THE STUDY OF REVELATION 1
Creation Revelation Robert & Mary Tozier WWW.CREATIONREVELATION.ORG Rtozier@creationrevelation.org At Sunrise Bible Church Las Vegas, NV 2
Behold I Come Quickly Rev 22:7 Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book. 3
Behold I Come Quickly. The Study of Revelation Lesson 40 4
Opening Prayer 5
Behold I Come Quickly The Study of Revelation Lesson 40 THE LEGEND OF SEMIRAMIS PART 3 {REV 17:1-5} 6
KEY VERSES 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. (Continued) 7
KEY VERSES 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: (Continued) 8
KEY VERSES 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. 9
THE MOTHER AND CHILD CULT 10
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT Semiramis is a Greek form of Sammuramat, or "gift of the sea. "Sammur" in Hebrew becomes "Shinar," the name for lower Mesopotamia, "the land of Shinar," or Semiramis. To hide the fact that she was an ex-harlot, the fiction that she was a virgin sprung from the sea at Nimrod's landing was concocted (gift of the sea). Thus, Semiramis' original name is lost. 11
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT Semiramis originated the "mystery religion," which included astrology. Semiramis is also known as Ishtar, the Babylonian goddess of love and fertility. She became Isis in Egypt; Venus in Rome; Aphrodite in Greece, Astarte in Phoenicia, Diana in Ephesus, and Ashtoreth in Israel. 12
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT The mystery religion has as its premise that the Great Dragon is the rightful heir of the Universe who has been overthrown and will one day be restored by a child born of a divine mother. This matches Blavatski s Theosophy that Lucifer saved us from an evil God (Adonai), that enslaved us in a garden. The result is the worship of the heavenly hosts (fallen angels) through astrology. 13
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT Modern day dabbling into Eastern Religions and the environment through Gaia, or mother earth, worship is another example. Shirley MacLane standing on the seashore with outstretched arms proclaiming "I am God" is part of the mystery religion. Emperor worship has been a part of this as well. 14
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT Semiramis is the origin of the mother and child cult of various religions, including Roman Catholicism. Semiramis and Tammuz were worshipped in Babylon. The legend of the mother and child was incorporated into the Babylonian religious rites and is repeated in various pagan religions. The mother and child motif is part of Roman Catholicism. 15
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT The Phoenicians had Ashtoreth and Tammuz. The Greeks worshipped Aphrodite and Eros. The Hindu have Ushas and Vishnu. The Chinese had a virgin goddess called Shingmoo, with child in her arms. 16
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT In Germany the mother was called Hertha, in Scandinavia she was Disa, the Etruscans called her Nutria, to the Druids she was Virgo-Patitura, the Indians called her Indrani. She was Nana to the Sumerians, to the Romans she was Venus or Fortuna, and her child was Jupiter. She is Devaki and her child Crishna, as well as Isi and her child Iswara in India. 17 In Asia she is Cybele and her child Deoius.
MOTHER AND CHILD CULT In Asia she is Cybele and her child Deoius. Babylonianism indeed became the religion of the world. As Nimrod became Baal, the female deity would be Baalti, which translated means "My Lady. In Latin it would be "Mea Domina." The Italians would call her "Madonna, a result of the merger of paganism with the church during the time of Constantine. 18
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON 19
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON When Babylon was finally destroyed by the Persians the priests fled to Pergamos (ca. 539 B C) where they resumed their practice of the mystery religion. They later migrated to Rome (ca. 133 BC) and propagated the ancient cult under the name of the Etruscan Mysteries. It was at Pergamos where the altar to Zeus was set up. Because of the Babylonian Mystery influence Rome became known as the New Babylon. 20
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON This altar was later brought to Berlin where it remains on display today. Interestingly, our president Obama s Democratic nomination at Denver, Colorado in 2008 took place on a stage designed around this altar to Zeus. Rome eventually became the headquarters of the Babylonian Mystery Religion. The high priest took the title Pontifex Maximus. 21
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON 22
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON 23
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON The chief priest wore a mitre on his head in the shape of a fish in honor of Dagon, the fish-god, the lord of life. The Catholic pope today wears such a mitre. All Roman emperors down to Constantine the Great assumed the title "Pontifex Maximus the chief priest of the Etruscan Mysteries. Constantine was the head of both the church and state. 24
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON The title was later conferred to the succeeding bishops of Rome. Thus the Pope is by title, in effect, the direct successor of the high priest of the Babylonian mysteries. Many of the Babylonian practices and teachings were absorbed into the Roman Catholic Church. 25
THE PRIESTS OF BABYLON According to theologian Dr. John Walvoord: Babylon is the source of counterfeit religion sometimes in the form of pseudo Christianity, sometimes in the form of pagan religion. Its most confusing form, however, is found in Romanism. 26
THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH 27
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH As the early church grew in numbers the Apostles began to appoint elders and bishops to oversee the new churches that sprung up around the empire. In the early era of Christianity all those holding the office of bishop were considered equals. It wasn t until sometime between 313 and 450AD that the bishop of Rome gained the ascendancy over the other bishops. 28
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH It was during the time period between 313 and 590AD that the church became the Roman Catholic Church and the ritual of the church became more elaborate, reflecting imperial Rome. It is important to realize that not all Christians were ever part of the Catholic Church and these groups were persecuted by the hierarchical church to virtual extinction for their adherence to the simple Gospel. 29
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH This is well documented by E. H. Broadbent in his book, The Pilgrim Church, (see also the recent video, A Lamp in the Dark: The Untold History of the Bible). 30
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH When Constantine shifted the seat of the empire to Constantinople in 330AD, the bishop of Rome became the strongest individual in Rome for extended periods. This resulted in Roman citizens looking to the bishop for temporal as well as spiritual leadership. The union of church and state under Constantine led to secularization of the church. 31
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH The influx of barbarians and the growth of episcopal power resulted in changes of worship as the barbarians, used to worshiping images, were accommodated. The logical outcome was the veneration of angels, saints, relics, pictures, and statues. 32
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH Because of the close association to the monarchical state, the church took on a more aristocratic form, with great distinctions between the clergy and the laity. It was finally in the fifth century that the Bishop of Rome elevated himself to supremacy by assuming the old heathen title Pontifex Maximus, the high priest of religion throughout the empire. 33
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH And, Everyone understood, [Bishop] Leo, not the emperor, had shouldered responsibility for the Eternal City. Peter had come to power. The dark ages were beginning as the Scripture was denied to the common man in his own tongue, allowing the Church hierarchy to make it up as they pleased. 34
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH A number of deviations from the simple message of first century Christianity began to develop that formed what eventually became Roman Catholicism. These included the Mass (including transubstantiation), and the Catholic doctrine of purgatory. The Catholic belief of transubstantiation is that not only is Christ present, but the bread and wine are physically changed 35 into the actual body and blood of our Lord.
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH Regarding purgatory, according to Catholic doctrine: All who die in God s grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH, New York, NY: Doubleday, 1994, p. 291. Thus, Christ s death was not sufficient, thus developed a works based salvation. 36
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH In order to purchase your way, or those of your loved ones, out of the purifying fires of purgatory, the sale of indulgences by the Catholic Church were said to shorten the time. As the corruptions of the Catholic Church became oppressive and greedy, there were those such as Luther who split from the control of the Roman pontiff and formed the basis of the Protestant Reformation. The problem though persisted. 37
THE HIERARCHICAL CHURCH Even though hierarchical Christianity was reformed, many of the unscriptural practices remained within Protestant traditions. What does this have to do with Revelation chapter 17 you might ask? We now must look at mystery religions to answer the question, from where did false religious practices originate? We have already seen that pagan practices infiltrated the church from about the time of Constantine. 38
THE LAST DAYS BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION 39
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION Rev 17:1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. 40
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION 3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. Some commentators such as Walvoord, believe Revelation 17 and 18 do not follow chronologically after the bowl judgments. 41
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION While I believe that Revelation is chronological as it parallels Matthew 24 and 25, I also believe that there are explanatory chapters to help explain the events about to take place, these chapters are not necessarily chronological. These chapters present the ecclesiastical, political, and commercial Babylonian systems whose doom was prophesied earlier (Rev 14:8; 16:19; 17 & 18). 42
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION These events possibly take place at the beginning of the Great Tribulation, preceding the bowl judgments by a considerable time. The Harlot represents false religion. In the Old Testament, Israel played the harlot (Jeremiah 3:6-9). Waters refers to peoples, nations, races and languages (Revelation 17:15). The harlot has such influence over masses of people that she has been able to control entire nations. 43
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION We could be speaking of religious systems such as Secular Humanism, Papal Rome, or both? The woman therefore represents a spiritual or religious witness. When we speak of the Bride of Christ we see that a woman is also a symbol representing the church (Revelation 21:9). This reinforces the interpretation of the woman representing a spiritual or religious witness. 44
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION Therefore, the symbol for the end-time "church" is a woman. The woman of Revelation chapter 21, the Bride of Christ, represents a spiritual religious notion, a church assembly, and many saved people. Therefore the woman of Revelation 17 represents a religious movement. 45
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION The woman of chapter 17 though is a whore. The woman is the personification of false religion. There are two types of fornication, physical and spiritual. These verses refer to spiritual fornication. Because she is a great whore, the religious movement is large which can be seen by Revelation 17:15. 46
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION REV 17:15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. This large religious movement is spread into many nations and languages. This Babylonian system will spread into every area of society, including pagan religions, apostate Christianity, and political systems. 47
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION It will finally result in the end-time harlot one-world religion depicted by Revelation 17. It can be likened to leaven. We have already seen in the previous lesson that leaven represents something evil false doctrine. MAT 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. 48
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION Jesus was warning the Church to avoid false doctrine. If, as we have seen, the woman of Revelation 17 represents the church or religion, and the leaven is sin or false doctrine, then the church is to beware of the corrupting influence of sin or false doctrine. Now notice who the Harlot has perverted. 49
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION She has committed spiritual fornication with the kings and emperors of the world through her false religion. That religion ruled the lives of the people. That she rides the beast indicates that her false religion dominates the civil power. The beast (the Antichrist system) is the same as that of Revelation chapter 13. 50
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION The beast represents the final empire. The character of this empire is totally blasphemous and its scarlet color signifies that it is sinful and bloodthirsty beyond belief. REV 17:4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 51
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION Babylon was a golden cup in the Lord's hand as a vehicle of His vengeance on all the people. The cup was of gold to represent the splendor and wealth of Babylon. Babylon was the golden head (first empire) of Nebuchadnezzar's image found in Daniel chapter 2. 52
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION The word abomination is used in Scripture to express idolatrous worship and the immoral practices associated with it. In this passage it expresses the woman s polluted character and idolatrous practices. Those who partake of the harlot s poisonous cup of idolatry are destined to perish with her. 53
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION JER 51:7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD'S hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad. Part of the initiation into the mysteries was to drink intoxicating mysterious beverages of wine, honey, water, and flour. 54
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION 55
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION The woman was rich. Purple was the color of nobility and kings and was a costly color. The Harlot also wore scarlet, which is the color of the Dragon and the Beast. The woman was rich and was also morally filthy or degenerate. We are therefore looking for a religious system that talked about holiness, but allowed immorality. 56
BABYLONIAN MYSTERY RELIGION The leaders of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox churches are also arrayed in purple and scarlet, and bedecked with gold and precious stones and pearls. The Catholic priests lift high a golden cup described as a "mystery." 57
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN 58
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN REV 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. The word Babylon in this verse represents both an ecclesiastical and political Babylon. Ecclesiastical Babylon in this context is referring to a one-world religious system involving apostate Christianity and non- Christian religions headquartered in Rome. 59
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN Political Babylon refers to a revival of the Roman Empire into a one-world government. Speaking of Babylon, Jeremiah says: JER 50:38 A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols. 60
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN The use of images is a characteristic of the Roman Catholic system. This practice was unknown in Christianity until the Babylonian mysteries were grafted into the ritualized church. The old pagan idols were simply renamed to become the idols of Christianity. 61
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN The Roman Catholic Church soon, in effect if not in admission, deified Mary with the doctrine of Mary's Assumption into heaven, and then crowning her queen of heaven. This is a continuation of the mystery religion of Semiramis. We can see Semiramis depicted as the queen of heaven in Jeremiah 7:18. 62
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN JER 7:18 The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger. We have only one mediator, the Lord Jesus, yet Catholics believe Mary to be "Mediatrix," although supposedly dependent on Christ, there has been a move to make her co-redemptrix. 63
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN This would make her equal with Jesus in our redemption. This is completely contrary to Scriptures. 1TI 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 64
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN No matter what she is called, from the time of Nimrod she is Semiramis of Babylon, and Tammuz is her child. Catholics believe that Mary is Queen of Heaven. Semiramis had herself deified as "Queen of Heaven," and her son Tammuz, was thought of as god. Isis of Egypt was known as the mother of god. 65
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN The theologians of Alexandria, Egypt first applied this title to Mary. The Phoenician goddess of fertility, Astarte (Semiramis), was associated with the crescent moon. Mary is pictured by the Catholics as standing on a crescent moon. 66
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN From the goddess Astarte we get our word Easter. Easter customs, such as making "hot cross buns," reflect remembrance of making cakes for the Queen of Heaven. Easter eggs are represented in many pagan cultures, and signify the miraculous birth of Venus (Astarte) from an egg fallen from heaven into the river Euphrates. Fishes rolled it to the bank, and doves hatched it. 67
THE QUEEN OF HEAVEN To the church, Easter became a symbol of Christ's resurrection. That the Easter egg is associated with Astarte is clear from the name Easter. In other traditions, the egg represents rebirth from the Ark after the Flood. This was later corrupted. 68
THE MERGING 69
THE MERGING In 1993 a World Parliament of Religions met in Chicago, Illinois and recommended a spiritual cooperation. The intention is to set up a separate United Nations of Religion on an equal footing with the political United Nations able to speak for all faiths. All the religions were present, Catholics, Protestants, Pagan, Eastern and other religions. 70
THE MERGING The Pope himself has met with spiritual leaders of all religions, Eastern, Muslim, Indian Witch Doctors, among others and proclaimed that we all worship the same God. Evangelicals and Catholics have signed a document called EVANGELICALS AND CATHOLICS TOGETHER furthering ecumenism. 71
THE MERGING It appears that we are entering a new age of spiritual compromise leading to a melding of doctrines for a final religious system. Tim LaHaye observes: 72
THE MERGING This unity movement should not, however, be limited to apostate Christianity. We can expect to see it move toward amalgamating all religions of the world under Rome's headship because our text states that the religious system at the end time will be a one-world religion: where the harlot sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues ([Rev 17] v.15). This can only mean a oneworld religious system. And again he states: 73
THE MERGING In India we find that Hinduism is so parallel to the practices of Romanism that many of the Hindus can become Roman Catholics and need not give up Hinduism. Since the religions of the world all have idolatry in common, it would be a simple thing for them to amalgamate on a common basis. What do they care whether they are worshiping Semiramis and Tammuz or Mary and Jesus, just so they have an idol before which to bow down. 74
THE MERGING Whatever the final form the one-world mystery religion takes, we can be sure that it will be a continuation of the satanic mystery religion began long ago on the Plains of Shinar. 75 (So called throne of Lucifer at Vatican.)
THE MERGING According to the sculptor the meaning is: "Christ rises from this crater torn open by a nuclear bomb; an atrocious explosion, a vortex of violence and energy. The truth may be that it is a depiction of Satan rising from the Bottomless Pit after a thousand years confinement to once again lead a rebellion. Rev 20:1 And I saw an angel come down from heaven, having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain in his hand. (Continued) 76
THE MERGING 2 And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, 3 And cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled: and after that he must be loosed a little season. God willing, next week, continuing in Rev 17, we will address the ideal and establishment of world government, according to Scripture, that so many Liberals seek. 77
End of The Study of Revelation - Lesson 40 78
Closing Prayer 79
Creation Revelation Robert & Mary Tozier WWW.CREATIONREVELATION.ORG Rtozier@creationrevelation.org At Sunrise Bible Church Las Vegas, NV 80