a little card.  “It was in the offering plate,” the warden said as he handed it to him.  The priest took the card and saw it was one of his own.  He turned it over and saw the Bible reference he'd written: “Revelation 3:20”.  Underneath it the woman had written another: “Genesis 3:10”.  He laughed.  That's Adam's answer to the Lord, “I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” Revelation 16 continues with the Lord's judgement on Greco-Roman world.  We looked at Chapter 15 two weeks ago and saw the announcement of seven plagues, carried by seven angles in bowls like those used for drink offerings in the temple.  In Chapter 16 we'll now see those plagues poured out—the wrath of God revealed.  And in the middle of the plagues John stops—in verse 15—to give a warning to God's people: “Behold, I am coming like a thief!  Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”   It's a warning from Jesus for his Church to stay alert and on guard—not to be distracted, but to be diligently about the work he's given.  He gave similar warnings to the churches at Sardis and Laodicea.  The reference is to an officer in the temple in John's day, who was tasked with making sure that the men on watch stayed awake.  He would make the rounds of the temple and if he caught anyone asleep, he would beat him.  If he found the same man asleep a second time, he would strip the man naked and burn his clothes.[1]  One commentator writes, “The danger is of being caught not momentarily but habitually off guard—not, to put it crudely, with trousers down, but without trousers at all.”[2] Consider Jesus' warning to the Christians in Sardis: Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. (Revelation 3:2) Brothers and Sisters, it is easy to become complacent.  Either we become complacent and neglect our calling to proclaim and to live out the good news about Jesus and to declare the mighty works of God.  Or we become complacent in that we become worldly.  We live in the world and it's easy to be unconsciously influenced by it when we keep our guard down and neglect to feed ourselves on God's word and to share in the means of grace found in the Church.  It's also easy to become complacent through wilful compromise with the world.  We face opposition and instead of standing firm, we compromise in the hopes that the world will oppose us less—maybe that they'll even like us.  We see an awful lot of this today.  Churches looking to attract “seekers” structure ministry and worship around what is attractive to unbelievers—which can be great when done thoughtfully and carefully, but disastrous when, as so often happens, we end up looking more like the world than the church.  Or we cozy up to the world's system, especially to politics—Left or Right—it can go either way.  When we allow ourselves to be overtaken by the world's ways of thinking, whether that be commercialism and materialism or expressive individualism, the sexual revolution, and post-modern gender theory.  Or—I think most appropriate in light of our text today—we water down our message.  Large parts of the Western Church today are hesitant to talk about sin and about the consequences of sin, about the wrath of God and of judgement.  H. Richard Niebuhr famous described the gospel of much of modern Christendom as: “A God without wrath brought men without sin into a kingdom without judgement through the ministrations of a Christ without a cross.”[3]  Such a faith is worthless—for those who believe—and for the world to which it is proclaimed.  The Church that preaches such a message is no church at all and when God's judgement does come, such churches will be swept away with everything else not of the kingdom—caught naked and asleep at her post.  It's important that the Church be clear about the difference between the things of God and the things of the world, the difference between godliness and sin, and knowing the kingdom of God, and be able to persevere in the midst of tribulation—that, to use John's metaphor, we stay awake and keep our pants on. As John announces the judgement that was soon to come on the pagan world of Caesar, using the language of cataclysmic plagues, the Church was expected to recognise the judgement of God in the same way that Israel had seen, recognised, and praised the judgment of God on Pharaoh, the supposed god-king, and on his pantheon of false gods.  John saw those who had conquered the beast, like Israel of old watching Pharaoh's army drown, singing the praises of their victorious God.  Brothers and Sisters, God's people are called to singing of his victory for the sake of the world and, in doing so, we glorify him.  Now look at Chapter 16.  John writes: Then I heard a loud voice from the temple telling the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.”   Remember that in the last scene, John saw the heavenly tabernacle filled with smoke—so full that no one could enter.  And out came seven angels bearing bowls.  The image is of the priests of the old covenant bearing their drink offerings at the conclusion of the daily service.  Since no one could enter the heavenly tabernacle because of the smoke, this must be the voice of God directing the angels.  John then goes on: So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth, and harmful and painful sores came upon the people who bore the mark of the beast and worshiped its image.   The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse, and every living thing died that was in the sea.   The third angel poured out his bowl into the rivers and the springs of water, and they became blood.  (Revelation 16:2-4) Just like the plagues poured out on rebellious Jerusalem, the plagues poured out on the pagan nations are meant to remind us of the plagues the Lord brought on Egypt.  First, painful sores reminiscent of the boils that afflicted the Egyptians.  Second, the sea turning to blood and then, third, the fresh waters turning to blood as well. In contrast to the plagues poured out on rebellious Jerusalem, these plagues are universal in scope.  The earlier plagues were limited—a third of the water, a third of the people.  I think the idea in this distinction is that when God disciplined his rebellious children, there was an opportunity for the pagan nations to see, to take heart, and to repent of their wickedness themselves.  Now that opportunity has passed.  The wine of God's wrath has been tread out in the winepress and the wicked peoples who drank the blood of the saints are now—metaphorically—left with nothing but putrid blood to drink. That raises another question?  Are these plagues meant to be understood literally?  I think it's fairly clear, given the context, that they are not.  The imagery draws on the Lord's past judgement on the nations that afflicted his people, first Egypt and then, we'll see, Babylon.  The point is that the Lord is now going to judge Rome.  Remember the point of Revelation: tribulation, perseverance, and kingdom.  Jesus' main purpose in giving John this vision is to encourage the saints to persevere in the midst of tribulation.  The great New Testament scholar, George Caird, puts it this way: “The theme of the whole series [i.e., the plagues] is neither the collapse of the physical universe nor the punishment of individual men for their personal contribution to the world's iniquity, both of which come later when the record books are opened…but the ending of persecution through the removal of the persecutor.”[4]  The angels underscore this when they sing out between the third and fourth plagues.  Look at verses 5 to 7: And I heard the angel in charge of the waters say, “Just are you, O Holy One, who is and who was,          for you brought these judgments. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets,          and you have given them blood to drink. It is what they deserve!”   And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty,          true and just are your judgments!”   The Lord's judgement vindicates his saints and brings justice on their persecutors.  The songs of the angels and of the altar—I assume these are the martyrs we saw earlier under the altar—the song is a needed reminder of the goodness of the Lord's judgement.  We modern Christians have often become uncomfortable with judgement—Niebuhr's God without wrath and kingdom without judgement.  One morning this week I left my prayer book at home.  I had left a Canadian prayer book on my desk—the 1962 edition—after looking up something in the lectionary last week, so I picked it up for Morning Prayer.  And I was jarred by the changes they made in the Psalter.  Wherever they could, they eliminated or watered down the passages that speak of or call for the Lord's judgement.  Whole psalms were removed.  Because modern Christians have—to our shame—become exceedingly uncomfortable with the topic of the wrath and judgement of God.  And yet, the angels sing here, it is God's justice which reveals his holiness.  Do we consider that when we sing “Holy, holy, holy Lord God almighty”?  And do we consider that it is the Lord's justice that is our consolation as we face a world that opposes us because it opposes him?  Brothers and Sisters, we need to remember that the Lord is revealed to be true and just because he judges wickedness and, in that, he deserves our praises.  There is no reason to preach the gracious mercy of the cross, if there is nothing from which we need deliverance. Now the fourth plague—verses 8 and 9: The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire.  They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues.  They did not repent and give him glory.   The fourth of the trumpets that announcement judgement on Jerusalem heralded a plague of darkness.  Now the fourth bowl brings the opposite.  It metaphorically highlights the Lord's vindication of his saints.  The martyrs we saw under the altar back in Chapter 7 were consoled with the words: They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore;          the sun shall not strike them,          nor any scorching heat.  (Revelation 7:16) In contrast, the wicked are exposed to the full justice of the Lord.  And yet, even as they experience his wrath, like Pharaoh, their hearts are hardened.  They know the source of their affliction, but rather than repent, rather than turn from their evil and give him glory, they curse him. With the fifth bowl, the judgement narrows from the wider pagan world of the Greeks and Romans to its throne—to the heart and embodiment of its wickedness. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness.  People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores.  They did not repent of their deeds. (Revelation 16:10-11) The Lord's judgement now falls on the beast, on Caesar, on Nero himself.  Darkness—political chaos—descends on the empire.  In a.d. 69 the Senate declared Nero a public enemy.  He fled and committed suicide.  A year of chaos—referred to as the Year of the Four Emperors—ensued.  Galba became emperor.  He was murdered by Otho.  Meanwhile, Vitellius popular for his military victories in Germany, vied for the throne and won the support of the imperial guard.  Otho committed suicide.  But Vitellius had his own rival in the general, Vespasian, who was besieging Jerusalem.  In the end, Vespasian's supporters in the military outnumbered those of Vitellius, who abdicated and was promptly lynched by a mob in Rome.  It was a year of chaos and civil war.  But again, even as the beast was toppled from his throne, there was no repentance.  Nero, who had initiated the empire's persecution of the saints, was cast down, but in quick succession four others seized his throne and made the same blasphemous claims to divinity that he had. And the sixth bowl.  Verses 12-16: The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east.  And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs.  For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty.  (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”)  And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.   John has referred to Rome symbolically as Babylon—historically the great enemy of the people of God.  And now the symbolism of the judgements recalls the fall of Babylon, while at the same time conjuring up the great fear of Rome at that time.  Ancient Babylon fell to the Medes when the invaders diverted the Euphrates River so that they could enter the city.  Now it's Rome's turn to fall.  Rome's great enemy to the east was the Parthian empire—on the other side of the Euphrates.  In the midst of Rome's political chaos, war was coming.  John writes of the kings of the nations assembling to battle at a place called in Hebrew, Harmageddon—the Mount of Megiddo.  It's a little interesting in that there's no Mount Megiddo.  Megiddo is a valley between the mountains—the route from the coastal plain of Palestine to the interior, to Syria and Damascus.  For that reason it had a been a place of many battles.  Deborah and Barak had won their victory there in Judges.  It was the place where King Josiah met his Waterloo, so to speak.  And that's precisely how John uses “Megiddo” here.  That there's no actual Mount Megiddo suggests strongly that John isn't using this location literally.  When we say someone has met their Waterloo, we don't literally mean that they've gone to Waterloo to lose a battle.  Waterloo is a metaphor for defeat and John uses Megiddo in a similar way here.  Rome will meet her enemies and she will fall.  The beast's own wickedness will catch up with him both at home and abroad and he will be toppled from his throne. But in the middle of all this there's that warning.  “Stay awake,” warns Jesus.  Hearkening back to the plague of frogs in Egypt, the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet spew forth demonic spirits imaged as frogs.  These unclean spirits perform signs that deceive the kings of the nations and summon them to the battle.  Jesus warns his people not to be conned by the false prophets and their lying signs.  Pharoah's magicians had once mimicked the Lord's miracles and the prophets of the dragon and the beast will do the same.  God's people must be alert, he warns, that they not fall prey to the enemy's propaganda. And in verses 17-20 the seventh and final bowl is poured out. The seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple, from the throne, saying, “It is done!” And there were flashes of lightning, rumblings, peals of thunder, and a great earthquake such as there had never been since man was on the earth, so great was that earthquake.  The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell, and God remembered Babylon the great, to make her drain the cup of the wine of the fury of his wrath.  And every island fled away, and no mountains were to be found.  And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.   The final judgement is poured out into the air, the space between heaven and earth, and the only language John can employ to describe the result is the language of de-creation used by the Old Testament prophets.  Zechariah had once described the fall of Jerusalem using this metaphorical language—the city being split in two by an earthquake.  Now Rome is metaphorically split in three in the chaos of lightning, thunder, and earthquakes.  I think it's very possible this is a reference to the civil war that was about the rattle Rome to its core, but it was a civil war that would topple the beast who had persecuted the saints.  And yet, still, the wicked continue to curse God.  The men who took Nero's place on the throne did not continue the persecution of the saints, but they continued with their blasphemous claims to divinity.  Nevertheless, John says, “God remembered Babylon the great”.  This is our lead-in to Chapters 17 and 18.  The great city will be revealed as the world's whore.  But in that revelation, the faithfulness and the beauty of the Lord's bride will also be revealed. John saw the end of pagan Rome.  Or it might be better to say that he saw the beginning of the end of pagan Rome.  As Caird also rightly points out, Israel's prophets had always used this kind of apocalyptic language “to give theological depth and urgency to this historical crisis which he and his people were facing at the moment.  John, too, had his vision of the End, but because he had learnt his theology at the foot of the Cross, he knew that an end could also be a beginning.”[5] The Lord's judgement would cast down the beast, break his empire, and in time the good news about Jesus, proclaimed by saints and witnesses by the blood of the martyrs would transform the world.  And, Brothers and Sisters, it will continue to do so.  Throughout history the power of the gospel has brought transformation, but it's never as simple as we might like: Okay, the gospel has conquered here, now the Church can go over there or over there to conquer and forget about here.  The Church triumphs there, and then wanes here, only to triumph again here, later.  We in the West are experiencing what it's like to live in a post-Christian world—the waning of the gospel here—to fall out of favour, to experience opposition.  If John were here today he would warn and exhort us as he did the Christians of his own day: “Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”  Don't give up.  Don't succumb to the spirit of the age.  Don't be swayed by the lies of the unclean spirits.  The gospel will triump here again and it will do so through the witness of faithful Christians.  So live in deep community with your church family.  Drink deeply at the well of grace provided by the sacraments.  Steep yourself in the word of God.  Don't be afraid to be different—to be holy—and to proclaim the sinfulness of sin, the gracious mercy of God revealed at the cross, and the lordship of Jesus over all things.  Be shaped by faith-filled hope for Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again. Let's pray: Almighty God, we thank you for the exhortation you have given us through John.  You judge the wicked and deliver your people.  Your gospel is powerful and transforms the world.  Strengthen our faith and fill us with hope in these truths, so that we can live courageously for Jesus in the face of hatred and opposition.  Renew us by your Spirit and make us faithful witnesses of the transforming power of your word.  Judge the wicked, we pray, vindicate your people, and set your fallen creation to rights.  Through Jesus we pray, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, new and for ever.  Amen. [1] Philip Carrington, The Meaning of Revelation (London: SPCK, 1931), 265. [2] J. P. M. Sweet, Revelation (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1979), 249. [3] The Kingdom of God in America (New York: Harper and Row, 1959), 193. [4] The Revelation of St. John the Divine (London: A & C Black, 1966), 201. [5] 210

This daily broadcast will bring you inspiring hope-filled messages from God’s Word! Each speaker will help you grow in your walk with the Lord. You’ll find hope for these times in God’s Word! For more information email: messageofhope@lifetalk.net or call (800) 775-4673.

Although God's revealed will in Scripture is often dismissed, ignored, or even labeled as hate speech, the consequences of celebrating sin will come. Ancient Babylon's leaders had no idea that their time was up until it was too late. A festive party ended in the king's death, and God's judgment was served. In this message, we're equipped to proclaim God's Word with compassion and conviction.   Click here to listen (Duration 14:35)

Dean is joined by his good friend and former boss…RD Gallant. Teaming up once again, they unravel the story of Nebuchadnezzar - the great king of Ancient Babylon. Who exactly was this King? What motivated him to annihilate nation after nation? And why on earth was God so hell-bent on saving him? https://humblelamb.com/https://www.typesandsymbols.com/collections/light-and-life-collection

I'm always teaching the value of continuous learning. One of the ways to do that is by making a commitment to read. One book that comes up in almost every discussion about great books is The Richest Man in Babylon. In today's podcast, I dive into one of the important concepts from the book, 7 Cures to a Lean Purse. While the classic was written almost 100 years ago with a setting in Ancient Babylon, the 7 cures apply just as much, if not more, today. In this bite-sized episode, I review the 7 cures and share tips on how we can apply each of them in our own lives. For your reference, here are the 7 cures: Start thy purse to fattening. ... Control thy expenditures. ... Make thy gold multiply. ... Guard thy treasures against loss. ... Make of thy dwelling a profitable investment. ... Ensure a future income. ... Increase thy ability to learn. Enjoy the show and as always, thanks for tuning in! By the way, be sure to connect with me on Instagram! Listen and grow! Billy  Here are some important links. Fitness Profits Book a 15 Minute Q&A With Billy Contact Billy directly about possibly doing coaching with him, visit https://yourfitnessmoneycoach.com/coaching-with-me/ and fill out the form. Listen/Subscribe to the show here: My podcast page Your Fitness Money Coach Itunes Stitcher Spotify IHeart Google You can also search for the Your Fitness Money Coach podcast on major podcast apps.

Check out our membership rewards! Visit us at Patreon.com/Whattheif Got an IF of your own? Want to have us consider your idea for a show topic? Send YOUR IF to us! Email us at feedback@whattheif.com and let us know what's in your imagination. No idea is too small, or too big! Don't miss an episode! Subscribe at WhatTheIF.com Keep On IFFin', Philip, Matt & Gaby

What is going on podcast people?? Today we got a Great episode for y'all, if we do say so ourselves. Kat gives us a biography on the infamous mobster Al Capone and Kaleigh takes us way back and tells us the history of the ancient city of Babylon.Let's talk!Twitter: @TINAHLpodcastEmail: thisisnotahistorylecture@gmail.comRemember to rate us wherever you can! It really helps out!!!

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A new MP3 sermon from The GraceLife Pulpit is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: The Fall of Ancient Babylon Speaker: Phil Johnson Broadcaster: The GraceLife Pulpit Event: Sunday Service Date: 11/21/2021 Bible: Daniel 4-5 Length: 60 min.

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Hello, hello, hello! Today we are celebrating Indigenous People's month with two more great topics. Kat gives us a very well crafted overview of Ancient Mesopotamia, and Kaleigh takes us all the way to America and covers the absolute BAMF Sacagawea. Let's Talk:Twitter: @TINAHLpodcastEmail: thisisnotahistorylecture@gmail.comRemember to rate us on Apple Podcasts! 

 Welcome to the 70th Episode of The Two Tankers and A Cat Podcast!  We talk about the Italian CIO Ariete modern main battle tank and how it stands up against its competitors.  During our second point of the podcast we talk about the Italian's involvement in Operation Ancient Babylon!  We also cover some current events that pertain to tanks and armor.   Happy Tanking! Russel & Charlie

This book will take you out to the ball park and hit home runs! The read is Playful, Simple and Profound. Let's Dive into "The Richest Man in Babylon" ... because Beauty awaits us Between the pages. @Her.Namaste.Life ... #yourfavoritebookwhore --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/hernamastelife/message

Can something belong to us all – just by virtue of the fact that we are human beings? If anything has a claim to that – it is the Paisley motif, which has woven its way in and out of human history like no other pattern. This episode traces the history and some of the many appearances attached to this lovely shape, from its incarnation as a tree of life in Ancient Babylon to an emblem of America's Wild West or the Swinging Sixties in London.   Paisley has many names and even more meanings. It is the sleeping dragon of patterns – retiring under the hill for decades of slumber before being re-purposed by new cultures and new generations to signify something different. It belongs to many hands and no one, in particular, can lay claim to it, making it one of the truly global patterns. Listen to some of the journey of this nomad in this episode of Haptic and Hue's Tales of Textiles.   You can see pictures of the textiles we talk about in this episode, a full script and a list of further resources on the Haptic and Hue Website at https://hapticandhue.com/tales-of-textiles-series-3/

In this Podcast, Apostle ID goes to the Word of God and reveals the deep things of God in order to help Believers train the mind to fight the battles that which we have been called to fight.  Throughout the history of Israel, we see political powers and systems, from Egypt, to Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia and in the time of Jesus, Rome, powers that have oppressed the people of God.  In the Book of Revelations, Apostle John is given a revelation of Mystery Babylon, a power that has the characteristics of Ancient Babylon.  Mystery Babylon is currently with us, manifesting in religion, economics, business and politics.  Mystery Babylon is an enemy of Christ that wages war against the people of God.  The Word of God says that a time of judgement will come against this power, but while we wait for the appointed time, what are the saints of God to do?  Tune in for Biblical wisdom, knowledge and understanding concerning Mystery Babylon and develop the right warfare mindset to persevere and endure the times in which we are in.  

He Reigns Bible reading 1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendour. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: ‘ “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!” She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. 3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.' 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘ “Come out of her, my people,” so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. 7 Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, “I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.” 8 Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her. 9 ‘When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. 10 Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: ‘ “Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!”– Revelation 18:1-10 (NIVUK) Devotional We've come to a chapter where we need to understand the symbols before we can talk about what is going on. When we think of Babylon, we mostly think of the ancient society that was run by Nebuchadnezzar. Ancient Babylon was the enemy not only of Israel but of almost every other region in the known world. Babylon was powerful, violent, dominant and wealthy. It consumed other societies by conquest but once inside the people saw the real danger of Babylon! It was beautiful! Babylon had everything you could imagine and want. It was luxurious, permissive, and lucrative. Who wouldn't want to live in Babylon? John knew his cultural background. He remembered how Babylon had conquered Jerusalem and had taken the best of everything and everyone and made them their own. John understood that the Babylon he saw before him in chapter 18 wasn't ancient Babylon, but another Babylon… one that looked a lot like Rome. In fact, Babylon is every city or culture that demonstrates these seven qualities:  It leaves God out and promotes all types of sexuality, injustice, consumerism, violence, deception, and idolatry.  What John was beginning to understand is that every generation has its Babylon, and it is just as destructive, cruel, and antiChrist as ancient Babylon. Do you now understand why it's so hard to be a disciple these days? We are constantly under the pressure of Babylon. We study under its pressure, we are entertained under its pressure, we work in Babylonian businesses, hospitals and schools. And it's not just you and me… she rides on the waters, on peoples and nations… the world is living in Babylon! We can't escape Babylon… but Jesus wanted John and the churches to understand that although we can't escape Babylon… we don't have to live the babylonian culture! Jesus tells John… don't lose hope, Babylon is falling… and when it starts to fall, it will fall quickly. She might look stable and strong, but it's an illusion. So, in the words that came out of heaven “come out of her, my people…”. Not literally leave, we can't leave if Babylon is everywhere. But we can leave the corruption, the seduction, the lies and the violence behind. We can live differently because while we might live in Babylon, we are not citizens of Babylon. We belong to a differen

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This daily broadcast will bring you inspiring hope-filled messages from God’s Word! Each speaker will help you grow in your walk with the Lord. You’ll find hope for these times in God’s Word! For more information email: messageofhope@lifetalk.net or call (800) 775-4673.

#JuanOSavin  #FlyoverConservativesBRAND NEW INTERVIEW WITH JUAN O SAVIN. “This is not over and we are about to have a writing on the wall moment”!  Today we sat down with Juan O Savin and discuss the signs to look for going forward. He draws amazing parallels between the Ancient Babylon world and the one we live in now... hint, the writing is on the wall in both!---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jerry Nadler Quote- https://youtu.be/HKJTWuViqog---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Welcome to the Flyover Conservatives podcast with David and Stacy Whited. Breaking down current events and examining culture through the lens of conservative Christian values. Get Flyover Conservatives Merch @https://flyoverconservatives.com/flyover-merch(Discount Code "FlyoverYoutube" for 10% off)Follow us @Twitter: @davidmwhitedFacebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/flyoverconservativesFacebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/flyoverconservativesInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyoverconservatives/Website: https://flyoverconservatives.comALL LINKS: https://sociatap.com/FlyoverConservativesSupport the show (https://flyoverconservatives.com/donate)

Kaley Cuoco. Marilyn Manson. Things Bob Didn't Know. Morons in the News.   Teaching Post Cologne to Drive. Everyone Needs a Laugh. Meal Prepping for People & Pets. The Aliens Are Out There… Just Ask Ben Hansen. Down the Rabbit Hole. Can You Believe This S****?   How Long It Takes to Fall in Love Based on Your Sign. Ancient Babylon. Spectacular Homes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2-6-2021 https://youtu.be/Dp5pTLYgFUU

Professor Zainab Bahrani tackles popular internet search queries, and questions submitted by listeners, about the Mesopotamian city, which was one of the jewels of the ancient world. Topics range from religion, food and kings to the Hanging Gardens and the myth of the Tower of Babel. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In the Holy Bible, the book of Jeremiah Chapter 50, Verse 23, states: "How is the HAMMER of the WHOLE EARTH cut asunder and broken! How is BABYLON become a DESOLATION among the nations!" Although the prophet Jeremiah is describing Ancient Babylon, this verse is still particularly applicable and eerily prophetic of the 21ST CENTURY times we are living in, and particularly applicable to one nation that controls most of the planet today: THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Moreso than not, however, America has become many degrees worse than Ancient Babylon, in that we were blessed with such amazing "Oracles of Freedom" that Babylon never had, such as the HOLY BIBLE, the CONSTITUTION, THE BILL OF RIGHTS, and the surefire path set by our Founders to national and individual blessing for centuries to come. But, as happens to all great (and small) nations, we have turned asunder from the Son of God upon whom this nation was predicated and dedicated to, and turned to the sons of Satan and their evil deeds as our elected leaders to lead us into captivity rather than blessing. Because of our great individual sins of idolatry in the forms of pride, haughtiness, human sacrifice [abortion], sexual perversion [homosexuality, pornography, fornication], love of money, sorcery, gluttony and drugs, and our great national sins of exporting homosexuality, the fake monetary system by which the whole world became drunk by, the evil unjust wars in almost every continent of the Earth, the filth of Hollywood and its 'entertainment', the highest production of pornography out of any nation in the world, and the direct worship of Satan in the highest Offices of the Land, we have heaped coals upon coals of God's Judgment and Vengeance upon our land. And, because of our tacit approval of these abominations in our own personal lives, we have pretty much sealed our fate as the final Babylon, Mystery Babylon, "the hindermost of the nations." [Jeremiah 50:12]. The question is, will we repent in time AS INDIVIDUALS and AS A NATION, or will we pridefully keep playing the harlot and thus face the full brunt of God's anger upon our whole nation and upon ALL our 'American Idols'? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUPPORT THIS SHOW:

PART ONE - Who is Mystery Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation? Is it America? Or is it the Vatican? And how is it tied in with the Tower of Babel and Nimrod? Learn the parallels of Ancient Babylon and the rise of Mystery Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation, and how what began with the Tower of Babel and Nimrod, will end with Mystery Babylon and the Beast. You definitely don't want to miss this!

PART TWO - Who is Mystery Babylon mentioned in the Book of Revelation? Is it America? Or is it the Vatican? And how is it tied in with the Tower of Babel and Nimrod? Learn the parallels of Ancient Babylon and the rise of Mystery Babylon mentioned in the book of Revelation, and how what began with the Tower of Babel and Nimrod, will end with Mystery Babylon and the Beast. You definitely don't want to miss this!

What sounds like the most boring topic ever ends up being very exciting. In this episode we head back to Ancient Babylon where we discover that throwing poop in your moat is a relatively recent invention. What does this have to do with how water moves around a property? You'll have to listen to find out!

 A clay tablet from 3700 years in the past is rewriting Trigonometry as we know it...  That's what this weeks episode is about, a small clay tablet from Ancient Babylon, the information it contains was deciphered by an Aussie team led by Dr Daniel Mansfield...  The Trigonometry that is recorded on the tablet predates the Greeks by 1500 years, it simpler and more accurate than what we use today...  Just a short one this week that I had to share with you all, enjoy. 

In ancient Iraq, scribes used cuneiform (wedge-shaped) script to write hundreds of thousands of texts in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages on clay tablets. Dr Frances Reynolds, Shillito Fellow in Assyriology, Faculty of Oriental Studies and St Benet's Hall Cuneiform Discoveries from Ancient Babylon - In ancient Iraq, scribes used cuneiform (wedge-shaped) script to write hundreds of thousands of texts in the Sumerian and Akkadian languages on clay tablets. Akkadian, a language related to Arabic and Hebrew, was still written in Babylonia after the conquest of Alexander the Great. Newly published tablets show scholars in Babylon trying to boost the temple's dwindling power under imperial rule. Humanities Light Night – Oxford Research Unwrapped! As part of the national Being Human Festival, and Oxford’s Christmas Light Festival, Humanities Light Night - Oxford Research Unwrapped! was a spectacular explosion of colour, sound and activity for all, including a huge video projection onto the 3-storey Radcliffe humanities building, premiering SOURCE: CODE which featured the work of Oxford Humanities Professors Jacob Dahl, Richard Parkinson and Armand D'Angour, and co-created by Oxford Humanities researchers and The Projection Studio, world-class projection and sound-artists. A series of talks took place during the evening, relating to the theme ‘Discovery’. This event was part of the Humanities Cultural Programme.

In this week's Book Club, Sam's guest is the historian Tom Holland, author of the new book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity -- and an account of the myriad ways, many of them invisible to us, that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? The Book Club, what used to be known as Spectator Books, is a series of literary interviews and discussions on the latest releases in the world of publishing, from poetry through to physics. Presented by Sam Leith, The Spectator's Literary Editor. Hear past episodes here (https://audioboom.com/dashboard/4905582) .

In this week's Book Club, Sam's guest is the historian Tom Holland, author of the new book Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind. The book, though as Tom remarks, you might not know it from the cover, is essentially a history of Christianity -- and an account of the myriad ways, many of them invisible to us, that it has shaped and continues to shape Western culture. It's a book and an argument that takes us from Ancient Babylon to Harvey Weinstein's hotel room, draws in the Beatles and the Nazis, and orbits around two giant figures: St Paul and Nietzsche. Is there a single discernible, distinctive Christian way of thinking? Is secularism Christianity by other means? And are our modern-day culture wars between alt-righters and woke progressives a post-Christian phenomenon or, as Tom argues, essentially a civil war between two Christian sects? Presented by Sam Leith.

Join the class as we move forward in our study of the book of Daniel. We continue as Daniel describes the disposition of king Nebuchadnezzar as the time is growing close to the demise of ancient Babylon. We examine God's long-range plan for Babylon and its system as He brings king Nebuchadnezzar to insanity, but preserves him through it. We'll also continue to follow ancient Babylon's illustrious history through its decline and transition to the Medo-Persian empire - with its system still preserved. Finally, we'll take a look at the view of the Babylonian system from Nebuchadnezzar, through to the end of the age, where we are today. We'll see how the the insane madness of Nebuchadnezzar continued as part of that system into the time of the end, as governments try to bring about the final, state of a one world “tree” of dominion and religion under their Babylonian system. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/biblestudyweekly/message

Happy Halloween, everyone! We got quick show today so you can listen while you get ready and your wig glue's drying. We got a dope little record shop, the best Halloween corn maze you'll have to wait til next year to see, and then we take a trip to Ancient Babylon. Brought to you by Gran Marnier (not really; please don't sue)! IG: @highlysleptonpod Email: highlyslepton@gmail.com Twitter: @highlyslepton_

The largest and most splendid city in the ancient world was captured by King Cyrus of Persia in 539 BC. The story is entwined with the history of the Jews in the Bible who were exiled to the rivers of Babylon. Support the show.

A history of interest rates from Ancient Babylon to today.

The largest and most splendid city in the ancient world was captured by King Cyrus of Persia in 539 BC. The story is entwined with the history of the Jews in the Bible who were exiled to the rivers of Babylon.

In 1999, a settlement called “Judahtown” (or Al-Yahudu in Babylonian) was discovered on administrative tablets from 2,500 years ago. Over the next few years, dozens more legal documents were found that originated in that town, providing ample documentation of Jewish life in Babylon following the fall of Jerusalem. On today’s program, host Brent Nagtegaal shows how these mundane documents add further life to the biblical history of this time. Why You Must Watch Jerusalem - watchjerusalem.co.il/151-why-you-mu…atch-jerusalem The Modern State of Israel: Jewish, Israelite or Both - watchjerusalem.co.il/radio/watch-je…aelite-or-both The Jews of Babylon - lawrenceschiffman.com/wp-content/upl…of-babylon.pdf How Bad Was the Babylonian Exile - members.bib-arch.org/biblical-archa…-review/42/5/7 Judean Life in Babylonia - thetorah.com/judean-life-in-babylonia/

In this episode of Hebrew Voices, The Name Yeshua in Ancient Babylon, Nehemia Gordon heads to Mt. Scopus for a chat with Dr. Uri Gabbay, a professor at The Hebrew University. Their dialog concerns the history, languages and cultures of ancient Mesopotamia … Continue reading → The post Hebrew Voices #14 – The Name Yeshua in Ancient Babylon (Rebroadcast) appeared first on Nehemia's Wall.

The Alien Age is the time period in which we all live.  From the time of Christ until now, we have been under the unfluence and deception of the Alien we call Lucifer or the Beast System.  The Anti-Christ Federation and office of the Psuedo Christ has manipulated and detoured the Words of God for centuries.  In exposing the Alien Technology, Wisdom, and Religion of Ancient Babylon, we can better see exactly who and what the enemy is and where it comes from.  We can be diligent in our walk in "The Way" and have peace that the entire Alien Kingdom will soon come to a wonderful crashing end.  

At least on paper (though that may not translate to cash), farmers are wealthy. Many are understandably concerned about passing those assets down and not having the next generation ruin the business. Some don't even let their kids make business decisions until they're almost completely out of the picture, which might not be until they're in their 80s. There are two really good stories from The Richest Man in Babylon that deal with the concept of inheritance. I think they hold a lot of wisdom for farmers and landowners today.

One thing is clear in my conversations with farmers: the biggest challenge they face is making their debt payments. Part three of our series on the financial principles of ancient Babylon pulls from The Richest Man in Babylon. Today's lesson is about managing your debt and working with the holders of your debt to have a realistic plan in place.

One weekend, my son and I went to Minneapolis, and I had him listen to The Richest Man in Babylon. I wanted him to hear it, since it's had such an impact on me. Then I found that the one listen wasn't enough for me. I listened to it again the next day after our trip, and I couldn't help thinking about how much rich wisdom it held. It's especially helpful for where farming's at right now, when things are tight and stress is high. I just had to share what I've learned with you.

The Richest Man in Babylon is one of my favorite books of all time. It's so good, I read it twice in one weekend. Babylon was one of the wealthiest cities of ancient times, because of the financial principles of its people. They recorded stories and fables with these lessons on clay tablets which were unearthed not too long ago. Those tablets are the foundation for the several stories that make up The Richest Man in Babylon. One of my favorite principles from the book is the one we'll be discussing today: seven cures for a lean purse.

Welcome to The Shaun Tabatt Show! In this episode I speak with Terry Brennan about his new novel The Aleppo Code (Kregel, 2015).About the Book:Will the code reveal history's most powerful weapon for destruction--or humanity’s only hope? The living members of Tom Bohannon's band of adventurers gather again in Jerusalem--physically battered, emotionally exhausted, spiritually challenged, and in various stages of shock--to examine a copy of the tenth-century Aleppo Code, the oldest complete text of Jewish scripture. What the clues inside reveal could lead to the reuniting of the Ark of the Covenant with its true source of power, a weapon that could lead to victory for this ragged bunch trying to save the world.Hunted by the relentless assassins of the Prophet's Guard and caught in the web of an international conspiracy plotting the conquest of Europe, Bohannon's team searches the ruins of Ancient Babylon. Their search lands them amid the chaos that engulfs western Iraq, but they must press on to accomplish one of the most pivotal pieces of end-times prophecy. This intrepid group will uncover secrets that require them to risk everything for their faith, their country, and the peace of all mankind.Unfolding against the backdrop of an Israeli/U.S. strike against Iran and the planned economic overthrow of the European Union by the sinister, secret head of the international Muslim Brotherhood, The Aleppo Code is a heart-pounding race. Brennan takes an epic story on a grand scale and tells it primarily through the eyes of one man who is desperately trying to save the world as he follows God's purpose for his life.About the Author:Terry Brennan is the award-winning author of The Sacred Cipher and The Brotherhood Conspiracy, the first two books in The Jerusalem Prophecies. He is also a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and has received the Freedoms Foundation award for editorial writing. Brennan is currently chief administrative officer for Care for the Homeless in New York City.Connect with Terry: TerryBrennanAuthor.com Facebook Twitter (@terrbrennan1) For additional show notes, visit ShaunTabatt.com/052.

I. From Pride to Presumption Turn to Daniel 5. We continue in our study in Daniel and we come to Belshazzar's last feast. Now around this room, there are many timepieces, aren't there? Some of you may even be checking them right now. There are many different ways to mark time, and we're getting better and better at it. I saw an advertisement in a magazine which has a wristwatch, which automatically changes its time as you change time zones. I don't know how that works, but it's got some kind of a receiver within it, that takes data from an atomic clock somewhere, and wherever you are, you know exactly what time it is, you don't have to fiddle anymore with adjusting, isn't that incredible? We're very conscious of time and interested in telling time. And so it has been really from the beginning of the world, since God created the sun, and the moon, and the stars to mark time and as we see the sun come up and set, we're interested in the passing of time, so we see the moon's wax and wane. We're interested in the passing of time. Some of the earliest timepieces were water clocks. I was reading about one in Egypt, which had a certain rate that the water flowed out of a vessel and they were able to mark the time within a day that way, there was a remarkable water clock in China that lasted for over 100 years and kept very accurate time. But we're going to see that God's ways of marking time are different than ours, although He has them and there is a timetable that God is keeping though we don't know what it is. And God has given us insight into time, but His times are His own. Jesus was born in the fullness of time it says in Galatians 4:4, at just the right time in history. We know that today is given to us for a purpose, isn't it? For repentance. Today is the day of salvation, that we might call on Jesus Christ, and be forgiven of our sins. That's what today is for, for repentance and day passes upon day and time is marked. But in God's time, the judgments come and at just the right time, they come. God gave a promise to Abraham that he would own the promised land in the future but not yet. And why? The sin of the Amorites had not yet reached its full measure. God had a certain measure and when the sin of the Amorites had reached that measure, judgment would come by the sword of Joshua and the invading armies, in the Book of Joshua but not yet. God has His timetable and so He had for the ancient empire of Babylon. There was a right time for judgment and until that time came judgment would not come, but when that time came, the judgment fell and nothing could stop it. Now, about 60 or so years before the chapter we're reading today, there was a strange ceremony carried on by a Jewish refugee, his name was Seraiah and Seraiah stood by the flowing river Euphrates, as it flowed through the center of Babylon, and he read a scroll in Hebrew, the scroll was written by a prophet, a Jewish prophet and it had some words in it. Now, I don't know what went on when the scroll was read. I don't know if the Babylonians were hurrying to their jobs, maybe some of them were late going to and fro but here was this group of refugees, standing by the river Babylon or the River Euphrates in the center of Babylon, and the scroll being read. And when the reading was finished, Seraiah wrapped it up and tied a stone to it and threw it into the center of the Euphrates River and there it sank. Ceremony was over. What did it mean? Well, the meaning was contained in the words of the scroll. We'll get to that. But some time later, the waters of the Euphrates River started to dwindle on one given night, got a little bit dryer. Dwindled down from a river, a mighty river to a stream, to a trickle and then it was dry, river bed just mud and there perhaps, 60 years later, the stone that had been thrown in by Seraiah was there. I'm sure the scroll and its string was disintegrated. That's what time does. But maybe the rock was still there, testimony that the time had come for judgment. Babylon would fall that night. And it just so happened while that river was dwindling down and running dry, there was a big party going on. We can relate to that, can't we? We're a partying people? We enjoy a good party. And Belshazzar was throwing the party, the feast. It would be his last, his last feast, but he was throwing a party. Fascinating. With judgment impending, they're throwing a party and a feast. And so we're going to look tonight or today at Belshazzar's last feast, Daniel 5 and we're going to see a specific and accurate fulfillment of prophecy that God had given through His prophet Jeremiah. We have up to this point in Daniel seen many prophecies laid out, which have not yet been fulfilled, haven't we? Future prophecies that are going to be fulfilled at the second coming of Christ. But Daniel 5 is not of a future prophecy, but of a past prophecy and it's fulfillment, the fall of Babylon. And we're going to see how accurate it is. II. Historical Context: Babylon After Nebuchadnezzar Now, instead of reading through these verses all the way through and then going back and explaining them, I think we're going to look at it section at a time, but before we do it, we're going to get the historical context. What had gone on now is that Nebuchadnezzar has died. The head of gold, you remember the statue in chapter two. It was a statue, which represented the flow of human history and the top was a head of gold and according to Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar himself was that head of gold, he represented the Babylonian Empire. Well, Nebuchadnezzar has now died, we don't know how he died. We don't have any record of him being assassinated, perhaps he died through an illness, but he died 562 BC. In the words of David, he went the way of all the earth, the way of all potentates, all his power is gone and now he's going to stand before the Judge. We pray that in Daniel 4, he came to repentance and came to faith in Christ, and we hope we see him in heaven but his time on earth has ended. Nebuchadnezzar's successors however were not like Nebuchadnezzar. He was the head of gold, his successors were nothing like him. There was incompetence, there was intrigue, there was idolatry, there was not strong leadership. His son Evil-Merodach or Amel-Marduk ruled for only nine years and then he was assassinated by one of the generals in the army, Neriglissar. Neriglissar assassinated Nebuchadnezzar's son, and then took the throne. Eventually he died and his son was placed on the throne for nine months. There was a conspiracy and his son was assassinated. Just one toppling after another, it became very weak, very unstable. Finally, the leader of the second conspiracy Nabonidus took the throne and ruled until the end of Babylon. Along with him he took a wife Nitocris who was a daughter of Nebuchadnezzar, she was a direct daughter of Nebuchadnezzar and the two of them had a son and the son's name was Belshazzar. And when Belshazzar was old enough Belshazzar became co-regent ruling together with his father Nabonidus. Now, going back in time, Jeremiah 27, you don't have to turn there, but there's a clear prophecy given about not only the fall of Babylon but when it would come. Jeremiah the prophet gathered a bunch of small kings including the king of Israel or Judah to him. This is before Nebuchadnezzar had conquered anything. He gathered all these kings together and said all of you kings are given into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. This is what he says, "Now I will hand all your countries over to my servant Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, I will make even the wild animals subject to him, all nations will serve him and his son and his grandson until the time for his land comes then many nations and great kings will subjugate him." Do you see the time table? Three generations. And in the third generation, his grandson, the end would come. Belshazzar was his grandson. The accuracy of prophecy, very clear how long it would last. And so, Belshazzar was ruling. Now around that time, the Medes and the Persians started getting powerful. Cyrus the Great became the leader of that budding empire. And he began to conquer. He began to ride out over Babylon and began to win victories and he defeated Nabonidus in a critical battle and Nabonidus fled to Borsippa where he was captured. Cyrus the Great then turned his attention on Babylon itself, the city of Babylon. The armies of Babylon had pulled back inside the walls of that fortress. Belshazzar was pretty much all that was left, but that city had never been conquered. In all the history of the military annals there's never been a city like Babylon, a fortress it seemed unconquerable and so they pulled in and they thought it was time for a party. And so they threw a feast. III. Belshazzar’s Defiant Feast (vs. 1-4) Now, let's look at verses one through four. "King Belshazzar gave a great banquet for a thousand of his nobles and drank wine with them. While Belshazzar was drinking his wine he gave orders to bring in the gold and the silver goblets that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken from the temple in Jerusalem so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them. So they brought in the gold goblets that had been taken from the temple of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. As they drank the wine, they praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone." Here, we see Belshazzar's defiant feast. The historical context couldn't be clearer, right at the walls of the city is the combined army of the Medes and the Persians, they're right around the walls, they're ready to conquer the city, but the Babylonians defy them with a feast, a celebration, a party, Belshazzar leading the way. But not only do they defy the armies of the Medes and the Persians, they defied God Himself, God Almighty, the Creator of the ends of the earth by calling for the golden goblets and cups from His temple that Nebuchadnezzar had taken out. Nebuchadnezzar never did this but Belshazzar did and they took them out and they drank, they drank celebrations to gods of gold and silver, of bronze, of iron, wood and stone. Now, massive banquets are part of the ancient Near East tradition. It shouldn't surprise us that everyone in Babylon was at a party. The ancient historian Ktesias said that Persian monarchs who came later frequently were known to dine daily with 15,000 people, that's a big feast. Earlier the Assyrian emperor Ashunasirpal II gave a feast to 70,000 people. In 485 Persian king Darius had a feast in which a thousand animals were slaughtered including, get this, oxen, zebras, gazelles, stags, Arabian ostriches, geese, game cocks and camel. Turns out that smoked camel hump is a favorite Persian dish. So those are the kind of things that they ate. They also served rice pilaf with meats, nuts, spices and fruit. Shish kebabs of mutton, fish, poultry, vegetables seasoned with special yogurt sauce. The guests at that banquet even enjoyed sugar brought by caravan from distant lands as at that time sugar was eaten only by kings. But it was lavished on all the guests. Now, that was a later feast, but this is the kind of thing that was going on as the armies were surrounding the walls of Babylon. Now what brings this on? Well, it's a base innate hedonism, a desire we have to enjoy things. We like pleasure, don't we? We like to eat good foods, we like to have fun with our friends. Is there anything wrong with that? Well, no, as long as it's in its proper order with God at the center. But hedonism for its own sake is destructive. And so it says in Philippians 3:19, think of the Babylonians now, "Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame, their mind is on earthly things." That was Babylon that night, wasn't it? One of the most amazing things I found about the history of World War II is that as Berlin was about to fall and Hitler and all his leaders were down in a concrete bunker and the whole city was surrounded by the Red Army and the forces were crumbling at that moment, even after Hitler had committed suicide, the Nazi officials had a party, a big celebration. There's something innate inside us that wants to be happy, we want to celebrate, we want to have fun even if death is imminent. And so from the Scripture comes this slogan, "Let us eat and drink and be merry for tomorrow we die." And nothing could have ever been said more truthfully about Babylon. Actually, it wasn't tomorrow, it was tonight. What should they have been doing? They should have been taking the time repenting. They should have been on their faces before God, seeking His forgiveness, not drinking from His vessels and praising idols of gold and wood and stone, getting drunk. But you know, it's not very different in God's own people either. Isaiah 22, writing about the fall of Jerusalem they did the same thing. This is what Isaiah says about the fall of Jerusalem, "The Lord, the Lord almighty called you on that day to weep and to wail, to tear out your hair and put on sackcloth but see there's joy and revelry, there slaughtering of cattle and eating of meat, killing of sheep and drinking of wine. Let us eat and drink you say for tomorrow we die. The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing to your dying day this sin will not be atoned for." When it's time to repent, you need to repent. It's not time for a party, it's not time for celebration, it's time for repentance. The Greatness of Babylon But you know something. I don't think the Babylonians felt they were going to die tomorrow. Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we... I don't think they thought so. I think they felt confidence. They were able to perhaps before the party began at least stand up around the walls of Babylon and defy the Medo-Persian army and say, "You'll never get in here. Never. These walls have never fallen and they're not going to fall tonight." Now in siege warfare there are three ways to win. If you're the army besieging a city what are three ways to win? You can go over the wall, you can go through the wall or you can starve the city within the wall so they come out. Those are the three ways you win siege warfare. But according to Herodotus, the ancient historian none of the three were possible because the city was monstrously huge. 14 miles square on a side, that's big. Think of how far it is from here to Raleigh. 14 miles on a side was the city. It had huge outer walls, 350 feet high. That's a 35-story building. Somebody tell me, is there a 35-story building in downtown Durham? I don't think there is, 35 stories is big. So imagine the highest building in Durham and even higher and you're looking up, and that's the wall, you're not going over that wall. I don't care how much structure you bring you're not going over. How about going through it? Well, according to Herodotus at the top of the wall, you can drive a chariot with four horses. That's at the top. Do you think the top is thinner or thicker than the bottom? It's got to be thinner, that's the way a wall is. It's got to be built almost like a pyramid. Some of the walls were 87 feet thick, 87 feet thick. You're not getting through that way. Well, what about the starvation route? Well, the problem is that the city was so big that it encompassed fields, areas that could continue growing for years and they had huge store houses. And what about drinking water? Plenty of it, you've got the River Euphrates flowing right through the center of the city, plenty of drinking water, you're never getting in here. Ancient Babylon was unconquerable. It had a 100 great bronze walls, gates in the walls, the inner and outer wall system had a series of moats, the river water was diverted around the wall so that you couldn't get through that way. Within the walls, there are a beautiful avenues and parks and palaces. A great bridge spanning the Euphrates connected the eastern and western parts of the city. There was the famed, Hanging Gardens of Babylon, beautiful to look at, and it gave them confidence. It's the same thing that Nebuchadnezzar said when he said, "Is not this the great Babylon I have built as a royal residence by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" This is an incredible place and nobody's ever getting in here. And so they held a party. They had a banquet. It's really shocking when you stop and think about it. When you're in siege you want to conserve food, you don't want to have a banquet but that's exactly what they did. So, they defied the armies of Persia, they also defied the living God. Now this is particularly shocking because God had given Nebuchadnezzar and the Babylonian empire a lesson into His greatness. Daniel representing God had interpreted a dream that no one else knew. Miraculously he had read the king's mind. In Daniel 3 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had been rescued from the fiery furnace, God had showed His power. In Daniel 4 the most powerful man perhaps in the history of the world in terms of a monarch, a single ruler was turned into an animal for seven years by the God of Israel, and Nebuchadnezzar gave credit to Him, gave credit to the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Was the one who did that. "He rules over kings" he said. But none of that meant anything to his grandson, Belshazzar. Didn't think a thing of it. And so he said, "Who was that God we beat? Bring his cups in here, let's drink from those too." Defying God right in His presence. Jonathan Edwards in his famous sermon, Sinners in the hands of an angry God, said this and I think the words really strike to their situation. He's talking about God's power and he says, "There is no fortress that is any defense from the power of God. Though hand joining hand and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves they are easily broken in pieces. What are we that should think to stand before Him at whose rebuke the earth trembles and before whom rocks are thrown down." IV. God’s Terrifying Warning: “The Writing on the Wall” (vs. 5-9) Oh, the folly of human beings to defy God. Now in verses 5-9, there is the terrifying warning, the writing on the wall, the apparition appears. Now look up at the wall next to me, see that plaster up there, how would you feel right now if while I'm talking suddenly a hand appeared and started writing on it? What would you do? Would some of you scream? Would you run out? Would you stay and wonder what the writing said? Well, that's what happened in middle of the party. Right in the middle of the party the hand appears look at verse 5, "Suddenly the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall near the lampstand in the Royal Palace. The king watched the hand as it wrote, his face turned pale and he was so frightened that his knees knocked together and his legs gave way. And the king called for the enchanters, the astrologers and diviners to be brought and said to these wise men of Babylon, 'Whoever reads this writing and tells me what it means will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around his neck and he will be made the third highest ruler in the kingdom.' Then all the king's wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or tell the king what it meant. So King Belshazzar became even more terrified and his face grew more pale and his nobles were baffled." Right in the middle of the party, the music stops. Now when the Titanic went down, the music kept playing until that it was the last possible moment, but music stopped a little early this night because people were terrified. What did the writing mean? What was it? What was the significance of these fingers and what were the letters? And terror and confusion reigned and no one knew what to do. And so the wise men were called in but nobody could read it. Maybe it's on the cover of your bulletin. Have you seen that little odd thing? Can you read it? There it was, something like that. And no one knew what it said. V. Daniel’s Clear Interpretation: The End Has Come (vs. 10-28) The Queen Mother’s Advice (vs. 10-12) And so the Queen Mother comes in verse 10-12, and gives some advice, "The queen hearing the voices of the king and his nobles came into the banquet hall. 'O king, live forever' she said. 'Don't be alarmed, don't look so pale. There is a man in your kingdom who has the spirit of the holy gods in him. In the time of your father he was found to have insight and intelligence and wisdom like that of the gods. King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king I say, appointed him chief of the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners. This man Daniel whom the king called Belteshazzar was found to have a keen mind in knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to interpret dreams and explain riddles and solve difficult problems. Call for Daniel and he will tell you what the writing means.'" It's very interesting this woman is not at the banquet, she's the Queen Mother, I believe Nitocris, Nebuchadnezzar's daughter, and she hears probably screaming from the banquet, she hears the voices of the nobles and others, and so she comes in and, "What is going on?" and she finds out and she says, "Listen, don't worry about it, just get Daniel and he'll come in and he'll interpret it for you." Interesting that Daniel didn't come with the other lot, did he? That group of enchanters and... He didn't have anything to do with them. He came in on his own to interpret. And it's interesting what the Queen Mother said to him, do you notice what she said when she first came in. What did she say, "O king live forever." Isn't that ironic? Would the king live forever? No, actually he's hours away from his death. Hours away, he wouldn't survive the night. Daniel’s Appearance (vs. 13) And so Daniel appears in verse 13, as usual he refuses to be associated with them. Verse 13, "So Daniel was brought before the king and the king said to him. 'Are you Daniel? One of the exiles my father, the king, brought in from Judah? I have heard that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that you have insight, intelligence and outstanding wisdom. The wise men and enchanters were brought before me to read this writing and tell me what it means, but they could not explain it. Now, I have heard that you are able to give interpretations and to solve difficult problems. If you can read this writing and tell me what it means, you will be clothed in purple and have a gold chain placed around your neck and you'll be made third highest ruler in the kingdom.'" So, Belshazzar gives him a quick account of what's going on and of the failure of his counselors and he makes him that offer. Now, what are the three things that the world has to offer? We've said before, power, prestige and pleasure, those three I'll give them to you, they're mine to give. I can give them to anyone I want and I give them to you. And what does he say? Verse 17, "Then Daniel answered the king, keep your gifts for yourself and give your honors to somebody else." I have no interest. Now, I wonder if Daniel knew that that would be the night. I wonder. According to archaeology they have found a large banqueting room on the ruins of Babylon. They found a recessed area elevated where there may have been a throne. Interestingly enough, they found plaster on the walls. Some of the plaster was gone, decayed by age, I'm sure or maybe something else raked it off. You can't really tell, but there was a window in that room and it overlooked the Euphrates River. And if they had just taken the time and go look, they would have noticed something about the river, the river was dwindling, the river was drying, the river was gone. Where is the river? Maybe Daniel knew where the river was. Maybe he knew what was going on, maybe he knew that that was the night. Daniel Teaches History (vs. 18-21) And so, Daniel teaches the king some history, verses 18-21, "O king, the Most High God gave your father Nebuchadnezzar sovereignty and greatness and glory and splendor. Because of the high position He gave him all the peoples and nations and men of every language dreaded and feared him. Those the king wanted to put to death, he put to death, those he wanted to spare he spared, those he wanted to promote he promoted and those he wanted to humble he humbled. But when his heart became arrogant and hardened with pride, he was deposed from his royal throne and stripped of his glory. He was driven away from people and given the mind of an animal, he lived with the wild donkeys and ate grass like cattle and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he acknowledged... " until he acknowledged what? What is the lesson? What is the lesson of the book of Daniel? "that the most high God is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and He gives them to anyone He pleases." How many times have we heard the lesson? Over and over. And Belshazzar, you've not learned your history. Well, I never did well in history. Well, you need to do well in history. God isn't going to do an Exodus every generation. He's not going to have Jesus die every generation, He's not going to have Him rise from the dead every generation. He's going to give you a book and the history is written in the book, He's not going to do these same things year after year. He's going to give you a book and you read it in the book and you believe it or you don't. But here's the history and we need to learn from history. Belshazzar, you should have learned from what your father learned. What happened to your father? God was gracious and gentle to your father because he survived. But instead you defied Him. You set your heart against Him. And so Daniel preaches judgment verses 22-24, "But you his son, O Belshazzar, have not humbled yourself, though you knew all this. Instead, you have set yourself up against the Lord of heaven. You had the goblets from His temple brought to you and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines drank wine from them. You praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone which cannot see or hear or understand. But you did not honor the God who holds in His hand your life and all your ways. Therefore He sent the hand that wrote the inscription." Is it still true that this God holds in His hand your life and all your ways? Are there many gods or is there only one God? And is that one God eternal or does He die? Does He change? Is He changeful or is He always the same? You have not humbled yourself, Belshazzar, you should have learned, but you did not honor the God who holds in His hand your life and all your ways and therefore, the inscription has been sent. Now why, why does God send the inscription? Why doesn't He just bring the judgment? Well, sometimes He does just bring the judgment but God delights to tell you ahead of time what He's going to do. He writes it down in Scripture and tells you ahead of time what's coming so that you will know that He tells the truth. And so we have prophecies in the Old Testament fulfilled in the Old Testament, in the New Testament or yet to be fulfilled still. That's the way God is. He tells us ahead of time what He's going to do, and then He does it and so the writing comes on the wall and so we can read it and understand what God will do. This is the way he is, He writes and then He fulfills. Daniel Interprets the Writing And so then, Daniel interprets it. "This is the inscription that was written: Mene Mene Tekel Parsin. Now this is what the words mean: Mene: God has numbered the days of your reign and brought it to an end. Tekel: You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting. Peres: Your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and the Persians." Look at that middle one. You've been weighed on the scales and found light. God's tested you and you've come short. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." What is the Hebrew word for glory? 'Kavod', which means weight, heaviness you don't have the glory of God. You come short of the glory of God, and you're found wanting. Now back in the ancient Near East, they had scales, and merchants would have a scale and they'd have weights. Woe to you if you had a deceptive weight or a tricky weight, but they put the weight and then they'd weigh out whatever they were selling. Belshazzar, you've been weighed and you're found wanting, you're a lightweight. You have not the glory of God in your heart and so your kingdom is brought to an end and your days are numbered, they're counted out. They will serve the father, the son and the grandson and in the days of the grandson the judgment will come. Your days are numbered out and they've come to an end and your kingdom is divided out and given to the Medes and the Persians. VI. Daniel Exalted, Belshazzar Destroyed (vs. 29-31) Well, verse 29, "At Belshazzar's command Daniel was clothed in purple, a gold chain was placed around his neck and he was proclaimed the third highest ruler in the kingdom." Oh, I'm sure that made Daniel feel so happy and proud. Go home and tell his friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, "Look what the king gave me, isn't this wonderful?" Do you think so? How worthless are the baubles the world gives? They mean nothing. The honor and praise of the world means nothing. You get to be the third highest ruler of a kingdom that's going to fall tonight. Now, by the way what usually happens to the third highest ruler of the previous regime when the new regime comes in? Usually, but not Daniel, he's going to survive into chapter 6. We'll see him, Daniel, in the lion’s den and he gets made the third highest ruler in that kingdom. Only the hand of God can do that. Daniel survived this night because he trusted in God. But there he is with his gold chain and his purple robe and he survives the night. How can it be? And then in verse 30 and 31 "That very night, Belshazzar, king of the Babylonians, was slain and Darius the Mede took over the kingdom at age 62." Judgment comes suddenly, just like that. Even while going about his business, suddenly it ends. Reminds me of Jesus' parable about the rich fool, remember? The guy has lots of stuff and his house is too small and so he decides to build bigger barns, you remember? I've got lots of years to come, plenty of time to enjoy all the good things of this world, I'll build bigger barns. And remember what God said, "You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you." And so it was for Belshazzar. How It Happened Now, how did it happen? Well, it's not recorded in the Bible, you won't find it anywhere in the Bible except in prophecy. It's set ahead of time in prophecy, but you have to go to the ancient historians, Herodotus and Xenophon. The date was October 11th and 12th, 539 BC. Cyrus the Great of Persia was surrounding the walls, and one of his generals Ugbaru was his name, noticed something. He saw an old canal that it turns out that queen Nitocris had dug and he got an idea and he said, "Why don't we divert the Euphrates River through this canal system so it doesn't flow under the wall and we'll crawl under the wall and into Babylon." That's an amazing idea, isn't it? The only problem with it is that obviously the Babylonians thought of that, so they placed traps around where the river flowed in so that the soldiers could kill easily, anyone crawling under the wall. So we have to be sure that there's no soldiers on the wall. So you need two things: You need a dried up river bed and you need no soldiers on the walls. And then the city will fall. VII. Isaiah, Habakkuk, Jeremiah: A Clear Prophetic Light Fulfilled Well, that is exactly the thing that God had predicted would happen. Now, I'm not going to go through the prophecies carefully. I'd like you to read them yourself. Isaiah 21:5. In Isaiah 21:5 two hundred years beforehand this is what the prophet Isaiah said, Babylon is going to fall, and this is Isaiah 21:5 Isaiah said this, "They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink. Get up you officers, oil the shields." What is Isaiah saying? Why are you feasting? You should be fighting. Isaiah 21:5, two hundred years beforehand. That's not bad, is it? How about Habakkuk 2:16, Habakkuk's wondering, "God, when are You going to bring judgment on Babylon?" He said, "I'll bring it. I'll bring it." And he says in Habakkuk 2:16 speaking to the Babylonians, "You will be filled with shame instead of glory, now it is your turn, drink and be exposed." They're going to drink, they're going to get drunk and they'll be exposed to destruction. But the best of all is in Isaiah 51 and I want to ask that you turn there and read it along with me. Jeremiah 51:36. Chapter 50 and 51 of Jeremiah are all about the destruction of Babylon. So if you want the full story, read those two chapters, prophesied sixty to sixty-five years before it happened. Jeremiah 51:36, "Therefore, this is what the Lord says…" Speaking of Jerusalem, "See, I will defend your cause and avenge you. I will dry up her sea and make her springs dry." Do you see what that says? I'm going to dry up her river. He actually says it twice in this whole section. "I'm going to dry up her river." And down in verse 39, "But while they are aroused, I will set out a feast for them, and make them drunk so that they will shout with laughter, then sleep forever and not awake." Do you see that? A dried up river, drunken soldiers, prophesied 60 years before it happened. Look at verse 57. He says it again, "'I will make her officials and wise men drunk, her governors, officers and warriors as well. They will sleep forever and not wake up.' Declares the king whose name is the Lord Almighty." They'll get drunk, they'll go to bed, they'll fall asleep and they will never wake up. And so, the two things necessary for the fall of Babylon were provided in prophecy, a dried up river and drunken soldiers, both of them provided clearly. And then finally, as a final touch, Jeremiah, the prophet, wrote it all out, this particular prophecy on a scroll, rolled it up and handed it to Seraiah, and he said, "Go to Babylon." He was on his way to Babylon. "And when you get there, stand in downtown Babylon, near the Euphrates River and read the words of the scroll ahead of time, so that when it comes, I will say or they will say, He warned us. He said it ahead of time." This is our God. He declares it in advance, and then He does it. And so, look down at 51, verse 59, chapter 51:59, this is the message Jeremiah gave to the staff officer, Seraiah, son of Neriah, the son of Mahseiah. When he went to Babylon, with Zedekiah, king of Judah, in the fourth year of his reign, Jeremiah had written on a scroll about all the disasters that would come upon Babylon, all that had been recorded concerning Babylon. He said to Seraiah, "When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud. And then say, 'O Lord, you have said you will destroy this place so that neither man nor animal will live in it, it will be desolate forever.' When you finish reading the scroll, tie a stone to it and throw it into the Euphrates. Then say, 'so will Babylon sink to rise no more because of the disaster that I will bring upon her and her people will fall.' The words of Jeremiah end here." This is Jeremiah's final word, Babylon will fall though drunken soldiers and dried up river. VIII. Lessons and Applications So what? So what? Well, so this. God hasn't changed, He's the same God. And I want to ask you, as you look at this, what walls are you trusting in? As you look around your life, are there some walls that you're trusting in, protecting you from the day to come, the day of judgment? Are there some walls you're looking at? What constitutes your walls? What are you trusting in that will enable you to survive that day? Good health, success, your intellect, your ability, your resume, your friends, your family, your good works, your basically good character. What are you trusting in? And what are you waiting for? Today is the day of repenting. Today is not the day of feasting and celebration. Today is the day of repentance. It's a day of humbling yourself before God and asking for His forgiveness. Don't put it off till tomorrow. I'm speaking to those who claim to be Christians. I'm not saying that you're not Christians. All of us are, but we need to walk day-by-day in repentance and humiliation before God. James 4, he said very simply, he said, "Weep and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom." It's not a time for celebration. It's a time for humbling before God. What walls are you trusting in? What are you waiting for? And also, realize we live in a nation full of mockers. Do you understand that? People who mock God. Maybe they don't have the vessels to drink from, but they would do if they could. The talk show hosts mock God. The late night comedians mock God. The political pundits mock God. And so do some of the politicians. The major media outlets mock God. Time, Newsweek, all of them, they mock God. We live in a nation of mockers. And God will not, cannot be mocked. Because whatever we sow, we reap. God is just waiting and He's patient. The sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure. There's a ticking clock. And what of the future fall of Babylon? In the book of Revelation, and this is picked up again, Babylon has fallen, has fallen. "Woe, woe O great city of Babylon, city of power." And so, I say to you, Babylon still lives though the city has fallen. There's still a world system in opposition to God. "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him... The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." There is one place of safety. There is one wall, a set of walls that will protect you on judgment day, and it's Jesus Christ. Flee to Him. In a few moments, we're going to sing 398, Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken, Zion, city of our God, listen, With salvation's walls surrounded, thou mayest smile at all thy foes. Your sins will be paid for. No wrath, no judgment, nothing but eternal life, just through faith in Jesus Christ. Close with me in prayer, please.