A New Perspective of Mystery Babylon

A NEW PERSPECTIVE OF MYSTERY BABYLON

In 1694 the Bank of England was formed, which gave its private bankers the right to create money.  This British bank viewed the monetary system of the American colonies as a possible threat and engaged the British government to take steps to bring the colonies under their control.  These actions by the British government, according to Benjamin Franklin, was the real cause of the American Revolutionary War, although “taxation without representation” was another important indignation.  During the formation of the new Constitution, Franklin insisted that Article 1, Section 3, Part 3 be implemented, which it was and reads as:  "Congress shall have power to coin money and regulate the value thereof.

Alexander Hamilton was against the banking system of Franklin and advocated a national bank similar to the Bank of England.  Hamilton only had to wait a short time until Franklin’s death in 1791 to put his plan into action at which time he instigated the “Bank of the United States” which was not owned by the USA.  It had a 20 year charter that expired in 1811 and was not renewed.  This led the money-changers to induce Britain to fight the “War of 1812”.  This banking system was attempted again with the passage of the National Banking Act in 1863.  Abraham Lincoln abrogated this Act by financing the Civil War through the issue of 150 million in “Greenbacks” under the legal authority of the Constitution.  Lincoln of course was assassinated for this act.  Although the Federal Reserve Act was passed in 1914, John Kennedy attempted to circumvent the Federal Reserve by issuing lawful money called U.S. Notes in 1962.  Kennedy was also assassinated and the government under Lyndon Johnson removed these notes from circulation.

The Federal Reserve Act of 1914, which Kennedy attempted to circumvent in 1962, created a Central Bank that consolidated the unlawful and unconstitutional banking practices into a single private banking system through which the American economy and government could be controlled and managed from behind the scenes.  This behind the scenes banking system is the evolved and morphed Bank of England which became known as the “City of London” banking system.

The majority of the civilized world is now under the banking authority that originally began in Babylon and is now centered in the “City of London” banking district.  Although not the only reason, countries not under the City of London banking system are being destroyed and set up with the Mystery Babylon banking system.  Russia, China, Iran, India, and possibly others are revolting against this system to begin a different banking system.  In addition, Russia (along with China and Iran) has said, “enough”, and is attempting to disrupt the destruction of Syria (and other countries) for the plan of the beast to take control of the world and all of its resources such as oil, minerals, and metals.

The rise of the end-time Mystery Babylonian Empire was necessary in the plan of God to bring the world into a final yoke of bondage.  It will most likely get much worse before it gets better.  The world must learn that only the Biblical system of justice and monetary means.  The Bible has given us a perfect judicial system and form of government, but as long as it is implemented by imperfect corrupt men, it will never become a reality in the earth.  Therefore, the prophecy in Daniel 2:35, which portrays the succession of oppressive world-empires from ancient Babylon to the present Mystery Babylon, shows that it will be overthrown in the end. Only then will it be replaced by the kingdom represented by the Stone, which will crush the feet and then grow until it fills the entire world.

Daniel 2:35 [Green’s Literal]  Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold were together broken to pieces, and they became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors. And the wind carried them away so that no place was found for them. And the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.

God has been working to bring forth the Saints of the Most High, so that His Kingdom will have incorruptible administrators. When this time is completed, Daniel 7: 27 will be fulfilled.

Daniel 7:27 [Green’s Literal]  And the kingdom and rulership, and the greatness of the kingdom under all the heavens shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. And all kingdoms shall serve and obey Him.

The Christmas message: Peace on earth

The Christmas message: Peace on earth
Dr. Stephen Jones, Dec 26, 2015
 
For many centuries the church believed that Jesus was born on the night of December 24/25 just before the start of the year 1 A.D. They were off by about a year and three months, since he was born September 29, 2 B.C. This was the feast of Trumpets, Rosh Hoshana—not only the start of a new year, but also a new age.

http://www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net/teachings/books/daniels-seventy-weeks/chapter-3-the-timing-of-jesus-ministry/

The magi arrived three months later on December 24/25, giving the “new-born king” gifts. The magi then went home by another route, instead of reporting to King Herod. At the same time, Joseph took his wife and child to Egypt for their protection. Jesus was three months old at the time, the same age that Moses was taken into the house of Pharaoh for his protection (Exodus 2:2).

In the fourth century, Saint Nicolas of Ephesus began leaving little gifts on the door steps of poor people on the night of December 24/25, following the example of the Magi who gave Jesus gifts on that date. Other people soon followed his example, and out of this developed the Christmas traditions. It was not long before December 25 also came to be seen as the actual date of Jesus’ birth, although in reality it was only the time that the Magi had arrived about three months after His birth.

It is unfortunate that Jesus’ birth is celebrated on the day that the magi arrived, because it opens up the celebration to criticism. Further, the standard display of Saint Nicolas (i.e., Santa Claus) is far from an accurate portrait of the kind, humble man in the fourth century. The addition of other traditions used by pagans have turned the original scene into a day that little resembles the original biblical scene.
In more recent decades, Christmas has been secularized to the point where most of the songs are now mere weather reports about snow and flying reindeer, led by one called Rudolph.

Yet there is still a basic truth that we may remember, if we know the original story. One of the most important truths is found in the message of the angels about “peace on earth” (Luke 2:14). This message is a core revelation about Christ’s method of establishing His Kingdom on the earth. As the Prince of Peace, prophesied in Isaiah 9:6, His ability was declared, not as a great warrior who could conquer the world by force, but as a peaceful Messiah who conquers by love and by the sword of the Spirit.

The Jews did not want such a peaceful Messiah, for their concern was in regaining independence from Rome and smashing all their enemies by the power of God. Other religions, too, most notably Islam in the seventh century, sent out armies to conquer the world by force of arms. Even Christianity itself succumbed to the lure of the force of arms after it lost their spiritual sword.

None of these fulfilled the ideal of the Messiah or His will. After all, it is only when one loses the sword of the Spirit that force of arms becomes necessary. Such forceful methods may seem to work, but they can never establish the Kingdom of God. They can only establish fleshly religious kingdoms, empowered by the arm of flesh.

Such religious people sincerely want peace—but only after they have killed all enemies, destroyed all other religions, and forcibly subdued all men to their religious ideals. In such wars, it is said that “he who is most ruthless wins.” It is always peace through war. The problem is that the wars never cease. There are always more enemies to fight. And even when everyone subscribes to the same religion, there are divisions within the religion itself. And so the reasons for war are endless.

Until the conquest of the world is done by spiritual swords by those who are in agreement with the Prince of Peace, there will never be peace on earth. We can never burn enough dissenters, bomb enough infidels, or brainwash enough people to bring the Kingdom of God to earth. Because carnal methods have dominated history, we have yet to see the Kingdom of God established on the scale prophesied in Scripture. Jesus said in Matthew 11:12,

¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.

The best we have seen is where the power of God was manifested—mostly during Jesus’ ministry of healing, where he set captives free from their captivity. How did He do this? It was by the peaceable methods of healing and casting out demons. Matthew 12:28 says,

²⁸ But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.

At some point in history, the Kingdom will spread from human hearts to the land itself, and whole nations will become part of the Kingdom on a grand scale. This means the Spirit of God will be poured out upon “all flesh” (Joel 2:28 KJV), for it is only by the Spirit that all things will be subjected to the rule of the Prince of Peace. It will not be done through Old Covenant means, which were seen in Joshua’s conquest of Canaan.

Under the Old Covenant, the power of God was used to win wars to kill Canaanites. But under the New Covenant, the Great Commission is what conquers the world. “Death to infidels” is replaced by “baptize them.” It is a different form of death—a death that identifies with Christ’s death on the cross, so that we may also identify with His resurrection life.

This is all inherent in the angelic message of “peace on earth.”

Gehenna & the Destruction of Jerusalem

GEHENNA AND THE DESTRUCTION OF JERUSALEM

Gehenna

The Biblical place called Gehenna is an actual valley between Old Jerusalem and Mount Zion.  This valley is also called the valley of the son of Hinnom or the Valley of Benhinnom.  The name was later shortened to Valley Hinnom and in Hebrew is called Ge Himmon.  In the Greek New Testament it is transliterated as Gehenna.

Gehenna was initially where apostate Israelites (mostly Judahites) and followers of various Baals and other Canaanite gods, including Moloch (or Molech), sacrificed their children by fire which may be considered a type of “after birth abortion”.  During the second temple days, this valley became the common dumping ground for all the refuse of the city including the dead bodies of animals and of criminals.  All kinds of filth and debris was cast and consumed by fire kept continuously burning. Therefore in the process of time it became a mythological image of the place of everlasting destruction where the worm never dies due to the constant dumping of dead animals and people.

In Jewish Rabbinic literature, it has been said that Gehenna is a destination of the wicked. This is different from a more neutral Sheol, Hades, or the abode of the dead, although the King James Version usually translates both with the word Hell.

To most Christian minds, the word “hell”, which is often substituted for the actual word “Gehenna”, conjures mental visions of raging fire, eternal punishment, with a background of demons and devils.

Although the KJV translates as “hell”, Jesus used the word Gehenna several times as a symbol of the destruction of Judah.  In my opinion the Lord meant to speak the word “Gehenna” and did not intend for the usage to indicate “hell, Hades, or Sheol”.  The KJV and several other versions have done a great disservice by translating the word as “hell” and have totally confused the meaning that Jesus was attempting to convey.  As Jesus well knew, there is an Old Testament prophecy delivered by Jeremiah that refers to a literal place called Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom as a place of slaughter and death for the idolatrous Judahites and Judeans.  It is my conviction that Jesus was referring to that prophecy of Jeremiah and a literal valley of Hinnom in which the slaughter happened in the past and would take place in the future.

The details of the prophecy, which will be addressed in the next section, concerns the city of Jerusalem and its inhabitants that will be destroyed by God and cast into Gehenna, or the valley of Hinnom (which is relatively symbolic but close to being literal).

As can be seen, the next three passages of scripture containing the word “Gehenna” discuss sin, legalism, and the refusal to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah.  Those of the future not following the King of the Kingdom will be fulfilling the prophecy of death and destruction of Jerusalem and will be cast into Gehenna. 

Matthew 23:33 CLV  Serpents! Progeny of vipers! How may you be fleeing from the judging of Gehenna?

Matthew 10:28 KJV  And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (actual word is “Gehenna”).

Matthew 5:29 KJV  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell (Gehenna).

The next scripture is similar to the others but adds that the fire is never quenched (perhaps symbolic or possibly nuclear?).

Mark 9:43 KJV  And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell (Gehenna), into the fire that never shall be quenched:

The Jeremiah Prophecy of Judah

The prophecy by Jeremiah was partially fulfilled by Babylon, then partially fulfilled by the Roman army in 70 AD and will be completely fulfilled at some point in the near future.  We will now study the actual prophecy.

In Jeremiah 18, northern Israel which was deported by Assyria in 640 BC and later migrated into western and northern Europe through the Caucasus mountains is prophesied as wet clay that will be molded by God’s hands into the shape that He desires. 

The southern kingdom of Judah is compared to a dry finished earthen jar that will be broken into pieces in Gehenna (which was literally performed by Jeremiah) and will never be repaired, fixed, or rebuilt.

Jeremiah is told to get an earthen bottle from the potter, a finished work of hard dried clay.  Then he is to take the older citizens and the older priests of the city of Jerusalem and go to the valley of the son of Hinnom or Gehenna.  Upon arriving he is to give a discourse on the nation’s collective sins of idolatry, murders, and heathenism to the listeners.  The end of the discourse states that the valley of Hinnom will one day be called the valley of slaughter.

Jeremiah 19:1-6 KJV  Thus saith the LORD, Go and get a potter's earthen bottle, and take of the ancients of the people, and of the ancients of the priests;  (2)  And go forth unto the valley of the son of Hinnom, which is by the entry of the east gate, and proclaim there the words that I shall tell thee,  (3)  And say, Hear ye the word of the LORD, O kings of Judah, and inhabitants of Jerusalem; Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, the which whosoever heareth, his ears shall tingle.  (4)  Because they have forsaken me, and have estranged this place, and have burned incense in it unto other gods, whom neither they nor their fathers have known, nor the kings of Judah, and have filled this place with the blood of innocents;  (5)  They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind:  (6)  Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.

Verses 7-11 contain a list of curses and severe tribulations.  The flesh eating curse possibly occurred during the Babylonian or Roman invasion and the phrase, “to fall by the sword” most likely takes place during these same two invasions.  

Jeremiah 19:7-11 KJV  And I will make void the counsel of Judah and Jerusalem in this place; and I will cause them to fall by the sword before their enemies, and by the hands of them that seek their lives: and their carcases will I give to be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth.  (8)  And I will make this city desolate, and an hissing; every one that passeth thereby shall be astonished and hiss because of all the plagues thereof.  (9)  And I will cause them to eat the flesh of their sons and the flesh of their daughters, and they shall eat every one the flesh of his friend in the siege and straitness, wherewith their enemies, and they that seek their lives, shall straiten them.  (10)  Then shalt thou break the bottle in the sight of the men that go with thee,  (11)  And shalt say unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Even so will I break this people and this city, as one breaketh a potter's vessel, that cannot be made whole again: and they shall bury them in Tophet (an Old Testament town very near Gehenna), till there be no place to bury.

In verse 10, Jeremiah is told to break the finished clay bottle.  Later, in verse 11, God states that He will break the people of Jerusalem as the bottle was broken by Jeremiah, to the condition that it could never be repaired or made whole again.  Verse 8 could possibly be the final fulfillment of the prophecy.  It has been considered and theorized by some that the destruction of Jerusalem will be nuclear.  This could be a true concept.  I personally have an issue with the Millennium following a nuclear war but I don’t know many of the details.  The comment of Jesus in Mark 9:43 of “the fire that never shall be quenched” could possibly be referring to nuclear destruction that would take a long period of time to stop burning.