Colin Badger - The Continuity of Babylon - Class 1 - His Roots in the Earth

Automatically transcribed. Accuracy is good but not perfect, and words are sometimes wrong. Trust the audio over the text.

1. 0:00

   This morning’s First Class entitled Roots and the Earth. Let us turn and read together Daniel Chapter 4, please, to call upon a brother Colin who will lead us in the First Class, entitled His Roots in the Earth for the Colin. Brothers and sisters and young people, brothers and sisters, interest in the subject of Bible prophecy has been a precious heritage of the Christadelphian community since its earliest days. It was viewed by our earliest brethren as an integral part of Bible study, a must for both private and ecclesial study. In those early days, lectures, Bible classes and even exhortations reflected what we could call a prophetic consciousness.

2. 0:52

   Bible prophecy fulfilled was understood and appreciated for its value of evidence testifying to the divine inspiration of Scripture and prophecy yet to be fulfilled was viewed as a subject deserving serious attention, a subject having an integrity that raised it far beyond simply uncertain speculation. And that’s attitude towards Bible prophecy is very apparent when one goes back to some of our earliest magazines and the earliest literature we distributed in our community. The exhortational value that was understood to result from taking the subject seriously lay in the fact that believers were able to determine generally where they were along God’s timetable. There was therefore some meaning, some reason to present existence, and one had some reason for hope that what was not yet fulfilled would be fulfilled on the basis of past fulfillment of prophecy.

3. 2:01

   It was therefore, for our earliest brethren a great sign of encouragement, a source of exhortational value, not just, perhaps, speculation. Our earliest writings reveal a definite conviction that God was still working in the nations and concern about what was going on in the nations therefore took on a very earnest interest. All that was understood to give believers assurance for the coming Kingdom in the future.

4. 2:32

   And furthermore, when one looks at some of our earliest writings on the subject and what was written in the Christadelphian magazine, it wouldn’t seem that from those early writings that are marked, distinction was made between that which was regarded as exhortational for a disciples way of life as opposed to prophetic exposition. Making a distinction between those two elements the way it is sometimes today on our platforms and in our writings is something we have inherited in the last 30 or 40 years. It would seem much more than it being an attitude way back in the past.

5. 3:06

   In our early years, the polarizing between what is regarded as exhortational or devotional as opposed to the study of prophecy, I believe, has gone a long ways towards discouraging a serious commitment to prophetic Bible study and exposition. And that distinction, I think, is reinforced by the attitude which divorces prophecy from a study of the teachings of Jesus. They’re often regarded, you know, as though they were on two separate planes, the Gospels or the teachings of Christ, as opposed to prophecy.

6. 3:46

   As we’ll see, that’s a very artificial distinction. In fact, when we turn to the Gospels, the Olivet prophecy is contained in three of the Gospels. Out of the four, it’s dealt with as a singular subject in greater detail than any other subject in the Gospels. So it’s a perhaps a question of perspective that we sometimes very easily lose. The teachings of Jesus are not to be artificially distinguished from a study of prophecy.

7. 4:17

   Jesus had a great deal to say about prophecy, and as we’ve said, by looking at the proportion of space that is given to the Olivet prophecy, one can see the emphasis that was obviously being placed on prophecy from the Lord himself within the framework of the Gospel.

8. 4:36

   When we take a look at our attitude towards prophecy, therefore, it perhaps goes a long ways to explain why we individually or why we as a community today don’t give as much serious attention to the subject. Because various brethren have disagreed in their expositional conclusions, Many of us perhaps have felt rather despairing and thrown our hands up and said well, if our older brethren, or if our more learned brethren so-called, can’t agree, how can I possibly make the discernment myself as to what’s right and what’s wrong? I’d like just to look at Daniel Chapter 9 in regards to our attitude towards Bible prophecy, especially the books of Daniel and Revelation, which perhaps most of us approach with a certain amount of trepidation.

9. 5:30

   Daniel Chapter 9. Daniel tells us in verse two. In the first year of his reign I Daniel understood by books the number of the years where of the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish 70 years in the desolations of Jerusalem. And then Daniel tells us in verse three I set my face unto the Lord God to seek by prayer and supplications with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.

10. 6:08

    It’s rather interesting to note that perspective from Daniel. Despite the fact that he was one of the holy ones in a certain sense, and despite the fact that he was gifted with the Holy Spirit, and although he had visions and revelations, was privileged above many of his own day, he still had to labor over the books of prophecy. He had up to this point in verse two, been applying himself to the Bible itself.

11. 6:37

    It was by books that he understood the number of the years by which Jeremiah had indicated the 70 years would come to an end. He was dwelling upon the desolations of Jerusalem. He wanted further understanding and in order to open his mind and heart to that understanding, his first step in verse 3, apart from application to the books themselves, was to seek God by prayer and supplication, but more than that, by fasting, by sackcloth and by ashes.

12. 7:14

    How seriously Daniel took the study of prophecy. He was concerned not only about events he was concerning about, concerned about Bible chronology. Where he was in time. Was he close to the end of the 70 years? Were the many years still to elapse? How long would it be before Jerusalem’s desolation would be lifted and a new turn of events take place? He agonized over that subject, and it was only by putting himself in to that subject, with that kind of fervency, that the Father responded.

13. 7:49

    In verse four he tells us I prayed unto the Lord my God and made my confession, and we read his confession. We’ll move over some of the details. But then we read, of course that he receives an answer in this chapter. He tells us in verse 20, whilst I was speaking and praying and confessing my sin and the sin of my people, Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God.

14. 8:18

    Yeah, whilst I was speaking in prayer. Even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation, here in synchronization with the offering of incense and sacrifice, as it would have been back if he had been in his own land.

15. 8:45

    In the operation of the temple service, as the evening sacrifice was placed on the altar, and the priest offered the burning incense sometime near 6:00 in the evening. At that time Daniel was found praying, and at that time he received an answer from the Angel Gabriel, the one who was later on, many years in the future, to announce a much greater message to Mary. You see, brothers and sisters, that even Daniel had to apply himself to the books, despite all the advantages that he had. And it wasn’t until he had agonized over that subject and applied himself diligently took to it. And it wasn’t until he had taken that subject very seriously that further light and understanding was shed on his path. And surely, brothers and sisters, if that was true for Daniel, as good as a man as he was and as close as he was to God, how much more does it say to us that further understanding will not be had unless we apply ourselves diligently to the subject of Bible prophecy, especially to the more difficult books like Daniel and Revelation? Have we in our own study, agonized like Daniel? Have we applied ourselves with the kind of commitment and seriousness that he took the subject? And like Daniel, being concerned not only with the events that might transpire, but also where he was or where he is in time, in God’s prophetic timetable?

16. 10:18

    And sometimes one hears Today, of course in our own circles, that being overly concerned or preoccupied with time periods is an exercise in futility. One he often hears that until things are fulfilled, one really is expending one’s time in an unnecessary, unfruitful way. The time hadn’t been expended here. Here, Daniel wanted to know in advance, in advance, when these things would be.

17. 10:44

    He wanted to know in advance how much longer it was. Well, that obviously wasn’t an exercise in futility for Daniel, and only by applying himself the way that he did did he receive an answer. Now in that regard, there’s another attitudinal concept I think we should just mention in passing. The question of time periods, which we won’t be laboring today is an important one, as we can see here from Daniel. And the notion, as we’ve just mentioned, it’s often expressed the notion that says, well, it’s not until prophecy has been fulfilled or the time period has elapsed that one can really be sure about anything in terms of the prophetic statements about time and when certain events will be fulfilled. You know there’s a contradiction there with what the Lord obviously intended in the Olivet prophecy. For he gave the Olivet prophecy in such detail in order to warn his disciples in advance of the events. Had they not understood what those events meant, had they not received the basic concepts behind his prophetic statements in forewarnings, they would not have been able to do what Jesus said they have to do.

18. 11:54

    When you see these things, he told them, then flee from Jerusalem. They had to, in other words, understand the basic sequence. They had to have a basic grasp of what He meant by His symbols and by the way He described those events leading up to the climax. So foreknowledge was essential for those disciples in order to flee from Jerusalem at the right time.

19. 12:19

    He told them that when you see the abomination of desolation stand where it ought not, and he refers them back to Daniel, then know that you are to flee. In other words, he exhorted them not only to pay attention to what he had said, but he exhorted them to go back and read Daniel.

20. 12:36

    He exhorted them to have a basic understanding of that difficult book in the section he was quoting in order to understand when they were to flee. So the Lord expected a certain amount of foreknowledge. He didn’t expect brothers and sisters to sit back and say well until the events are fulfilled. I really would not do well to put a lot of time and effort into the study of these points. That was obviously not the Lord’s attitude, nor was it Daniel’s.

21. 13:06

    In our studies this afternoon and this morning, we want to look at what we would regard as some basic keys to Bible prophecy dealing with Daniel and Revelation. I’m sure for all of us, we have found these two areas very difficult and challenging. Assuming first of all that we are convinced of the importance of Bible prophecy, where perhaps might we begin to look at the subject of Daniel and Revelation? Or perhaps we could say, how do we begin? Well, we are reminded of the old saying, the man who didn’t find the right answers probably didn’t ask the right questions. So I do believe the question of where do I begin and how do I begin would possibly provide the kind of keys that are sometimes eluding us when we want to study this very important subject, asking the right questions first, Where do I begin? How do I begin?

22. 14:07

    Well, for our, from our limited experience, brothers and sisters, perhaps we could make some suggestions throughout this day. First, we do believe that it’s valuable to look for the big picture first in Daniel and in Revelation, what are or what is the big picture? And quite often we’ll find that that deals with in the Book of Revelation. Of course, subjects like God, manifestation, that’s a very big picture, a very important and broad one, running right through the prophecy.

23. 14:37

    But when we’re dealing with the more difficult parts of the prophetic details, those parts that are not so easy to understand, they too have a big picture that can be grasped, as we’ll see. In other words, getting an understanding of the plot before we try to analyze a single event before we are concerned about what the brass means in the fourth beast, before we’re concerned about who the frog like spirits are in Revelation. To get the overall big picture of that theme is essential first.

24. 15:13

    We might find that even when we do get that overall picture, when we grasp the main plot of what’s being said or done, we might not always be absolutely sure of some of the small supporting details. But if we’ve got the main plot, the big picture in Daniel or in Revelation, and even though we might not ever be sure about all the small details, we’ll know how they are to at least fit in. We’ll have an idea as to what pattern they should follow in fitting into the big picture

25. 15:44

    when we take a look at Daniel and Revelation. Apart from themes such as God manifestation, the more positive themes in the difficult sections, it’s obvious to see that one very important overall theme or topic in Daniel and in Revelation deals with the beasts, what we could call the Beast theme. Secondly, it’s helpful to look for major concepts that tie in with the big picture.

26. 16:16

    If one of the big pictures is the question of the beasts, who they are and what they represent, are there any major concepts which are tied to that overall big picture or theme? And as we progressed in our first class this morning, I’m going to try and highlight more than once how that big theme of the beasts stands out. And secondly, how that there is one very basic major concept which is tied with that theme.

27. 16:47

    And with those two keys in mind, I believe a lot of doors will unlock and it’s helpful to go through Revelation and Daniel just trying to unravel that one basic theme and then look at the supporting details later. Well, let’s do that together. First of all, if we were to scan the Book of Revelation for striking details, what would capture our notice first?

28. 17:14

    Well, in the sections dealing with prophetic details other than the scenes of the future glory in the Kingdom and God manifestation, which are another big picture in Revelation, it should strike us that starting in about Revelation chapter 12,

29. 17:34

    we are introduced to a very important theme, namely that dealing with the beasts. As we’ve said, we noticed how this is presented to us in Revelation chapter 12. John tells us in verse 3 there appeared another wonder in heaven and behold, a great red dragon having seven heads and 10 horns and seven crowns upon his heads.

30. 18:04

    He then performs a number of very important acts here in verse 4, so we’re introduced to a dragon. We progress. Chapter 13. John tells us that he stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and 10 horns, and upon his horns 10 crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy. And then he tells us in verse 2, The beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth is the mouth of a lion. And the dragon, the unseen character here, the dragon gave him his power and his seat and great authority. The dragon hasn’t disappeared.

31. 18:55

    The dragon here in chapter 13 is the motivating force for this new beast that emerges. The dragon now is camouflaged, covert, not obvious, but nevertheless he is the dynamic power behind this new sea beast that emerges. Verse 11 John says I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb, and he spake as a dragon. He exercises all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast whose deadly wound was healed. Now we see a link then between this earth beast and the sea beast.

32. 19:38

    And since the sea beast has motor has had its motive power from the dragon, we should suspect the dragon too must be some force as well. Still at this time, and we’re not wrong. As we progress through the Book of Revelation beyond chapter 13, we find that the dragon is alive and well. We go to chapter 16 and when the three unclean spirits in verse 13 are mentioned like frogs, they come out of the mouth of the dragon.

33. 20:12

    The dragon then, is still there, perhaps covert, not too obvious, but he is present, and he is that time still alongside of one of the other beasts, the beasts with the false prophet. As we go further through revelation into chapter 17, we meet a scarlet colored beast in verse 3, and we might wonder if at this point the dragon is still alive and well.

34. 20:39

    That was back in chapter 12. We’re not disappointed, are we? Because when we go a little further in Revelation, beyond this scarlet colored beast, we discover that indeed, the dragon is still around. For the dragon is mentioned as late on as chapter 20 and verse two at the time of the Millennium. You see, then that’s obviously an important theme. Whatever those beasts have to do with, they take up a lot of space in the Book of Revelation.

35. 21:13

    At the hinge of the book, Revelation Chapter 11 is about the midpoint of the Book of Revelation, and from there on, significantly, the second-half of the Book of Revelation begins with this dragon and ends with this dragon. And in between there are manifestations of this dragon through the name of the sea beast and through the name of the Earth beast. And in disguise, the dragon fuels these beasts with their power.

36. 21:39

    He gives them their power. There is then a kind of continuity which runs through the Book of Revelation from about Chapter 11 to the end, dealing with that very important big picture, the beasts. And then, of course, it’s no surprise when we analyze Revelation 13 with those sea beasts back there again in verse one.

37. 22:01

    Or the sea beast, rather. With our ear to the Old Testaments, we can tell that we have seen parts of this beast before, or even though now he’s a bit of a conglomerate. For we recognize that in this beast he comes out of the sea in verse one and a very important link with Daniel Seven, that this beast has associations with a leopard, a bear, a lion, and then of course the dragon itself.

38. 22:30

    When we go back to Daniel chapter seven, we find most of those parts. We also discover that in Daniel Chapter 7, before those fourth beasts, 4 beasts emerge, they too come out of a watery grave or a watery bed. They come out of a kind of watery abyss. In Daniel 7, verse one, the wind strives over the ocean.

39. 22:52

    The waves are tossing, and over that horrid, brooding scene emerges the first beast that Daniel sees in Chapter 7. Then from the same watery source emerges the second beast, and so on to the 4th beast. So then there’s a link here, isn’t there? Daniel sees these beasts emerge out of a watery sea. John sees the same.

40. 23:16

    John sees parts of Daniel’s beasts in a conglomerate form in chapter 13. There’s a link, then, with Daniel and Revelation. The theme of the beasts is one that bridges both Old and New Testament. Therefore, the theme of the beast takes up a fair portion of space in the book of Daniel. It does likewise in Revelation, and on that basis we can be sure that we’re onto a very important topic. It’s a major big picture, surely, if we understood basically what that theme is all about and what those beasts basically represent.

41. 23:56

    And although we, as we’ve said, may not be sure of all the supporting details like the frog, like spirits and who they are, we’ll understand roughly what pattern they must fit into. And I think in our Bible study with this topic, it’s extremely helpful and less frustrating to approach Daniel and Revelation this way. Keep going back to these two books with big or major themes or pictures in mind and tackle them as a unit, as a major theme from Revelation and Daniel together. Then going back and perhaps looking at another important theme and seeing how they tie in rather than trying to solve all the small details at once.

42. 24:37

    There was something else that should strike us in Revelation just going back there momentarily. And it’s this that there is mention of an important city tied in with these beasts. And what is that important city that ties in with these beasts? Well, we don’t have to look very far. When we get as far as Revelation 17, we’re introduced to the name Babylon, Verse 5, tying in with these beasts. Babylon connected somehow with this woman and with the beast system.

43. 25:20

    If we go back to Revelation 16 just after mentioning the dragon and the beast and the false prophet in verse 13 of Revelation 16, and after mentioning Armageddon and verse 16, we have mentioned in verse 19 of the Great City and great Babylon brings to our attention again the Old Testament connections and threads. We see then that this is important to understand. Not only do we see the links here throughout Revelation with one another, but we see how they throw threads back into Daniel. And it’s curious, isn’t it, in trying to piece the picture together that this question of the beasts found in Daniel and in Revelation has associated with it the name Babylon? And it’s a curious thing, isn’t it, That in Daniel, the only other book really that has this link with the beasts, Daniel was in Babylon.

44. 26:25

    He was in Babylon when he saw these beasts. Now there’s another link. Here we find in Revelation the beasts in conjunction with the name Babylon. In the Old Testament, we’re drawn into the book of Daniel where we see the clearest link with these beasts. And lo and behold, Daniel is in Babylon. And Babylon figures very prominently through most of the book of Daniel. Surely that’s no coincidence.

45. 26:52

    What’s Revelation telling us? Surely it’s telling us that we’ve got to go back to the Book of Daniel. And furthermore, it’s telling us that whatever we make of this beast system found throughout Revelation and Daniel, whatever we make of it, we’ve got to keep in mind the word Babylon. It’s inseparable from the beast system somehow, in some Mystic way, perhaps. Now, looking at this theme from this kind of approach makes it a lot simpler, and it helps to put the pieces together 1 by 1 as they belong together.

46. 27:27

    So that’s the procedure we’re going to follow. How in the world is Babylon still present in the Book of Revelation at the time of the end, next to Armageddon? Well, without doing a lot of Bible study at that point, we can at least conclude this. However, Babylon is present at the time of Armageddon or at the time of the Lord’s return.

47. 27:46

    It can’t be literal. That is, it can’t be the old political empire that is now disintegrated and gone somehow. We would be right to conclude Babylon has lived on past the time of Daniel and it’s still in some power or form present as an antagonistic force when Christ returns. That’s a very important concept to understand that supports the main big idea. The big idea is the B system supporting concept Babylon. But Babylon not political so much. Babylon, not as the old empire under Nebuchadnezzar, but Babylon still somehow present in the earth. How present in the earth?

48. 28:30

    In what form is it present still in the earth? Well, we’ll explore that more when we look at Revelation in our last class, where we’ll devote all our attention to the Book of Revelation in this area. But you see, that’s an important concept. Babylon still present when Christ returns. Babylon tied in with the beasts.

49. 28:49

    Now if we pursue that just a little bit further, let’s go back into the Old Testament. Now we’re working on a supporting concept. Back we go into the Old Testament with this question of Babylon. Let me ask you a question as we go back here. What is the first Gentile Kingdom or power mentioned in the Old Testament? The first Gentile power or Kingdom. In fact, we could even make it even less qualified. What is the first Kingdom mentioned in the Old Testament? Well, it’s not surprising to notice as we go back to Genesis chapter 10.

50. 29:35

    The Bible tells us that the very first Kingdom organized power under man’s direction is none other than Babylon, and it comes under several names. In Genesis chapter 10 we read down in verse five, first of Genesis 10, the mention of the word Gentile, Very important. Prelude verse five of Genesis 10. By these were the Isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands. Interesting.

51. 30:14

    Probably one of the first references to the term Gentiles, and in this conjunction we read down in verse 10 and the beginning of his Kingdom was Babylon Margin Babylon first mention of a Kingdom, first reference to the word Kingdom period in the Old Testament, if you check the concordance Now in a certain sense a Kingdom had already existed before then, insofar as God through Samuel told the people of his day.

52. 30:49

    God was king over his people. But it’s never spelled out that way directly until we get to the time of Samuel. And there are hints also in the Law of Moses that that was only so from the beginning. But this is the first reference to Kingdom Babylon. Furthermore, it is synonymous with the land of Shinar. Keep that in mind.

53. 31:10

    The land of Shinar. Now let me ask another question. That’s the first reference to a Kingdom, especially here. Now a gentile Kingdom in the Old Testament. What’s the 1st Kingdom mentioned in the New Testament? The first dominion or power mentioned in the New Testament?

54. 31:33

    Matthew Chapter one, more than just Bible trivia when we ask those kind of questions provides a very interesting perspective at the outset of our study. Let’s go Matthew chapter one in a very unlikely place, the genealogy of our Lord and notice how we are immediately hit with the word Babylon in a somewhat incidental way, but it is immediate.

55. 32:04

    In the New Testament we read in verse 11 Josiah begat. Jeconiah sent his brethren about the time they were carried away to Babylon. First Kingdom mentioned in the New Testament, then it’s mentioned again in verse 12 and after they were brought to Babylon then it’s mentioned twice more in verse 17. All the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are 14 generations, and from the carrying a way into Babylon onto Christ are 14 generations.

56. 32:39

    You see how Babylon is being used there? It’s being used as a kind of marking in the chronology of our Lord. It’s a way of marking off the various genealogies in sections that have led up to our Lord’s life and to his birth on earth. But it is striking that the first mention of our Kingdom in the New Testament is Babylon.

57. 33:01

    Four times in the first book and the first chapter, Babylon comes to our view, and Babylon comes to our view in a very similar way in Genesis First power that God draws attention to, that would be obviously not his Kingdom, something other than his area or his domain of rulership. Let’s go back to Genesis again. Back into the life of Abraham.

58. 33:37

    We noticed that the name Shinar was given in Genesis 10 as being synonymous with Babel, or Babylon in the same basic area. It comes to our attention simultaneously. Shinar does with the name Babylon. Now it’s a curious thing that Shinar shows up again in the life of Abraham. This time we discover that there is and antagonism between the godly man Abraham and Shinar.

59. 34:11

    For we read in verse one It came to pass in the days of Amraphel king of Shinar Arioch king of Al Asser Chile, Amur king of Elam entitled king of Nations, that these made war with another city group or a city state as mentioned in verse 2. So Genesis chapter 14 introduces in this stage in Abraham’s life a war between Abraham and some of the surrounding Gentile powers, and he finds himself at war with Shinar and other nations that are in conjunction with Shinar.

60. 34:51

    And we notice that Shinar is mentioned first in verse one. So here, back in the Old Testament, in a very early stage, we find a man of God antagonistic to Shinar. We find Shinar being associated with a conglomerate of nations or cities that are going to go together and fight against Abraham, father of the faithful. You know, there are patterns here in Genesis on this subject, and of course many other Bible subjects which lay a kind of blueprint down for the rest of the Bible early on. Then in the book of Genesis, not only is Shinar pictured as a Kingdom antagonistic to God associated with Gentile might and ambition, but it is shown very early on to be gathering nations around it and going against a godly man. Very interesting.

61. 35:52

    You see, when we look at the subject of Babylon as it relates to the beast system, we’re only looking at it in very general terms, but it ties in some very important concepts that are laid down surprisingly early in the Bible.

62. 36:10

    When we come to the Book of Revelation again in Revelation chapter 12, in conjunction with the dragon, one of the beasts, it’s not surprising therefore to see that in relationship to that beast, that dragon in Revelation 12, that we’re told that it’s to do with the old serpent. The old serpent. Interesting. It’s in conjunction with the term Satan, which means to be an adversary or an opponent.

63. 36:43

    And here, early on in the life of Abraham, powers that were within the orbit of Shinar are proving themselves to be Satanic or opposing Abraham and the ways of God and of course his relative lot. Interesting how the Lynx bridge back and forth from the earliest book to the last book, and we’re told that this is the old serpent.

64. 37:06

    It’s an old story. It’s part of a very old plot. It goes right back into the Old Testament. There’s nothing new about this dragon. In other words, the dragon is associated with an old, old force or source of antagonism. It’s a diabolical source. It’s an opposing source, and it’s old. So when Revelation sees that or says that, it’s no surprise to see how it fits into the pattern.

65. 37:36

    We’ve just seen very briefly here in Genesis 10 and then again in Genesis chapter 14. Now, brothers and sisters, perhaps a certain amount of the stage has been set to appreciate the force of what we’re now going to look at in greater detail as we look at now the Beasts and Babylon, Daniel, Chapter One. Where does Daniel find its setting? Now perhaps we have a quick answer in our mind, but the term employee to start with in the book of Daniel is most interesting.

66. 38:19

    Now to know in view of what we’ve just covered in Genesis. Just notice in Daniel chapter one, the very first verse of the very first chapter Babylon comes to view in terms of where he is. And when Daniel tells us in verse one in the third year of the reign of Jehoiah king king of Judah, king Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon unto Jerusalem and besieged it.

67. 38:52

    Babylon an act of force, Babylon antagonistic to the city of God. Two cities brought in front of our view, Babylon and Jerusalem. And what are the two cities that are brought to view in the Book of Revelation? There’s only two Jerusalem and Babylon. It’s interesting that Daniel one and verse one automatically introduces us to those two cities in the very first statement of the book, and Revelation develops that in greater detail at a latter time.

68. 39:26

    More than that though, in verse two look at what Babylon is now made synonymous with. The Lord God gave Jehoiah King, King of Judah unto his hand with part of the vessels of the House of God which he carried into the land of Shinar, that power which had organized with itself a series of cities that challenged Abraham. Shinar that was the first of all kingdoms amongst the Gentiles, tied in with Babylon.

69. 39:58

    You see then there’s a kind of continuity in this whole theme. There is a continuous thread that runs right from Genesis 10 through Genesis 11 through Genesis 14 with Abraham, and now we’re at the time of the dispersion and the captivity in Daniel chapter one. And Shinar is still there. And we’re intended to see the link with Shinar and Babylon as synonymous terms. And we’re intended to see that Babylon is antagonistic to the city of God, to Jerusalem.

70. 40:31

    Very important when we turn to Revelation, the city of Jerusalem is there, the New Jerusalem, and Babylon is there at the great city, and it’s destroyed. And Jerusalem lives on. Important to see how such very basic, fundamental concepts are rooted in the Old Testament and Daniel. As we’ll see, more and more provides. Perhaps the clearest links now turn to Zachariah Chapter 5A. Most Curious reference, but it continues to bring to our attention the longevity of Babylon, the longevity of Shinar.

71. 41:13

    It isn’t destroyed, it keeps going. Notice how this emerges in Zechariah chapter 5. First of all, before we look at chapter 5, let’s remind ourselves where we are in time. Zechariah is a prophet with Haggai that have gone back with the Jews after the Babylonian captivity. After Daniel, Daniel is now way gone. Zechariah goes back with the returning exiles to the city of Jerusalem, to the land of Israel, and with Haggai the prophet Zechariah laborers in the rebuilding of the temple. And then later on, of course, the walls are rebuilt under Ezra Nehemiah, You know.

72. 42:04

    Zechariah then comes at a time when Babylon has been destroyed by Persia, when Zechariah prophesied. The ancient power of Babylon has been destroyed by Cyrus. Cyrus, by the time Zechariah prophesied, has already moved into Babylon. His forces have fired the city, destroyed it, and flattened it, and Cyrus has reigned and gone by the time Zechariah prophesied.

73. 42:31

    The Persians now are ruling the world. No longer is there the ancient city or power of Babylon, but in Zechariah Chapter 5 there is a prophecy dealing in a most peculiar way with our theme. For we read that the prophet sees in his vision a vessel, and he asks what this vessel is.

74. 42:56

    It’s a measuring container. Verse six. What is it? Says Zechariah. The Angel says, this is an ephah, A measuring container like a big jar that goeth forth. He say it’s moreover, this is their resemblance. Throughout all the earth, behold there was lifted up a talent of lead. That’s the lid. And this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ether, in the midst of this measuring jar.

75. 43:22

    And he said, pointing to the woman. This is wickedness, And he cast it into the midst of the ether, and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then, says Zechariah, I lifted up my eyes, and behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings, for they had wings like the wings of a stork. And they lifted up this measuring container with a woman in it between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the Angel that talked with me, Whither do they bear the ether?

76. 43:53

    And he said unto me to build it in house in the land of Shinar. Shinar again. Shinar. This is at the time when the Persians have conquered Babylon. How could Babylon or Shinar still be in existence? What a most incredible reference here in a prophecy that is virtually celebrating the demise of Babylon and the rebuilding of Israel and Jerusalem under the two prophets.

77. 44:23

    To see this curious prophecy of a woman in a measuring container and the Prophet is told this is wickedness. The lid is shut on top of the jar, it’s picked up by two unclean storks and it’s carried off to the land of Shinar. And look what it says to build it in a house in the land of Shinar. This woman is going to have a house in Babylon and it shall be established and set there upon her own base. Isn’t that curious?

78. 44:57

    Do you know that’s the last reference to Shinar in the Old Testament? The very last reference to Babylon in the Old Testament? In other words, the question of Babylon is last mentioned in the Old Testament in conjunction with a woman, and in conjunction with a wicked woman at that, and in conjunction with something that can’t be the old literal power of Babylon, as the Old Empire was, because this last reference comes after Babylon’s demise and the time of the Persians. Isn’t that interesting?

79. 45:33

    And when’s the next time you meet Babylon? Matthew chapter one, verse one, incidentally, in the Lord’s genealogy. And when really is the last time that whole picture of Babylon is developed? Well, it comes in the Book of Revelation, doesn’t it? And when Babylon is mentioned in the Book of Revelation, it’s in conjunction with a woman, and it’s in conjunction with a wicked woman at that. And it’s in conjunction with a reference to Babylon. That can’t be the old literal power of Babylon. It must be some other manifestation, some other form of Babylon.

80. 46:08

    You see, brothers and sisters, it’s an intriguing theme, isn’t it? The roots go right back into the Old Testament, and we’ll look at the prophecy of Daniel and other prophecies that assist us in developing this theme in greater detail as we get into our second and third talks.