Ancient Babylon
Ancient Babylon, according to the Scriptures, was the center of ancient worship. It was larger and more impressive than any other city of its time. Babylon reached the height of its power and glory under Nebuchadnezzar.Ancient inscriptions tell how Nebuchadnezzar and his father Nabopolasser restored the ancient tower of Babel, a monument to the power of humanity. Nabopolasser said this:
At the time Marduk commanded me to build the tower of Babel, which had become weakened by time and fallen into disrepair; he commanded me to ground its base securely on the breast of the underworld, whereas its pinnacles should strain towards the skies.
Approximately 300 years before King Xerxes of Persia destroyed Babylon, the prophet Isaiah predicted its fall:And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there (Isaiah 13:19-20).
Modern Babylon
In spite of Isaiah's prophecy, there have been attempts to rebuild Babylon. Alexander the Great tried to restore the tower of Babel to its original glory and make the city his capital in 330 BC, but he died before he could begin.More recently, Saddam Hussein of Iraq was also restoring Babylon, a work he began in the 1980s. He used approximately 60 million bricks in the process and had his name engraved every three meters so that he would be remembered.
However, Hussein must have read the prophecies of Isaiah. His restorations were not an attempt to inhabit the city. Instead, he had his palace built on the other side of the Euphrates River.
End-Time Babylon
Babylon, the great city we read about in the book of Revelation, does not refer to literal Babylon, as that was never to be inhabited again. Rather, Revelation is referring to end-time Babylon, a much greater fulfillment of all that ancient Babylon stood for.
End-time Babylon will be a confederacy of intolerance and false doctrine. This end-time confederacy, however, will fall just like ancient Babylon did. It will even fall for the same reasons—because it will seduce all the nations of the earth into following its false doctrines (Revelation 14:8). Christ will put an end once and for all to all the lies, deception, and hatred when He comes.
Read more about end-time Babylon of the Bible:
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This article is adapted from Truth Matters by Professor Walter J. Veith, an international speaker who has studied Biblical issues in-depth in his quest for truth. His popular series Genesis Conflict brings the debate between Creation and evolution to a new climax as he dissects the arguments with a scientific eye. His highly-acclaimed series Total Onslaught sheds light on the state of the world today as we move to a one-world government and an anticipated apocalypse.
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