Worship on Fire
In this passage of scripture we have a great story of how God can preserve the faithful in the face of certain death. King Nebuchadnezzar was a proud and powerful King who was used to getting his own way.
Background
Babylon means babilu or gate of god. It is an ancient city in the plain of Shinar on the Euphrates River, about 50 miles south of Modern Baghdad. Nebuchadnezzar invaded and plundered Tyre, Moab, Ammon, Edom, and Jerusalem.
2 Kin 24:13-14 And Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon carried out from there all the treasures of the house of the LORD and the treasures of the king’s house, and he cut in pieces all the articles of gold which Solomon king of Israel had made in the temple of the LORD, as the LORD had said. Also he carried into captivity all Jerusalem: all the captains and all the mighty men of valor, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.
Babylon was the jewel of the Middle East at this time in history. It was built in the form of a square 14 miles on each side it had 250 towers that were 450 feet high and a wide and deep moat that encircled the city walls.
The Euphrates River also flowed through the middle of the city. Ferry boats and a 1/2 mi. long bridge with drawbridges closed at night. It was home to the famous Hanging Gardens one of the 7 wonders of the ancient world and water was raised from the river by hydraulic pumps.
The Great Temple of Marduk was connected with the planet Jupiter and with water, vegetation, judgment, and magic. Babylon had 180 altars to Ishtar the goddess of fertility her planet was Venus.
Nebuchadnezzar’s palace was considered to be the most magnificent building ever erected on earth. There was a golden image of Baal Marduk and the Golden Table both weighing over 50,000 lbs of solid gold. Also 2 golden lions, a solid gold human figure 18 feet high.
The bible says that he built a golden figure far larger and ordered it to be worshiped. Daniel 3:1
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet [a] wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.
In 1985, Saddam Hussein started rebuilding the city on top of the old ruins. To the dismay of archaeologists, he inscribed his name on many of the bricks in imitation of Nebuchadnezzar. One frequent inscription reads: This was built by Saddam Hussein, son of Nebuchadnezzar, to glorify Iraq. These bricks became sought after as collectors’ items after the downfall of Hussein, and the ruins are no longer being restored to their original state.
An article published in April 2006 states that UN officials and Iraqi leaders have big plans for restoring Babylon, making it a gem of a new Iraq as a cultural center complete with shopping malls, hotels, and perhaps a theme park: One day millions of people will visit Babylon and the bible speaks to this.
Habakkuk 1:5-6
5 Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe, even if you were told.
6 I am raising up the Babylonians, [a]
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwellings not their own.
And the Bible makes it very plain that Babylon will be the seat of power over all those who are enjoined to it. But only for a short time! Read the Book of Revelation for more of what is to come concerning Babylon.
But before Babylon can rule over anyone, it must first be built. And there is no tokenism in this massive project. This is being done on a scale that could scarcely be imagined. Every effort is being made to reproduce exactly what existed in the days of Nebuchadnezzar, including his very throne room!
Saddam Hussein had rebuilt it on the exact spot where Nebuchadnezzar directed his empire. It was here that Nebuchadnezzar consigned Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego to the fiery furnace. It was here that Daniel advised him of the meaning of his dream of the great image. The explanation given by Daniel reaches all the way to our time today.
He spoke of four kingdoms that would arise consecutively, and which would all exist in the end time. http://www.zionministry.com/babylon.html
But Saddam Hussein is a mere bit-player in the scenario that is about to unfold. He pales into insignificance against the prophesied beast that will arise. This beast will sweep across the earth and crush everything before him – just like Alexander the Great. God Himself will give him unfettered license to do as he pleases – but only for a short time.
Babylon probably has to be rebuilt sometime before the 7 year Tribulation starts. If it is going to be a flourishing city by the time the Antichrist sets out to destroy it, it has to be rebuilt sometime before the Antichrist really comes to power in order to properly set the stage for it to be a flourishing and wealthy city again.
The Associated Press BAGHDAD May 4, 2008
US blueprint looks beyond war to envision high-end hub in Baghdad
:By BRADLEY BROOKS
Forget the rocket attacks, concrete blast walls and lack of a sewer system. Now try to imagine luxury hotels, a shopping center and even condos in the heart of Baghdad.That’s all part of a five-year development dream list or what some dub an improbable fantasy to transform the U.S. protected Green Zone from a walled fortress into a centerpiece for Baghdad’s future.
But the $5 billion plan has the backing of the Pentagon and apparently the interest of some deep pockets in the world of international hotels and development, the lead military liaison for the project told The Associated Press.
A $1 billion investment could come from MBI International, a conglomerate that focuses on hotels and resorts and is led by Saudi Sheikh Mohamed Bin Issa Al Jaber.
Elizabeth Caminiti, a Marriott spokeswoman, declined to comment. Phone calls and e-mails sent to London-based MBI were not returned.
.But developers are clearly looking many years ahead and gambling that Baghdad could one day join the list of former war zones such as Sarajevo and Beirut that have rebounded and earned big paydays for early investors.
Last week, a Los Angeles-based holding company for equity firms, C3, confirmed it was starting a $500 million project to build an amusement park on the outskirts of the Green Zone in an area encompassing the Baghdad Zoo. The first phase, a skateboard park, is scheduled to open this summer. END.
Muslims all over the world await the arrival of a great leader to lead them in the fulfillment of all their ambitions of conquest. Saddam Hussein would have liked to have been that man. Bible prophecy reveals that he won’t fulfill these ambitions and his recent execution assures it. But he has been a central figure in prophetic events of our time.
The Muslims wait for a great Messiah they call the Mahdi.
For the Muslims the Mahdi is viewed as a Messiah but for Christians the Mahdi could well be the False Prophet mentioned in the Book of Revelation. Just as Nebuchadnezzar raised a golden statue to be worshiped so too will the Antichrist raise an image to be worshiped.
Revelation 13:
14: And he deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.
15: And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause that as many as would not worship the image of the beast should be killed.
The Mahdi will usher in a golden age of Islam for a period of seven years and according to Islam he will do this alongside Jesus. Yes Muslims see Jesus as a prophet not the Son of God. The world will be forced by violent means to accept the Mahdi. This is the religion and thinking of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
He wants to destroy Israel and the west thereby destroying Zionism and Christianity and placing Islam as the dominate faith in the world.
We are living out Biblical prophecy today and just like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego a world leader will demand that people worship an image as a god. Will you be faithful and go through the fire trusting the True and Living God no matter the outcome or will you submit to the false god? Very soon we may have to make such a choice.
Let us pray.
