The 8 Global Kingdoms Study

Basic Christian: blog History Study – The 8 Global Kingdoms

blog History Study – The 8 Global Kingdoms The Days of Noah

1 The Kingdom of Nimrod - Tower of Babel

2 The Kingdom of Egypt

3 The Kingdom of Babylon

4 The Kingdom of Persia

5 The Kingdom of Greece

6 The Kingdom of Rome

7 The Kingdom of Antichrist - The Revised Roman Empire

8 The Kingdom of Jesus Christ - The Eternal Kingdom

The Modern Emerging - Revising Roman Empire

Resources

Introduction

Completed: 8 Kingdoms - For all practical purposes the Basic Christian Ministry blog has completed the 8 Kingdoms (primarily ancient history) portion of the blog History Study - A few more items will be added over time but nothing significant - The December blogging of the Christmas Holiday 2011 is scheduled next - After the New Year the blogging should begin on the Church History portion of the blog History Study - {Note: Thanks to everyone who is participating in the Basic Christian: blog Studies (blog Bible Study - blog History Study). The 8 Kingdoms Study, the first portion of the blog History Study has taken over a year and a half to complete [starting in Spring 2010] and has been a substantial project, just like the blog Bible Study was. My thanks and deep appreciation to everyone who is participating, sharing and involved with the Basic Christian blog studies especially for those who are praying for the studies and the Ministry - God bless everyone! ~ David Anson Brown}

Overview: 8 Kingdoms - The premise of the 8 Kingdoms Study is that each of the Kingdoms are unique in that they each have a unique (advanced) interaction with the spiritual realm. The 7 Gentile Kingdoms primarily interact with the fallen spiritual realm while the coming 8th Kingdom the Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be the visible presence of God on earth. The study is presenting Mystery Babylon [Revelation 17] as the Fallen Angelic realm out to deceive mankind, the 7 Mountains (hills) as the 7 Gentile Kingdoms (Governments) with False Religion [including pseudo (emergent) christianity] as being represented by the scarlet woman [placed in between the fallen angelic spiritual realm and the human political realm], influenced by Mystery Babylon and able to manifest while temporarily riding above the 7 Gentile Global Governments emplaced throughout world history. [link]

Recap: The 8th Kingdom, Jesus Christ - The Eternal Kingdom - **The 3 Thrones of Jesus Christ --- Current Throne in Heaven [alongside the Father's Throne] (Romans 8:34, Ephesians 1:20, Colossians 3:1, Hebrews 1:3, 12:2, 1 Peter 3:22) , Eligibility: Relative - *Son of God (Father God) [eternal co-reigning with the Father and the Holy Spirit] --- Future Millennial Kingdom Throne in Jerusalem [restoring the Throne of King David] (Acts 15:16, Revelation 22:16), Eligibility: Relative - *Son of Man (descendant of King David) --- Eternal Throne [the Throne of the Father, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit] (Revelation 20:4, Revelation 22:3) the Eternal Throne of the New Heaven (sky) and the New Earth, Eligibility: Jesus as [Eternal God] *Conqueror (John 16:33)

Currently Jesus Christ is seated on His own Throne (co-reigning - interceding) at the right hand of His Father's Throne in Heaven. "Romans 8:34 Who is he that condemneth [not Jesus]? It is [Jesus] Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, *Who is even at the right hand of God, Who also maketh intercession for us [not condemning Christians]." -- At a future date for the 1,000 year reign of Jesus Christ on earth Jesus will be seated upon the Throne of King David (Acts 2:29-33). Then with the New Heaven (sky) and the New Earth, Jesus as the conqueror of this earth [realm] will sit eternally [continuing to co-reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit on His own Throne upon the New Eternal Earth (Revelation 21:3). -- "John 16:33 These things I (Jesus) have spoken unto you, that in Me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I (Jesus) have overcome the world." [link]

Basic Christian - Conquering Kings: The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth - The 7 anointed Gentile Global Kings of the Earth (anointed from God) and the anointed 8th Kingdom the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ -- The Kingdoms: beginning with Nimrod (Tower of Babel - Genesis 10:8-10) --- Pharaoh Akhenaten (Egypt - Joseph's Pharaoh, the Dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1) --- Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon - Jeremiah 27:4-7, Daniel 2:37) --- Cyrus (Persia - Isaiah 45:1-7, Ezra 1:1-4) --- Alexander the Great (Greece - Daniel 8:21) --- Julius Caesar (Rome - Luke 2:1) --- The Revised [10 Kingdom] Roman Empire (Daniel 7:19) - Antichrist (Satan - Daniel 7:20) emerges from within the Revised Roman Empire --- The Messiah, Jesus Christ's Kingdom (Heaven and Earth - Daniel 2:35, Daniel 2:44-45)

The 8 Conquering Kings -- Tower of Babel: Nimrod, conquered the world, gained his kingdom, probably through the arts of physical personality and persuasion (Genesis 10:9). -- Egypt: Pharaoh Akhenaten, gained his kingdom, through the means of finances [financial warfare] (Genesis 47:20). -- Babylon: Nebuchadnezzar, conquered his global kingdom primarily through military force (Jeremiah 34:1,). -- Persia: Cyrus the Great, conquered his global kingdom primarily through the use of superior technology (Ezra 1:2). -- Greece: Alexander the Great, conquered his global kingdom primarily through the use of philosophy, knowledge and superior tactics (Daniel 11:2-3, Daniel 10:20, Joel 3:6). -- Rome: Julius Caesar, conquered his global kingdom primarily through the use of laws, legalities (taxation), and treaties (Matthew 22:17, Luke 2:1, Acts 16:21). -- The Revised Roman Empire: Antichrist (Satan), is in the process of conquering his global kingdom primarily through the use of spiritual personality [witchcraft], persuasion and through a combination of all of the previously used techniques (Daniel 8:23-25). --- Millennial Reign: The Messiah, Jesus Christ has conquered the enemies of mankind for mankind. Jesus has personally conquered human sin and human death and in His Glorious victory He is making available His Kingdom of eternal Life to all of mankind (Romans 8:37, 1 Corinthians 15:26, Hebrews 2:9,14, Hebrews 9:28, Revelation 4:11). [link]

Overview: 8 Kingdoms - The Basic Christian blog is going to try to wrap up the 8 Kingdoms (primarily ancient history) portion of the blog History Study in the next two weeks - Posting primarily on the Political Structure of each Kingdom - Then in December blogging the Christmas Holiday 2011 - After the New Year the blogging should begin on the Church History portion of the blog History Study

Overview: 8 Kingdoms - The premise of the 8 Kingdoms Study is that each of the Kingdoms are unique in that they each have a unique (advanced) interaction with the spiritual realm. The 7 Gentile Kingdoms primarily interact with the fallen spiritual realm while the coming 8th Kingdom the Kingdom of Jesus Christ will be the visible presence of God on earth. The study is presenting Mystery Babylon [Revelation 17] as the Fallen Angelic realm out to deceive mankind, the 7 Mountains (hills) as the 7 Gentile Kingdoms (Governments) with False Religion [including pseudo (emergent) Christianity] as being represented by the scarlet woman [placed in between the fallen angelic spiritual realm and the human political realm], influenced by Mystery Babylon and able to manifest while temporarily riding above the 7 Gentile Global Governments emplaced throughout world history. [link]

GoodFight.org: The Submerging Church - How the Emerging [Revised Roman Empire] church is drawing multitudes away from Biblical Christianity - Coming to DVD January 2012 - Official DVD Trailer - {Note: The people who are participating in the Emergent church movement, either willingly or passively, are literally "holding a wolf by the ears" and when they let go or when they least expect it that wolf is going to turn and rip them to shreds. -- "Ezekiel 22:27 Her [Mystery Babylon] princes in the midst [of God's people] thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain. ~ Prophet Ezekiel" -- "Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. ~ Jesus Christ" -- "Acts 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. ~ Apostle Paul"} (YouTube)

Journey with us as we take a closer look at the Emerging (also Missional - a new term that replaces Emergent) Church, its leaders, their teachings and where it is all headed when compared with bible prophecy. A Good Fight Ministries production available January 2012. [link]

What Is Discipleship? (2 Min. Video)

While the majority of the church is busy planning programs and activities to entertain their members and increase their numbers, they neglect the way God has ordained for His church to be built and edified. "Christian entertainment" has replaced equipping the saints for the work of the ministry, and instead of discipling disciples to make disciples, churches are overstuffing themselves with earthly waste with no eternal impact. In just two minutes, this video sums up the church’s problem and the solution to it. This is how we are to love others. This is how church should be done. This is discipleship: [link]

Refresher: 1 of 4 - Noah - The 8 Global Kingdoms - Noah was a prophet and prophesied releasing the raven [unclean bird] that despite the flood mankind would still have to contend with sin, rebellion and disobedience - Noah prophesied again in releasing the dove [type of the Holy Spirit] that the Holy Spirit of God despite man's rebellion would still dwell with mankind -- "Genesis 8:7-11 And he [Noah] sent forth a raven, which went forth to and fro, until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf pluckt (plucked) off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth."

"Genesis 8:4-18 And the ark rested in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the Mountains of Ararat [in the area of modern day Turkey]. And the waters decreased continually until the tenth month: in the tenth month, on the first day of the month, were the tops of the mountains seen. And it came to pass at the end of forty days, that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made: And he sent forth a raven [a type of the sin and disobedience], which went forth to and fro [but did not return to the ark], until the waters were dried up from off the earth. Also he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground; But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth: then he put forth his hand, and took her, and pulled her in unto him into the ark. And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove [type of the Holy Spirit] out of the ark; And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth was an olive leaf [for telling Holy Week, the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane] pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. And he stayed yet other seven days; and sent forth the dove; which returned not again unto him any more. And it came to pass in the six hundredth and first year, in the first month, the first day of the month, the waters were dried up from off the earth: and Noah removed the covering of the ark, and looked, and, behold, the face of the ground was dry. And in the second month, on the seven and twentieth day of the month, was the earth dried. **And God spake unto Noah, saying, Go forth of the ark, thou, and thy wife, and thy sons, and thy sons' wives with thee. Bring forth with thee every living thing that is with thee, of all flesh, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth; that they may breed abundantly in the earth, and be fruitful, and multiply upon the earth. And Noah went forth, and his sons, and his wife, and his sons' wives with him:" [link]

Refresher: 2 of 4 - Nimrod the 1st Gentile Kingdom [of the 7 Global Gentile Kingdoms - the 8th Kingdom being the Eternal Kingdom of Messiah Jesus Christ] - The 8 Global Kingdoms - Nimrod was the most complete type of Antichrist in disobeying God, controlling all the population and promising an eternal life to his followers -- "Genesis 11:1-2 And the *whole earth was of one language [only the second generation since Noah's Ark - *Noah -> *Ham -> Cush -> Nimrod], and of one speech. And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east [from the Ark - Mountains of Ararat (in Turkey)], that they found a plain [open area] in the land of Shinar [closer to ancient Babylon [in Iraq] but still in the region of Turkey]; and they dwelt there."

"Genesis 11:3-9 And they [descendants of Noah's three sons - Shem, Ham, and Japheth] said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a City and a Tower [Temple], whose top may reach unto Heaven [eternal life]; and let us make us a name [666 Mark of the Beast], lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower [false temple], which the children of men builded. And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this [misguided evil] they begin to do: and now nothing [evil] will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. Go to, let Us [Father God, Jesus, Holy Spirit] go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech. So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off [no longer] to build the city. Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth." [link]

Refresher: 3 of 4 - The Nation of Assyria - The 8 Global Kingdoms - Nimrod was the 1st Global Gentile Kingdom and then Ancient Egypt [2nd Global Gentile Kingdom] continued the work of Nimrod from the Tower of Babel (The rounded [tower of Babel shaped] and pointed [extended skull] crown of Ancient Egypt was modeled after Nimrod and Babel) - Ancient Egypt via the famine of Joseph's days amassed the wealth of the world - The wealth and secrets of Egypt were later transferred to Babylon [3rd Kingdom] and not to Assyria - Assyria though a strong Nation it was not one of the 7 Gentile Occult Kingdoms - Assyria was Occult controlled and Occult influenced but unlike Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon, Greece, Rome and Revised-Rome the kingdom of Assyria was never able to interact with and forward the Occult realm [fallen angels] among mankind in the way that the other Kingdoms had accomplished.

"1 Kings 14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of [Jewish] King Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem: And he took away the treasures of the House of the LORD, and the treasures of the king's house; he even took away all [and returned the gold back to Egypt]: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made." -- "2 Kings 24:7 And the king of Egypt came not again any more out of his land: for the **king of Babylon had taken from the river of Egypt unto the river Euphrates **all [wealth and knowledge] that pertained to the king of Egypt. [back in Jerusalem] Jehoiachin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. And his mother's name was Nehushta, the daughter of Elnathan of Jerusalem." -- "Isaiah 45:1-7 Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus [of Persia (Iran) - 4th Kingdom], whose right hand I have holden, to subdue Nations before him; and I will loose the loins of Kings, to open before him the two leaved gates [of Babylon (Iraq) - 3rd Kingdom]; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: *And I will give thee the **Treasures of Darkness [Mystery Babylon - secret knowledge - the 7 Gentile Kingdoms 'beginning' with Nimrod and ending with Antichrist once manifested are aggregate and ongoing], **and hidden riches [wealth] of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. **For Jacob [the Nation of Israel] My servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I Am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things." [link]

Refresher: 4 of 4 - Mystery Babylon, Fallen Angels, Demons, Mark of the Beast 666 - The 8 Global Kingdoms - Apparently Spiritual Realm [fallen Angelic] doors that were open in the days before the flood of Noah and that were closed by the global judgment flood of Noah were quickly reopened only two generations later by Nimrod. -- "2 Peter 3:5-7 For this [ancient times - Days of Noah] they [unbelievers] willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God [Genesis Creation] the heavens [sky] were of old, and the earth [1st earth pre-flood] standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby **the world [earth 1.0] that then was, being overflowed with water, **perished: But the heavens and the earth [2.0], which are now, by the same Word are kept in store, reserved unto *fire against the **Day of Judgment [global Judgment - the three global judgments; water [Noah], blood [Cross], fire (Spirit)] and perdition of ungodly men."

In the days before Noah (Genesis 6:2) the Fallen Angels were 'physically' mating with mankind [the daughters of man] and physically corrupting mankind. Angels both Holy and fallen can manifest as humans (Genesis 18:1-2) and the fallen angels apparently engineered [i.e. gene DNA modification, i.e. chimaera] a way to create offspring through their physical sexual interaction with humans. - Since the days after the flood of Noah and now the earth with a Demonic presence [the departed spirits of the Nephilm offspring of fallen angels and humans] along with the fallen angelic presence. The emphasis in corrupting mankind has turned from physical interaction [pre-flood - fallen angels and humans mating - though still happening in rare occasions] to now with demons present a spiritual possession and spiritual corruption [Mark of the Beast 666] mating between demons and humans. -- "Daniel 2:43 And whereas thou sawest iron [demons] mixed with miry clay [sinful humans], they [demons] shall mingle [666 Mark of the Beast] themselves with the seed [soul-spirit] of men: but they shall not cleave [fit together] one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." -- "Revelation 13:18 Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the Beast [Antichrist (7th Kingdom)]: for it is the number of a **man [i.e. completing what Nimrod (1st Kingdom) attempted to do but was only able to start [initiate] because the languages were confused (Genesis 11:7)]; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six [666]." [link]

Summary: The Apostle Paul's Journey to Rome - The Four Dispensations of the Times since the 1st Coming of Jesus Christ seem to have been mapped out and enacted throughout Paul's Journey to Rome -- 1. The Apostles Dispensation (Acts 27:1-5) -- 2. The Common Christian Church Age (Acts 27:6-44) -- 3. The Martyred Saints of Revelation Tribulation (Acts 28:1-15) -- 4. The 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ on earth (Acts 28:16-31)

1. The Apostles Dispensation (Acts 27:1-5): Paul and the other Apostles [eyewitnesses] of Jesus Christ go into the world preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ. "Acts 27:3-5 And [representing the Apostolic Missionary Journey Age] the next day we touched at Sidon. And Julius courteously entreated Paul, and gave *him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself. And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the **winds were contrary. And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia and Pamphylia, we came to Myra, a city of Lycia." {Note: Luke and the Apostle Paul seem to be recording two primary things. 1. Looking back on all of Paul's Missionary Journeys that Paul felt that they had gone well and that on the whole the Gospel was being well received "him liberty to go unto his friends to refresh himself" that Paul had made a lot of friends on his Missionary Trips and was refreshed by the fellowship he had with the Gentile Christians. 2. Also noting that "the [spiritual] winds were contrary" seeming to imply that there was a great deal of spiritual (demonic) opposition to the Gospel Message going forward.} -- 2. The Common Christian Church Age (Acts 27:6-44): "Acts 27:6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein." {Note: The ship of the Apostolic Age has ended and the ship of the Common Christian Church Age has launched - carrying the nourishing wheat (Bible) and the four anchors (4 Gospels). The [Christian] ship spends a great deal of time in the port of "Fair Havens" and then departs into adversity to the extent that the storms of life strand and tear the ship apart. Noteworthy, the Church [ship] has the four anchors [4 Gospels] and correctly uses them to stabilize the ship in dangerous waters however also note how the cargo of wheat [Bible] is considered too big of a burden and is cast overboard (Acts 27:38) away from the Church. -- 3. The Martyred Saints of Revelation Tribulation (Acts 28:1-15): After the Christian Church Age has come to an end the Revelation Tribulation Age begins. {Note: The Saints of Revelation are washed ashore into a strange society and economy where they are refuges; destitute and in peril. Though working hard and trying to get along they are Bitten by the Beast and transported to fellowship with their fellow Martyrs. -- 4. The 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ on earth (Acts 27:16-31): Having finally arrived in Rome the Throne of the King the Millennial Rein of Jesus Christ is now being depicted. {Note: As a type of a citizen of the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ, Paul is sent not to jail but to his own house to live [for two years]. Once in his Millennial House the Apostle Paul immediately begins to fellowship with the Jews of the Millennial Age.} -- Paul's Journey to Rome and the book of Acts concludes "Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him, **Preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." [link]

In the Apostle Paul's trip to Rome [recorded in the Bible's Book of Acts by the early Church Historian Luke] are some of the most codded and cryptic passages of the Bible's New Testament - Was Luke aided by the Apostle Paul, putting forth the future of the Church Era and an End Time scenario that Christians could glean from to understand events both current and future? -- Coming Soon: Decoding The Apostle Paul's Trip to Rome (Acts Chapters 27 and 28)

We will take a brief look at Acts chapters 27 and 28. Here are some of the very cryptic verses that possibly tell a parallel story [of the Church Age and End Times] to the story of Paul's voyage to Rome. -- "Acts 27:4 And when we had launched from thence, we sailed under Cyprus, because the winds were contrary." -- "Acts 27:6 And there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria sailing into Italy; and he put us therein." -- "Acts 27:9 Now when much time was spent, and when sailing was now dangerous, because the fast [Yom Kippur] was now already past, Paul admonished them," -- "Acts 27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon." -- "Acts 27:15-16 And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. And running under a certain island which is called Clauda, we had much work to come by the boat:" -- "Acts 27:31 Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved." -- "Acts 27:29 Then fearing lest we should have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." -- "Acts 28:3 And when Paul had gathered a bundle of sticks, and laid them on the fire, there came a viper out of the heat, and fastened on his hand." -- "Acts 28:5 And he shook off the beast [G2342 - Therion] into the fire, and felt no harm." -- "Acts 28:11 And after three months we departed in a ship of Alexandria, which had wintered in the isle, whose sign was [Gnosticism] Castor and Pollux." -- "Acts 28:15 And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." [link]

JustBible.net: Bible Study of Acts Chapter 27 - How will you ride out your life's next storm? {Note: there have been thousands of Sermons Preached on the very popular passages of Paul's journey to Rome (Acts 27 and 28) and all of them allegorize to some extent the passages of the journey - most commonly the four anchors (of faith) are allegorized from Acts 27:31.}

Why were they to "sail to Italy" (Acts 27:1)? Paul had requested a trial before the Caesar, so he was being transported from Caesarea to Rome by ship. -- Who were being transported with Paul? Apparently, "we" (Acts 27:1) included **Luke, who wrote Acts and "Aristarchus" (Acts 27:2). Also sailing were "some other prisoners" (Acts 27:1) to be tried before Caesar and/or already tried, found guilty and sentenced to fight (to their death) in the coliseum of Rome. -- Who was "Aristarchus" (Acts 27:2)? Aristarchus was a "Macedonian of Thessalonica" (Acts 27:2) who was with Paul in Ephesus during the riot - "So the whole city was filled with confusion, and rushed into the theater with one accord, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, Paul's travel companions" (Acts 19:29) - and apparently accompanied him to Greece, and from there to Jerusalem: "After the uproar had ceased, Paul called the disciples to himself, embraced them, and departed to go to Macedonia. Now when he had gone over that region and encouraged them with many words, he came to Greece and stayed three months. And when the Jews plotted against him as he was about to sail to Syria, he decided to return through Macedonia. And Sopater of Berea accompanied him to Asia - also Aristarchus and Secundus of the Thessalonians, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus of Asia." (Acts 20:1-4) Two years later, Aristarchus, who may have spent those two years tending to Paul in Caesarea, was now accompanying him from Caesarea to Rome. Aristarchus was a Jew and remained with Paul during his imprisonment in Rome: "Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, welcome him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me." (Colossians 4:10-11) ... [link]

Grace Baptist Church: Sermon - "Four Anchors That Will Hold" Acts 27:29 - In this very popular portion of Scripture there are four anchors that will keep your Christian life right on course until you land safely on the other shore (Online Audio with PowerPoint - Text)

For the saved: are your anchors holding? Are they solid? Will they keep you from drifting out to sea? [link]

Warning! This is going to be a mostly allegorical look at parts of Acts chapters 27 and 28 - In this type of allegorizing it is going to be important to only give a secondary meaning to items in the passages that had that same secondary meaning back in Luke's and Paul's time when it was originally written and for instance not to say the Island of Crete represents Roman Catholicism because Crete didn't represent that back in the day when the text was written

Note: Ancient Gnosticism is the even more ancient 'Double Star' false religion of Twins (Christ - Antichrist or Castor - Pollex) well known in Paul's day. It was probably the original Nimrod [Tower of Babel] deception religion [i.e. Tammuz] of Genesis 11 and is a well-established part of the 7 [Mystery Babylon] Gentile Kingdoms. -- Therefore allegorizing the sign of Castor and Pollex in Acts 28:11 as representing Gnosticism and other similar allegorizations are within the scope and intent of this study. [link]

{Flashback} Where is all this going in our day - Presumably back to Gnosticism (the original Nimrod occult replacement doctrine deception) - Gnosticism was also the primary deception [occult answer to the resurrection truth of Jesus Christ] able to be maintained as a viable deception (against Christianity) and hold its own in the early years of the new bright and shining N.T. Christian Church light and then with the passing of the original Church Apostles a modern (post-resurrection) Gnosticism was then able to take root and remain until our time - Gnosticism is in regards to who is the actual Christ (Jesus) and who is the actual Antichrist (Satan) - Are the two roles of God and Devil reversed as Gnosticism would portray

The Revised Roman Empire [Rome and whomever Rome (the Vatican) empowers (Revelation 17:13)] rose out of the earlier doctrines of Gnosticism and sustained itself until a modern (post-resurrection) Gnosticism could again became rooted and well established in human society. Following the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the New Christian Church eternal, resurrection, life in Jesus paradigm there was no Revised Roman Empire but eventually in the reconfigured (Jesus - Satan) [post-resurrection] doctrines of Gnosticism about 300 A.D. Revised Rome emerged. Gnosticism is the 'Double Star' Twins (Christ - Antichrist or Castor - Pollex) Nimrod deception religion of the 7 Gentile Kingdoms. -- Albert Pike (1809-1891) [Confederate Civil War General] said "three future world wars would prepare the world for the [Satanic] New World Order. ... (NWO) will receive the true light [Gnosticism] through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer [Satan], **brought finally out [of secrecy and into] in the public view, a manifestation (belief in Satanism) which will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the [Gnostic Satan is the christ] destruction [discrediting] of Christianity and atheism [all cults i.e. Mormon LDS , etc. and all false religions i.e. Islam, etc.], *both [Christianity and all non-Luciferianism] conquered [*after the rapture] and exterminated at the same time" - Albert Pike was actually addressing the teachings of French occultist Eliphas Levi. [Eliphas Lévi, born Alphonse Louis Constant, (1810-1875) was a French occult author and purported magician. "Eliphas Lévi" the name under which he published his books, was his attempt to translate or transliterate his given names "Alphonse Louis" into Hebrew although he was not Jewish. - Wiki.com] -- "Acts 28:11 And after three months we [Apostle Paul and Luke] departed [the island of Melita (Malta)] in a ship of Alexandria [a Greek colony in Egypt], which had wintered in the isle, *whose sign was Castor and Pollux (Gnosticism). And landing at Syracuse [in Sicily - 364 mi. south of Rome], we tarried [stayed] there three days." Was Luke embedding into his book of Acts for future Christian understanding the concept that Gnosticism and Christianity would be traveling companions on the high seas of history leading towards a final destination of Rome and the eventual End Time Revised Rome Empire! - Note: There is a current events (End Time) scenario in process regardless of how accurate or inaccurate Albert Pike was in his letters. The Albert Pike material is only being posted as reference material - in reference to a general End Time Gnostic plan and scenario and not as though Albert Pike was able to predict the future or affect future events in any sustainable cohesive way. [link]

A Timestamp? - Is Acts 27:16 a 'Timestamp' used by Luke the same way Luke 2:1 and John 6:1 are Scriptural Timestamps? -- Wikipedia.com: Roman Emperor Augustus (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus) [Luke 2:1] Reign: 16 January 27 B.C. to 19 August 14 A.D. (40 years, 215 days) -- Roman Emperor Tiberius (Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus) [John 6:1] Reign: 18 September 14 A.D. to 16 March 37 A.D. (22 years, 179 days) -- Roman Emperor Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) Reign: 16 March 37 A.D. to 24 January 41 A.D. (3 years, 314 days) -- Roman Emperor Claudius (Tiberius Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) [Acts 27:16?] Reign: 24 January 41 A.D. to 13 October 54 A.D. (13 years, 262 days) -- Roman Emperor Nero (Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus) Reign: 13 October 54 A.D. to 9 June 68 A.D. (13 years, 240 days) -- Empress of Rome Claudia Octavia [daughter of the Emperor Claudius, and stepsister and first wife of the Emperor Nero] [Acts 27:16?] - Tenure (as Empress of Rome): 13 October 54 A.D. - 62 A.D. (8 years) -- "Acts 27:16 And running under a certain island which is called Clauda [possibly named after Roman Emperor Claudius or Empress of Rome Claudia Octavia (first wife of Roman Emperor Nero)], we had much work to come by the boat:"

During the Roman Reign (6th Kingdom) the sea of Galilee was renamed to the sea of Tiberias in honor of the Roman Emperor Tiberius "John 6:1 After these things Jesus went over the sea of Galilee, which is the sea of Tiberias." -- It is possible that the small island Clauda (modern Gavdos) was also named after a Roman figure namely Roman Emperor Claudius [41 A.D. - 54 A.D.] or Claudia Octavia (first wife of Roman Emperor Nero) [54 A.D. - 62 A.D.]. Luke recording that they were "running under a certain island which is called Clauda" could Luke have been recording a substantial timestamp for the voyage of the Apostle Paul to Rome with the voyage "running under" occurring while Roman Emperor Claudius or Empress Claudia Octavia were in power sometime between 41 A.D. and 62 A.D. most likely occurring between 54 A.D. to 62 A.D. [Traditional Church History places Paul's voyage to Rome at 60 A.D. (departing Caesarea) and 61 A.D. (arriving in Rome)]. [link]

Acts and Mission 96 - We're skipping quickly through the journey narratives of Acts because our focus is on Paul's missional work and missional theology, and traveling [Fair Havens to the right] ... well it's part of it because missional people travel - Paul gets an opportunity [to share his faith] because he predicts disaster, and disaster comes; he gets more opportunity because of healing ... he takes his chances - But this shipwreck story is a gem of a story and so I'll post the whole thing today: Paul and Company Sail for Rome (Acts 27:1-28:10)

Comment: 1. I confess that unfortunately, I've not kept up with this series. Just dropping in on this story, **it surprises me not to find Paul using some object lesson to give the gospel (Acts 27:1-28:10). He interacts with middle management, ha ha, lives through the resulting crash, comes up on shore, gets bitten, “he's a murderer!”, “nope, he's a god!”, heals a bunch of people and everyone likes them and the ship's company sails away. **Ironic, humorous, tense, unusual - but no account of the presentation of the gospel, nobody saved. Where is the altar-to-the-unknown-god (Acts 17:23) object lesson? **I feel somewhat unfulfilled! Looking up some comments online, I see some hints of a Greek/Roman hero surviving a storm and shipwreck (but by God's protection). The healing is evidence of God's power. Interesting to think about how this story moves Luke's plot forward. **I see that while I knew this story, **I don't know this story. If I knew any Greek scholars, I'd ask 'em to tell me more about this account... Comment by Matthew S - February 18, 2010 {Note: There just seems from a Biblical perspective to be more to the events than a first reading would indicate. The events in Acts 27 would be a fine factual informative narrative for a newspaper accounting but being a Biblical [eternal, life changing] accounting the significant details of this event might just have been redirected and interspersed into the background events of Paul's voyage.} [link]

Four Anchors Are Found From the Apostle Paul's Ship Near Malta - The four anchors, which are [in] the Malta Maritime Museum today (YouTube)

This is old news, but I wanted to upload this for Biblical and historical purposes. The 4 anchors were found off Malta (Acts 28:1), which are believed to be the same four anchors that were released into the sea (Acts 27:40), from the ship Paul was sailing on, that went through a destructive storm (Acts 27). The four anchors, which are the Malta Maritime Museum today, is evidence for the historical event that Paul the apostle, and the other 275 persons (Acts 27:37) went through, as mentioned in the Holy Bible. [link]

Paul's Shipwreck DVD Trailer (YouTube)

This is a journey to the discovery of the 4 anchors from Apostle Paul's Shipwreck off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea in the year 60 AD. The full DVD will be available early in 2011. Visit baseinstitute.org for more info. [link]

Four Anchors [Four Gospels] and Three Taverns [Triune God] - By Luke taking the time to narrate (Acts 27:29) specifically that exactly four anchors were used to steady the one boat of 'salvation' (Acts 27:31) apparently Luke as one of the four Gospel writers [Gospel of Luke] was clarifying for the Christian Church that there were to be exactly four Gospels [Matthew, Mark, Luke and John] in the Holy Bible for the one Christian Church. - Setting: At this late (Acts 27-28) stage of the Apostle Paul's ministry as an Apostle to the young Christian primarily Gentile Church the Apostle Paul, Luke and others had already traveled many of the roads of known civilization and had encountered many of the perils of delivering the Gospel Message to an unbelieving world. Paul and Luke knowing that they were not long for this world [Paul was in route to Rome and his eventual martyrdom] possibly wanted to leave a young Christian Church with some easily perceivable proof texts that would help stabilize and guide the newly formed Gentile portion of the Christian Church.

In this seemingly straightforward narration of events in Acts 27 and 28 Luke was quick to write of the necessity of four anchors [four Gospels] being needed to steady the one boat of salvation (Acts 27:31) and later "The Three Taverns" (Acts 28:15) of the Triune (Trinity) nature of God as Jesus had taught the Apostles in the Gospel of John "John 14:1-2 Let not your heart be troubled: ye **believe in God (Father, Holy Spirit), **believe also in Me (Jesus). In My Father's House [i.e. Tavern] are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you." - Note: Luke is thought to have written the third of four Gospels though possibly the Gospel of John had already been written or Paul and Luke already knew of the intentions and calling of John to write his Gospel. - It is often taught that the Gospel of John was written after the Book of Revelation was written [also by John] but that is only because the styles of the two books [Gospel of John and the Book of Revelation] are so different that some people teach that Revelation preceded the Gospel of John though in actuality the Gospel of John probably preceded the Book of Revelation by a long time. -- {Briefly: The Greek (text) sentences in the Book of Revelation are very rudimentary while the Greek sentences in the Gospel of John are much more refined and common so some say that Revelation was written first [supposedly while John learned Greek] even though John used scribes [Greek scholars] and had a different scribe for each Book and also had two different purposes [and audiences] for each book. The Book of Revelation is the one book in the Bible that is a better version in the English language rather than in the original Hebrew [O.T.] or Greek [N.T.] languages. It is as though the Book of Revelation was originally intended to be written in English and happened to be written in Greek just until the introduction of the English language could be established at the coming End Times of the world. While the Gospel of John was clearly written to be read and understood within the days it was written. The Book of Revelation was clearly delayed in significance until its translation into the English language. [link]

When were the [four] gospels written and by whom? - None of the gospels mention the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. - This is significant because Jesus had prophesied [the destruction of the Temple (Matthew 24:2)] concerning the temple -This prophecy was fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the Romans sacked Jerusalem and burned the temple {Very possibly dating the writing of the Gospel of John to before 70 A.D. Possibly the Gospel of John was written in about 60 A.D. [in Jerusalem] to about 65 A.D. at about the same time of the writing of the Gospel of Luke [written probably about 59 A.D. in Jerusalem or as late as 60 A.D. in Caesarea] and the Book of Acts [probably written about 63 A.D. in Rome].}

Matthew: The early church unanimously held that the gospel of Matthew was **the first written gospel and was penned by the apostle of the same name (Matt. 10:2-4). Lately, the priority of Matthew as the first written gospel has come under suspicion with Mark being considered by many to be the first written gospel. The debate is far from over. The historian Papias [According to the 2nd-century theologian Irenaeus, Papias had known the Apostle John - Source: britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/442073/Papias] mentions that the gospel of Matthew was originally in Aramaic or **Hebrew and attributes the gospel to Matthew the apostle. "Irenaeus (ca. A.D. 180) continued Papias's views about Matthew and Mark and added his belief that Luke, the follower of Paul, put down in a book the gospel preached by that apostle, and that John, the Beloved Disciple, published his Gospel while residing in Asia [city of Ephesus]." ... John: The writer of the gospel of John was obviously an eyewitness of the events of Christ's life since he speaks from a perspective of having been there during many of the events of Jesus' ministry and displays a good knowledge of Israeli geography and customs. The John Rylands papyrus [Bible] fragment 52 of John's gospel dated in the year 135 contains portions of John 18, verses 31-33,37-38. This [Bible] fragment was found **in Egypt and a considerable amount of time is needed for the circulation of the gospel before it reached Egypt. It [John] is the last of the gospels and appears to have been written in the 80's to 90's. **Of important note is the lack of mention of the destruction of the Jewish temple in 70 A.D. But this is understandable since John was not focusing on historical events. Instead, he focused on the theological aspect of the person of Christ and listed His miracles and words that affirmed Christ's deity. Though there is still some debate on the dates of when the gospels were written, they were most assuredly completed before the close of the first century and written by eyewitnesses or under the direction of eyewitnesses. [link]

Papias Wrote from 100-125 A.D. The books "Expositions of the Sayings of the Lord" - Papias was the Bishop of Hierapolis in Phyrgia [about 130 A.D.] - He was born probably between 70 and 75 A.D., and died, perhaps, 163 A.D. (earlychurch.org.uk/papias.php) - {Note: The first generation or two of Church leaders, bishops and writers after the Apostles are known as the "Church Fathers" [i.e. Irenaeus] and apparently if they were actually a disciple of one of the Apostles [i.e. Papias (70-163 A.D.) and Saint Polycarp (69-155 A.D.)] they instead were called an "Apostolic Father."}

Papias is commonly classed as an Apostolic Father, **meaning that he knew the Apostles themselves [claimed to have known John and Mark], or at least lived in the generation following their deaths. He wrote five books and in them recounted unknown teachings of Jesus, miraculous stories about the Apostles, discussed the authorship of some of the Gospels, and also quoted from other parts of the New Testament. Unfortunately his writings have been lost except for the fragments given below. -- In the print world, Michael Holmes has published a popular and good quality English translation of Papias in The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, however it has a few mistakes and omits some fragments, all of which I have attempted to correct on this page. While assembling these fragments, I have used the translations of Lightfoot and the Nicene and Post-Nicene Church Father Series. These are good English translations and are in the public domain. I have only changed punctuation or a word here and there, in order to make the translation better fit our modern vernacular. [link]

EarlyChristianWritings.com: Gospel of John - Estimated Range of Dating: 90-120 A.D. - Helms states, "we need to note that part of the purpose of Irenaeus was to attack the teachings of Cerinthus, a *gnostic [Castor - Pollex] [false] Christian teacher who *lived in Ephesus at the end of the first century" - **Cerinthus was "educated in the wisdom of [Alexandria] the Egyptians -- [Irenaeus an early Church Father: born about 135 A.D. - died in 202 A.D. - During the persecution of Emperor Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161-180, Irenaeus was a priest of the Church of Lyon, France - Wikipedia.org]

Helms states, "we need to note that part of the purpose of Irenaeus was to attack the teachings of Cerinthus, a gnostic Christian teacher who lived in Ephesus at the end of the first century" (op. cit., p. 162). Cerinthus was "educated in the wisdom of the Egyptians, [Gnosticism] taught that the world was not made by a primary God [God the Father], **but [instead] by a certain Power [Satan] far separated from him...Moreover, after [Jesus'] baptism, Christ descended upon him in the form of a dove from [Satan] the Supreme Ruler, and that then he proclaimed the unknown Father [Satan], and performed miracles. **But at last Christ departed from Jesus, and that then Jesus suffered and rose again, while Christ remained impassible, inasmuch as he was a spiritual being" (1.26.1). ***Irenaeus stated that the purpose of John at Ephesus was as follows: **by the proclamation of the Gospel, **to remove that [Gnostic] error which by Cerinthus [and others] had been disseminated among men, and **a long time previously by those termed **Nicolaitans (Revelation 2:6), who are an offset of that 'knowledge' [gnosis] falsely so called, that he might confound them, and persuade them that there is but one God, who made all things by His Word; and not, as they allege, that the Creator was one [different god], but the Father and the Lord another; and that the Son of the Creator was, forsooth (really), one, but the Christ from above another (3.11.1) -- Helms argues: "So the gospel attributed, late in the second century, to John at Ephesus was viewed as an anti-gnostic, anti-Cerinthean work. But, very strangely, Epiphanius, in his book against the heretics, argues against those who actually believed that it was Cerinthus himself who wrote the Gospel of John! (Adv. Haer. 51.3.6). How could it be that the Fourth Gospel was at one time in its history regarded as the product of an Egyptian-trained gnostic, and at another time in its history regarded as composed for the very purpose of attacking this same gnostic? I think the answer is plausible that in an early, now-lost version, the Fourth Gospel could well have been read in a Cerinthean, gnostic fashion, but that at Ephesus a revision of it was produced (we now call it the Gospel of John) that put this gospel back into the Christian mainstream." {Note: Possibly in about 59 A.D. when the Apostle Paul visited Jerusalem and *reported from his Missionary journeys to the Gentiles [including to Ephesus] one of the main topics would have been the often encountered opposition of Gnosticism [in Ephesus]. Wanting to counter Gnosticism John might have made it known then that he would [visit Ephesus] and write an epistle [Gospel] to confront Gnosticism. Presumably, the Gospel of John was first discussed in Jerusalem among John, Paul and all the other Apostles and was also written by John (John 21:24) in Jerusalem in about 60 A.D., written primarily to give faith to Christians (John 20:31). Then with a copy of the Gospel of John in hand the Apostle John set out to Ephesus to minister there. The point is that the Apostles were actually very connected, concerned, informed and determined in their mission and early Church calling that God had placed on their lives. -- "Acts 21:17-19 And when we [Paul, Luke and Aristarchus] were come to Jerusalem [about 59 or 60 A.D.], the brethren received us gladly. And the day following Paul went in with us unto James; and all the elders were present [including John (2 John 1:1)]. And when he had saluted them, he [Paul] declared particularly what things God had wrought among the Gentiles by his ministry."} [link]

A Mixed Race to Rome - The most often mentioned items in Luke's shipwreck account are of Turkish [Persian influenced] towns, Greek Islands and Egyptian [Alexandrian] ships the influences of which are all being directed into Rome - {Note: Luke and Paul in recording the Book of Acts seem to be informing the young European Gentile Church that yes, Christianity has come to Europe, primarily in the form of Paul [a bound prisoner of Rome] and his two scraggly traveling companions [Luke and Aristarchus]. But to know for certain that also coming to Rome [Western Europe] are the forces of Egypt [Eastern Mysticism, Ancient Babylon Mystery Religion], Persian [eventually Islam] influences, Greek mythology, Malta mysticism and Gnostic heresy. Christianity would come to Europe and Europe would have an appearance of Christianity a veneer of Christianity but below the veneer would be a blend of *Mystery Babylon counter religions that the Christian Church would have to continually contend with.}

"Acts 27:5-6 And when we had sailed over the sea of Cilicia [region of Turkey near the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe] and Pamphylia [Ancient Pamphylia was situated on the southern coast of modern Turkey - The region came under the control of the Persians in the 6th century B.C. - unrv.com/provinces/pamphylia.php], we came to Myra, a city of Lycia [Galatia]. And **there the centurion found a ship of Alexandria [Egypt] sailing into Italy [Rome]; and he put us therein." -- "Acts 27:14 But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called *Euroclydon (G2148 - Euraquilo)." Luke records that the sailors called this wind Euraquilo. An unusual name, it has been found in one ancient inscription and is a slang compound [blend - marriage] of Greek and (Roman) Latin. The Greek Erus (east) and the Latin Aquilo (north) translates as "northeaster," a strong winter wind [parsagard.com/2-storm.htm]. -- "Acts 28:11-12 And after three months we departed [Malta] in **a ship of Alexandria [Egypt], which *had wintered [was dormant for a season] in the isle, whose sign [Gnosticism] was Castor and Pollux. And landing at Syracuse [a historic city in Sicily, the capital of the province of Syracuse - The city was founded by Ancient Greek Corinthians - today is part of the Unification of Italy of 1865 - Wikipedia.com], we tarried there three days." -- {Note: Remember that Mystery Babylon is that fallen Angelic realm that sits atop 7 Gentile Kingdoms that influences mankind - consisting of the time of the 2nd earth (earth 2.0) - from the flood of Noah until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. - "Revelation 17:5-11 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT [fallen angelic - Satanic realm], THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. ... And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains [Gentile Kingdoms - Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and Revised-Rome], on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings [thrones i.e. throne of David - except they are all Gentile thrones]: five are fallen [Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece], and one is [Rome], and the other [Revised-Rome] is not yet come; and when he [Antichrist] cometh, he must continue a short space [3½ years and possibly until 7 years]. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth [eight king illegally, not the eight Kingdom - the true 8th King and Kingdom is of the Messiah Jesus Christ], and is of the seven [the 7th King Antichrist tries to sit on the throne (Matthew 24:15) of Messiah the 8th Kingdom], and goeth into perdition."} [link]

Evidence and Paul's Journeys - Caesarea to Fair Havens

The Egyptian Grain Ship (Acts 27.6) - Landing at Myra, the Centurion transfers Paul and the other prisoners to an Alexandrian grain ship bound for Rome. Myra was a major port in the eastern empire. It lay directly north of Alexandria, Egypt, on the far side of the Mediterranean. An Egyptian ship sailing for Rome would have to sail north to Myra at this time of year, because it was impossible to sail directly northwest to Rome. The prevailing wind from the west forced ships sailing from Egypt to Rome to follow this indirect route. This presents us with a series of interesting evidential coincidences. The same westerly wind that accounted for the shortness of Paul’s trip to Sidon is the wind that required his ship to sail north of Cyprus, and is also the wind that brought the Egyptian ship to Myra. All three of these events confirm the direction of the prevailing wind. Luke, in Acts 27.1, states that the ship they boarded in Caesarea was sailing for ports along the coast of the province of Asia. In other words, the ship was not bound for Rome, but was making ports of call along the southern coast of what today is Turkey. The harbor at Myra was one of the great trans-shipping ports of the ancient Mediterranean. Thus it makes sense that Paul and the others would leave the coastal vessel there and board the larger grain ship for the final leg of the voyage to Rome. [link]

[Part 1 of 3] Introduction: Paul's Journey to Rome - Church History Outline: Ceasrea to Malta - End Times (Antichrist) Outline: Malta to Rome

The Apostle Paul's "Journey to Rome" covered in Acts chapters 27 and 28 is a unique set of passages of scripture and seems to tell a parallel story to the main story of Paul's journey and shipwreck while in route to Rome. The first part of Paul's journey from Caesarea, Israel to the shipwreck off of the shores of the island of Malta seems to tell the parallel story of what has been much of Church history up until today. The second main segment of Paul's journey beginning with Malta then the departure and the sailing to Italy, seems to tell the parallel story of the End Times, the Antichrist and the Book of Revelation. - In looking at these events one primary set of verses in each segment is going to be crucial to the study. In the first portion the Church History outline the verses Acts 27:41 and Acts 27:44 [the actual shipwreck and making it to shore] are going to be the crucial verses for the first segment. - The second segment the End Times outline the island of Malta to Rome the main verses are going to be Acts 28:13-15, Paul's arrival in Italy but at first not in Rome. [link]

[Part 2 of 3] Church History Outline: Ceasrea to Malta - In Paul's Journey to eventually stand at the feat of [the King] Caesar (Acts 26:32) the Christian Church with the Gospel departs from Israel [where Christianity originated] at the port of city of Caesarea (Acts 27:1-2) to go to the Rome and the Gentile world

Christian Church Age: After making some [missionary] stops along the way Paul and company (Acts 27:6) transfer to a ship [carrying nourishing wheat] that can take them to Rome. While sailing "many days" on their voyage to Rome the ship [Christian Church] encounters the alternating "contrary winds" of persecution and also the favorable port of "Fair Havens" entailing that "much time had been spent" on the Journey. - The first real hint of trouble for the Christian Church comes in the form of the Apostle Paul admonishing the Church that the Jewish Feast day [the fast] of Yom Kippur had passed and that the primarily Gentile Church was no longer marking or paying attention to the Jewish Feast Days putting the Christian Church in peril of not knowing the Times or the Seasons in which it sailed (Acts 27:9-12). The Church (ship) now unable to chart and follow its own course was caught in the winds of the days and the crew now instead of directing the ship the events of the day carried the ship (Church) along on its own course while the ship (Church) was mostly unable to affect, alter or counter any of the blowing winds (Acts 27:15). The ship (Church) tossed in the storms of life brought their sails down and just attempted to weather out the storm and at least they had four anchors to cast out into the water and help steady and protect (from hitting bottom) the Ship. The Apostle Paul then informs everyone that unless they remain aboard the one ship (of Christian faith) they cannot be saved (Acts 27:31). The one ship representing Christianity (the one true Church) then partakes in the act of Christian Communion (Acts 27:35). A distant land (Heaven) is sighted and the passengers (Christians) are not martyred but are able to reach the land (Heaven) alive as each person clings to some wood (cross of Jesus) from the one ship. The ship (Church) itself is finally caught in enough turmoil that it runs aground and breaks up [amazingly at a place were two sea's meet (Acts 27:41) - where the Eastern sea of Mysticism and the Western sea of Rationalism meet the Christian boat as one Catholic body gets stuck in the sand and breaks apart - into many denominations] though the individuals make it ashore (to Heaven) by clinging to wood (the cross of Jesus Christ), the one requirement to get a sinner into Heaven is to know that Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on His cross. With the Church (ship) stuck and broken apart and ALL the passengers (Christians) from the one ship of Christianity safely ashore (in Heaven) the Christian Church Age comes to an end (Acts 27:44). -- "Acts 27:44 And the rest [of the Christians], some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship [all clinging to the cross of Jesus]. **And so it came to pass, **that they escaped [sin-death] **all safe to [Heaven] land." [link]

Wikipedia.org: Saint Publius (Acts 28:7) - Saint Publius [a Church Apostolic Father] is venerated as the first Bishop of Malta - Publius' conversion led to Malta being the first Christian nation in the West, and one of the first in the world - He was martyred in 125 A.D., during the persecution of Emperor Hadrian

It was the same Publius who received the Apostle Paul during his shipwreck on the island as recounted in the Acts of the Apostles. According to the Acts of the Apostles, St. Paul cured Publius' dysentery-afflicted father. -- Book: by Rev. Alban Butler (1711-1773 A.D.). Volume I: January. "The Lives of the Saints" last published 1866. - St. Publius, Bishop and Martyr [died January 21, 125 A.D. in Athens, Greece] HE succeeded St. Dionysius the Areopagite in the see of Athens, as we are assured by St. Dionysius of Corinth, quoted by Eusebius. 1 He went to God by martyrdom, and Saint Quadratus was chosen third bishop of that city. See Le Quien, Or. Christ. t. 2. p. 169. Note 1. Euseb. l. 4. c. 23. [link]

[Part 3 of 3] End Time Outline: Malta to Rome - End Times - Martyred Saints of Revelation: The refugees come ashore upon a foreign island (Malta) with "barbarous people" [barbarous only means not Romans (not citizens of the Kingdom) and not Jewish]

Paul and the other castaways find themselves on an unfamiliar island (Malta), a society of unfamiliar people with unfamiliar customs. In the entire narration of their time on Malta only one person is identified by name (and also by title) and it is the intriguing person of Publius (Public) [Publius a Latin (Roman) name - definition of Public: of or pertaining to the people; belonging to the people; relating to, or affecting, a nation, state, or community - ardictionary.com]. The intriguing person Publius is the "chief" or first [G4413 - Protos] person of the Island of Malta and though Publius is not a Roman citizen he has a Roman name and connections to Rome. - In this scenario, in what we are trying to read between the lines that Luke wrote for us in his book of Acts Chapters 27 and 28 we have the scenario that the Church Age has ended (Acts 27:44), the one ship of Christianity has broken apart and ALL the Christians are in Heaven. Here upon Malta (Acts 28:1) we seem to have the dispensation after Christianity [after the Church Age] - the dispensation of the End Times and the Martyred Saints of Revelation. In this intriguing scenario one person is in charge [of buying and selling] for an entire society and also that person is not a part of the 6th Kingdom in Rome. Publius is not a Roman citizen, instead this very public and in charge figure is first in his own system (the 7th Kingdom Revised Rome). Publius {before he becomes a Christian} is a type of the Antichrist and the Island society of Malta is a type of the 7th Kingdom (Revised Roman Empire). Further establishing that Luke intends for Malta to represent the Martyred Saints of End Times is that Luke tells of Paul being bitten by a viper (Acts28:3) but then Luke chooses to call the poisonous viper a "beast" (Acts 28:4,5) using the same word "beast" (G2342 - Therion) that John would later use in his Book of Revelation [Revelation 13:18 - the Mark of the Beast] to describe the Antichrist - Paul "he shook off the beast into the fire" (Acts 28:5) refusing to take the Mark of the Beast (Revelation 19:20). Luke is determined to present the spirit of Antichrist at the Island of Malta. - Note: The End Time events that Luke portrays on Malta is not quite like the End Times often portrayed today in common media, where saints are on the run for their lives. In this End Time depiction by Luke the Saints are busy, working, helpful and briefly an integrated part of the society of Malta. But the Saints have a determined destination and a departure date and depart the island society of Malta not out of anger or desperation but out of a necessity. It seems that Luke is portraying Malta [Revised Rome] as a society that is vastly different than today (there might not be any private property - everything might be 'public' in name only) a tightly controlled and managed society with each person knowing where they rank in society and one person Publius is first. Further after departing the island of Malta and continuing their Journey [a journey that is no longer given in great detail - because technically the Saints departed Malta as Martyrs]. The End Time martyrs of Malta continue on to their desired destination to the feet of the King [Caesar] but like the Book of Revelation the Martyrs of Malta do not go directly to Rome they depart the ship outside of Rome and fellowship with other believers for a while. In the Book of Revelation the 5th Seal "Revelation 6:9 And when He [Jesus] had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain (Martyrs) for [faith in] the Word of God, and for the Testimony [faith in Jesus] which they held:" The Martyred Saints of Revelation do not go directly (individually) to the Throne of Jesus but instead gather outside the Temple at the altar and fellowship until their numbers (dispensation) are complete. Then at the end of the End Times all the Martyred Saints of Revelation join (Revelation 7:9) in with the Christian Church also in Heaven worshiping at the feet of the King Jesus Christ. -- "Acts 28:14-15 Where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them seven days: and so we went toward Rome. And from thence, when the brethren heard of us, they came to meet us as far as Appii Forum, and The Three Taverns: whom when Paul saw, he thanked God, and took courage." [link]

Conclusion: The Apostle Paul's journey to Rome - Once in Rome the Apostle Paul continues to prophetically enact out End Time Biblical events - Amazingly the Apostle Paul does not go to jail with the other prisoners (unbelievers) instead Paul safely goes and lives in his own house - Enacting out the third part of the End Times - The Millennial Reign 1,000 year Kingdom of Jesus Christ [the 8th Kingdom] on earth - (Acts Chapters 27 and 28) - Note: The Four Dispensations of the Bible’s New Testament are comprised of three groups of people. The ‘Born Again’ Church Age that included the dispensation of the original Apostles who were all ‘Born Again’ Christians and all of the current Common Christian Church Age that is also comprised of Born Again Christians. The future Martyred Saints of Revelation do not personally receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit until after they are in Heaven [very similar to what the Old Testament Saints endured]. The third group and Fourth Dispensation is of the Millennial Saints who also do not receive the indwelling of the Holy Spirit until after the Global Nations are judged in the sheep and goats judgment of Matthew 25:32-34.

In the last two chapters of the Book of Acts in chapters 27 and 28 there are four distinct portions of the Apostle Paul's journey to Rome [to stand before Caesar]. The First Portion, departing Israel as an Apostle with the Christian Gospel Message until changing ships, the shipwreck and safely coming ashore at the island of Malta correlates with what has been the Apostalic age and the Common Christian Church Age. The third portion of Paul's journey is being stranded at Malta and then quickly getting to Italy but not Rome itself correlates with what is written in the Book of Revelation regarding the future End Times and the Martyred Saints of Revelation. Then the forth and final portion of Paul's journey to Rome correlates with what is written in the Bible regarding the Millennial Reign upon the earth of the Messiah [Jesus Christ] after the events of the Book of Revelation have occurred and been fulfilled. - Once arriving in Rome (Acts 28:16) Paul [a Christian] is allowed to go live by himself in his own house while the other prisoners (unbelievers) are sent to jail (John 12:31). Living in one's own house and dwelling safely is an unmistakable euphemism for the Millennial Kingdom of the Messiah (1 Kings 4:25, Jeremiah 23:6). The Apostle Paul's recorded journey to Rome is concluded along with the Bible's Book of Acts in the last two verses of Acts. -- "Acts 28:30-31 And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house [i.e. the Millennial Reign of Christ], and [free to] received all that came in unto him, Preaching the Kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him." [link]

Update: The Basic Christian blog 8 Kingdoms study is well underway and on track to be completed as scheduled - The plan now is to do one more Decoding series, a necessary one to briefly examine how kingdoms conclude, change, influence and morph

[embed themselves]

into the next ruling kingdom - Then after the brief Decoding postings are finished to go back and revisit each of the 8 Kingdoms to finalize each portion of the study - Coming Soon: Decoding Hitler's Bunker!!

The 8 Kingdoms study should be completed before Christmas 2011 and then the Church History portion starting in January 2012 should be able to be completed by Holy Week 2012. The Church History portion though becoming more and more in depth [during preparation] is still going to be an overview study that will primarily focus on a few key transition points in history. In order to more easily facilitate the transition points of the coming Church History blog study I have revised the outline of the study and will post that as well. [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - Review: (Matthew 4:1-11) "Again, the Devil taketh Him [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world [the 7 Gentile Kingdoms], and the glory of them; And saith unto Him [Jesus], *All these things will I give thee, *if thou wilt fall down and worship me (Isaiah 14:12-14) - Then saith Jesus unto him [Satan], Get thee hence [go away], Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve" {Note: There is a continuing and ongoing series of Gentile [mostly Satanically (Mystery Babylon) influenced] kingdoms that have been presiding over the earth since the flood of Noah's time. The kingdoms continue and transition from one Gentile Kingdom into the next and will also transition into the coming 8th Kingdom the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ on earth. - Psalms 110:2, Revelation 20:8} -- "Psalms 110:2 The LORD shall send the rod of Thy strength out of Zion [Millennial Palace]: rule thou [1,000 years] (also) in the midst of thine enemies."

The interesting part about Satan's offer is that as is usually the circumstances of Satan the offers of the Devil once examined are misleading, shallow, and really non-existent. It appears that what Satan was offering Jesus isn't Kingdoms [plural] but a Kingdom [singular] because at the time of this offering the 6th Kingdom in Julius Caesar [Reign: October 49 B.C. - 15 March 44 B.C. -Wikipedia.org] had already been initiated and in fact Julius Caesar was already deceased at the time of the offer. That left only 1 legitimate Kingdom [king] that Satan had in his ability to offer, the 7th Kingdom the Revised Rome Kingdom [granted Satan is trying to combine two Kingdoms the 7th and 8th for his version of plural Kingdoms]. But there is a huge stipulation attached to the Throne of the 7th Kingdom and that is whoever sits on it only gets to reign for [only about] 3½ years, the first 3½ years of Revelation and Tribulation. - Without hesitation Jesus declined Satan's offer. -- Soon after Satan had successfully initiated the first Kingdom in Nimrod he was busy attempting **to quickly cycle through the coming Gentile Kingdoms in order to get to his own eventual [7th Kingdom - the kingdom of Antichrist] and manifest in his enthroned Antichrist Kingdom on earth. [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - {Flashback} Satan's offering to Jesus - In Matthew 4:1-11 we encounter a very amazing interaction, it is an interaction between Jesus and Satan

"Matthew 4:1-11 Then was Jesus led up of the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil [revealing Satan's intentions]. ... Again, the Devil taketh Him [Jesus] up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world [7 Gentile Kingdoms], and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, *All these things will I give thee, *if thou wilt fall down and worship me (Isaiah 14:12-14). Then saith Jesus unto him [Satan], Get thee hence [go away], Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. Then the Devil leaveth Him, and, behold, [Holy] angels came and ministered unto Him [Jesus]." - What seems to be in negotiation here is the fact that Satan is offering to Jesus a Kingdom on earth if Jesus would 'worship' the Devil [note: worship is to acknowledge were life comes from - life comes from God not Satan]. The interesting part about Satan's offer is that as is usually the circumstances of Satan the offers of the Devil once examined are misleading, shallow, and really non-existent. It appears that what Satan was offering Jesus isn't Kingdoms [plural] but a Kingdom [singular] because at the time of this offering the 6th Kingdom in Julius Caesar had already been initiated and in fact Julius Caesar was already deceased at the time of the offer. That left only 1 legitimate Kingdom that Satan had in his ability to offer, the 7th Kingdom the Revised Rome Kingdom [granted Satan is trying to combine two Kingdoms the 7th and 8th for his version of plural Kingdoms]. But there is a huge stipulation attached to the Throne of the 7th Kingdom and that is whoever sits on it only gets to reign for 3½ years, the first 3½ years of Revelation and Tribulation. Then the deal gets even worse for the person as the person who is reigning upon the Revised Rome Throne is killed at the end of the 3½ years in order that Satan can obtain and inhabit a body to then reign manifested among mankind for his 8th Kingdom [triggering the Great Tribulation and Wrath of Revelation] becasue rightfully it is the 1,000 year Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Satan was offering to Jesus a 3½ year Throne where the one seated upon it is to die so Satan can inhabit the body. Satan was attempting to kill Jesus and inhabit His body in an attempt to forever rule mankind. Without hesitation Jesus declined Satan's offer. -- Note: What separates Rome the 6th Kingdom [Throne] and Revised Rome the 7th Kingdom [Throne] is the Christian Church Age (Acts 15:14-18) and had Jesus worshiped Satan then there would have been no cross, no Savior and no Church Age for mankind and the 6th Kingdom [Throne] would have instantly merged into the 7th Kingdom [Throne] had Jesus accepted the offer. [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - {Flashback} The Eternal Kingdom of God - Soon after Satan had successfully initiated the first Kingdom in Nimrod and was busy attempting to quickly cycle through the coming Gentile Kingdoms in order to get to his own eventual [7th Kingdom] and manifest in his enthroned Kingdom on earth [but] a different appearance was made among mankind - God manifested into human form as the eternal King of Salem (Peace) revealing unto Abraham among the Communion elements of bread (body) and wine (blood) of Jesus Christ that indeed there is another Kingdom, separate and distinct from the Kingdoms of the earth, a Holy Kingdom, Eternal and Righteous, Everlasting in the body (bread) and spirit (wine) of Jesus Christ offered free and without cost to all mankind - Abraham choosing the Eternal Kingdom of God walked away from Sodom and the other kings of the earth without so much as a shoelace from them in his posession

"Genesis 14:17-23 And the king of Sodom went out to meet him [Abraham] after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings [Amraphel (Hammurabi) king of Shinar] that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. And ***Melchizedek King of Salem (Peace) brought forth [Communion] bread and wine: and He was the Priest of the Most High God. And He [Melchizedek] blessed Him [Abraham], and said, Blessed be Abram [Abraham] of the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth: And blessed be the Most High God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he [Abraham] gave Him [Melchizedek - God] tithes of all. And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou [Gentiles] shouldest say, I have made Abram [Abraham] rich:" [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - WWII: Inside Hitler's Bunker - Photo Gallery - LIFE Magazine (Photos)

In April, 1945, as Russian and German troops fought -- savagely, street-by-street -- for control of the German capital, it became increasingly clear that the Allies would win the war in Europe. Not long after the two-week battle ended, 33-year-old LIFE photographer William Vandivert was on the scene, photographing Berlin's devasted landscape. Hundreds of thousands perished in the Battle of Berlin -- including untold numbers of civilian men, women, and children -- while countless more were left homeless in the ruins. But it was two particular deaths -- that of Hitler and his longtime companion and (briefly) wife, Eva Braun -- in a sordid underground bunker on April 30, 1945, that truly signaled the end of the Third Reich. Here, LIFE.com presents never-before-published images from both the bunker itself, and the decimated city beyond its concrete walls. Above: A never-before-published photograph of a main street in central Berlin, Oberwallstrasse, where some of the most bitter fighting between Nazi and Soviet troops took place. [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - Hosted by Leonard Nimoy - In Search Of... Eva Braun {Note: Conclusive irrefutable forensic evidence the Hitler's body was recovered but the same forensic technique reveals that Eva Braun's body was not recovered.} (YouTube)

Season 6 Episode 20 Part 1 Hosted by Leonard Nimoy and broadcast weekly from 1976 to 1982, In Search Of... [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - BasicChristian.org: End Times Preview - WWI, WWII, WW3 - Hitler's Final Days - A Summary of the Final Moments of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun

Note: The Berlin bunker was not a death trap and it was not a final stand, no Germans were killed at the bunker by any attacking Russian soldiers. As far as the ability of the German leaders to escape the Berlin bunker unharmed it was a 100% success rate. Every Nazi German who wanted to escape the Berlin bunker did, the results varied after they left the bunker but all who wanted to were able to leave the bunker. So the fact of the opportunity for Hitler, Eva Braun or anyone else to escape the bunker is clear, any Nazi who wanted to leave in the final hours could and did. Later captured Germans who left the bunker said that it was easy to leave by getting into a German tank or by mixing in with another German army unit (usually an artillery unit) to escape the Berlin area. ... Adolf Hitler's staff had a detailed escape plan for Hitler including the use of a lookalike (body double) and part of Hitler's escape plan was actually put into practice. ... Eva Braun had shown up six days earlier as the final piece to the escape plan. In a display of deceit the two Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun pretended to get married and then the next day pretended to commit suicide. However in the final moments Hitler at the end of his rope and in a deteriated physical condition neither mentally or physically able to go on the run and realizing that he had no one he could really trust, Hitler did commit suicide but Eva Braun made the assisted escape alone, without (Hitler) or perhaps with Hitler's dog Blondi. The Russians finding the bunker and finding a secret passage out of Hitler's private room immediately had the bunker demolished and instead of the bunker becoming a triumph of the war, a war museum, the bunker was removed and erased from history by the Russians. In the 1960's when confirmed sightings of Eva Braun surfaced the Russians were again spooked into thinking they might not have Hitler's body and in 1970 the KGB dug up both bodies and annihilated any trace of the buried bodies particularly Eva Braun but some skull fragments of Hitler remain on file in Moscow and are not destroyed. ... The military side of the Nazi command had a complicated escape, body double, plan intact and in operation. Many of the senior military men had located body doubles primarily from the concentration camps but also from the streets of occupied countries and even Germany itself. Some of the body doubles even had duplicate dental work done on them and were tattooed if necessary. **The political side and the propaganda side of the Nazi party were not party to the military command's escape plans and they did suffer their own fates as with the Joseph Goebbels family [Unwillingly] committing [Nazi assisted] suicide in its entirety [for propaganda purposes as a part of the grander-overall escape plan for Hitler and the Nazis], the mother with an SS Doctor poisoning all six children and [the next day] the two adults taking poison as well. Some of the Nazi high command did escape in the final days and after the war, and on a scale of the crimes committed against humanity, few Nazis were punished while many simply left Germany to live their lives outside of Germany. Of the few who were imprisoned with long sentences many of them suddenly had mysterious, unexplained deaths and it is though many of their prison deaths were faked. One thing remains certain that all the Nazis that did escape [into other governments] and remained unpunished did so with the complicity and even the cooperation of the English and American governments. [link]

Decoding Hitler's Bunker - Conclusion: Transitions between Kingdoms and Governments are both frequent and well documented - In the Old Testament the Prophet Daniel successfully transitioned, being an advisor to Kings of Babylon and then also to the succeeding King of Persia (Daniel 1:19-21)

At the conclusion of the End Times the events transition [Revelation 11:15] into the 8th Kingdom and as a part of the transition the surviving people on the planet [excluding those who have taken the Mark of the Beast] will also by default transition into the Millennial Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ. What could be interesting about the transition is that historically the elite ruling class seldom puts themselves in strictly one category. For instance at Hitler's bunker only the Joseph Goebbels family committed suicide [took the Mark of the Beast] in mass, while the majority of the true elite and ruling families eluded punishment and in fact went on to be very successful in a post Nazi Germany. Likewise it is doubtful that the actual ruling elite of the world today would subject themselves and the entirety of their families to the coming Mark of the Beast, especially considering that it will be a new, unique and untested system. Lastly the visible feature of the coming Mark of the Beast really seems to establish the Mark of the Beast as a product for the lower class in that the 'Mark' of upper-class society is actually the mask of anonymity. [link]

Note: Regarding the previous "Decoding the Apostles" blog series that was recently partially posted at BasicChristian.org - One of the more interesting aspects of looking at the lives of the Apostles is just how much each of their individual lives changed - The change among each individual Apostle seems to have been huge as it encompassed their personalities, individual behavior and individual outlook on life - Therefore the majority of the Biblical writings of the Apostles is directed at a certain amount of expected godly behavior modification ... in the lives of each new Christian convert - But by the time the Christian Church matured into the later Church Councils the majority of the entire Church Council was no longer about individual Christian behavior modification but instead became vested, almost exclusively, in individual Christian though, knowledge and doctrine - Though now Pastor Rick Warren and many others are dramatically shifting the current Christian Church away from thought, creeds and doctrines and are again shifting the Christian Church back into the realm of behavior modification but disastrously it is not a return to the original behavior modification and godly accountability the Church Apostles sought for each Christian convert - It is instead a behavior modification that is directing each individual away from Christianity and back into the abyss of the world -- In the following six posts are several examples all from the last week or two of current Christian events

One of the more interesting aspects of looking at the lives of the Apostles is just how much each of their individual lives changed and it changed primarily from their outlook from being socially [worldly, societally] aware to becoming Kingdom aware and eternally aware in Jesus Christ. The change among each individual Apostle seems to have been huge as it encompassed their personalities, individual behavior and individual outlook on life and in fact the very meaning of life itself for each of them. Therefore the majority of the Biblical writings of the Apostles is directed at a certain amount of expected godly behavior modification, in a good way i.e. removing doubt, uncertainty and fear, in the lives of each new Christian convert. The first Church Council in Jerusalem offered four behavior modification agendas to the new Christians. - But by the time the Christian Church matured into the later Church Councils (i.e. Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D.) the majority of the entire Church Council was no longer about individual Christian behavior modification but instead became vested, almost exclusively, in individual Christian though, knowledge and doctrine. This later Christian Pastoral emphasis on individual Christian thought (i.e. think as I do) has continued on until the present modern Church day. Though now Pastor Rick Warren and many others are dramatically shifting the current Christian Church away from thought, creeds and doctrines and are again shifting the Christian Church back into the realm of behavior modification but disastrously it is not a return to the original behavior modification and godly accountability the Church Apostles sought for each Christian convert it is instead a behavior modification that is directing each individual away from Christianity and back into the abyss of the world specifically the very spiritually dangerous occult and pagan world. [link]

CNN: Joel Osteen takes on his critics - Osteen, a college dropout who **never attended seminary, has built a huge international audience with inspirational messages that blend [pop psychology] positive thinking and [motivational training techniques] personal transformation - But is he preaching "gospel lite" messages devoid of any mention of sin and hard choices?

(CNN) - He peddles "gospel lite," a watered-down Christianity that mixes prosperity with piety. That's how critics have described Joel Osteen's message. The televangelist may be the pastor of the largest church in America, but he still doesn't get respect in many parts of the religious community. Osteen, a college dropout who never attended seminary, has built a huge international audience with inspirational messages that blend positive thinking and personal transformation. But is he preaching "gospel lite" messages devoid of any mention of sin and hard choices? Osteen rejects that charge with the same honey-toned voice and unflappability he displays in the pulpit at Lakewood Church in Houston. There's no hint of defensiveness. "I deal every day with life issues and sin in our church every week," he says. "I deal with people who have cancer, talk to people about how to forgive when they've been hurt. I don't think that's light. That's everyday issues." ... It's not the traditional "turn or burn" pulpit message, and Osteen is OK with that. ... Lee cites three factors for Osteen's success: Marketing: He says Osteen's previous work behind the camera taught him how to brand a ministry and create a visually appealing and quickly moving worship service. Timing: When Osteen hit the pulpit in 1999, people had already grown tired of the smooth-talking televangelists who were often caught up in scandal. Osteen was the boyish-looking pastor who exuded sincerity and never pretended he had all the answers, Lee says. Preaching: Osteen may not have the grasp of theology and church history that some pastors have, but he knows how to connect with ordinary Americans through a therapeutic message that draws heavily from pop culture, Lee says. "His lack of seminary training is part of his appeal," Lee says. "He's not saying big words he learned from seminary. He's speaking in a language that contemporary Americans understand." [link]

Rick Warren Recommends Pagan Mantra "Technique" For Christians - Now, **for comparison purposes only, please compare the above Centering Prayer "technique" recommended by Rick Warren to this one from a Buddhist website - I can therefore [also] attest that what Rick Warren is promoting is exactly like what I practiced as a New Ager doing mystical meditation - The only thing that differs between so-called "Christian mysticism" and pagan mysticism is the "device" used for emptying the mind - And sadly, the big thing in churches now is to try to make this pagan practice "Christian" by adding Christian terminology - "Meaningless repetition?" If that's not a description for pagan, occultic, mind-altering, mantra meditation, I don't know what is - Friends, this is dangerous, dangerous stuff - Beware, beware, beware

Why am I showing what Buddhist meditation looks like? Well, as regular readers of this blog know, I came out of the New Age, and while in the New Age I practiced many different types of mystical meditation (Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, pagan, etc.). And because of this, I can therefore attest that what Rick Warren is promoting is exactly like what I practiced as a New Ager doing mystical meditation. The only thing that differs between so-called "Christian mysticism" and pagan mysticism is the "device" used for emptying the mind. And sadly, the big thing in churches now is to try to make this pagan practice "Christian" by adding Christian terminology. But the addition of Christian terminology does not somehow "sanctify" this practice and make it Christian. Any time a Christian hears the word "technique" they should run for the hills. We do not need a technique for approaching God! We approach him through the shed blood of Christ, and this is what we place our faith in. We are to be people of faith, which means we walk by faith and not by sight. In practical terms, this means that we do not require tangible experiences that we can point to to convince us that we are close to God. We are close to God because we know we have approached him on his terms: through faith alone in Christ alone. Remember that Jesus said, after offering up his hands and his side for Thomas to examine, that there was a blessing for Christians who would come later who would believe without requiring some tangible, experiential "proof" of God: "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29) Yes, it is fine to go to a quiet place, calm the mind, maybe even take a few deep breaths. But focus on a word or phrase until one's mind is emptied? No! Doing this technique puts a person into an altered state of consciousness, where the mind is not engaged. Once a person has used the technique to "park" the brain, he or she is still awake and somewhat aware but his or her God-given boundaries are down. So what happens to a person in this state? Mantra meditation is so very seductive because it generates a very powerful experience, an experience that is very real and feels very spiritual, and which deceives one into feeling as if they are actually encountering "God." But let us not forget our warning from Scripture: "No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light."(2 Corinthians 11:14) Also, the Bible NEVER tells us to circumvent the mind to go to God.....instead, it tells us: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30) And also this: "And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words." (Matthew 6:7) "Meaningless repetition?" If that's not a description for pagan, occultic, mind-altering, mantra meditation, I don't know what is. Friends, this is dangerous, dangerous stuff. Beware, beware, beware. [link]

What Is The New Apostolic Reformation? And Why Should We Be Concerned About It? - a new movement - with some pretty strange beliefs - inside of Christian evangelicalism called the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) has gathered lethal momentum very unexpectedly - This movement had up until recently only been taught and believed inside the hyper-charismatic movement (think IHOP, Kansas City Prophets, Mike Bickle, etc.) - But now, having somehow "jumped" from its normal carrier, rather than being "contained" as a strange belief system that would only impact a limited number of people, it suddenly began to go viral when big names on the political right began to align themselves with the big names from the charismatic Christian side

Why exactly has the NAR, which makes alarming use of militant "warfare" language and talks of "taking dominion" over the world "one mountain at a time," gotten so big, so fast, and with so many big political names attached? In my view, it's because there are many on the political right, who, despite their moralistic stance, have a tendency to be more invested in political strategy, power and numbers than in sound doctrine and biblical truth. Thus, to the political right without discernment, Numbers = Power. And I suspect this is what happened: they looked out over the landscape of the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement (which is an extremely large segment of professing Christians), decided this was representative of "Christianity," did the math, and then jumped on board. - This movement and its [secular] 7 Mountains Mandate has been very enticing to Christians who hold to a Dominionist view (the idea that the church's role is to "take back" dominion of the earth from Satan), and has also been extremely seductive to the Conservative Right, because hey, the idea of knuckling down and working hard is what America is all about, right? So there you have it: combine the errant "doctrine" of Kingdom Now/Dominionism from the Pentecostal/Charismatic camp with the moralism of the Conservative Right, and you've got one dangerous pandemic, because both groups, in their own ways, are tremendously influential and powerful. ... Friends, the NAR is a dangerous and rapidly growing movement that is, sadly, capturing the hearts and minds of many conservative Christians who have been enticed with the idea of "saving" America though Christian activism. In truth, Christians are not ever, anywhere in Scripture, promised easy lives, or even the "right" to live in freedom. But please note that the siren lure of political activism is nothing new. ... The life of a born again Christian is not complicated. Become reconciled to a high and holy God through the shed blood of Jesus, share the gospel, be persecuted, and die. But the seductive lure of an earthly life in which we (the Christians) control the earth and all that is in it, is a dream that dies hard. And now the NAR, with its utopian vision of heaven on earth, has once again showed us that very few people are willing to do as Jesus taught us, and that is to "Count the cost" (Luke 14:25-35) and "Take up your cross and follow me"(Matthew 16:24). Flee from this movement, my fellow Christians. "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." (Prov 14:12) [link]

UnderstandTheTimes.org: The New Evangelization and the Coming Reign of the Eucharist Christ - For those not familiar with the meaning of Corpus Christi, the following explanation from the Catholic Encyclopedia will be helpful: This feast is celebrated in the Latin Church on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday to solemnly commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist - While history may show Corpus Christi Day was initiated by a nun who was inspired by the moon, the Bible is silent when it comes to the practice of having a special day to venerate the Blessed Sacrament - {Note: The more the Roman Catholic Church diverges away from Biblical Christianity and into Eastern Mysticism (prayer-meditation techniques, goddess Mary, Eucharistic Jesus, etc.) and into Western Rationalism (evolution, eugenics, UFO's, etc.) the more it will denominationally fragment the Christian Church.}

While history may show Corpus Christi Day was initiated by a nun who was inspired by the moon, the Bible is silent when it comes to the practice of having a special day to venerate the Blessed Sacrament. In fact the idea that Jesus, the Creator of the universe, can be manifest in a wafer requiring the intervention of a priest, then placed in a container and worshipped and adored is not in the Bible. The Scriptures clearly warn that promoting idolatry precipitates God's hand of judgment. Before my trip to Rome, I was aware of Corpus Christ Day but never had the opportunity to witness the celebration first hand. If I had not lost my luggage, I wouldn't have known about this event going on in Rome. Larry and I had plenty of time after returning to my hotel to find our way to the Major Church of Mary and take a front row position to witness Corpus Christi live in Rome. ... The Eucharistic Jesus is Evangelistic: Think about this. What if the Eucharistic Jesus that Roman Catholics believe can be worshiped and adored, miraculously started healing those who adored his presence? Would this be a great attraction bringing converts into the Roman Catholic Church? As Peter Kreeft predicted in his book Ecumenical Jihad, it will be Eucharistic adoration that will unite the world's religions. Is it possible the world is being prepared? Raniero Cantalamessa (also called pastor to the pope) would be more than willing to introduce the Roman Catholic Eucharistic Jesus to the separated brethren (non Roman Catholics). On several occasions he has been keynote speaker for Nicky Gumbel's Alpha program. It is at these meetings that Cantalamessa has introduced Alpha leaders and participants to the Catholic view of the sacraments, the saints, and Mary, the Queen of Heaven. Is it possible that unsuspecting evangelical Protestants will soon be the target of the "New Evangelization" program? Rekindling Amazement: For now, we will concentrate on how the "New Evangelization" program plans to revitalize the Roman Catholic faith by "rekindling amazement" centered on the Eucharistic Jesus. It is not just the pope and the pastor to the pope who are enthusiastic about this refocusing of attention, cardinals, bishops and priests all over the world are jumping on the band wagon. There is something very significant underway. Eucharistic adoration is becoming more and more popular as the foundation for Eucharistic evangelization. ... Conclusion: We have looked at the call by the current and former popes for a "New Evangelization" centered on the Christ's supposed presence in the Eucharist through which the world may be drawn to the Roman Catholic Church. We have reviewed how current events, the renewed emphasis on the importance of adoring the Eucharist, mystical appearances of "Mary" and "Jesus" and associated miracles are being viewed as the means of ushering in the Eucharistic Reign of Jesus. [link]

JAMES MACDONALD [Pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel - Vertical Church blog] AND HIS PAGAN [Christians who disagree with James MacDonald] CRITICS - but [Christian] critics that act like pagans are probably just that and bring little benefit to the hearer - This is a classic tactic; one doesn't address the criticism (problem), rather, they use ad hominem (personal attacks) to attack the critic {In his wordly version of religion Pastor James MacDonald doesn't think that false doctrine is a problem instead it is the Christians who are concerned about false doctrine entering into the Church that are now the problem.}

Gospel belief without gospel behavior is what I refer to as 'religious.' Every minister of the gospel should welcome and learn from criticism, but critics that act like pagans are probably just that and bring little benefit to the hearer. ... However, as I said in my pervious piece, there are those who decide a priori that criticism is unloving and pagan. Not surisingly MacDonald's co-host for ER2, fellow Gospel Coalition Council Member Mark Driscoll, came to his defense as he would opine: Beware of Many Discernment Ministries - Before we continue there is a lesson to be learned first. Admittedly, sometimes when speaking, a teacher presents a belief in a way that is inaccurate and unclear. - So called "discernment" bloggers who are usually not connected to any noteworthy or respected evangelical Christian theologians, schools, denominations, ministries, churches, or pastors make their living taking what people said wrongly, transcribing it, and then falsely-or at least wrongly-accusing them of heresy when it is untrue. - This is a classic tactic; one doesn't address the criticism, rather, they use ad hominem to attack the critic. ... My question is, with all the controversy stirring, and with the likelihood of unhealthy accusations toward this potentially helpful event on the rise, why not just explain what led you to believe that T.D. Jakes is orthodox in his understanding of the Trinity? - James MacDonald deleted my comment [from his Vertical Church blog] ignoring that question. So I ask, who's really acting like a pagan? [link]

GOSPEL COALITION COUNCIL MEMBER JAMES MACDONALD INSISTS PERRY NOBLE DIDN'T LIE - To quickly recap; first, here is Perry Noble with MacDonald and fellow Gospel Coalition Council member Mark Driscoll on March 31, 2011 - Now here's Noble earlier on March 20, 2011 - Perry Noble Flat Out Lied (Videos)

Apprising Ministries now brings you a follow-up to Did Perry Noble Lie? James MacDonald Says No. The video evidence within that prior piece shows Noble on March 20, 2011 state that sometimes he does try and anger people in a church service using shock value tactics. Then 21 days later you'll see Seeker Driven prophet-pastor Perry Noble, one of the blustery Popes Of The Carolinas along with his disciple prophet-pastor Steven Furtick, tell James MacDonald in his Elephant Room discussions that he does not do such things. In the real world, which by the way is the only one there is, this is Noble caught in a lie. So this would mean that a pastor-teacher has publicly done something God hates: ... But O no, says James MacDonald; Perry Noble never lied!!! As if three exclamation points would somehow change reality; but such is postmodernity. [link]

Update Winter 2010: The Majesty and Glory of King Jesus Christ! "All Blessings, Honor, Glory, Majesty and Praise to the King and Savior the Lord Jesus Christ" - The Basic Christian Ministry is currently undergoing the series "The 8 Kingdoms of the World" regarding the Majesty and Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ - Update: The 8 Kingdoms Study will now continue until about the Easter (Resurrection) Holiday [and the start of the Basic Christian 2011 Jesus Walk Easter Timeline Devotion on Friday April 15th --> Easter Sunday April 24th] then the Church History segment should begin after the conclusion of both the 8 Kingdoms Study and the 2011 Jesus Walk Timeline Devotion

Basic Christian has recently completed the 'blog Bible Study' and is currently in the process of the 'blog History Study' including the '8 Kingdoms of the World' study. The current plan is to study at a slower pace than the fast paced blog Bible Study and also to insert a couple of Topical Studies before the 8 Kingdom Study really gets back on track. Ideally the plan is to really get into the 8 Kingdom Study this Fall and then conclude the 8 Kingdoms (Kings) study just before we celebrate Christmas 2010 and the birth of the King the Lord Jesus Christ (Isaiah 6:5, Matthew 2:2). Then to spend the time from Christmas to Resurrection Day Easter (2011) studying Christian Church History as we prepare for Resurrection Day 2011 and the birth of the Christian Church - the Christian Church having started on the Resurrection Day of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. -- Update: The website theme for 2010 has been "Revival - both personal and churchwide" the website theme for 2011 is "Church accountability and openness - Leadership, Financially and Churchwide" then the coming theme for 2012 is going to be "Sabbath Rest and Trust - entering into the finished and completed Eternal works of Jesus Christ" simultaneously in 2012 [or sooner - at the conclusion of the blog History Study] the Basic Christian blog is going to transition again this time into an exclusive Daily Devotional Bible Study - presenting daily devotionals based on segments of the Bible i.e. Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. [link]

Basic Christian: - The Basic Christian Bible Study: The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth - The 7 anointed Gentile Global Kings of the Earth (anointed from God) and the anointed 8th Kingdom the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ -- The Kingdoms: beginning with Nimrod (Tower of Babel - Genesis 10:8-10) --- Pharaoh Akhenaten (Egypt - Joseph's Pharaoh, the Dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1) --- Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon - Jeremiah 27:4-7, Daniel 2:37) --- Cyrus (Persia - Isaiah 45:1-7, Ezra 1:1-4) --- Alexander the Great (Greece - Daniel 8:21) --- Julius Caesar (Rome - Luke 2:1) --- The Revised [10 Kingdom] Roman Empire (Daniel 7:19) - Antichrist (Satan - Daniel 7:20) emerges from within the Revised Roman Empire --- The Messiah, Jesus Christ's Kingdom (Heaven and Earth - Daniel 2:35, Daniel 2:44-45)

Genesis 10:8-10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty [occult] one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter {spiritual seeker, occult} before {anointed of} the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before {in the presence of} the LORD. *And the beginning of his [Nimrod's] Kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar [later Babylon - modern Iraq]. {Note: all 7 of the Gentile global Kings-Kingdoms are anointed, for a time, given by God even as the Gentile King might at times or throughout thier duration be at odd with God.} -- Genesis 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed [a dream from God] {this is possibly or most probably the Pharaoh Akhenaten}: and, behold, he stood by the river. -- Jeremiah 27:4-7 ... Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, **and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto Me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all Nations shall serve him, and his son [Nabonidus], and his son's son [Belshazzar], until the very time of his land come: and then many Nations and Great Kings shall serve themselves of him. -- Isaiah 45:1-7 Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus [of Persia], whose right hand I have holden, to subdue Nations before him; and I will loose the loins of Kings, to open before him the two leaved gates [of Babylon]; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: *And I will give thee the Treasures of Darkness [Mystery Babylon - secret knowledge - the 7 Gentile Kingdoms 'beginning' with Nimrod and ending with Antichrist once manifested are aggregate and ongoing], *and hidden riches [wealth] of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. **For Jacob [the Nation of Israel] My servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I Am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. -- Ezra 1:1-4 Now in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, that the Word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his Kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, The LORD God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him an House [Temple - 2nd Temple] at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the House [Temple] of the LORD God of Israel, He is the God, which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem. -- Daniel 8:16-27 And I heard a Man's [Jesus'] voice [standing on the water] between the banks of [the river] Ulai, which called, and said, [Angel] Gabriel, make this man [Daniel] to understand the vision. So he [Gabriel] came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man [Daniel]: for at the Time of the End shall be the vision [the four Gentile global governments after (Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon) - Persia, Greece, Rome and Antichrist]. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for *at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are *the kings of Media and Persia [4th Kingdom]. And the rough goat is the King of Grecia [Greece - 5th Kingdom]: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first King [Alexander the Great]. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four Kingdoms [Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, the Seleucid Empire in the east, the kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor, and Macedon - wiki.com] shall stand up out of the Nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their [Roman] Kingdom {Rome annexed and acquired the Kingdom of Greece more by default (a weakened Greece) and through political contracts than through direct military conquest}, when the transgressors are come to the full, a King [Antichrist] of fierce countenance, and understanding dark [occult] sentences, shall stand up. And his [Antichrist] power shall be mighty, but not by his own power [by Satan's]: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft [occult - Satanism] to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and *by [false] peace shall destroy many: he [Antichrist] shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes [Jesus Christ]; but he [Antichrist] shall be broken [spiritually] without [physical] hand. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's [Belshazzar - son of Nabonidus - grandson of Nebuchadnezzar] business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. -- Daniel 2:35 Then was the iron (Rome), the clay (Revised Rome - Antichrist), the brass (Greece), the silver (Persia), and the gold (Babylon), broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them [Kingdoms of the Earth]: and the Stone [Jesus Christ] that smote the image became a Great Mountain [single government], and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:44-45 And in the days of these Kings [Kings of the Earth] shall *the God of Heaven set up a [eternal] Kingdom, **which shall never be destroyed: and the [eternal] Kingdom shall not be left to other [unbelieving] people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these [7 earthly] Kingdoms, and it [the Kingdom of Jesus Christ] shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the Stone was cut out of the Mountain [Divinely] without [physical] hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the Great God hath made known to the King [Nebuchadnezzar] what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. [link]

8 Kingdoms Introduction: Some brief criteria for the 8 Global Kingdoms of the earth - Throughout human history there have been many glorious [in man's eyes] Empires, Kingdoms and Dominions but only 8 of the Kingdoms of mankind are the incredible (Revelation 17:10) Kingdoms of the earth {Note: The Basic Christian blog History Study is also going to include some of the additional great Kingdoms primarily Hammurabi (Saudi Arabia), Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia), Solomon (Israel), and Sennacherib (Assyria).}

8 Kingdoms Summary: The Seven incredible Gentile Kingdoms of Revelation 17:10 are Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and [revised Rome] the Antichrist Kingdom. While the 8th and final Kingdom is the eternal, righteous Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Each of these 8 Kingdoms is going to share some remarkable similarities: Each Kingdom will have possessed all of or a majority of the world's wealth [gold, silver, precious gems] at one time. Each Kingdom has or will have knowledge [both public and secret knowledge] beyond that of their peers. The Kingdoms will also possess influence, military power and political prestige beyond the peers of their day. *Most importantly each of the 8 Kingdoms will also have exerted FAVORABLE influence over the Jews, over Jerusalem and over the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Kingdom of Nimrod [about two generations and 100 years after the flood of Noah] encompassed all of humanity including Abraham's forefather Arphaxad (Genesis 11:11), the Kingdom of Nimrod possessed all human wealth, knowledge and wisdom and the Kingdom of Nimrod built a Temple (the Tower of Babel). Egypt the 2nd Kingdom amassed much of the fortune of the world and much of the knowledge of the world and a great part of that fortune would be "favorably" given to the Jews at their Passover departure from Egypt (Exodus 3:21-22). The wealth of Egypt would then be used by the Jews in the building of the Tabernacle of God by Moses at Mt. Sinai (Saudi Arabia) and later the wealth of the Tabernacle would be transferred into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The wealth of the Temple in Jerusalem would be given back to Egypt by the Jewish King Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25-26). The 3rd Kingdom Babylon [initially very favorable to the Jews, Jerusalem and the Temple] captured the wealth of Egypt in Egypt and took it to their Palace in Babylon. The 4th Kingdom Persia [Iran] conquered Babylon [Iraq] and consolidated the wealth of the world into the Palace at Shushan (Esther 1:4) part of the wealth of Persia was given to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 45:28, 2 Chronicles 36:23). The 5th Kingdom Greece and Alexander the Great [on either 10 or 11 June 323 B.C., Alexander the Great died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon at the age of 32 - wiki.com]. King Alexander the Great who immersed the world in Greek thought and philosophy and after sparing the Jews, Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple then "at the age of 32" died among the wealth of ancient Egypt, Babylon and Persia. The 6th Kingdom Rome oversaw an extensive expansion in the size of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The 7th Kingdom the Kingdom of Antichrist is going to sign a favorable [7 year] covenant with the Jews and the Nation of Israel (Daniel 9:27) and will also in some way rebuild [and eventually occupy (Matthew 24:15)] the now destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. The 8th and final Kingdom the Eternal, Righteous Kingdom of Jesus Christ [Jesus being Jewish] will of course be very favorable to the Jews as Jesus will rule the entire world from the unprecedented Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 43:7) in Jerusalem. Part 1. Reconciling the general community (Corporate) [Kingdom on earth] Messiah Prophecy of Daniel [Daniel's 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:25-26)] with the [Eternal Spiritual] individual (Remnant) Kingdom Revelation of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:42-43)

Daniel a Prophet to the Nations: A summary of Daniels (Corporate) Messiah's Kingdom on earth "70 Weeks (490 years) Prophecy" - Daniel 9:22-27 And he [the holy angel Gabriel] informed me [Daniel], and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding [of the previous vision from God]. At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the *vision. Seventy weeks [490 years (involving all of the Global Kingdoms from Babylon until the Kingdom of the Messiah totaling 6 of the 8 Global Kingdoms - Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, Antichrist and finally the Kingdom of the Messiah, Jesus Christ)] are determined upon thy [Jewish] people and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish [make an end of] the [world's] transgression {intentional sins}, and to make an end of [all] sins {intentional and unintentional}, and to make [global] reconciliation for iniquity, and **to bring in Everlasting Righteousness [the 8th Kingdom - the Kingdom of God], and to seal up [conclude] the vision and prophecy, ***and to anoint [Messiah - Jesus Christ] the most Holy. Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks [it would take 49 years to rebuild Jerusalem], and threescore (60) and two weeks [434 years of a rebuilt Jerusalem]: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times. And after [the] threescore and two weeks [after 483 years of the 490 years] shall Messiah be cut off [lit. executed - crucifixion], *but not for Himself [but for the sins of the people]: and the people of the [Antichrist] prince that shall [future] come [7th Kingdom - Antichrist (Satan)] shall destroy the city [70 A.D.] and the [Temple] sanctuary [also destroyed by the Romans in 70 A.D.]; and the end thereof shall be with a flood [overflowing of destruction], and unto the end of the war [with Satan] desolations are determined. And he [Antichrist - 7th Kingdom] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week [the 70th and final week - the final 7 year period - not yet started]: and in the midst of the week [3½ years] he [Antichrist] shall cause the [Temple - 3rd Temple in Jerusalem] sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading [completeness] of abominations he [Antichrist] shall make it [the entire earth unholy] desolate [empty], even until the consummation [end of human history - human separation from God], and that determined [vial-bowl judgments of Revelation] shall be poured upon the desolate [sky and earth]. Part 1a. The anointing of the Messiah, Jesus Christ being anointed individually by His followers - The corporate (group) anointing of the Messiah prophesied by Daniel the Prophet is alluded to but [temporarily] becomes individualized as individuals are anointing Jesus the Messiah for His Kingdom in the same way that the thief on the cross as an individual [not yet the Nations of the world] acknowledged and entered into the eternal Kingdom of the Messiah - In short the two individuals [women] who anointed Jesus with oil and the thief on the cross were all doing the very same thing, each individually anointing and acknowledging the Kingdom of Messiah - Individuals (a remnant) acknowledging and entering into the Kingdom of Messiah [Kingdom of God] long before the Prophesied Nations as a whole are to enter into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ

Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and **to anoint [Messiah] the most Holy. -- John 12:3 Then {Friday} took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment. -- Matthew 26:6-7 Now {Tuesday} when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, There came unto him a woman [thought to be Mary Magdalene] having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on His head, as He sat at meat [dinner]. -- Luke 23:42 And he [thief on the cross] said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into Thy Kingdom. {Note: How the corporate (group) anointing (the head) of the Messiah and the general acceptance of the Messiah as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet becomes an individual anointing of the feet of the Messiah and later another anointing by another individual this time anointing the head of Jesus. Both anointings and the acknowledging of the Kingdom of God [also divine revelation from the thief on the cross] are in reference to the Prophecy of Daniel {the thief on the cross was probably directly recalling Daniel 9:26} but are not yet a direct fulfillment of the anointing and general acceptance of the Messiah as Prophesied by Daniel in his 70 Week prophecy.} Part 1b. Daniel's 70 Weeks Prophecy is an explanation of an earlier Vision [Daniel chapter 7] regarding the Kingdoms of the Earth [Daniel 7:17 the 4 remaining Kingdoms - Persia, Greece, Rome, Antichrist] - Keep in mind that the 490 years of Daniel's 70 Weeks Prophecy are all years that occur only during one of the Kingdoms of Earth - Currently we are not directly under one of the Kings of the Earth nor are we directly in one of the Kingdoms of the Earth and therefore not yet using up one of the 490 years of the prophecy [but we are in the period (Daniel 2:42) of the Revising of the Roman (iron) Empire without yet the direct global King] - 483 years [Persia, Greece, Rome] of the 490 years have been completed and only the final [Antichrist] Week '7 years' of the prophecy remains to be fulfilled

According to Daniel (Daniel 9:25) at end of the 69th Week the Messiah would reveal Himself [the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem] and make available His Kingdom [*ending the reign of the Kings of the earth] then "after" the 69th Week "shall Messiah be cut off" the crucifixion of Jesus Christ occurred 4 days after the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ. The Triumphal Entry did end the reign of the Global Kings of the Earth {as King Herod (part of a Global Kingdom - Rome) feared it would in Matthew 2:2-3} the rejection of Jesus Christ by both Rome and Jerusalem and the crucifixion of Jesus 4 days later then re-opened the (now postponed) 70th Week and the Antichrist Kingdom. The 70th Week specifically belongs to the Antichrist and since the Triumphal Entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem at the completion of the 69th Week the timeline of the Prophecy of Daniel has stopped until the Kingdom of Antichrist claims its 1 Week (7 year period) that will be given to it by God. The amount of time [2,000 years so far] between the 69th week of Daniel and the 70th and final week of Daniel has been the Church Age. The Church Age where almost the entirety of the Book of Acts was spent grappling with the issue that the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ had momentarily become completely individualized {the early (remnant - firstfruit) rain (Hosea 6:2-3)} [with the individuals entering into the Kingdom of God primarily being the Gentiles] and that it will not be until the final events of the Book of Revelation [the Millennial reign of Jesus Christ on earth] that the Kingdom of God becomes evident primarily through the Nations of the earth {the later (community - harvest) rain (Hosea 6:2-3)} and not just primarily through the individuals of the earth as it is now. Part 2. The Anointing and Throne of a King: King David was anointed three times [first among his own family (by Samuel on behalf of God), later by the Tribe of Judah (lit. Praise) and lastly by the Elders of the Nation of Israel] -- Saul was anointed twice both times by the same person [Samuel] - Solomon was anointed King *twice [first by a select committee (1 Kings 1:32-40) - then by the people (1 Chronicles 29:22)] - Jesus Christ is anointed King three times, First by His family [God (Matthew 3:16-17, Acts 10:38)], Secondly [among His Praise] the Church Age of individuals, Thirdly by each of the Nations as a whole [in the Kingdom Age] beginning with the Nation of Israel at the 2nd Coming return of Jesus Christ

King Saul [a type of Satan] was chosen by God and anointed the first time privately by the Prophet Samuel [1 Samuel 10:1]. Saul was initiated [1 Samuel 10:17-24] as the 1st King of Israel [in Mizpeh of Gilead] without anointing and while Saul was personally in hiding (i.e. hidden as Satan is in hiding now). Saul was anointed by Samuel a second time though oil is not mentioned it might have been strictly a verbal anointing with the Prophet Samuel speaking prophecy over King Saul and not anointing him with oil. -- King David [a type of Jesus Christ] was anointed three times [1 Samuel 16:12-14 (Bethlehem), 2 Samuel 2:4 (Hebron), 2 Samuel 5:3 (Hebron) - the first (person) anointed in Jerusalem was the Temple (a direct representation of Jesus Christ), it was dedicated (anointed) in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:10-11) before Solomon or any of the later Kings, the descendants of Solomon, were anointed in Jerusalem] and the moment David was anointed the first time the anointing of God departed [1 Samuel 16:14] from the presence of then King Saul [a type of Satan] so only one of them was anointed by God as King at any one time and when King Solomon [a type of the Antichrist] was anointed there is no indication or recording of the anointing of God leaving King David the way it previously had left King Saul. -- King Solomon [a type of the Antichrist] was anointed twice, first [1 Kings 1:32-40] by a chosen and selected committee [the High Priest, the Prophet and the people gathered in Gihon who happened to be in knowledge of the event] and later by all the people [1 Chronicles 29:22]. -- Jesus Christ the Messiah has been anointed twice. First by His family of God [Matthew 3:16-17]. "Matthew 3:16-17, Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me [Messiah, Jesus Christ], because He [God] hath anointed Me [Jesus] to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - "Acts 4:26-28 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ. For of a truth against thy Holy Child Jesus, whom Thou [God] hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined [to kill Jesus] before to be done." - Jesus is currently being anointed throughout His Christian Church Age. "1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God [Jesus] was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on [anointed] in the world, received up into glory." - "2 Corinthians 1:20-22 For all the promises of God in Him are yea [yes], and in Him Amen [Truth], unto the glory of God by us. Now He which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit [Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit] in our hearts." {My perspective on the Church rapture is just when is the Antichrist 'anointed' by God to receive his Kingdom on earth is it pre-tribulation [this happens to be my position on End Time events]? or is it 3½ years later at pre-wrath [also a very possible position for End Time events]? The anointed Church (2 Corinthians 1:20-22) and the future Kingdom of Antichrist are not going to co-exist and when the anointed 'born again' Church is raptured only then will the Antichrist be anointed for his Kingdom on earth. Then with the Christian Church gone the Antichrist will preside over a Kingdom on earth that will go horribly wrong for everyone involved as the Antichrist attempts to receive the anointing of the Nations starting in the Holy of Holies (Matthew 24:15) with the Nation of Israel.} - There is yet a third and future anointing of the Messiah Jesus Christ the anointing among the Nations starting with Jesus being anointed King by the elders of Israel in Jerusalem. "Daniel 9:24 Seventy weeks [490 years] are determined upon thy people [the Jews] and upon thy holy city [Jerusalem], to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness [the Kingdom of God among the Nations], and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint [Messiah] the most Holy." - "Zechariah 12:10-14 And I will pour [anoint] upon the House of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the [Holy] Spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon Me [Jesus Christ] whom they have pierced (crucified), and they shall mourn for Him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in [agony] bitterness for Him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning *in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the House of David apart, and their wives apart; the family of the house of Nathan apart, and their wives apart; The family of the House of Levi apart, and their wives apart; the family of Shimei apart, and their wives apart; All the families that remain [after the Tribulation], every family apart, and their wives apart." {Note: the coming Tribulation during the events of Revelation is primarily a Gentile (Martyred Saints) Holocaust the Jews having already suffered their [WWII] Holocaust will primarily be exempt from the Holocaust to come but still it will be dangerous and difficult times for everyone and not every family will make it through the events. Presumably the Nation of Israel will emerge (anoint the Messiah Jesus Christ) and enter into the Kingdom Age [1,000 year reign of the Messiah] far more intact than any of the Gentile Nations.} - "Ezekiel 43:5-7 So the [Holy] Spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court [Millennial Temple - 4th Temple in Jerusalem]; and, behold, the Glory of the LORD filled the House. And I heard Him speaking unto me out of the House; and *the Man [Jesus Christ] stood by me. And He said unto me, Son of man [Ezekiel], the place of My Throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell [as anointed King] in the midst of the children of Israel for ever ..." [link]

Part 2a. The 7 anointed Gentile Global Kings of the Earth (anointed from God) and the anointed 8th Kingdom the Eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ -- The Kingdoms: beginning with Nimrod (Tower of Babel - Genesis 10:8-10) --- Pharaoh Akhenaten (Egypt - Joseph's Pharaoh, the Dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1) --- Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon - Jeremiah 27:4-7, Daniel 2:37) --- Cyrus (Persia - Isaiah 45:1-7, Ezra 1:1-4) --- Alexander the Great (Greece - Daniel 8:21) --- Julius Caesar (Rome - Luke 2:1) --- The Revised [10 Kingdom] Roman Empire (Daniel 7:19) - Antichrist (Satan - Daniel 7:20) emerges from within the Revised Roman Empire --- The Messiah, Jesus Christ's Kingdom (Heaven and Earth - Daniel 2:35, Daniel 2:44-45)

Genesis 10:8-10 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty [occult] one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter {spiritual seeker, occult} before {anointed of} the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before {in the presence of} the LORD. *And the beginning of his [Nimrod's] Kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar [later Babylon - modern Iraq]. {Note: all 7 of the Gentile global Kings-Kingdoms are anointed, for a time, given by God even as the Gentile King might at times or throughout thier duration be at odd with God.} -- Genesis 41:1 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed [a dream from God] {this is possibly or most probably the Pharaoh Akhenaten}: and, behold, he stood by the river. -- Jeremiah 27:4-7 ... Thus saith the LORD of Hosts, the God of Israel; Thus shall ye say unto your masters; I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm, **and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto Me. And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon, My servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all Nations shall serve him, and his son [Nabonidus], and his son's son [Belshazzar], until the very time of his land come: and then many Nations and Great Kings shall serve themselves of him. -- Isaiah 45:1-7 Thus saith the LORD to His anointed, to Cyrus [of Persia], whose right hand I have holden, to subdue Nations before him; and I will loose the loins of Kings, to open before him the two leaved gates [of Babylon]; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: *And I will give thee the Treasures of Darkness [Mystery Babylon - secret knowledge - the 7 Gentile Kingdoms 'beginning' with Nimrod and ending with Antichrist once manifested are aggregate and ongoing], *and hidden riches [wealth] of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. **For Jacob [the Nation of Israel] My servant's sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known Me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside Me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I Am the LORD, and there is none else. I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things. -- Ezra 1:1-4 Now in the first year of Cyrus King of Persia, that the Word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his Kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus King of Persia, The LORD God of Heaven hath given me all the Kingdoms of the earth; and He hath charged me to build Him an House [Temple - 2nd Temple] at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all His people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the House [Temple] of the LORD God of Israel, He is the God, which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the House of God that is in Jerusalem. -- Daniel 8:16-27 And I heard a Man's [Jesus'] voice [standing on the water] between the banks of [the river] Ulai, which called, and said, [Angel] Gabriel, make this man [Daniel] to understand the vision. So he [Gabriel] came near where I stood: and when he came, I was afraid, and fell upon my face: but he said unto me, Understand, O son of man [Daniel]: for at the Time of the End shall be the vision [the four Gentile global governments after (Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon) - Persia, Greece, Rome and Antichrist]. Now as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep on my face toward the ground: but he touched me, and set me upright. And he said, Behold, I will make thee know what shall be in the last end of the indignation: for *at the time appointed the end shall be. The ram which thou sawest having two horns are *the kings of Media and Persia [4th Kingdom]. And the rough goat is the King of Grecia [Greece - 5th Kingdom]: and the great horn that is between his eyes is the first King [Alexander the Great]. Now that being broken, whereas four stood up for it, four Kingdoms [Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt, the Seleucid Empire in the east, the kingdom of Pergamon in Asia Minor, and Macedon - wiki.com] shall stand up out of the Nation, but not in his power. And in the latter time of their [Roman] Kingdom {Rome annexed and acquired the Kingdom of Greece more by default (a weakened Greece) and through political contracts than through direct military conquest}, when the transgressors are come to the full, a King [Antichrist] of fierce countenance, and understanding dark [occult] sentences, shall stand up. And his [Antichrist] power shall be mighty, but not by his own power [by Satan's]: and he shall destroy wonderfully, and shall prosper, and practise, and shall destroy the mighty and the holy people. And through his policy also he shall cause craft [occult - Satanism] to prosper in his hand; and he shall magnify himself in his heart, and *by [false] peace shall destroy many: he [Antichrist] shall also stand up against the Prince of Princes [Jesus Christ]; but he [Antichrist] shall be broken [spiritually] without [physical] hand. And the vision of the evening and the morning which was told is true: wherefore shut thou up the vision; for it shall be for many days. And I Daniel fainted, and was sick certain days; afterward I rose up, and did the king's [Belshazzar - son of Nabonidus - grandson of Nebuchadnezzar] business; and I was astonished at the vision, but none understood it. -- Daniel 2:35 Then was the iron (Rome), the clay (Revised Rome - Antichrist), the brass (Greece), the silver (Persia), and the gold (Babylon), broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of the summer threshingfloors; and the wind carried them away, that no place was found for them [Kingdoms of the Earth]: and the Stone [Jesus Christ] that smote the image became a Great Mountain [single government], and filled the whole earth. Daniel 2:44-45 And in the days of these Kings [Kings of the Earth] shall *the God of Heaven set up a [eternal] Kingdom, **which shall never be destroyed: and the [eternal] Kingdom shall not be left to other [unbelieving] people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these [7 earthly] Kingdoms, and it [the Kingdom of Jesus Christ] shall stand for ever. Forasmuch as thou sawest that the Stone was cut out of the Mountain [Divinely] without [physical] hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the Great God hath made known to the King [Nebuchadnezzar] what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure. [link]

Part 3. The Three Fall [Harvest] Feats of Leviticus 23 - the Three [Second Coming] Fall Feasts of Leviticus 23 - The Three [First Coming] Spring Feasts [month of Nisan] initiated the individual Church Age and it is thought that in the same way the Three Fall Feasts of Leviticus 23 [month of Tishri] conclude the 8 Kingdom Feasts of God and initiate the 8th Kingdom the Kingdom of Jesus Christ (Messiah) and His 1,000 year Kingdom of Nations reign on earth

The 8 Holy Feasts of Leviticus 23: Three Feasts corresponding to the Second Coming and the Kingdom on Earth of Jesus Christ. --Feast of Trumpets (Rosh Rashanah) "Leviticus 23:23-25 And the LORD spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a Sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an Holy convocation. Ye shall do no servile work therein: but ye shall offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD." The offering of fire is likely the Baptism of Fire that the Christian is undergoing since the Flames of Fire upon the heads of the believers occurring at the Feast of Pentecost. The Trumpet is an announcement and in this case it is an announcement for God's people to gather together into one place. For the Church this is very likely fulfilled in the Rapture, the calling by God of His Church into Heaven to be with Him and to escape His coming judgment that is about to come upon the entire world of non-believers. "Revelation 4:1 After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the voice which I heard was as it were of a Trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show thee things which must be hereafter." -- Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) "Leviticus 23:27-32 Also on the Tenth day of this Seventh month there shall be a Day of Atonement." This feast in a large part was completed at the cross of Jesus as Jesus is the Atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. Atonement is the repair the mending of a broken relationship. For a relationship to be repaired there has to be a desire to repair the union and there needs to be an acknowledgment of the wrong that severed the relationship in the first place. It is corresponding to the second coming of Jesus because there is still much to be fulfilled with this particular feast. For starters at the Atonement Feast Leviticus 16:1-34 there are two goats the first goat is sacrificed for the atonement, the removal of sin, because the result of sin is death so only when death occurs is sin satisfied. This sacrifice is a representation of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for us. Meanwhile, the second goat called the "scapegoat", the carrier of sins is released far away carrying with it the sins of the people and if that scapegoat never returns then the sins never return and are completely removed and stay away. If the scapegoat does return then all of the sins return with it. It is evident that at the cross of Jesus that a man called Barabbas was the scapegoat, as Barabbas was set free and he was never heard from again. That is until the Antichrist comes because the Antichrist will be carrying the name of "Son of the Father" which translated into Hebrew is "Barabbas" Bar = son and Abba = Father. Unfortunately the scapegoat the carrier of sin "Satan" will be returning one day as he will again be accepted by the people to be their friend and their king and when he does come he will bring with him the sins of the world. Also the Jewish people as a nation have not yet recognized Jesus as the true Messiah and this will happen at the second coming of Jesus so this feast is still partially yet to be fulfilled. -- Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) "Leviticus 23:34-43 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, The Fifteenth day of this Seventh month shall be the feast of Tabernacles for seven days unto the LORD. ... That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God." The Tabernacle is a Tent a temporary shelter as opposed to a Temple which is a permanent building. The Jewish Temple originally was a Tabernacle a Tent that the Hebrews carried with them and set up during their wilderness journey prior to their entry into the Promise Land of Israel. Once in the Promise Land, the permanent living place the Tent was then replaced in Jerusalem by the permanent Temple made of stone. This is the comparison of our earthy body to our future Spiritual body. Currently we Tabernacle in a Tent body a temporary body made of flesh. Whenever anyone dies their spirit and soul departs this tent and if you are a child of God, God then accepts you into Heaven our Permanent home and we receive our new Temple body, a Spiritual body to match our spirit and our soul. {Note: The 8 Holy Fests of Leviticus Chapter 23 have been separated primarily into two parts, the three Spring Feasts of the 1st Coming [Firstfruits] of Jesus Christ and the three Fall Feasts and the2nd Coming of Jesus Christ. Together the 8 Holy Feasts combine to usher in on earth the one Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ.} Part 4 the Conclusion: The three Fall Feasts of Leviticus Chapter 23 seem to be the Transition Phase out of the approximately 2,000 years of individuals serving and fellowshipping with God in the Christian Church Age - Into the 1,000 year Millennial Kingdom of Messiah the reign of Jesus Christ among the Nations on the Earth

The whole concept of the 8 Kingdom Study has been that there is a major transition in the Kingdom of God that is to take place and that is the Kingdom of God being shifted from the individual perspective (Church Age) to the National perspective (Kingdom Age). The shift from the individual (remnant) worship of God to the (corporate) National worship of God is continued and completed during the transition of the Antichrist Kingdom. In short throughout human history and particularly while going through the Book of Revelation there are two separate [parallel] Kingdoms at work in the Kingdom of Antichrist and the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. In the Book of Revelation while the Antichrist Kingdom is attempting to unify (666 - fallen angels, fallen humans, demons) and is unable to do so the Kingdom of God [888 (in a sense) - Holy God, holy Angels, redeemed mankind] does unify. The Kingdom of God starts out in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 1:10-18) with Jesus walking among the 7 Churches of the earth and holding the stars of Heaven in His hand as Jesus is in the process of reconciling the earth back to Heaven to make the two separate Kingdoms of Heaven and earth back into one Kingdom. Jesus writes seven letters to His Church in each letter identifying Himself with each Church. Then in Revelation (Revelation 5:6) Jesus is seen as The Lamb Slain as Jesus identifies Himself with all of His Martyred Saints from all of the Children of God from throughout all human history. During the events of Revelation the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ becomes so identified with and intermingled with the Saints on earth and the holy Angels of Heaven in bonding and closeness that as an Angel appears (Revelation 10:1-7) it is difficult to tell if it is an Angel speaking and acting or if it is Jesus Himself speaking and acting. Note: In concluding this 8 Kingdom summary by reading the events of the Bible's Book of Revelation the Kingdom of God becomes identified with the Christian Saints, the Martyrs and even the holy Angels of Heaven at the very same time that the Kingdom of Antichrist is attempting to unify with fallen mankind, fallen angels and the demons but the Kingdom of Antichrist is falling apart and coming apart at such a rapid pace and in reality is never anywhere close to mixing into a unified Kingdom as the "iron does not mix with the clay" of Daniel. While in complete success the Kingdom of God is unified, united and completly identifiable with both mankind and with the holy Angels of Heaven all through the accomplishments and achievements of God the Son Jesus Christ. -- Ephesians 1:10-14 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times [ages] He [God] might gather together in one all things in Christ, *both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth; even in Him: In whom also we [Christians] have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will: That we [Apostles] should be to the {Anointing} Praise of His Glory, who first trusted in Christ. In whom ye [individuals] also trusted, after that ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: in whom also after that ye [individuals] believed, ye [individuals] were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our [individual] inheritance until the redemption {Kingdom Age} of the purchased possession, unto the {Anointing} Praise of His Glory. The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- 8 Kingdoms [Revelation 17:10] Introduction: Some brief criteria for the 8 Global Kingdoms of the earth - Throughout human history there have been many glorious [in man's eyes] Empires, Kingdoms and Dominions but only 8 of the Kingdoms of mankind are the incredible (Revelation 17:10) Kingdoms of the earth {Note: The Basic Christian blog History Study is also going to include some of the additional great Kingdoms primarily Hammurabi (Saudi Arabia), Queen of Sheba (Ethiopia), Solomon (Israel), and Sennacherib (Assyria).}

8 Kingdoms Summary: The Seven incredible Global Gentile Kingdoms of Revelation 17:10 are Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome and [revised Rome] the Antichrist Kingdom. While the 8th and final Kingdom is the eternal, righteous Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ. Each of these 8 Kingdoms is going to share some remarkable similarities: Each Kingdom will have possessed all of or a majority of the world's wealth [gold, silver, precious gems] at one time. Each Kingdom has or will have knowledge [both public and secret knowledge] beyond that of their peers. The Kingdoms will also possess influence, military power and political prestige beyond the peers of their day. *Most importantly each of the 8 Kingdoms will also have exerted FAVORABLE influence over the Jews, over Jerusalem and over the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The Kingdom of Nimrod [about two generations and 100 years after the flood of Noah] encompassed all of humanity including Abraham's forefather Arphaxad (Genesis 11:11), the Kingdom of Nimrod possessed all human wealth, knowledge and wisdom and the Kingdom of Nimrod built a Temple (the Tower of Babel). Egypt the 2nd Kingdom amassed much of the fortune of the world and much of the knowledge of the world and a great part of that fortune would be "favorably" given to the Jews at their Passover departure from Egypt (Exodus 3:21-22). The wealth of Egypt would then be used by the Jews in the building of the Tabernacle of God by Moses at Mt. Sinai (Saudi Arabia) and later the wealth of the Tabernacle would be transferred into the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. The wealth of the Temple in Jerusalem would be given back to Egypt by the Jewish King Rehoboam (1 Kings 14:25-26). The 3rd Kingdom Babylon [initially very favorable to the Jews, Jerusalem and the Temple] captured the wealth of Egypt in Egypt and took it to their Palace in Babylon. The 4th Kingdom Persia [Iran] conquered Babylon [Iraq] and consolidated the wealth of the world into the Palace at Shushan (Esther 1:4) part of the wealth of Persia was given to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem (Isaiah 45:28, 2 Chronicles 36:23). The 5th Kingdom Greece and Alexander the Great [on either 10 or 11 June 323 B.C., Alexander the Great died in the palace of Nebuchadnezzar II, in Babylon at the age of 32 - wiki.com]. King Alexander the Great who immersed the world in Greek thought and philosophy and after sparing the Jews, Jerusalem and the Jewish Temple then "at the age of 32" died among the wealth of ancient Egypt, Babylon and Persia. The 6th Kingdom Rome oversaw an extensive expansion in the size of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem beginning with Julius Caesar [July, 47 B.C.] Caesar determines "That the Jews shall possess Jerusalem, and may encompass that city with walls; and that Hyrcanus, the son of Alexander, the high priest and ethnarch of the Jews, retain it in the manner he himself pleases ..." [Source: JewishEncyclopedia.com]. The 7th Kingdom the Kingdom of Antichrist is going to sign a favorable [7 year] covenant with the Jews and the Nation of Israel (Daniel 9:27) and will also in some way rebuild [and eventually occupy (Matthew 24:15)] the now destroyed Temple in Jerusalem. The 8th and final Kingdom the Eternal, Righteous Kingdom of Jesus Christ [Jesus being Jewish] will of course be very favorable to the Jews as Jesus will rule the entire world from the unprecedented Millennial Temple (Ezekiel 43:7) in Jerusalem. [link]

The Kingdom of Jesus Christ (John 1:12) accepted by some and rejected by others - The Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ in initially being rejected by the rulers of this world (Luke 23:24) has been placed in an individual (experiential) basis until the fullness of the Kingdom of God is brought into its knowable entirety during the events of the Book of Revelation - Basically what we are going to do in the next few days before Holy Week is to begin to consider and to reconcile the [Kingdom on earth] Messiah Prophecy of Daniel [Daniel's 70 Weeks (Daniel 9:25-26)] and the [Eternal Spiritual] Kingdom Revelation of the thief on the cross (Luke 23:43) with each other and attempt to more fully understand the Kingdom of God in Jesus Christ that is currently being so generously offered by God to all mankind

Note: Regarding the rejection and death of Jesus Christ on the cross. The people of Jesus' day asked Him for a sign that He was indeed God (Matthew 12:40) and Jesus also said (John 2:19) the sign that He would give the world would be that He would resurrect the 3rd day from death. The resurrection of Jesus proved the Deity (Immortality) of Jesus to all mankind for all time. So the events of Holy Week that ended in the crucifixion and later in the resurrection of Jesus were not events that went astray but were events that were foretold and necessary in order for God to unmistakably reveal and reconcile Himself to all mankind. Having then revealed Himself to all mankind by His prophecies, miracles and resurrection He is now selecting for Himself a Kingdom of believing people for His own from within mankind. -- Romans 1:3-5 Concerning His [God's] Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made [physically] of the seed of [King] David according to the flesh; And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, **by the resurrection from the dead: By [Jesus] whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the [Christian] faith among all Nations, for His Name: Revelation Chapter 17 - Mystery Babylon -- "Revelation 17:9-10 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. **The seven heads are seven [Kingdom] mountains, **on which [the seven Global Gentile Kingdoms] the woman [Mystery Babylon] sitteth. **And there are seven kings [Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Pharaoh Akhenaten (Egypt), Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon), Cyrus (Persia), Alexander the Great (Greece), Julius Caesar (Rome), Antichrist (Satan)]: five are fallen, and one (Rome) is [in the Disciple John's day], and the other (Revised Rome) is not yet come; and when he [Antichrist - Satan] cometh, he [7th Global King - Antichrist] must continue a short space."

Revelation 17:1-18 And there came one of the seven Angels which had the seven vials [Great Tribulation - measured bowl judgments of Revelation], and talked with me [Disciple John], saying unto me, Come hither [near]; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the Great Whore [Mystery Babylon] that sitteth upon many waters [people - Nations]: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication [intimacy], and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk [influenced] with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the [Holy] Spirit into the wilderness [an empty place]: and I saw a woman [Mystery Babylon] sit upon a scarlet coloured beast [Revised Roman Empire], full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads [authority of all seven Gentile Global Kingdoms] and ten horns [Revised Rome]. And the woman [Mystery Babylon - spirit of Deception] was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the Saints [of God], and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, *I wondered with great admiration [astonishment]. And the Angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. *The beast [Antichrist] that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. **The seven heads are seven [Kingdom] mountains, **on which [the seven Global Gentile Kingdoms] the woman sitteth. **And there are seven kings [Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Pharaoh Akhenaten (Egypt), Nebuchadnezzar (Babylon), Cyrus (Persia), Alexander the Great (Greece), Julius Caesar (Rome), Antichrist (Satan)]: five are fallen, and one (Rome) is [in the Disciple John's day], and the other (Revised Rome) is not yet come; and when he [Antichrist - Satan] cometh, he [7th Global King - Antichrist] must continue a short space. And the [7th] beast that was, and is not [gets assassinated], even he [then has a fake resurrection] is the eighth, and [but] is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns [Revised Roman Empire (Daniel 7:7)] which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour [a short time] with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast [Antichrist]. These shall make war with the Lamb (Jesus Christ), and the Lamb shall overcome them: for He is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with Him are called, and chosen, and faithful. And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the [manipulating] whore [of false religion], and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled. And the woman which thou sawest is that great {unseen spiritual deception} city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth. [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- The Pre-flood 'dispensation' is one of several human groups or dispensations separated out and grouped together by God as part of a continuing and ongoing work of God in order for God to continually reunite a separated mankind back into His closeness and presence -- "Matthew 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the Kingdom of Heaven [Christian Church Age - New Testament Dispensation] is greater than he [John the Baptist - Old Testament Dispensation]."

Various dispensations are carefully alluded to throughout the Bible including in the New Testament. "1 Corinthians 9:16-18 For though I [a Christian] preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe [misery] is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will [unwillingly], [still] a dispensation [part] of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my [willing] reward then [not money - but fellowship with God]? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel." ... "Ephesians 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times He [God - the Father] might gather together in one all things in [Jesus] Christ, both which are in heaven [Angels], and which are on earth [humans]; even in Him [Jesus Christ]:" - Note: As John the Baptist was greatest among the O.T. Saints in having Divine Messianic Revelation, he was least when compared to the Divine Messianic [Jesus Christ] Revelation that each Christian possesses. Later each Christian has less Divine Messianic [Jesus Christ] Revelation then possibly each of the Martyred Saints of Revelation (Revelation 7:15) and certainly the Christian Church has less Divine Messianic [Jesus Christ] Revelation then any the 144,000 Jewish (Salvation) Firstfruits of Revelation (Revelation 14:3). [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- Apparently there was a breakdown very early after the original creation regarding the patriarchal family structure of one husband and one wife with God as the ultimate head and authority for each family group - Today we have many counterfeit and substitutional family groups; the workplace, friends, political parties, sports teams and even church denominations are all common substitutes for the Divinely sanctioned family group with Jesus Christ remaining the head and authority for each individual

In Cain and Lamech we see the early breakdown of the godly sanctified family as the intended family is being substituted and misused for power, sex, authority and greed. "Genesis 4:17-26 And Cain knew [sexualy] his wife; and she conceived, and bare Enoch {3rd from Adam}: and he [Cain] builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch. And unto Enoch was born Irad: and Irad begat Mehujael: and Mehujael begat Methusael: and Methusael begat Lamech. *And Lamech took unto him two wives: the name of the one was Adah, and the name of the other Zillah. And Adah bare Jabal: he was the father of such as dwell in tents, and of such as have cattle. And his brother's name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal- cain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Naamah. *And Lamech said unto his wives, Adah and Zillah, Hear my voice; ye wives of Lamech, hearken unto my speech: for I have slain a man to my wounding, and a young man to my hurt. If Cain shall be avenged sevenfold, truly Lamech seventy and sevenfold. And Adam knew his wife [Eve] again; and she bare a son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath appointed me another seed (Genesis 3:15) instead of Abel, whom Cain slew. And to Seth, to him also there was born a son; and he called his name Enos: then began men to call [in the hope of the coming Messiah-Redeemer-Seed, Jesus Christ] upon the Name of the LORD." -- The breakdown in the traditional family is restored in the Spiritual family of Christianity with Jesus Christ remaining as the head and authority over the entirety of the Christian Church family. "John 19:26-27 When Jesus therefore saw His mother [Mary], and the disciple [John] standing by, whom He loved (greatest good and highest wellbeing love, Spiritual-emotional, unselfish, non-sexual, eternal love - G25 Agapao, Agape), He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith He (Jesus) to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home." {Note: This event that took place at the crucifixion of Jesus is the structuring of the Christian Church into a Spiritual family. Also Note: This is not an adoption event as adoption has with it a house (i.e. John 14:2, a future adoption event) and Mary went to John's house, permanently precluding adoption (Mary did not adopt John - and the younger does not adopt the elder) Mary went with the Disciple John to his house as a part of a Spiritual, united Christian family.} [link]

Rosetta Stone - British Museum [Home Video] (YouTube)

The Rosetta Stone - From Fort St Julien, el-Rashid (Rosetta), Egypt [Greek] Ptolemaic Period, 196 BC. Valuable key to the decipherment of [ancient Egyptian] hieroglyphs. The inscription on the Rosetta Stone is a decree passed by a council of priests, one of a series that affirm the royal cult of the 13-year-old Ptolemy V on the first anniversary of his coronation. -- In previous years the family of the Ptolemies had lost control of certain parts of the country. It had taken their armies some time to put down opposition in the Delta, and parts of southern Upper Egypt, particularly Thebes, were not yet back under the government's control. -- Before the [Greek] Ptolemaic era (that is before about 332 BC), decrees in hieroglyphs such as this were usually set up by the king. It shows how much things had changed from Pharaonic times that the priests, the only people who had kept the knowledge of writing hieroglyphs, were now issuing such decrees. The list of good deeds done by the king for the temples hints at the way in which the support of the priests was ensured.-- The decree is inscribed on the stone three times, in hieroglyphic (suitable for a priestly decree), demotic (the native script used for daily purposes), and Greek (the language of the administration). The importance of this to Egyptology is immense. Soon after the end of the fourth century AD, when hieroglyphs had gone out of use, the knowledge of how to read and write them disappeared. In the early years of the nineteenth century, some 1400 years later, scholars were able to use the Greek inscription on this stone as the key to decipher them. Thomas Young, an English physicist, was the first to show that some of the hieroglyphs on the Rosetta Stone wrote the sounds of a royal name, that of Ptolemy. The French scholar Jean-François Champollion then realized that hieroglyphs recorded the sound of the Egyptian language and laid the foundations of our knowledge of ancient Egyptian language and culture. -- [French] Soldiers in Napoleon's army discovered the Rosetta Stone in 1799 while digging the foundations of an addition to a fort near the town of el-Rashid (Rosetta). On Napoleon's defeat, the stone became the property of the English under the terms of the Treaty of Alexandria (1801) along with other antiquities that the French had found. -- The Rosetta Stone has been exhibited in the British Museum since 1802, with only one break. Towards the end of the First World War, in 1917, when the Museum was concerned about heavy bombing in London, they moved it to safety along with other, portable, 'important' objects. The Rosetta Stone spent the next two years in a station on the Postal Tube Railway fifty feet below the ground at Holborn. - C.A.R. Andrews, The Rosetta Stone-1 (London, The British Museum Press, 1982) - R. Parkinson, The Rosetta Stone (London, British Museum Press, 2005) - R. Parkinson, Cracking codes: the Rosetta St (London, The British Museum Press, 1999) - C.A.R. Andrews and S. Quirke, The Rosetta Stone: facsimile d (London, The British Museum Press, 1988) - R.S. Simpson, Demotic grammar in the Ptolema (Oxford, Griffith Institute, Ashmolean Museum, 1996). [link]

History of the Rosetta Stone (Youtube)

History of the Rosetta Stone and Israel Archaeology. Randall Niles looks at the importance of Egyptian Hieroglyphics to Biblical Studies. Visit http://www.AllAboutTheJourney.org/isr to read how the history of the Rosetta Stone and other Egyptian artifacts impact the integrity of the Jewish scriptures. Also, go to http://www.RandallNiles.com/videos.htm to watch more videos about the history of the Rosetta Stone and other archaeological treasures related to Israel Archaeology! [link]

History of the Rosetta Stone (Youtube)

History of the Rosetta Stone and Israel Archaeology. Randall Niles looks at the importance of Egyptian Hieroglyphics to Biblical Studies. Visit http://www.AllAboutTheJourney.org/isr to read how the history of the Rosetta Stone and other Egyptian artifacts impact the integrity of the Jewish scriptures. Also, go to http://www.RandallNiles.com/videos.htm to watch more videos about the history of the Rosetta Stone and other archaeological treasures related to Israel Archaeology! [link]

History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Rosetta Stone part 1 of 5 (YouTube)

The Rosetta Stone is an Ancient Egyptian artifact which was instrumental in advancing modern understanding of Egyptian hieroglyphic writing. The stone is a [Greek] Ptolemaic era stele with carved text made up of three translations of a single passage: two in Egyptian language scripts (hieroglyphic and Demotic) and one in classical Greek. **It was created in 196 BC, **discovered by the French [men of Napoléon's army] in 1799 at Rosetta [near the town of el-Rashid (Rosetta) Egypt - Source: BritishMuseum.org] and contributed greatly to the deciphering of the principles of hieroglyph writing in 1822 by the British scientist Thomas Young and the French scholar Jean-François Champollion. Comparative translation of the stone assisted in understanding many previously undecipherable examples of hieroglyphic writing. The text on the stone is a decree from Ptolemy V, describing the repeal of various taxes and instructions to erect statues in temples. Two Egyptian-Greek multilingual steles predated Ptolemy V's Rosetta Stone: Ptolemy III's Decree of Canopus, 239 BC, and Ptolemy IV's Decree of Memphis, ca 218 BC. -- The renaissance translation of Egyptian hieroglyphs in the early 1800s promulgated the immediate three-language translation of the tri-lingual Behistun Inscription in cuneiform scripts, by scaffolding work on the cliff-wall face, before the mid-1800s. Both hieroglyphs and cuneiform were starting a translation revolution, as were the physical sciences of describing fossil evolution. -- The Rosetta Stone is 114.4 centimetres (45.0 in) high at its highest point, 72.3 centimetres (28.5 in) wide, and 27.9 centimetres (11.0 in) thick. It is unfinished on its sides and reverse. Weighing approximately 760 kilograms (1,700 lb), it was originally thought to be granite or basalt but is currently described as granodiorite of a dark grey-pinkish colour. The stone has been on public display at The British Museum since 1802. [link]

History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Rosetta Stone 2 of 5 (YouTube)

Modern-era discovery: In preparation for Napoleon's 1798 campaign in Egypt, the French founded the Institut de l'Égypte in Cairo which brought 167 scientists and archaeologists to the region. French Army engineer Captain Pierre-François Bouchard discovered the stone sometime the sources are not specific in mid-July 1799 (July 15 or July 19), while guiding construction work at Fort Julien near the Egyptian port city of Rashid (Rosetta). The Napoleonic army was so awestruck by this unheralded spectacle that, according to a witness, "It halted of itself and, by one spontaneous impulse, grounded its arms." (As quoted by Robert Claiborne, The Birth of Writing [1974], p. 24.) After Napoleon returned in 1799, 167 scholars remained behind with French troops which held off British and Ottoman attacks. In March 1801, the British landed on Aboukir Bay and scholars carried the Stone from Cairo to Alexandria alongside the troops of Jacques-Francois Menou. French troops in Cairo capitulated on June 22, and in Alexandria on August 30. -- After the surrender, a dispute arose over the fate of French archaeological and scientific discoveries in Egypt. De Menou refused to hand them over, claiming they belonged to the Institute. British General John Hely-Hutchinson, 2nd Earl of Donoughmore, refused to relieve the city until de Menou gave in. Newly arrived scholars Edward Daniel Clarke and William Richard Hamilton agreed to check the collections in Alexandria and found many artifacts that the French had not revealed. -- When Hutchinson claimed all materials as a property of the British Crown, a French scholar, Étienne Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, said to Clarke and Hamilton that they would rather burn all their discoveries - referring ominously to the destruction of the Library of Alexandria - than turn them over. Hutchinson finally agreed that items such as biology specimens would be the scholars' private property. De Menou regarded the stone as his private property and hid it. How exactly the Stone came to British hands is disputed. Colonel Tomkyns Hilgrove Turner, who escorted the stone to Britain, claimed later that he had personally seized it from de Menou and carried it away on a gun carriage. Clarke stated in his memoirs that a French scholar and an officer had quietly given up the stone to him and his companions in a Cairo back street. French scholars departed later with only imprints and plaster casts of the stone. Turner brought the stone to Britain aboard the captured French frigate HMS Egyptienne in February 1802. On March 11, it was presented to the Society of Antiquaries of London and Stephen Weston played a major role in the early translation. Later it was taken to the British Museum, where it remains to this day. Inscriptions painted in white on the artifact state "Captured in Egypt by the British Army in 1801" on the left side and "Presented by King George III" on the right. [link]

History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Rosetta Stone 3 of 5 (YouTube)

Experts inspecting the Rosetta Stone during the International Congress of Orientalists of 1874In 1814, Briton Thomas Young finished translating the enchorial (demotic) text, and began work on the hieroglyphic script. From 1822 to 1824 the French scholar, philologist, and orientalist Jean-François Champollion greatly expanded on this work and is credited as the principal translator of the Rosetta Stone. Champollion could read both Greek and Coptic, and figured out what the seven Demotic signs in Coptic were. By looking at how these signs were used in Coptic, he worked out what they meant. Then he traced the Demotic signs back to hieroglyphic signs. By working out what some hieroglyphs stood for, he transliterated the text from the Demotic (or older Coptic) and Greek to the hieroglyphs by first translating Greek names which were originally in Greek, then working towards ancient names that had never been written in any other language. Champollion then created an alphabet to decipher the remaining text. -- In 1858, the Philomathean Society of the University of Pennsylvania published the first complete English translation of the Rosetta Stone as accomplished by three of its undergraduate members: Charles R Hale, S Huntington Jones, and Henry Morton. [link]

History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Rosetta Stone 4 of 5 (YouTube)

In essence, the Rosetta Stone is a tax amnesty given to the temple priests of the day, restoring the tax privileges they had traditionally enjoyed from more ancient times. Some scholars speculate that several copies of the Rosetta Stone must exist, as yet undiscovered, since this proclamation must have been made at many temples. The complete Greek portion, translated into English, is about 16001700 words in length, and is about 20 paragraphs long (average of 80 words per paragraph): -- In the reign of the new king who was Lord of the diadems, great in glory, the stabilizer of Egypt, but also pious in matters relating to the gods, superior to his adversaries, rectifier of the life of men, Lord of the thirty-year periods like Hephaestus the Great, King like the Sun, the Great King of the Upper and Lower Lands, offspring of the Parent-loving gods, whom Hephaestus has approved, to whom the Sun has given victory, living image of Zeus, Son of the Sun, Ptolemy the ever-living, beloved by Ptah; In the ninth year, when Aëtus, son of Aëtus, was priest of Alexander and of the Savior gods and the Brother gods and the Benefactor gods and the Parent-loving gods and the god Manifest and Gracious; Pyrrha, the daughter of Philinius, being athlophorus for Bernice Euergetis; Areia, the daughter of Diogenes, being canephorus for Arsinoë Philadelphus; Irene, the daughter of Ptolemy, being priestess of Arsinoë Philopator: on the fourth of the month Xanicus, or according to the Egyptians the eighteenth of Mecheir. -- THE DECREE: The high priests and prophets, and those who enter the inner shrine in order to robe the gods, and those who wear the hawk's wing, and the sacred scribes, and all the other priests who have assembled at Memphis before the king, from the various temples throughout the country, for the feast of his receiving the kingdom, even that of Ptolemy the ever-living, beloved by Ptah, the god Manifest and Gracious, which he received from his Father, being assembled in the temple in Memphis this day, declared: Since King Ptolemy, the ever-living, beloved by Ptah, the god Manifest and Gracious, the son of King Ptolemy and Queen Arsinoë, the Parent-loving gods, has done many benefactions to the temples and to those who dwell in them, and also to all those subject to his rule, being from the beginning a god born of a god and a goddess-like Horus, the son of Isis and Osirus, who came to the help of his Father Osirus; being benevolently disposed toward the gods, has concentrated to the temples revenues both of silver and of grain, and has generously undergone many expenses in order to lead Egypt to prosperity and to establish the temples... the gods have rewarded him with health, victory, power, and all other good things, his sovereignty to continue to him and his children forever. [link]

History Channel - Ancient Mysteries - The Rosetta Stone 5 of 5 (YouTube)

The term Rosetta Stone came to be used by philologists to describe any bilingual text with whose help a hitherto unknown language and/or script could be deciphered. For example, the bilingual coins of the Indo-Greeks (Obverse in Greek, reverse in Pali, using the Kharosthi script), which enabled James Prinsep (1799-1840) to decipher the latter. -- Later on, the term gained a wider frequency, also outside the field of linguistics, and has become idiomatic as something that is a critical key to the process of decryption or translation of a difficult encoding of information: "The Rosetta Stone of immunology" and "Arabidopsis, the Rosetta Stone of flowering time (fossils)". An algorithm for predicting protein structure from sequence is named Rosetta@home. In molecular biology, a series of "Rosetta" bacterial cell lines have been developed that contain a number of TRNA genes that are rare in E. coli but common in other organisms, enabling the efficient translation of DNA from those organisms in E. coli. "Rosetta" is an online language translation tool to help localisation of software, developed and maintained by Canonical as part of the Launchpad project. "Rosetta" is the name of a "lightweight dynamic translator" distributed for Mac OS X by Apple. Rosetta enables applications compiled for PowerPC processor to run on Apple systems using x86 processor. Rosetta Stone is a brand of language learning software published by Rosetta Stone Ltd., headquartered in Arlington, VA, USA. The Rosetta Project is a global collaboration of language specialists and native speakers to develop a contemporary version of the historic Rosetta Stone to last from 2000 to 12,000 AD. Its goal is a meaningful survey and near permanent archive of 1,500 languages. [link]

The London Walks [Brief - Ancient Kingdoms] British Museum Tour (YouTube)

Award winning London Walks tour of The British Museum. [link]

The History of the World Mega-Pack Curriculum 10 DVDs, 5 Audio Albums [52 CDs], and 1 Study Guide - *Jerusalem and Athens: Antithesis Between Hebrew and Greek Cultures by Douglas W. Phillips {Highly Recommended} - The Message of the Mayas by Douglas W. Phillips {Also Highly Recommended} - ($171.00)

Vision Forum is pleased to introduce its most comprehensive collection of world history resources ever made available online. Featuring six separate titles on 10 DVDs and 52 CDs, and totaling more than sixty-three hours of combined audio and video resources, the History of the World MegaPack provides teachers, students, and those who love the study of history with a superior understanding of world history from a distinctly Christian perspective. History is meaningless unless it is interpreted through the lens of biblical Christianity, God's revealed Word, that speaks to every subject and academic discipline. Through this lens, a student of history can accurately evaluate art, warfare, music, literature, and theology as he strives to learn from the past and apply this knowledge now in the real world. Accordingly, Vision Forum's History of the World MegaPack contains far more than just abstract dates and data. Rather, it teaches of the relationships between biblical chronology, weather, warfare, technology, art, theology, law, the sociology of the family, and much more - all within the context of a providential understanding of earth history. Featuring engaging and accessible lectures from some of the most outstanding Christian historians and scholars of our day, the History of the World MegaPack is a powerful tool for anyone seeking to understand and/or teach a biblical perspective on world history. Perfect for teachers, students, and all who desire to learn from the lessons of His Story. [link]

Part 1 of 2: Authorship of the Bible - The Old Testament (via an Earthly Initiation) -- Written by Moses given directly *earthly location from YHWH (Jesus) "Exodus 33:11 And the LORD [YHWH - Jesus] spake unto Moses [the first five books (Pentateuch) of the Bible including the O.T. Law] face to face [on earth - in the Tabernacle], as a man speaketh unto his friend. And he [Moses] turned [returned] again [after writing O.T Bible for the day] into the camp [of the 12 Tribes of Israel]: but his servant Joshua, the son of Nun, a young man, [stayed - guarded] departed not out of the Tabernacle."

The O.T. Law was completed via Moses: "Deuteronomy 31:24-26 And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this [O.T.] Law in a Book [Pentateuch - first five books of the Bible - Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy], until they [Laws] were finished [Joshua concluded the book of Deuteronomy after the death of Moses], That Moses commanded the Levites [Priests], which bare the Ark of the Covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the Law, and put it in the side [inside] of the Ark of the Covenant [as a Temple Scroll - not as the public Bible Scriptures that would come later - The Bible Scriptures of today are the ancient Temple Scrolls complied [some genealogies reduced - some events changed from historical odrer in the Bible to a Biblical, bad to worse O.T. teaching oder] during the captivity in Babylon (Daniel 10:21, Matthew 21:42, Matthew 22:29, Matthew 26:54)] of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. [link]

Part 2 of 2: Authorship of the Bible - The New Testament (via a Heavenly Initiation) -- Written by the N.T. Apostles given directly *Heavenly from YHWH (Holy Spirit) on behalf of Jesus Christ "John 1:17 For the [O.T.] Law was given [earthly] by Moses, but Grace and Truth came [Heavenly] by Jesus Christ. No man [not even Moses] hath seen God [YHWH - Father God] at any time; the only begotten Son [Jesus], which is in the bosom [presence] of the Father, He [Jesus from Heaven] hath declared Him [God the Father]." -- "John 10:18 No man taketh it [Life] from Me [Jesus], but I lay it down of Myself. *I [Jesus] have power to lay it down, and I [Jesus] have [resurrection] power to take it again. **This commandment have I *received of My Father." - "John 16:12-16 I [Jesus] have yet many things to say unto you [12 Apostles], but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when He, the [Holy] Spirit of Truth, is come, He will guide you into all Truth: **for He [Holy Spirit] shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear [in Heaven from Jesus], that shall He [Holy Spirit] speak [to the Apostles]: and He will shew you things to come. *He shall glorify Me [Jesus]: for He [Holy Spirit] shall receive of Mine, and shall shew it unto you [Apostles and all Christians]. All things that the Father [God] hath are Mine: therefore said I, that He [Holy Spirit] shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. A little while [cross], and ye shall not see Me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see Me [resurrection], because I [Live and] go to the Father [in Heaven]."

The N.T. Bible was completed via the N.T. Apostles: Hebrews 12:25-29 See that ye [people] refuse not Him [Jesus, Holy Spirit, Father God] that speaketh. For if they [Congregation of Moses] escaped not who refused him [Moses] that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from Him [Jesus] that speaketh from Heaven: (Jesus) Whose voice then [Mt. Sinai] shook the earth: but now He hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also Heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made [by man], that those things [of God] which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a [eternal Heavenly] Kingdom [from God] which cannot be moved, let us have *grace [individuality in God's truth and righteousness], whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire [removing sin]." - "2 Timothy 3:16-17 All scripture [O.T. Prophets and N.T. Apostles] is given by inspiration (Lit. God's breath - G2315) of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man [disciple] of God may be perfect [complete], throughly furnished unto all good works." [link]

Prophet, Seer, Apostle, 144,000 Witnesses [the coming Dispensation of Revelation Tribulation with the 144,000 Jewish witnesses (i.e. announcers, forerunners - Prophets, Seers, Apostles) for the 1,000 year Kingdom Reign on earth of Jesus Christ] -- 'Matthew 11:13 For all the [O.T.] prophets and the law prophesied [of the coming Messiah - Jesus Christ] until John [the Baptist - the last O.T. prophet]. And if ye [Spiritual Church] will receive it, this [John the Baptist] is [Spiritual] Elias (Elijah) [Elijah - "Elohim is my God"], which was [announcer, forerunner - of Christ] for to come. -- '1 Corinthians 15:8 And last of all He [resurrected Jesus Christ] was seen of me [last N.T. Apostle - Apostle Paul] also, as of one born out of due time.' -- 'Ephesians 2:19-22 Now therefore ye [Gentiles] are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the [Jewish] Saints, and of the Household of God; And are built upon *the foundation of the [N.T.] Apostles and [O.T.] Prophets, **Jesus Christ Himself being the Chief [foundation] Corner Stone; In [Jesus Christ] whom all the [Temple] building fitly framed together groweth unto an Holy Temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation [living place] of God through the [Holy] Spirit.' - {Note: The Prophets prophesied of the coming Messiah (Christ) and wrote the Old Testament of the Bible with the words of their prophecies. Then with the actual arrival of the Messiah (Jesus Christ) the O.T. prophecy was completed (in John the Baptist) and scripture authority was then given to the Apostles who were in the actual presence of Jesus Christ and it was the Apostles [not Prophets] who wrote the Kingdom of God instructions in Righteousness of Jesus Christ - the New Testament. Also Note: This is Not replacement theology - the 'Spiritual Church' (seperate from physical [redeemed] Israel) began at the giving of the Spirit of Jesus after His resurrection on Resurrection Sunday [Easter Sunday] and continues until the 'Rapture' taking of the Spiritual Church into heaven. Then with the Spiritual Church removed from the earth the events of Revelation revert almost exclusively to physical events and physical [redeemed] Israel -- the only or primarily 'spiritual' events of Revelation Tribulation are the counterfeit spiritual events of the Antichrist. Also Note: We are currently in the 'Church Age' [not the Prophet, Apostle or 144,000 Dispensation or Age] the Church Age started after the Apostles [Disciples of Jesus] with the Church Fathers [disciples of the Apostles] i.e. Polycarp of Smyrna, Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch.}

Seer: The Seer was part of a short distinct time period in the history of Israel and came from the office of the Prophets. The office of Seer took place during the unique time period of Israel when God was their King. With God in the midst of Israel He was no longer Prophesied about but was seen by the Seer. This time period began after the Passover and upon leaving Egypt. Exodus 13:17 "God led them" He could be Seen leading the new Nation of Israel out of Egypt and into the Promise Land. In those days everyone in Israel could See God as He appeared in a pillar of Cloud by day and in a pillar of Fire by night. The Seer time period lasted from the Egypt Exodus throughout the wilderness into the Promise Land including the time period of the Judges and until the regretful moment when Israel as a Nation rejected the leadership of God and chose for themselves an earthly king named Saul ('asked for') so they could be like all of the other nations around them and like all of the other nations they could no longer see God in their midst. With the anointing and placing of Saul into the office of King the brief Seer period of Israel reverted back to the prophet period and remains the prophet period for Israel until this day. "1 Samuel 10:17-19 And ye have this day rejected your God." As that day they were anointing Saul King. The Church however has God as King and is at times in a position of a Seer. "Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God." As the "Born Again" "Pure in Heart" Church we at times do get to glimpse and to see God at work as He leads and directs our path into His righteousness. There are times that are just too Compassionate, to Divine and to Miraculous to be anything but the occurrence of God. It is only the Christian that is equipped and able to be a Seer into these very special moments in life [with God].... [link]

Background - The 8 Kingdoms Study: The 7 worldly Kingdoms starting with Nimrod and the Tower of Babel cumulate in the coming Kingdom of Antichrist, Satan's reign on earth and is replaced by the Millennial (1,000 year) Kingdom of Jesus Christ - The Bibles' Book of Daniel [chapter 2] gives us the most information regarding both the structure and sequence of the 8 Kingdoms

Structure of the Kingdoms: The Jewish prophet Daniel interprets a dream from the Babylonian King [3rd Kingdom] Nebuchadnezzar. In the dream given from God to Nebuchadnezzar there is a statue that is presented in diminishing prominence [diminishing occult value]. The statue in the dream has a head of gold, a chest of silver, belly and thighs of brass, legs of iron and finally feet of part iron and part clay. - Meaning that as Satan is forming and building his eventual Antichrist Kingdom it [deception - the submission/slavery of mankind to Satan] is being accomplished primarily in seven predetermined and calculated events. According to the dream given by God the events [concepts] that Satan is introducing into the human realm are diminishing in importance to Satan. The earlier Kingdoms revealed the most necessary concepts and accomplishments that Satan desired to use to build his coming Kingdom. Meaning that the [major] building blocks [of deception] for the coming Antichrist Kingdom are already in place and have been in place for several Millenniums and what is being accomplished now is the final tuning and implementation of an occult structure that already exists and has existed for a very long time. According to the dream with the 'head of gold' etc. the big shifts in human behavior and deception have already occurred and the future and final Antichrist deception is not going to be a radically new element but simply an element that was already exposed [primarily in the 1st Kingdom - the Kingdom of Nimrod] and a combining of all the existing elements of deception into the one grand deception of Antichrist. - The dream given to King Nebuchadnezzar is in the 3rd Kingdom and begins with the head of gold but by the time of the Babylonian Kingdom of King Nebuchadnezzar there have already been two Kingdoms [Nimrod and Egypt] and each of the two previous [occult] Kingdoms would have been more important [valuable] than even the head of gold of the Babylonian Kingdom. -- An etching in one of the anchor stones of Noah's Ark represents Nimrod's Tower of Babel and an accompanying etching in the shape of a diamond is thought to represent Nimrod himself. Diamonds being more valuable than gold [and considered the most valuable commodity on earth] could very well have been the occult element of the Tower of Babel, Kingdom of Nimrod. - Briefly, diamonds [diamond ring] even today represent an engagement of a pending marriage [a necklace representing marriage, a bracelet representing friendship]. It's possible that the Tower (Temple) of Babel [the most significant occult event initiated from Satan to mankind - and still instituted today in a minor form in the LDS/Mormon cult rituals of Temple ordinances and marriages] was intended to be the demonic mating [marriage] between the human soul/spirit and the demonic spirit/realm [physically expressed in DNA (animal and human) gene-splicing] in what will eventually be accomplished in the coming 666 Antichrist Mark of the Beast. In short the Tower (Temple) of Babel was a Satanic ritual [passage] that 'engaged' (espoused) mankind to a future wedding [666 union] with Demonic spirits. [link]

Note: The Basic Christian Info Feed is going to begin to transition out of the Summer 2010 Discernment [events] postings and into the Fall 2010 Bible Studies: "The Fall Feasts of Israel" (Second Coming events of Jesus Christ), "Human accountability and the ***Three Biblical Judgments" [Water, Blood and Fire (Spirit)], "The Vagabond Priesthood," and "The 8 Kingdoms of the World" studies

Also Note: Throughout the remainder of August there are going to be a few more pauses and breaks to the postings and then by early September a new posting routine with the Bible Studies should be getting established. ~ God bless everyone, David Anson Brown [link]

Basic Christian: blog History Study - The 8 Kingdoms of the World (PDF)

Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, [Revised Rome - NWO] Antichrist, Millennial (1,000 year) Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ. [link]

Coming Soon: blog History Study - The 8 Kingdoms of the World (RSS)

Nimrod, Egypt, Babylon, Persia, Greece, Rome, [Revised Rome] Antichrist, Millennial (1,000 year) Kingdom Reign of Jesus Christ. [link]

Update [Continuing]: The postings, Information and Resources regarding the 8 Kingdoms Study - The study will continue until about the Christmas Holiday Season

Also Note: The current introductory material of the 8 Kingdoms Study [Days of Noah - Flood of Noah (ancient earth 1.0 - and then the new present post flood 2.0 earth - 2 Peter 3:6) Kingdom of Nimrod (Tower of Babel), Days of Job, Hammurabi, Abraham, *King Melchizedek, Kingdom of Egypt] is being presented in a merged fashion because it is important to note and to grasp that the early Kingdoms, with the exception of [called out] Abraham and [Divine - Eternal] Melchizedek were all merged. Once we can get ahold of the concept that the ancient civilizations were a continuing and ongoing concentration of the same [occult] work and teachings then we can more easily understand the environment of the ancient civilizations and apply it to our day in that we are also living in a modern environment that has been handed down via the previous 6 occult Kingdoms of the world and [Mystery Babylon - the fallen angelic realm (Revelation 17:5)] is steadily working to bring in and enact the 7th and final occult Kingdom [NWO] of the human world. -- Soon, as the study progresses all the introduction material will be grouped and categorized [like the blog Bible Study] into an easy to access list of Topics. [link]

Update: Between now and the Christmas Holiday we still have a lot of material to go through regarding the 8 Kingdoms study [and we might not get it all in before Christmas] - Just as important and as intended as it is for this study to make a real difference in the lives of individual people is it is actually just as important that people make a real significant difference in their own Church

[Winter Walkout 2010] This Holiday season it is going to be extremely important for each of us to grow individually in our own Christian faith in Jesus Christ but now do to the strange times we live in we also have to equally scrutinize the Pulpits of America and ensure that the sure Word of Jesus Christ is going forth from the pulpits and not in any way the whimsical desires and teachings of perverse men. Therefor in going to Church this Holiday Season don't blindly donate money - in fact don't give any money at all if church finances and expenditures are not publically available for all to see and assess - and just as important - hold the person in the pulpit accountable! - If teaching from the pulpit becomes greedy or New Age [Emergent] or in any way departs from the simple message of Jesus Christ then make a statement in Church - challenge the Pastor or simply walk out mid-sermon - if every time a pastor starts preaching about tithing or introducing false Emergent [New Age] doctrines into the message and people in the congregation start getting up and walking out mid-sermon then it will send an undeniable message not just to the leadership of the church but also to everyone, visitor and longstanding congregants alike. Then the next week if something is again amiss and coming from the pulpit in error then walk out of the service again it's really that simple, effective, nessiccary and easy to do. -- "Ezekiel 12:1-3 The word of the LORD also came unto me, saying, Son of man (Ezekiel), thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not: for they are a rebellious house. *Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff for removing, **and remove by day ***in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight: it may be they will consider [and change their ways], though they be a rebellious house." [link]

Update: Being in the Jewish Hanukkah (Chanukah) Festival Season already - The historical Hanukkah events are an offshoot of Greece, Alexander the Great's 5th global Kingdom of mankind

In the weeks before Christmas 2010 it might be a good idea to study some of the 5th Empire - the Kingdom of Greece, Alexander the Great then take a brief look at Rome the 6th Kingdom the Kingdom during the life and events of Jesus Christ on earth. Then with Christmas belonging to Jesus Christ we will spend the week or two before Christmas celebrating the coming 8th Kingdom the Righteous, Eternal Kingdom Reign of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that begins on earth for 1,000 years then transitions into eternity with a New Heaven (sky) and a New Earth (Revelation 21:1-7). [link]

~Update: The Basic Christian Info Feed will be on a short break until about the 1st of October - Returning with the scheduled "8 Kingdoms of the World" study

Note: Because of the current pause in the Info Feed the material recently posted [Rosetta Stone, Tower of Babble, Nimrod] regarding the 8 Kingdoms study has been posted as introduction and background material to the coming 8 Kingdoms study. When the Info Feed resumes about Oct. 1st the plan is to first finish up a pending study and then to do a short background study in "The Days of Noah" then to actually get started with the 8 Kingdoms study starting with the 1st global Kingdom, the Tower of Babel and Nimrod. ~ God bless everyone, David Anson Brown [link]

Note: Monday - back to blogging and very excited about it!

Topics for this week: First some Bible verses that have been important guidance [the equality of God, the righteousness of God, the Holiness of God and the independence of God] for the Basic Christian Ministry are going to be posted. Then a wrap-up for this year regarding the Jewish Fall Feast Days. Also a completion of the study of generational sin [all children are conceived and born in the original sin of Adam and Eve and also have received at conception some of the accumulated sins of the previous 3 or 4 generations]. Then content about the current state of Presidential politics [Basic Christian is not going to blog either the 2010 or the 2012 elections] and the current merging of politics and the New World Order (NWO) [7th Kingdom] system. Then the beginning/resuming of the 8 Kingdoms of the World Study picking up again with Nimrod [1st Kingdom] and the [Kingdom] Tower of Babel and including in the study a study and background regarding "The Days of Noah." --- Also the new Basic Christian resource BasicChristian.air is now available and is recommended for download and use, some help and information about the file will be provided this week as well. ~ God bless everyone, David Anson Brown [link]

Overview: The cross of Jesus and the Triune witness of Jesus' Spirit, blood and water each released from the physical body of Jesus while He was on the cross -- "Colossians 1:19-23 For it pleased the Father [God] that in Him [Jesus] should all fulness dwell [manifest to mankind]; And, **having made peace through the blood of His cross, by Him [Jesus] **to reconcile all things unto Himself [God - Father, Son Jesus, Holy Spirit]; by Him [Jesus], I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in Heaven. **And you [Gentiles, sinners], that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, *yet now hath He [Jesus] reconciled in the body of His flesh [Spirit, blood, water] through death, to present you Holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight: If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature [by the Holy Spirit, since Pentecost] which is under heaven; whereof I [Apostle] Paul am made a Minister;"

"John 19:26-30 When Jesus therefore saw His mother [Mary], and the disciple [John] standing by [the cross], whom He loved [G25 (Agape) - highest love, Spiritual, non-sexual], He saith unto His mother, Woman, behold thy son [in Christian fellowship]! Then saith He to the disciple [John], Behold thy mother [in Christian fellowship]! And from that hour that disciple took her [in Christian fellowship] unto his own home. After this, **Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the [bitter drink] vinegar, He said, It is finished: and He bowed His head, and ***gave up the ghost [G4151(Pneuma) - Spirit, Holy Ghost, Spirit of God - source: Srong's Concordance]." -- "John 19:34-35 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His [Jesus'] side, and forthwith came there out {the global Judgment, global Testimony and global Salvation of} *blood and *water. And he (Disciple John) *that saw it bare record [testimony], and his [testimony] record is true: **and he knoweth that he saith true, ***that ye [individuals] might believe [salvation]." -- "1 John 5:7-9 For there are *three (triune) that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear *witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood [from the cross of Jesus]: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, *the witness [Spirit, water, blood - from the cross of Jesus] of God is greater: for this is the witness of God [from the cross] which He hath testified of His Son [Jesus Christ]." [link]

Genesis 12-14 - Abraham comes back from Egypt and Returns to Bethel (House of God) in the Promise land (Israel) - Abraham and his Nephew Lot come to an amenable parting of the ways - Lot seeing with his eyes chooses to dwell near Sodom while Abraham choosing to dwell with God moves to Hebron [near modern Jerusalem] - Abraham was to arise and walk through the land 'Genesis 13:17 Arise, walk through the land in the length of it and in the breadth of it; for I will give it unto thee' - to take possession and appropriate the promises of God into his life - Later Abraham meets **Melchizedek King of Righteousness and Peace the **Priest of the Most High God "Genesis 14:18 And Melchizedek [Spirit of God] King of Salem (Peace) brought forth [Communion] bread (body of Jesus) and wine (mingled grape (blood) and water): and He was the Priest of the most high God." - Abraham [Father of the Jewish Nation] gives a tithe a tenth of all he owns to Melchizedek - Melchizedek blesses Abraham - 'Genesis 14:22 And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand [in praise and worship] unto the LORD, The Most High God, The Possessor Of Heaven And Earth'

Melchizedek the name means King of Righteousness and Peace, He is the Priest of the Most High God. This is the first mention of a Priest in the Bible. The idea of a priest comes from the conciseness of the Holiness of God and of the sinfulness of man, in order for a man to touch God to go into the presence of the Holy God man will need a mediator a go between, a priest. The ministry of the priest was twofold the priest was to go before God for the people and then the priest [or a prophet] would return and tell the people a message from God if there was one. - Melchizedek's birth is not recorded and his death is not yet recorded because Melchizedek is eternal, without genealogy and without death He lives on forever 'Hebrews 7:3 [Melchizedek] Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest Continually.' ... 'Psalms 110:4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou (Jesus Christ) art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.' Jesus is our [Christian, heavenly] High Priest after the order of Melchizedek not after the earthly Levitical/Aaronic priesthood. The episode of Melchizedek was enacted into the Bible's history of the Old testament to reveal to mankind even before the establishing of the Levitical/Aaronic priesthood that mankind would know that there is indeed a better priesthood a holy, eternal, established priesthood of Melchizedek. As Jesus reigns He is Melchizedek "The LORD, The Most High God, The Possessor Of Heaven And Earth." [link]

Genesis 40-41 - The King's butler (cup bearer) and the Kings baker were suspected in a plot to kill the King of Egypt and were imprisoned with Joseph until the details of the plot could be sorted out - The butler and the baker each had a dream - Joseph was able to correctly interpret each of their dreams -- 'Genesis 40:8 And they said unto him, We have dreamed a dream, and there is no interpreter of it - And Joseph said unto them, Do not interpretations belong to God? tell me them, I pray you' -- Later Joseph is brought from the prison to interpret a dream for Pharaoh after correctly interpreting the dream Joseph is installed by the Pharaoh to be the second ruler over all of Egypt in order to carry out the interpretation of the dream - An Egyptian wife is chosen for Joseph and she [Asenath] bares him two sons Manasseh and Ephraim both of which will receive inheritances in Israel as Jacob awards Joseph a double portion of land in Israel with his double portion of blessings

Note: Melchizedec the Priest of the Most High God introduced bread and wine (communion) into the Bible. In keeping with Biblical consistency we now again have the bread [cross] and the wine [resurrection] in the illustration of the king's baker [bread] - and the king's butler/cup bearer [wine]. The baker as was according to his dream from God was broken, he was executed. The butler as was according to his dream, also given to him by God, was restored the third day being freed from prison he is sent into the presence of the Kingdom's King handing a cup of wine (vine) to the King. - The communion bread and the communion wine of Jesus Christ: The bread represents the body of Jesus 'broken for us' and the wine represents the life blood of Jesus in the New Eternal covenant between God and mankind. 'Matthew 26:26-28 And as they (disciples) were eating [Passover], Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My Body. And He took the cup (grape of the vine), and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it [be connected to Jesus Christ the true Vine]; For this is My Blood [eternal Life, the eternal living covenant] of the New Testament (Covenant), which is shed for many for the remission of sins.' - Also Note: Once Benjamin [Christian Church] comes into the Kingdom presence of Joseph and meets Him face to face Joseph [Jesus] calls Benjamin 'My Son'. 'Genesis 43:29 And he [Joseph] lifted up his eyes, and saw his brother Benjamin [Christian Church], his mother's (Rachael's) son, and said, Is this your younger brother, of whom ye spake unto Me? And He said, God be gracious unto thee, My Son. [link]

Creation Earth 1.0 (Adam - Noah) -- Earth 2.0 (Noah - Revelation) -- Earth 3.0 (Millennial Kingdom reign of Jesus Christ) -- Earth 4.0 (unjudged, eternal earth)

Earth 1.0 the original creation earth was a water vapor based environment and had the dual [water below the earth, vapor - water canopy above the earth, firmament] witness of water witnessing of God's creation. Water [life giving water - womb (John 3:5)] was then the witnessing element that then judged the original earth. - Earth 2.0 our present earth is under the [prophesied and enacted] Life givng (Matthew 26:28) and Judgment blood (Revelation 6:12, Revelation 8:7-8, Revelation 11:6) of Jesus Christ. - Earth 3.0 the restored Millennial earth [final judged earth] having the [spirit (life) and fire (judgment)] presence of Jesus during the Kingdom, Millennial reign of Jesus Christ, the earth (3.0) will be judged by fire [spirit]. Resulting in the final, eternal [earth 4.0] the final earth not being judged is the eternal earth. -- "2 Peter 3:5-7 For this [unbelief of Word of God - Biblical prophecy] they willingly are ignorant of, that by the Word of God the heavens were of old, and the [1.0] earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the [1.0] world that then was, being [judged] overflowed with water [Noah's flood], perished: But the [2.0] heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same Word [of God - prophecies] are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of [3.0] judgment and perdition of ungodly men." -- "2 Peter 3:11-14 Seeing then that all these things [earth 2.0] shall be dissolved [judgment 3.0], what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements [earth 3.0] shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His Promise, look for New Heavens [skies] and a New Earth [eternal - earth 4.0], **wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him (Jesus Christ) in peace, without spot, and blameless." [link]

Preview: The Biblical triune (3 in 1) nature [testimony, salvation, judgment] of the water, blood and Spirit (also represented in breath, wind, fire) that are each freely offered and given from God to all of mankind globally as a witness of sin (and eventually as a judgment against sin), a testimony of the once physical presence of Jesus Christ and as an eternal remedy for our own individual Salvation

Where the Apostle Peter's significant life changing event during his time with Jesus seemed to be at the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:1-8, 2 Peter 1:16-18) the Apostle John's significant life changing event with Jesus seems to have been at the cross (John 19:34-35, 1 John 5:7-9) when Jesus was pierced by the Roman spear and the blood and water poured out from the wound in Jesus' side. The Apostle John then regards the presence of the Spirit and the separation of the blood and water coming out from Jesus as a witness, a judgment, and a testimony of salvation for all of mankind. When the Basic Christian blog History study returns in about a week we will Biblically look into the blood, water and fire (spirit), testimonies and judgments of the Bible from throughout the Old Testament starting in Genesis and continuing consistently throughout the entire Bible then concluding in book of Revelation [the sin of Adam and Eve and the shedding of blood, the flood of Noah, the Aaronic Priesthood, the Last Supper Communion, the atoning cross of Jesus Christ, the Resurrection of Jesus and birth (Alpha) of the Christian Church, the Pentecost global Spirit empowerment and witness, the calling home into heaven by Jesus the rapture (Omega) of the Christian Church, Revelation-Tribulation]. -- "John 19:34-35 But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced His [Jesus'] side, and forthwith came there out {the global Judgment, global Testimony and global Salvation of} *blood and *water. And he (Disciple John) *that saw it bare record [testimony], and his [testimony] record is true: **and he knoweth that he saith true, ***that ye [individuals] might believe [salvation]." -- "1 John 5:7-9 For there are *three (triune) that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear *witness in earth, the spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, *the witness [Spirit, water, blood] of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which He hath testified of His Son [Jesus Christ]." [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- "Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven [sky] and the earth." - Christian Creationism vs. Secular Evolution

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven (sky) and the earth. - It is only through creation and not by means of evolution that people can be "created in the image of God" therefore creation is the very heart of the plan of God. "Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image ..." Either people are created and are therefore in the image of God making us capable of fellowship and able to have a relationship with God or we are involved in some random evolution process in a random universe that is without meaning and ultimately is totally useless. "Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every Nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made (created) heaven, and earth' ..." [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- BasicChristian.org: Article Introduction - The 7 physical and spiritual realms as unfolded in the 7 Days of the Genesis creation model {the 8th realm being God's realm of unrestricted eternity}

Humans exist in and are limited to the first three physical dimensions (length, height, width) and also the fourth dimension (restriction) of time. The spiritual realm of demons, angels and in part the coming Antichrist exists in the less restricted 5th and 6th dimensions. In fact the coming Antichrist is going to bring down or "contact" the 5th and 6th dimensions and infuse 4th dimensional human beings with 5th dimensional demons [Nephilim spirits] and 6th dimensional fallen [Satanic] angelic spirit beings consequently orchestrating 5th and 6th dimensional miracles and signs and wonders in order to deceive mankind. Note: So who is Melchizedek? Melchizedek is the manifestation [into our human realms] of the infinite dimensional (infinite dimensions - no restrictions - unrestricted) God in Person. Melchizedek is God the Holy Spirit in Person. Melchizedek is the Order of the Holy Spirit Priesthood. -- Also Note: In the Basic Christian article "Who is Melchizedek?" the 8 dimensions (restrictions) are listed in conjunction with the original creation week (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and are categorized as follows: 1. Length [Day one creation - light separated [Judgment] (length) from darkness] 2. Height [Day two creation - divided the waters above from the waters below] 3. Width [Day three creation - dry land and plants] 4. Time [Day four creation - sun, moon, stars for times and seasons] 5. Demonic [Nephilim spirits] - demons [Day five creation - fish from the waters below, birds from the waters above] 6. Angelic - Holy Angels and also Satan with all of his fallen angels [Day six creation - land animals and humans (pre-fall) - humans the highest part of creation created separate and above the animals and equal to the angels but with sin mankind fell from the 6th dimension to the 4th dimension, in fact with the sin of mankind all of creation also fell from its original creation status] 7. Human Salvation redeemed by the blood, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ [Day seven creation - Rest] 8. Unrestricted [outside of creation] - The only Unrestricted, Eternal, Wise, ∞ Infinite, Almighty God consisting of God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. -- "Genesis 2:4 These are the generations [dimensions] of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens ..." [link]

The Days of Noah

As The Days of Noah Were - Luke 17:26: "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man"

The Reason for the Flood: It was the infusion of these strange (demonic) beings into the human predicament that brought on the Flood of Noah. The Flood was preceded by four generations of prophets/preachers warning of the coming judgment: Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. It seems that this was part of Satan's stratagem to corrupt the line of Adam to prevent the fulfillment of the Messianic redemption. Noah was apparently unique in that his genealogy was still uncorrupted. The strange events which led to the flood are also alluded to in ancient mythologies. The legends of the Greek "titans"---partly terrestrial, partly celestial---embrace these same memories. (The Greek titan is linguistically linked to the Chaldean sheitan, and the Hebrew satan.) [link]

WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THE PRE-FLOOD EARTH? A Key To Understanding The Pre-Flood Earth Is The Existence Of A Canopy Of Water In The Stratosphere - The [post fall - but still amazing] Garden of Eden conditions described in the early chapters of Genesis were probably reflected all over the planet (Drawings)

**The [post fall - but still amazing] Garden of Eden conditions described in the early chapters of Genesis were probably reflected all over the planet. There was probably abundant vegetation, animals, birds and fish. Because of the warmer and more constant ambient temperature, and the high partial pressures of Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide humans, animals, birds, insects, and fish were much larger, as revealed in the fossil record described below. There is a general teaching that early man was primitive. This is almost certainly incorrect. Adam and Eve were created in the image of God, and were probably extremely intelligent and creative, as were all the patriarchs. Because of the protective effect of the water canopy, there was protection from damaging ultraviolet rays and gamma rays, with probably much lower incidence of consequent diseases such as cancer and foetal malformations. Because of the higher Oxygen levels, the high blood Oxygen levels would have contributed to extreme longevity, resistance to bacterial and viral diseases, and greater metabolic efficiency, with consequent greatly enhanced athletic ability. The Average Age Of Man Before Noah's Flood Was 912 Years. Today It Is 70- 80. The average recorded life span in the Bible of the early patriarchs is 912 years. This is in stark contrast to today's much shorter life spans, with 70 -80 years being typical. This may be accounted for by the higher oxygen content, the protective effect of the water canopy, lack of disease, better diet, and much less hostile weather patterns. [link]

EARTH'S PRE-FLOOD WATER CANOPY [Crystalized (firmament) - pure crystal in nature and appearance in the furthest layer] "Genesis 1:7-8 And God made the firmament (hard land on earth), and divided the waters which were under the (ground) firmament [earth 1.0] from the waters (vapors) which were above the firmament [land]: and it was so. And God called the (crystal - outer atmosphere sphere) firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." {Note: A pure crystal, glass nature of atmospheric water would magnify all the stars and planets [including their original color and appearance] as viewed from earth and would also provide an acoustic resonator to transfer the sounds of orbiting planets into the earth's atmosphere in audible tones and chimes to all the earth's inhabitants.}

This pre-flood canopy probably consisted of water vapor [a pure crystal, glass nature further out in the atmosphere]. There are other theories, but we must keep in mind that the birds were flying in the expanse under this water, and one must be able to see through the water. The sun, moon and stars were visible to Adam and to Noah, in view of the fact that Genesis 1:14 states that they would serve as signs. Water vapor is clear, unlike clouds or steam. A little experiment to prove this point can be accomplished in your kitchen by filling a tea-kettle with water and putting it on the stove to boil. When steam begins coming out of the spout, look closely at the very tip of the spout. You will see about one-half to one inch of clear 212°F. water vapor before it becomes cloudy steam. This may have been the form of the water that God put above the firmament in which the birds flew around. THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT: With a water-vapor canopy, heaven and earth system #1 [earth 1.0] would be considerably different than our present system (#2) [earth 2.0 - (2 Peter 3:6)]. A greenhouse effect would be expected due to the heat generated by the sun-warmed canopy. Is there any evidence that greenhouse warmth once surrounded our globe? Palm tree fossils have been found in Alaska and broad leaf ferns in the Arctic. How could a palm tree fossil be in Alaska? Some scientists have postulated they travelled there on the tectonic plate (earth crust) movement over millions of years. But these trees are not millions of years old! A creationist would say, "No problem, palm trees grew in Alaska in the tropical world before the Flood." These trees were buried during the Flood of Noah's day resulting in their fossilization. ... The water vapor canopy may have more than doubled atmospheric pressure on earth. In this environment of heavier atmospheric pressure, healing would be more efficient. Many hospitals have pressurized rooms called Hyperbaric Rooms. Into these rooms oxygen is pumped under pressure and healing is miraculously speeded up. Very sick people and the severely burned are treated in this high pressure environment. In the pre-flood, high efficiency atmosphere, reptiles could have grown to immense sizes, giant flying creatures could have flown more easily, and gigantism would have been much more likely. [of Creationist/Chapter 07.htm link]

...a Water Canopy? (Drawings)

These illustrations show just how a water canopy covering the Earth would not only create a globally warm climate but also would shield our planet from harmful radiation. Thus, allowing mankind to reach ages up to 900 plus years and also allowing reptiles to grow to the size of our dinosaur fossils. A global flood that occured roughly 1,500 years after Adam was created would create the coal layers (compressed global vegetation) and the fossilization of the huge behemoths known to us today as the dinosaurs. Remember, in Genesis 1:6-8, God divided the waters from the waters and placed this upper water canopy ABOVE the firmament called "Heaven." [link]

The Garden of Eden [Pre-Flood of Noah] Part 1 - (Kent Hovind) Creation Seminar (YouTube)

These Seminars are NOT copyrighted. If you are interested in helping support Kent Hovind his video series is available on DVD at http://shopping.drdino.com/category-exec/category_id/39/nm/Seminar .... The Garden of Eden, part two of the seminar series, describes the earth as it was before the worldwide flood. Dr. Hovind explains in detail how it was possible for man to live over 900 years, for plants and animals to grow much larger than today, and for dinosaurs to thrive along with man. This Creation Seminar is only one of the seven listed below: Creation Seminar 1 - The Age of the Earth, Creation Seminar 2 - *The Garden of Eden, Creation Seminar 3 - Dinosaurs and the Bible, Creation Seminar 4 - Lies in the Textbooks, Creation Seminar 5 - The Dangers of Evolution, Creation Seminar 6 - The Hovind Theory, Creation Seminar 7 - Questions and Answers. [link]

Creationist Kent Hovind Reveals The Truth About The Garden of Eden [Pre-Flood of Noah] and Creation! (Google Video)

Kent Hovind - 1 hr 56 min 19 sec - Mar 2, 2006 - www.drdino.com [link]

Anchor Stones from Noah's Ark - [Carved] Symbols of Nimrod, the **diamond [on an Anchor Stone from Noah's Ark], are visible in bottom [right] half of photo - The [Byzantian era (285 A.D. - Fall of Constantinople May 29, 1453) - later Roman Empire, after the end of the early persecutions of Christian and up through the Crusades era] crosses were probably added later [the timing, style and carving talent of some of the crosses would indicate that professional stone carvers (Masons - i.e. early Freemasons, Knights Templars) carved some of the crosses] - Another anchor stone still partially buried - A [less talented] carving of the [round] tower of Babel, actually located in southern Turkey, may have been carved by someone who had seen it then returned to this area [northern Turkey] (Photos)

Tour leader, Bill Fry, knocks on this large stone-like object that has a bark texture and may be the covering Noah removed from the ark as the waters were receding. The sound is a hollow, and high pitch. -- [Ancient] Crosses are visible on this, meaning that early Christians associated this object with a biblical event. Seven crosses can be found and probably had another at one time. ... Ancient wall made of extremely large mud bricks originally had a tile mural on it depicting Noah and the ark. Ron Wyatt saw this in 1977, but when he returned the next year the tiles had been removed. One of the locals in the village, remembers the tiles. Small bits of tile have been found at the base of the wall. Sadly, this ancient singular wall has since been destroyed. [link]

Noah’s Ark - Carved Byzantian, early Christian crosses testify to the ark site as a destination for pilgrims - Some stones show one large cross and seven smaller, the family of Noah - About 17 of such large stones were found (Photos)

The Flood in the days of Noah began in the Jewish 10th month, November 2349 BC, on the 17th day and Noah and his family did not set foot on the post Flood earth until on the 27th day of the 2nd month, December 2348 BC, just over a year later. James Ussher, who studied these dates quite a bit, dates the events from the day Noah entered the ark on Sunday, December 7, 2349 BC to Thursday, December 18, 2348 BC when Noah and his family left the vessel of their rescue. If perhaps not exact, these dates are nevertheless a good approximation of the years involved according to biblical reckoning. Even though geologists today, are doubters of anything out of the ordinary, they don't seem to want to draw conclusions from the experience of a) the sudden appearance of the island of Surtsey, off the coast of Iceland on Friday November 8, 1963 and how life germinated there within a rather short time, b) the rapid changes brought on by the Mt. St. Helens eruption on Sunday May 18, 1980, c) and other, lesser known sudden flood models. When the fountains of the deep opened, these were features existing during pre-Flood times. The water of these `fountains' are now in the oceans of the world. When asked, `If there was such a flood, where is the evidence?' You can answer then, `The fossil record is the graveyard of the pre-Flood world.' The Bible teaches, the great Flood occurred because of most of mankind rejecting their Maker and engaging in perpetual sinning. Similarly today, the world is steeped in sin, but the next judgment will be by fire, not water. Agree or not, Bible prophecy points unerringly to a world and its history which will soon experience the judgments of God shortly before the Second Coming of Christ. [link]

Durupinar site: The size and shape of the structure has led to its promotion by some believers as the original Noah's Ark - The Arzap Drogue Stones are a number of large standing stones found near the Durupinar site by amateur archaeologist Ron Wyatt with the aid of David Fasold and others - Fasold interpreted the artifacts as drogues, stone weights used to stabilize the Ark in rough seas, on the grounds that they all have a chamfered hole cut at one end as if to fasten a rope to them, and because the existence of such stones was suggested by his reading of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Babylonian mythical account of the flood (Photos)

The Durupinar site is a large aggregate structure in the Mount Tendürek of eastern Turkey. The site is (2 miles) north of the Iranian border, (10 miles) southeast of Dogubeyazit, in the Agri Province, and eighteen miles south of the Greater Mount Ararat summit, at an elevation of 6,449 ft ~ 6,575 ft above sea level. The size and shape of the structure has led to its promotion by some believers as the original Noah's Ark. To mainstream scientists and most creationists, this is merely an interesting natural formation. The site is near several officially unnamed peaks, though locals call one of the nearby peaks Mount Judi, the mountain named in the Qur'an as the final resting place of Noah's Ark. Most scholars believe that Qur'anic Mount Judi is a different mountain near the Turkish/Iraqi border. ... Arzap Drogue Stones: The Arzap Drogue Stones are a number of large standing stones found near the Durupinar site by amateur archaeologist Ron Wyatt with the aid of David Fasold and others. Fasold interpreted the artifacts as drogues, stone weights used to stabilize the Ark in rough seas, on the grounds that they all have a chamfered hole cut at one end as if to fasten a rope to them, and because the existence of such stones was suggested by his reading of the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Babylonian mythical account of the flood. - Mediterranean drogue stones of a much smaller size than the Arzap stones. Drogue stones were a feature of ancient ships, and were the ancient equivalent of a storm anchor. They have been found in the Nile and elsewhere in the Mediterranean area, and like the stones found by Wyatt and Fasold, they are heavy and flat with a hole for connecting a line at one end. Their purpose was to create drag in the water or along shallow sandy bottoms: the stone was attached to one end of a boat, and the drag produced would cause the bow or stern to face into the wind and the oncoming wind-blown waves. A geological investigation of samples from the stones, published by geologist Lorence Collins in co-authorship with their original discoverer David Fasold, suggested that they are formed of local rock and thus unlikely to have been transported to the site from Mesopotamia, the Ark's supposed place of origin. Similar stones are found throughout ancient Armenia, and are recognised to be pagan "holy stones" converted to Christian use (many are found in Christian cemeteries) by the addition of crosses and other Christian symbols. [link]

Chuck Missler - The Days Of The Flood Of Noah [parts 1 & 2] (Mp3s)

Chuck Missler : Great Messages Mp3s. [link]

VFTB Live: Minister Dante Fortson - As the Days of Noah Were (Mp3)

MINISTER DANTE FORTSON, host of The Omega Hour and author of the new book As The Days of Noah Were: The Sons of God and The Coming Apocalypse discusses fallen angels, the Flood, and why Christians today should study what most consider nothing more than an ancient legend. [link]

ArkDiscovery.com: Noah's Ark Overview - Top Points to Consider - #7 matching [94 A.D.] Flavius Josephus' statement "Its [Noah's Ark's] remains are shown there by the inhabitants to this day" (Photos)

Friends, please prayerfully consider the evidence you will see on Noah's Ark. It may not be important or necessary for you to learn of this discovery, but there are millions of people who need confirmation of biblical artifacts in order to strengthen their faith in God and the Bible. Satan is strongly attacking this and other discoveries in order to deceive men of God's truth. All the false stories about finding Noah's ark were created by Satan to "muddy the water," and cause disbelief in the genuine. [link]

Discovery of the real Noah's Ark - Ron Wyatt - Part 1 (YouTube)

Archaeologist Ron Wyatt and his team discover Noah's Ark! Extremely interesting to watch. [link]

Discovery of the real Noah's Ark - Ron Wyatt - Part 2 (YouTube)

The continuation and conclusion of Ron Wyatt's discovery of Noah's Ark! Conclusive evidence that shows the Great Flood is not a myth! [link]

ArkDiscovery.com: Biblical Archeology - Ron Wyatt's "Discovered Series" (5 DVD Set $22)

The entire DVD series of the late Ron Wyatt's discoveries. This amazing series will show such discoveries as: The Red Sea Crossing site, Mt. Sinai, Noah's Ark, Sodom and Gomorrah, the Ark of the Covenant and dozens of other faith building discoveries! 4 hour, 20 minute DVD covering the all the discoveries, plus Ron Wyatt presentations. Select a larger quantity of 10 or 50 and receive a price reduction, perfect for you to resell or give away while spreading the word about the discoveries. [link]

As The Days of Noah Were - Luke 17:26: "And as it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of Man"

The Reason for the Flood: It was the infusion of these strange (demonic) beings into the human predicament that brought on the Flood of Noah. The Flood was preceded by four generations of prophets/preachers warning of the coming judgment: Enoch, Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah. It seems that this was part of Satan's stratagem to corrupt the line of Adam to prevent the fulfillment of the Messianic redemption. Noah was apparently unique in that his genealogy was still uncorrupted. The strange events which led to the flood are also alluded to in ancient mythologies. The legends of the Greek "titans"---partly terrestrial, partly celestial---embrace these same memories. (The Greek titan is linguistically linked to the Chaldean sheitan, and the Hebrew satan.) [link]

As it was in the Days of Noah - The time leading up to the Great Flood was a lot like our time in that it was characterized by a deliberate and increasing disregard for the ways of God

As it was in the days of Noah, so will it be at the coming of the Son of Man (Matt 24:37). The time leading up to the Great Flood was a lot like our time in that it was characterized by a deliberate and increasing disregard for the ways of God. Finally "the Lord saw how great man's wickedness on earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time" (Gen. 6:5). ... the sequence of events suddenly became so obvious to me. Enoch was taken alive from earth and the Holy Spirit was withdrawn. Then in Gen. 6:5 man's behavior is described as having become unbearably wicked and in Gen. 7 the judgement came, in that order. Enoch's name means teaching and according to Jude 14-15 he gave the first prophecy of the 2nd coming. ... If Enoch is indeed a model of the church and if the Lord's prophecy of Matt 24:37 includes the sequence of events, as seems likely, then one day soon we will be taken alive (raptured) from earth, the Holy Spirit withdrawn. Man's behavior will become unbearably wicked and the judgement will come, all in that order. As it was in the days of Noah. Selah. [link]

The "Days of Noah" Are Here - The Bible tells us that we are to live "holy and righteous" in this age - We are to be actively sharing the gospel in order for others to be redeemed - precisely because "the days are evil"

That describes today quite accurately. Those who have normalized homosexual behavior have done so to the point of thinking anyone who opposes it are "crazy," "homophobic," "intolerant," and "bigots." -- For Bible believing, Christ following born-again Christians, such derogatory views and labels are only perpetuating deception about this dangerous behavior. Furthermore, homosexual activism both secular as well as in the church distracts people from what is truly most important in this life - that is - confessing and repenting of sin and knowing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. The Bible tells us that we are to live "holy and righteous" in this age. We are to be actively sharing the gospel in order for other to be redeemed - precisely because "the days are evil." ... This world is filled with lust, murder, theft, adultery, fornication, lying, idol worship and the list could go on and on. Yet, most sane people do not advocate for churches to accept such concepts as "sanctified." However, this is exactly what is being done in liberal "Christian" churches throughout America! Claiming that a particular sin should be allowed to be "sanctified" within Christ's church body meaning, all believers is an abomination to God! It is a form of idol worship. It is, in fact, as the Scriptures inform us, "exchanging the truth for a lie!" [link]

Jesus said, "As in the Days of Noah" Violence Filled the Earth

Jesus spoke far ahead of his time relating to us what life would be like just prior to his coming. He says in Matt. 24:37-38: "But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be." [link]

AS IT WAS IN NOAH'S DAY

The Lord Jesus Christ informs us that before He returns certain conditions will exist in society in general. These conditions are a sign to believers that His Second Coming is near. There has always been corruption in society, but the idea here is of such decadence and depravity reaching the point of no return. The Lord makes use of two Old Testament characters to illustrate the characteristics and conditions that will exist at all levels of humanity prior to His Second Coming. As it was in the days of Noah and as it was in the days of Lot. [of the World/noahs_day.htm link]

AnswersInGenesis.org: Was There Really a Noah's Ark & Flood? - The account of Noah and the Ark is one of the most widely known events in the history of mankind. Unfortunately, like other Bible accounts, it is often taken as a mere fairy tale - The Bible, though, is the true history book of the universe, and in that light, the most-asked questions about the Ark and Flood of Noah can be answered with authority and confidence

History has shown that technology can be lost. In Egypt, China, and the Americas the earlier dynasties built more impressive buildings or had finer art or better science. Many so-called modern inventions turn out to be re-inventions, like concrete, which was used by the Romans. Even accounting for the possible loss of technology due to the Flood, early post-Flood civilizations display all the engineering know-how necessary for a project like Noah's Ark. People sawing and drilling wood in Noah's day, only a few centuries before the Egyptians were sawing and drilling granite, is very reasonable! The idea that more primitive civilizations are further back in time is an evolutionary concept. In reality, when God created Adam, he was perfect. Today, the individual human intellect has suffered from 6,000 years of sin and decay. The sudden rise in technology in the last few centuries has nothing to do with increasing intelligence; it is a combination of publishing and sharing ideas, and the spread of key inventions that became tools for investigation and manufacturing. One of the most recent tools is the computer, which compensates a great deal for our natural decline in mental performance and discipline, since it permits us to gather and store information as perhaps never before. [link]

Holy Ghost Revival Sermons Online: "Conviction and the Altar" The Days of Noah (Mp3)

You are hearing a 12 minute preview of the sermon "Conviction and the Altar" The full 1 hour sermon link is listed below! [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- We Are One In The Spirit (YouTube)

Music by the band Jars of Clay. [link]

Bible Verses - The Equality of God: "Luke 3:4-6 ... Prepare ye (you) the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Every valley shall be filled [equality], and every mountain and hill shall be brought low [equality]; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall *see {but not all flesh will receive} the salvation of God."

The Equality of God: "Exodus 16:15-18 And when the children of Israel saw it [manna], they said one to another, It is manna: for they wist not what it was. And Moses said unto them, This is the bread which the LORD hath given you to eat. This is the thing which the LORD hath commanded, Gather of it every man according to his eating, an omer for every man, according to the number of your persons; take ye every man for them which are in his tents. And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less. **And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating." -- "Matthew 20:6-10 And about the eleventh hour He [Jesus] went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto Him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the Vineyard [Harvest Field]; and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive. So when even was come, the Lord of the Vineyard saith unto His steward [Holy Spirit], Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny [full day's wages]. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny." [link]

Bible verses - The Independence of God: "Revelation 19:11 And I [Disciple John] saw Heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He [Jesus] that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns [authority]; and **He had a Name written, that no man knew, but He [God] Himself."

The Independence of God: "Joshua 5:13-15 And it came to pass, when Joshua was by [the city of] Jericho, that he lifted up his eyes and looked, and, behold, there stood a Man [Jesus] over against him with His sword drawn in His hand: and Joshua went unto Him, and said unto Him, Art thou for us, or for our adversaries? And He [Jesus] said, Nay [neither]; but as Captain of the Host [Army] of the LORD am I now come. And Joshua fell on his face to the earth, and did worship, and said unto Him, What saith my lord unto His servant? And [Jesus] the Captain of the LORD'S host said unto Joshua, Loose thy shoe from off thy foot; for the place whereon thou standest is Holy. And Joshua did so." -- "2 Timothy 2:11-13 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us: If we believe not, yet He abideth faithful: **He cannot deny Himself." [link]

Bible verses - The Holiness of God: "Exodus 15:11-13 Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? who is like thee, glorious in Holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders? Thou stretchedst out Thy right hand, the earth swallowed them. Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: Thou hast guided them in Thy strength unto Thy Holy habitation."

The Holiness of God: "1 Chronicles 16:23--29 Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day His salvation. Declare His Glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all Nations. For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised: He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols: but the LORD made the heavens. Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place. Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto His Name: bring an offering, and come before Him: **worship the LORD in the beauty of [His] Holiness." -- "Romans 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto Holiness, and the end everlasting life. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life [Holiness] through Jesus Christ our Lord." [link]

Bible verses - The Righteousness of God: "Matthew 3:13-17 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John [the Baptist], to be baptized of him. But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: **for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the Heavens were opened unto Him, and he [John the Baptist] saw the [Holy] Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This [Jesus] is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

The Righteousness of God: "1 Samuel 12:6-8 And Samuel said unto the people, It is the LORD that advanced Moses and Aaron, and that brought your fathers up out of the land of Egypt. Now therefore stand still, that I may reason with you before the LORD of all the righteous acts of the LORD, which He did to you and to your fathers. When Jacob was come into Egypt, and your fathers cried unto the LORD, then the LORD sent Moses and Aaron, which brought forth your fathers out of Egypt, and made them dwell in this [Promise Land] place." -- "Isaiah 1:17-2 Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. **Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it." -- "Matthew 6:3 But [Christians] seek ye first the Kingdom of God [8th Kingdom], and **His righteousness; and all these [Heavenly Kingdom] things shall be added unto you." [link]

Bible verses - The Goodnesss of God: "Romans 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of His goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

The Goodnesss of God: "Exodus 33:17-23 And the LORD said unto Moses, I will do this thing also that thou hast spoken [asked]: for thou hast found grace in My sight, and I know thee by name. And he [Moses] said, I beseech thee, shew me Thy Glory. And He [God] said, I will make all My goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the Name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And He said, Thou canst not see My face: for there shall no man see Me, and live. And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by Me, and thou shalt stand upon a Rock [Jesus]: And it shall come to pass, while My glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with My hand [ability] while I pass by: And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see My back parts [afterglow - glory]: but My face shall not be seen." -- "Psalms 34:8-15 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him. O fear the LORD, ye His saints: for there is no want [eternally] to them that fear Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Come, ye children, hearken unto Me: I [Holy Spirit] will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace [in the Prince of Peace - Jesus Christ (Isaiah 9:6)], and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry." [link]

Bible verses - The Submission of Mankind: "Isaiah 50:4-5 The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: He wakeneth [me] morning by morning, He wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back."

The Submission of Mankind: "Isaiah 60:1 Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the Glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and His Glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Lift up thine eyes round about, and see: all they gather themselves together, they come to thee: thy sons shall come from far, and thy daughters shall be nursed at thy side." -- "Romans 13:11-14 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. **And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof." [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- The Date of Noah's Flood - The placing of a catastrophic global flood in the year (about) 2304 BC [and Creation at about 4,000 B.C.] means that all civilizations discovered by archaeology [today] must fit into the last 4,285 years {The flood of Noah (about 4,284 years ago) destroyed all the previous civilizations so about 4,284 years of land based archeology exists - though pre-flood archeology may well exist [and some evidence (artifacts 'Ooparts') have been found and do exist] deep under the sea or deep underground.}

Since we exist in the present, we are really trying to find information that will enable us to add up the years between us and Noah's Flood. As our starting point we will take the Birth of Christ. It is unlikely anyone will dispute that Christ was born approximately 1,984 years ago. Since Christ is recorded as having referred to Noah's Flood as a past event it should be obvious that we need data that will take us back beyond 2,000 years. The next date we can put down with reliable certainty is 967 BC or 2,948 years ago. This is the date at which Solomon laid the foundation of the Temple (1 Kings 6:1). For those who are interested in the detailed evidence as to why this event can be placed in 967 BC I would refer you to Professor Edwin Thiele's work The Mysterious Numbers of the Hebrew Kings. His work can be summarized by the statement that both the chronology of the Ancient Assyrian Culture and the Biblical record point to this date. The first verse of Kings chapter 6 is also useful in that it tells us there was a time span of 480 years (see Appendix 1) from the time Israel left Egypt (the Exodus) until Solomon began to build the Temple. The Exodus occurred therefore roughly 1,981 + 967 + 480 years ago (see Appendix 2) or 3,428 years ago or 1447 BC +/- 1 year. Why do I say +/- 1 year? As the chronologist compares the family trees or chronologies in the Bible, it is interesting to note that these lists use only whole years (e.g. Gen. 11). Now if a person is listed as being 44 years of age when their son was born, they may have been just 44 or nearly 45. Anywhere in this period of 12 months they are still 44. This introduces a margin of error of up to 12 months or 1 year for each person or event in such a list. -- As the Bible records the Flood a significant time before the Exodus, let us examine data which will take us back before this event. Paul, a university trained Jew, well skilled in the Hebrew language, the religion of the Jews and the writings of Moses, wrote in the early years of the Christian era, a letter to the church at Galatia (Galatians 3:17). He stated that the Israelites left Egypt to return to the promised land 430 years (see Appendix 3) after God gave the promise to Abraham, the founder of the Jewish race. According to Acts 7:4 and Genesis 12:1-4, Abraham was 75 years old when God gave him the promise and in the same year his father Terah was 205 years old and Abraham was born when Terah was 130 years of age (Gen.11:26-33). (See Appendix 4.) The statements of genealogy in Genesis 11:10-26, are father-son statements and link Abraham to Noah's son, Shem. The statements list the persons by name. Their year of birth against their father's age is listed and their father is named. These chronologies do not have missing generations; there are no gaps. If we add up the figures mentioned between Shem's 100th year (Gen. 11:10) and Abraham (Gen. 11:26) we get 350 years. Since 9 names are mentioned it is 350 years +/- 9 (9 margins of error of up to 1 year each). Genesis 11:10 tells us that Shem was 100 years old, 2 years after the Flood had finished. When was Noah's Flood? 1,981 years to AD 0 plus 967 years to the founding of Solomon's Temple plus 480 years to the end of the Exodus plus 430 years to the promise to Abraham plus 75 years to Abraham's birth plus 350 years to Shem's 100th birthday plus 2 years to the Flood. The Biblical data places the Flood at 2304 BC +/- 11 years. This date is, as expected, in conflict with secular archaeology which regards the Flood as either local or a myth and the Biblical chronologies as irrelevant or inaccurate. The placing of a catastrophic global flood in the year 2304 BC means that all civilizations discovered by archaeology must fit into the last 4,285 years. The significance of this fact will be pursued in later articles. [Ed.- for more information, see TJ 2 (1986), pp. 56-87 and TJ 3 (1988), pp. 96-136.] [link]

Ancient Brass BELL (Oopart - Out of place artifact) Found Encased IN COAL supposed to be about 300 million years old! - the bell is an antediluvian [before the deluge, pre-flood] artifact made before the Genesis Flood (Noah's Ark) - For more detailed pictures of the bell and the [idol] demon-like figure on top, click here (Photos)

In 1944, as a ten year old boy, Newton Anderson dropped a lump of coal in his basement and found that it contained this bell inside. The bituminous coal that was mined near his house in Upshur County West Virginia is supposed to be about 300 million years old! What is a brass bell with an iron clapper doing in coal ascribed to the Carboniferous Period? According to Norm Sharbaugh's book Ammunition (which includes several "coal anecdotes") the bell is an antediluvian artifact (made before the Genesis Flood). The Institute for Creation Research had the bell submitted to the lab at the University of Oklahoma. There a nuclear activation analysis revealed that the bell contains an unusual mix of metals, different from any known modern alloy production (including copper, zinc, tin, arsenic, iodine, and selenium). -- Genesis 4:22 states that Tubal-Cain was "an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron..." Perhaps when his civilization came to an end in the flood, this bell was buried with a mass of vegetation that became coal and ended up thousands of years later in Newt Anderson's coal bin. ... Later on, Newton Anderson spent a great deal of time researching the demon atop the bell. He discovered similarities to the Babylonian Southwest Wind Demon and the Hindu deity Garuda. Garuda is sometimes depicted on top of bells, as is the Egyptian Isis. [link]

OOPARTS (out of place artifacts) & ANCIENT HIGH TECHNOLOGY -- Evidence of Noah's Flood? - Do unexplained technologies of the ancients provide possible proofs of Pre-flood civilizations? - If you believe that the flood of Noah actually happened, what was the state of the technology of (antediluvian) pre-flooders? Could they have left physical evidence of their existence? - We expect you to use your own knowledge filter (Christian discernment) on this site

Point of View: We have a Biblical viewpoint on the world. Ooparts are evidence, we think, that the Flood actually happened. News items or magazine articles that report them may not have the same perspective that Christians do. When we read for instance, a scientific article that puzzles over our lack of genetic variability, we think of the Flood of Noah. We would include that article here, without editing, because we expect Christians to use their filters on such an article. That does not mean that we agree with the evolutionary timeframe given in said article. -- We think it's more interesting when general newspaper articles or science articles observe data that they might see one way, but that Christians might see another way given our own knowledge about God, creation and the flood. It's more interesting to quote Stephen Jay Gould saying that "the lack of transitional fossils is the trade secret of paleontology", than it might be to hear another Christian say it. So, no we don't believe the universe is millions or billions of years old. We don't know how old it is-we just know who created it and how long it took Him. We do not believe in pre-Adamic races, though we do believe that there were "civiilizations" prior to the Flood. We don't believe in space aliens or cooties. We expect you to use your own knowledge filter on this site. [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- "Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven [sky] and the earth." - Christian Creationism vs. Secular Evolution

Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven (sky) and the earth. - It is only through creation and not by means of evolution that people can be "created in the image of God" therefore creation is the very heart of the plan of God. "Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image ..." Either people are created and are therefore in the image of God making us capable of fellowship and able to have a relationship with God or we are involved in some random evolution process in a random universe that is without meaning and ultimately is totally useless. "Revelation 14:6-7 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every Nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, 'Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come: and worship Him that made (created) heaven, and earth' ..." [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- BasicChristian.org: Article Introduction - The 7 physical and spiritual realms as unfolded in the 7 Days of the Genesis creation model {the 8th realm being God's realm of unrestricted eternity}

Humans exist in and are limited to the first three physical dimensions (length, height, width) and also the fourth dimension (restriction) of time. The spiritual realm of demons, angels and in part the coming Antichrist exists in the less restricted 5th and 6th dimensions. In fact the coming Antichrist is going to bring down or "contact" the 5th and 6th dimensions and infuse 4th dimensional human beings with 5th dimensional demons [Nephilim spirits] and 6th dimensional fallen [Satanic] angelic spirit beings consequently orchestrating 5th and 6th dimensional miracles and signs and wonders in order to deceive mankind. Note: So who is Melchizedek? Melchizedek is the manifestation [into our human realms] of the infinite dimensional (infinite dimensions - no restrictions - unrestricted) God in Person. Melchizedek is God the Holy Spirit in Person. Melchizedek is the Order of the Holy Spirit Priesthood. -- Also Note: In the Basic Christian article "Who is Melchizedek?" the 8 dimensions (restrictions) are listed in conjunction with the original creation week (Genesis 1:1-2:4) and are categorized as follows: 1. Length [Day one creation - light separated [Judgment] (length) from darkness] 2. Height [Day two creation - divided the waters above from the waters below] 3. Width [Day three creation - dry land and plants] 4. Time [Day four creation - sun, moon, stars for times and seasons] 5. Demonic [Nephilim spirits] - demons [Day five creation - fish from the waters below, birds from the waters above] 6. Angelic - Holy Angels and also Satan with all of his fallen angels [Day six creation - land animals and humans (pre-fall) - humans the highest part of creation created separate and above the animals and equal to the angels but with sin mankind fell from the 6th dimension to the 4th dimension, in fact with the sin of mankind all of creation also fell from its original creation status] 7. Human Salvation redeemed by the blood, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ [Day seven creation - Rest] 8. Unrestricted [outside of creation] - The only Unrestricted, Eternal, Wise, ∞ Infinite, Almighty God consisting of God the Father, the Son Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. -- "Genesis 2:4 These are the generations [dimensions] of the heavens and of the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made the earth and the heavens ..." [link]

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- Wikipedia: Dimension - A diagram showing the first four spatial dimensions [Length, Height, Width, Time via Movement]

From left to right, the square, the cube, and the tesseract. The square is bounded by 1-dimensional lines, the cube by 2-dimensional areas, and the tesseract by 3-dimensional volumes. ... Time: Time is often referred to as the "fourth dimension". It is one way to measure physical change. It is perceived differently from the three spatial dimensions in that there is only one of it, and that we cannot move freely in time but subjectively move in one direction. The equations used in physics to model reality do not treat time in the same way that humans perceive it. The equations of classical mechanics are symmetric with respect to time, and equations of quantum mechanics are typically symmetric if both time and other quantities (such as charge and parity) are reversed. In these models, the perception of time flowing in one direction is an artifact of the laws of thermodynamics (we perceive time as flowing in the direction of increasing entropy). The best-known treatment of time as a dimension is Poincaré and Einstein's special relativity and extended to general relativity, which treats perceived space and time as components of a four-dimensional manifold, known as spacetime, and in the special, flat case as Minkowski space. -- Additional dimensions: Theories such as string theory and M-theory predict that physical space in general has in fact 10 and 11 dimensions, respectively. The extra dimensions are spacelike. We perceive only three spatial dimensions, and no physical experiments have confirmed the reality of additional dimensions. A possible explanation that has been suggested is that space acts as if it were "curled up" in the extra dimensions on a subatomic scale, possibly at the quark/string level of scale or below. Another less-held fringe view asserts that dimensions beyond the fourth progressively condense timelines and universes into single spatial points in the above dimension, until the tenth, where a 0-dimensional point equates to all possible timelines in all possible universes. [link]

Over the years "The Two Babylons" [a book initially published in 1853 as a pamphlet by Reverend Alexander Hislop - infamous for his outspoken criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church] has impacted the thinking of many people, ranging all the way from those in radical cults to very dedicated Christians who hunger for a move by God but are concerned about anything [Babylonian] that might quench His [Holy] Spirit - Its basic premise is that the pagan religion of [very] ancient Babylon [Nimrod, Tower of Bable] has continued to our day [wrongly concluding that Paganism/New Age "Mystery Babylon" is] disguised as the Roman Catholic Church, prophesied in the Book of Revelation as "Mystery Babylon the Great" [Revelation chapter 17] thus, the idea of two Babylons - one ancient and one modern -- As time went on, however, I [Ralph Woodrow] began to hear rumblings that Hislop was not a reliable historian - it became clear: Hislop's "history" was often only an arbitrary piecing together of ancient myths - For these and many other reasons, I pulled my own book, Babylon Mystery Religion, out of print despite its popularity - I have since replaced this book with The Babylon Connection? {Conclusion: of Kingdom 1 - Nimrod and the Tower (Temple) of Babel -- Next: is Kingdom 2 (Egypt) with Pharaoh Akhenaten (Joseph's Pharaoh, the Dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1)}

The subtitle for Hislop's book is "The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife." Yet when I went to refer ence works such as the Encyclopedia Britannica, The Americana, The Jewish Encyclopedia, The Catholic Encyclopedia, The Worldbook Encyclopedia - carefully reading their articles on "Nimrod" and "Semiramis" - not one said anything about Nimrod and Semiramis being husband and wife. They did not even live in the same century. Nor is there any basis for Semiramis being the mother of Tammuz. I realized these ideas were all Hislop's inventions. ... While seeking to condemn the paganism of Roman Catholicism, Hislop produced his own myths. By so doing, he theorized that Nimrod, Adonis, Apollo, Attes, Baal-zebub, Bacchus, Cupid, Dagon, Hercules, Januis, Linus, Lucifer, Mars, Merodach, Mithra, Moloch, Narcissus, Oannes, Odin, Orion, Osiris, Pluto, Saturn, Teitan, Typhon, Vulcan, Wodan, and Zoroaster were all one and the same. By mixing myths, Hislop supposed that Semiramis was the wife of Nimrod and was the same as Aphrodite, Artemis, Astarte, Aurora, Bellona, Ceres, Diana, Easter, Irene, Iris, Juno, Mylitta, Proserpine, Rhea, Venus, and Vesta. ... Building on similarities while ignoring differences is an unsound practice. Atheists have long used this method in an attempt to discredit Christianity altogether, citing examples of pagans who had similar beliefs about universal floods, slain and risen saviors, virgin mothers, heavenly ascensions, holy books, and so on. As Christians, we don't reject prayer just because pagans pray to their gods. We don't reject water baptism just because ancient tribes plunged into water as a religious ritual. We don't reject the Bible just because pagans believe their writings are holy or sacred. The Bible mentions things like kneeling in prayer, raising hands, taking off shoes on holy ground, a holy mountain, a holy place in the temple, pillars in front of the temple, offering sacrifices without blemish, a sacred ark, cities of refuge, bringing forth water from a rock, laws written on stone, fire appearing on a person's head, horses of fire, and the offering of first fruits. Yet, at one time or another, similar things were known among pagans. Does this make the Bible pagan? Of course not! If finding a pagan parallel provides proof of paganism, the Lord Himself would be pagan. The woman called Mystery Babylon had a cup in her hand; the Lord has a cup in His hand (Ps. 75:8). Pagan kings sat on thrones and wore crowns; the Lord sits on a throne and wears a crown (Rev. 1:4; 14:14). Pagans worshiped the sun; the Lord is the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2). Pagan gods were likened to stars; the Lord is called “the bright and Morning star” (Rev. 22:16). Pagan gods had temples dedicated to them; the Lord has a temple (Rev. 7:15). Pagans built a high tower in Babylon; the Lord is a high tower (2 Sam. 22:3). Pagans worshiped idolatrous pillars; the Lord appeared as a pillar of fire (Exod. 13: 21-22). Pagan gods were pictured with wings; the Lord is pictured with wings (Ps. 91:4). ... I have since replaced this book with The Babylon Connection? a 128-page book with 60 illustrations and 400 footnote references. It is an appeal to all my brothers and sisters in Christ who feel that finding Babylonian origins for present-day customs or beliefs [in Christian Churches] is of great importance. My advice, based on my own experience, is to move cautiously in this area, lest we major on minors. If there are things in our lives or churches that are indeed pagan or displeasing to the Lord, they should be dealt with, of course. But in attempting to defuse the confusion of Babylon, we must guard against creating a new "Babylon" (confusion) of our own making. -- reviewed by Ralph Woodrow [link]

1 The Kingdom of Nimrod - Tower of Babel

The 8 Global Kingdoms of the Earth -- Antediluvian [Pre-flood] Civilizations - {The pre-flood civilization up until the days of Noah encompassed about 2,000 years of human history and probably involved several billion people. - Note: In the pre-flood earth it doesn't appear that there were any Kings or Governments and that the long lives [experience and expertise] of each individual precluded them from being reigned and ruled over by others. Instead of a governmental structure of Kings and Politicians the earth seemed to have been Governed strictly by each family patriarch (head) according to God's governance and that after the flood in the new, young and now naive post-flood civilization the inexperienced human civilization now required [and allowed strangers - nonfamily members] rulers and Kings and that Nimrod was possibly the first King though human history had existed for some 2,000 years before Nimrod. - Also Note: Jesus is not a stranger but He is family with everyone and as family He has our own individual best interest at His heart. Jesus is the kinsman (relative - related) redeemer to everyone [we are created in God's image - relationship] and His (Fatherly, creation - Brotherly, redemption and salvation) relationship to all humans is maintained via His Virgin (Divine) birth.}

Introduction: "'Antediluvian civilizations'" are civilizations believed to have existed before the Great flood of Noah. If the fossil record is indeed the result of the Biblical flood as described in the Bible, then it is somewhat expected for evidence of antediluvian (pre-flood) civilizations to exist. It is assumed by many that humans reached advanced stages of technological development before the flood. Such presuppositions are usually based on the Biblical genealogy, which states that ancient people lived to approximately 10 times our current life span. Also it is frequently mentioned that Adam and Eve would likely possess higher than normal intelligence since they were created as adults, with knowledge that subsequent humans obtain from their parents. Another theory states that the antediluvian race called the Nephilim was superior to other humans in this respect. All accounts of the Great flood from civilizations around the world indicate that there were civilizations before the flood. However, as a result of the destruction during the flood and the passage of time, the remaining evidence is scanty. As a result of the flood, the earth was covered in hundreds of feet of sediment, and very little of the antediluvian horizon has been exposed. It is also problematic that the scientific community is quick to dismiss any artifacts that dispute their presupposed interpretation of the fossil record. Nevertheless, any truly advanced civilization would have left durable traces or constructions that would likely surface during excavations or by erosion. Relatively insightful accounts can be drawn from the Bible, apocrypha, and ancient Babylonian and Greek accounts of antediluvian civilization. ... Implications of the Tower of Babel: We can not dispute the existence of atypical knowledge possessed by Adam and Eve, however, we should also consider the tower of Babel curse as it relates to human accomplishments to that date. Monumental constructions are a great source of pride for humans. It was most likely this type of technological development that God attempted to retard by creating the language barriers at the tower of Babel. The Babel event suggests that the tower was the first major monument that mankind had ever built. It was the first construction that had no purpose but to be a monument [temple] to human achievement [based on Satanic interaction]. The tower was not a particularly important technological development [Babel was a major object of Satanic interaction between humans and Satan - harming humans to the extent of possibly permanently altering our human (DNA) making us more susceptible to disease, illness and further shortening our lifespan and also harming our psyche (soul) by lessening our confidence and our decision making capabilities making us even more susceptible to Satanic deceptions]. It was built out of bricks, and was therefore incomparable to even the limestone pyramids. In comparison to our modern building it was hardly more than a mud mound. Many better monuments would be built afterwards, but given God's reaction, it is logical to propose that nothing like it had been built prior to the flood. [link]

EmbassyOfHeaven.com: Nimrod Becomes First King - With the setting up of Nimrod's kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase - Such was the true origin of the State - The State was, and is, the result of the apostasy of men from God - It is true that these things are the consequences of the apostasy from God - When men have apostatized from God, monarchies such as that of Nimrod or of Nero, became necessary, just in proportion to the degree of apostasy - Nimrod's example was eagerly followed by all [future generations] the tribes around, until they were all absorbed [born] in it - [Patriarchal] Society had passed away, and only States [Governments] remained; and all of these States were [false worship] idolatrous

That is, Nimrod was the first one to establish the might, the power, the authority, of human government, in the form of an organized State. He was the first man to assert the power and prerogatives, and assume the title of king over men. "And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar."55 Genesis 10:10 -- Consequently: With the setting up of Nimrod's kingdom, the entire ancient world entered a new historical phase. The oriental tradition which makes that warrior the first man who wore a kingly crown, points to a fact more significant than the assumption of a new ornament of dress, or even the conquest of a province. His reign introduced to the world a new system of relations between the governor and the governed. The authority of former rulers rested upon the feeling of kindred; and the ascendancy of the chief was an image of parental control. Nimrod, on the contrary, was a sovereign of territory, and of men just so far as they were its inhabitants, and irrespective of personal ties. Hitherto there had been tribes - enlarged families - society: now there was a nation, a political community - THE STATE. The political and social history of the world henceforth are distinct, if not divergent. - Empires of the Bible, chap. 6, par. 7. -- Such was the true origin of the State. The State was, and is, the result of the apostasy of men from God. It is the state's only possible origin; for if all men had always observed the two great commandments, it would have been impossible for there ever to have been any State. There could have been no human authority exercised. All would have been equally subject to God; He would have been the only sovereign. Before Nimrod, there was society. Respect of the rights of persons and of their property was maintained. It was only when the apostasy grew, and men got farther and farther from God, that the monarchical idea was established and personified in Nimrod. Let no one misunderstand. This is not to say, nor even to imply, that there should now be no human government, that there should be no State, nor even that there should be no monarchy. It is simply to say the truth - that if there never had been any apostasy from God, there never could have been on earth a State, nor any human government. It is true that these things are the consequences of the apostasy from God. When men have apostatized from God, monarchies such as that of Nimrod or of Nero, became necessary, just in proportion to the degree of apostasy. It is better that there should be a government, bad as it may be, than that there should be no government at all. Even such a government as Nimrod's or Nero's is better than none at all. But without apostasy there could never have been any human government; and without the apostasy having gone to a fearful length, there never could have been any such government as Nimrod's or Nero's. -- Nimrod's example was eagerly followed by all the tribes around, until they were all absorbed in it. Society had passed away, and only States remained; and all of these States were idolatrous. In all that region, only Abraham believed God, even his own parents being idolaters. "They served other gods."56 Joshua 24:2 [link]

King Nimrod and modern government - Introducing Nimrod and modern government - First man in the world who had the boldness to take for himself the title and prerogative of king, in the face of the yet lingering idea of God as king - Be careful to be quick to judge Nimrod too harshly, he established the might, the power, the authority, of human government, in the form of an organized State - Whether you are a Republican, Democrat or Libertarian, the roots of all three are Nimrod

(Part satirical) Introducing Nimrod and modern government - Abram [Abraham was 4 generations after Nimrod] lucked out, though God of course, could have saved him from any fate including death in a furnace, but Nimrod Rebel was a fierce warrior and powerful king. First man in the world who had the boldness to take for himself the title and prerogative of king, in the face of the yet lingering idea of God as king. The Bible record of Nimrod is that, "He began to be a mighty one in the earth." Abram once tweeted: AbrahamWanderer OMG King Nimrod just went down mainstreet, a thousand people in the procession, throwing SWAG, hope I get lucky http://tinyurl.com/cafuvl King Nimrod built roads, schools and hospitals, raised and army and invented a concept known as taxation. He was a bit of a philosopher was well, I listened to him go on for an hour once pondering the inverse relationship between piety and intelligence. Be careful to be quick to judge Nimrod too harshly, he established the might, the power, the authority, of human government, in the form of an organized State. Whether you are a republican, democrat or libertarian, the roots of all three are Nimrod. [link]

Where did "Easter" get its name? - Where did the concept of an Easter egg and bunny originate? - The name "Easter" has its roots in ancient polytheistic [worshipping more than one god - answers.com] religions (paganism) - Most reference books say that the name "Easter" derived from the Eastre, the Teutonic goddess of Spring - Although this relationship exists, in reality, the origin of the name and the goddess are far more ancient - going all the way back to [Nimrod] the Tower of Babel [1st Kingdom - 1st Pagan Temple] -- The origin begins not long after the Biblical flood -- Summary and Conclusion: "Easter" is simply one of the names of (Queen Semiramis - wife of King Nimrod, the Mother Goddess: Wife of Baal [Satan], Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth, and Queen of Heaven - also called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre) a woman [a part of Mystery Babylon] who mightily deceived the world and whose religion has caused untold suffering and misery - She was clearly an enemy of [ancient] Christianity [a personal relationship with God], and her son Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions - If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre *deception and *confusion **that Satan has successfully orchestrated

The name "Easter" has its roots in ancient polytheistic religions (paganism). On this, all scholars agree. This name is never used in the original Scriptures, nor is it ever associated biblically with the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. For these reasons, we prefer to use the term "Resurrection Sunday" rather than "Easter" when referring to the annual Christian remembrance of Christ's resurrection. -- Ancient origin: Most reference books say that the name "Easter" derived from the Eastre, the Teutonic goddess of Spring. Although this relationship exists, in reality, the origin of the name and the goddess are far more ancient - going all the way back to the Tower of Babel. The origin begins not long after the biblical Flood. The Flood was a divine judgment sent on mankind after evil had become all pervasive and all people everywhere were totally unresponsive to God. The Bible says that "the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5, NKJV). It is not difficult to imagine that life must have been almost unbearable at this time in history. God gave humankind a second chance by preserving the righteous man Noah and his family (a total of 8 people). After the Flood, Noah had a talented, but evil, great-grandson named Nimrod (Genesis 10:6-10) who rebelled greatly against God. The Bible says that he was "a mighty one" Jewish tradition indicates that Nimrod was a tyrant "who made all of the people rebellious against God." It is evident from history that Nimrod was not only a political leader, but also the lead priest of a form of occultic worship. -- King Nimrod, Queen Semiramis (Easter), and Tammuz (the "reincarnated" Nimrod) Nimrod built and organized major cities. The Bible notes that these included Babel, Asshur, Nineveh and Calah (Genesis 10:10-12). If you know anything about ancient history, the mention of these places may send shivers up your spine. For these were cities of great, almost unimaginable practices and perversion. When Nimrod eventually died, the Babylonian mystery religion in which he figured prominently continued on. His wife Queen Semiramis saw to that. Once he was dead, she deified him as the Sun-god. In various cultures he later became known as Baal, the Great Life Giver, the god of fire, Baalim, Bel, Molech, etc. "Later, when this adulterous and idolatrous woman gave birth to an illegitimate son, she claimed that this son, Tammuz by name, was Nimrod reborn." Semiramis "claimed that her son was supernaturally conceived [no human father] and that he was the promised seed, the 'savior'" - promised by God in Genesis 3:15. "However, not only was the child worshipped, but the woman, the MOTHER, was also worshipped as much (or more) than the son!" Nimrod deified as the god of the sun and father of creation. Semiramis became the goddess of the moon, fertility, etc. -- "In the old fables of the Mystery cults, their 'savior' Tammuz, was worshipped with various rites at the Spring season. According to the legends, after he was slain [killed by a wild boar], he went into the underworld. But through the weeping of his mother… he mystically revived in the springing forth of the vegetation - in Spring! Each year a spring festival dramatically represented this supposed 'resurrection' from the underworld. Thus, a terrible false religion developed with its sun and moon worship, priests, astrology, demonic worship, worship of stars associated with their gods, idolatry, mysterious rites, human sacrifice, and more. Frankly, the practices which went on were so horrible that it is not fitting for me to speak of them here. It was at Nimrod's city of Babel that a towering structure was first built in defiance of God as part of their Satanic religion. Archaeological evidence indicates that this was a spectacular pyramid-shaped structure (ziggurat). The Bible tells us that at this time there was only one language in the world and that most of the world's population centered in this area and participated in this religion. It was evident to God that all mankind would soon degenerate into a level of evil that would parallel that of the pre-Flood world. For humanity's sake, something had to be done to slow and frustrate this organization of an evil one world, tyrannical government. -- God confused their language, so that they could not understand each other (Genesis 11:7). (This is the ultimate source of the world's many languages.) As a result, many people moved away from the area in groups according to their particular new language. Most, if not all, of these people carried their evil Sun-God-based religion with them. They continued to worship the stars and practice all the other ungodly rituals of their religion. Some also continued to build pyramids reminiscent of the Tower of Babel as part of this mystery religion. Today, we can still find remnants of these throughout the world (e.g., Iraq, South America, Central America, Egypt, Burma). -- Babel was the origin of an idolatrous system that swept the world. The Bible says of her, "Babylon... the nations drank her wine; Therefore the nations are deranged" (Jeremiah 51:7). The Bible often speaks of the Satanic religions which came from her. The ancient Greek historian Herodotus "witnessed the Mystery religion and its rites in numerous countries and mentions how Babylon was the primeval source from which ALL systems of idolatry flowed. Austen Layard said "that we have the united testimony of sacred and profane history that idolatry originated in the area of Babylonia - the most ancient of religious systems." -- Basically, almost every vile, profane and idolatrous practice you can think of originated at Babel with Queen Semiramis, the Mother Goddess and Nimrod. As the people scattered from Babel with their different languages, they, of course, used different names for Nimrod (Tammuz) and Semiramis. Some called the Mother Goddess "ISHTAR" (originally pronounced "Easter"). In other lands, she was called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre. Other names for Semiramis, the Mother Goddess include: Wife of Baal, Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth, and Queen of Heaven. The Mother goddess was frequently worshipped as the goddess of fertility - and as a sort of Mother Nature and goddess of Spring and sexual love and birth. She was also worshipped as a mediator between god and man. Sexual orgies and temple prostitutes were often used in her worship and in attempting to gain her favor. -- The Easter Rabbit or Hare: The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar (Egypt, China, etc.). As you may remember, the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the Moon. In other words, the Easter bunny symbolizes the Mother Goddess. Annual Spring time fertility rituals are associated worship of the Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband Nimrod. -- The Easter Egg: Most children and families who color or hide Easter eggs as part of their Resurrection Sunday tradition have no knowledge of the origin of these traditions. Easter egg activities have become a part of Western culture. Many would be surprised and even dismayed to learn where the traditions originated. "The egg was a sacred symbol among the Babylonians. They believed an old fable about an egg of wondrous size which was supposed to have fallen from heaven into the Euphrates River. From this marvelous egg - according to the ancient story - the Goddess Astarte (Easter) [Semiramis], was hatched. And so the egg came to symbolize the Goddess Easter." The idea of a mystic egg spread from Babylon to many parts of the world. In Rome [6th Kingdom], the mystic egg preceded processions in honor of the Mother Goddess Roman. The egg was part of the sacred ceremonies of the Mysteries of Bacchus. The Druids used the egg as their sacred emblem. In Northern Europe, China and Japan the eggs were colored for their sacred festivals. The egg was also a symbol of fertility; Semiramis (Easter) was the goddess of Fertility. The Easter egg is a symbol of the pagan Mother Goddess, and it even bears one of her names. -- Summary and Conclusion: "Easter" is simply one of the names of (Queen Semiramis - wife of King Nimrod, the Mother Goddess include: Wife of Baal [Satan], Ashtaroth or Ashtoreth, and Queen of Heaven - also called Eostre, Astarte, Ostera, and Eastre) a woman [a part of Mystery Babylon] who mightily deceived the world and whose religion has caused untold suffering and misery. She was clearly an enemy of Christianity, and her son Tammuz was an anti-Christ, a false messiah that ultimately deceived millions. If you are Christian, it is not difficult to discern the bizarre deception and confusion that Satan has successfully orchestrated. For example, notice the embarrassing irony in these traditions which are practiced innocently by most people. They are repeated year after year, because they have become traditional and their origin is unknown to many. *On the day commemorating Christ's resurrection, Americans roll decorated eggs on the White House lawn and pretend the Easter rabbit hid them. The same ritual is practiced at some Christian churches. "In Lancashire [England] on Easter eve boys and men have been in the habit of touring the towns and villages as 'Pace-eggers' begging for eggs before performing the 'Pace-Egging' or Pasch (i.e., Easter) play." In Greece each person in a group bangs his red EASTER EGG [not knowing that it is symbol of the Goddess] against the eggs of all the others present in turn, saying 'Christ is risen,' and receives the reply 'He is risen indeed.'" -- The seductive symbols of ancient ungodly religions inspired by Satan have been incorporated into people's everyday lives, even to this day - continuing to obscure the truth of God. ... Many church bodies recognize the problem and make every effort to keep the focus of Resurrection Sunday totally on Jesus Christ and the Good News that He brought. [link]

What is the Tower of Babel? The Tower of Babel is a fascinating story which helped the ancients understand God - The story of the Tower of Babel doesn't take place in a vacuum - It falls in between Noah's flood and the call of Abraham - The parable [from the events of Babel] tells us that the road without God is doomed to disaster - The citizens of Babel thought that they were able, technologically, to challenge God's leadership - Man's pride, vanity and lust for power need to come under God's authority - That is the theological lesson of this section of scripture - They are the only kinds of lessons the Bible gives

The call of Abraham comes about as God decides to form a people of his own to carry the knowledge and worship of Him into the world. The Flood did not stem man's evil ways and the activities around the Tower of Babel showed that man loves himself more than any God. The glory of man is what was sought with that tower, not the glory of God. So, in Abraham, God forms a people who will glorify Him. -- The story of Babel comes at a point after the flood where everyone is seen as a descendant of Noah. Genesis 10 and 11 is a genealogy from Noah to Abraham and an attempt to classify everyone in the known world as a descendant. I say "known" world because as far as these early Hebrews were concerned the world was flat and rested on pillars. The sky was a shell with stars fastened to it. Ethiopia was as far south as they could identify, Iran to the east, Armenia to the north and Greece to the west. They had heard of a place called Tarshish (Spain - also possibly Britain) but weren't sure. Jonah had tried to go there because it was as far as he could imagine going. -- The whole story of Babel lasts for only nine verses, Genesis 11: 1-9. Its fame has far exceeded the space that the compilers of Genesis have given it in the Holy Scriptures. Just before we are given the names of the descendants of Shem (Shemites or Semites) whose line brings us to Abraham, the story of the Tower of Babel is inserted. What could be the significance of this little parable at this point in Bible history? -- Of course, the ancients wanted to know why and how we all came to be speaking different languages. If Noah and his sons repopulated the world shouldn't we all speak their language? Verses ten to twenty six bring us from Shem to Abraham. The story of Babel is there to explain to a primitive society how we get from Noah to Abraham with so many different languages having developed in so short a time. What could be the cause of this impediment to human cooperation and understanding? -- The choice of the name "Babel" is not an accident. The reference to Babylon reflects the way that Babylon was abhorred by Hebrew society. Babylon represented everything that was wrong with humanity. As a city, Babylon was both envied and loathed. The city was beautiful and graced with streets and palaces. The hanging gardens of Babylon are one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Writing and science were developing there. In the meantime, the Hebrews were a nomadic society concerned with day to day survival. Babylon represented oppression, cruelty and violence by which it remained powerful. -- So Babel (Babylon) is portrayed as a society where everyone speaks with the same language and through human cooperation attempt to climb to heaven on a tower. This is not a God centered society but a fellowship of men dedicated to elevating man to his proper position as God of this world. This is a theme often repeated in the Bible. The ziggurats stand as evidence against them. So Babylon gets the blame for confusion because they try to get up to God's level. The disdain that ancient Israel felt for Babylon is reflected in the Tower story. -- So, is this science or theology? There is no science in the Bible. There is no point looking for it there. The Bible is a theological manuscript. It is the story of God's dealings with humans from the viewpoint of an ancient society. Is Babel the reason for all of the various languages in the world? Of course it isn't. Is Babel a parable? The story of the Tower of Babel is a parable about mankind, where his heart is and how God feels about it. -- The account of Babel's tower is lousy history and terrible science. It is terrific theology. The final judgement against any society is its willingness to press forward in the name of progress without reference to or respect for God. The parable tells us that the road without God is doomed to disaster. The citizens of Babel thought that they were able, technologically, to challenge God's leadership. Man's pride, vanity and lust for power need to come under God's authority. That is the theological lesson of this section of scripture. They are the only kinds of lessons the Bible gives. [link]

THE TOWER OF BABEL AND THE CONFUSION OF LANGUAGES by Lambert Dolphin - Nimrod's name is from the verb "let us revolt" - He is said to be a mighty hunter (gibbor tsayidh) in the sight of the Lord, but the language has a dark meaning - He becomes a tyrant or despot leading an organized rebellion against the rule of Yahweh (God) - He hunts not animals, but rather the souls of men - Cain, a condemned murderer had started the first cities before the Flood - Nimrod builds the first post-Flood cities - The region he settles in is now mostly modern Iraq {Note: Actually Nimrod probably settled an area of modern Turkey - The ancient O.T. 'land of Shinar' [Noah's Ark, Tower of Babel, birthplace of Abraham in Ur (in northern Iraq)] "Genesis 11:2 And it came to pass, as they [Nimrod and the people] journeyed [going west from Noah's Ark - towards Iraq though still in Turkey] from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there." The ancient O.T. land of Shinar seems to have been the region of modern Turkey over to the Iraq area. The N.T. 'region of Galatia' [Seven Churches of Revelation] (modern Turkey) seems to have been the region of modern Turkey going the other direction towards Greece.}

Notes by James Montgomery Boice on *Nimrod and Babel THE FIRST WORLD EMPIRE There is an interesting feature of Moses' treatments of these descendants of Ham that is at once recognizable to one who reads this chapter. It is the parenthesis that fills verses 8-12. It comes in the middle of the table of nations and, in a sense, interrupts it. These verses deal, not with the general movements of peoples and nations, but with one particular descendant of Cush, Nimrod, who is said to have been the founder of the first world empire. **Here is the first place in the Bible where the word "kingdom" occurs. Significantly, it is used, not of God's kingdom (as it is later), but of this first rival kingdom of Nimrod. This matter was obviously of great importance to Moses, for a related parenthesis occurs in the first nine verses of chapter 11, in the story of the tower of Babel. What is so significant about Nimrod? The fact that he established cities and built a kingdom is important, of course. But there is much more that can be said. Nimrod was the first person to become a "mighty" man. Our text calls attention to this by using the adjective "mighty" three times in describing him: "Nimrod ... grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD'" (vv. 8, 9). The adjective also occurs in a similar way in 1 Chronicles 1:10. Why is this emphasized? Is it good or bad? A little thought will show that it is bad. The empire of Babylon under Nimrod was an affront both to God and man, an affront to God in that it sought to do without God (Gen. 11:1-9) and an affront to man in that it sought to rule over other people tyrannically. Martin Luther was on the right track when he suggested that this is the way the word "hunter" should be interpreted. This is not talking about Nimrod's ability to hunt wild game. He was not a hunter of animals. He was a hunter of men--a warrior. It was through his ability to fight and kill and rule ruthlessly that his kingdom of Euphrates valley city states was consolidated. -- The Tower of Babel by Ray C. Stedman - The fact that this was a religious tower-and yet built to make a name for man-reveals the master motive behind religion. It is a means by which man attempts to share the glory of God. We must understand this, otherwise we will never understand the power of religion as it has pervaded the earth and permeated our culture ever since. It is a way by which man seeks to share what is rightfully God's alone. This tower was a grandiose structure, and undoubtedly it was intended to be a means by which man would glorify God. Unquestionably there was a plaque somewhere attached to it that carried the pious words, "Erected in the year ___, to the greater glory of God." But it was not really for the glory of God; it was a way of controlling God, a way of channeling God by using him for man's glory. That is what man's religion has always sought to do. It is a way of making God available to us. Man does not really want to eliminate God. It is only sporadically and then only for a relatively brief time, that men cry out for the elimination of God. Atheism is too barren, too pessimistic and too morally bankrupt to live with very long. The communists are finding this out. No, we need "dear old God," but let's keep him under control. Do not let him get out of his place. "Don't call us, God; we'll call you." This is the fundamental philosophy of society. It is the tower of Babel all over again. (from The Beginnings, by Ray C. Stedman, Waco Books, 1978.) [link]

Tower of Babel May Have Been Located Near the Black Sea [West and North of the traditional location for Noah's Ark] in a remote region of eastern Turkey - He believes he has found a possible location near a place whose name means "Gate of God," the same literal meaning as Babel - In the Tower of Babel story in the book of Genesis, Noah's descendants [journeyed from east (the Ark) to Shinar] led by Nimrod arrived at Babel in the land of Shinar - Sanders' work is a challenge to conventional beliefs - Traditionally, biblical scholars and archaeologists have placed the dawn of [after Noah] civilization in Mesopotamia [directly South of what is considered to be the site of the Ark of Noah], the area bounded by the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, now mostly located in Iraq -- "Genesis 11:1-5 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. And it came to pass, *as they journeyed from the east, **that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded."

Tower of Babel May Have Been Located Near the Black Sea - Sent in by Elias Dangoor - A British archaeologist claims he has discovered the site of one of the most famous buildings in history, the biblical Tower of Babel, in a remote region of eastern Turkey. Michael Sanders, a classical publisher, believes new satellite photographs from Nasa, the American space agency, and a reinterpretation of ancient biblical text suggest that mythical tower actually existed - in the Pontus region of the Black Sea coast of Turkey. Most archaeologists believe Babel was located in Mesopotamian Babylon, the ruins of which lie South-west of Baghdad in Iraq. Saddam Hussein, the Iraqi leader, has even attempted to rebuild ancient Babylon, erecting badly constructed brick walls at the site. The remains of several huge ziggurats, or stepped towers, near Babylon have given further credence to the theory that the tower was in Mesopotamia. But there has never been any physical proof. "A location in Pontus makes much more sense in terms of the Biblical story," said Sanders last week. He believes he has found a possible location near a place whose name means "Gate of God," the same literal meaning as Babel. In the Tower of Babel story in the book of Genesis, Noah's descendants led by Nimrod arrived at Babel in the land of Shinar. On his arrival Nimrod, known as the mighty hunter, decided to build a tower up to heaven. But God punished the people for their arrogance in trying to build such a folly. To cause confusion among the builders and make their job impossible, God made them all speak different languages rather than their common tongue. Sanders has reviewed a number of old texts, including the Targum Yonathan an Aramaic version of the Bible. It reports the tower was located in the "Land of Shinar" and that this was found in the ancient territory of Pontus. "I was amazed to find after I decided that Pontus was the most likely location that several modern academics make this place the origin of all the modern languages of the West. Not Africa, not Mesopotamia, but right there, where I believe the Tower of Babel was." Other researchers who believe the origins of the Bible lie in the Black Sea region include Robert Ballard, the discoverer of the Titanic, who is currently working on a three-year research programme on the Black Sea, which he believes could be the location of the biblical flood. David Rohl, a Manchester classicist, claims that many of the events of Genesis, such as the flood, took place in eastern turkey but places the Tower of Babel in Mesopotamia. Other academics have suggested the tower could have been an observatory. Another theory is that it was an altar to the all-powerful Mesopotamian god Marduk and his consort Zupinatu. One text went so far as to claim it was topped with a "cedar-made bed and gold-engraved throne." But Sanders is dubious. "We just don't know what the function was. In ancient times, there was a compulsion to build high to get closer to God." Sanders' work is a challenge to conventional beliefs. Traditionally, biblical scholars and archaeologists have placed the dawn of civilisation in Mesopotamia, the area bounded by the rivers Tigris and Euphrates, now mostly located in Iraq. The main historical event linking Babylon with the Tower of Babel story is the fall of the temple tower built by King Etemenanki, which was rebuilt by Nabopolassar and his son Nebuchadnezzar II. The name Babel in Genesis is thought to be a play on the words for Babylon, gate of God, and "confuse." The English word babble is derived from the story. Sanders is planning an expedition to the "Turkish Babel" in the spring of next year. "This theory might appear unconventional to some people but to many early scholars it would have made sense. A lot of the belief that Babylon is Babel stems simply from the similarity of the two names," he said. From The Sunday Times. [link]

THE TOWER OF BABEL AND THE CONFUSION OF LANGUAGES by Lambert Dolphin - Nimrod's name is from the verb "let us revolt" - He is said to be a mighty hunter (gibbor tsayidh) in the sight of the Lord, but the language has a dark meaning - He becomes a tyrant or despot leading an organized rebellion against the rule of Yahweh (God) - He hunts not animals, but rather the souls of men - Cain, a condemned murderer had started the first cities before the Flood - Nimrod builds the first post-Flood cities - The region he settles in is now mostly modern Iraq

Notes by James Montgomery Boice on Nimrod and Babel THE FIRST WORLD EMPIRE There is an interesting feature of Moses' treatments of these descendants of Ham that is at once recognizable to one who reads this chapter. It is the parenthesis that fills verses 8-12. It comes in the middle of the table of nations and, in a sense, interrupts it. These verses deal, not with the general movements of peoples and nations, but with one particular descendant of Cush, Nimrod, who is said to have been the founder of the first world empire. **Here is the first place in the Bible where the word "kingdom" occurs. Significantly, it is used, not of God's kingdom (as it is later), but of this first rival kingdom of Nimrod. This matter was obviously of great importance to Moses, for a related parenthesis occurs in the first nine verses of chapter 11, in the story of the tower of Babel. What is so significant about Nimrod? The fact that he established cities and built a kingdom is important, of course. But there is much more that can be said. Nimrod was the first person to become a "mighty" man. Our text calls attention to this by using the adjective "mighty" three times in describing him: "Nimrod ... grew to be a mighty warrior on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; that is why it is said, 'Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD'" (vv. 8, 9). The adjective also occurs in a similar way in 1 Chronicles 1:10. Why is this emphasized? Is it good or bad? A little thought will show that it is bad. The empire of Babylon under Nimrod was an affront both to God and man, an affront to God in that it sought to do without God (Gen. 11:1-9) and an affront to man in that it sought to rule over other people tyrannically. Martin Luther was on the right track when he suggested that this is the way the word "hunter" should be interpreted. This is not talking about Nimrod's ability to hunt wild game. He was not a hunter of animals. He was a hunter of men--a warrior. It was through his ability to fight and kill and rule ruthlessly that his kingdom of Euphrates valley city states was consolidated. -- The Tower of Babel by Ray C. Stedman - The fact that this was a religious tower-and yet built to make a name for man-reveals the master motive behind religion. It is a means by which man attempts to share the glory of God. We must understand this, otherwise we will never understand the power of religion as it has pervaded the earth and permeated our culture ever since. It is a way by which man seeks to share what is rightfully God's alone. This tower was a grandiose structure, and undoubtedly it was intended to be a means by which man would glorify God. Unquestionably there was a plaque somewhere attached to it that carried the pious words, "Erected in the year ___, to the greater glory of God." But it was not really for the glory of God; it was a way of controlling God, a way of channeling God by using him for man's glory. That is what man's religion has always sought to do. It is a way of making God available to us. Man does not really want to eliminate God. It is only sporadically and then only for a relatively brief time, that men cry out for the elimination of God. Atheism is too barren, too pessimistic and too morally bankrupt to live with very long. The communists are finding this out. No, we need "dear old God," but let's keep him under control. Do not let him get out of his place. "Don't call us, God; we'll call you." This is the fundamental philosophy of society. It is the tower of Babel all over again. (from The Beginnings, by Ray C. Stedman, Waco Books, 1978.) [link]

Revelation 18 - The sins of Mystery Babylon will result in the plagues of God upon Mystery Babylon -- 'Revelation 18:1-5 And after these things I saw another Angel [messenger] come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with His Glory [Jesus Christ]. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all Nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication [unfaithfulness], and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. **And I heard another voice from Heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins (Genesis 11:4) [The Tower of Babel] have reached unto Heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities [intentional sins].'

Mystery Babylon is to be judged and destroyed all in a single day: Revelation 18:6-10 Reward her [Mystery Babylon] even as she rewarded [betrayed] you [humans], and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. *Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. ... Revelation 18:20-24 Rejoice over her [Mystery Babylon], thou Heaven, and ye Holy Apostles and Prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty Angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down (Jeremiah 51:63), and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. **And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. [link]

An artist's depiction of...... the Tower of Babel? "Treasure of Nimrod" - This stone carving was found in Iraq [1988] near the ancient city of Babylon - There are clearly two suns [Christ, Antichrist] in the sky and everyone is looking up at them - The tallest figure (wearing the horns of the bull... Nimrod's old crown) appears to be a giant [carrying a bow and holding an arrow - Revelation 6:2 rider of the white horse, the arrow now hidden (false peace) in Revelation - End Times] {Note: The 'cone shaped' Tower and all the helmets (head coverings) look Egyptian - seemingly or clearly the Egyptian pharaohs were carrying on the tradition and spirit (Mystery fallen angelic Babylon) as revealed to Nimrod.} (Photo)

This stone carving (above) was found in Iraq [1988] near the ancient city of Babylon (Bagdad) [the ancient city of Babylon, located 85 kilometers (53 miles) south of Baghdad - wiki.com]. Historians falsely interpret this illustration so I invite you to look at it carefully. There are clearly two suns in the sky and everyone is looking up at them. The tallest figure (wearing the horns of the bull... Nimrod's old crown) appears to be a giant. Giants in the Bible were roughly 18 feet tall. The dome-shaped object is too perfect to be a mountain peak. Instead, imagine that it's the "top" of the Tower of Babel. [link]

Treasure of Nimrud [Nimrod] Is Found (1988) In Iraq, and It's Spectacular (Article Updated: June 6, 2003)

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- The treasure of Nimrud survived 2,800 years buried near a dusty town in northern Iraq. It then spent 12 years tucked away in a vault. Until Thursday, it was uncertain whether it had survived Saddam Hussein's son, a U.S. missile strike, looters, a flood and a grenade attack. But it has been found intact in the dark, damp basement of a bombed out central bank building. Thursday, directors of Iraq's National Museum and a team of U.S. Customs agents and officials from the Office of the Coalition Provisional Authority -- the Pentagon-run agency managing postwar Iraq -- cracked open five waterlogged wooden crates, peered inside and breathed a collective sigh of relief. There, in dozens of smaller boxes was the entire collection -- 613 pieces of gold jewelry, precious stones and ornaments from the height of the Assyrian civilization in 800 B.C. Together, the pieces weigh well over 100 pounds. The recovery of the artifacts, which hasn't been made public, is a great boost for the museum, which gained the world's attention in the days after the war when U.S. forces failed to prevent looters from hauling away thousands of artifacts from ancient civilizations that sprang up in the Tigris-Euphrates valley. Experts said it was the worst ransacking of Iraq since Genghis Khan tore into Baghdad in the 13th century. While initial reports talked of some 170,000 pieces stolen, it is now clear that perhaps only a few thousand artifacts were taken, experts say. Many priceless objects from the museum are still missing, such as the sacred Vase of Warka, a Sumerian piece from about 3000 B.C. But museum officials moved hundreds of the most valuable items into storage rooms and secret locations only weeks before the war, including some 40,000 ancient books, Islamic manuscripts and scrolls spirited away in a bomb shelter. More than a thousand other pieces have been recovered by U.S. officials. -- Unearthed in 1988 by Iraqi archaeologists and never seen outside Iraq, the Nimrud treasure had been on public display at Baghdad's National Museum for just a few months before Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1990. Days after the invasion, the treasure was yanked from public view. Its whereabouts remained secret. -- One man who long wondered about the treasure was Jason Williams, a British anthropologist and filmmaker, who had tried in vain to film the Nimrud treasure in recent years. The only existing film of the pieces was taken when Iraqi archeologists made the discovery, with grainy images of an archaeologist holding up rings and bracelets still attached to the bones of their former owners. "These are Iraq's crown jewels," Mr. Williams said recently as he stepped over several feet of smashed glass, twisted metal and heaps of charred Iraqi dinars in the hull of the bank building destroyed by a U.S. missile strike. Although the building was gutted, the missile didn't damage the basement or the vaults. But a burst water pipe soon flooded the area. [link]

Wikipedia: Tower of Babel - The Tower of Babel, according to the Book of Genesis, was an enormous tower built in the plain of Shinar - The Tower of Babel has often been associated with known structures, notably the Etemenanki, a ziggurat [square tower] dedicated to Marduk (Satan - a late-generation god [name] from ancient Mesopotamia) by Nabopolassar (c.658 - 605 BC) [the first king of the [New] Neo-Babylonian Empire - he ruled over Babylon for 20 years (625 - 605 BC) - Nabopolassar was the father of Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 24:1) "Nebuchadnezzar (a later) king of Babylon"] - The Great Ziggurat [not the Tower of Babel] of Babylon base was square (not round), 91m in height, but was finally demolished by *Alexander the Great before his death in an attempt to rebuild it

The Tower of Babel, according to the Book of Genesis, was an enormous tower built in the plain of Shinar. According to the biblical account, a united humanity of the generations following the Great Flood, speaking a single language and migrating from the east, came to the land of Shinar, where they resolved to build a city with a tower "with its top in the heavens...lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the Earth." Yahweh came down to see what they did and said: "They are one people and have one language, and nothing will be withholden from them which they purpose to do." So Yahweh said, "Come, let us go down and confound their speech." And so Yahweh scattered them upon the face of the Earth, and confused their languages, and they left off building the city, which was called Babel "because Yahweh there confounded the language of all the Earth."(Genesis 11:5-8). The Tower of Babel has often been associated with known structures, notably the Etemenanki, a ziggurat dedicated to Marduk by Nabopolassar (c. 610 BC). The Great Ziggurat of Babylon base was square (not round), 91m in height, but was finally demolished by Alexander the Great before his death in an attempt to rebuild it. A Sumerian story with some similar elements is preserved in Enmerkar and the Lord of Aratta. ... Narrative: The phrase "the Tower of Babel" does not actually appear in the Bible; it is always, "the city and its tower" or just "the city". Originally the city receives the name "Babel", from the word from ancient Hebrew, "balal", *meaning to jumble. Various English translations use different vocabulary sometimes with different meanings; usually this causes no important difference to the story: one speech/vocabulary/same words, plain/valley, asphalt/bitumen/slime, children/men, confound/confuse; and sometimes the difference is important to later interpretations of the meaning of the story: may reach unto heaven/in the sky/will be in the skies (examples from King James, Holman Christian, and R E Friedman versions). ... Destruction: The account in Genesis makes no mention of any destruction of the tower. The people whose languages are confounded simply stop building their city, and are scattered from there over the face of the Earth. However, in other sources such as the Book of Jubilees (chapter 10 v.18-27), Cornelius Alexander (frag. 10), Abydenus (frags. 5 and 6), Josephus (Antiquities 1.4.3), and the Sibylline Oracles (iii. 117-129), God overturns the tower with a great wind. In the Midrash, it said that the top of the tower was burnt, the bottom was swallowed, and the middle was left standing to erode over time. [link]

Nimrod: He Was And Will Be Again [In Type] - How does [Sumerian] Gilgamesh [found in extra-Biblical literature] (2000 B.C.) compare with "Nimrod?" Josephus says of Nimrod, Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God - He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah -- a bold man, and of great strength of hand - He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it were through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness

In Genesis 10:8-11 we learn that "Nimrod" established a kingdom. Therefore, one would expect to find also, in the literature of the ancient Near East, a person who was a type, or example, for other people to follow. And there was. It is a well-known tale, common in Sumerian literature, of a man who fits the description. In addition to the Sumerians, the Babylonians wrote about this person; the Assyrians likewise; and the Hittites. Even in Palestine, tablets have been found with this man's name on them. He was obviously the most popular hero in the Ancient Near East. The person we are referring to, found in extra-Biblical literature, was Gilgamesh. The first clay tablets naming him were found among the ruins of the temple library of the god Nabu (Biblical Nebo) and the palace library of Ashurbanipal [Asnapper (Ezra 4:10)] Ashurbanipal "Ashur is creator of an heir"; 685 BCE - c. 627 BCE), also spelled Assurbanipal or Ashshurbanipal, [Asnapper, Osnapper] was the son of Esarhaddon and the last great king of the Neo-Assyrian Empire (668 BCE - c. 627 BCE) - He established the first systematically organized library in the ancient Middle East, the Library of Ashurbanipal, which survives in part today at Nineveh - Wiki.com] in Nineveh (Jonah 1:2) [the ancient capital city of Assyria]. Many others have been found since in a number of excavations. The author of the best treatise on the Gilgamesh Epic says, The date of the composition of the Gilgamesh Epic can therefore be fixed at about 2000 BC. Though the stories in it relate an older previous period. The Epic of Gilgamesh has some very indecent sections. Alexander Heidel, first translator of the epic, had the decency to translate the vilest parts into Latin. Spieser, however, gave it to us "straight" (Pritchard 1955: 72). With this kind of literature in the palace, who needs pornography? Gilgamesh was a vile, filthy, man. Yet the myth says of him that he was "2/3 god and 1/3 man." -- How does Gilgamesh compare with "Nimrod?" Josephus says of Nimrod, Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God. He was the grandson of Ham, the son of Noah -- a bold man, and of great strength of hand. He persuaded them not to ascribe it to God, as if it were through his means they were happy, but to believe that it was their own courage which procured that happiness. He also gradually changed the government into tyranny -- seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God, but to bring them into a constant dependence upon his own power. He also said he would be revenged on God, if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach! and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers (Ant. 1: iv: 2). What Josephus says here is precisely what is found in the Gilgamesh epics. Gilgamesh set up tyranny, he opposed YHVH and did his utmost to get people to forsake Him. Two of the premiere commentators on the Bible in Hebrew has this to say about Genesis 10:9, Nimrod was mighty in hunting, and that in opposition to YHVH; not "before YHVH" in the sense of according to the will and purpose of YHVH, still less, . . . in a simply superlative sense . . . The name itself, "Nimrod" from marad, "we will revolt," points to some violent resistance to God . . . Nimrod as a mighty hunter founded a powerful kingdom; and the founding of this kingdom is shown by the verb with vav consecutive, to have been the consequence or result of his strength in hunting, so that hunting was intimately connected with the establishing of the kingdom. Hence, if the expression "a mighty hunter" relates primarily to hunting in the literal sense, we must add to the literal meaning the figurative signification of a "hunter of men" (a trapper of men by stratagem and force); Nimrod the hunter became a tyrant, a powerful hunter of men (Keil and Delitzsch 1975: 165). After the Flood there was, at some point, a breakaway from YHVH [YHWH]. Only eight people descended from the [Noah's] Ark. Those people worshipped YHVH [YHWH - God]. But at some point an influential person became opposed to YHVH and gathered others to his side. Nimrod is the one who did it. Cain had done similarly before the Flood, founding a new city and religious system. [link]

The Lengend of the Stagg [Hunter] - The Hungarian Legend of the Wondrous Stag is one of the oldest legends of the nation - In the legends of Iran the ruler Feridun, a Scythian king who was a descendant of Takhma Urupi (Nimrod), has three sons Tura, Sin, and Iredj - The first two stick together against the third son who inherits Iran - Tura becomes the ancestor of the Turanians, that is Scythians and Huns - Nimrod was known by several names in the Near East and was also symbolized by the constellations Sagitarius and Orion amongst the Turanian/scythian nations

The Hungarian Legend of the Wondrous Stag is one of the oldest legends of the nation. It is so old that it is found in various forms among those nations who were the distant relatives or neighbors of the Hungarians, long before their settlement in Hungary. The meaning and the wording of the legends may have changed slightly but they all have much in common. Today the remaining legend is relatively short, whereas in the past it was probably much more extensive. However the Hungarian legend despite it's brevity includes in it many important points some of which can be found in most of the related legends found in other cultures. It is these points which show that once, in the remote antiquity, these people were neighbors or some were even related. The symbol of the cosmos and the mother of the sun was symbolized as a large horned female doe. The great horned doe often was shown carrying the sun in her horns, in some cases the sun itself was symbolized as a stag the son of the doe of the legend. The following Christmas song told by the Hungarian regos (bards) illustrate the stag as the carrier of the sun. ... Mesopotamia: Amongst the many names of the god of wisdom and co-creator EA are Daramah, meaning great stag. Dr Bobula Ida's essay on "The Great Stag, a Messopotamian Divinity", Buenos Aires is an excellent analysis and comparison of similar words and customs with Hungarian Regös customs of the end of the year and the traditions of the stag. For those who would like this sent to them by EMAIL, drop me a note. In Hungarian knowledge, wisdom is based on the root word Tan, Tud, while god is also Is-Ten. Therefore Tana is associated with Hea in meaning as well as Pisces. In the Sumerian legends of the antediluvian kings the legend of Etana is prominent. Etana's legend includes the visiting of heaven. In Hungarian mythology Nimrod is the son of Etana, just as in Kushan-Scythian "Kush-Tana" is the ancestor of the nation. In Asia Ten, Tien means god or heaven also and Teno was the title of Hun emperors as in early Egypt S-Ten. Similarly in Japanese. In Persian legend of the very early (pre Arian) period when Iran was civilized by a western Mesopotamian ruler, Takma Urupi (Tana=Takma) whose wife was also Eneth. Eneth or Nana are names of the mother goddess of waters, rivers, and fertility among Mesopotamian and Scythian peoples. She was symbolized by Virgo. -- Persian Version: In the legends of Iran the ruler Feridun, a Scythian king who was a descendant of Takhma Urupi (Nimrod), has three sons Tura, Sin, and Iredj. The first two stick together against the third son who inherits Iran. Tura becomes the ancestor of the Turanians, that is Scythians and Huns. Nimrod was known by several names in the Near East and was also symbolized by the constellations Sagitarius and Orion amongst the Turanian/scythian nations. The Persian Legend of the stag is Scythian in origin: Prince Rustvan-shad (Rustam?), the son of the Chinese? emperor (an eastern emperor, more likely the HUNs not the HANs) was hunting while he came across a wondrous stag: his fur was blue (heavenly symbol), and his eyes looked like rubies, his hooves shone as though they were of gold. This stag always lead him on and eluded him, he never could catch him. Finally it lead him to a small lake where it jumped into it's center and disappeared. The prince therefore camped and went to sleep and when he awoke he heard gay laughing and music. Following the sounds he heard, he came to a wondrous marble palace, and there surrounded by a dozen beautiful young girls, sitting on a throne a beautiful goddess of a girl. He asked her who she was, and she replied "Only a tame DOE, and my name is Sehr-istani." (Old Iranian sraw=horn, Hungarian szarv, while Isten=god in old/pre-Iranian and Hungarian.) -- Egyptian Chase of the Ram: Whether we illustrate the story as the chase of the Stag or Ram is irrelevant because the name of the stag is based on the word horned, and can be any horned animal which is the symbol of the rebirth of light. The Egyptian Cushite version of the chase explains the chase of the "Horned" by the national ancestor-god-hero Osiris as follows. As to how the ram became the symbol of Ham, the following tradition survived. - When Osiris was returning home after his triumphant African tour, he and his army were unable to find water and were in a terrible state of dehydration. They were on the verge of death when a ram appeared in front of them. They viewed the appearance of the ram as a heavenly sign and they at once gave chase. To their great astonishment and relief the ram lead them to the shade and cool waters of an oasis. Osiris (Dionisus) explained the event by saying that the ram was Amon (who is symbolized as a ram) and to show his gratitude he raised a temple to his honor on the spot. Amon was elevated to the stars as the constellation of Aires (the ram) so that when the sun is in the house of Aires in spring, nature shall revive it's life. The Egyptian dictionary explains the word Cush to also mean tomb RAM, and this word is in accordance with the Hungarian word for ram KOSH. Nimrod and his people were Cushites and they also ruled Egypt at one time before founding Babylon. -- The Greek Version: The Greeks also inherited many legends from their Scythian neighbors, which included distorted versions of this story. Many Scythians were hired into Greek armies, and some were servants. Certain Scythians became prominent teachers in Greek cities. In the Greek story the twin sons of Zeus and Nemesis are known as Castor and Pollux. (GEMINI) Cas-tor and his brother Pollux steal the daughters of Leukepius. (LEUK=white) Cas-tor is the Cushite Tura, a son of Nimrod after whom northern Mesopotamia (Eturia) and the Aral and Caspian lowlands (Turan) were named. Pollux or Poly-deuces is Polly=Apolo is the sun god whose other Near Eastern name is Makar (MAGOR). Zeus was once a king in the Near East, a Kushite king (NIMROD) which the Greeks deified. Another Scythian legend recorded by the Greeks states that the sons of the Scythian king named SCYTHES were Palos (Polux) and Naes (Castor, Nesus are ancient ancestors of the Cushites). The meaning of SAKA, from which Scyth comes from means Chief, Lord. Another Greek recorded the legend of the MEGARI of Anatolia, and of course translated it into it's Greek equivalent, with slight changes. Here Zeus marries a Scythian Nymph of the area, and from their union is born Megaros, the ancestor of the people of Megari. Again the Scythian connection is emphasized with the results that the Megari, Magyari nation is created.) -- Finnic Version: In the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, the stag is the favorite animal of the queen of the underworld (Yumala), which leads the hero to his doom. Kaleva is the mythical kingdom where much of the epic takes place. It could be equated with Kalama of the Sumerians, the name of their country. -- Ugrian Version: In the legend of the Ostjak, the hunting pair, with their whole tribe are hunting for a raindeer. The animal baited them on towards the north, where finally it turned into fog. In the age, when the first ice-rain (snow) began to fall. (The coming of the ice age trapped the hunting nation?) In northern Siberia, the heavenly raindeer, symbolized by the big dipper, steals the sun, and that is why there is no sun for half a year in the arctic. When the mythical hunter, who is often symbolized by a bear, kills the female reindeer, it starts the new days. This is an important key to the stories, for the chase after the stag is a hunt for the return of the sun, which during winter is taken away by the stag. The hunters are searching for it's light and heat. Perhaps a southern migration from northern pastures with the coming of winter? The recapturing of it (the sighting of the southern constellation?) then brings back summer. The girls of the legend are the does, the daughters of light (Leukepius in Greek), who return the light and fertility of the sun. For that reason they have names which indicate "light, white, burning.." Dula=Gyula,Gyul..., Sar=gold,light, stag. Bular or Bugur=stag in Turkic. -- Japanese version: The twin brothers chase the stag. They get into an argument, probably about which way the stag disappeared, and one brother goes east and finds Japan, while the other goes west. -- Maya Indian version: The sons of Hun Hun-apu, the god of the hunt, are the heavenly twins [GEMINI],known as Hunapu (HUNOR) who is warlike like his father and Ixbalenque (MAGOR), who is more peaceful. Their adventures, with their 400 warriors includes the kidnapping the women. Their jealous half-brothers chased them, but they turned them into monkeys (i.e. make monkeys of them?). [link]

The Descendants of Shem [Noah's oldest son]; Gen. 10:22-32; 11:10 - That shows that we have descendants of Ham as well as of Shem that form the foundation for Arabic tribes (Syria, Jordan, Iraq, down to Saudi Arabia today)

We now want to merge together the genealogy given in Genesis 10:21-32, the descendants of Shem given there, and the descendants that are specifically delineated in 11:10-26 which ends with the father of Abram (Abraham), Terah. That ends this book. Verses 10-26 is one toledot. From verse 27 we have the toledot of Terah (Abraham's father - Lot's uncle) which goes all the way down to Isaac. ... [Noah's son] Shem dies just ten years before Abraham does, so everybody else was outlived by Shem. Notice with Peleg, and from that point on, life-spans began to drastically shrink. Each generation gets shorter and shorter. Almost all of the antediluvian patriarchs lived over 900 years. A couple of them lived just a little less, but afterward there is this immediate decline. Noah lives to be 900+ [Noah died only two years before Abraham was born], but Shem only lives 600 years, a drastic drop. Something changed in the environment after the flood and people just couldn't live as long. That brings us down to the sons of Joktan in Genesis 10:26-29, "And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, and Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, and Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, and Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan." They all move into the area of modern Saudi Arabia. These are the thirteen original Arabian tribes. Many of these names have cognates of places, wells, oases, etc., in Saudi Arabia. They can indicate the historicity of these names. That shows that we have descendants of Ham as well as of Shem that form the foundation for Arabic tribes. Later on other groups comne out of Abraham, but these are more distant cousins of Abraham who come through Joktan. When we come over to Shem's genealogy (a closed genealogy) it is a straight line of descent all the way down to Nahor in Genesis 11:22-24, "And Serug lived thirty years, and begat Nahor: and Serug lived after he begat Nahor two hundred years, and begat sons and daughters. And Nahor lived nine and twenty years, and begat Terah." Genesis 11:26, "And Terah lived seventy years, and begat Abram, Nahor, and Haran." Notice the parallelism here. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth. There is a parallel showing consistency of the author-one author of Genesis, not three or four. But we see now that when Abram is born Terah is still alive, Nahor is still alive, Serug is still alive, Peleg is still alive, but Eber, Salah, Arphaxad and Shem are also still alive. So there is a tremendous population explosion simply because the generations aren't dying off yet. The first four generations off the ark are still alive and live throughout most of Abraham's life. [link]

Genesis 11 - Nimrod the mighty Hunter of Sin and the Tower of Babel 'Genesis 11:3 they had brick for stone, and slime [apparently the word slime in Hebrew denotes a tar (petroleum) product and led John D. Rockefeller to take his Standard Oil Co. over to Iraq to drill for oil] had they for morter [to build the tower of babel]' - The confounding of the languages of people and the diversifying and spreading out of all people groups among the earth - The book of Job likely comes into history at this point just prior to Abraham being called by God - Abraham was probably not the oldest son of Terah but one of the younger sons, possibly the youngest son - Noah's son Shem was still alive at this time and lived until Abraham was about 58 years old [possibly even living until after Abraham passed]

Note: It's doubtful that Abraham met Shem personally because Abraham is designated as the Father of the Faith 'Romans 4:11 that he (Abraham) might be the father of all them that believe' in other words Abraham is the first in the lineage to believe in the faith like we are all to believe today. We don't even have the faith of the Apostles, they saw the resurrected Jesus we still basically have the faith of Abraham the faith of hearing/reading the words of God and then obeying them. Before Abraham the world had Noah to tell of the flood and before that Adam to tell of creation. With the witness of Adam and creation and also the later witness of Noah with the Ark and the flood and then much later in the Upper Room after the Resurrection of Jesus Christ with the witness of the Apostles then faith is witnessed and is based in part on the witness and interpretation of the person who witnesses the event or events. -- 'John:20-24-29 But Thomas, one of the twelve (Apostles), called Didymus [twin], was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again His disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith He to Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold My hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into My side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto Him, My Lord and My God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen Me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. 'Romans 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.' -- Faith is to be based completely on the Words and promises of God and not in human works or accomplishments, not in the seeing of the eyes or even by the experiencing with emotions or intellect but only by hearing in our heart the Words of God and believing in our heart in the Words as God has promised them to us. [link]

Romans 4 - The Apostle Paul continues and now uses examples in the lives of Abraham and King David to illustrate how consistent the word of God is - how reliable the word of God is - and also how long ago it was that the promises of God were given [the original promise of the redeemer was given to Adam and Eve] and are still in use by God today [in the book of Hebrews Moses will be contrasted to Jesus] - 'Romans 4:3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God [that God has the power and authority of life over death], and it was counted unto him for righteousness.' -- 'Romans 4:6-8 Even as [King] David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin [because of a faith like Abraham].'

'Romans 4:5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on Him (Jesus) that justifieth the *ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.' Romans 4:17- As it is written, I (God) have made thee (Abraham) a father of many nations, before Him whom he believed, even God, *who quickeneth [makes alive] the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. Who against hope [against all odds] believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations; according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. And being not weak in faith [the life giving power of God], he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb: He staggered not at the promise of God [to be the father of many] through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform. And therefore it [faith - that God 'quickeneth the dead'] was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it [justification - righteousness] was imputed to him; But for us also, to whom it [faith] shall be imputed, *if we believe on Him that raised up [eternal life] Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered [to the cross] for our offences, and was raised again [resurrection] for our justification. - The faith of Abraham, the faith of King David and the faith of the Christian is that God is the giver of life and as the giver of life God has the power and authority of life over death. In Abraham God demonstrated His ability to give life in the two bodies that were completely beyond the capability of childbirth and yet Isaac was born when Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 75 years old. -- King David had grievously sinned with Bathsheba and then later had her husband Uriah killed in a battle. When the prophet Nathan came to King David [2 Samuel 12] and told of a sin in the land King David said that person who sinned shall be put to death. It turned out that King David was that person who was to be put to death however "2 Samuel 12:13 And [King] David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the LORD and Nathan said unto David, The LORD also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die" because King David had a righteousness imputed by God not of works but by faith, the same faith that his forefather Abraham had in the faith that God will make right our wrongs and that God will give life even when death is required. [link]

Galatians 3 - The Apostle Paul explains that works have never been a part of a relationship with God - There has always only been one program with God and it is a program based on faith and trust in God and not in the works of man - Even Abraham's great relationship with God was based on faith and trust as Abraham had faith in God before he exhibited his works to God -- 'Galatians 3:2-3 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the [Holy] Spirit by the works of the law {no}, or by the hearing [free gift] of faith {yes}? Are ye so foolish? having begun in the [Holy] Spirit, are ye now made perfect [complete] by the [human] flesh? {no}'

'Galatians 3:6-7 Even as Abraham believed God, and it [his circumcision] was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore that they which are of [Christian] faith, the *same are the children of Abraham.' - Note: Traditionally after Abraham the children (descendants of Abraham) are circumcised as an infant on the eight day after their birth. The infant circumcision is not a seal of the faith of the child but it is a seal of the faith of the parent [it is a generational faith]. Abraham was not circumcised as an infant Abraham was circumcised as an adult, he made his own decision and therefore Abraham's circumcision is the faith of an adult and his adult decision for faith is why our Christian faith is compared to Abraham but not necessarily to circumcision. Circumcision after Abraham is more like a child dedication for us as it is more of an exhibit of the faith of the parent than of the child. Abraham circumcised himself as an adult but then he also circumcised his infant son Isaac with his adult faith then later Isaac circumcised his infant son Jacob with his adult faith and on and on until the present time. -- 'Galatians 3:12-14 And the law [self ability] is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them [self ability]. Christ hath redeemed us from the [self ability] curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written [Deuteronomy 21:23], Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: That the [Spiritual] blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the [Holy] Spirit through faith.' - The Apostle Paul is again declaring the finality of the death of Jesus on the cross and then with the finality of death on the cross then the giving of the Holy Spirit and a new life. Yes, Jesus in the eyes of man was made a curse [for our benefit] but keep in mind that Jesus died on the cross and with Jesus all sin and every curse also died [though Jesus resurrected the sins and curses of mankind remained dead and nailed to the cross]. The cross of Jesus Christ removed both the curse of our own human restrictions and constraints and also any curse or restraints from the Satanic, Demonic realm that might be placed on us in attempting to hinder and restrict us. 'Colossians 2:14-15 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary [against] to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His (Jesus) cross; And having spoiled principalities [fallen satanic angels] and powers [demonic powers], He (Jesus) made a shew [show] of them openly, triumphing [Victory] over them in it.' [link]

King Hammurabi (Saudi Arabia) - Introduction: Who is Melchizedek? #7: Coming Soon the Basic Christian Article: Who is Melchizedek? - Genesis 14:1 And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar (Babylon) ... Is "Amraphel king of Shinar" actually Hammurabi a *Babylonian (Saudi Arabia) king who set down some of the first written codes of law - Hammurabi "Ham the Great" a descendant of Ham the 2nd son of Noah - Hammurabi was a king of the Babylonian empire 1795-1750 B.C. [after Nimrod and the Tower of Babel in the Babylonian (Shinar) region of Turkey - the actual Tower of Babel was probably in the region of Turkey - Nimrod (Tower of Babel in Turkey) {Nimrod was a grandsom of Noah's (2nd) son Ham via Cush}, Hammurabi {Hammurabi "Ham the Great" also a descendant of Ham} (Saudi Arabia - the people of modern Saudi Arabia) and the Kingdom of Babylon (Iraq) are probably three separate and distinct Kingdoms - Abraham (Israel) is a descendant of Noah's oldest son Shem - Abraham (1812 BC - 1637 BC) was also born in the region of (Shinar) in the city of Ur of the Chaldees] -- [Hammurabi *born about 1795 BC then at three years old in 1792 he inhareted the throne from his father - Wiki.com] - With his death in 1750 BC Hammurabi died at the young age of 45 years old {Abraham was about 62 years old when Hammurabi died} - The cause of death does not seem to be known in modern times but did Hammurabi die in the battle along with Chedorlaomer when Abraham rescued Lot at Hobah? -- Genesis 14:17 And the [new] king of Sodom went out to meet him (Abraham) after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings [including Hammurabi?] that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale - One of the major differences, however, between Melchizedek's law {supposedly from Abraham to Moses however Melchizedek's law (the Holy Spirit) is evident from Adam, Eve, Able, Enoch, Noah, Job and everyone even Cain, Lamech and Nimrod knew about God's instructions, up until the days of Abraham most people were aware of God's laws regarding the sacrifices and of the clean and unclean ordinances then way after Adam, Hammurabi later wrote down a partial corruption of God's previously given verbal laws and instructions. God's laws and instructions were finally written in stone [10 commandments] by the finger of God and then in ink [first five books of the Bible] by Moses soon after the Jews became free from their captivity in Egypt} and the Code of Hammurabi is that Hammurabi based his on human wisdom and perhaps a demon's influence: note his reference to Marduk [i.e. Moloch, Beliel, Beelzebub, variant names of Satan] in the introduction of his code of law while Melchizedek [Abraham-Moses, but actually Adam-Moses] based his law on love and the worship and honor of God

Genesis 14:14-15 And when Abram heard that his brother [nephew, in the Bible a younger person of a believer is a brother and an older person of a believer is a father] was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. -- Genesis 15:1 After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not [Abraham seems to have been very stressed after his victory], Abram: I am thy shield [God would not let the kings and armies of the North come and retaliate against Abraham], and thy exceeding great reward [Abraham did not take any reward for saving Lot and the people] -- Genesis 14:17 And the [new] king of Sodom went out to meet him (Abraham) after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings [including ] that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the king's dale. ... Hammurabi - Babylonian king who set down first written code of laws: Although opinions vary on exactly when Hammurabi lived and the important dates of his reign, most scholars believe Hammurabi began his rule of Babylon in 1792 B.C. and died in 1750 B.C. Hammurabi was the sixth king over the city of Babylon, but once he defeated Sumer, Akkad, and other city-states to the south of Babylon around 1760 B.C., he claimed the title of the first king of the Babylonian empire. Eventually, his empire covered most parts of Mesopotamia. His main claim to fame, the Code of Hammurabi, was written in about 1786 B.C. Besides this, Hammurabi also did other things to improve his empire, namely, he improved the irrigation process. He also strongly encouraged astronomy, mathematics, and literature. Sadly, once Hammurabi died, the Babylonian empire that he worked so hard to build and improve collapsed due to military pressure from the Hittites under the rule of Mursilis I. Eventually, the Kassites, under the command of Agumkakrine, came to rule Babylon and some of the former, gargantuan empire for 400 years. Interestingly enough, they obeyed and respected the Code of Hammurabi. Much later, God used the Babylonians to correct and discipline the people of Judah when they were taken captive into Babylon in 586 B.C. ... One of the major differences, however, between Melchizedek's law {supposedly from Abraham to Moses however Melchizedek's law (the Holy Spirit) is evident from Adam, Eve, Able, Enoch, Noah, Job and everyone even Cain, Lamech and Nimrod knew about God's instructions, up until the days of Abraham most people were aware of God's laws regarding the sacrifices and of the clean and unclean ordinances then way after Adam, Hammurabi later wrote down a partial corruption of God's previously given verbal laws and instructions. God's laws and instructions were finally written in stone [10 commandments] by the finger of God and then in ink [first five books of the Bible] by Moses soon after the Jews became free from their captivity in Egypt} and the Code of Hammurabi is that Hammurabi based his on human wisdom and perhaps a demon's influence: note his reference to Marduk [i.e. Moloch, Beliel, Beelzebub, variant names of Satan] in the introduction of his code of law while Melchizedek [Abraham-Moses, but actually Adam-Moses] based his law on love and the worship and honor of God. Although each of these is only a speculation, they do help set the stage for Hammurabi's life and reign and draw some conclusions worth digging deeper for more positive answers to further prove the historical accuracy and truth in the Bible. [link]

King Hammurabi (Saudi Arabia) - Introduction: Who is Melchizedek? #8: Coming Soon the Basic Christian Article: Who is Melchizedek? - Abraham: by tradition Abraham was born in 1812 BC and died about 1637 BC, we know from the Bible that Abraham lived 175 years - In 1750 at the death of Hammurabi [possibly king Amraphel] occurring when Abraham rescued Lot, Abraham would have been about 62 years old, Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born -- Note: Abraham lived in a tent in the area of Hebron about 19 miles south of the Jerusalem area and about 99 miles south of Sodom and the Salt Sea (Dead Sea) area that was under tribute to the Northern kings (Babylon is about 900 miles via camel trail north of Sodom). This means that Abraham did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Northern Kings neither Hammurabi, Chedorlaomer or any of the kings. Had Abraham fallen under their jurisdiction and paid taxes and tributes to them they would have been one of the 7 Kings of the Globe. Since Abraham (Jews) did not fall under their rule they were great kings but not Global Kings. -- Revelation 17:10-11 And there are seven kings [Global Kings, known world]: five are fallen, and one (Rome) is, and the other [7th - Antichrist] is not yet come; and when he (Antichrist) cometh, he must continue a short space [3 1/2 years] -- Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh Him (Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the [7] kingdoms of the world [5 are past, 6th one is (Rome), 7th is Antichrist], and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan [liar, because it was a false promise, only the 7th kingdom of this world is left and that is Satan's Antichrist kingdom, Satan isn't giving that up to anybody not even God]: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. -- Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth (humans) and of the sea (demons)! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

2 Kings 23:33 And [Egyptian] Pharaoh-nechoh (Necho) [King of Egypt part of the 2nd world Kingdom] put him [Jewish King Jehoahaz] in bands at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and put the land to a tribute of an hundred talents of silver, and a talent of gold. -- 2 Kings 24:1 In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon [King of Babylon, 3rd world kingdom] came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years: then he turned and rebelled against him. -- Ezra 3:11-13 This is the copy of the [slander] letter that they sent unto him, even unto Artaxerxes the king [king of Persia-Iran, 4th world kingdom]; Thy servants the men on this side the river, and at such a time. Be it known unto the king, that the Jews which came up from thee to us are come unto Jerusalem, [re]building the rebellious and the bad city, and have set up the walls thereof, and joined the foundations. Be it known now unto the king, that, if this city be builded, and the walls set up again, then will they not pay toll, tribute, and custom, and so thou shalt endamage the revenue of the kings. -- [Greece during the Jewish Maccabee revolt is the 5th world kingdom] -- Luke 2:1-5 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus [Roman 6th world kingdom, "and one (currently) is"], that all the world should be taxed. And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; because he was of the house and lineage of David: To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with (Jesus) child. -- [The 7th and final world kingdom is the Antichrist] -- Revelation 17:10-11 And there are seven [Global (middle-east, Jerusalem) rulers: King Nimrod - builder of the tower of Babel, Egypt, Babylon (Iraq), Persia (Iran), Greece, Rome (Italy), Antichrist] kings: five are fallen, and one (Rome) is, and the other [7th world King - Antichrist] is not yet come; and when he (Antichrist) cometh, he must continue a short space [3 1/2 years]. And the beast [Antichrist] that was [7th ruler], and is not [because Antichrist is assassinated], even he (Antichrist) is the eighth [false resurrection], and is of the seven [the 7th ruler is killed or seems to be in an assassination, and resurrects himself [false eternal life] (demonic possession) to also become the 8th ruler], and goeth into perdition [everlasting damnation-hell]. -- Matthew 4:8-10 Again, the devil taketh Him (Jesus) up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the [7] kingdoms of the world [5 are past, 6th one is (Rome), 7th is Antichrist], and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan [liar, because it was a false promise, only the 7th kingdom of this world is left and that is Satan's Antichrist kingdom, Satan isn't giving that up to anybody not even God]: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve. -- Revelation 12:12 Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth (humans) and of the sea (demons)! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time. [link]

The Hope Diamond: The history of the stone which was eventually named the Hope diamond began when the French merchant traveller, Jean Baptiste Tavernier, purchased a 112 3/16-carat diamond. This diamond, which was most likely from the Kollur mine in Golconda, India - Tavernier sold the diamond to King Louis XIV of France in 1668 with 14 other large diamonds and several smaller ones. In 1673 the stone was recut by Sieur Pitau, the court jeweler, resulting in a 67 1/8-carat stone - In 1791, after an attempt by Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette to flee France, the jewels of the French Royal Treasury were turned over to the government - During a week-long looting of the crown jewels in September of 1792, the French Blue diamond [Hope Diamond] was stolen - In 1812 a deep blue diamond described by John Francillion as weighing 177 grains (4 grains = 1 carat) was documented as being in the possession of London diamond merchant, Daniel Eliason

The first reference to the diamond's next owner is found in the 1839 entry of the gem collection catalog of the well-known Henry Philip Hope, the man from whom the diamond takes its name. Unfortunately, the catalog does not reveal where or from whom Hope acquired the diamond or how much he paid for it. Following the death of Henry Philip Hope in 1839, and after much litigation, the diamond passed to his nephew Henry Thomas Hope and ultimately to the nephew's grandson Lord Francis Hope. In 1901 Lord Francis Hope obtained permission from the Court of Chancery and his sisters to sell the stone to help pay off his debts. It was sold to a London dealer who quickly sold it to Joseph Frankels and Sons of New York City, who retained the stone in New York until they, in turn, needed cash. The diamond was next sold to Selim Habib who put it up for auction in Paris in 1909. It did not sell at the auction but was sold soon after to C.H. Rosenau and then resold to Pierre Cartier that same year. In 1910 the Hope diamond was shown to Mrs. Evalyn Walsh McLean, of Washington D.C., at Cartier's in Paris, but she did not like the setting. Cartier had the diamond reset and took it to the U.S. where he left it with Mrs. McLean for a weekend. This strategy was successful. The sale was made in 1911 with the diamond mounted as a headpiece on a three-tiered circlet of large white diamonds. Sometime later it became the pendant on a diamond necklace as we know it today. Mrs. McLean's flamboyant ownership of the stone lasted until her death in 1947. Harry Winston Inc. of New York City purchased Mrs. McLean's entire jewelry collection, including the Hope diamond, from her estate in 1949. This collection also included the 94.8-carat Star of the East diamond, the 15-carat Star of the South diamond, a 9-carat green diamond, and a 31-carat diamond which is now called the McLean diamond. For the next 10 years the Hope diamond was shown at many exhibits and charitable events world wide by Harry Winston Inc., including as the central attraction of their Court of Jewels exhibition. On November 10, 1958, they donated the Hope diamond to the Smithsonian Institution, and almost immediately the great blue stone became its premier attraction. [link]

The Hope Diamond [Displayed] in Smithsonian Museum - Diamond is the strongest mineral found on earth - Diamond is also the most precious and the most priceless jewel - In Europe, during the middle age, diamonds were assumed to be the reflectors of Jesus Christ

In Myanmar, there were a fact about the blue diamond which caused an exotic case to the world. The case started from the diamond embedded on the forehead of a Buddha Image in Ananda Temple, Bagan. The diamond was stolen from the image and many people who had the diamond were cursed and ended their lives with unexpected deaths. The background history of the blue diamond still remains a mystery. [link]

Hope Diamond's Red Glow Explained - The storied Hope Diamond glows red when exposed to ultraviolet light - This once mysterious phenomenon unlocks the unique identity of individual diamonds - The stone flitted between European royal houses and through the upper-crust of America's Gilded Age - In 1958, famed jeweler Harry Winston donated the Hope Diamond to the Smithsonian Institution by mailing it in a brown paper bag

Headline Links: 'Hope Diamond's Red Glow Explained' The Hope Diamond, arguably the world's most famous blue diamond, was found to emit a soft red glow for several seconds when placed under ultraviolet light. Scientists have discovered why and found that this phosphorescence is common among colored diamonds. The centerpiece of the Smithsonian Institution's United States Gem Collection, the 45.52-carat diamond was the subject of research by a team of geologists. Using spectrometers, the scientists discovered that the Hope Diamond shared similar wavelength patterns with other naturally blue diamonds. When exposed to UV light, all blue diamonds glow either red or blue-green. Source: Discovery Channel. [link]

Wikipedia: Hope Diamond - Housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. - It is currently unset [the stone has been removed from the necklace] for the first time since it has been on display {The Hope Diamond is propbaly 'unset' for the purpose of being used in occult rituals.}

The Hope Diamond (previously "Le bleu de France") is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10 g), deep-blue diamond, housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but it exhibits red phosphorescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. It is classified as a Type IIb diamond, and is famous for supposedly being cursed. It is currently unset for the first time since it has been on display. ... Legend: According to specious later accounts, the original form of the Hope Diamond was stolen from an eye of a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita, the wife of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. However, much like the "curse of Tutankhamun", this general type of "legend" was the invention of Western authors during the Victorian era, and the specific legends about the Hope Diamond's "cursed origin" were invented in the early 20th century to add mystique to the stone and increase its sales appeal; see The "Curse" section below. ... A new mounting: The stone is to be temporarily reset in a newly designed necklace, created by the Harry Winston firm. Three designs for the new setting, all white diamonds and white metal, were created and the public was allowed to vote on them via the internet. The winning necklace will debut sometime in 2010. The Hope has been displayed as a loose gem since late summer of 2009.The Hope Diamond (previously "Le bleu de France") is a large, 45.52 carats (9.10 g), deep-blue diamond, housed in the Smithsonian Natural History Museum in Washington, D.C. The Hope Diamond is blue to the naked eye because of trace amounts of boron within its crystal structure, but it exhibits red phosphorescence after exposure to ultraviolet light. It is classified as a Type IIb diamond, and is famous for supposedly being cursed. It is currently unset for the first time since it has been on display. ... Legend: According to specious later accounts, the original form of the Hope Diamond was stolen from an eye of a sculpted statue of the goddess Sita, the wife of Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. However, much like the "curse of Tutankhamun", this general type of "legend" was the invention of Western authors during the Victorian era, and the specific legends about the Hope Diamond's "cursed origin" were invented in the early 20th century to add mystique to the stone and increase its sales appeal; see The "Curse" section below. ... A new mounting: The stone is to be temporarily reset in a newly designed necklace, created by the Harry Winston firm. Three designs for the new setting, all white diamonds and white metal, were created and the public was allowed to vote on them via the internet. The winning necklace will debut sometime in 2010. The Hope has been displayed as a loose gem since late summer of 2009. [link]

Smithsonian Puts Mysterious Crystal Skull on Display - Nonetheless, the giant crystal skull that mysteriously arrived at the Smithsonian 16 years ago is out of its locked cabinet in Walsh's office and will be on public view until Sept. 1 - Studying this skull led Walsh to extend her investigation into crystal skulls in other museums and to conclude that all are fakes, made in the 19th and 20th centuries - seems to have been made between 1950 and 1960 - Indeed, no crystal skulls have ever been found at an archaeological site

WASHINGTON - Some mysteries are such fun you almost don't want to know the truth. That may help explain why people are fascinated with crystal skulls. Happy to share the spotlight with the latest Indiana Jones movie, the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History is putting its crystal skull on display starting Thursday. "People like to believe in something greater than themselves," Smithsonian anthropologist Jane MacLaren Walsh said, and crystal skulls are mysterious and beautiful. The skulls "are a fascinating example of artifacts that have made their way into museums with no scientific evidence to prove their rumored pre-Columbian origins," she added. ... Crystals carved into the shape of a human skull fed the 19th century's need for drama and mystery and its fascination with death. They were supposed to be the creation of ancient Mesoamericans - Aztecs, Mixtecs, Toltecs, perhaps Maya. ... The skulls were claimed to represent the art and religion of these peoples. Some even said the skulls had special, even supernatural, powers. Scientists say it ain't so. ... Of the many crystal skulls in museums and private collections around the world, the Smithsonian's is one of the largest, at 10 inches high and weighing 30 pounds. It was mailed to the museum anonymously, accompanied by a note claiming it was of Aztec origin. It's isn't, Walsh said. The skulls were carved from blocks of quartz - sometimes called rock crystal - and show the marks of modern carving tools. That means they were not made before the 19th century. The Smithsonian one, she said, seems to have been made between 1950 and 1960. Indeed, no crystal skulls have ever been found at an archaeological site. [link]

[Hoax Alert] War message found inside Abraham Lincoln's watch - A long-hidden message has been discovered inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch, the Smithsonian's Museum of American History announced Tuesday - The actual (2009) message that the museum found [displayed] differs from the watchmaker's (1906 interview with The New York Times) recollection

A long-hidden message has been discovered inside Abraham Lincoln's pocket watch, the Smithsonian's Museum of American History announced Tuesday. Watchmaker Jonathan Dillon was repairing Lincoln's watch in April 1861 when he heard about the attack on Fort Sumter, South Carolina, and wrote a short message on the metal inside the watch, the Smithsonian said. ... In a 1906 interview with The New York Times, Dillon reported that as soon as he heard the news about the first shots of the Civil War, he unscrewed the dial of the watch and wrote on the metal, "The first gun is fired. Slavery is dead. Thank God we have a President who at least will try." The actual message that the museum found differs from the watchmaker's recollection. It says, "Jonathan Dillon, April 13-1861, Fort Sumpter [sic] was attacked by the rebels on the above date J Dillon, April 13-1861, Washington, thank God we have a government, Jonth Dillon." According to the Smithsonian, it was not unusual for professional watchmakers to record their work inside a watch. [link]

Over the years "The Two Babylons" [a book initially published in 1853 as a pamphlet by Reverend Alexander Hislop - infamous for his outspoken criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church] has impacted the thinking of many people, ranging all the way from those in radical cults to very dedicated Christians who hunger for a move by God but are concerned about anything [Babylonian] that might quench His [Holy] Spirit - Its basic premise is that the pagan religion of [very] ancient Babylon [Nimrod, Tower of Bable] has continued to our day [wrongly concluding that Paganism/New Age "Mystery Babylon" is] disguised as the Roman Catholic Church, prophesied in the Book of Revelation as "Mystery Babylon the Great" [Revelation chapter 17] thus, the idea of two Babylons - one ancient and one modern -- As time went on, however, I [Ralph Woodrow] began to hear rumblings that Hislop was not a reliable historian - it became clear: Hislop's "history" was often only an arbitrary piecing together of ancient myths - For these and many other reasons, I pulled my own book, Babylon Mystery Religion, out of print despite its popularity - I have since replaced this book with The Babylon Connection? {Conclusion: of Kingdom 1 - Nimrod and the Tower (Temple) of Babel -- Next: is Kingdom 2 (Egypt) with Pharaoh Akhenaten (Joseph's Pharaoh, the Dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1)}

The subtitle for Hislop's book is "The Papal Worship Proved to Be the Worship of Nimrod and His Wife." Yet when I went to refer ence works such as the Encyclopedia Britannica, The Americana, The Jewish Encyclopedia, The Catholic Encyclopedia, The Worldbook Encyclopedia - carefully reading their articles on "Nimrod" and "Semiramis" - not one said anything about Nimrod and Semiramis being husband and wife. They did not even live in the same century. Nor is there any basis for Semiramis being the mother of Tammuz. I realized these ideas were all Hislop's inventions. ... While seeking to condemn the paganism of Roman Catholicism, Hislop produced his own myths. By so doing, he theorized that Nimrod, Adonis, Apollo, Attes, Baal-zebub, Bacchus, Cupid, Dagon, Hercules, Januis, Linus, Lucifer, Mars, Merodach, Mithra, Moloch, Narcissus, Oannes, Odin, Orion, Osiris, Pluto, Saturn, Teitan, Typhon, Vulcan, Wodan, and Zoroaster were all one and the same. By mixing myths, Hislop supposed that Semiramis was the wife of Nimrod and was the same as Aphrodite, Artemis, Astarte, Aurora, Bellona, Ceres, Diana, Easter, Irene, Iris, Juno, Mylitta, Proserpine, Rhea, Venus, and Vesta. ... Building on similarities while ignoring differences is an unsound practice. Atheists have long used this method in an attempt to discredit Christianity altogether, citing examples of pagans who had similar beliefs about universal floods, slain and risen saviors, virgin mothers, heavenly ascensions, holy books, and so on. As Christians, we don't reject prayer just because pagans pray to their gods. We don't reject water baptism just because ancient tribes plunged into water as a religious ritual. We don't reject the Bible just because pagans believe their writings are holy or sacred. The Bible mentions things like kneeling in prayer, raising hands, taking off shoes on holy ground, a holy mountain, a holy place in the temple, pillars in front of the temple, offering sacrifices without blemish, a sacred ark, cities of refuge, bringing forth water from a rock, laws written on stone, fire appearing on a person's head, horses of fire, and the offering of first fruits. Yet, at one time or another, similar things were known among pagans. Does this make the Bible pagan? Of course not! If finding a pagan parallel provides proof of paganism, the Lord Himself would be pagan. The woman called Mystery Babylon had a cup in her hand; the Lord has a cup in His hand (Ps. 75:8). Pagan kings sat on thrones and wore crowns; the Lord sits on a throne and wears a crown (Rev. 1:4; 14:14). Pagans worshiped the sun; the Lord is the “Sun of righteousness” (Mal. 4:2). Pagan gods were likened to stars; the Lord is called “the bright and Morning star” (Rev. 22:16). Pagan gods had temples dedicated to them; the Lord has a temple (Rev. 7:15). Pagans built a high tower in Babylon; the Lord is a high tower (2 Sam. 22:3). Pagans worshiped idolatrous pillars; the Lord appeared as a pillar of fire (Exod. 13: 21-22). Pagan gods were pictured with wings; the Lord is pictured with wings (Ps. 91:4). ... I have since replaced this book with The Babylon Connection? a 128-page book with 60 illustrations and 400 footnote references. It is an appeal to all my brothers and sisters in Christ who feel that finding Babylonian origins for present-day customs or beliefs [in Christian Churches] is of great importance. My advice, based on my own experience, is to move cautiously in this area, lest we major on minors. If there are things in our lives or churches that are indeed pagan or displeasing to the Lord, they should be dealt with, of course. But in attempting to defuse the confusion of Babylon, we must guard against creating a new "Babylon" (confusion) of our own making. -- reviewed by Ralph Woodrow [link]

Update: The Basic Christian Info Feed will be on a short break - Returning with Nimrod [human race - relations - was Nimrod black?] and the Tower of Babel in the "8 Kingdoms of the World" study - An 8 Kingdom summary is postponed for a short while -- Wiki.com: The generic usage [of the word Adam] in Genesis meaning "mankind" reflects the view that Adam [red-man, all the human races are a part of the original creation glory of God, built into Adam, to help reveal the glory and expanse of God - a language confusion would come later at the fall of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9)] was the ancestor of all men. Etymologically it is the masculine form of the word adamah meaning ground or earth and related to the words adom *(red), admoni *(ruddy) and dam *(blood) Gen. ii. 7 explains that the man was called Adam because he was formed from the ground *(adamah).

On a short break from posting for now but plan on continuing to research and work on the 8 Kingdoms project in the meantime so should have a lot of ordered material to post in the weeks to come. [link]

2 The Kingdom of Egypt

Wikipedia.org: Pharaoh Akhenaten (possibly Joseph's dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1) - a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt [2nd Global Kingdom - Egypt] who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC - Wife: Queen, Nefertiti, son from late in life King Tutankhamun - Interest in Akhenaten increased with the discovery in the Valley of the Kings, at Luxor, of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, who has been proved to be Akhenaten's son according to DNA testing in 2010 - He is especially noted for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten, which is sometimes described as monotheistic - Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted - **After his death, traditional (Egypt) religious practice was gradually restored [by his son Tutankhamun], and when some dozen years later rulers without clear rights of succession from the Eighteenth Dynasty founded **a new dynasty, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors [including Joseph - Exodus 1:8], referring to Akhenaten himself as "the enemy" in archival records

Akhenaten meaning "living spirit of Aten" [Aten - the disk of the sun in ancient Egyptian mythology] known before the fifth year of his reign as Amenhotep IV (sometimes given its Greek form, Amenophis IV, and meaning Amun is Satisfied), was a Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt who ruled for 17 years and died perhaps in 1336 BC or 1334 BC - He is especially noted for abandoning traditional Egyptian polytheism and introducing worship centered on the Aten, which is sometimes described as monotheistic or henotheistic. An early inscription likens him to the sun as compared to stars, and later official language avoids calling the Aten a god, giving the solar deity a status above mere gods. Akhenaten tried to bring about a departure from traditional religion, yet in the end it would not be accepted. After his death, traditional religious practice was gradually restored, and when some dozen years later rulers without clear rights of succession from the Eighteenth Dynasty founded a new dynasty, they discredited Akhenaten and his immediate successors, referring to Akhenaten himself as "the enemy" in archival records. -- He was all but lost from history until the discovery, in the 19th century, of Amarna, the site of Akhetaten, the city he built for the Aten. Early excavations at Amarna by Flinders Petrie sparked interest in the enigmatic pharaoh, whose tomb was unearthed in 1907 in a dig led by Edward R. Ayrton. Interest in Akhenaten increased with the discovery in the Valley of the Kings, at Luxor, of the tomb of King Tutankhamun, who has been proved to be Akhenaten's son according to DNA testing in 2010. A mummy found in KV55 in 1907 has now been identified as almost certainly that of Akhenaten. This elder man and Tutankhamun are related without question. -- Akhenaten remains an interesting figure, as does his queen, Nefertiti. Their modern interest comes partly from his connection with Tutankhamun, partly from the unique style and high quality of the pictorial arts he patronized, and partly from ongoing interest in the religion he attempted to establish. ... Amenhotep IV (Pharaoh Akhenaten) was crowned in Thebes and there he started a building program. ... Akhenaten's fifth year also marked the beginning of construction on his **new capital [Akhenaten moved the throne of Egypt from Thebes to Amarna], Akhetaten or 'Horizon of Aten', at the site known today as Amarna. ... Akhenaten was married to Nefertiti at the very beginning of his reign, and six daughters [having daughters Joseph was made 2nd in charge in Egypt (Genesis 41:40) - until Tutankhaten was born (Genesis 50:4 - Joseph spake unto the house of Pharaoh {possibly Tutankhaten})] were identified from inscriptions. Recent DNA analysis has revealed he (Pharaoh Akhenaten) also fathered [King Tut] Tutankhaten (later Tutankhamen) with his biological sister, whose mummy remains unidentified. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Nefertiti - Nefertiti (1370 BC - 1330 BC) was the Great Royal Wife (chief consort) of the Egyptian Pharaoh Akhenaten - Nefertiti and her husband were known for a religious revolution, in which they started to worship one god only - This was Aten, or the sun disc - Nefertiti's place as an icon in popular culture is secure as she has become somewhat of a celebrity - After Cleopatra [5th Kingdom - Greece (located in Alexandria, Egypt)] she is the second most famous "Queen" of Ancient Egypt in the Western imagination and influenced through photographs that changed standards of feminine beauty of the 20th century, and is often referred to as "the most beautiful woman in the world"

She was made famous by her bust, now in Berlin's Neues Museum, shown to the right. The bust is one of the most copied works of ancient Egypt. It was attributed to the sculptor Thutmose, and it was found in his workshop. The bust is notable for exemplifying the understanding Ancient Egyptians had regarding realistic facial proportions. Some scholars believe that Nefertiti ruled briefly after her husband's death and before the accession of Tutankhamun as Neferneferuaten, although this identification is a matter of ongoing debate. ... During the early years in Thebes Akhenaten (still known as Amenhotep IV) had several temples erected at Karnak. One of the structures, the Mansion of the Benben (hwt-ben-ben), was dedicated to Nefertiti. She is depicted with her daughter Meritaten and in some scenes the princess Meketaten participates in the scenes as well. In scenes found on the talatat Nefertiti appears almost twice as often as her husband. She is shown appearing behind her husband the Pharaoh in offering scenes in the role of the queen supporting her husband, but she is also depicted in scenes that would have normally been the prerogative of the king. She is shown smiting the enemy, and captive enemies decorate her throne. In the fourth year of his reign Amenhotep IV decided to move the capital to Akhetaten (modern Amarna). In his fifth year, Amenhotep IV officially changed his name to Akhenaten, and Nefertiti was henceforth known as Neferneferuaten-Nefertiti. The name change was a sign of the ever-increasing importance of the cult of the Aten. It [temporarily] changed Egypt's religion from a polytheistic religion to a religion which may have been better described as a monolatry (the depiction of a single god as an object for worship) or henotheism (one god, who is not the only god). [link]

King Tut - Tutankhamun: The Ancient Egyptians believed that as long as a pharaoh's name was remembered, the king would live on through eternity - King Tut was a minor King - He died when he was only nineteen years old {probably from an accident, i.e. a fall or accidently by hitting his head, there is thought to be a slight but fatal injury to the head (skull) of Tutankhamun.} - But the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun and its fabulous wealth has made King Tut one of the most famous Pharaohs

Tomb of King Tut: The location of the tomb of King Tut in the Valley of the Kings, the discovery of the tomb, excavation of the tomb of King Tut and its description. The artefacts, the hieroglyphics, the mummy of King Tut - Tutankhamun and the fabulous golden sarcophagus and treasure. -- Curse of King Tut: The myths and legends surrounding the tombs of the Pharaohs and King Tut are legendary and the idea of the Curse of the Pharaohs is fascinating. The section details the curses that surround the Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt, the tombs of the Pharaohs and the rumours of the use of poison in their building, the Egyptian Gods and the people who were reputed to be victims of the Curse of King Tut - Tutankhamun. -- King Tut Exhibits and Treasures: The King Tut Exhibit or Exhibition provides a roving display of the fabulous treasures which were found in his tomb. The shining gold sarcophagus and the golden death mask of Tutankhamun capture the imagination and indicates the enormous wealth of the Ancient Egyptians. The Tutankhamun London exhibition rooms includes an introductory film and information based on The Tomb, Ancient Egypt before Tutankhamun, Death, Burial and the Afterlife, Egyptian Religious Revolution, Egyptian Traditional Beliefs, Tutankhamun King of Egypt and Daily Life Facts in Tutankhamuns World. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Tutankhamun [King Tut] - Tutankhamun approx. (1341 BC - 1323 BC) was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty (ruled ca. 1333 BC - 1323 BC in the conventional chronology), during the period of Egyptian history known as the New Kingdom - His original name, Tutankhaten, means "Living Image of Aten", while Tutankhamun means "Living Image of Amun" - He is possibly also the Nibhurrereya of the Amarna letters, and likely the 18th dynasty king Rathotis who, according to Manetho, an ancient historian, had reigned for nine years - **a figure which conforms with Flavius Josephus's version of Manetho's Epitome -- The 1922 discovery by Howard Carter and George Herbert (5th Earl of Carnarvon) of Tutankhamun's nearly intact tomb received worldwide press coverage - It sparked a renewed public interest in ancient Egypt, for which Tutankhamun's burial mask remains the popular symbol - Exhibits of artifacts from his tomb have toured the world {Tutankhamun was at odds with his father's (Pharaoh Akhenaten) religious [one god] leanings and returned Egypt back to the traditional (Egyptian - many gods) religious practice.}

Cause of death: There are no surviving records of Tutankhamun's final days. What caused Tutankhamun's death has been the subject of considerable debate. Major studies have been conducted in an effort to establish the cause of death. Although there is some speculation that Tutankhamun was assassinated, the consensus is that his death was accidental. A CT scan taken in 2005 shows that he had badly broken his leg shortly before his death, and that the leg had become infected. DNA analysis conducted in 2010 showed the presence of malaria in his system. It is believed that these two conditions (malaria and leiomyomata) combined, led to his death. -- Discovery of tomb: Tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings - Tutankhamun seems to have faded from public consciousness in Ancient Egypt within a short time after his death, and remained virtually unknown until the 1920s. His tomb was robbed at least twice in antiquity, but based on the items taken (including perishable oils and perfumes) and the evidence of restoration of the tomb after the intrusions, it seems clear that these robberies took place within several months at most of the initial burial. Eventually the location of the tomb was lost because it had come to be buried by stone chips from subsequent tombs, either dumped there or washed there by floods. In the years that followed, some huts for workers were built over the tomb entrance, clearly not knowing what lay beneath. When at the end of the Twentieth Dynasty the Valley of the Kings burials were systematically dismantled, the burial of Tutankhamun was overlooked, presumably because knowledge of it had been lost and his name may have been forgotten. -- Curse of the Pharaohs: For many years, rumors of a "Curse of the Pharaohs" (probably fueled by newspapers seeking sales at the time of the discovery[citation needed]) persisted, emphasizing the early death of some of those who had first entered the tomb. However, a recent study of journals and death records indicates no statistical difference between the age of death of those who entered the tomb and those on the expedition who did not. -- Aftermath of death: Although it is unknown how he met his death, the Amarna letters indicate that Tutankhamun's wife, recently widowed, wrote to the Hittite king Suppiluliuma I, asking if she could marry one of his sons, saying that she was very afraid, but would not take one of her own people as husband. However, the son was killed before reaching his new wife. Shortly afterward Ay married Tutankhamun's widow and became Pharaoh as a war between the two countries was fought, and Egypt was left defeated. -- Significance: Tutankhamun was nine years old when he became pharaoh and reigned for approximately ten years. In historical terms, Tutankhamun's significance stems from his rejection of the radical religious innovations introduced by his predecessor and father, Akhenaten. Secondly, his tomb in the Valley of the Kings was discovered by Carter almost completely intact - the most complete ancient Egyptian royal tomb ever found. As Tutankhamun began his reign at such an early age, his vizier and eventual successor Ay was probably making most of the important political decisions during Tutankhamun's reign. Tutankhamun was one of the few kings worshiped as a god and honored with a cult-like following during his lifetime. A stela discovered at Karnak and dedicated to Amun-Re and Tutankhamun indicates that the king could be appealed to in his deified state for forgiveness and to free the petitioner from an ailment caused by wrongdoing. Temples of his cult were built as far away as in Kawa and Faras in Nubia. The title of the sister of the Viceroy of Kush included a reference to the deified king, indicative of the universality of his cult. [link]

{Basic Christian: blog Bible Study} Exodus - Who Was The Pharaoh Of The Exodus? [Early Timeline] - Assuming the pharaohs mentioned in Exodus 1:8, 22 and 2:23 are all the same person, he would have had to reign for over forty years - Amenhotep's predecessor, Thutmose III, is the only pharaoh within the time specified in I Kings 6:1 who reigned long enough (54 years) to have been on the throne at the time of Moses' flight and to die shortly before his return to Egypt - This would make Thutmose III the pharaoh of the Oppression and Amenhotep II the pharaoh of the Exodus {**Updated Later Timeline: [Possibly Joseph's dream Pharaoh - Genesis 41:1] Pharaoh Akhenaten (Eighteenth dynasty of Egypt) Reign 1351-1334 B.C. - [Possibly the other Pharaoh in Joseph's time - Genesis 50:4] Tutankhamun [King Tut] son of Akhenaten (last Pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty) Reign 1333-1323 B.C. -- [Possibly the Pharaoh of Moses' time - Exodus 1:8] Ramesses II (Nineteenth Dynasty) Reign 1279-1213 B.C.}

The Bible nowhere mentions the name of the pharaoh of the Exodus, but Bible students have always been curious as to who he was. No doubt, some Christians will be wary of trying to discover something the Bible has not clearly revealed; but in studying this question one can come away with his faith increased in the Bible as the unerring word of God. Although the Bible does not specifically name the pharaoh of the Exodus, enough data is supplied for us to be relatively sure who he was. Admittedly, there are two schools of thought concerning the date of the Exodus (i.e., the early date and late date theories). Proponents of the late date theory (1290 B.C.) are clearly in the majority, but they reject clear Biblical statements with reference to the date of the Exodus. Therefore their arguments in favor of a particular pharaoh will not be considered in this article. In I Kings 6:1 the Scriptures say: "And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the children of Israel were come out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon's reign over Israel, in the month of Zif, which is the second month that he began to build the house of the Lord." One can readily see that the times for both the Exodus and the beginning of the Temple have been specifically stated in God's Word. Scholars have identified the fourth year of Solomon's reign as 966 B.C. (Gleason, A Survey of Old Testamsnt Introduction, 1974, p. 223). Using this 966 B.C. date, we find that the Exodus took place in 1445 B.C. Now, if this information is correct, the Exodus occurred in the third year of the reign of the pharaoh Amenhotep II. Before concluding that Amenhotep II was, indeed, the pharaoh of the Exodus, we will need to study further other evidence that can be presented. For instance, when comparing Exodus 7:7 with Acts 7:23, we learn that Moses was in Midian approximately forty years. Assuming the pharaohs mentioned in Exodus 1:8, 22 and 2:23 are all the same person, he would have had to reign for over forty years. Amenhotep's predecessor, Thutmose III, is the only pharaoh within the time specified in I Kings 6:1 who reigned long enough (54 years) to have been on the throne at the time of Moses' flight and to die shortly before his return to Egypt. This would make Thutmose III the pharaoh of the Oppression and Amenhotep II the pharaoh of the Exodus. History tells us that for several years after 1445 B.C. Amenhotep II was unable to carry out any invasions or extensive military operations. This would seem like very strange behavior for a pharaoh who hoped to equal his father's record of no less than seventeen military campaigns in nineteen years. But this is exactly what one would expect from a pharaoh who had lost almost all his cavalry, chariotry, and army at the Red Sea (Exodus 14:23, 27-30). Furthermore, we learn from the Dream Stela of Thutmose IV, son of Amenhotep II, that he was not the legitimate successor to the throne (J.B. Pritchard (ed.), Ancient Near-Eastern Texts, p. 449). This means that Thutmose IV was not the firstborn son, who would have been the legitimate heir. The firstborn son of Amenhotep II had evidently died prior to taking the throne of Egypt. This would agree with Exodus 12:29 which says the pharaoh's first-born son was killed during the Passover. If the Exodus did take place in 1445 B.C., forty years of wilderness wandering would bring us to 1405 B.C. for the destruction of Jericho. Interestingly enough, John Garstang, who excavated the site of ancient Jericho (city "D" in his survey), came to the conclusion that the destruction of the city took place around 1400 B.C. (Garstang, The Story of Jericho, 1948, p. 122). He also concluded that the walls of the city toppled outward, which would compare favorably with Joshua 6:20. Scholars have been fascinated by a revolutionary religious doctrine which developed shortly after 1445 B.C. that threatened to sweep away the theological dogmas of centuries. These scholars have credited Amenhotep IV, great grandson of Amenhotep II, with founding the religious concept of Monotheism (the idea that there is only one God). The cult of Aton set forth this idea to the Egyptian people and scholars have mistakenly credited this idea to the Egyptians. But it does not seem unusual to me that a people who had been so influenced by the one God of Moses would try to worship the God that had so convincingly defeated their gods. A continually increasing body of evidence indicates that this cult of Aton had its beginning in the reign of Thutmose IV, son of Amenhotep II, pharaoh of the Exodus. Although the final verdict is not yet in, we can be reasonably sure that Amenhotep II was the pharaoh of the Exodus. [link]

{Basic Christian: blog Bible Study} Exodus - The Delta-Sinai Tour - Goshen: The cities Pithom and Pi-Rameses, two fortified cities the Hebrews built before the Exodus, (Ex. 1:11) however, have been found (Photos)

The German scholar Dr. O.F.A, Meinardus wrote about traditions informing us that the Holy Family {Joseph, Mary, Jesus} likely traveled through the Eastern Delta, the approximate location from where the Exodus took place. The name 'Land of Goshen' is only mentioned in the Bible, and not Egyptian documents. The cities Pithom and Pi-Rameses, two fortified cities the Hebrews built before the Exodus, (Ex. 1:11) however, have been found. The Austrian Institute excavated the ruins of Pithom and found the remains of some temple buildings and grain stores. Pi-Rameses in particular is important because the Egyptians moved their capital from Memphis to Pi-Rameses in the 14th century B.C. because of the threats coming from the east. Pi-Rameses was the capital of Egypt in the time of Moses. In the same region the ruins have been found of Tanis, the capital of Pharaoh Sheshonk I [Shishak in the Bible] (935-914 B.C.) who plundered the temple of Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 12:9). Some researchers speculate he may have taken the Ark of the Covenant to this city. [link]

{Basic Christian: blog Bible Study} Genesis 15-16 - God's Covenant Relationship with Abraham - The land of Israel belongs to the Jews, there would be many future descendants, the Messiah (Christ) would appear through the line of Abraham [though King David] - The first mention of the appearance of the "Angel of the Lord" an appearance to humans of Jesus Christ in human form - A covenant is a final agreement as final as a Will or a Testimony - Abraham was not yet accounted as righteous either by circumcision [24 years later] or by the law [430 years later] as both were not yet given - Abraham was accounted righteous by belief in the Word of God the acceptability of the covenant and the acceptability of the blood sacrifice sealing the covenant - Note: a Biblical covenant is revealed to be irreversible [given life] by sealing the covenant in blood (Leviticus 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood - the life of the covenant is in the blood) the life of the blood transfers into the life of the covenant [the final (life) covenant between God and man is sealed on the cross in the blood and death of Jesus Christ - In Jesus Christ we have recieved the ultimate eternal sacrifice and life covenant - His is both a New and an Eternal Living covenant in that Jesus has Resurrected from the dead and is eternally Alive!

Note: Along with the covenant with Abraham God revealed that Abraham and his descendants would be not be settled into their own land (Israel) for at least another 400 years. 'Genesis 15:13-14 And He (God) said unto Abram (Abraham), Know of a surety that thy seed (descendants) shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve them; and they shall afflict them four hundred years; And also that nation [Egypt], whom they shall serve, will I judge: and afterward shall they come out with great substance.' - It's probable that the account of the 400 years of affliction was from the night of the covenant between God and Abraham "and they shall afflict them four hundred years" until the night of the Passover in Egypt 430 years to the day later [only 30 years during that time were not years of affliction]. It's likely that the affliction included their time in Canaan as well as the other places where they sojourned before eventually going into Egypt where Joseph was serving Pharo. The Hebrews (Jews) didn't need to go to Egypt to be afflicted, Egypt and the policies of Egypt afflicted the whole world and also their wanderings and travels in and around Canaan (ancient Israel) itself were generally a time of affliction, famine, peril and distress for them long before going down to Egypt. The events of Isaac with Abimelech [Genesis 26], Jacob with his brother Esau [Genesis 28], Jacob with his father in law Laban [Genesis 29-31], Shechem raping Dinah and the revenge of her two brothers Simeon and Levi [Genesis 34] are just a few examples of the many perils the Hebrew family faced. -- 'Exodus 12:40-41 Now the sojourning [since the night of the covenant with Abraham] of the children of Israel, who [later] dwelt in Egypt, was four hundred and thirty years. And it came to pass at the end of the four hundred and thirty years, even the selfsame day [the exact same day 430 years later as the covenant with Abraham] it came to pass, that all the hosts of the LORD went out [the night of the Passover] from the land of Egypt.' -- 'Genesis 35:28 28 And the days of Isaac were an hundred and fourscore (180) years. And Isaac gave up the ghost, and died, and was gathered unto his people, being old and full of days: and his sons Esau and Jacob buried him.' 'Genesis 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites [Canaan] is not yet full.' - Abraham was 75 years old when he made the covenant with God [430 years to the day before the Passover Exodus night] then Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born [Genesis 21:5] and Isaac lives for 180 years and died about the time Joseph was sold into slavery into Egypt where later Jacob and the rest of the family follow Joseph into Egypt. Approximately twentyfive years from the night of the covenant with God until the birth of Isaac and then 180 years in the life of Isaac makes about 205 years before Jacob's family went into Egypt as a family to later emerge from Egypt as a Nation, the Nation comprised of the 12 family tribes Judah and Israel. That would be about 225 years in Egypt for the total of 430 years. Certainly there were only four generations in Egypt from Levi to Moses [Levi -> Kohath -> Amram {father} -> Moses] or [Jacob -> Levi -> Jochebed {mother} -> Moses] **it was about 225 years and four generations in Egypt before the Passover night. [link]

Ancient Egypt Temples-Home to the Gods {Note: Where the occult (witchcraft) activities of Nimrod and the Tower (Temple) of Babel seems to have espoused mankind to an occult marriage with fallen spirits - The 2nd Kingdom Egypt seems to have moved on to the next step [after an occult marriage] as ancient Egypt primarily practiced an occult form of afterlife. - The afterlife or eternal life is not possible by humans alone. A human would have to mix, mingle, mate (wedding, 'born again') an eternal Spirit in order for mortal humans to then become [unhindered] immortal (eternal, appart from hell). What is being practiced in the occult realm is an attempt at immortality apart from God in Jesus Christ. It is the deception of the occult that fallen spirit beings [fallen angels] and demons can offer afterlife to mankind. - Also Note: The Holy Angels without exception seek to glorify God in Jesus Christ. The fallen unholy angels without exception are attempting to deny God and in the process defile mankind.}

In ancient Egypt temples were constructed to house the numerous deities, both male and female, that were at the center of Egyptian mythology and religion. The beliefs held by the ancient Egyptians were more than just the foundation of a religion, these beliefs were central to the everyday life of Egyptian citizens. ... Inside these ancient Egyptian temples, there existed a segregated system of sanctuaries. The sanctuaries were divided by the spiritual level of the persons allowed to enter them. Those who had not yet reached a spiritual worthiness were not allowed to enter the innermost chambers. In ancient Egypt temples there was also sometimes an exterior complex comprised of gardens and courtyards. Through the years in ancient Egypt temples served a variety of purposes. Without a doubt, it appears that the primary purpose of most temples in ancient Egypt was to house and care for the gods to which they were dedicated. It seemed the very existence and good fortune of the entire land of Egypt rested upon tending the gods. The worst fate that could befall a city was failing to care for the temple of the patron god. A god who lacked attention would become angry and flee the temple, leaving the citizens of that town open to all kinds of disasters. Beyond serving the needs of the god who resided in the temple, some temples also served other purposes. No king could rule the Egyptian nation without first becoming a god. In an elaborate ceremony the new pharaoh would enter the temple, along with the high priests. Once inside the most exclusive chambers of the temple, rites would be performed which would transform the mere mortal pharaoh into a deity to be revered and worshipped by the Egyptian people. Still yet, some temples in Egypt were reserved for the worship of the king, who was also considered a deity, after his death. The wealth and sophistication in design of the temples in ancient Egypt vary greatly. The Temple of Karnak at Luxor and the Temple of Deir El Bahari are two of the most well known ancient Egypt temples. [link]

Ancient Crowns - Egyptian Crown [Very similar to Tower of Babel - Nimrod crowns (except Egyptian crowns are larger and longer)] {Note: It is a common theme throughout each of the 7 earthly Kingdoms that each Kingdom is following in the footsteps of the predecessor Kingdom yet each is deliberately presenting their new Kingdom in a bigger, more powerful and more grandiose way than the previous Kingdom or Kingdoms were able to accomplish.} (Photos)

The crown in the ancient world came in many shapes and forms. They were made of very costly material, symbolizing royalty [deity, eternal life] and sovereignty. [link]

A stone carving of Pharaoh Akhenaten [crowned] and his wife, Nefertiti worshiping the sun (Photos)

Picture 2: Pharaoh Akhenaten and his wife, Nefertiti: Prayer to the sun-god. [link]

Tower of Bable Crowns: An artist's depiction of...... the Tower of Babel? "Treasure of Nimrod" - This stone carving was found in Iraq [1988] near the ancient city of Babylon - There are clearly two suns [Christ, Antichrist] in the sky and everyone is looking up at them - The tallest figure (wearing the horns of the bull... Nimrod's old crown) appears to be a giant [carrying a bow and holding an arrow - Revelation 6:2 rider of the white horse, the arrow now hidden (false peace) in Revelation - End Times] {Note: The 'cone shaped' Tower and all the helmets (head coverings) look Egyptian - seemingly or clearly the Egyptian pharaohs were carrying on the tradition and spirit (Mystery fallen angelic Babylon) as revealed to Nimrod.} (Photo)

This stone carving (above) was found in Iraq [1988] near the ancient city of Babylon (Bagdad) [the ancient city of Babylon, located 85 kilometers (53 miles) south of Baghdad - wiki.com]. Historians falsely interpret this illustration so I invite you to look at it carefully. There are clearly two suns in the sky and everyone is looking up at them. The tallest figure (wearing the horns of the bull... Nimrod's old crown) appears to be a giant. Giants in the Bible were roughly 18 feet tall. The dome-shaped object is too perfect to be a mountain peak. Instead, imagine that it's the "top" of the Tower of Babel. [link]

Ancient Egypt Temples-Home to the Gods

In ancient Egypt temples were constructed to house the numerous deities, both male and female, that were at the center of Egyptian mythology and religion. The beliefs held by the ancient Egyptians were more than just the foundation of a religion, these beliefs were central to the everyday life of Egyptian citizens. ... Inside these ancient Egyptian temples, there existed a segregated system of sanctuaries. The sanctuaries were divided by the spiritual level of the persons allowed to enter them. Those who had not yet reached a spiritual worthiness were not allowed to enter the innermost chambers. In ancient Egypt temples there was also sometimes an exterior complex comprised of gardens and courtyards. Through the years in ancient Egypt temples served a variety of purposes. Without a doubt, it appears that the primary purpose of most temples in ancient Egypt was to house and care for the gods to which they were dedicated. It seemed the very existence and good fortune of the entire land of Egypt rested upon tending the gods. The worst fate that could befall a city was failing to care for the temple of the patron god. A god who lacked attention would become angry and flee the temple, leaving the citizens of that town open to all kinds of disasters. Beyond serving the needs of the god who resided in the temple, some temples also served other purposes. No king could rule the Egyptian nation without first becoming a god. In an elaborate ceremony the new pharaoh would enter the temple, along with the high priests. Once inside the most exclusive chambers of the temple, rites would be performed which would transform the mere mortal pharaoh into a deity to be revered and worshipped by the Egyptian people. Still yet, some temples in Egypt were reserved for the worship of the king, who was also considered a deity, after his death. The wealth and sophistication in design of the temples in ancient Egypt vary greatly. The Temple of Karnak at Luxor and the Temple of Deir El Bahari are two of the most well known ancient Egypt temples. [link]

The Pyramids of Giza - Each of the three [great] pyramids had a complete monumental complex of mortuary temples, Mastabas tombs, smaller subsidiary pyramids, in which members of the royal family and officials were buried - The whole complex was connected, by a causeway, to three valley temples and the sphinx - These in turn were linked, by a cannel, to the Nile [river]

There are three pyramids at Giza, each of which once had an adjoining mortuary temple. Attached to this temple would have been a covered causeway descending down to a valley temple, near the Nile. The 'great' pyramid itself is truly an astonishing work of engineering skill - for over four thousands years, until the modern era, it was the tallest building in the world. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Great Pyramid of Giza, Egypt - The Great Pyramid of Giza (also called the Pyramid of Khufu and the Pyramid of Cheops) is the oldest and largest of the three pyramids in the Giza Necropolis bordering what is now El Giza, Egypt - It is the oldest of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and the only one to remain largely intact - It is believed the pyramid was built as a tomb for fourth dynasty Egyptian Pharaoh Khufu

Entrance: The entrance of the Pyramid - Today tourists enter the Great Pyramid via the Robbers' Tunnel dug by workmen employed by Caliph al-Ma'mun around AD 820. The tunnel is cut straight through the masonry of the pyramid for approximately 27 metres (89 ft), then turns sharply left to encounter the blocking stones in the Ascending Passage. Unable to remove these stones, the workmen tunnelled up beside them through the softer limestone of the Pyramid until they reached the Ascending Passage. It is possible to enter the Descending Passage from this point, but access is usually forbidden. ... [afterlife] Boats: Khufu ship - There are three boat-shaped pits around the pyramid, of a size and shape to have held complete boats, though so shallow that any superstructure, if there ever was one, must have been removed or disassembled. In May, 1954, the Egyptian archaeologist Kamal el-Mallakh discovered a fourth pit, a long, narrow rectangle, still covered with slabs of stone weighing up to 15 tons. Inside were 1,224 pieces of wood, the longest 23 metres (75 ft) long, the shortest 10 centimetres (0.33 ft). These were entrusted to a native boat builder, Haj Ahmed Yusuf, who slowly and methodically worked out how the pieces fit together. The entire process, including conservation and straightening of the warped wood, took fourteen years. The result is a spectacular cedar-wood boat 43.6 metres (143 ft) long, its timbers held together by ropes, which is now currently housed in a special boat-shaped, air-conditioned museum beside the pyramid. During construction of this museum, which stands above the boat pit, a second sealed boat pit was discovered. It was deliberately left unopened in the hope that future excavation techniques will allow more information to be recovered. Looting: Although succeeding pyramids were smaller, pyramid building continued until the end of the Middle Kingdom. However, as authors Briar and Hobbs claim, "all the pyramids were robbed" by the New Kingdom, when the construction of royal tombs in a desert valley, now known as the Valley of the Kings, began. Joyce Tyldesley states that the Great Pyramid itself "is known to have been opened and emptied by the Middle Kingdom", before the Arab caliph Abdullah al-Mamun entered the pyramid around AD 820. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Pyramid - A pyramid's design, with the majority of the weight closer to the ground, and with the pyramidion on top means that less material higher up on the pyramid will be pushing down from above: this distribution of weight allowed early civilizations to create stable monumental structures

Ancient monuments: Pyramid-shaped structures were built by many ancient civilizations. Mesopotamia [Iraq]: The Mesopotamians built the earliest pyramidal structures, called ziggurats. In ancient times, these were brightly painted. Since they were constructed of sun-dried mud-brick, little remains of them. Egypt: Egyptian pyramids The ancient pyramids of Egypt. The most famous pyramids are the Egyptian pyramids - huge structures built of brick or stone, some of which are among the world's largest constructions. The age of the pyramids reached its zenith at Giza in 2575-2150 B.C. As of 2008, some 138 pyramids have been discovered in Egypt. The Great Pyramid of Giza is the largest in Egypt and one of the largest in the world. Until Lincoln Cathedral was finished in AD 1311, it was the tallest building in the world. The base is over 52,600 square meters in area. While pyramids are associated with Egypt, the nation of Sudan has 220 extant pyramids, the most numerous in the world. The Great Pyramid of Giza was one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. It is the only one to survive into modern times. The Ancient Egyptians covered the faces of pyramids with polished white limestone, containing great quantities of fossilized seashells. Many of the facing stones have fallen or have been removed and used to build the mosques of Cairo. ... Mesoamerica [central America]: Pyramid in the Mayan city of Chichen Itza, Mexico. A number of Mesoamerican cultures also built pyramid-shaped structures. Mesoamerican pyramids were usually stepped, with temples on top, more similar to the Mesopotamian ziggurat than the Egyptian pyramid. The largest pyramid by volume is the Great Pyramid of Cholula, in the Mexican state of Puebla. This pyramid is considered the largest monument ever constructed anywhere in the world, and is still being excavated. The third largest pyramid in the world, the Pyramid of the Sun, at Teotihuacan is also located in Mexico. There is an unusual pyramid with a circular plan at the site of Cuicuilco, now inside Mexico City and mostly covered with lava from an eruption of the Xitle Volcano in the first century BC. There are several circular stepped pyramids called Guachimontones in Teuchitlán, Jalisco as well. Pyramids in Mexico were often used as places of human sacrifice. North America: Many mound-building societies of ancient North America built large pyramidal earth structures known as platform mounds. Among the largest and best-known of these structures is Monk's Mound at the site of Cahokia, which has a base larger than that of the Great Pyramid at Giza. While the North American mounds' precise function is not known, they are believed to have played a central role in the mound-building people's religious life. Roman Empire: Pyramid of Cestius in Rome. The 27-metre-high Pyramid of Cestius was built by the end of the first century BC and still exists today, close to the Porta San Paolo. Another one, named Meta Romuli, standing in the Ager Vaticanus (today's Borgo), was destroyed at the end of the 15th century. There is also a Roman era pyramid built in Falicon, France. There were many more pyramids built in France in this period. [link]

Egyptian Afterlife Ceremonies, Sarcophagi, Burial Masks - Ancient Egyptian civilization was based on religion; their belief in the rebirth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices. Death was simply a temporary interruption, rather than complete cessation, of life, and that eternal life could be ensured by means like piety to the gods, preservation of the physical form through Mummification, and the provision of statuary and other funerary equipment

Ancient Egyptian civilization was based on religion; their belief in the rebirth after death became their driving force behind their funeral practices. Death was simply a temporary interruption, rather than complete cessation, of life, and that eternal life could be ensured by means like piety to the gods, preservation of the physical form through Mummification, and the provision of statuary and other funerary equipment. Each human consisted of the physical body, the 'ka', the 'ba', and the 'akh'. The Name and Shadow were also living entities. To enjoy the afterlife, all these elements had to be sustained and protected from harm. Before the Old Kingdom, bodies buried in desert pits were naturally preserved by desiccation. The arid, desert conditions continued to be a boon throughout the history of ancient Egypt for the burials of the poor, who could not afford the elaborate burial preparations available to the elite. Wealthier Egyptians began to bury their dead in stone tombs and, as a result, they made use of artificial mummification, which involved removing the internal organs, wrapping the body in linen, and burying it in a rectangular stone sarcophagus or wooden coffin. Beginning in the Fourth Dynasty, some parts were preserved separately in canopic jars. By the New Kingdom, the ancient Egyptians had perfected the art of mummification; the best technique took 70 days and involved removing the internal organs, removing the brain through the nose, and desiccating the body in a mixture of salts called natron. The body was then wrapped in linen with protective amulets inserted between layers and placed in a decorated anthropoid coffin. Mummies of the Late Period were also placed in painted cartonnage mummy cases. Actual preservation practices declined during the Ptolemaic and Roman eras, while greater emphasis was placed on the outer appearance of the mummy, which was decorated. Wealthy Egyptians were buried with larger quantities of luxury items, but all burials, regardless of social status, included goods for the deceased. Beginning in the New Kingdom, books of the dead were included in the grave, along with shabti statues that were believed to perform manual labor for them in the afterlife Rituals in which the deceased was magically re-animated accompanied burials. After burial, living relatives were expected to occasionally bring food to the tomb and recite prayers on behalf of the deceased. Egyptians also believed that being mummified was the only way to have an afterlife. Only if the corpse had been properly embalmed and entombed in a mastaba, could the dead live again in the Fields of Yalu and accompany the Sun on its daily ride. ... Arriving at one's reward in afterlife was a demanding ordeal, requiring a sin-free heart and the ability to recite the spells, passwords, and formulae of the Book of the Dead. ... Much of what we know about art and life in ancient Egypt has been preserved in the tombs that were prepared for the protection of the dead. The Egyptians believed that the next life had to be provided for in every detail and, as a result, tombs were decorated with depictions of the deceased at his funerary meal, activities of the estate and countryside, and the abundant offerings necessary to sustain the spirit. Many surviving Egyptian works of art were created to be placed in the tombs of officials and their families. Through the ritual of "opening the mouth," a statue of the deceased (known as a "ka statue") was thought to become a living repository of a person's spirit. Wall paintings, reliefs, and models depict pleasurable pastimes and occupations of daily life. Always these images have deeper meanings of magical protection, sustenance, and rebirth. The mummy was surrounded with magic spells, amulets, and representations of protective deities. [link]

[Egypt - (Turquoise) Gems Kingdom] Egyptian Jewelry And Gems - Religious Use: Jewelry was valued not for beauty only, but for the magical protection it provided - Egyptians didn't make a distinction between amulets [protection - good luck charms] and ornamental [dress-up] jewelry - Amulets were worn from infancy through death - Due to this religious role, jewelry items were much needed by the deceased in his afterlife journey, and jewelry was buried with the dead - In fact ancient Egyptians prepared themselves from early life to their death day by collecting as much protective jewelry as possible to be buried with them

Design Rules: As with other forms of Egyptian art design of jewelry followed strict rules to fulfill it's religious role. Any change in the representation of religious symbols resulted in a loss of protective value. it was undesirable to change the designs of any objects such as the royal cartouches or crook and flail - Every material had a religious value - Minerals and metals were identified with specific deities as well as with specific spiritual and therapeutic values. - Color Code: Every Color had a certain mythological meaning, and the use of colored gems was confined to this code. -- Turquoise (Greenish blue) The oldest known mines of turquoise were quarried in the Sinai by about 3000 BC For the next two thousand years, great quantities of turquoise were mine in the peninsula. At Serabit el-Khadem Egyptians set up a large and systematic operation - This soft precious stone was the most popular gem in ancient Egypt, due to it's relatively easy workability and the abundance of local quarries - It was used for beads by the Egyptians. Combined with other ornamental stones, the turquoise was inlaid in gold to produce very sophisticated articles of jewelry - The bright mineral enamels of powdered turquoise were used to color everything from fine small statues to bricks. - The Eye of Horus amulet was commonly made from the green malachite - Sacred scarabs amulets were carved from this gem. Lapis Lazuli (Deep blue or violet in color and usually flecked with yellow iron pyrites) Imported from Badakhshan province of Afghanistan. Egyptian believed that this gem possessed life-giving powers. The Book of the dead describes Horus in a heavenly firmament in the form of a hawk and "his torso is made of blue stone" - Blue was the color of the heavens, water, and the primeval flood [creation myth - not the flood of Noah], and it represented creation and rebirth. Jasper (Red or reddish brown) - Red symbolized fire and blood of Isis - The gem was thought to be beneficial in the treatment of infertility. Malachite (Green, the colors in the individual bands range from a very light green to deep forest green with occasional irregular black banding) Malachite is a form of copper ore. Hydrous copper carbonate is responsible for the green color of tarnished copper and bronze. - Hathor was titled the "lady of Malachite", which was connected to health Reputed to have strong therapeutic properties, Egyptians believed that wearing malachite in bands around the head and arms protected the wearer from epidemics - Due to its opaque nature, malachite was usually cut and shaped into a cabochon or formed into beads. - The Egyptians used malachite primarily in collar beads - Malachite powder was used in eye makeup, which had a protective function in fighting eye infections. Carnelian (Varied from dark brown to light brown colors) Symbolized the warm blood of life - Carnelian's healing properties were thought to help purify the blood, and relieve the back pain. Amazonite (Pale pastel blue-green and may also exhibit fine white streaks) - Its light blue color symbolized good luck and fertility. It was associated with turquoise and lapis lazuli. Amethyst (Pale pinkish violet) This gem had no mythological importance in ancient Egypt, in contrast to the Greeks who believed that it helped to prevent drunkenness and intoxication. -- Roman Jewelry: - Secular Use - Function: Many of the jewelry accessories seen throughout ancient Rome had functional, as well as decorative value. A common jewelry item of Rome was the brooch, which was used to secure clothing items. Another utilitarian jewelry was the fibula, which was an ornately decorated clothing accessory resembling a large safety pin that was used as a clothing fastener. - Decoration: Roman decoration jewelry consisted mainly of bracelets, necklaces, pendants, earrings and rings - Unlike Egyptians, Roman practical jewelry items were inherited by family members, and never buried with the deceased. [link]

Gold (Turquoise) Eye of Horus Amulet Pendant [modern jewlery - $159.99] (Photo)

Eyes were particularly common as amulets, as were gemstones; the best-known eye amulet being the ancient Egyptian Eye of Horus which is associated with regeneration, health, and prosperity. It was very common as an amuletic talisman in ancient Egypt since ancient Egyptians were imbued with the belief that the Eye of Horus has magical properties to ward off the evil eye or evil and was worn for good health, protection and general well-being. The left eye symbolises the Moon and the right eye symbolises the Sun. [link]

[Secular] Egyptian Deities in the Garden of Eden - Presented at the annual meeting of the American Research Center in Egypt, St. Louis 1996 by Gary Greenberg - This paper attempts to introduce the idea that the biblical Creation stories, from the dawn of Creation through Noah’s Flood, derive from Egyptian cosmogony, more specifically, the Theban doctrine of Creation - The Theban doctrine holds that in the beginning there was the great primeval flood known as Nu or the Nun

This paper attempts to introduce the idea that the biblical Creation stories, from the dawn of Creation through Noah’s Flood, derive from Egyptian cosmogony, more specifically, the Theban doctrine of Creation. Thebes came late to the political scene in Egypt and its view of Creation attempted to incorporate the ideas of Memphis, Heliopolis and Hermopolis into a new cosmology that subordinated the chief deities of those cults to Amen, chief deity of Thebes. The Theban doctrine holds that in the beginning there was the great primeval flood known as Nu or the Nun. The god Amen then appeared in a series of forms, first as an Ogdoad, then as Tatenen (a Memphite name for Ptah identified with the primeval hill), then as Atum, who created the first gods, then as Re. After this he created humanity, organized the Ennead, appointed the four male members of the Hermopolitan Ogdoad as his divine fathers and priests, and appointed Shu as their leader. Another Theban tradition holds that Osiris built the first city at Thebes. To equate all these ideas with the biblical Creation stories would be a massive undertaking, far beyond the scope of this short paper. Therefore I will deal only with a small piece of this very large subject. In this paper I will just compare some elements of the Heliopolitan cycle with the biblical account of Adam and Eve and the second day of Creation. ... Summary: In conclusion, I note that the bible places Israel’s formative years as a cultural entity in Egypt, and its leading figures, Joseph and Moses, were educated in Egypt’s traditions. What they new about the origins of the world they learned in Egypt, and what they wrote about those origins should surely have had an Egyptian influence. Yet, while scholars are willing to admit all sorts of Semitic pagan influences on early Hebrew historical beliefs, they treat the idea of Egyptian influence as far too profane for intense examination. I hope in this paper I have been able to at least raise some interest in more closely examining the [false] idea that Egyptian ideas greatly influenced the writing of early biblical history. {Note: The concepts, practices, laws, medicines, religion, etc. that Moses wrote about in the Pentateuch [first five books of the Bible] were completely foreign [i.e. the 8 Feasts of Leviticus chapter 23] and in many cases the opposite of the traditional teachings of ancient Egypt.} [link]

3 The Kingdom of Babylon

{Basic Christian: blog Bible Study} Daniel 5 - By the fall of Babylon 70 years later Nebuchadnezzar's son Nabonidus had made his son Belshazzar a co-ruler with himself [Belshazzar was the son of Nabonidus, who after ruling only three years, went to the oasis of Tayma and devoted himself to the worship of the moon god, Sin. He made Belshazzar co-regent in 553 B.C., leaving him in charge of Babylon's defense. - wiki.com] -- 'Daniel 5:30 In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.' [Josephus lists Darius as the son of Astyages, and uncle of Cyrus - wiki.com]

Daniel 5:1-31 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom. Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof. ... Then Daniel answered and said before the king, Let thy gifts be to thyself, and give thy rewards to another; yet I will read the writing unto the king, and make known to him the interpretation. ... And thou his son, O Belshazzar, hast not humbled thine heart, though thou knewest all this; But hast lifted up thyself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of his house before thee, and thou, and thy lords, thy wives, and thy concubines, have drunk wine in them; and thou hast praised the gods of silver, and gold, of brass, iron, wood, and stone, which see not, nor hear, nor know: and the God in whose hand thy breath is, and whose are all thy ways, hast thou not glorified: Then was the part of the hand sent from him; and this writing was written. And this is the writing that was written [in Aramaic], MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN. This is the interpretation of the thing: MENE; God hath numbered thy kingdom, and finished it. TEKEL; Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. PERES; Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians [Iran]. Then commanded Belshazzar, and they clothed Daniel with scarlet, and put a chain of gold about his neck, and made a proclamation concerning him, that he should be the third ruler [3rd after Nabonidus and his son Belshazzar] in the kingdom. In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old. [Although usually left untranslated in English translations of Daniel, these words are known Aramaic names of measures of currency: MENE, a mina, TEKEL, a spelling of shekel, PERES, half a mina. - wiki.com] - God is able to set up and takedown each kingdom of mankind at any moment according to His choosing. Note: The Three (Trinity) Handwritings of God: The finger of God writing His 10 Commandments into stone tablets. 'Exodus 31:18 And He [God] gave unto Moses, when He had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God' - The finger of God writing the judgment decree of unrepentant men in the hardened plaster of a wall. 'Daniel 5:4-5 They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister [plaster] of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.' - The finger of God writing the sins of repentant men in the dust of the earth. 'John 8:6 This they said, tempting Him [Jesus], that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground, as though He heard them not.' [link]

Wikipedia.org: Nebuchadnezzar II ( 634 BC - 562 BC) was king of the Babylonian Empire [3rd Global Gentile Empire], who reigned 605 BC - 562 BC - According to the Bible, he conquered Judah and Jerusalem, and sent the Jews into exile - He is credited with the construction of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and also known for the destruction of the First Temple - He is featured in the Book of Daniel and is also mentioned in several other books of the Bible

Life: Nebuchadnezzar II was the eldest son and successor of Nabopolassar, who delivered Babylon from its dependence on Assyria and laid Nineveh in ruins. According to Berossus, some years before he became king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar II married Amytis of Media, the daughter or granddaughter of Cyaxares, king of the Medes, and thus the Median and Babylonian dynasties were united. There are conflicting accounts of Nitocris of Babylon either being his wife or daughter. Nabopolassar was intent on annexing the western provinces of Syria from Necho II (who was still hoping to restore Assyrian power), and to this end dispatched his son westward with a large army. In the ensuing Battle of Carchemish in 605 BC, the Egyptian army was defeated and driven back, and Syria and Phoenicia were brought under the control of Babylon. Nabopolassar died in August that year, and Nebuchadnezzar returned to Babylon to ascend to the throne. -- Nebuchadnezzar faces off against Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, who holds a plan of Jerusalem, in a Baroque era depiction in Zwiefalten Abbey, Germany. After the defeat of the Cimmerians and Scythians, all of Nebuchadnezzar's expeditions were directed westwards, although the powerful Median empire lay to the north. Nebuchadnezzar's political marriage to Amytis of Media, the daughter of the Median king, had ensured peace between the two empires. -- Nebuchadnezzar engaged in several military campaigns designed to increase Babylonian influence in Syria and Judah. An attempted invasion of Egypt in 601 BC was met with setbacks, however, leading to numerous rebellions among the states of the Levant, including Judah. Nebuchadnezzar soon dealt with these rebellions, capturing Jerusalem in 597 BC and deposing King Jehoiakim, then in 587 BC due to rebellion, destroying both the city and the temple, and deporting many of the prominent citizens along with a sizable portion of the Jewish population of Judea to Babylon. These events are described in the Prophets (Nevi'im) and Writings (Ketuvim), sections of the Hebrew Bible (in the books 2 Kings and Jeremiah, and 2 Chronicles, respectively). After the destruction of Jerusalem, Nebuchadnezzar engaged in a thirteen year siege of Tyre (585-572 BC), which ended in a compromise, with the Tyrians accepting Babylonian authority. -- Following the pacification of Tyre, Nebuchadnezzar turned again to Egypt. A clay tablet, now in the British Museum, states: "In the 37th year of Nebuchadnezzar, king of the country of Babylon, he went to Mitzraim (Egypt) to wage war. Amasis, king of Egypt, collected [his army], and marched and spread abroad." Having completed the subjugation of Phoenicia, and a campaign against Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar set himself to rebuild and adorn the city of Babylon, and constructed canals, aqueducts, temples and reservoirs. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Nabonidus - Nabonidus son of Nebuchadnezzar was the last King of the Babylonian Empire, reigning from 556-539 BC - Being a co-ruler with his son Belshazzar - {Note: Where Joseph was made 2nd in charge in Egypt (Genesis 41:40) because Pharaoh Akhenaten did not yet have a son, the Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar had a son Nabonidus so Daniel was made 3rd ruler in Babylon (Daniel 5:7).}

Reign: In most ancient accounts, Nabonidus is depicted as a royal anomaly. He is supposed to have worshiped the moon god Sin beyond all the other gods, to have paid special devotion to Sin's temple in Harran, where his mother was a priestess, and to have neglected the Babylonian primary god, Marduk. Because of the tensions that these religious reforms generated, he had to leave the capital for the desert oasis of Tayma in Arabia early in his reign, from which he only returned after many years. In the meantime, his son Belshazzar ruled from Babylon, supposedly in the manner of an oriental despot. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Belshazzar - Belshazzar, or Balthazar was a 6th century BC prince of Babylon, the son of Nabonidus and the last king of Babylon according to the Book of Daniel

In 540 BC, Nabonidus returned from Tayma, hoping to defend his kingdom from the Persians [4th Global Gentile Kingdom] who were planning to advance on Babylon. Belshazzar was positioned in the city of Babylon to hold the capital, while Nabonidus marched his troops north to meet Cyrus. On October 10, 539 BC, Nabonidus surrendered and fled from Cyrus. Two days later the Persian armies overthrew the city of Babylon. -- "Daniel 8:1-3 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared unto me, even unto me Daniel, after that which appeared unto me at the first. And I saw in a vision; and it came to pass, when I saw, that I was at Shushan in the palace, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in a vision, and I was by the river of Ulai." -- "Daniel 5:1-7 Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand. Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone. In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote. Then the king's countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another. The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. ..." [link]

Dictionary.com: Chimera (noun) - 1. a mythological, fire-breathing monster, commonly represented with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail - an artificially produced [DNA modified] individual [or animal] having tissues of several species {Note: The 7 human Kingdoms on earth all have had a Mascot creature depicted usually as a multi species 'Chimera' or as a mythical Phoenix [eagle] type of being. Beginning with [1] the Tower of Babel and the lion/serpent (Christ - Antichrist) [mixed] chimera, [2] the human headed lions of Egypt (with a cobra, serpent 3rd eye), [3] the Dragon (Mushhushshu - "splendor serpent" ) of Babylon, [4] the Griffin (head of an eagle, body of a lion) of Persia, [5] the Minotaur (head of a bull, body of a human) imprisoned in a labyrinth of ancient Greece. [6] The divine eagle of Rome and [7] the later double headed [Eastern and Western Roman Empire] (cloned, divine eagle - Phoenix, chimera) of Emperor Constantine's empire [Roman Emperor from 306 A.D. to 337 A.D.] the beginning of the 7th Kingdom the 'Revised Roman Empire' that is cumulating into the coming modern NWO one world government.}

Chimera: Chi•me•ra [ki-meer-uh]-noun, 1. (often initial capital letter) a mythological, fire-breathing monster, commonly represented with a lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail. 2. any similarly grotesque monster having disparate parts, esp. as depicted in decorative art. 3. a horrible or unreal creature of the imagination; a vain or idle fancy: He is far different from the chimera your fears have made of him. 4. Genetics. an organism composed of two or more genetically distinct tissues, as an organism that is partly male and partly female, or an artificially produced individual having tissues of several species. [link]

Dragon of the [Babyon] Ishtar Gate by David G Stone - The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate may be one of Cryptozoology's strangest, yet best-documented, ancient crypids - This two and a half millennium old depiction is so unusual that many treat it as a chimera, an impossible combination of animals that could never have existed in nature - But the people of ancient Babylon knew and accepted the 'dragon' as real, as real as the bulls and lions that also share the walls - It was Koldeway who recognized the animal as the mushhushshu, a name derived from an Akkadian word that is loosely translated as "splendor serpent"

The Dragon of the Ishtar Gate may be one of Cryptozoology's strangest, yet best-documented, ancient crypids. This two and a half millennium old depiction is so unusual that many treat it as a chimera, an impossible combination of animals that could never have existed in nature. But the people of ancient Babylon knew and accepted the 'dragon' as real, as real as the bulls and lions that also share the walls. -- The Ishtar Gate itself was one of eight entrances to the ancient city of Babylon. Built during the reign of King Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC) and dedicated to the goddess Ishtar it was the main entrance to the city until the final fall of Babylon sometime in the 1st or 2nd century AD. (King Nebuchadnezzar also constructed one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, a marvel filled with exotic plants and animals.) -- The Dedicatory Inscription on the Ishtar Gate reads: Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, the faithful prince appointed by the will of Marduk, the highest of princely princes, beloved of Nabu, of prudent counsel, who has learned to embrace wisdom, who fathomed their divine being and reveres their majesty, the untiring governor, who always takes to heart the care of the cult of Esagila and Ezida and is constantly concerned with the well-being of Babylon and Borsippa, the wise, the humble, the caretaker of Esagila and Ezida, the firstborn son of Nabopolassar, the King of Babylon. -- Both gate entrances of Imgur-Ellil and Nemetti-Ellil following the filling of the street from Babylon had become increasingly lower. Therefore, I pulled down these gates and laid their foundations at the water table with asphalt and bricks and had them made of bricks with blue stone on which wonderful bulls and dragons were depicted. I covered their roofs by laying majestic cedars length-wise over them. I hung doors of cedar adorned with bronze at all the gate openings. I placed wild bulls and ferocious dragons in the gateways and thus adorned them with luxurious splendor so that people might gaze on them in wonder - I let the temple of Esiskursiskur (the highest festival house of Markduk, the Lord of the Gods a place of joy and celebration for the major and minor gods) be built firm like a mountain in the precinct of Babylon of asphalt and fired bricks. The ruins of the gate and walls were discovered and excavated between 1899 and 1914 by Robert Koldeway, a German archeologist and architect. After its excavation the entire Gate was shipped to Berlin where it was reconstructed and now resides at the Pergamon Museum. It was Koldeway who recognized the animal as the mushhushshu, a name derived from an Akkadian word that is loosely translated as "splendor serpent." Early researchers mistakenly read it as sirrussu but the word has now been properly translitereated as musrussu, with mushhushshu as the commonly-accepted modern form. [link]

What is the Tower of Babel? The Tower of Babel is a fascinating story which helped the ancients understand God - The story of the Tower of Babel doesn't take place in a vacuum - It falls in between Noah's flood and the call of Abraham - The parable [from the events of Babel] tells us that the road without God is doomed to disaster - The citizens of Babel thought that they were able, technologically, to challenge God's leadership - Man's pride, vanity and lust for power need to come under God's authority - That is the theological lesson of this section of scripture - They are the only kinds of lessons the Bible gives

The call of Abraham comes about as God decides to form a people of his own to carry the knowledge and worship of Him into the world. The Flood did not stem man's evil ways and the activities around the Tower of Babel showed that man loves himself more than any God. The glory of man is what was sought with that tower, not the glory of God. So, in Abraham, God forms a people who will glorify Him. -- The story of Babel comes at a point after the flood where everyone is seen as a descendant of Noah. Genesis 10 and 11 is a genealogy from Noah to Abraham and an attempt to classify everyone in the known world as a descendant. I say "known" world because as far as these early Hebrews were concerned the world was flat and rested on pillars. The sky was a shell with stars fastened to it. Ethiopia was as far south as they could identify, Iran to the east, Armenia to the north and Greece to the west. They had heard of a place called Tarshish (Spain - also possibly Britain) but weren't sure. Jonah had tried to go there because it was as far as he could imagine going. -- The whole story of Babel lasts for only nine verses, Genesis 11: 1-9. Its fame has far exceeded the space that the compilers of Genesis have given it in the Holy Scriptures. Just before we are given the names of the descendants of Shem (Shemites or Semites) whose line brings us to Abraham, the story of the Tower of Babel is inserted. What could be the significance of this little parable at this point in Bible history? -- Of course, the ancients wanted to know why and how we all came to be speaking different languages. If Noah and his sons repopulated the world shouldn't we all speak their language? Verses ten to twenty six bring us from Shem to Abraham. The story of Babel is there to explain to a primitive society how we get from Noah to Abraham with so many different languages having developed in so short a time. What could be the cause of this impediment to human cooperation and understanding? -- The choice of the name "Babel" is not an accident. The reference to Babylon reflects the way that Babylon was abhorred by Hebrew society. Babylon represented everything that was wrong with humanity. As a city, Babylon was both envied and loathed. The city was beautiful and graced with streets and palaces. The hanging gardens of Babylon are one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Writing and science were developing there. In the meantime, the Hebrews were a nomadic society concerned with day to day survival. Babylon represented oppression, cruelty and violence by which it remained powerful. -- So Babel (Babylon) is portrayed as a society where everyone speaks with the same language and through human cooperation attempt to climb to heaven on a tower. This is not a God centered society but a fellowship of men dedicated to elevating man to his proper position as God of this world. This is a theme often repeated in the Bible. The ziggurats stand as evidence against them. So Babylon gets the blame for confusion because they try to get up to God's level. The disdain that ancient Israel felt for Babylon is reflected in the Tower story. -- So, is this science or theology? There is no science in the Bible. There is no point looking for it there. The Bible is a theological manuscript. It is the story of God's dealings with humans from the viewpoint of an ancient society. Is Babel the reason for all of the various languages in the world? Of course it isn't. Is Babel a parable? The story of the Tower of Babel is a parable about mankind, where his heart is and how God feels about it. -- The account of Babel's tower is lousy history and terrible science. It is terrific theology. The final judgement against any society is its willingness to press forward in the name of progress without reference to or respect for God. The parable tells us that the road without God is doomed to disaster. The citizens of Babel thought that they were able, technologically, to challenge God's leadership. Man's pride, vanity and lust for power need to come under God's authority. That is the theological lesson of this section of scripture. They are the only kinds of lessons the Bible gives. [link]

Update: The Basic Christian Info Feed will be on a short break - Returning with Nimrod [human race - relations - was Nimrod black?] and the Tower of Babel in the "8 Kingdoms of the World" study - An 8 Kingdom summary is postponed for a short while -- Wiki.com: The generic usage [of the word Adam] in Genesis meaning "mankind" reflects the view that Adam [red-man, all the human races are a part of the original creation glory of God, built into Adam, to help reveal the glory and expanse of God - a language confusion would come later at the fall of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:9)] was the ancestor of all men. Etymologically it is the masculine form of the word adamah meaning ground or earth and related to the words adom *(red), admoni *(ruddy) and dam *(blood) Gen. ii. 7 explains that the man was called Adam because he was formed from the ground *(adamah).

On a short break from posting for now but plan on continuing to research and work on the 8 Kingdoms project in the meantime so should have a lot of ordered material to post in the weeks to come. [link]

4 The Kingdom of Persia

Wikipedia: Cyrus the Great - Cyrus II of Persia [4th Global Gentile Kingdom] (600 BC or 576 BC-530 BC), commonly known as Cyrus the Great, also known as Cyrus the Elder - Under his rule, the [Persian] empire embraced all the previous civilized states of the ancient Near East, expanded vastly and eventually conquered most of Southwest Asia and much of Central Asia, parts of Europe and Caucasus - From the Mediterranean sea and Hellespont in the west to the Indus River in the east, Cyrus the Great created the largest empire the world had yet seen

The reign of Cyrus the Great lasted between 29 and 31 years. Cyrus built his empire by conquering first the Median Empire, then the Lydian Empire and eventually the Neo-Babylonian Empire. Either before or after Babylon, he led an expedition into central Asia, which resulted in major campaigns that were described as having brought "into subjection every nation without exception".[8] Cyrus did not venture into Egypt, as he himself died in battle, fighting the Massagetae along the Syr Darya in December 530 BC. He was succeeded by his son, Cambyses II, who managed to add to the empire by conquering Egypt, Nubia, and Cyrenaica during his short rule. -- Cyrus the Great respected the customs and religions of the lands he conquered. It is said that in universal history, the role of the Achaemenid empire founded by Cyrus lies in its very successful model for centralized administration and establishing a government working to the advantage and profit of its subjects. In fact, the administration of the empire through satraps and the vital principle of forming a government at Pasargadae were the works of Cyrus. Aside from his own nation, Persia (modern Iran), Cyrus the Great also left a lasting legacy on the Jewish religion through his Edict of Restoration, where because of his policies in Babylonia, he is referred to by the people of the Jewish faith, as "the anointed of the Lord" or a "Messiah". -- Cyrus the Great is also well recognized for his achievements in human rights, politics, and military strategy, as well as his influence on both Eastern and Western civilizations. To date, Cyrus the Great and his historical signature define the national identity for many Iranians. Cyrus and, indeed, the Achaemenid influence in the ancient world also extended as far as Athens, where many Athenians adopted aspects of the Achaemenid Persian(ancient Iranian) culture as their own, in a reciprocal cultural exchange. [link]

The Tomb of Cyrus the Great - At the Pasargadae ruins in south-central Iran - (Photos)

The tomb of Cyrus is generally identified with a small stone monument approximately 1 km southwest of the palaces of Pasargadae, in the center of the Morgab plain. According to Greek sources, the tomb of Cyrus the Great was located in the royal park at Pasargadae. The most extensive description, based on a lost account by Aristobulus, who had accompanied Alexander of Macedon (q.v.) on his eastern campaign in the late 4th century B.C.E., is to be found in the Anabasis of Arrian (6.29), written in the 2nd century C.E.: -- The tomb: in the lower parts was built of stones cut square and was rectangular in form. Above, there was a stone chamber with a roof and a door leading into it so narrow that it was hard and caused much distress for a single man of low stature to get through. In the chamber lay a golden sarcophagus, in which Cyrus' body had been buried; a couch stood by its side with feet of wrought gold; a Babylonian tapestry served as a coverlet and purple rugs as a carpet. There was placed on it a sleeved mantle and other garments of Babylonian workmanship . . . Median trousers and robes dyed blue lay there, some dark, some of other varying shades, with necklaces, scimitars, and earrings of stones set in gold, and a table stood there. It was between the table and the couch that the sarcophagus containing Cyrus' body was placed. Within the enclosure and by the ascent to the tomb itself there was a small building put up for the Magians who used to guard Cyrus' tomb." -- Strabo (15.3.7), who wrote at the end of the 1st century B.C.E., also seems to have drawn on the account of Aristobulus; he described the tomb as "a small tower . . . solid below, and having a roof and sepulchre above, which latter had an extremely narrow entrance," and noted that another companion of Alexander, Onesicretus, had described the tomb as "a tower with ten stories," in the uppermost of which Cyrus lay. -- According to Arrian. an inscription in Persian characters on the tomb read, "Mortal! I am Cyrus son of Cambyses, who founded the Persian empire, and was King of Asia. Grudge me not then my monument." This inscription, with minor variations, was also mentioned by Strabo (15.3.7) and Plutarch (Alexander 69.4). -- The epitaph mentioned in the texts is not attested on any of the extant structures in the vicinity of Pasargadae. The identification of the stone structure, consisting of a gabled cella on a stepped plinth, on the Morgab plain as the tomb of Cyrus is based on its resemblance to the descriptions of Arrian and Strabo (Plate Lill). The building, which was incorporated into a mosque by the Salghurid Sa'd b. Zangi (601-28/1203-31; MelikianChirvani, pp. 3-4), is known locally [incorrectly] as Ma`shad-e Madar-a Solayman (the tomb of the mother of Solomon). [link]

The Tomb of Cyrus at Pasargadae (Photo)

This tomb of the great Persian ruler, Cyrus, was discovered in 1951 at the ruins of Pasargadae (south-central Iran). Over 2500 years old, the tomb is in decent condition, made of white limestone and stands a total of 36 feet high. The tomb itself is 18 feet high resting on a 6 level base, also 18 feet high. It was built like a Ziggurat with Ionian and Lydian features. There is a small entrance and double doors leading to a room with no windows which once contained the "golden sarcophagus" of Cyrus, it is now an empty shell. Five huge stones make up its roof, which was slanted (gabled) to shed heavy rains. These Nordic gables were the architectural style of lands far to the north. The inscription was seen and recorded by Plutarch in AD 90. -- Parsagard "camp of the Persians" was the capital of Persia when Cyrus was ruling. After Cyrus had died Darius abandoned Pasargadae and made his capital 45 miles northeast at a place which came to be called Persepolis, "the city of the Persians" and the sacred heart of the Persian Empire. The ancient capital called Pasargadae by Cyrus was in his day a magnificent place, and many discoveries have been found including the four-winged genius, but it was nothing in comparison to the renowned Persepolis. -- Cyrus II, the Great was the founder and ruler of the vast Persian Empire from 539 B.C. until his death in 530 B.C. Once Cyrus had defeated the Median king, Astyages and took Ecbatana he expanded his kingdom defeating Croesus, king of Lydia in 546 BC, and then conquered Babylon in 539 BC, and the Persian Empire was formed. He was a generous ruler allowing various captives to return to their homelands, as recorded on the Cyrus Cylinder. Xenophon, Nabonidus and many others gave Cyrus praise for his generous leadership. -- The Decree of Cyrus: (2 Chronicles 36:22-23) Judea had remained a Persian province for the next two hundred years until the time that the Bible records "the decree of Cyrus" giving permission to the Hebrew captives to go back to Jerusalem to rebuild their Temple. [link]

Bronze Griffin from Susa [Shushan (Daniel 8:2) 2nd palace of Babylon - later Persia], the other capital of the Persian kings now in the Louvre [Museum at Paris, France] (6-4th century B.C.) (Photo)

Griffin Pedestal: The griffin (also spelt gryphon, griffon or gryphin) is a legendary creature with the body of a lion and the head of an eagle with the addition of prominent ears. The female has the wings of an eagle. The male (known as a keythong) has projecting spikes instead of wings and is less frequently depicted. In the artwork of ancient Persia, as well as in the artwork of other parts of the ancient world from Scythia to Macedonia and Greece, the Griffin has special place (see below two sculptures of griffins from Persepolis and Susa). [link]

5 The Kingdom of Greece

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Vision Forum is pleased to introduce its most comprehensive collection of world history resources ever made available online. Featuring six separate titles on 10 DVDs and 52 CDs, and totaling more than sixty-three hours of combined audio and video resources, the History of the World MegaPack provides teachers, students, and those who love the study of history with a superior understanding of world history from a distinctly Christian perspective. History is meaningless unless it is interpreted through the lens of biblical Christianity, God's revealed Word, that speaks to every subject and academic discipline. Through this lens, a student of history can accurately evaluate art, warfare, music, literature, and theology as he strives to learn from the past and apply this knowledge now in the real world. Accordingly, Vision Forum's History of the World MegaPack contains far more than just abstract dates and data. Rather, it teaches of the relationships between biblical chronology, weather, warfare, technology, art, theology, law, the sociology of the family, and much more - all within the context of a providential understanding of earth history. Featuring engaging and accessible lectures from some of the most outstanding Christian historians and scholars of our day, the History of the World MegaPack is a powerful tool for anyone seeking to understand and/or teach a biblical perspective on world history. Perfect for teachers, students, and all who desire to learn from the lessons of His Story. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Alexander the Great [5th Global Gentile Kingdom] - Alexander III of Macedon (20/21 July 356 - 10/11 June 323 BC), commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of Macedon, a state in northern ancient Greece - By the age of thirty, he had created one of the largest empires of the ancient world, stretching from the Ionian Sea to the Himalayas - He was undefeated in battle, and is considered one of the most successful commanders of all time - Born in Pella in 356 BC, Alexander was **tutored by Aristotle [Greek philosopher] until the age of 16 - Alexander succeeded his father, Philip II of Macedon, to the throne in 336 BC after Philip was assassinated - Philip had brought together most of the city-states of mainland Greece under a Macedonian hegemony, using both military and diplomatic means

Upon Philip's death, Alexander inherited a strong kingdom and an experienced army. He was awarded the generalship of Greece, and used this authority to launch military plans of expansion drawn up by his father. In 334 BC he invaded Persian-ruled Asia Minor and began a series of campaigns that lasted ten years. Alexander broke the power of Persia in a series of decisive battles, most notably the battles of Issus and Gaugamela. He subsequently overthrew the Persian king Darius III and conquered the entirety of the Persian Empire. At that point the Macedonian Empire stretched from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River. -- Seeking to reach the "ends of the world and the Great Outer Sea", he invaded India in 326 BC, but was eventually forced to turn back by the near-mutiny of his troops. Alexander died in Babylon in 323 BC, without realizing a series of planned campaigns that would have begun with an invasion of Arabia. In the years following Alexander's death a series of civil wars tore his empire apart which resulted in the formation of a number of states ruled by the Diadochi - Alexander's surviving generals. -- Alexander's legacy includes the cultural diffusion his conquests engendered. He founded some twenty cities that bore his name, Alexandria in Egypt being the most important. Alexander's settlement of Greek colonists and the resulting spread of Greek culture in the east resulted in a new Hellenistic civilization, aspects of which were still evident in the traditions of the Byzantine Empire in the mid-15th century. Alexander became legendary as a classical hero in the mold of Achilles, and features prominently in the history and myth of Greek and non-Greek cultures. He has become the measure against which generals, to this day, compare themselves, and military academies throughout the world still teach his tactics. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Themistocles - an Athenian politician and a general [before Alexander the Great] - Elected archon in 493 BC, he took steps to increase the naval power of Athens, which would be a recurring theme in his political career - During the **first Persian invasion of Greece, he fought at the Battle of Marathon, and was possibly one of the 10 Athenian strategoi (generals) in that battle {Note: Themistocles oversaw the construction of one of the world's largest technologically advanced Navies of his day. Themistocles did not first seek technology to help defeat Persia instead Themistocles first sought Greek Philosophy and through his philosophy then determined that an advanced Navy and naval technology, along with other strategies (i.e. evacuating Athens before the battle) would be a key part in defending Greece from the very technologically advanced Persians of the day. -- The Egyptians would first seek their dead ancestors, the Babylonians would first seek a religious priest (astrologer), the Persians would do more to seek technology, the Greeks would seek philosophical knowledge, and the Romans would [sort of] seek the will of the people in each Kingdom as they attempted to solve problems, move forward and shape their society.}

In the years after Marathon, and in the run up to the second Persian invasion he became the most prominent politician in Athens. He continued to advocate a strong Athenian navy, and in 483 BC he persuaded the Athenians to build a fleet of 100 triremes; these would prove crucial in the forthcoming conflict with Persia. During the second invasion, he was in effective command of the Greek allied navy at the battles of Artemisium and Salamis. Due to subterfuge on the part of Themistocles, the Allies lured the Persian fleet into the Straits of Salamis, and the decisive Greek victory there was the turning point in the invasion, which was ended the following year by the defeat of the Persians at the Battle of Plataea. -- After the conflict ended, Themistocles continued to be pre-eminent amongst Athenian politicians. However, he aroused the hostility of Sparta by ordering Athens to be re-fortified, and his perceived arrogance began to alienate him from the Athenians. In 472 or 471 BC, he was ostracised, and went into exile in Argos. The Spartans now saw an opportunity to destroy Themistocles, and implicated him in the treasonous plot of their own general Pausanias. Themistocles thus fled from Greece, and travelled to Asia Minor, where he entered the service of the Persian king Artaxerxes I. He was made governor of Magnesia, and lived there for the rest of his life. -- Themistocles died in 459 BC, probably of natural causes. Themistocles's reputation was posthumously rehabilitated, and he was re-established as a hero of the Athenian (and indeed Greek) cause. Themistocles can still reasonably be thought of as "the man most instrumental in achieving the salvation of Greece" from the Persian threat, as Plutarch describes him. His naval policies would have a lasting impact on Athens as well, since maritime power became the cornerstone of the Athenian Empire and golden age. It was Thucydides's judgement that Themistocles was "a man who exhibited the most indubitable signs of genius; indeed, in this particular he has a claim on our admiration quite extraordinary and unparalleled." [link]

Amazon: Empires Collection - The Dynasties (Egypt's Golden Empire / The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance / Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire / The Roman Empire in the First Century / The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization - Empires Collection: The Dynasties (5 Disc Gift Set) - Empires Collection: The Dynasties is a compilation of five outstanding stories of some of histories greatest dynasties (2000 - DVDs)

Egypt's Golden Empire: In 1570 B.C., when Rome was still a marsh and the Acropolis was an empty rock, Egypt was already 1000 years old. Although the period of the pyramid-builders was long over, Egypt lay on the threshold of its greatest age. The New Kingdom would be an empire forged by conquest, maintained by intimidation and diplomacy, and remembered long after its demise. Led by a dynasty of rich personalities, whose dramatic lives changed the course of civilization, Egypt's Golden Empire presents the most extraordinary period in Egyptian history: from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., when the Egyptian Empire reached its zenith. -- The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance - From a small Italian community in 15th century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history - the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world. An epic drama played out in the courts, cathedrals and palaces of Europe, this series is both the tale of one family's powerful ambition and of Europe's tortured struggle to emerge from the ravages of the Dark Ages. -- Japan: Memoirs Of A Secret Empire - Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans -- all were part of the Japanese "renaissance" -- a period between the 16th and 19th centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship to the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world. -- The Roman Empire in the First Century: Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time - the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D. -- The Greeks: Crucible [melting pot] of Civilization - The Greeks - Classical Greece of the 4th and 5th centuries, B.C. was a magnificent civilization that laid the foundations for modern science, politics, warfare, and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever known. Through the eyes and words of the great heroes of ancient Greece, this dazzling production charts the rise, triumph, and eventual decline of the world's first democracy. Now, through dramatic storytelling and state-of-the-art computer animation, you witness history, art, and government with giants like Pericles, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Archimedes - Archimedes of Syracuse (287 BC - 212 BC) was a Greek mathematician, physicist, engineer, inventor, and astronomer - Although few details of his life are known, he is regarded as one of the leading scientists in classical antiquity - Archimedes died during the Siege of Syracuse when he was killed by a Roman soldier despite orders that he should not be harmed - Cicero [Marcus Tullius Cicero - Roman Senator] describes visiting the tomb of Archimedes, which was surmounted by a sphere inscribed within a cylinder

Archimedes is generally considered to be the greatest mathematician of antiquity and one of the greatest of all time. He used the method of exhaustion to calculate the area under the arc of a parabola with the summation of an infinite series, and gave a remarkably accurate approximation of pi. He also defined the spiral bearing his name, formulae for the volumes of surfaces of revolution and an ingenious system for expressing very large numbers. -- Archimedes died during the Siege of Syracuse when he was killed by a Roman soldier despite orders that he should not be harmed. Cicero describes visiting the tomb of Archimedes, which was surmounted by a sphere inscribed within a cylinder. Archimedes had proven that the sphere has two thirds of the volume and surface area of the cylinder (including the bases of the latter), and regarded this as the greatest of his mathematical achievements. -- Unlike his inventions, the mathematical writings of Archimedes were little known in antiquity. Mathematicians from Alexandria [Egypt] read and quoted him, but the first comprehensive compilation was not made until c. 530 AD by Isidore of Miletus, while commentaries on the works of Archimedes written by Eutocius in the sixth century AD opened them to wider readership for the first time. The relatively few copies of Archimedes' written work that survived through the Middle Ages were an influential source of ideas for scientists during the Renaissance, while the discovery in 1906 of previously unknown works by Archimedes in the Archimedes Palimpsest has provided new insights into how he obtained mathematical results. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Antiochus IV Epiphanes - 215 BC - 164 BC ruled the Seleucid (dynasty) Empire [General Seleucus - one of four main Generals that served under Alexander the Great] from 175 BC until his death in 164 BC - he assumed the name Antiochus after he ascended the throne - Notable events during the reign of Antiochus IV include his near-conquest of Egypt, which led to a confrontation that became an origin of the metaphorical phrase, "line in the sand", and the rebellion of the Jewish Maccabees - He assumed divine epithets, which no other Hellenistic [Greek] king had done, such as 'manifest god' - But his often eccentric behavior, capricious actions and even insanity led some of his contemporaries to call him Epimanes "The Mad One", a word play on his title Epiphanes - Antiochus died suddenly of disease [possibly an assasination] in 164 BC - Antiochus IV ruled the Jews [Judea] from 175 to 164 BC - He is remembered as a major villain and persecutor in the Jewish traditions associated with Hanukkah, including the books of Maccabees and the "Scroll of Antiochus" - Rabbinical sources refer to him as harasha "the wicked"

While Antiochus was busy in Egypt, a rumor spread that he had been killed. The deposed High Priest Jason gathered a force of 1,000 soldiers and made a surprise attack on the city of Jerusalem. The High Priest appointed by Antiochus, Menelaus, was forced to flee Jerusalem during a riot. On the King's return from Egypt in 167 BC enraged by his defeat, he attacked Jerusalem and restored Menelaus, then executed many Jews. "When these happenings were reported to the king, he thought that Judea was in revolt. Raging like a wild animal, he set out from Egypt and took Jerusalem by storm. He ordered his soldiers to cut down without mercy those whom they met and to slay those who took refuge in their houses. There was a massacre of young and old, a killing of women and children, a slaughter of virgins and infants. In the space of three days, eighty thousand were lost, forty thousand meeting a violent death, and the same number being sold into slavery." 2 Maccabees 5:11-14 -- To consolidate his empire and strengthen his hold over the region, Antiochus decided to side with the Hellenized Jews by outlawing Jewish religious rites and traditions kept by observant Jews and by ordering the worship of Zeus as the supreme god (2 Maccabees 6:1-12). This was anathema to the Jews and when they refused, Antiochus sent an army to enforce his decree. Because of the resistance, the city was destroyed, many were slaughtered, and a military Greek citadel called the Acra was established. ... Final years: Taking advantage of Antiochus' western problems, King Mithridates I of Parthia attacked from the east and seized the city of Herat in 167 BC, disrupting the direct trade route to India and effectively splitting the Greek world in two. Recognizing the potential danger in the east, but unwilling to give up control of Judea, Antiochus sent a commander named Lysias to deal with the Maccabees, while the King himself led the main Seleucid army against the Parthians. After initial success in his eastern campaign, including the reoccupation of Armenia, Antiochus died suddenly of disease in 164 BC. [link]

Wikipedia.org: Cleopatra - Cleopatra VII Philopator - She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty [General Ptolemy - one of four main Generals that served under Alexander the Great], a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt after Alexander the Great's death during the [Greek] Hellenistic period - The Ptolemies [as Greeks], throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek as well as Egyptian languages were used on official court documents such as the **Rosetta Stone

Cleopatra - She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, a family of Greek origin that ruled Egypt [from Alexandria, Egypt] after Alexander the Great's death during the Hellenistic period. The Ptolemies, throughout their dynasty, spoke Greek and refused to speak Egyptian, which is the reason that Greek as well as Egyptian languages were used on official court documents such as the Rosetta Stone. By contrast, Cleopatra did learn to speak Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian goddess, Isis. -- Cleopatra originally ruled jointly with her father Ptolemy XII Auletes and later with her brothers, Ptolemy XIII and Ptolemy XIV, whom she married as per Egyptian custom, but eventually she became sole ruler. As pharaoh, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar that solidified her grip on the throne. She later elevated her son with Caesar, Caesarion, to co-ruler in name. -- After Caesar's assassination in 44 BC, she aligned with Mark Antony in opposition to Caesar's legal heir, Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus (later known as Augustus). With Antony, she bore the twins Cleopatra Selene II and Alexander Helios, and another son, Ptolemy Philadelphus. Her unions with her brothers produced no children. After losing the Battle of Actium to Octavian's forces, Antony committed suicide. Cleopatra followed suit, according to tradition killing herself by means of an asp bite on August 12, 30 BC. She was briefly outlived by Caesarion, who was declared pharaoh by his supporters, but he was soon killed on Octavian's orders. Egypt became the Roman province of Aegyptus. -- To this day, Cleopatra remains a popular figure in Western culture. Her legacy survives in numerous works of art and the many dramatizations of her story in literature and other media, including William Shakespeare's tragedy Antony and Cleopatra, Jules Massenet's opera Cléopâtre and the 1963 film Cleopatra. In most depictions, Cleopatra is put forward as a great beauty, and her successive conquests of the world's most powerful men are taken as proof of her aesthetic and sexual appeal. In his Pensées, philosopher Blaise Pascal contends, evidently speaking ironically because a large nose has symbolized dominance in different periods of history, that Cleopatra's classically beautiful profile changed world history: "Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed." ... Death: The ancient sources, particularly the Roman ones, are in general agreement that Cleopatra killed herself by inducing an Egyptian cobra to bite her. The oldest source is Strabo, who was alive at the time of the event, and might even have been in Alexandria. He says that there are two stories: that she applied a toxic ointment, or that she was bitten by an asp on her breast. Several Roman poets, writing within ten years of the event, all mention bites by two asps, as does Florus, a historian, some 150 years later. Velleius, sixty years after the event, also refers to an asp. Other authors have questioned these historical accounts, stating that it is possible that Augustus [Caesar Augustus - Luke 2:1] had her killed. ... Cassius Dio [a Roman consulor] also spoke of Cleopatra's allure: "For she was a woman of surpassing beauty, and at that time, when she was in the prime of her youth, she was most striking; she also possessed a most charming voice and knowledge of how to make herself agreeable to every one. Being brilliant to look upon and to listen to, with the power to subjugate every one, even a love-sated man already past his prime, she thought that it would be in keeping with her role to meet Caesar, and she reposed in her beauty all her claims to the throne." These accounts influenced later cultural depictions of Cleopatra, which typically present her using her charms to influence the most powerful men in the Western world. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - 6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - Hellenistic Period: The Hellenistic period describes the era which followed the conquests of Alexander the Great - During this time, Greek cultural influence and power was at its zenith in Europe and Asia - It is often considered a period of transition, sometimes even of decline or decadence, between the brilliance of the Greek Classical Era and the emergence of the Roman Empire - Usually taken to begin with the death of Alexander in 323 BC, the Hellenistic period may either be seen to end with the final conquest of the Greek heartlands by Rome in *146 BC - or the final defeat of the last remaining successor-state to Alexander's empire, the Ptolemaic kingdom of Egypt in 31/30 BC - The Hellenistic period was characterized by a new wave of [Greek] colonists which established Greek cities and kingdoms in Asia and Africa [including in Israel - The Decapolis ("Ten Cities"; Greek: deka, ten; polis, city) of Jesus' day]

Rise of Rome [via - trade, goodwill, treaties, politics, policy and lastly overt military action]: Widespread Roman interference in the Greek World was probably inevitable given the general manner of the ascendency of the Roman Republic. This Roman-Greek interaction began as a consequence of the Greek city-states located along the coast of southern Italy. Rome had come to dominate the Italian peninsula, and desired the submission of the Greek cities to its rule. Although they initially resisted, allying themselves with Pyrrhus of Epirus, and defeating the Romans at several battles, the Greek cities were unable to maintain this position and were absorbed by the Roman republic. Shortly afterwards, Rome became involved in Sicily, fighting against the Carthaginans in the First Punic War. The end result was the complete conquest of Sicily, including its previously powerful Greek cities, by the Romans. The independent cities of Magna Graecia did not form part of the Hellenistic domains and had, by this time, been eclipsed in power by the Hellenistic kingdoms of the east. They also remained independent at a time when the Mediterranean was increasingly dominated by 'great powers'. This, and their proximity to Rome, had made them easy and obvious targets. *Conversely, the major Hellenistic realms were not in the immediate Roman sphere of influence, and were powerful enough to deter Roman aggression. The events which, in retrospect, marked the beginning of the end for the Hellenistic kingdoms could have been avoided; even if it seems likely that a collision between them and Rome would have ultimately occurred. -- **Roman entanglement in the Balkans began, as so often, with trade. Illyrian piratical raids on Roman merchants twice led to a Roman task force invading Illyria (the First and, Second Illyrian Wars). Tension between Macedon and Rome increased when the young king of Macedon, Philip V harboured one of the chief pirates, Demetrius of Pharos (a former client of Rome). As a result, in an attempt to reduce Roman influence in the Balkans, Philip allied himself with Carthage after Hannibal had dealt the Romans a massive defeat at the Battle of Cannae (216 BC) during the Second Punic War. Forcing the Romans to fight on another front when they were at a nadir of manpower gained Philip the lasting enmity of the Romans; the only real result from the somewhat insubstantial First Macedonian War (215-202 BC). -- Once the Second Punic War had been resolved, and the Romans had begun to regather their strength, they looked to re-assert their influence in the Balkans, and to curb the expansion of Philip. A pretext for war was provided by Philip's refusal to end his war with Attalid Pergamum, and Rhodes, both Roman allies. The Romans, also allied with the Aetolian League of Greek city-states (which resented Philip's power), thus declared war on Macedon in 200 BC, starting the Second Macedonian War. This ended with a decisive Roman victory at the Battle of Cynoscephalae (197 BC). **Like most Roman peace treaties of the period, the resultant 'Peace of Flaminius' [Proconsul Titus Quinctius Flaminius] was designed to utterly crush the power of the defeated party; a massive indemnity was levied, Philip's fleet was surrendered to Rome, and Macedon was effectively returned to its ancient boundaries, losing influence over the city-states of southern Greece, and land in Thrace and Asia Minor. The result was the end of Macedon as a major power in the Mediterranean. -- As a result of the confusion in Greece at the end of the Second Macedonian War, the Seleucid Empire also became entangled with the Romans. The Seleucid Antiochus III had allied with Philip V of Macedon in 203 BC, agreeing that they should jointly conquer the lands of the boy-king of Egypt, Ptolemy V. After defeating Ptolemy in the Fifth Syrian War, Antiochus concentrated on occupying the Ptolemaic possessions in Asia Minor. However, this brought Antiochus into conflict with Rhodes and Pergamum, two important Roman allies, and began a 'cold-war' between Rome and Antiochus (not helped by the presence of Hannibal at the Seleucid court). Meanwhile, in mainland Greece, the Aetolian League, which had sided with Rome against Macedon, now grew to resent the Roman presence in Greece. This presented Antiochus III with a pretext to invade Greece and 'liberate' it from Roman influence, thus starting the Roman-Syrian War (192-188 BC). Another decisive Roman victory at the Battle of Magnesia (190 BC) saw the defeat of Antiochus. Another crippling treaty followed, with Seleucid possessions in Asia Minor removed and given to Rhodes and Pergamum, the size of the Seleucid navy reduced, and a massive war indemnity invoked. -- Thus, in less than twenty years, Rome had destroyed the power of one of the successor states, crippled another, and firmly entrenched its influence over Greece. This was primarily a result of the over-ambition of the Macedonian kings, and their unintended provocation of Rome; though Rome was quick to exploit the situation. In another twenty years, the Macedonian kingdom was no more. Seeking to re-assert Macedonian power and Greek independence, Philip V's son Perseus incurred the wrath of the Romans, resulting in the Third Macedonian War (171-168 BC). Victorious, the Romans abolished the Macedonian kingdom, replacing it with four puppet republics; these lasted a further twenty years before Macedon was formally annexed as a Roman province (146 BC). -- The Attalid dynasty of Pergamum lasted little longer; a Roman ally until the end, its final King Attalus III died in 133 BC without an heir, and taking the alliance to its natural conclusion, willed Pergamum to the Roman Republic. Contrarily, having so firmly intricated themselves into Greek affairs, the Romans now completely ignored the rapidly disintegrating Seleucid empire (perhaps because it posed no threat); and left the Ptolemaic kingdom to decline quietly, whilst acting as a protector of sorts, in as much as to stop other powers taking Egypt over (including the famous line-in-the-sand incident when the Seleucid Antiochus IV Epiphanes tried to invade Egypt). Eventually, instability in the near east resulting from the power vacuum left by the collapse of the Seleucid empire caused the Roman proconsul Pompey the Great to abolish the Seleucid rump state, absorbing much of Syria into the Roman republic. Famously, the end of Ptolemaic Egypt came as the final act in the republican civil war between the Roman triumvirs Mark Anthony and Augustus Caesar. After the defeat of Anthony and his lover, the last Ptolemaic monarch, Cleopatra VII at the Battle of Actium, Augustus invaded Egypt and took it as his own personal fiefdom. He thereby completed both the destruction of the Hellenistic kingdoms and the Roman republic, and ended (in hindsight) the Hellenistic era. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - The Conquests of Alexander the Great - In 331 B.C. Alexander the Great of Macedon began one of the greatest conquests in human history - After conquering Egypt and defeating the Persian Empire Alexander had pushed his army to the very limits of the world as the Greeks knew it [Aristotle - Aristotle (384-322 BC) was a Greek philosopher, a *student of Plato and **teacher of Alexander the Great - Wiki.com] - But he wanted more; he saw that the world extended further - By conquering the ancient lands of the Mesopotamians [Tigris-Euphrates river system - Wiki.com], he came into contact with cultures to the east, such as Pakistan and Indian {Note: Alexander the Great had been extensively schooled by notable teachers namely Aristotle. The original plan for Greece to conquer Persia was the plan and desires of Alexander's father but he was assassinated before he could attempt it. Alexander therefore had the plans of his father and a Greek map of the known world resulting in a substantial and complex plan to conquer the known world before Alexander even left Greek territory to go confront the armies of Persia.}

In 331 BC, Alexander the Great of Macedon began one of the greatest conquests in human history. After conquering Egypt and defeating the Persian Empire Alexander had pushed his army to the very limits of the world as the Greeks knew it. But he wanted more; he saw that the world extended further. By conquering the ancient lands of the Mesopotamians, he came into contact with cultures to the east, such as Pakistan and India. ... Alexander only made it as far as the region of Gandhara [northern Pakistan and eastern Afghanistan - Wiki.com], the plain which lies directly west of the Indus River [Pakistan]. Alexander himself seems to have had literally no effect on Indian history, for he left as soon as he reached the Indus. Two important results, however, arose because of Alexander's conquests: first, from this point onwards Greek and Indian culture would intermix. But most importantly, the conquest of Alexander may have set the stage for the first great conqueror of Indian history, Chandragupta Maurya (reigned 321-297 BC), who, shortly after Alexander left, united all the kingdoms of northern India into a single empire. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - ufo.whipnet.org: The first recorded incident regarding Alexander the Great and UFO's was recorded in 329 B.C. - "gleaming silver shields" swooped down and made several passes over the battle - These "gleaming silver shields" had the effect of startling his cavalry horses, causing them to stampede - They also had a similar effect on the enemies' horses and elephants so it was difficult to ascertain whose side these "gleaming silver shields" were on {Note: UFOs, space aliens, extraterrestrial life, etc. exhibit the exact same tendencies, behavioral patterns, customs and doctrines and are indistinguishable from known demonic or fallen angelic beings [doctrines of demons]. Generally if the often reported sightings and encounters of advanced extraterrestrial life forms or alien beings were genuinely from advanced and separate societies then conduct and openness would dictate that they would reveal and conduct themselves in the openness of an advanced civilized society yet the very reasons that UFO phenomenon engages in deceit and secrecy leads to valid concerns that UFO phenomenon is an elaborately staged hoax of the [superior] demonic realm and is a hoax that has been in existence for several millennium, a hoax that is drawing to a designed, grand finally in some predetermined and intended master exposure the resulting conclusion staged primarily for exhibit to mankind.}

The first recorded incident regarding Alexander the Great and UFO's was recorded in 329BC. Alexander decided to invade India and was attempting to cross the river Indus to engage the Indian army when "gleaming silver shields" swooped down and made several passes over the battle. These "gleaming silver shields" had the effect of startling his cavalry horses, causing them to stampede. They also had a similar effect on the enemies' horses and elephants so it was difficult to ascertain whose side these "gleaming silver shields" were on. Nevertheless, after exiting the battle victoriously Alexander decided to not proceed any further into India. ... [Seven years later - the destruction of Tyre] The historical account, recorded by Alexander's chief historian, states that, during an attack of the island city, one of two 'gleaming silver shields' attacked a section of the wall with a 'beam of light' which subsequently caused that section of the wall to fall! Alexander's' men poured through the opening and captured the city. What is so noteworthy about this encounter is the fact that the historians for the defeated people of Tyre reported the exact same reason for the loss of their city! Usually, the reason given by a defeated people is different than that given by the victors, but in this instance their accounts read the same. Before he started his major offensive against Persia Alexander sought the advice of an oracle in a temple located in the desert. He set off, with a small party of men, but miscalculated the logistics and found himself hopelessly out of water and dying of thirst. Almost miraculously, a rare, but unusually strong rain cloud burst overhead and gave him and his men sufficient water to safely complete their journey. No one reported seeing any 'gleaming silver shields' but here again is a case of a wondrous "cloud" that we see so many occurrences of in the Bible. Written by: SC Russ. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - Empedocles [Acragas (an ancient Greek city - Wiki.com), 490 - 430 BC] - The Pythagorean influence dominated Greek thought for a long time - Many of Pythagoras' ideas can be found in the work of Empedocles - He [Empedocles] was the first philosopher who stated that there are four primordial elements: earth, air, fire and water - Empedocles conceived of a fanciful version of the theory of evolution which included the idea of survival of the fittest - He stated that in prehistoric times strange creatures had populated the world of which only certain forms had survived - Though, it must be granted that Empedocles' vision is somewhat crude and bizarre, compared to the painstaking investigation that led Darwin [Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) was an English naturalist - Wiki.com] to the same conclusion two thousand three hundred years later

Empedocles was remarkably ahead of his time. He made several noteworthy statements, such as that the moon would shine by reflected light and that solar eclipses are caused by the interposition of the moon. He held that light takes time to travel, but so little time that we cannot observe it. He also discovered at least one example of the centrifugal force: if a cup of water is whirled round at the end of a string, the water does not flow out. In addition, Empedocles conceived of a fanciful version of the theory of evolution which included the idea of survival of the fittest. He stated that in prehistoric times strange creatures had populated the world of which only certain forms had survived. Though, it must be granted that Empedocles' vision is somewhat crude and bizarre, compared to the painstaking investigation that led Darwin to the same conclusion two thousand three hundred years later. The following are excerpts from the book "On Nature", in which Empedocles describes the fantastic creatures that preceded mankind: "Come now, hear how the shoots of men and pitiable women were raised at night by fire, as it separated, thus - for my story does not miss the mark, nor is it ill-informed. First, whole-natured forms sprang up from the earth, having a portion of both water and heat. Fire sent them up, wishing to come to its like, and they showed as yet no desirable form in their limbs, nor any voice, nor member native to man." (Simplicius, Commentary on Physics 381.29) "Here many neckless heads sprang up. Naked arms strayed about, devoid of shoulders, and eyes wandered alone, begging for foreheads. But when they mingled, these things came together as each happened and many others in addition were continuously born." (Simplicius, Commentary on the Heavens, 586.6) "Many grew double headed, double-chested - man-faced oxen arose, and again ox-headed men - creatures mixed partly from male partly from female form, fitted with dark limbs." (Aelian, The Nature of Animals XVI 29). [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - Evolution and Paleontology in the Ancient World - Even "primitive" peoples may have extremely detailed knowledge of the living organisms around them, knowledge on which their survival or well-being often depends - When such knowledge is arranged systematically and used to make general statements and predictions about the world, one may speak of a scientific tradition - Such traditions were developed among the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians; the Egyptians, in particular, developed a scientific tradition in medicine, one based on careful observations - It was the Greeks, however, who led the way in developing a general scientific worldview -- one in which natural, non-miraculous explanations for the causes of phenomena were sought. The earliest Greek philosophers lived and worked, not in Greece itself, but in the Greek colonies of Ionia (the Mediterranean coast of Asia Minor -- now Turkey -- and the nearby islands) - Because it was favorably located for trade among Greece, Egypt, and the Near East, Ionia was not only wealthy, but well placed for the dispersal of ideas; thus Greek thought drew on the knowledge of the Near East, Egypt, and even India at various times in history - Later, the thinkers of the Roman Republic and Empire carried on the Greek tradition, although relatively less original scientific thought was developed among the Romans

The Ionian Philosophers: Evolutionary theory begins with the Ionian philosopher Anaximander (ca. 611 - 546 B. C. E.). Very little is known about his life, but it is known that he wrote a long poem, On Nature, summarizing his researches. This poem is now lost, and has survived only in extracts quoted in other works. Enough survives, however, that Anaximander's thought can be reconstructed with some confidence. For Anaximander, the world had arisen from an undifferentiated, indeterminate substance, the apeiron. The Earth, which had coalesced out of the apeiron, had been covered in water at one stage, with plants and animals arising from mud. Humans were not present at the earliest stages; they arose from fish. This poem was quite influential on later thinkers, including Aristotle. Had Anaximander looked at fossils? Did he study comparative fish and human anatomy? Unfortunately, we have no way of knowing what evidence Anaximander used to support his ideas. His theory bears some resemblance to evolutionary theory, but also seems to have been derived from various Greek myths, such as the story of Deucalion and Pyrrha, in which peoples or tribes are born from the Earth or from stones. His concept of the apeiron seems similar to the Tao of Chinese philosophy and religion, and to the "formless and void" Earth of the Hebrew creation account and other creation myths. However, even though Anaximander's ideas drew on the religious and mythical ideas of his time, he was still one of the first to attempt an explanation of the origin and evolution of the cosmos based on natural laws. -- In the 6th century B.C. Xenophanes of Colophon (died ca. 490 B.C.E.), who was a disciple of Anaximander, developed Anaximander's theories further. He observed fossil fishes and shells, and concluded that the land where they were found had been underwater at some time. Xenophanes taught that the world formed from the condensation of water and "primordial mud;" he was the first person known to have used fossils as evidence for a theory of the history of the Earth. -- The Greek historian Herodotus (484-425 B.C.E.) also observed fossil shells in Egypt, and cited them as evidence that Egypt had once been underwater. He also described a valley in Arabia, in the Mokattam mountains, where he saw "the backbones and ribs of such serpents as it is impossible to describe: of the ribs there were a multitude of heaps. . . " He ascribed these bones to winged serpents that had been killed by ibises. We now know that these are the bones of fossil mammals that wash out of the rocks every rainy season. Several other ancient historians briefly mentioned fossils in their writings. Finally, the famous Greek physician Hippocrates of Cos (460-357 B.C.E.) is known to have collected fossils; in fact, modern excavations at Asklepion, the famous medical school of Hippocrates's day, unearthed a fragment of a fossil elephant molar. ... Empedocles of Acragas: Another Greek philosopher, the fifth-century materialist Empedocles of Acragas (in Sicily), postulated that the universe was composed of four basic elements -- earth, air, fire, and water. These elements were stirred by two fundamental forces, which Empedocles called Love and Strife. ("Attraction" and "repulsion" might be better modern terms for what Empedocles actually meant.) The constant interplay of these elements, alternately attracting and repelling each other, had formed the universe. Empedocles claimed that the Earth had given birth to living creatures, but that the first creatures had been disembodied organs. These organs finally joined into whole organisms, through the force of Love, but some of these organisms, being monstrous and unfit for life, had died out. The theory seems a bit bizarre today, but Empedocles had come up with a sort of evolutionary theory: past natural selection is responsible for the forms we see today. Empedocles also ascribed the origin of the life of today to the interplay of impersonal forces, in which chance, not the gods, played the major role. There are, however, major differences between Empedocles's ideas and natural selection in the modern sense: Empedocles conceived of his "natural selection" as a past event, not as an ongoing process. Once again, we do not know whether Empedocles had actually found supporting evidence for his theories. **He may have been influenced by existing accounts of mythological creatures that seemed to be "put together" out of the parts of different animals, such as centaurs, sphinxes, and chimeras. But perhaps he had also seen deformed animals, or examined "monstrous-looking" fossil bones. ... Lucretius: Much later, the Roman poet and philosopher Titus Lucretius Carus (99-55 B.C.E.) wrote his long philosophical poem De Rerum Natura ("On the Nature of Things"). In this poem Lucretius proposed, among other things, an "evolutionary" theory similar to that of Empedocles (which is ironic, because he attacks Empedocles rather vehemently in other parts of the poem). [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - 6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - Greek and Roman Gods: Here are the twelve Olympian gods and a brief description of each - *The Greeks and Romans shared the same [god] stories, but used different names - Greek (Zeus), Roman (Jupiter) Description: Lord of the sky and supreme ruler of the gods - Known for throwing lightning bolts -- Greek (Aphrodite), Roman (Venus) Description: Daughter of Zeus - Goddess of Love and Beauty -- Other Gods: Mother earth, Greek (Gaea - Gaia), Roman (Terra - 'Terra firma' is a Latin phrase meaning "solid earth" Wiki.com)

Greek and Roman Gods: Here are the twelve Olympian gods and a brief description of each. The Greeks and Romans shared the same stories, but used different names. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - Mythology of Greece and the Greek Islands: The Olympian [Mt. Olympus] Gods - One thing to notice is that the ancient Greek gods were gods because of their supernatural powers and eternity, not their character - They were far different from the modern notion of gods - The Olympian Gods were weak in nature and had faults, while they frequently merged with mortals and interfered with their lives - Actually, the ancient Greek gods were copies of human characters and society

Zeus was the god of the earth and the sky. His symbols were the thunderbolt, the eagle, the bull and the oak. Although he was married to Hera, his elder sister, he would frequently cheat on her with many mortal women. other goddesses and nymphs. He is depicted in statues and paintings as a middle-aged man seating on his throne or throwing a thunderbolt. ... Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty. She was forever beautiful and young. Shallow in nature, Aphrodite has a lot of affairs with mortals. Her son was Cupid, the familiar young boy with wings who played with his arrows and made people fall in love. Aphrodite was no directly connected to Zeus. She was probably a generation older than the other Olympian Gods. The myth says that she was born out of the foam of the sea either near Paphos Cyrpus or near Kythira island. ... Ares, the god of warfare and violence, was son of Zeus and Hera. He was not a likable god in ancient Greece, which is why there are no many temples of Ares. However, people were afraid of his anger and included him in their offerings. ... *Athena was also a goddess of war, but more of strategic war, not violence like Ares. She was also the goddess of wisdom and justice. The daughter of Zeus and a mortal woman, Athena was born out of the head of Zeus when her pregnant mother was killed out of Hera's jealousy. Noble in nature, Athena didn't match with men and would mostly deal with warfare. ... One thing to notice is that the ancient Greek gods were gods because of their supernatural powers and eternity, not their character. They were far different from the modern notion of gods. The Olympian Gods were weak in nature and had faults, while they frequently merged with mortals and interfered with their lives. Actually, the ancient Greek gods were copies of human characters and society. [link]

5th Kingdom - Greece, Alexander the Great - Hanukkah The Historical Background - Hanukkah [established 165 B.C.] does not appear among the [8] Feasts of the Lord in Leviticus 23 {Note: Hanukkah is not one of the Levitical Holy Feasts of Israel it is a Festival of Israel (and was attended by Jesus - John 10:22-23) but Hanukkah is not at the level of any of the eight Levitical Holy Feasts of Leviticus chapter 23.}

To fully understand this holy [festival] day, go back to a tumultuous time in the history of Israel: the Hellenistic (Greek - 5th Kingdom of the globe) period around 167 B.C. As was so often the case, the Jewish people were living under the oppression of a foreign power. **A few generations earlier, the Greeks had come to world power under the remarkable leadership of Alexander the Great (356-323 B.C. (at the aged of 32)). With the ascension of this kingdom, Alexander seemed to have unified the ancient world into one common government and *culture called Hellenism. After Alexander's untimely death, there was a political scramble among four of his generals, **resulting in the division of the Hellenistic empire [into four parts]. The Ptolemies took control of the South, which included Egypt [centered in Alexandria Egypt and concluding with Queen Cleopatra (69 BC - August 12, 30 B.C. died in a suicide accompanied with Roman Triumvirate (three part) ruler Mark Antony) Cleopatra was a descendant (about eight generations later) of [General] Ptolemy I and Queen Bernice I]. The Seleucids [Seleucus I (given the surname by later generations of Nicator, Greek i.e. Seleucus the Victor) 358-281 B.C. was a Macedonian [northern Greece] officer of Alexander the Great - Wiki.com] took charge of the northern area around Syria. This left Judea [Israel] caught in the middle of a tug-of-war, wondering what the outcome would be. Eventually, the Seleucid/Syrians, under the leadership of Antiochus IV, gained power and sought control of the new provinces. -- Seeking to unify his holdings, Antiochus enforced a policy of assimilation into the prevailing Hellenistic culture. Irrespective of the culture and beliefs of the captured peoples, the Seleucids required submission to the Greek way of life. The Greeks thought that to be truly effective this assimilation must apply to all aspects of life, including language, the arts, and even religion. Everything was to conform to the "superior" Greek way of life and values. Not surprisingly, this Hellenization policy did not present a major problem for many people under the Seleucids. Indeed, the Greeks were highly respected for their culture. Even many Jews in Judea had converted to the Hellenistic way and openly advocated adherence to it. However, there were a significant number of traditional Jews who were appalled at the changes in their society. -- Antiochus and the Seleucids continued growing more hostile towards these stubborn Jews who did not convert to Hellenism. Steps were taken to enforce their policy. An ultimatum was given: either the Jewish community must give up its distinctive customs (Shabbat, kosher laws, circumcision, etc.) or die. To prove his point, Antiochus marched his troops into Jerusalem and desecrated the holy Temple. The altars, the utensils, even the golden menorah (lampstand) were all defiled or torn down. But that was just the start! Antiochus also ordered that a pig be sacrificed on the holy altar and erected an image of the Greek god Zeus as the new point of worship in the Temple! Antiochus insisted on being called "epiphanes" (God manifest), enough to repulse any religious Jew. The Jewish community soon came up with an appropriate reflection of their feelings. Instead of calling him Antiochus Epiphanes they made a play on words, and called him "epimanes" (crazyman)! This brutal attack on the Jewish people and their faith would not go unanswered for long. The murmurings of revolt were heard in Judea and were crystallized in a small village called Modi'in. [In 167 B.C.] Syrian troops entered this town to enforce their assimilation policy. The soldiers planned to erect a temporary altar to the false gods and force the populace to participate in their religious ceremony-the highlight of which was eating the flesh of the swine! -- Living in this village was an old, godly priest named Mattathias and his five sons. When the Seleucid soldiers chose him to lead the pagan ceremony, Mattathias and his sons reacted with holy indignation. Enough was enough! They killed the soldiers and started a revolt against the oppressors. One of the sons, Judah, rose to leadership and was nicknamed "Maccabee" (the hammer). Overwhelmingly outnumbered and under-supplied, the armies of the Maccabees turned to more creative devices. Relying on their knowledge of the hill country and employing guerrilla warfare, the Jewish forces met with surprising success. Spurred on by their firm conviction that the God of Israel was true and faithful, the Maccabees proved that the impossible could happen. -- In the Hebrew month Kislev [Kislev 25, 165 B.C.] (around December) they drove out the Syrians and recaptured the Temple in Jerusalem. They faced the sober task of restoring the Temple to the true worship of God. The Temple compound was in shambles, desecrated by the idolatry of the Syrians. The Maccabees and their followers quickly cleansed the altars and restored the holy furnishings. Of particular importance to them was the broken menorah, symbolizing the light of God. They restored it and attempted to light it, but there was a problem. Jewish tradition recounts that as they searched for some specially prepared oil, they found only enough to burn for one day. The priests knew it would take at least eight days for new oil to be produced. What to do? They decided it was better to light the menorah anyway; at least the light of God would shine forth immediately. To their amazement, the oil burned not only for one day, but for eight days until additional oil was available! The Temple was restored and rededicated to the glory of the God of Israel and an eight-day festival was established. It is called Hanukkah (Hebrew for Dedication). Every year, starting on the twenty-fifth of Kislev, the Jewish community recalls the two-fold miracle: the miracle of the oil as well as the miraculous military victory. [link]

6 The Kingdom of Rome

Wikipedia: Julius Caesar [6th Global Gentile Kingdom] - Gaius Julius Caesar (July 100 BC - 15 March 44 BC) was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose - He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire -- sparked a civil war from which he emerged as the unrivaled leader of the Roman world {Note: Julius Caesar gained his throne [Dictatorship] not just by conquering foreign enemies of Italy but also by conquering his detractors, fellow Romans, as well.}

In 60 BC, Caesar formed a political alliance with Crassus and Pompey that was to dominate Roman politics for several years. Their attempts to amass power through populist tactics were opposed within the Roman Senate by the conservative elite, among them Cato the Younger with the frequent support of Cicero. Caesar's conquest of Gaul, completed by 51 BC, extended Rome's territory to the English Channel and the Rhine. Caesar became the first Roman general to cross both when he built a bridge across the Rhine and conducted the first invasion of Britain. These achievements granted him unmatched military power and threatened to eclipse Pompey's standing. The balance of power was further upset by the death of Crassus in 53 BC. Political realignments in Rome finally led to a standoff between Caesar and Pompey, the latter having taken up the cause of the Senate. Ordered by the Senate to stand trial in Rome for various charges, Caesar marched from Gaul to Italy with his legions, crossing the Rubicon in 49 BC. This sparked a **civil war from which he emerged as the unrivaled leader of the Roman world. -- After assuming control of government, he began extensive reforms of Roman society and government. He centralised the bureaucracy of the Republic and was eventually proclaimed "dictator in perpetuity". A group of senators, led by Marcus Junius Brutus, assassinated the dictator on the Ides of March (15 March) 44 BC, hoping to restore the constitutional government of the Republic. However, the result was a series of civil wars, which ultimately led to the establishment of the permanent Roman Empire by Caesar's adopted heir Octavius (later known as Augustus). Much of Caesar's life is known from his own accounts of his military campaigns, and other contemporary sources, mainly the letters and speeches of Cicero and the historical writings of Sallust. The later biographies of Caesar by Suetonius and Plutarch are also major sources. ... Dictatorship: Shortly before his assassination, the Senate [unable to directly name him Rex (King)] named him censor for life and Father of the Fatherland, and the month of Quintilis was renamed July in his honor. He was granted further honors, which were later used to justify his assassination as a would-be divine monarch; coins were issued bearing his image and his statue was placed next to those of the kings. He was granted a golden chair in the Senate, was allowed to wear triumphal dress whenever he chose, and was offered a form of semi-official or popular cult, with Mark Antony as his high priest. ... Assassination: On the Ides of March (15 March) of 44 BC, Caesar was due to appear at a session of the Senate. Mark Antony, having vaguely learned of the plot the night before from a terrified Liberator named Servilius Casca, and fearing the worst, went to head Caesar off. The plotters, however, had anticipated this and, fearing that Antony would come to Caesar's aid, had arranged for Trebonius to intercept him just as he approached the portico of Theatre of Pompey, where the session was to be held, and detain him outside. (Plutarch, however, assigns this action to delay Antony to Brutus Albinus.) When he heard the commotion from the senate chamber, [Mark] Antony fled. -- According to Plutarch, as Caesar arrived at the Senate, Tillius Cimber presented him with a petition to recall his exiled brother. The other conspirators crowded round to offer support. Both Plutarch and Suetonius say that Caesar waved him away, but Cimber grabbed his shoulders and pulled down Caesar's tunic. Caesar then cried to Cimber, "Why, this is violence!". At the same time, Casca produced his dagger and made a glancing thrust at the dictator's neck. Caesar turned around quickly and caught Casca by the arm. According to Plutarch, he said *in Latin, "Casca, you villain, what are you doing?" Casca, frightened, shouted, "Help, brother!" *in Greek. Within moments, the entire group, including Brutus, was striking out at the dictator. Caesar attempted to get away, but, blinded by blood, he tripped and fell; the men continued stabbing him as he lay defenceless on the lower steps of the portico. According to Eutropius, around 60 or more men participated in the assassination. He was stabbed 23 times. According to Suetonius, a physician later established that only one wound, the second one to his chest, had been lethal. The dictator's last words are not known with certainty, and are a contested subject among scholars and historians alike. Suetonius reports that others have said Caesar's last words were the Greek phrase "You too, child?". However, Suetonius says Caesar said nothing. Plutarch also reports that Caesar said nothing, pulling his toga over his head when he saw Brutus among the conspirators. The version best known in the English-speaking world is the Latin phrase "Et tu, Brute?" ("And you, Brutus?", commonly rendered as "You too, Brutus?"); this derives from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, where it actually forms the first half of a macaronic line: "Et tu, Brute? Then fall, Caesar." [link]

Amazon: Empires Collection - The Dynasties (Egypt's Golden Empire / The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance / Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire / The Roman Empire in the First Century / The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization) - Empires Collection: The Dynasties (5 Disc Gift Set) - Empires Collection: The Dynasties is a compilation of five outstanding stories of some of histories greatest dynasties (2000 - DVDs)

Egypt's Golden Empire: In 1570 B.C., when Rome was still a marsh and the Acropolis was an empty rock, Egypt was already 1000 years old. Although the period of the pyramid-builders was long over, Egypt lay on the threshold of its greatest age. The New Kingdom would be an empire forged by conquest, maintained by intimidation and diplomacy, and remembered long after its demise. Led by a dynasty of rich personalities, whose dramatic lives changed the course of civilization, Egypt's Golden Empire presents the most extraordinary period in Egyptian history: from 1570 B.C. to 1070 B.C., when the Egyptian Empire reached its zenith. -- The Medici: Godfathers of the Renaissance - From a small Italian community in 15th century Florence, the Medici family would rise to rule Europe in many ways. Using charm, patronage, skill, duplicity and ruthlessness, they would amass unparalleled wealth and unprecedented power. They would also ignite the most important cultural and artistic revolution in Western history- the European Renaissance. But the forces of change the Medici helped unleash would one day topple their ordered world. An epic drama played out in the courts, cathedrals and palaces of Europe, this series is both the tale of one family's powerful ambition and of Europe's tortured struggle to emerge from the ravages of the Dark Ages. -- Japan: Memoirs Of A Secret Empire - Commanding shoguns and samurai warriors, exotic geisha and exquisite artisans -- all were part of the Japanese "renaissance" -- a period between the 16th and 19th centuries when Japan went from chaos and violence to a land of ritual refinement and peace. But stability came at a price: for nearly 250 years, Japan was a land closed to the Western world, ruled by the Shogun under his absolute power and control. Japan: Memoirs of a Secret Empire brings to life the unknown story of a mysterious empire, its relationship to the West, and the forging of a nation that would emerge as one of the most important countries in the world. -- The Roman Empire in the First Century: Two thousand years ago, at the dawn of the first century, the ancient world was ruled by Rome. Through the experiences, memories and writings of the people who lived it, this series tells the story of that time - the emperors and slaves, poets and plebeians, who wrested order from chaos, built the most cosmopolitan society the world had ever seen and shaped the Roman empire in the first century A.D. -- The Greeks: Crucible [melting pot] of Civilization - The Greeks - Classical Greece of the 4th and 5th centuries, B.C. was a magnificent civilization that laid the foundations for modern science, politics, warfare, and philosophy, and produced some of the most breathtaking art and architecture the world has ever known. Through the eyes and words of the great heroes of ancient Greece, this dazzling production charts the rise, triumph, and eventual decline of the world's first democracy. Now, through dramatic storytelling and state-of-the-art computer animation, you witness history, art, and government with giants like Pericles, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. [link]

Amazon: When Rome Ruled - National Geographic's groundbreaking 6-part series reveals ancient Rome's hidden treasures and untold stories as never before - From iconic figures including [Emperors] Caligula, Caesar and Constantine, to epic events such as the eruption of Vesuvius, the invasion of Britain, and fall of Rome, When Rome Ruled reveals a startling up-to-date vision of the ancient empire and challenges our perception of what we know about the Romans and their lives (3 DVD Set)

FYI, this DVD contains 6 parts plus a bonus part. The original National Geographic special, and the DVDs sold on its website, contains 8 parts. This version is missing two episodes. I was not aware of this and will be returning it. I took one star off for the omission. I've viewed parts of this series on the National Geographic channel, however, and it is great and deserves the other stars. ~ By David Polsky. -- Heath_N says: After reading this review, I ordered the Blu-ray set from National Geographic directly. I got 6 episodes on two discs, one which includes 1 bonus feature. [link]

Wikipedia: Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1) - Augustus Imperator Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (23 September 63 BC - 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD - Born Gaius Octavius Thurinus, he was adopted posthumously by his great-uncle Gaius Julius Caesar in 44 BC via his last will and testament, and between then and 27 BC was officially named Gaius Julius Caesar - In 27 BC the Senate awarded him the honorific Augustus "the revered one", and thus consequently he was Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus - Because of the various names he bore, it is common to call him Octavius when referring to events between 63 and 44 BC, Octavian (or Octavianus) when referring to events between 44 and 27 BC, and Augustus when referring to events after 27 BC

The young Octavius came into his inheritance after Caesar's assassination in 44 BC. In 43 BC, Octavian joined forces with Mark Antony and Marcus Aemilius Lepidus in a military dictatorship known as the Second Triumvirate. As a triumvir, Octavian ruled Rome and many of its provinces. The triumvirate was eventually torn apart under the competing ambitions of its rulers: Lepidus was driven into exile, and Antony committed suicide following his defeat at the Battle of Actium by the fleet of Octavian commanded by Agrippa in 31 BC. ... The reign of Augustus initiated an era of relative peace known as the Pax Romana, or Roman peace. Despite continuous wars on the frontiers, and one year-long civil war over the imperial succession, the Mediterranean world remained at peace for more than two centuries. Augustus enlarged the empire dramatically, annexing Egypt, Dalmatia, Pannonia, and Raetia, expanded possessions in Africa, and completed the conquest of Hispania. Beyond the frontiers, he secured the empire with client states, and made peace with Parthia through diplomacy. He reformed the Roman system of taxation, developed networks of roads with an official courier system, established a standing army, established the Praetorian Guard, and created official police and fire-fighting services for Rome. Much of the city was rebuilt under Augustus; and he wrote a record of his own accomplishments, known as the Res Gestae Divi Augusti, which has survived. Upon his death in AD 14, Augustus was declared a god by the Senate-to be worshipped by the Romans. His names Augustus and Caesar were adopted by every subsequent emperor; and the sixth month of the Roman calendar, previously named Sextilis, was renamed Augustus (August in English) in his honour. He was succeeded by his adopted son (also stepson and former son-in-law), Tiberius. [link]

Wikipedia: Caesar Tiberius (Luke 3:1) - Tiberius Julius Caesar Augustus (16 November 42 BC - 16 March 37 AD), was Roman Emperor from 14 AD to 37 AD - Tiberius was by birth a Claudian, son of Tiberius Claudius Nero and Livia Drusilla - His mother divorced [Tiberius Claudius Nero] and married Augustus in 39 BC, making him a step-son of Octavian (Caesar Augustus) - Tiberius would later marry Augustus' daughter Julia the Elder and even later be adopted by Augustus, by which act he officially became a Julian, bearing the name Tiberius Julius Caesar - The subsequent emperors after Tiberius would continue this blended dynasty of both families for the next forty years; historians have named it the Julio-Claudian dynasty - In relations to the other emperors of this dynasty, Tiberius was the stepson of Augustus, great-uncle of Caligula, paternal uncle of Claudius, and great-great uncle of Nero

Tiberius died in Misenum on March 16, AD 37, at the age of 77. Tacitus records that upon the news of his death the crowd rejoiced, only to become suddenly silent upon hearing that he had recovered, and rejoiced again at the news that Caligula and Macro had smothered him. This is not recorded by other ancient historians and is most likely apocryphal, but it can be taken as an indication of how the senatorial class felt towards the Emperor at the time of his death. In his will, Tiberius had left his powers jointly to Caligula and Tiberius Gemellus; Caligula's first act on becoming Princeps was to void Tiberius' will and have Gemellus executed. ... Tiberius' ashes would be scattered in AD 410 during the Sack of Rome; his heir Caligula not only spent Tiberius' fortune of 2,700,000,000 sesterces but would also begin the chain of events which would bring about the downfall of the Julio-Claudian dynasty in AD 68. -- Legacy: Were he to have died prior to AD 23, he might have been hailed as an exemplary ruler. Despite the overwhelmingly negative characterization left by Roman historians, Tiberius left the imperial treasury with nearly 3 billion sesterces upon his death. Rather than embark on costly campaigns of conquest, he chose to strengthen the existing empire by building additional bases, using diplomacy as well as military threats, and generally refraining from getting drawn into petty squabbles between competing frontier tyrants. The result was a stronger, more consolidated empire. Of the authors whose texts have survived until the present day, only four describe the reign of Tiberius in considerable detail: Tacitus, Suetonius, Cassius Dio and Velleius Paterculus. Fragmentary evidence also remains from Pliny the Elder, Strabo and Seneca the Elder. Tiberius himself wrote an autobiography which Suetonius describes as "brief and sketchy," but this book has been lost. [link]

Wikipedia: Caesar Nero (Acts 26:32, 2 Timothy 4:16) - Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus (15 December 37 - 9 June 68), was Roman Emperor from 54 to 68, and the last in the Julio-Claudian dynasty - In 64, most of Rome was destroyed in the Great Fire of Rome, which many Romans believed Nero himself had started [and later blamed on the Christians] in order to clear land for his planned palatial complex, the Domus Aurea - He is also infamously known as the Emperor who "fiddled while Rome burned" [apparently listened to chamber orchestra music and poetry recitals while Rome burned], although this is now considered an inaccurate rumor, and as an early persecutor of Christians - Few surviving sources paint Nero in a favorable light

During his reign, Nero focused much of his attention on diplomacy, trade, and enhancing the cultural life of the Empire. He ordered theaters built and promoted athletic games. During his reign, the redoubtable general Corbulo conducted a successful war and negotiated peace with the Parthian Empire. His general Suetonius Paulinus crushed a revolt in Britain. Also, he annexed the Bosporan Kingdom to the Empire, and the First Roman-Jewish War began. ... The revolt of Vindex and Galba and the death of Nero: In March 68, Gaius Julius Vindex, the governor of Gallia Lugdunensis, rebelled against Nero's tax policies. Lucius Verginius Rufus, the governor of Germania Superior, was ordered to put down Vindex's rebellion. In an attempt to gain support from outside his own province, Vindex called upon Servius Sulpicius Galba, the governor of Hispania Tarraconensis, to join the rebellion and further, to declare himself emperor in opposition to Nero. At the Battle of Vesontio in May 68, Verginius' forces easily defeated those of Vindex and the latter committed suicide. However, after putting down this one rebel, Verginius' legions attempted to proclaim their own commander as Emperor. Verginius refused to act against Nero, but the discontent of the legions of Germany and the continued opposition of Galba in Spain did not bode well for Nero. -- While Nero had retained some control of the situation, support for Galba increased despite his being officially declared a public enemy. The prefect of the Praetorian Guard, Gaius Nymphidius Sabinus, also abandoned his allegiance to the Emperor and came out in support for Galba. -- In response, Nero fled Rome with the intention of going to the port of Ostia and from there to take a fleet to one of the still-loyal eastern provinces. However, he abandoned the idea when some army officers openly refused to obey his commands, responding with a line from Vergil's Aeneid: "Is it so dreadful a thing then to die?" Nero then toyed with the idea of fleeing to Parthia, throwing himself upon the mercy of Galba, or to appeal to the people and beg them to pardon him for his past offences "and if he could not soften their hearts, to entreat them at least to allow him the prefecture of Egypt". Suetonius reports that the text of this speech was later found in Nero's writing desk, but that he dared not give it from fear of being torn to pieces before he could reach the Forum. -- Nero returned to Rome and spent the evening in the palace. After sleeping, he awoke at about midnight to find the palace guard had left. Dispatching messages to his friends' palace chambers for them to come, he received no answers. Upon going to their chambers personally, he found them all abandoned. When he called for a gladiator or anyone else adept with a sword to kill him, no one appeared. He cried, "Have I neither friend nor foe?" and ran out as if to throw himself into the Tiber. -- Returning, Nero sought for some place where he could hide and collect his thoughts. An imperial freedman offered his villa, located 4 miles outside the city. Travelling in disguise, Nero and four loyal servants reached the villa, where Nero ordered them to dig a grave for him. At this time, a courier arrived with a report that the Senate had declared Nero a public enemy and that it was their intention to execute him by beating him to death. -- At this news, Nero prepared himself for suicide. Losing his nerve, he first begged for one of his companions to set an example by first killing himself. At last, the sound of approaching horsemen drove Nero to face the end. However he still could not bring himself to take his own life but instead he forced his private secretary, Epaphroditos, to perform the task. Nero's famous last words from this moment are "Qualis artifex pereo" or in english "What an artist dies in me!" -- When one of the horsemen entered, upon his seeing Nero all but dead he attempted to stop the bleeding in vain. Nero died on 9 June 68. This was the anniversary of the death of Octavia. Nero was buried in the Mausoleum of the Domitii Ahenobarbi, in what is now the Villa Borghese (Pincian Hill) area of Rome. -- With his death, the Julio-Claudian dynasty ended. Chaos ensued in the Year of the Four Emperors. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - March 15 (This Day in History) 44 B.C. the "Ides of March" Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the Senate House of Rome

March 15, 44 B.C. On the "Ides of March," Julius Caesar was stabbed to death in the senate house by a group of conspirators led by Cimber, Casca, Cassius, and Marcus Junius Brutus. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - The Ides (15th) of March - Used in the first Roman calendar as well as in the Julian calendar (established by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C. - the year before his assassination) the confusing system of Kalends, Nones, and Ides continued to be used to varying degrees throughout the Middle Ages and into the Renaissance

The soothsayer's warning to Julius Caesar, "Beware the Ides of March," has forever imbued that date with a sense of foreboding. But in Roman times the expression "Ides of March" did not necessarily evoke a dark mood-it was simply the standard way of saying "March 15." Surely such a fanciful expression must signify something more than merely another day of the year? Not so. Even in Shakespeare's time, sixteen centuries later, audiences attending his play Julius Caesar wouldn't have blinked twice upon hearing the date called the Ides. The term Ides comes from the earliest Roman calendar, which is said to have been devised by Romulus, the mythical founder of Rome. Whether it was Romulus or not, the inventor of this calendar had a penchant for complexity. The Roman calendar organized its months around three days, each of which served as a reference point for counting the other days: "Kalends" (1st day of the month) - "Nones" (the 7th day in March, May, July, and October; the 5th in the other months) - "Ides" (the 15th day in March, May, July, and October; the 13th in the other months). The remaining, unnamed days of the month were identified by counting backwards from the Kalends, Nones, or the Ides. For example, March 3 would be V Nones-5 days before the Nones (the Roman method of counting days was inclusive; in other words, the Nones would be counted as one of the 5 days). [link]

The "Christian calendar" is the term traditionally used to designate the calendar commonly in use - The Christian calendar has years of 365 or 366 days. It is divided into 12 months that have no relationship to the motion of the moon - In parallel with this system, the concept of weeks groups the days in sets of 7 - Two main versions of the Christian calendar have existed in recent times: The Julian calendar and the Gregorian calendar - The difference between them lies in the way they approximate the length of the tropical year and their rules for calculating Easter

What is the Julian calendar? - The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45 B.C.E. Author David Duncan says the Julian calendar was born of Caesar’s tryst with Cleopatra. Before the Julian calendar was introduced, priests in the Roman Empire exploited the calendar for political ends, inserting days and even months into the calendar to keep the politicians they favored in office. Tired of the chaos that this undependable system eventually gave rise to, Julius Caesar finally set out to put the long-abused calendar back on track. It was in common use until the late 1500s, when countries started changing to the Gregorian calendar. However, some countries (for example, Greece and Russia) used it into the early 1900s, and the Orthodox church in Russia still uses it, as do some other Orthodox churches. In the Julian calendar, the tropical year is approximated as 365¼ days = 365.25 days. This gives an error of 1 day in approximately 128 years. The approximation 365¼ is achieved by having 1 leap year every 4 years. [link]

A History of the [Calendar] Months and the Meanings of their Names - July -- Julius Caesar's month - August -- Augustus Caesar's month -- "Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from *Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed."

A History of the Months: The original Roman year had 10 named months Martius "March", Aprilis "April", Maius "May", Junius "June", Quintilis "July", Sextilis "August", September "September", October "October", November "November", December "December", and probably two unnamed months in the dead of winter when not much happened in agriculture. The year began with Martius "March". Numa Pompilius, the second king of Rome circa 700 BC, added the two months Januarius "January" and Februarius "February". He also moved the beginning of the year from Marius to Januarius and changed the number of days in several months to be odd, a lucky number. After Februarius there was occasionally an additional month of Intercalaris "intercalendar". This is the origin of the leap-year day being in February. In 46 BC, Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian calendar) changing the number of days in many months and removing Intercalaris. [link]

The Seven-Day Week and the Meanings of the Names of the Days - Sunday -- Sun's day - Monday -- Moon's day

The Naming of the Days: The Greeks named the days week after the sun, the moon and the five known planets, which were in turn named after the gods Ares, Hermes, Zeus, Aphrodite, and Cronus. The Greeks called the days of the week the Theon hemerai "days of the Gods". The Romans substituted their equivalent gods for the Greek gods, Mars, Mercury, Jove (Jupiter), Venus, and Saturn. (The two pantheons are very similar.) The Germanic peoples generally substituted roughly similar gods for the Roman gods, Tiu (Twia), Woden, Thor, Freya (Fria), but did not substitute Saturn. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - mideastweb.org: After the death of King Solomon, Israel split into two kingdoms [Israel (10 Northern Tribes - Samaria), Judah (Two Southern Tribes - Jerusalem)] - Eventually, both the kingdom of Israel, and later that of Judea, with its temple in Jerusalem, were overrun by invaders [Babylon, King King Nebakanezer - 3rd Global Gentile Kingdom] - [70 years later] The Persians [Persia, Cyrus The Great - 4th Global Gentile Kingdom] restored the Judean kingdom and allowed the Jews to [return and] rebuild their temple - This kingdom fell to Greek and later Hellenic-Syrian domination when Alexander the Great [Greece - 5th Global Gentile Kingdom] conquered Persia - In 164 B.C. the Hasmonean Kingdom of Judea [Judah - Israel] revolted and became semi-independent of Syria [resulting in the Hanukkah (Chanukah) Festival] - It [Judea - Jerusalem, Israel] **was [originally] protected by a **treaty of friendship with Rome (1 Maccabees 8:17-32) - However in 61 A.D. [Roman - First Triumvirate (three part rulers) - Gaius Julius Caesar, Marcus Licinius Crassus, and Gnaeus Pompeius (Pompey) Magnus] Pompei [the Roman General Pompey] conquered Jerusalem, and from then on Israel or Palestine was subordinate to Rome - Parts of it were nominally independent under the rule of local kings of the line of Herod the Idumean

Herod build many towns and fortifications (including Massada and Heordion) and extensively remodelled [the 2nd Temple - rebuilt via permission and materials of Cyrus The Great from Persia] the Temple in Jerusalem [later called Herod's rebuilt Temple or simply Herod's Temple]. After the first Jewish rebellion [against Rome] and fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., large numbers of Jews were exiled. Jerusalem was eventually rebuilt as Aelia Capitolina. After the failure of the revolt of Bar-Kochba in 133, there were more exiles and ruined towns. On the ruins of Israelite and Canaanite towns, the Romans built new ones, populated partly by inhabitants of neighboring lands. The land was divided into several districts, of which Palestine was only one. The Negev (southern district), generally excluded from these divisions was inhabited by the Nabateans, an Arab trader nation that made a notable desert civilization in cities such as Avdat (in modern Israel) and Petra (in modern Jordan). The whole area between the desert and the sea was known, later in the Roman Empire, as the Christian Patriarchate of Jerusalem, though this was not a Roman administrative division. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - Bacchanalia - The bacchanalia were wild and mystic festivals of the Greek god Dionysus and Roman god Bacchus - The word has since come to describe any form of drunken revelry - Livy informs us that the rapid spread of the cult, which he claims indulged in all kinds of crimes and political conspiracies at its nocturnal meetings, led in 186 B.C. to a decree of the [Roman] Senate - the so-called Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in Apulia in Southern Italy (1640), now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna - by which the Bacchanalia were prohibited throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate

History: The bacchanalia were originally held in secret and only attended by women. The festivals occurred in the grove of Simila near the Aventine Hill [one of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built - Wiki.com] on March 16 and March 17. Later, admission to the rites was extended to men, and celebrations took place five times a month. According to Livy, the extension happened in an era when the leader of the Bacchus cult was Paculla Annia - though it is now believed that some men had participated before that. Livy informs us that the rapid spread of the cult, which he claims indulged in all kinds of crimes and political conspiracies at its nocturnal meetings, led in 186 BC to a decree of the Senate - the so-called Senatus consultum de Bacchanalibus, inscribed on a bronze tablet discovered in Apulia in Southern Italy (1640), now at the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna - by which the Bacchanalia were prohibited throughout all Italy except in certain special cases which must be approved specifically by the Senate. In spite of the severe punishment inflicted on those found in violation of this decree (Livy claims there were more executions than imprisonment), the Bacchanalia survived in Southern Italy long past the repression. Some modern scholars doubt Livy's account and argue that the Senate acted against the Bacchants for one of the following reasons -- In Empires of Trust: How Rome Built - And America Is Building - A New World [NWO] by Thomas Madden, the author cites the words of a [ancient] Roman investigative consul in his report to the Roman Senate: there was no crime, no deed of shame, wanting (lacking). More uncleanness was committed by men with men than with women. Whoever would not submit to defilement, or shrank from violating others, was sacrificed as a victim. To regard nothing as impious or criminal was the sum total of their religion. The men, as though seized with madness and with frenzied distortions of their bodies, shrieked out prophecies; the matrons, dressed as Bacchae, their hair disheveled, rushed down to the Tiber River with burning torches, plunged them into the water, and drew them out again, the flame undiminished because they were made of sulfur mixed with lime. Men were fastened to a machine and hurried off to hidden caves, and they were said to have been taken away by the gods. These were the men who refused to join their conspiracy or take part in their crimes or submit to their pollution. ... Modern usage: In the second season of the HBO show 'True Blood' the town falls under the spell of a Maenad, who holds regular Bacchanalia with the possessed townspeople. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - What was Rome's version of Mount Olympus called? In respect of where did the Roman Gods live? - There is no change - it is known as "Mount Olympus" in both Roman and Greek mythology - The gods lived in the same place in both mythologies

Actually there is no Roman equivalent of the Greek Mt. Olympus as the legendary home of the twelve great gods just named the Olympians in Greek mythology and simply 'Dii' or 'Di' ('gods') by the Romans. ... The Romans are kind of a special case when it comes to mythology. They actually "stole" pieces of various world myths from the races they conquered. The Greek gods tended to be primary in the Roman myths. The Romans actually took and matched the Greek gods to pieces they already had and gave them more Roman names. There wasn't a specific place that the Roman gods inhabited (as the Greek gods did). They most likely referred to it as Olympus as well. ... The Greeks and the Romans (who borrowed from the Greeks) both called the home of the gods "Olympus." The main difference was how they imagined heaven. The old Greek poets (like Homer and Hesiod) pictured the gods living on an acropolis (fortified hill) filled with Greek palaces. The Roman poets on the other hand describe the gods living at the zenith of heaven, in a palace complex like that of the Palatine Hill of Rome. Each saw the gods as a reflection of their own society. ... Rome didn't have a Mount Olympus. The Roman gods were evolved from the various other societies that they took over from, i.e. the Etruscans and in the south the Greeks, *Persians [4th Kingdom] and Syrians. Many of the Gods were planetary, so lived in the heavens. Some resided in the Underworld, others in the sea and water. By the time Roman society formed, most worship took place in designated Temples. Which was where they communicated with the grander gods. In early Greek society many of the sacred places started as groves or natural temples, so Mount Olympus was amongst these earlier traditions. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar (100-44 B.C.) - Ancient Roman Culture - The Ancient Romans acquired many of their cultural habits from the Ancient Greeks - The Greeks inspired the Romans from everyday customs and laws to architectural designs and style - The Roman architects first learned from the Greeks but when they became a world power they built with more imagination {Note: Historically the entire established Greek Kingdom (5th Kingdom - 1st of the Western (Europe) centered Kingdoms) folded wholesale into the replacing Roman (6th Kingdom - 2nd of the Western (Europe) centered Kingdoms) - Rome did not militarily conquer Greece unmercifully the way previous Empires had conquered each other [in fact it was Rome itself that Rome unmercifully, militarily conquered] instead Rome the new military power of its day inherited the world through treaties with Greece brought on by a decline in Greek culture while the strength of Rome gave Rome the opportunity [and Rome took the opportunity] to pick up the global Greek culture, Romanize it to small extent and continue it on virtually in its entirety into the Roman Kingdom.}

Ancient Roman Culture - Location: Ancient Rome was located exactly where modern Rome is today, along the western coast of central Italy. History: The Ancient Romans acquired many of their cultural habits from the Ancient Greeks.The Greeks inspired the Romans from everyday customs and laws to architectural designs and style.The Ancient Romans were first governed by what is called the Twelve Tables. This provided the basic code and standard of living for all Romans.Later, all decisions were led to the discretion of the court's judges, most of whom were corrupt. The Twelve Tables were followed by The Gracchi, which was developed and implemented by the emperor Caesar Augustus. Historians have noticed that some of the Roman's emperors have had mysterious deaths, which have little or no record of how they happened. This was during the time when the Roman emperors ruled, this time followed the demise of the Roman Republic. ... Roman houses were built around a courtyard that was open to the elements. The open roof vented smoke and let the rainwater in. The open center usually contained a leisure area with a bath, chairs, and sometimes a garden. The interior of the house contained rooms for the nuclear family, a dining room, and indoor bathrooms. Best Known Features: The Ancient Romans were well known for their architectural ability. They constructed great buildings such as the Collesseum, auquaducts, and the Pantheon.The first architects were priests who wanted a location so they could say 'whatever happens is a sign from the gods.' The Roman architects first learned from the Greeks but when they became a world power they built with more imagination. [link]

6th Kingdom - Rome, Julius Caesar - Biography: Julius Caesar's history begins in 100 B.C. when he was born in a family which was a part of the Julius dynasty - Caesar's father was working as a praetor and died when Caesar was at the age of 16 orphaning him and his two sisters - So the future conqueror was raised by his mother - Aurelia - At the age of 17 he married Cornelius Cinna's, who was the leader of the radical party, granddaughter Cornelia - But his happines didn't last long - In 82 BC, after Lucius Cornelius Sulla led the successful counter-revolution, Sulla ordered Caesar to divorce Cornelia - Caesar refused to carry out this order and was going to be banished and all his treasury to be taken away and losing the title of "Flamen Dialis" (priest of Jupiter) - Caesar's friends and family pleaded for him and thanks to that he was found not guilty - Discouraged, Caesar went east and joined the [Roman] army - Caesar became a consul in 59 B.C. - He introduced many reforms which delighted his partners - At the same time Caesar became Gaul's governor - In 58 BC Caesar started the conquest of Gaul [Europe - Britannia (England), France, Germany, etc.] - His political opponents wanted him to get back to Rome and be prosecuted for the things he had done when he was a consul - Caesar refused - Caesar had made a decision, which resulted in the fall of Roman republic - He lead his armies across the river of Rubicon and said the well-known "The die has been cast" and **started his [military] march towards Rome in January of 49 B.C. - Caesar's action resulted in a [Roman] civil war - (At the same time there was a [Greek] civil war in Egypt between Cleopatra and her brother) - In December of 49 B.C. Caesar returned to Rome, but only for 11 days - This was the required amount of time to become elected as the new consul - Caesar's aim was the conquer [and control of] the whole world - He went on with his wars and won victory over an usurper in the kingdom of Piemont - After this victory he said another famous phrase "I came, I saw, I conquered" - Since 59 B.C. Caesar had been elected a consul five times and a dictator three times - Finally, in 44BC he became an eternal dictator - It was ment to be a lifelong title and it was in fact - On 15 March 44 B.C. he was assassinated - He received 23 blows by dagger [from fellow Roman leaders - on the Senate floor - during a session of the Roman Senate] and only one was leathal - Most important conspirators were Gaius Cassius Longinus, [Gaius Trebonius - was the person who kept Mark Antony outside the Senate while Caesar was being stabbed - Wiki.com] and Marcus Junius Brutus "Et tu, Brute" ("You too, Brutus") was Caesar's expression of his particular anguish at being stabbed by a man whom he had forgiven, trusted, and loved - [Though they succeeded in assassinating Julius Caesar, the celebration was short-lived, as Marcus Antonius (Mark Antony) [before Augustus Caesar could do so] seized power and turned the Roman public against them - Wiki.com] {Note: Julius Caesar didn't march on Athens Greece to secure his Kingdom. Julius Caesar marched on his own city of Rome to secure his Kingdom.}

The plot against Caesar: Since 59 BC Caesar had been elected a consul five times and a dictator three times. Finally, in 44BC he became an eternal dictator. It was ment to be a lifelong title and it was in fact. On 15 March 44BC he was assassinated. He received 23 blows by dagger and only one was leathal. Most important conspirators were Gaius Cassius Longinus and Marcus Junius Brutus. "Et tu, Brute" ("You too, Brutus") was Caesar's expression of his particular anguish at being stabbed by a man whom he had forgiven, trusted, and loved. They were Caesar's closest associates, but he underestimated them. Thanks to Caesar they had gathered a fortune and high positions, [positions] what they couldn't stand (be in with authority) [because Caesar became a dictator taking their authority]. That's why they had murderd him. Formally, Caesarion [the son between Julius Caesar and Cleopatra in Egypt] wasn't [legally declared by Rome to be] Caesar's son, so *before he died Caesar had chosen **Gaius Octavius [later taking the name 'Augustus Caesar' ("Luke 2:1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.")], his sister's grandson, as his successor. On first January 42 B.C. Caesar has been formally declared a god named Divus Iulius (Divine Julius). -- Usurper or reformer? How to recap Caesar's life: He definitely was an usurper. He reached his position thanks to his army and it was his reign's main foundation. He had limitless power, which was his aim for his whole life. But thinking about Caesar we see not only an usurper but also a great mastermind and reformer. He did everything he could to ensure law and order in Rome, which was begining to fall apart after many years long anarchy. Caesar's best description are Cicero's, one of his political enemies, words: "Those are the attributes: calm and kind nature; delight in great minds; he listens to right and just requests and doesn't care about the careeriest's ones; he is clever and **forward-looking... I admire his dignity and justice and intelligence". As a commander and politician he got rid of hatred towards his enemies. Some received high positions and fortunes. Caesar was also a writer - he wrote diaries and he was interested in grammar and he collected piecies of art. His best works are Diaries from the Gaul War and Diaries from the [Roman] civil war. Both of them are written in excellent and beautiful latin. They were examplars of how to write your thoughts down for many centuries afterwards. [link]

7 The Kingdom of Antichrist - The Revised Roman Empire

Wikipedia: Holy Roman Empire, Revised Rome [7th Global Gentile Kingdom] Emperor Constantine - Constantine the Great - Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus Augustus (27 February 272 - 22 May 337), also known as Constantine I or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 - Well known for being the first Roman emperor to [pretend to] convert to Christianity, Constantine and co-Emperor Licinius issued the Edict of Milan in 313 A.D., which proclaimed religious tolerance of all religions [primarily concerned with protecting a heretical/gnostic version of christianity that would compete with and hinder true Christianity] throughout the empire - As the emperor who used [a pseudo] Christianity to empower his government throughout the Roman Empire and moved the capital to the banks of the Bosporus [the Istanbul Strait], Constantine was a ruler of major historical importance, but he has always been a controversial figure

The foremost general of his time, Constantine defeated the emperors Maxentius and Licinius during civil wars. He also fought successfully against the Franks, Alamanni, Visigoths, and Sarmatians during his reign - even resettling parts of Dacia which had been abandoned during the previous century. Constantine built a new imperial residence in place of Byzantium, naming it Constantinople, which would later be the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire for over one thousand years. He is thought of as the founder of the Eastern Roman Empire. [link]

Wikipedia: Holy Roman Empire, Revised Rome [7th Global Gentile Kingdom] Emperor Antichrist - The term or title antichrist, in Christian theology, refers to a leader who fulfills Biblical prophecies concerning an adversary of Christ, while resembling him in a deceptive manner - The antichrist will seemingly provide for the needs of the people but deny them ultimate [eternal] salvation

The term "antichrist" appears five times in 1 John and 2 John of the New Testament - once in plural form and four times in the singular. The Apostle Paul's Second Epistle to the Thessalonians, in particular the 2nd chapter, summarizes the nature, work, coming, and revelation of the "Man of Sin" - a passage often regarded as referring to same person as the antichrist of 1 and 2 John. ... [Apostle] Paul writes that this "Man of Sin" (Antichrist) will possess a number of characteristics. These include "sitting in the temple" [rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem], opposing himself against anything that is worshiped, claiming divine authority, working all kinds of counterfeit miracles and signs, and doing all kinds of evil. Paul notes that "the mystery of lawlessness" (though not the Man of Sin himself) was working in secret already during his day and will continue to function until being destroyed [Revelation 19:20] on [their] Last Day. His identity is to be revealed after that which is restraining him is removed. -- The term is also sometimes applied to prophecies regarding a "Little horn" power in Daniel chapter 7. Daniel 9:27 mentions an "abomination that causes desolations" setting itself up in a "wing" or a "pinnacle" of the temple. Some scholars interpret this as referring to the Antichrist. Some commentators also view the verses prior to this as referring to the Antichrist. Jesus references the abomination from Daniel 9:27 in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 when He warns about the destruction of Jerusalem. Daniel 11:36-37 speaks of a [future] self exalting king, considered by some to be the Antichrist. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Film Critics [Detroit Film Critics Society]: How I [Debbie Schlussel] Voted & What We Chose for 2010 Best Films, Etc. - MY NOMINATIONS: BEST FILM 1. "The King's Speech" [The story of King George VI (Prince Charles' Grandfather) of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it - imdb.com] {Looks like an excellent movie from the preview and with Debbie's recommendation I'm for sure going to see it. It is also a very timely movie as the world is apparently moving back into an end time global Monarchy (10 Kingdoms - Daniel 7:7) period. Also Note: The Kingdom of England (Great Britain) might or might not be the 'little horn' Antichrist Kingdom but either way the throne of England is going [to continue] to be the major player in world events right up until or including the time of Antichrist.} (Movie Review)

I will be posting a separate list of my top ten best movies of the year in the next week or so, but our rules and constraints for this list are different. In this case, we could nominate and/or vote for 1-5 choices, with the number 1 choice being worth the most (5 points) and the number 5 choice being worth the least (1 point). So, here's what I picked as a DFCS critic . . MY NOMINATIONS: 1. "The King's Speech" [review will be posted on December 24th] ... And here are the winners, as voted on by the Detroit Film Critics Society: BEST FILM: "The Social Network" [A story about the founders of the social-networking website, Facebook. - imdb.com]. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Kings Speech Trailer 2010 HD (YouTube)

The story of King George VI of Britain, his impromptu ascension to the throne and the speech therapist who helped the unsure monarch become worthy of it. - imdb.com [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - King Edward's Chair - The Coronation Chair, is the throne on which the British monarch sits for the coronation [ceremony marking the investiture of a monarch or their consort with regal power, specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head - wiki.com] - It was commissioned in 1296 A.D. by King Edward I

King Edward's Chair, sometimes known as St Edward's Chair or The Coronation Chair, is the throne on which the British monarch sits for the coronation. It was commissioned in 1296 by King Edward I [also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307 - The first son of Henry III] to contain the coronation stone of Scotland - known as the Stone of Scone (Stone of Destiny) - which he had captured from the Scots who had kept it at Scone Abbey [In 1296 the Stone was captured by Edward I as spoils of war and taken from Scotland to Westminster Abbey]. The chair was named after England's only canonised (Sainted by the Pope) king, Edward the Confessor [Reign: 8 June 1042 - 5 January 1066], and was kept in his shrine of St Edward's Chapel at Westminster Abbey. - History: Since 1308, all anointed sovereigns of England (until 1707) and Great Britain (after 1707) have been seated in this chair at the moment of their coronation, with the exception of Queen Mary I (who was crowned in a chair given to her by the Pope) and Mary II (who was crowned on a copy of the chair). The last occasion was the coronation of Elizabeth II in 1953 [mother of Prince Charles - grandmother of Prince William]. King Edward's Chair, as it stands now in Westminster Abbey, without the Stone of Scone. The high backed gothic style arm chair was carved in 1297 from oak by a carpenter known as Master Walter, who was paid the considerable sum of 100 shillings for his work. Four gilded lions act as legs to the chair; these are a comparatively modern restoration executed in 1727. They replace similar lions which were added in the 16th century. Under the seat of the chair is a platform and cavity which until 1996 contained the Stone of Scone; this has now been returned to Scotland [in 1996] with the proviso that it be returned to the chair on the occasion of the next coronation. The chair may once have been richly painted and gilded - it is thought it once had an image of Edward the Confessor painted on its back. Today, however, its appearance is of aged and bare wood, and during its history many early tourists, pilgrims, and choir boys in the Abbey appear to have carved their initials and other graffiti onto the chair in the 18th and 19th century. The carved finials at the back of the chair have also been partially sawn away. In addition the chair was damaged in 1914 when it was the object of a bomb attack, thought to have been instigated by the suffragettes. Over the eight centuries of its existence it has been only twice removed from Westminster Abbey. The first time was for the ceremony in Westminster Hall when Oliver Cromwell was inducted as Lord Protector of England, and the second during World War II when it was evacuated to Gloucester Cathedral for the duration of the war. Today it is highly protected, and leaves its secure resting place (in the ambulatory on a raised modern pedestal near the tomb of Henry V) only when it is carried into the theatre of coronation near the High Altar of the Abbey for the rare occurrence of a coronation. [link]

Arezzo: The Medici Fortress and the [Roman] (lion, goat, serpent) Chimera (Video)

The excavations for the construction of the Medici fortress, in the 16th century, have brought to light the famous etruscan Chimera of Arezzo. Part of the Videoguida of Arezzo by Touristicchannel. Visit www.touristicchannel.com, the video portail of tourism in tuscany & umbria in Italy. [link]

Rethinking Humanity: the Chimera Debate - For most of history, part-human part-animal beings have always resided in the realm of fiction and folklore. Recently, however, advances in genetic engineering and microsurgery have brought these creatures into existence - Chimeras differ from the general perception of the genetically modified organism. Technically, a chimera consists of two genomes in a single body, producing two types of cells that work in conjunction to create a viable organism. It develops from two fertilized eggs that come into contact and combine to form a single embryo

For most of history, part-human part-animal beings have always resided in the realm of fiction and folklore. Recently, however, advances in genetic engineering and microsurgery have brought these creatures into existence. Scientists now have created human-nonhuman chimeras-organisms that have both human cells and animals cells in their bodies. These chimeric animals hold enormous potential for the field of medicine as well as basic research into human physiology. Their utility in science lies in their unique biological integration of both human and animal cells, which can give rise to human tissues and even organs within the body of an animal. Useful applications of this technology range from the study of disease, to more accurate testing of drugs and medication, to the possibility of transplants using chimeric organs. Despite its potential, however, chimera research faces significant opposition from a wide spectrum of the population. While scientific and public health concerns exist, the majority of the opposition focus on the violation of current ethical and moral codes that arises from creating and using chimeras. At closer examination, however, all of these objections stem from an unwillingness to surrender society’s rigid view of human identity and uniqueness. The debate over chimera research represents the changing perception of humanity and our place in the world. -- Chimeras differ from the general perception of the genetically modified organism. Technically, a chimera consists of two genomes in a single body, producing two types of cells that work in conjunction to create a viable organism. It develops from two fertilized eggs that come into contact and combine to form a single embryo, instead of staying separate and developing into fraternal twins. Chimerism within a species occurs naturally in nearly all animals, including humans. Interspecific chimeras, however, rarely exist in nature due to the unlikelihood of specific conditions required. In 1989, scientists at the University of California, Davis breached this barrier and created the first artificial chimera, a sheep-goat hybrid dubbed the "geep." ... Today, the United Kingdom stands as the only nation to have legalized human-animal chimeras for medical research, a decision that has drawn harsh criticisms and cries of alarm from Germany and the rest of the European Union.19 The unpopularity of chimera research is understandable, as is the general feeling of revulsion and fear towards such creatures. To many, chimeras present a threat to our biological uniqueness in the world. In an age when astronomers and cosmologists continue to discover how small and inconsequential we really are, biology stands as the last bastion in defense of our significance and superiority. And this bastion is on the verge of being overrun by surreal part-human animals. [link]

Dissecting the New Age - Phoenix or Double-Headed Eagle? - The double-headed eagle is probably the most easily recognizable Masonic symbol in the world, even more important than the Square and Compass/Rule - They look like two eagles, but they are not - They are the Phoenix Bird of Ancient Egypt [later of ancient Persia and later still in ancient Greece] - Remember that the Brotherhood was known in ancient Egypt as, "The Mystery Schools"

The double-headed eagle is probably the most easily recognizable Masonic symbol in the world, even more important than the Square and Compass/Rule. They look like two eagles, but they are not. They are the Phoenix Bird of Ancient Egypt. Remember that the Brotherhood was known in ancient Egypt as, "The Mystery Schools." he current Presidential Seal has an eagle in it. The eagle replaced the Phoenix(the original national bird) in 1841 as the national bird. The Phoenix has been a Brotherhood symbol since ancient Egypt. The Phoenix was adopted by the Founding Fathers for use on the reverse of the first official seal of the United States after a design proposed by Charles Thompson, Secretary of the Continental Congress. Listen to the explanation from Masonic author, Manly P. Hall, 33rd Degree, K.T., in his book, The Phoenix: An Illustrated Review of Occultism and Philosophy . [Before we begin, I find it highly interesting that Hall would admit, by his use of this title, that Freemasonry is occultic]. "Among the ancients a fabulous bird called the Phoenix is described by early writers ... in size and shape it resembles the eagle, but with certain differences. The body of the Phoenix is one covered with glossy purple feathers, and the plumes in its tail are alternately blue and red. The head of the bird is light in color, and about its neck is a circlet of golden plumage. At the back of its back the Phoenix has a crest of feathers of brilliant color ... The Phoenix, it is said, lives for 500 years, and at its death its body opens and the new born Phoenix emerges. Because of this symbolism, the Phoenix is generally regarded as representing immortality and resurrection ... The Phoenix is one sign of the secret orders of the ancient world and of the initiate of those orders, for it was common to refer to one who had been accepted into the temples as a man twice-born, or reborn. Wisdom confers a new life, and those who become wise are born again." [p. p. 176-77] ... To prevent most people from associating the Masonic Eagle with the ancient Phoenix, Freemasons changed the Phoenix to an Eagle, and began to refer to it as an Eagle. However, two Masonic authors blow the lid off that change in symbolism. Manly P. Hall, in his book, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, states, "These were the immortals to whom the term 'phoenix' was applied, and their symbol was the mysterious two-headed bird, now called an eagle , a familiar and little understood Masonic emblem ." [p. 108; Emphasis added] Albert Pike, in Magnum Opus, writes, "... the Eagle was the living Symbol of Egyptian God Mendes ... and the representative of the Sun ..." [p. xviii] In one sentence, we see the admission that the Phoenix Bird of Ancient Satanic Egypt was changed into the Masonic Eagle and then Pike admits that the Eagle is the Symbol of the Sun God and of the God of Mendes, both symbols being common Satanic symbols of Satan/Lucifer! Remember also the Satanic meaning of the phrase depicted below the eagle the two Eagles -- "DEUS MEUMQUE JUS." As explained in Part 1 of 5 this is a typical Satanic Latin phrase, meaning, "... Masons are saying that they are 'using occult methods,' through Lucifer, to achieve their Rights and Justice." But why would a two-headed Eagle be adopted by Masonry, instead of a one-headed Eagle? Masonic author, R. Swinburne Clymer, writing in The Mysteries of Osiris , 1951, explains. "When they [pagans] desired to express the renewal, or beginning, of the year, they represented it in the form of a door-keeper. It could easily be distinguished by the attributes of a key ... At times, they gave it two heads, back to back ... In time, this [back-to-back key symbol] became the double-headed Eagle of symbolic Masonry." [p. 42] [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Ahithophel - Ahithophel has a reputation for marvelous practical [farsighted] sagacity (II Samuel 16:23) - He did not show this in joining the conspiracy [with Absalom] but it is in evidence in his management of the affair - Absalom's only chance of success [in initiating a kingdom of Absalom] was by the method of surprise and stampede - There must be a crisis in which everybody would join Absalom because everybody thought that everybody else had done so {Note: Jesus Christ is a physical descendant of King David and is eligible to sit on the throne of King David via his mother Mary who is a descendant of King David via David and Bathsheba's 3rd son Nathan (1 Chronicles 3:5 - Luke 3:31) while Joseph the husband of Mary and step-father of Jesus is a descendant of Solomon the 4th son of King David and Bathsheba - It's important to note that the throne of Solomon was discontinued by God (Jeremiah 22:30) - Restoring the throne of Solomon [via a descendant of Solomon i.e. Barabbas] would equate establishing an Antichrist illegitimate throne. The true Throne of King David yet to be restored on earth [Acts 1:6, Acts 2:29-30, Acts 14:16] will be Jesus Christ via his mother's linage through Nathan [not to be confused with Nathan the prophet]. Also Note: The 8 Kingdoms study will look at this a little more when we briefly look at thrones, kingdoms, eligibility, who can establish them and who can sit on them i.e. to establish a kingdom historically the person had to be a victorious conqueror getting an important victory over a threatening enemy and therefore establishing or expanding his territory in a way that directly benefits his people by providing increased safety and opportunity. - George Washington (Revolution War, First President of the United States) and Thomas Jefferson (Revolution War, third President of the United States, principal author of the Declaration of Independence, the Louisiana Land Purchase of 1803) would have been the only two Americans that would have really qualified to become Kings in America. There was a sizable movement to declare George Washington a King but Washington refused the offer.}

Ahithophel: Some hold that he was the grandfather of Bathsheba, and make much of this in forming their estimates of him. Does the evidence sustain this view? In the latter half of the list of David's mighty men, not among the older veterans with whom the list begins, appears "Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite" (II Samuel 23:34), the corresponding name in the other copy of the list being "Ahijah the Pelonite" (I Chronicles 11:36). It is assumed that this is the same Eliam who was father to Bath-sheba (II Samuel 11:3). Apparently the Chronicler testifies (I Chronicles 3:5) that the mother of Solomon was "Bath-shua the daughter of Ammiel." Bathshua may easily be a variant of Bathsheba, and the names Eliam and Ammiel are made up of the same parts, only in reversed order. It is not strange that men have inferred that the son of Ahithophel was the father of Bathsheba. But the inference is really not a probable one. ... That Ahithophel had then a married grand-daughter is less probable than that there were in Israel two Eliams. Further, Ahithophel was not the sort of man to conspire against the interests of his grand-daughter and her son [Solomon], however he may, earlier, have resented the conduct of David toward her. Ahithophel's motive in the rebellion was doubtless ambition for personal power, though he very likely shared with many of his countrymen in the conviction that it was unjust to push aside an older son by elevating a younger son to the throne. ... Ahithophel has a reputation for marvelous practical sagacity (II Samuel 16:23). He did not show this in joining the conspiracy but it is in evidence in his management of the affair. According to the record the hearts of the people, in spite of the much fault they had to find, were all the time with David. Absalom's only chance of success was by the method of surprise and stampede. There must be a crisis in which everybody would join Absalom because everybody thought that everybody else had done so. Such a state of public sentiment could last only a very few days; but if, in those few days, David could be put out of the way, Absalom might hold the throne in virtue of his personal popularity and in default of a rival. The first part of the program was carried out with wonderful success; when it came to the second part, Ahithophel's practical wisdom was blocked by Hushai's adroit appeal to Absalom's personal vanity. Ahithophel saw with absolute clearness that Absalom had sacrificed his one opportunity, and he committed suicide to avoid participation in the shameful defeat which he saw could not be averted - by Willis J. Beecher. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Antichrist Delusions 1 of 6 {Note: The Antichrist is a major topic of the Old Testament -- "Zechariah 11:8 Three shepherds (Revelation 16:13) also I cut off in one month; and My soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred Me." - Also Note: The Antichrist (emerging little horn - Daniel 7:8) is considered not to be a directly religious figure but more of a political figure, a ruler, a king, a kingdom (i.e Barabbas - trying to reestablish the throne of Solomon in Jerusalem by sedition - Luke 23:19). While the false prophet (Revelation 16:13) is generally considered to be a religious person (i.e. the Apostle Judas [Luke 6:13-14] - often considered now to be a last Catholic Pope) though the two the Antichrist and the False Prophet work closely with each other and with the third [spiritual - fallen angelic] portion (Mystery Babylon - Revelation 17:5) of the emerging unholy trinity. - Remember: The Biblical events of Jesus Christ, Barabbas and Judas were all prophesied earlier in the Bible [i.e. 2 Samuel 15:10-12] by King David (a type of Jesus Christ), Absalom (King David's oldest son - also a type of Antichrist, King Solomon being primarily the type of Antichrist) and King David's counselor Ahithophel (a religious devout servant [Psalms 41:9] - a type of Judas the betrayer) [Absalom his name signifies 'the father of peace' apuritansmind.com - The name Solomon means "the peaceful one" chabad.org].} (YouTube)

Episode 3 on Steve Wohlberg's most comprehensive book on Bible prophecy, End Time Delusions, offers a compelling alternative to the New York Times bestselling "Left Behind" series. Separates facts from speculative fiction and reveals what the Bible really teaches about Earth's last days. -- "Zechariah 10:1-3 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field. For the idols have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie, and have told false dreams; they comfort in vain: therefore they went their way as a flock, they were troubled, because there was no shepherd. Mine anger was kindled against the shepherds, and I punished the goats: for the LORD of Hosts hath visited His flock the House of Judah, and hath made them as His goodly horse in the battle." -- "Zechariah 11:1-17 Open thy doors, O Lebanon, that the fire may devour thy cedars. Howl, fir tree; for the cedar is fallen; because the mighty are spoiled: howl, O ye oaks of Bashan; for the forest of the vintage is come down. There is a voice of the howling of the shepherds; for their glory is spoiled: a voice of the roaring of young lions; for the pride of Jordan is spoiled. Thus saith the LORD my God; Feed the flock of the slaughter; Whose possessors slay them, and hold themselves not guilty: and **they that sell them say, Blessed be the LORD; for I am rich: and their own shepherds pity them not. For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land, saith the LORD: but, lo, I will deliver the men every one into his neighbour's hand, and into the hand of his king: and they shall smite the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them. And I will feed the flock of slaughter, even you, O poor of the flock. And I took unto me two staves; the one I called Beauty [Old Covenent], and the other I called Bands [relationships - Israel-Judah]; and I fed the flock. *Three shepherds also I cut off in one month; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. Then said I, I will not feed you: that that dieth, let it die; and that that is to be cut off, let it be cut off; and let the rest eat every one the flesh of another. And I took my staff, even Beauty, and cut it asunder, that I might break My [O.T.] Covenant which I had made with all the people. And it was broken in that day: and so the poor of the flock that waited upon Me knew that it was the Word of the LORD. ***And I [Jesus] said unto them, If ye think good, give Me My price; and if not, forbear. So they [Temple Preists] weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver (Matthew 26:15). And the LORD said unto me, Cast it unto the potter: a goodly price that I was prised at of them. And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them to the potter in the house of the LORD (Matthew 27:8-9). Then I cut asunder mine other staff, even Bands, that I might break the brotherhood between Judah and Israel. And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd [Antichrist] in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened." [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Prophecy Club: The Sons of God and the Antichrist 1 of 4 (YouTube)

The Prophecy Club: Bill Schnoebelen has seen over 100 UFO's and studied them for over 40 years. He was a member of the National Investigations Committee on Arial Phenomena (NICAP). He has interviewed over 100 people who have been abducted, including Christians. Bill will show pictures of physical evidence of the Sons of God. He will explain their connections to black magic; fallen angels DNA and it relates to the Mark of the Beast and a counterfeit Gospel. Bill says the Sons of God will reveal themselves and be a part of deceiving millions of people, including Christians, into denying Jesus. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Christopher Columbus UFO from A&E Television Networks History Channel (YouTube)

Christopher Columbus reports sees a UFO in 1492 hours before discovering the new world. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Christopher Columbus UFO sighting in 1492 A.D. - From "The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus" (1850 A.D.): Christopher Columbus and Pedro Gutierrez while on the deck of the Santa Maira, observed, "a light glimmering at a great distance" - It vanished and reappeared several times during the night, moving up and down, "in sudden and passing gleams" It was sighted 4 hours before land was sighted [discovered], and taken by Columbus as a sign they would soon come to land

UFO CASE REPORT From the WaterUFO.net site: Christopher Columbus UFO sighting in 1492 - Summary: In 1492, Christopher Columbus and Pedro Gutierrez while on the deck of the Santa Maira, observed, "a light glimmering at a great distance." It vanished and reappeared several times during the night, moving up and down, "in sudden and passing gleams." ... Even Christopher Columbus, it appears, saw a UFO. While patrolling the deck of the Santa Maria at about 10:00 PM on October 11, 1492, Columbus thought he saw "a light glimmering at a great distance." He hurriedly summoned Pedro Gutierrez, "a gentleman of the king's bedchamber," who also saw the light. After a short time it vanished, only to reappear several times during the night, each time dancing up and down "in sudden and passig gleams." The light, first seen four hours before land was sighted, was never explained." (from Beyond Earth: Man's Contact with UFOs, by Ralph Blum and Judy Blum, which is referring to 'The Life and Voyages of Christopher Columbus' (1850).) Case ID: 487. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Testimony: Regarding Contemplative [Emergent church] Spirituality Mysticism - I think I finally understand how they think, how they can put so much emphasis on the kingdom of God (which they define as service to others - i.e. good works, tithing) and virtually ignore the sinful conduct rampant here - These people, my co-workers and friends, believe in an inner light, a True Self - I remember that term from class - that is intimately connected to the Divine - Everyone has this (god) light, so we are all a part of God [not true - Adam and Eve were created in the image of God but lost it at their sin and fall (Genesis 3:9), now all mankind is seperated from God unless Spiritually 'born again' by Jesus Christ (John 3:3)] - As such, there is no need for a substitutionary penal atonement (i.e. the cross) because there is no separation (only good works) to atone for [Again this 'no human separation (from God)' would only be true if sin had not entered humanity (and all of creation) but is now seperating all humans from the Holy God.]

I think I finally understand how they think, how they can put so much emphasis on the kingdom of God (which they define as service to others) and virtually ignore the sinful conduct rampant here ('wedding' reception for a gay couple here next week). These people, my co-workers and friends, believe in an inner light, a True Self (I remember that term from class) that is intimately connected to the Divine. Everyone has this light, so we are all a part of God. As such, there is no need for a substitutionary penal atonement (i.e. the cross) because there is no separation to atone for. It follows, then, that the only "sins" we commit are those that do harm to others (ergo, to God), which is why they can, without so much as a flinch, condone homosexuality but at the same time condemn those (like me) who fail to practice "tolerance" because we insist that there are such thing as moral absolutes. It is also why they can place acts of service (e.g. to the poor - extremely important here) above acts of evangelism (which display intolerance of others' belief systems). -- Contrast this with my understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is that we [because of the fall of Adam and Eve] are born sinners, are separated from God, and are in need of a Savior (Jesus Christ) to reconcile us to Him. I do believe in a "Punitive Father" but one who only punishes when rejected after repeated attempts to redeem us - and even then it is less punishment than letting us have our own way. To those that call out to Him, He is merciful and loving and wants to show us the boundlessness of His grace - but only to those who accept His gift of salvation. As I said, I'd been searching for nearly two years for a way to wrap my mind around what seems to be a warped - but strangely appealing - theological view. Your article made it fall into place for me. Thank you so much for your faithful service to God through your website (Apprising.org). [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The "Creeping" Effect - The New Age [i.e. International think tanks (promoting a global oneness) of religion] and Evangelical Christianity - If you have ever wondered why New Age authors and their teachings are creeping [in from the pulpits and] past many Christians, then maybe the definition of creeping might help - The term means: slowly advancing at a speed that is not really apparent until you look back over a long time period - Something is terribly wrong when a Reiki master and two of the most influential figures in the evangelical church today both point to the same man as an example of their spiritual path - If the connection between Reiki healing and other metaphysical practices can be seen, then we more fully understand why the following quote is one of the most powerful statements as to the true nature of contemplative prayer [Emergent Church or New Age contemplative prayer now equals Reiki healing and other metaphysical (fundamental nature of being and the world i.e. exercise, relaxation, philosophy, Yoga, Buddhism, New Age, Saint Helena, exalting human-good works, etc.) practices]

If you have ever wondered why New Age authors and their teachings are creeping past many Christians, then maybe the definition of creeping might help. The term means: slowly advancing at a speed that is not really apparent until you look back over a long time period. For instance, creeping inflation is not noticed in the short term, but when one looks back over twenty to thirty years, it is shocking. A meal that cost two dollars in 1970 now may cost eight dollars-however, the increase moved so slowly that the impact was diminished. This same kind of movement has happened within our society and has gradually become mainstream. What was once seen as flaky is normal today-even useful. This trend is impacting evangelical Christianity at only a slightly lesser degree than secular society. The reason for the slight variance is that many, perhaps most, Christians have not yet grasped, or come to terms with, the practical mystic approach that New Age proponents have already incorporated into the secular world, as well as Christendom. ... The reason for this level of acceptance is easy to understand. Most people, many Christians included, believe if something is spiritually positive then it is of God. A pastor friend of mine recounted a situation in which a Christian, who had some physical problems, turned to Reiki for comfort. When this pastor advised the man that Reiki fundamentally opposed the Christian faith he became furious and responded with the following defense, "How can you say this is bad when it helped me?" That is why I titled a chapter in my book "Discernment." To discern is to "try the spirits" (1 John 4:1). If something is of God it will conform to the very cornerstone of God's plan to show His grace through Christ Jesus and Him alone (Ephesians 2:7). Reiki, as I defined earlier, is based on the occult view of God. .. Reiki comes from Buddhism, and as one Merton scholar wrote, "The God he [Thomas Merton - A 20th century American Catholic writer - A Trappist monk of the Abbey of Gethsemani, Kentucky, he was a poet, social activist and student of comparative religion - Wiki.com] knew in prayer was the same experience that Buddhists describe in their enlightenment." This is why it is so important to understand the connection between the writings of Richard Foster [Richard J. Foster is a Christian theologian and author in the Quaker tradition - Wiki.com] and Brennan Manning [(christened Richard Francis Xavier Manning) is an author, friar, priest, contemplative and speaker "The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today are Christians who acknowledge Jesus with their lips and walk out the door and deny Him by their lifestyle (i.e. a lack of an appearance of good works)" "That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable" This quote appeared in the prelude to dc Talk's song "What if I Stumble?" - Singer-songwriter Rich Mullins called his band A Ragamuffin Band after one of Manning's books] with Merton. Promotion indicates attachment, and attachment indicates common ground. Something is terribly wrong when a Reiki master [The Everything Reiki Book - by Reiki Master Phylameana lila Désy] and two of the most influential figures in the evangelical church today [Thomas Merton, Brennan Manning] both point to the same man [Thomas Merton] as an example of their spiritual path (from chapter 5, A Time of Departing, Ray Yungen). [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - St Helena was born in Asia Minor in 248 AD - She gave birth to her son Constantine in Serbia - In his last few years Constantine was baptised [both Constantine and his father believed (Marcionism, good works - heresy) that water baptism washed away sin saving a person (i.e. baptismal regeneration, good works - if bad works are done another water baptism might be needed), making a person holy - so both were water baptized upon their death beds according to their belief that they could enter heaven more holy having just been water baptized - Helena (the mother of Constantine) was baptized earlier in life but was thought to be sinless due to her being considered a Saint (because of her alleged purity, devotion, discoveries, humility, good works and charity) and was not re-baptized near the time of her death] - St Helena gave much of her wealth away to the poor and for the building of churches

In his last few years Constantine was baptised. St Helena gave much of her wealth away [good works] to the poor and for the building of churches. She built the Churches of the birth of Christ and the Resurection in the Holy Land, and she found the Cross on which Christ died. This was proven to her when a dead child was brought back to life after been laid on it. She died in 327 aged 80. She built churches in Cyprus and many schools too. Among the churches she built was the Church (Monastery) at Stavrovouni [ancient Mt. Olympus, Greece - there is now a different modern Mt. Olympus - the highest peak in Greece]. We celebrate their day on 21st May every year. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Stavrovouni Monastery - Monastery Information: Order {Holy Roman Empire - symbol Double-headed eagle, sword and cross} Established 327-329 A.D. and still active - According to religious tradition, the monastery was founded by St. Helena, the mother of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine I the Great

Stavrovouni Monastery is a Greek Orthodox Monastery which stands on the top of a hill called Stavrovouni [ancient Mt. Olympus] in Cyprus. The Monastery is one of the places that there is piece of the Holy Cross and it is sometimes also known simply as Stavrovouni. Location: The Monastery is located on the peak of the mountain of the same name (i.e. Stavrovouni) in the District of Larnaca. That mountain in earlier times had been known under the name of Olympus, nowadays [today], the highest point of Troodos Mountains further to the west bears that name. Stavrovouni, as the name already says, is dedicated to the Holy Cross; it can be derived from two words 'stavros' for cross and 'vouno' for mountain and it basically means "the mountain of the Cross". ... Establishment: According to religious tradition, the monastery was founded by St. Helena, the mother of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine I, the Great. According to the 15th century Cypriot chronicler Leontios Makhairas, Helena had discovered the three crosses on which Jesus and the two thieves had been crucified on her pilgrimage to the Holy Land. She had them excavated and wanted to bring them to Constantinople. But she is said to have left one of these crosses in Cyprus during an involuntary visit caused by shipwreck. History says that the Holy Cross was transferred by a miracle to the peak of a high hill over night and a strong light was coming out of that peak. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the Holy Cross out of that mountain, Helena decided to leave a piece there and built a small Chapel. ... Recent history: The records suggest that the Monastery had no monks for a period roughly between the 16th and the 19th century, time when the Turks ruled the island. It was only until the end of the 19th century when Elder Dionysios A' moved to Stavrovouni from Mount Athos in 1889 and the Monastery was in operation again. Then, in 1890 three more Cypriot monks again from Mount Athos joined him at Stavrovouni; Fathers Varnavas - who would become the next Abbot - and his two brothers Kallinikos and Gregorios. Since then, new Monks entered the Monastery which grew larger and larger and soon became the spiritual center of the island of Cyprus. The Monastery grew so much during the mid-19th century that it came into a position to send Monks to other ruined Monasteries and help their growth. As an example, the Monastery of Panagia Trooditissa in Troodos should be mentioned where Monks from Stavrovouni moved and created a new group and also the attempt of some other Monks to move to and revive the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist in Mesa Potamos in Limassol. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Saint Helena - the mother of Emperor Constantine I - She is traditionally credited with finding the relics of the True Cross, with which she is invariably represented in Christian iconography - Constantine appointed his mother Helen as Augusta Imperatrix, and gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury in order to locate the relics of Judeo-Christian tradition - In 326-28 A.D. Helena undertook a trip to the Holy Places in Palestine [Israel] - The chapel at St. Catherine's Monastery [in Sinai Egypt - including Helen's Chapel of the Burning Bush] often referred to as the Chapel of Saint Helen-is dated to the year AD 330 {Note: every 'discovery' of Helena the mother of Emperor Constantine I is considered to be discredited - especially her [confirming] Mt. Sinai in Egypt [the Chapel of the Burning Bush - Source: SacredSites.com] when the Bible proclaims that the real Mt. Sinai was 'outside' (Exodus 18:1,5) of Egypt (Galatians 4:25). Also Note: it is one of the most blasphemous concepts to locate God in Egypt - God is not in Egypt, He is outside of Egypt [human slavery and human bondage] - the whole concept of the Bible is to leave Egypt and for worshipers go outside of Egypt (the world) to have a true relationship with God - pastors who preach that one corner of Egypt (St. Catherine's Monastery) is acceptable to God have missed much of the entirety of the Bible - The Apostle Paul tells us that Jesus was even crucified outside the city of Jerusalem so we would know to look outside the city for a true relationship with Jesus (Hebrews 13:12-14).}

Family life: The bishop and historian Eusebius of Caesarea states that she was about 80 [years old] on her return from Palestine (Israel). Since that journey has been dated to 326-28, Helena was probably born in 248 or 250. Little is known of her early life. Fourth-century sources, following Eutropius' "Breviarium," record that she came from a low background. Saint Ambrose was the first to call her a stabularia, a term translated as "stable-maid" or "inn-keeper". He makes this fact a virtue, calling Helena a bona stabularia, a "good stable-maid". Other sources, especially those written after Constantine's proclamation as emperor, gloss over or ignore her background. ... Relic discoveries: Constantine appointed his mother Helen as Augusta Imperatrix, and gave her unlimited access to the imperial treasury in order to locate the relics of Judeo-Christian tradition. In 326-28 Helena undertook a trip to the Holy Places in Palestine. According to Eusebius of Caesarea she was responsible for the construction or beautification of two churches, the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, and the Church on the Mount of Olives, sites of Christ's birth and ascension. Local founding legend attributes to Helena's orders the construction of a church in Egypt to identify the Burning Bush of Sinai. The chapel at St. Catherine's Monastery--often referred to as the Chapel of Saint Helen-is dated to the year AD 330. -- Jerusalem was still rebuilding from the destruction of Emperor Hadrian, who had built a temple dedicated, according to conflicting accounts, to Venus or Jupiter over the site of Jesus's tomb near Calvary and renamed the city Aelia Capitolina. According to tradition, Helena ordered the temple torn down and, according to the legend that arose at the end of the fourth century, in Ambrose, On the Death of Theodosius (died 395) and at length in Rufinus' chapters appended to his translation into Latin of Eusebius' Ecclesiastical History, which does not mention the event, chose a site to begin excavating, which led to the recovery of three different crosses. Then, Rufinus relates, refusing to be swayed by anything but solid proof, the empress (perhaps through Bishop Macarius of Jerusalem) had a woman who was already at the point of death brought from Jerusalem. When the woman touched the first and second crosses, her condition did not change, but when she touched the third and final cross she suddenly recovered, and Helena declared the cross with which the woman had been touched to be the True Cross. On the site of discovery, Constantine ordered built the Church of the Holy Sepulchre as well as those on other sites detected by Helena. -- She also found the nails of the crucifixion. To use their miraculous power to aid her son, Helena allegedly had one placed in Constantine's helmet, and another in the bridle of his horse. Helena left Jerusalem and the eastern provinces in 327 to return to Rome, bringing with her large parts of the True Cross and other relics, which were then stored in her palace's private chapel, where they can be still seen today. Her palace was later converted into the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. This has been maintained by Cistercian monks in the monastery which has been attached to the church for centuries. Tradition says that the site of the Vatican Gardens was spread with earth brought from Golgotha by Helena to symbolically unite the blood of Christ with that shed by thousands of early Christians, who died in the persecutions of Nero. -- According to one tradition, Helena acquired the Holy Tunic on her trip to Jerusalem and sent it to Trier. Several of Saint Helena's treasures are now in Cyprus, where she spent some time. Some of them are a part of Jesus Christ's tunic, pieces of the holy cross and the world's only pieces of the rope to which Jesus was tied with on the Cross. The latter has been held at the Stavrovouni Monastery, which was also founded by Saint Helena. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Church #4 Revelation 2:18-29 Thyatira (white castle) - The Roman Catholic Church - The Church/people not recognizing the majesty, power and sole authority of Jesus {Note: It is considered Biblically (Revelation 2:18-29) that there is an acknowledged dual aspect and nature to the Historic Christian Church in Rome - The original Christian Church founded in part by the Apostles Peter and Paul [in about 59 A.D.] and the very deceptive false church, the co-mingled idol worshiping sect based on the current emerging Revised Roman Empire founded primarily be the Emperor Constantine in about 313 A.D.}

The 4th Church grew out of the 3rd Church. Where the 3rd Church was involved in worldly government this 4th Church then took the power and influences they had learned in government and used them to create a governing Church, sort of a government for Church. This Church in modern day is most represented by the Roman Catholic Church. It should not seem surprising that God knows about the Catholic Church, because He knows about everything. This is yet another place in the Bible where we can really see the relevance and accuracy of the Bible and recognize that God knows all things past present and future. Remember a correction from Jesus is to draw us closer to Him in the correct manner of worship. ... Jesus continues in His letter saying that if we follow the false teachings of Jezebel, there is no salvation in any false teaching. Those who follow false leaders will go into the great tribulation [miss the coming rapture] and be killed with death. This is a strong warning because of the strong danger in the false teaching and leading of Jezebel. Then Jesus concludes with the promise that those who remain faithful in the Church will then rule with Jesus. -- "Revelation 2:20-29 [Church of Thyatira] Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that [false prophet] woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce My servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols [false gods]. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them [the false Constantine instituted revised-NWO catholic Church] that commit adultery with her into Great Tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. And I will kill her children with death; and all the Churches shall know that I am He which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works. But unto you I say, and unto the rest in Thyatira [the true Roman Catholic Church], as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations [8th Kingdom reign of Jesus]: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father. And I will give him the morning star [brightness, prestige, honor]. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the [Holy] Spirit saith unto the [Christian] Churches." [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Athenian [Greek] Owls [coins] Through the Ages - Owls were the first widely used international coin - They popularized the practice of putting a head [king, ruler] on the obverse of a coin and a tail (animal) on the reverse [like an American quarter - George Washington on the front - an eagle on the back] - Athena's attribute, the owl, is still a symbol of wisdom today, though at different places and in different times owls have symbolized other things, including dread and death [and a connection to the spirit realm] - President Theodore Roosevelt used a Classical Owl (coin) as a pocket piece, which inspired him to order the redesign of U.S. coins [in 1905 A.D.] early last century [Wiki.com: Theodore Roosevelt - Born to a wealthy family - In 1901, President William McKinley was assassinated, and [VP] Roosevelt became president at the age of 42, taking office at the youngest age of any U.S. President in history - Roosevelt declined to run for re-election in 1908 - he attended church regularly ... he was also a member of the Freemasons and Sons of the American Revolution.]

Athenian Owls, thick, heavy, high-relief silver coins minted more than 2,000 years ago, were arguably the most influential of all coins, and the Classical Owl tetradrachm, pictured above, is the most widely recognized ancient coin among the general public today. Owls were the first widely used international coin. They popularized the practice of putting a head on the obverse of a coin and a tail (animal) on the reverse. Owls were handled by Pythagoras, Xenophanes, Democritus, Hippocrates, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Euclid, Archimedes, and others whose thinking formed the very foundation of Western civilization. They remained thematically unchanged, Athena on the obverse, her owl on the reverse, for half a millennium, through great changes in the ancient world. Because of their centrality, they were known as "Owls" in ancient times as they are today despite many other ancient coins depicting owls in an equally prominent fashion. President Theodore Roosevelt used a Classical Owl as a pocket piece, which inspired him to order the redesign of U.S. coins early last century. Like other great powers, Athens treated its money not only as a way of facilitating commerce and trade and projecting its image abroad but also as a way of making money. Athens earned seigniorage profits on each Owl minted, whether the source was freshly mined silver or the silver coins of other cities. The traders and merchants of other cities, in turn, liked Owls because of their easy exchangeability. Owls thus became the world's first great trade currency, and they were followed in this role by among others Alexander the Great tetradrachms and staters, Roman denarii, Spanish American pieces of eight, Dutch lion dollars, Austrian Maria Theresa thalers, and American dollars. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Mermaid - A popular Greek legend turns Alexander the Great's sister, Thessalonike, into a mermaid [human - fish, Chimera] after she died

A popular Greek legend turns Alexander the Great's sister, Thessalonike, into a mermaid after she died. She lived, it was said, in the Aegean and when she encountered a ship, she asked its sailors only one question: "Is King Alexander alive?", to which the correct answer was: "He lives and reigns and conquers the world". This answer pleased her so she calmed the waters and wish the ship farewell. Any other answer would spur her into a rage. She would raise a terrible storm, with certain doom for the ship and every sailor on board. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Days of Noah (Genesis 6 - Matthew 24:37-38) The presence of 'Chimera' (mixed species beings) symbolism in ancient cultures is both astounding and alarming - It isn't as though one or a few ancient cultures identified with Chimera species almost all the ancient civilizations put Chimera depictions front and center in their culture and reverenced them as real manifestations of actual beings

The ancient Chimera incidents would not be considered to be simple genetic modifications via selective breeding but would be considered to be unique occult manifestations similar to the ancient magicians of Egypt also turning wooden sticks into snakes as God had temporarily done so with the staff of Moses (Exodus 7:11). Apparently God was revealing and recording for future generations the advanced nature of ancient Egyptian magic. Turning wood into a serpent would be considered a type of Chimera being as even in the transformation it was part wood and part reptile. - The prevalent Chimera modifications though certainly more myth than reality were however very much a reality in the Court of Pharaoh and the backrooms of Babylon and Persia. The Chimera modifications were and are not due to human ability but are strictly the result of fallen angelic - demonic activity. A human cannot create a Chimera at least not instantly but apparently the fallen angelic realm can perform some physical modifications among the fleshly world and it is considered that these modifications (and who knows what else) were occurring in the Days of Noah to the extent that all [land] flesh life that was not placed on the Ark after being individually selected by God was then intended to perish in the flood both humans and animals. -- "Genesis 6:7-8 And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; *both man, *and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Sons of God - Daughters of Men (Genesis 6)

"Genesis 6:1-8 And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, That the sons of God [disobedient, fallen angels] saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took [forcibly - overriding freewill] them wives of all which they chose. And the LORD said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years [120 years until the flood of Noah]. There were giants [fallen ones] in the earth in those days; and also after that, **when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare [genetically modified, Chimera, part human - part modified concocted DNA] children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved Him at His heart. And the LORD said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." Note: I don't think anyone that is saying that the sons of God are fallen angels is saying that angels can naturally reproduce, like humans, any more than a Griffin (part lion - part eagle) or any other Chimera species can exist naturally. Within the reproduction of the [fallen angels] sons of God and the [human] daughters of men for starters the women according to the passage were generally forced or at least not consulted in their participation [though in these last days it seems participation with fallen angels has becoming somewhat more by human consent though it appears that human consent was non-existent in the times of Noah] and it is possible what was occurring in the Days of Noah was that fallen angels were replicating their Chimera successes within the animal kingdom into the human kingdom with varying degrees of success, apparently some of the offspring became 'mighty men . men of renown'. All of this to say that indeed the ancient human civilization of Noah's day was wiped out by God, the ancient animal realm of Noah's day was also wiped out by God at the same time in the same flood and the fallen angelic beings that participated in the events at that time that may have directly led to the downfall of the original civilization in Noah's day were restricted by God into darkness. -- "2 Peter 2:4-5 For if God spared not the [fallen] angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;" - Noting that different realms exist, in human, animal, angelic, demonic, etc. and noting that though mankind generally cannot and nature generally does not intermix the realms the fallen angelic realm seemingly can and will intermix the realms and apparently it will happen again in the last days (Matthew 24:37-38) just before the return of Jesus Christ. Jesus repeatedly instructed and warned all of His followers to be especially alert to deception (Luke 21:8) that can and will come from a variety of places and a variety of realms most particularly the [occult] fallen angelic - demonic realm. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - THE MEDICI FAMILY - While the Medici family was predominant, Florence [Italy] became the cultural center of Europe and also became the cradle of new Humanism - They founded the Platonic [Kabbalah - Occult] Academy and supported artists by feeding them, educating them, and providing them with the necessities - Some of those artists were Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael

ACCOMPLISHMENTS: One of the many accomplishments that the Medici family offered in the Renaissance period was when their wealth had first begun. One member became gonfaler standard bearer. From then on the word success fitted the Medici family well. While they ruled the city of Florence they did many incredible acts, such as spending money on their city, and making it the most powerful state in Italy. They also made it the world's most beautiful city. It became the cultural center of Europe and was known as an art center and cradle of New Humanism. They also spent some of their wealth on having the largest library in Europe; they brought in many Greek sources. They founded the Platonic Academy and supported artists by feeding them, educating them, and providing them with the necessities. Some of those artists were Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael. The family also did a lot of charitable acts such as cultivating literature and the arts. The Medici family was very helpful. IMPACT: The Medici family members were very interested in the rebirth of learning in Europe and under their patronage the Renaissance flourished. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Medici Family [generally considered the most Occult family of Medieval Europe] - Other Prominent Medici were Pope Leo X (1475-1521); Pope Clement VII (1478-1534); Catherine (1519-1589), wife of [King] Henry II of France; and Marie (1573-1642), wife of [King] Henry IV of France and regent for their son [King] Louis XIII [Note: this is also the important and historic timeframe of the general discovery of America by the Italian born explorer Christopher Columbus in his 1492 voyage from Spain to America (Bahamas).]

Medici, an Italian family of merchants and bankers who ruled the republic of Florence through economic power and personal influence. By their patronage of the arts they made Florence the center of the Italian Renaissance. The Medici were created dukes of Florence by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V in 1531, and grand dukes of Tuscany by Emperor Maximilian II in 1575. The last Medici grand duke was deposed by the Austrians in 1737. Important members of the Medici family included the following. Giovanni De' Medici: (1360-1429) established the family fortune and made himself ruler of Florence's merchant oligarchy. Cosimo De' Medici: (1389-1464), his son, used his banking business to gain political power and led Florence in a long period of prosperity and artistic achievement. Lorenzo the Magnificent: (1449-1492), grandson of Cosimo, gained fame as a statesman and patron of arts and letters. He was recognized as a poet himself and was largely responsible for the Tuscan dialect becoming the national speech of Italy. Cosimo (I) the Great: (1519-1574) succeeded to the dukedom in 1537 and ruled as a despot. He restored the duchy of Tuscany by conquering the other republics that had been part of it. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The [two] Medici Popes - Pope Leo X [1513 - 1521] known for being the Pope that challenged Martin Luther's [1517 A.D.] 95 Theses -- Pope Clement VII [1523 - 1534] (Medici cousin of Pope Leo X) known for being Pope during the sacking of Rome in 1527 A.D. [The (Occult) Medici (family), led by (Pope) Clement, had tried to play everyone off against each other and had made everyone their enemy -- at least temporarily - source: mmdtkw.org/VSackRome.html]

Pope Leo X - Giovanni de'Medici, 1475 - 1513 - 1521: Giovanni de'Medici, second son of Lorenzo and younger brother of the fatuous Piero, became the first of the Medici Popes (Leo X - Leone Decimo) at the age of 38 on 11 March 1513. Prior to this his life had been a complete roller coaster. Brought up in Medici luxury alongside Michelangelo (who was included in the Medici household by Lorenzo), older brother Piero and cousin Giulio (who was adopted by Lorenzo after his father (who was Lorenzo's brother) was killed in the Pazzi Conspiracy in 1478), he had access to the incomes of several wealthy monasteries, including Badia a Passignano, and was made a Cardinal at the age of 13. All this came to an abrupt end in 1494 when, in the wake of Lorenzo's death, the incompetent surrender of his brother Piero the Fatuous to the French, and the ensuing Savanorola stirred turbulence, he had to sneak out of Florence dressed as a Franciscan Friar, and then live in hiding with his cousin for the next decade, latterly being protected by the Habsburg Emperor Maximilian (who ironically was to be a major cause of the collapse of the Bruges branch of the Medici Bank) and then by the dreadful Cesare Borgia and his father Pope Alessandro VI (1431 - 1492 - 1503 (72)) in Rome. ... Pope Clement VII Giulio de'Medici, 1478 - 1523 - 1534 (56) Illegitimate son of Lorenzo's (Pazzi murdered) brother Giuliano, adopted son of Lorenzo, and companion in exile to Lorenzo's son Giovanni (Leo X), who was three years his senior, Giulio de'Medici became Pope Clement VII (Clemente Settimo). He was good looking, intellectually sophisticated, a talented musician and a political disaster. In reality he also faced the legacy of the corrupt practices of his cousin Leo X, and the impossible task of operating in the emergent nation state Europe dominated by Charles V, Francis I, and Henry VIII (whom he excommunicated), and threatened by Suleiman the Magnificent, plus Martin Luther dealing the protestants into the game as well - see Insight Page. He lost England, and was humiliated by having to flee in disguise from Rome when it was barbarically sacked by Charles V's rabble army after Clement mistakenly got too close to flashy Francis I of France. [Images/Montages/Firenze/Medici Popes.htm link]

The Revised Roman Empire - 'Occult' power: the politics of witchcraft and superstition in Renaissance Florence - In Florence, how did one family--the Medici--secure their power after over a century of struggle, and how did they come to construct a myth of their own legitimacy? (Book)

Lawrence's interpretation, however narrow and flawed, does highlight an indisputable element of Grazzini's tale of Dr. Manente: its cruelty and "monstrosity," traits that, I will argue, provide insight into the social structures of the mid-sixteenth century, particularly those that rely upon coersion and force. In Florence, how did one family--the Medici--secure their power after over a century of struggle, and how did they come to construct a myth of their own legitimacy? ... It is important to remember that, from 1494--when the friar himself gained widespread support and offered a major threat to the rule of the Medici family--until long after his execution in 1498, Savonarola bequeathed a powerful religious and political vision that was not dependent on his leadership for survival--a fact that fascinated the political theorist Niccolo Machiavelli. Savonarola's followers--called the Piagnoni first by their enemies and later, proudly, by themselves--remained politically active after his execution, through the Republic that lasted until 1513, when the first Medici pope, Leo X, used the considerable influence of this position to help his family and their allies to return to Florence, and again after the sack of Rome in 1527, which occurred during the pontificate of another Medici, Clement VII. The Piagnoni continued to be active even after the Medici, first Alessandro and then Cosimo I, openly turned Florence onto the path of absolutism [unlimited, centralized authority and absolute sovereignty] by accepting the [nobility] title of Duke. ... Lorenzo's manipulation of the Church comes into play in the next phase of the beffa. ... At this point, Grazzini emphasizes not only that many friars and priests were ignorant, but, more importantly, that the kind of people Lorenzo elevated to positions of power in the Florentine church hierarchy were either superstitious [occult] or corrupt, criticisms that Savonarola also often made of the Medici. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - Christian and Rosicrucian Kabbalah [esoteric (hidden) teachings - the real NWO - New Age bible] - The origional Jewish [Witchcraft - King Solomon] Kabbalah --> Christian mystic, Raymon Lull (1232 - 1316 A.D.) originator of the Christian Kabbalah --> Renaissance Christian Kabbalah (Medici family) --> Rosicrucian (Illuminati - Freemason) Kabbalah --> Modern Occult Kabbalah - The beginning of Christian Kabbalah is to be found in the teachings of the Catalan philosopher and mystic, Raymon Lull - Lull had the idea of unifying all three religions [Judaism, Christianity, Islam] by developing a philosophy incoporating elements common to all - the way he intended to [unite] convert was through rational and mystical doctrine - Renaissance Christian Kabbalah was derived from a number of sources - Firstly, the christological [christ doctrine] speculations of a number of Jewish converts from the late 13th to the late fifteenth centuries - Secondly, the philosophical Christian and Renaissance speculation concerning the Kabbalah that developed around the Platonic Acadamy *founded by the **Medici family in Florence

Lull based his Art on the importance which Christian, Moslem [Islam], and Jew each attached to the Divine Names or Attributes, or, as he called them, Dignities. Lull mentioned nine Dignities (or Dignitaries): Bonitas (Goodness), Magnitudo (Greatness), Eternitas (Eternity), Potestas (Power), Sapientia (Wisdom), Voluntas (Will), Virtus (Virtue), Veritas (Truth), and Gloria (Glory). These are shown in the follwing diagram. ... In addition we also find the incorporation of the four elements [earth, water, air and fire] and the qualities, the seven planets and twelves [astrological] signs, medicine, alchemy, geometry, a letter notation, and so on. There is an elaborate system of correspondences, in that the nine Dignitaries have their correspondences in the celestial sphere, the human level, and the animal, plant, and material creation. In all this we see the influence, not only of Kabbalah, but also of Aristotlean categories, Augustinian Platonism (nearly all the Lullian Dignities can be found listed as Augustine's Divine Attributes), and the celestial hierarchies of angels of the Christian Neoplatonist Dionysius. [Frances A. Yates, The Occult Philosophy in the Elizabethan Age, pp.9-12]. -- Renaissance Kabbalah: Renaissance Christian Kabbalah was derived from a number of sources. Firstly, the christological speculations of a number of Jewish converts from the late 13th to the late fifteenth centuries. Secondly, the philosophical Christian and Renaissance speculation concerning the Kabbalah that developed around the Platonic Acadamy founded by the Medici family in Florence. Pico della Mirandola The Florentines, headed by the renowned Renaissance hermeticist Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-94) believed they had discovered in Kabbalah a lost divine revelation that could give the key to understanding both the teachings of Pythagoras, Plato, and the Orphics, and the inner secrets of Catholic Christianity. Pico himself had a considerable amount of Kabbalistic literature translated into Latin by the scholarly convert Samuel ben Nissim Abulfaraj. Among the 900 theses Pico presented for public debate in Rome was the claim that "no science can better convince us of the divinity of Jesus Christ than magic and the Kabbalah", and he believed he could prove the dogmas of the Trinity and the Incarnation through Kabbalistic axioms. All this caused a sensation in the intellectual Christian world, and the writings of Pico and his follower Johannes Reuchlin (1455-1522) led on the one hand to great interest in the doctrine of Divine Names and in practical (magical) Kabbalah (culminating in Cornelius Agrippa of Nettesheim's De Occult Philosophia (1531) and on the other to further attempts at a synthesis between Kabbalah and Christian theology. [Gershom Scholem, Kabbalah, pp.197-8] -- Rosicrucian Kabbalah: By the late 16th century Christian Kabbalah began to be permeated with alchemical symbolism; a trend that continued through the 17th and 18th century. Well known representatives are the Rosucrucian philosopher and alchemist Robert Fludd (1574-1637) and the alchemist Thomas Vaughan (1622-1666) among others. One of the works of Fludd presents an interpretation of the Sefirotic Tree which he illustrates as a Palm (left), whose ten spreading branches raying forth from the lowest world suggest that man on earth is a microcosm or reflection of the macrocosm or universe. In the second half of the 18th century this alchemical kabbalah was combined with Freemasonic numerology and occultism, from which was ultimately to develop the extraordinary occult/magickal revival of the late 19th century known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn illustration (left) from World Trees by Hazel Minot Kircher's Tree from Oedipus Aegyptiacus published in 1652 by Athanasius Kircher, a Jesuit priest and hermetic philosopher -- Occult Kabbalah: By the 19th century the occultists of the French magician revival, such as Eliphas Levi (Alphonse Louis Constant; 1810-1875) and Papus (Gerard Encausse; 1868-1916) had lost all understanding of the original Jewish meaning of Kabbalah, and brought in various extraneous elements such as Tarot. Levi was an influential figure both on the Theosophy of Blavatsky and even more so the Golden Dawn Order of Mathers and Westcott, with it's unique Kabbalistic (or Qabalistic, to use the prefered spelling) formulation of Sefirot and paths, through which Kabbalah established itself in the contemporary Western Occult Tradition. [link]

The 7th and final human kingdom on earth the 'Revised Roman Empire' began to emerge and take shape about 306 A.D. with Roman Emperor Constantine and continues until the eventual Antichrist is enthroned as the undisputed global leader sometime in the future

Note: A Summary - The current Basic Christian '8 Kingdoms study' is only going to examine a few key elements of the Revised Roman Empire. - Namely, Emperor Constantine (a false Christian religion, the family of Constantine primarily his mother), the Medici family of Medieval Europe - Italy (The House of Medici, starting about 1389 A.D. - the foundation of almost all the modern global power structure and powerbase), England taxation (William the Conqueror, also known as William I of England, the Battle of Hastings, the first census of England [land and people - requiring each individual person to take a last name for government tracking purposes] published in the Doomsday Book in 1086 A.D.), British Royalty (House of Windsor (Price Charles) - House of Stuart (the late Princess Diana)), Hitler's secret Berlin bunker (successfully transitioning from a losing empire attempt into the winning empire), and lastly the League of Nations (WWI) and the United Nations (WWII) organization of today. [link]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Coming of the Anti-Christ. . . Within the last few years, some very unusual and very unexpected events began occurring around the globe - On November 1989, against all odds, the Berlin wall came crashing down - And the once mighty Soviet Empire collapsed with a devastating sound - And the world, we once knew, began to take a new form - Never before in history, world leaders began trumpeting for a New World Order. As trade barriers are quickly being dissolved with the likes of NAFTA, GATT and other treaties, the mysterious New World Order is right on schedule - And the center stage is set for the soon rise of the Anti-Christ. In Belgium, the headquarters of the European community office, statesman P.H. Spock stood up and said, "The truth is, that the method of international committees has failed. WHAT WE NEED IS A PERSON, someone of the highest order, of great experience, of great authority, of wide influence, of great energy; either a civilian or a military man, no matter what his nationality . . . LET HIM COME QUICKLY" [Note: with the scripted shelling and retaliation events of today between N. Korea and S. Korea the two nations will probably soon be united again into one successfully UN negotiated nation along with continued UN oversight. Wiki.com - Ban Ki-moon (born 13 June 1944) is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan [of Ghana] in 2007. Before becoming [UN] Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he graduated from university, accepting his first post in New Delhi, India. In the foreign ministry he established a reputation for modesty and competence.]

The Revised Roman Empire - The Kingdom of the Anti-Christ. . . The Bible teaches the Anti-Christ will head up a 10-nation, Revised Roman Empire. And on January 1, 1993, the Revised Roman Empire officially began, called the United States of Europe. The Wichita Eagle described its uncanny birth, ". . . Since the fall of the Roman Empire, there has been the dream of a unified Europe. We are . . . seeing a brand NEW ROMAN EMPIRE RECONSTRUCTED." The Bible, also refers to the Revised Roman Empire as Babylon. Babylon begins in Genesis chapter 11, when Nimrod tried to reach heaven and bring in a one-world government with the Tower of Babel, which God destroyed. The official poster for the United States of Europe is amazing! Believe it or not, but it actually portrays the United States of Europe as the Tower of Babel, with 12 stars representing the current 12 nations of the United States of Europe! And if that weren't enough, the 12 stars are not ordinary stars - BUT UPSIDE-DOWN PENTEGRAMS (which is the universal symbol for Satanism, found on the cover of THE SATANIC BIBLE)! But there's more . . . A very interesting news item appeared in the magazine ASTM Standardization News. Standardization News is the world-wide magazine that reports on standards throughout the world. The February 1989 issue was devoted to the United States of Europe. If you don't think the Bible's coming to life, check this: The United States of Europe has decided they will utilize an identifying mark. Page 30, of the article reads, ". . . one cannot market or sell a product UNLESS IT HAS THE EC MARK." Revelation 13:17, on the Mark of the Beast, reads almost identical! "And that no man might buy or sell, SAVE HE THAT HAD THE MARK . . ." Friend, Jesus is coming soon! Prophecy after prophecy, not one, not two, but many, fulfilled to the smallest detail, at the same time, seemingly overnight, exactly as the Bible prophesied over 2000 years ago - to say, is all just by chance or coincidence, is ridiculous! [link]

THE REVISED ROMAN EMPIRE BY RYAN HICKS - Among Bible scholars today is a vast misconception about the Roman Empire and its future role in Bible prophecy - [Some] of them teach that the Roman Empire will be revived - The problem with this is that it will not be revived, it will be revised - This is not a simple difference of words, but is a total difference in the kingdoms as a whole - If the Roman Empire were revived it would have to consist of one kingdom, but the future Roman Empire will consist of ten [global] kingdoms

The seventh kingdom (Revised Rome) had not came into existence yet, but when it does come it will exist a short time. The Antichrist will fulfill Daniel 7:7-8, 24 by arising out of one of the ten kingdoms in the Revised Roman Empire and by subduing three of the ten kingdoms. After he subdues the three kingdoms, the other six kingdoms will "have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast" (Revelation 17:13). The Antichrist will then form the eighth kingdom, as mentioned in Revelation 17:11, which can be called the Revived Grecian Empire (See The Eight Empires). In summery, we can see clearly from Scripture that the Roman Empire will be revised, not revived, and will consist of ten kingdoms in the old Roman Empire territory. [link]

Revised Roman Empire: Constantine the Great - Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus (27 February 272 A.D. - 22 May 337 A.D.), commonly known as Constantine I, Constantine the Great, or Saint Constantine, was Roman Emperor from 306 to 337 - Best known for being the first Christian Roman emperor, Constantine reversed the persecutions of his predecessor, Diocletian, and issued the Edict of Milan in 313, which proclaimed *religious tolerance of Christians throughout the empire [Note: It was the later Edict of Thessalonica (27 February 380 A.D.) that made Christianity the official state religion of Rome.]

Legacy: The Byzantine Empire considered Constantine its founder and the Holy Roman Empire reckoned him among the venerable figures of its tradition. In the later Byzantine state, it had become a great honor for an emperor to be hailed as a "new Constantine". Ten emperors, including the last emperor of Byzantium, carried the name. Monumental Constantinian forms were used at the court of Charlemagne to suggest that he was Constantine's successor and equal. Constantine acquired a mythic role as a warrior against "heathens". The motif of the Romanesque equestrian, the mounted figure in the posture of a triumphant Roman emperor, became a visual metaphor in statuary in praise of local benefactors. The name "Constantine" itself enjoyed renewed popularity in western France in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. Most Eastern Christian churches consider Constantine a saint (Saint Constantine). In the Byzantine Church he was called isapostolos an equal of the Apostles. Niš airport is named Constantine the Great in honor of his birth in Naissus [the largest city in southern Serbia]. [link]

Double-headed (cloned) eagle - The double-headed eagle is a common symbol in heraldry and vexillology - It is most commonly associated with the Holy Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and similar to the Vijayanagara Empire's gandaberunda - In Byzantine heraldry, the heads represent the dual sovereignty of the Emperor (secular and religious) and/or dominance of the Byzantine Emperors over both East and West - In the Holy Roman Empire's heraldry, it represented the Church and the State - Several Eastern European nations adopted it from the Byzantines and continue to use it as their national symbol to this day, the most prominent being Russia [Wiki.com - In 1433 the double-headed eagle was adopted for the first time by the Holy Roman Emperor Sigismund. Since then the double-headed eagle came to be used as the symbol of the German emperor, and hence as the coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation.] - Use in Masonry: The Double-Headed Eagle of Lagash on the cover of Morals and Dogma - The Double-Headed Eagle of Lagash is used as an emblem by the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry - There are many meanings attached to this symbol, The date of its introduction into Freemasonry is not clear but it may have been first used in France to symbolize the Councils of the East and West - Another theory is that it was adapted from the arms of the Austrian state, to gain the favor of the ruling family

Origins: Double-headed eagles have been present in imagery for millennia. The two-headed eagle can be found in the archaeological remains of the Sumerian civilization and through the Hittite civilization, dating from a period that ranges from the 20th century BC to the 7th century BC. Cylindric seals discovered in Bogazkoy, an old Hittite capital in modern-day Turkey, represent clearly a two-headed eagle with spread wings. The aesthetics of this symmetrical position explains in part the birth of this religious figure: It originally dates from circa 3,800 BC, and was the Sumerian symbol for the god Ninurta, son of Enlil. It can also be seen in the same region in three monumental settings: Circa 1,900 BC during the Hittite surge from north-central Anatolia (modern Turkey) down into Babylonia; in Alacahöyük around 1400 BC and in Yazilikaya before 1250 BC. Here the context looks slightly different and totally religious: The eagle returns to its ancient origins as a symbol of divine power. The two-headed eagle is seen less and less during the last Hittite period (from the 9th century BC to the 7th century BC) and totally disappears after the end of the empire. The double-headed eagle was also in use by the Arsacid Dynasty of Armenia and the Mamikonian family in the 3rd to 9th centuries. -- Byzantine Empire: Constantinople was the successor of Rome, and the Byzantines continued the use of the old imperial "single-headed" eagle motif. Although the roots of the transformation to double-headed are almost certainly connected with old depictions in Asia Minor, the details of its adoption are uncertain. It was, however, already in use during the first centuries AD and certainly before the 10th century AD by Armenians and Persians, appearing in their art. The Ancients used no flags in the modern sense. The Romans used various signa, such as the bronze aquilas (adopted as the legions' symbol by Marius) and vexilloids, and, if the emperor was present, pikes or banners with the emperor's portrait. With the adoption of Christianity as state religion during the later Empire, the Chi-Rho and the cross became more and more used in military standards, such as the labarum. The Roman single-headed eagle however continued to be used as a symbol of imperial authority. According to the most prevalent theory, the single-headed eagle was modified to double-headed by emperor Isaac I Komnenos (1057-1059) being influenced from local traditions about such a (mythical) beast (the haga) in his native Paphlagonia in Asia Minor. Local legends talked about this giant eagle with two heads that could easily hold a bull in its claws; the haga was seen as a representation of power, and people would often "call" it for protection. Isaac Komnenos, deeply influenced by these beliefs, had already used it as a family emblem.[3] As there has been reference to "stone representations" of the eagle that were the inspiration for its picture, it is reasonable to assume that Hittite carvings may have been the source of the symbol's usage, but other relevant works, such as much older Sumerian cylinder seals representing the god Ninurta, must be considered as the chief source. Whether the eagle became an "imperial" symbol or remained purely a personal symbol for Komnenos, is not clear. After the Latin conquest of Constantinople in 1204, the Byzantine double-headed eagle was used by the successor states of Epirus and Nicaea. Theodore II Laskaris chose it for his symbol as Emperor (Empire of Nicaea), taking it to symbolize his state's claims to all the Byzantine Empire's former domains, both European (West) and Asian (East). An alternative interpretation is that the eagle symbolized the Emperor's double temporal and spiritual sovereignty. After the recapture of Constantinople and the restoration of the Byzantine Empire, the symbol was used as an emblem of the imperial family, but it is uncertain whether it was the official emblem of the Empire. More recent research has suggested that it was not, its usage being limited to imperial seals and other personal or dynasty symbols such as imperial robes, although there has been no depiction of any Emperor wearing it. The role of "state" symbols was most probably played by flags with the cross.[citation needed] In Byzantine usage, the eagle was almost always connected with colors of imperial power (gold and purple). A black eagle on golden background was used outside the imperial family, denoting the subordinate position (the eagle was black as being the 'shadow' of the Emperor's golden eagle) of their bearers. [link]

New Age - SYMBOLS and their Meaning - Double-headed EAGLE - A Masonic seal and initiation symbol

Double-headed EAGLE: A Masonic seal and initiation symbol. The number inside the pyramid over the eagle's head is 33. The eagle is a universal symbol representing the sun, power, authority, victory, the sky gods and the royal head of a nation. ... PHOENIX: A universal symbol of the sun, mystical rebirth, resurrection and immortality, this legendary red "fire bird" was believed to die in its self-made flames periodically (each hundred years, according to some sources) then rise again out of its own ashes. Linked to the worship of the fiery sun and sun gods such as Mexico's Quetzalcoatl, it was named "a god of Phoenecia" by the Phoenician. To alchemists, it symbolized the the destruction and creation of new forms of matter along the way to the ultimate transformation: physical (turn lead into gold) and spiritual (immortality - an occult alternative to the Christian salvation). The philosopher's stone was considered the key to this transformation. ... SERPENT OR SNAKE: Most earth-centered or pagan cultures worshipped the serpent. It represents rebirth (because of its molting), protection against evil, either male of female sexuality, rain and fertility, a mediator between the physical and spiritual world.... It also represents female energy or lifeforce in goddess worship, sometimes linked to the eastern Kundalini force or a supposed "goddess within." The list of meanings is endless, but in the Bible it usually represents sin, temptation, destruction, and Satan. (See dragon) The circular image of the serpent biting its tail links the mythical significance of the serpent to that of the sacred circle. See uroborus and spiral. [link]

Source: www.BasicChristian.org

David Anson Brown 14:20, 21 August 2012 (MST)