Babylon is both a historic political entity and a symbol of the recurring rise of empires and self-appointed world rulers. There is a larger and older story behind the visions of Daniel than meets the eye, one that remains relevant to this day.
The book focuses on the Empire that has been attempting to rule the
world since the dawn of human history.
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| [666 Photo by Master Wen on Unsplash] |
We ignore this biblical narrative at our peril. Not only was ancient Babel alive and well in the prophet's day, but even now it is rising on the world scene.
The book’s opening passage calls the Neo-Babylonian Empire the “land of Shinar.” This
is a verbal link to the tower of Babel incident recorded in Genesis
- (Daniel 1:1-2).
And the story of ancient Babel is
echoed in Nebuchadnezzar’s imposition of the Babylonian language on his subjects,
and in chapter 3 as he gathers all nations to pay homage to his great golden
image.
Biblically speaking, the Neo-Babylonian
Empire was not a new political entity. It had an ancient pedigree.
And, in the New Testament, the name “Babylon”
becomes a cipher for the latest incarnation of the same Empire that always
seeks absolute power over the earth, and all too often, exalts itself to divine
status.
In Daniel, the imperial city in
which the prophet found himself is the latest but certainly not the last iteration
of this imperial power that periodically appears on the earth.
TOWER OF BABEL
In Genesis, God thwarts the
completion of a high tower in the “land of Shinar,” and this results
in the diversity and distribution of languages, nations, and cultures across
the planet. And that story provides the reader with the true origins of the Neo-Babylonian
kingdom - (Genesis 11:1-9).
When the original tower was built in Babel,
the “whole earth was of one language and one speech.” Noah’s descendants
migrated to Mesopotamia to dwell “in the land of Shinar.”
And the name ‘Shinar’ is the Hebrew
equivalent of ‘Sumer,’ the first known civilization located in
Mesopotamia.
The people of Shinar begin
to build a city with a high tower that would “reach the heavens and thus
make us a name, lest we be scattered across the whole earth.”
The description reflects the Sumerian
culture. The cities featured temples built on ziggurats, tiered mounds that
formed the highest point in a city. Each was dedicated to the city’s chief
deity or deities, and its economic, and religious activities centered on the temple.
Originally, Yahweh commanded Adam to “multiply,
replenish and subdue the earth.”
That same command was reiterated to Noah after the flood.
But humanity chose instead to move to
Mesopotamia, build a new civilization, and make a name for itself. And in the Bible, consistently, Babylon
is characterized by its arrogance and idolatry - (Genesis 1:28, 9:1, Isaiah 14:13-14, 63:12-14, Jeremiah
32:20).
If humanity united under one language, the
wickedness of mankind would know no bounds. By confounding their language, God
caused the nations to spread throughout the earth, and He stopped the first
attempt at establishing a centralized regional if not global government.
Thus, the idolatrous ambitions of Babylon were delayed, at least, until a more opportune time. And in Daniel, under Nebuchadnezzar, the Kingdom of Shinar began to rise again.
Genesis calls the city ‘Babel,’ the place where “Yahweh
confounded the language of all the earth.” The name may be related to the
Hebrew word balal or “confusion,” although in the ancient Akkadian
language of Mesopotamia bab-ili (‘Babel’) means the “gate of god.”
Thus, in Daniel, the ruler of “Babel”
attempts to reverse God’s ancient judgment. Having conquered the kingdom of
Judah, Nebuchadnezzar set out to gather different ethnic groups, cultures, and
nations to his rebuilt city, and there, the people were educated in the “language
of Babylon,” the latest incarnation of the Empire.
PARALLELS IN DANIEL
In Genesis, the “whole earth
spoke one language” as men began to dwell in “Shinar.” They built a
city and tower of “great height” in the plain of Shinar to mark
their achievements and prevent the dispersal of humanity.
Likewise, in Daniel, Nebuchadnezzar brought
Judean captives to Babylon, the great city that he built. Exiles from other nations were educated in the “language of the Chaldeans.” Hence,
what the original inhabitants of Babel began to do, Nebuchadnezzar attempted
to complete.
And so, Nebuchadnezzar “set up” a great golden image of
exceptional “height” in
the “plain of Dura,” then
decreed that “all peoples, races, and
tongues” must render homage to it. He gathered representatives
from every province and nation “to the dedication of his image” -
(Daniel 3:1-8).
And so, the whole earth was summoned to be united under Nebuchadnezzar’s rule and to render homage to his great and “high” image.
The verbal parallels are deliberate.
Just as the earlier inhabitants of Mesopotamia united to build a city and high
tower for their own glory, so the Neo-Babylonian king presumed to unite all
humanity under his authority, and to “pay homage” to the image he had “set
up.”
END-TIME BABYLON
In the book of Revelation, “Babylon” takes on cosmic
proportions in its war against the “Lamb” and his people. And this final
incarnation of “Babylon” becomes the world “city” that is contrasted
with the coming “city of New Jerusalem.”
Babylon is the “great whore,”
and she is full of the “abominations” and every “unclean thing” on
earth. Her hands are stained with the “blood of the prophets and the saints that have been slain on the
earth.” She is
characterized by her cruelty, arrogance, self-glorification, and the worship she
demands from everyone she subjugates – (Revelation 17:1-6, 18:24).
In contrast, in “New Jerusalem,” no
“unclean or abominable thing” enters the city, and the “curse”
imposed on humanity due to Adam’s sin is removed. It is populated with the “saints,”
and God Himself dwells with them and “wipes away every tear from their
eyes” – (Revelation 21:1-8).
Babylon’s influence affects the entire earth, but the true key to
her power lies in her control of global commerce. Economic sanction is her weapon of choice – (Revelation
18:1-24).
This cosmic abomination spans history. She rides the seven heads of the “Beast from the sea.” They represent seven “kingdoms.” The first five empires “fell” before John’s time. The sixth existed in his day, which could only be Rome, and the seventh and final imperial power was yet to come.
In chapter 13, the arrival of the “Beast”
is described with a present tense participle. It is always “ascending,” either “from the sea”
or the “Abyss.” It has appeared numerous times in history, and it is intent
on eradicating God’s people.
Regardless of the historical identities of
the past six kingdoms, or the identity of the final regime, “Babylon” is
an ever-present reality that corrupts and attempts to control the empires and nations
of this world– (Revelation 17:7-12).
And so, today. we see another imperial
power using economic control to impose its will on nations and peoples, especially
the ones that refuse to pay the “Beast” the homage it expects and demands
from the “inhabitants of the earth.”
Will it become the final and “seventh
kingdom” that “ascends from the Abyss”? Only time will tell. If not,
sooner or later, another “Babel” will inevitably follow.