THE LAND OF IRAQ IN THE LIGHT OF THE BIBLE
"Now a river flowed out of Eden to water the garden; and from there it divided and became four rivers. The name of the first is Pishon; it flows around the whole land of Havilah, where, there is gold. The gold of that land is good; the bdellium and the onyx stone are there. The name of the second river is Gihon; it flows around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Tigris; it flows east of Assyria. And the fourth river is the Euphrates.” Genesis 2:10-14 (NASB)
Iraq is the area many believe is the birthplace of civilization and where the Garden of Eden was located. Much of biblical history occurred in this region. The Bible student would do well to consider the past, present and future of this land.
IT’S ANTIQUITAL PAST
The Empire of Nimrod.
It was here that Nimrod, great-grandson of Noah, built a great empire in the entire region round about. He built many great cities, one of the greatest of which was Babel (or Babylon).
"Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became, a mighty one on the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore, it is said, "Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD." The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city.” Genesis 10:8-12 (NASB)
The Tower of Babel was built here.
The Tower of Babel has long been a symbol of man’s defiance of God and the folly of his attempt to reach heaven through the works of his own hands. It would seem that after millenniums of repeated failure man would learn that salvation is not the works of man’s hands. (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“Now the whole earth used the same language and the same words. It came about as they journeyed east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. They said to one another, ‘Come, let us make bricks and burn them thoroughly.’ And they used brick for stone, and they used tar for mortar. They said, ‘Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name, otherwise we will be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth.’
The LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. The LORD said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they all have the same language. And this is what they began to do, and now nothing, which they purpose to do, will be impossible for them. Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.’
So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of the whole earth; and they stopped building the city. Therefore, its name was called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of the whole earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of the whole earth.” Genesis 11:1-9 (NASB).
Babylon in the Sixth Century B.C.
Babylon, at that point in time, was the capitol of the known world, having reached it highest glory in the 6th century B.C. during Nebuchadnezzar’s reign. The city was an architectural delight. Here Nebuchadnezzar built the famous hanging gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.
According to “The Westminster Dictionary of the Bible”, The Westminster Press, Philadelphia, 1944, page 55: “the city was surrounded by double walls. A deep and broad moat ran around the city and beyond that was a great wall about 344 feet high and 86 feet wide. On the top of this rampart was room enough for a four horse chariot to pass, and even to turn. The city had 100 gates of bronze, 25 on each side. From these there ran broad streets at right angles to the walls, thus dividing the whole area into squares. The Euphrates flowed through the midst of the city, dividing it into two portions.”
It was here in Babylon that the fingers of a man’s hand wrote on the wall of the king’s palace. We read the account in Daniel 5:1-31.
“Belshazzar the king held a great feast for a thousand of his nobles and he was drinking wine in the presence of the thousand. When Belshazzar tasted the wine, he gave orders to bring the gold and silver vessels which Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines might drink from them.
Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God which was in Jerusalem; and the king and his nobles, his wives and his concubines drank from them. They drank the wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, of bronze, iron, wood and stone.
Suddenly the fingers of a man’s hand emerged and began writing opposite the lamp stand on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, and the king saw the back of the hand that did the writing. Then the king’s face grew pale and his thoughts alarmed him, and his hip joints went slack and his knees began knocking together.
The king called aloud to bring in the conjurers, the Chaldeans and the diviners. The king spoke and said to the wise men of Babylon, "Any man who can read this inscription and explain its interpretation to me shall be clothed with purple and have a necklace of gold around his neck, and have authority as third ruler in the kingdom." Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the inscription or make known its interpretation to the king.
Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, his face grew even paler, and his nobles were perplexed. The queen entered the banquet hall because of the words of the king and his nobles; the queen spoke and said, "O king, live forever! Do not let your thoughts alarm you or your face be pale. "There is a man in your kingdom in whom is a spirit of the holy gods; and in the days of your father, illumination, insight and wisdom like the wisdom of the gods were found in him. And King Nebuchadnezzar, your father, your father the king, appointed him chief of the magicians, conjurers, Chaldeans and diviners. "This was because, an extraordinary spirit, knowledge and insight, interpretation of dreams, explanation of enigmas and solving of difficult problems were found in this Daniel, whom the king named Belteshazzar. Let Daniel now be summoned and he will declare the interpretation."
Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king spoke and said to Daniel, "Are you that Daniel who is one of the exiles, from Judah, whom my father the king brought from Judah? "Now I have heard about you that a spirit of the gods is in you, and that illumination, insight and extraordinary wisdom have been found in you. "Just now the wise men and the conjurers were brought in before me that they might read this inscription and make its interpretation known to me, but they could not declare the interpretation of the message.
"But I personally have heard about you, that you are able to give interpretations and solve difficult problems. Now if you are able to read the inscription and make its interpretation known to me, you will be clothed with purple and wear a necklace of gold around your neck, and you will have authority as the third ruler in the kingdom."
Then Daniel answered and said before the king, "Keep your gifts for yourself or give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription to the king and make the interpretation known to him.”O king, the Most High God granted sovereignty, grandeur, glory and majesty to Nebuchadnezzar your father. "Because of the grandeur which He bestowed on him, all the peoples, nations and men of every language feared and trembled before him; whomever he wished he killed and whomever he wished he spared alive; and whomever he wished he elevated and whomever he wished he humbled.
"But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit became so proud that he behaved arrogantly, he was deposed from his royal throne and his glory was taken away from him. He was also driven away from mankind, and his heart was made like, that of beasts, and his dwelling place was with the wild donkeys. He was given grass to eat like cattle, and his body was drenched with the dew of heaven until he recognized that the Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and that He sets over it whomever, He wishes.
"Yet you, his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, even though you knew all this, but you have exalted yourself against the Lord of heaven; and they have brought the vessels of His house before you, and you and your nobles, your wives and your concubines have been drinking wine from them; and you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which do not see, hear or understand. But the God in whose hand are your life-breath and your ways, you have not glorified. Then the hand was sent from Him and this inscription was written out.
”Now this is the inscription that was written out: ’MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN.’ "This is the interpretation of the message: ’MENE’—God has numbered your kingdom and put an end to it." ’TEKEL’—you have been weighed on the scales and found deficient." ’PERES’—your kingdom has been divided and given over to the Medes and Persians."
Then Belshazzar gave orders, and they clothed Daniel with purple and put a necklace of gold around his neck, and issued a proclamation concerning him that he now had authority as the third ruler in the kingdom. That same night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was slain. So Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two”. (Daniel 5:1-31 NASB)
THE PRESENT DAY PERIL
Peril is the operative word in the region today. Coalition forces are moving toward Baghdad, totally committed to end the cruel and inhuman dictatorship of Saddam Hussein and to establish a free and independent democracy in it place.
Hussein’s forces are ignoring the principles laid down by the Geneva Convention in an attempt to gain a military advantage. He is resorting to terroristic tactics, encouraging and rewarding heinous crimes in clear violation of the Articles of Warfare.
Hussein’s character and his tactics call to mind what Paul wrote Timothy: "But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come, for men will be lovers of themselves…" "But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse…" II Timothy 3: 1, 13.
WHAT LIES IN THE FUTURE?
A prophet is not required to predict the immediate future of the region. The United States and Britain are resolutely committed to ending the evil regime of Saddam Hussein.
But beyond this immediate moment, as we look to the end of the age and the glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, we read in Revelation of the impending judgment of God upon the unbelieving world. Revelation mentions the Euphrates River two times. Both instances are associated with God’s judgment during the Great Tribulation.
“Then the sixth angel sounded: And I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar which is before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, ‘Release the four [fallen] angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates. So the four [fallen] angels, who had been prepared for the hour and day and month and year, were released to kill a third of mankind.” Revelation 9:13-15.
“Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and the water was dried up, so that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” Revelation 16:12.
As this region of the world was uniquely associated with the early days of civilization even so shall it be deeply involved in the final hours of this generation.
And what then shall we say to these things?
EVEN SO, COME QUICKLY, LORD JESUS!
Amen and Amen!
