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Campbell I know you want to believe something that fits your interpretation of the bible, but much of what you say of Babylon is just not so.
Babylon was a city-state of ancient Mesopotamia (which was sometimes considered an Empire) , the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad. The city itself was built upon the Euphrates, and divided in equal parts along its left and right banks, with steep embankments to contain the river's seasonal floods.
It has been estimated that Babylon was the largest city in the world from ca. 1770 to 1670 BC, and again between ca. 612 and 320 BC. It was perhaps the first city to reach a population above 200,000. In 689 BC, its walls, temples and palaces were razed, and the rubble was thrown into the Arakhtu, the sea bordering the earlier Babylon on the south.
Campbell I know you want to believe something that fits your interpretation of the bible, but much of what you say of Babylon is just not so.
Babylon was a city-state of ancient Mesopotamia (which was sometimes considered an Empire) , the remains of which can be found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers (55 mi) south of Baghdad. The city itself was built upon the Euphrates, and divided in equal parts along its left and right banks, with steep embankments to contain the river's seasonal floods.
It has been estimated that Babylon was the largest city in the world from ca. 1770 to 1670 BC, and again between ca. 612 and 320 BC. It was perhaps the first city to reach a population above 200,000. In 689 BC, its walls, temples and palaces were razed, and the rubble was thrown into the Arakhtu, the sea bordering the earlier Babylon on the south.
Old Babylon being built on the left and right banks of the Euphrates rivers has little to do with it being built on many waters. And the prophecy states that Babylon has her own sea. I don't see any sea around old Babylon. Also, Old Babylon was never considered a nation. And Old Babylon was never destroyed in one hours time, along with her cities by fire. Such an event never occured. Also, the New Testament written much latter then the Old Testament, describes this future Babylon and calls her, Mystery Babylon. Mystery Babylon is something different, it is not the same as Old Babylon. And it is this new Mystery Babylon that would be destroyed in the future along with all of her cities in one hours time. And the only nation that fits (all of the prophecies) found in Mystery Babylon, is America. And this Babylon would have to exist when the Jews were in control of both, Israel, and Jerusalem. And this Babylon would have to exist in the day when the nations of the East could raise up an army of 200 million men.
Exodus 32 is the story where Moses goes up on the mountain to get the 10 commandments, while the people make a golden calf at the direction of Aaron (who blames the people for being mischievous). The people apparently broke the commandment about not worshiping other gods. The punishment?
Exodus 32:27-29
Then he said to them, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbor.' " The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. Then Moses said, "You have been set apart to the LORD today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day."
Apparently to Moses, 3,000 more wrongs do make a right. But to god, it wasn't enough. A plague was also necessary to forgive the people for making a golden calf.
Exodus 32:31-35
So Moses went back to the LORD and said, "Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. But now, please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written." The LORD replied to Moses, "Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin."
And the LORD struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.
Isaiah 5:20
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter.
The god of the old testament to an unbiased person can be considered evil based on the horrific acts and rules. Yet many people call him good. The darkness that god has wrought over us because of the sins of our ancestors many people call light. Woe to those...
Old Babylon being built on the left and right banks of the Euphrates rivers has little to do with it being built on many waters. And the prophecy states that Babylon has her own sea. I don't see any sea around old Babylon. Also, Old Babylon was never considered a nation. And Old Babylon was never destroyed in one hours time, along with her cities by fire. Such an event never occured. Also, the New Testament written much latter then the Old Testament, describes this future Babylon and calls her, Mystery Babylon. Mystery Babylon is something different, it is not the same as Old Babylon. And it is this new Mystery Babylon that would be destroyed in the future along with all of her cities in one hours time. And the only nation that fits (all of the prophecies) found in Mystery Babylon, is America. And this Babylon would have to exist when the Jews were in control of both, Israel, and Jerusalem. And this Babylon would have to exist in the day when the nations of the East could raise up an army of 200 million men.
You conveniently ignore fact to fit into your fantastic theories... "the rubble was thrown into the Arakhtu, ( The Persian Gulf ) the sea bordering the earlier Babylon on the south "
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
Deuteronomy 3:1-7
Next we turned and went up along the road toward Bashan, and Og king of Bashan with his whole army marched out to meet us in battle at Edrei. The LORD said to me, "Do not be afraid of him, for I have handed him over to you with his whole army and his land. Do to him what you did to Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon." So the LORD our God also gave into our hands Og king of Bashan and all his army. We struck them down, leaving no survivors. At that time we took all his cities. There was not one of the sixty cities that we did not take from them—the whole region of Argob, Og's kingdom in Bashan. All these cities were fortified with high walls and with gates and bars, and there were also a great many unwalled villages. We completely destroyed [a] them, as we had done with Sihon king of Heshbon, destroying [b] every city—men, women and children. But all the livestock and the plunder from their cities we carried off for ourselves.
[a] and [b]= The Hebrew term refers to the irrevocable giving over of things or persons to the LORD, often by totally destroying them.
the bible --- well it seems about the only functioning hand book on morality in the country. do you have a substitute?
i hope you are not suggesting what i see on the streets as a viable model for behavior.
here is what i think. everybody is hooked on archangel gabriel, a kind gentle soothing rep for god.
most have forgotten god has got another one, archangel michael. a michael visit is way overdue.
Deuteronomy 22:28-29
If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay the girl's father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the girl, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives.
Logic . . . it might do your frustration over the barbarity of the OT some good if you really pursued a more objective hermeneutic approach . . . there are several ways you could obtain this perspective . . . but you might try Googling.
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