Chapter Two/The Grand Theme of the Bible - Babylon the Great

 The building of the original Babylon was more than a political enterprise.  Since that city was established in defiance of Jehovah's sovereignty, religion was involved. Indeed, ancient Babylon became a fountain of religious idolatry. Its priests taught God-dishonoring doctrines, such as the survival of a human soul after death and that the hereafter is a place of eternal horror and torment presided over by demons. They fostered the worship of creatures and of a multitude of gods and goddesses. They fabricated myths to explain the origin of the earth and man upon it and performed degrading rituals and sacrifices, supposedly to ensure fertility in childbearing and crop raising and victory in war. 

As the various language groups from Babylon spread out over the earth, they took Babylonish religion with them. Thus, rites and beliefs similar to those of ancient Babylon flourished among original inhabitants of Europe, Africa, the Americas, the Far East, and the South Seas, and many of these beliefs persist to this day. Appropriately, then, Revelation refers to the world embracing empire of false religion as a city named Babylon the Great. (Revelation, chapters 17,18) Wherever it has been sown, false religion has sprouted oppressive priesthoods, superstition, ignorance, and immorality. It has been a powerful tool in Satan's hand. Babylon the Great has always fought fiercely against true worship of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. 

Next time: Chapter Two/The Grand Theme of the Bible - Babylon the Great - Conclusion

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