I’ve been reading through Isaiah and about the Prophecy against ancient Babylon (ch. 13). The LORD speaks through His prophet Isaiah about the DAY of the LORD coming to punish the world for its evil rebellion against God, and the wicked for their sins. I tend to believe that as I have looked into what Babylon was because of its king and people, I can see the whole world as “Babylon.”
“Babylon, the jewel of kingdoms, the pride and glory of the Babylonians, will be overthrown by GOD like Sodom and Gomorrah. She will NEVER be inhabited or lived in through FALL generations.” (13:19-20)
I was intrigued by “NEVER” to be inhabited….” So I went in search to find out more of the history.
First of all, I thought it was interesting that back in President Bush (Jr.) reign, Saddam Hussein was killed as he was working to rebuild the city of Babylon. Thus, fulfilling the prophecy that Babylon will NEVER BE inhabited again.
The last known record of Babylon’s inhabitants was in the 10th century AD, calling her the “small city of Babel.” “According to the Old Testament, humans tried to build a tower to reach the heavens. When God saw this, he destroyed the tower and scattered mankind across the Earth, making them speak many languages so they could not understand each other.” “It is widely considered that Shinar, where the Bible says the Babel event took place, was a territory in south Mesopotamia; and that Babel was located at Babylon.”
The Amorites were the first dynasty. “The city of Babylon started to grow rapidly under King Hammurabi. King Hummurabi built the first temple, a pyramid 300 feet tall in the first half of the 18th century. They worshipped many gods, and not the One True God. As they (falsely) believed, their gods were born on earth and experienced feelings like we do.
“Hammurabi’s code of more than 200 written rules and regulations covered issues of land, property, industry, agriculture, etc. The code was written on clay tablets and tall, stone pillars. The rules were specific and strict, and they acted as a guideline for most daily activities and situations. The code was based on the principle of ‘an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth,’ and laid the foundations for many of the world’s legal systems today. The laws were implemented by judges, or amelu, who were drawn from the upper-class strata of society.”
I wanted to know more about why Isaiah referred to Babylon as the “jewel of kingdoms.”
Babylonians were the 1st to do trade and commerce. They were the first in history to introduce the concept of the sales contract, and even went as far as to introduce a seal into the contract.” Their kingdom was on both sides of the Euphrates River, which now is called Babylon Governorate of Iraq. The modern city of Hillah/Hilla is the capital city. King Nebuchadnezzar’s palace is built there.
Babylonians were the 1st to “incorporate precious gems and metals as jewelry.”
“Society needed more and more people to bolster the workforce, and having a large family was a matter of pride. More children also guaranteed better support during old age.”
“In ancient Babylon, education was for all, both men and women.” “The Babylonians contributed much to the world of literature. King Hammurabi was instrumental in building schools, and there is historical evidence that the Babylonians had libraries as well.”
“The Babylonians excelled in the fields of science and astronomy. Their priests studied the moon, the sun, the planets, and stars very carefully in order to predict the future. They used sundials and water clocks to tell the time, and just like the Sumerians, they adopted the lunar calendar which divided each month into 30 days and a year into 12 months. They were good at keeping records and diligently recorded past events in chronological order.”
“Under the rule of Hammurabi, Babylon became a major military power with trained soldiers in a strong and capable army. Hammurabi was an ambitious ruler and conquered all parts of Mesopotamia from the north to the south, ensuring that a military presence was established in all his new territories.”
“The Babylonians produced a variety of crops and had a vast knowledge of agricultural techniques. They grew pistachios in the royal gardens of Babylon, and elsewhere barley, peas, olives, grapes, wheat, etc. grew in abundance.”
“The Babylonians left their mark on the field of medicine as well. Their work effectively introduced the world to the concept of diagnosis, prescription, prognosis, and physical examination. It also included a list of medical symptoms, logical steps for diagnosis, and treatments such as bandages, pills, and therapy.”
“Babylonia reached its peak under the rule of the powerful King Hammurabi, but after his death, the kingdom began to decline. Unlike their father, Hammurabi’s sons were not strong or ambitious enough to continue to expand the empire. Soon, regular attacks from the Kassites led to the fall of ancient Babylonia in 1595 BC. In 612 BC, the emergence of the Neo-Babylonian Empire under the leadership of Nebuchadnezzar II restored the glory of ancient Babylonia once again. A century later, in 539 BC, the Neo-Babylonian Empire was taken over by King Cyrus of Persia, leading to the eventual and complete fall of Babylon itself.”
Babylon: “the jewel of kingdoms.” Isn’t it a great shame and waste when a nation rejects the One True God; to NEVER be inhabited or lived in through ALL generations! God gave and still gives man so much to enrich himself and community, to enjoy and share, but then man begins to worship it and take pride in it, even setting himself up in arrogance as his own god. The only things that God will bless and protect are those things done by our love and faith in the LORD JESUS CHRIST, the one and only GOD to be worshipped and obeyed.
"No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who LOVE him." 1 Corinthians 2:9
