The penetration of the Religion of Babylon became so general and well known that Rome was called the
"New Babylon." Faith of our fathers 1917 ed. Cardinal Gibbons, p. 106 Understand this is a quote from  a
Roman Catholic Cardinal.

Chapter One
"SUN WORSHIP" 
SOURCE  OF ALL FALSE RELIGION

THE MYSTERY RELIGION of Babylon has been symbolically described in the last book of the Bible as a woman "arrayed in purple and scarlet color, 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" (Rev. 17:1-6).

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    When the Bible uses symbolic language, a "woman" can symbolize a church.  The true church, for example, is likened to a bride, a chaste virgin, a woman without spot or blemish (Eph. 5:27: Rev. 19:7,8).  But here, in striking contrast, an unclean woman, a defiled woman, a harlot, is pictured.  If it is here correct to apply this symbolism to a church system, it is clear that only a defiled and Fallen church could be meant!  In big capital letters, the Bible calls her "MYSTERY BABYLON."

    When John wrote the book of Revelation, Babylon--as a city and empire--had already been destroyed and left in ruins, as the Old Testament prophets had foretold (Isaiah 13: 19-22; Jer. 51-52).  But the religious concepts and customs that originated in Babylon continued on and were well represented in many nations of the world. Just what was the religion of ancient Babylon?  How did it all begin?  What significance does it hold in modern times?  How does it all tie in with what John wrote in the book of Revelation?

    Turning the pages of time back to the period shortly after the flood, men began to migrate from the east, "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" (Gen. I I :2).  It was here that the city of Babylon was built and this land became known as Babylonia or later as Mesopotamia.

    Here the Euphrates and Tigris rivers had built up rich deposits of earth that could produce crops in abundance.  But there were certain problems the people faced.  For one thing, the land was overrun with wild animals which were a constant threat to the safety and peace of the inhabitants (Exodus 23:29,30). Obviously anyone who could successfully provide protection from these wild beasts would receive great acclaim from the people.

    It was at this point that a large, powerfully-built man by the name of Nimrod appeared on the scene.  He became famous as a mighty hunter against the wild animals.  The Bible tells us: "And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth.  He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord" (Gen. l0:8-9).

    Apparently Nimrod's success as a mighty hunter caused him to become famous among those primitive people.  He became "a mighty one" in the earth--a famous leader in worldly affairs.  Gaining this prestige, he devised a better means of protection.  Instead of constantly fighting the wild beasts, why not organize the people into cities and surround them with walls of protection?  Then, why not organize these cities into a kingdom?  Evidently this was the thinking of Nimrod, for the Bible tells us that he organized such a kingdom.  "And the beginning of his KINGDOM was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar' (Gen. l0: 10). The kingdom of Nimrod is the first mentioned in the Bible.

    Whatever advances may have been made by Nimrod would have been well and good, but Nimrod was an ungodly ruler.  The name Nimrod comes from marad. meaning, "he rebelled."  The expression that he was a mighty one "before the Lord" can carry a hostile meaning the word "before" being sometimes used as meaning "against" the Lord.  The Jewish Encyclopedia that Nimrod was "he who made all the people rebellious against God."

    The noted historian Josephus wrote: "Now it was Nimrod who excited them to such an affront and contempt of God....He also gradually changed the government into tyranny, seeing no other way of turning men from the fear of God..,the multitudes were very ready to follow the determination of Nimrod...and they built a tower, neither sparing any pains, nor being in any degree negligent about the work: and, by reason of the multitude of hands employed in it, it grew very high....The place wherein they built the tower is now called Babylon."

    Basing his conclusions on information that has come down to us in history, legend, and mythology, Alexander Hislop has written in detail of how Babylonian religion developed around traditions concerning Nimrod, his wife Semiramis, and her child Tammuz.  When Nimrod died, according to the old stories, his body was cut into pieces, burnt, and sent to various areas.  Similar practices are mentioned in the Bible (Judges 19:29: 1 Sam. 11:7).

    Following his death, which was greatly mourned by the people of Babylon, his wife Semiramis  claimed he was now the sun god.  Later, when she gave birth to a son, she claimed that her son Tammuz by name, was their hero Nimrod reborn.

    The mother of Tammuz had probably heard the prophecy of the coming Messiah to be born of a woman, for this truth was known from the earliest times (Gen. 3:15).  She claimed her son was supernaturally conceived and that he was the promised seed, the "savior."  In the religion that developed, however, not only was the child worshiped, but the mother was worshiped also!

    Much of the Babylonian worship was carried on through mysterious symbols--it was a "mystery" religion.  Since the deified Nimrod was believed to be the sun god, fire was considered his earthly representation.  Thus, as we shall see, candles and ritual fires were lighted in his honor.  In other forms, he was symbolized by sun images, fish, trees, pillars, and animals.

    Centuries later, Paul gave a description which perfectly fits the course that the people of Babylon followed: "When they knew God, they glorified him not as God...but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things...they changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the creator...for this cause God gave them up unto vile affections" (Rom. 1:21-26).

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
Rom 1:26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:

    This system of idolatry spread from Babylon to the nations, for it was from this location that men were scattered over the face of the earth (Gen. 11:9).  As they went from Babylon, they took their worship of the mother and child, and the various mystery symbols with them.  Herodotus, the world traveler and historian of antiquity, 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.  Bunsen says that the religious system of Egypt was derived from Asia and "the primitive empire in Babel."  In his noted word Nineveh and its Remains, Layard declares 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.  All of these historians were quoted by Hislop.

    When Rome became a world empire, it is a known fact that she assimilated in to her system the gods and religions from the various sun worship countries over which she ruled.  Since Babylon was the source of the sun worship of these countries, we can see how the early religion of sun worshiping Rome was but the Babylonish worship that had developed into various forms and under different names in the counties to which it had gone.

    Bearing this in mind, we notice that it was during the time while Rome was ruling the world that the true savior, Jesus Christ, was born, lived among men, died, and rose again.  He ascended into heaven, sent back the Holy Spirit, and the New Testament church was established in the earth.  What glorious days!  One only has to read the book of Acts to see how much God blessed his people in those days.  Multitudes were added to the church.  Great signs and wonders were performed as God confirmed his word with signs following.

    Christianity, anointed by the Holy Spirit, swept the world like a prairie fire.  It encircled the mountains and crossed the oceans.  It made kings to tremble and tyrants to fear.  It was said of those early Christians that they had  "turned the world upside down"!--so powerful was their message and spirit (Acts 17:6)

Act 17:6  And when they found them not, they drew Jason and certain brethren unto the rulers of the city, crying, These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;
Act 17:7  Whom Jason hath received: and these all do contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, one Jesus.


    Before too may years had passed, however, men began to set themselves up as "lords" over God's people in place of the Holy Spirit.  Instead of conquering by spiritual means and by truth--as in the early days--men began to substitute their ideas and their methods.  Attempts to merge sun worship in Christianity were being made even in the days when our New Testament was being written, for Paul mentioned that the "mystery of iniquity" was already at work; he warned that there would come a "falling away" and some would "depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils"--the counterfeit doctrines of the sun worshipers (2Thess. 2:3-7: 1 Tim. 4:2).

2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.

1Ti 4:1  Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
1Ti 4:2  Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
1Ti 4:3  Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.

    By the time that Jude wrote the book that bears his name, it was necessary for him to exhort the people to "earnestly contend for the faith that was once delivered unto the saints," for certain men had crept in who were attempting to substitute things that were no part of the original faith (Jude 1:3-4)

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.
Jude 1:4  For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

Christianity came face to face with the Babylonia sun worship in its various forms that had been established in the Roman Empire.  The early Christians refused to have anything to do with its customs and beliefs.  Much persecution resulted.  Many Christians were falsely accused, thrown to the lions burned at the stake , and in other ways tortured and martyred.  Then great changes began to be made.  The emperor of Rome professed conversion to Christianity.  Imperial orders went forth throughout the empire that persecution should cease.  Bishops were given high honors.  The church began to receive worldly recognition and power.  But for all of this, a great price had to be paid!  Many compromises were made with sun worship.  Instead of the church being separate from the world, it became a part of this world system.  The emperor showing favor, demanded a place of leadership in the church: for in Sun worship, emperors were believe to be gods.  From here on, wholesale mixtures of sun worship into the Christianity were made, especially at Rome.

History proves it was this mixture that produced the system which is known today as the Roman Catholic church.  Lets not doubt that there are many fine, sincere, and devout Catholics.  It is not our intention to treat lightly or to ridicule anyone whose beliefs we may here disagree with.  But that history will inspire all--regardless of their religious affiliation--to forsake Babylonish doctrines and seek a return to the faith that was once delivered unto the saints.