{"id":2259,"date":"2016-07-24T06:36:07","date_gmt":"2016-07-24T11:36:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?page_id=2259"},"modified":"2024-06-02T15:19:13","modified_gmt":"2024-06-02T20:19:13","slug":"egypt-and-babylon","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon","title":{"rendered":"Egypt, Babylon and Canaan"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>IT IS NOT ABOUT HISTORY OR GEOGRAPHY\u00a0\u00a0 <\/strong><br \/>\nIt is impossible to understand the Bible without a solid understanding of the symbolism of Egypt, Babylon and Canaan. We are not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2+timothy+3:16-17\">personally rebuked, corrected or trained in righteousness<\/a> if we think of Egypt and Babylon in historical or geographical terms. We must understand the symbolism of these two powerful nations.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible mentions <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=egypt&amp;t=niv&amp;c=all#\">Egypt five hundred and seventy times<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=babylon&amp;t=niv&amp;c=all\">Babylon appears two hundred and fifty-time times <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=canaan&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">Canaan eighty-nine times<\/a>. Added together, they are mentioned more times than the Bible mentions <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=jerusalem&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">Jerusalem, <\/a>and almost as many times as it mentions <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=jesus&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">Jesus.<\/a>\u00a0We can be sure, therefore, that references to these nations are not there only for historical or geographical instruction. They are there to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">instruct us in righteousness<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>These powerful nations subdued and controlled Israel and other neighboring nations, but they must not be viewed in simple political and economic terms. For purposes of Bible study, we must remember that reference to them is essentially spiritual, and that we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=2+timothy+3:12-17;romans+15:1-4;deuteronomy+29:10-15\">can learn something about righteousness by studying the many scriptures<\/a> in which they appear. This is the goal of New Covenant disciples who desire to understand the spiritual meanings of these two great nations.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: Before looking at Egypt and Babylon in particular, it is necessary to first understand the symbolic meanings of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\">Cities, Kingdoms and Nations<\/a> in general throughout the Bible.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>ORIGINS OF ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS<\/strong><br \/>\nCritics of Judaism and Christianity often claim that they are nothing more than reincarnations of ancient pagan mythical religions. Jews and Christians do not take kindly to these criticisms even though the Bible provides much evidence that the religious beliefs and practices Egypt and Babylon influenced both religions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY NOTE: See\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.ancient.eu\/religion\/\">Religion in the Ancient World<\/a> for a\u00a0 scholarly review of the origins of religion.<\/p>\n<p>When Jews and Christians look at the Biblical record of Egypt and Babylon, however, they will see that the critics&#8217; claims are surprisingly and uncomfortably valid. Jews and Christians can only come to awareness of the origins of their religions if they accept three important Biblical truths:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><\/td>\n<td><\/td>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Egyptians and Babylonians are descendants of Ham, the son of Noah who saw his father naked and reported it to his brothers.<\/li>\n<li>Israel spent time in both Egypt and Babylon and were enslaved to their religious customs.<\/li>\n<li>God eventually delivered them from bondage in these nations.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/2#nakedness\">this link for the story of Ham and his descendants.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It is not easy for Jews, Christians or Muslims to accept that their religions have their origins in pagan religions. Such are the powerful effects of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\">spiritual pride<\/a>. But, if <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-4;+matthew+13:13;+acts+28:26-27;+romans+11:1-9;+isaiah+6:1-10;+ezekiel+12:1-2\">God opens their spiritual eyes<\/a>, they might learn to understand the symbolism of Egypt and Babylon and apply it to their own lives.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"nakedness\"><\/a>To understand the symbolism of Egypt and Babylon, we must begin by reviewing the story of Noah and Ham in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:18-26\">Genesis 9. <\/a>Because Ham sinned, Noah cursed Canaan, Ham&#8217;s son. This is a deeply symbolic story that needs unpacking which we will do in the following commentary.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY: Ham was the son who looked at his father Noah&#8217;s nakedness. To understand the story of Ham and Noah, however, it is critical to first understand the symbolism of nakedness which is first introduced in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/3.html\">Genesis 3<\/a> where eating of the fruit of the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeofknowledgeofgoodandevil\">Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil is symbolically represented as tasting religion by listening to false prophets and practicing the religion<\/a> that they preach.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Before tasting of religion, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/2-25.html\">Adam and Eve had no shame.<\/a>\u00a0 After <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+3:8-11\">eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, however, they were afraid of God because they knew they were naked <\/a>(i.e. they knew they had sinned).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 160px;\">STUDY TIP: See<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/2#nakedness\"> this link for understanding of nakedness.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">They knew that they had sinned by participating in the sin of religion, and they knew that God was displeased with them. In their shame, they hid from God and attempted to cover themselves up with fig leaves that will <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+33:10;+leviticus+26:39;+ezekiel+4:15-17;+ezekiel+24:23\">waste away<\/a>. Here the fig leaves represent religion which is in a constant state of decay. In effect,\u00a0 they tried to cover their sin up with more religion with hopes that their nakedness would be hidden from God. This does not work because <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1-samuel+16:7;+jeremiah+3:17;+jeremiah+7:24;+jeremiah+9:14;+jeremiah+11:8;+jeremiah+11:20;+jeremiah+16:12;+jeremiah+18:9-12;+deuteronomy+29:19;+1-kings+8:33-39;+1-chronicles+28:9;+luke+16:15;+proverbs+21:2;+romans+8:27;+revelation+2:23;+2-chronicles+6:29-30;+proverbs+15:11\">God looks at the heart &#8212; not the outer man.<\/a> What God saw was that Adam and Eve had <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/4#evilimpureheart\">evil, impure hearts<\/a> that were expressed through religion.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">The reason Adam and Eve were in this situation, of course, was that they had eaten the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeofknowledgeofgoodandevil\">fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. <\/a>The result of that choice was that they<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#spiritualdeath\"> died spiritually.<\/a> If they had chosen to eat the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/3#treeoflife\">fruit of the Tree of Life<\/a>, (i.e. God&#8217;s spoken voice) they would have enjoyed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#spirituallife\">spiritual life.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Before they ate from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, they ate from the Tree of Life and were spiritually alive (i.e. they knew how to hear God&#8217;s spoken voice.) Then they noticed that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=genesis+2:9;+genesis+3:6\">also appeared to be good for food. <\/a>A <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/serpent-devil-satan-adversary-demons-evil-spirits-and-anti-christs\">serpent (i.e. religious leader, which is a false\u00a0 prophet)<\/a> came along and\u00a0 tempted them to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 200px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/#temptationsofjesus\">this link for understanding of temptation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">They yielded to the arguments of the religious leader and symbolically ate the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. What this means is that they choose to<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\"> sin by practicing religion<\/a>. This choice is a parable for choosing to listen to religious leaders instead of listening to God&#8217;s spoken voice. The story is a parable that has meaning for all people who have the choice to listen to God&#8217;s voice or religious leaders. It is a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/4#lifedeathblesscurse\">life or death choice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Adam and Eve made the wrong choice and suffered the consequences of their choice: They suffered <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/2#spiritualdeath\">spiritual death,<\/a> which means that they could not <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">hear God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>. But God also had to live with the consequences of their choice. As long as they listened to his voice, he enjoyed <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/3#adulteryandprostitution\">intimacy<\/a> with them. By making the wrong choice, Adam and Eve disrupted the intimacy that they and God enjoyed.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Because God values intimacy with his people, he is compelled to create a way for the intimacy to be restored for his benefit and the benefit of his people. Restoration of intimacy is also called &#8220;doing justice.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 200px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">Religion is Injustice, Slavery, Oppression and Affliction <\/a>for understanding of what it means to do justice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">God&#8217;s remedy for injustice was to cover Adam and Eve\u00a0 with animal skins which are symbolic of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/blood\">blood which is symbolic of God&#8217;s spoken word<\/a>. This story symbolically represents and anticipates the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2-corinthians+4:16;+psalm+16:10;+psalm+49:9;+acts+2:27-31;+acts+13:34-37\">blood (i.e. God&#8217;s spoken word) of the New Covenant replacing decaying Old\/Covenant religion<\/a> which is<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-corinthians\/3.html\"> fading away. <\/a>The symbolism here is that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=leviticus+17:11;+leviticus+17:14\">life is in the blood<\/a> (i.e. God&#8217;s spoken word) and that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+8:3;+matthew+4:4;+luke+4:4\">man lives by word that comes from the mouth of God. <\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">The parable of Adam and Eve is very deep, very subtle, and hard to understand. When we read about nakedness, we interpret it naturally, according to cultural standards that guard against nakedness. Therefore, we do not need Biblical laws to tell us about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#culturallaws\">cultural laws<\/a> that we already know, understand, and, for the most part, try to obey. What we do need to understand, however, is the symbolism of blood as God&#8217;s spoken word which gives life.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">It is because nakedness is symbolic language for the sin of religion that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+3:18;+habakkuk+2:15-16;+exodus+20:26;+leviticus+18:6-19;+leviticus+20:11-21;+isaiah+47:1-3;+lamentations+1:1-8;+ezekiel+16:8;+ezekiel+16:36-37;+ezekiel+23;+hosea+2:9;+nahum+3:5\">God warns his people not to look on the nakedness (i.e. religion) of others. <\/a>Because people have been successfully tempted by religion, God promises to cover their nakedness (i.e. religion) with blood (i.e. his spoken word). This is how he restores them to intimacy with himself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Restoration to intimacy is the basic theme of the Bible: People sin by listening to false prophets and the sin of religion is covered (i.e. replaced, concealed, washed away) by God&#8217;s spoken word. Thus the Bible says that our<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+16:9;+revelation+7:14;+revelation+1:5;+hebrews+10:22;+revelation+22:14;+ezekiel+36:25;+hebrews+9:14;+1-john+1:7;+numbers+8:7;+numbers+19:9-20;+numbers+31:23;+leviticus+16:24;+leviticus+16:4;+revelation+16:4;+john+13:8;+acts+22:16;+1-corinthians+6:11;+ephesians+5:25-26;+hebrews+9:19-20;+hebrews+10:29;+1-peter+3:21;+leviticus+14:52;+isaiah+4:4;+revelation+19:13\"> sins are washed away (i.e.forgiven) by the blood.<\/a> When that happens, people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+6:3-6;+joel+2:12-14;+jeremiah+3:10;+deuteronomy+10:12;+deuteronomy+30:1-2;+isaiah+31:1-6;+deuteronomy+26:16;+deuteronomy+30:6;+zephaniah+3:14;+matthew+22:37;+matthew+7:7;+mark+12:33;+luke+10:27;+luke+11:9;+1-samuel+7:3;+deuteronomy+4:25-30;+1-chronicles+28:9;+1-chronicles+22:19;+2-chronicles+12:14;+2-chronicles+15:12;+2-chronicles+19:3;+psalm+27:8;+psalm+119:2;+jeremiah+24:7;+jeremiah+29:13;+jeremiah+4:1-2;+ezekiel+33:11;+malachi+3:7;+hosea+12:6;+1-samuel+7:1-6;+joel+2:12;+jeremiah+4:1;+hosea+12:1-6;+nehemiah+1:8-9\">return to listening to God&#8217;s spoken voice with their hearts,<\/a> and intimacy is restored.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Understanding of the story of Adam and Eve hinges on the fact that nakedness symbolically refers to religion and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=matthew+26:26-28;+exodus+24:1-8;+hebrews+9:1-21\">covering refers to the blood (i.e. spoken word of God) of the New Covenant. <\/a>Thus we see that Adam and Eve&#8217;s sin was covered with God&#8217;s spoken word. It is a very short, symbolic picture of Old\/First Covenant religion being replaced with the New Covenant. The symbolism of blood and forgiveness of sin is covered in more detail in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/blood\">Blood, Swords and Arrows.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 200px;\">STUDY TIP: Restoration to intimacy with God is also called salvation. See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/13\">this link for understanding of salvation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Understanding of the story of Adam and Eve is necessary to understanding the story of Noah which is a parable of how religion grows.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">We begin by looking at what Noah did to become drunk: he planted a vineyard. In Biblical symbolism, a vineyard is like a religious organization (e.g. church, synagogue, ministry, etc.).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">The vineyard that Noah planted symbolizes religion. It could be compared to planting a church. It was Noah&#8217;s church, he was the pastor, and he got <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+56;+leviticus+10:9;+judges+13:4;+judges+13:1-14;+proverbs+20:1;+proverbs+31:4;+isaiah+5:22;+isaiah+28:7;+isaiah+29:1-13;+jeremiah+25:27;+habakkuk+2:15\">drunk on the strong drink of religion<\/a>. Noah created a religious organization and then got <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\">intoxicated<\/a> on the power and influence he had as a religious leader. When he did this, he symbolically exposed his nakedness.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Then, along comes Ham who saw Noah&#8217;s religion when he saw him naked and was affected by it to the degree that he wanted the religious power and influence that his father had. Symbolically speaking, he wanted to grow the religion for his own benefit. He wanted to be the pastor of a church. We see his intentions in the fact that he told his brothers about Noah&#8217;s nakedness (i.e. his religion.)<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">For all of this, Ham earned a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+11:26-28;+deuteronomy+30:1;+deuteronomy+30:19;+deuteronomy+28\">curse which God later details in Deuteronomy 28<\/a>. This is what happens when people look at religion. Just like <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+3:1-6\">Eve who saw that the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil was good for food,<\/a> religion appears to satisfy man&#8217;s longing for a relationship with God. But, it does not satisfy, and it turns out to be a curse instead of a blessing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Ham&#8217;s problem was that when he looked at Noah&#8217;s nakedness (i.e. religion), he was inspired to become religious himself. This is because there is something about physical nakedness that arouses people to participate in sexual activity, just like there is an <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\">intoxicating lure<\/a> to religion that inspires people to want to become religious.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Sexual activity in the Bible is symbolic language for the fleshly stimulation and excitement that religion, especially the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/music-singing-and-dancing\">music<\/a>, and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/2\">group rituals<\/a> inspires. Thus, the story tells us that Ham was inspired to become religious and powerful when he saw Noah&#8217;s nakedness (i.e. religion). This is the context in which the curse on Ham&#8217;s children was made. We conclude, therefore, that all of the children of Ham and Canaan carry that inspiration to become involved in religion &#8212; especially as religious leaders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">MORE COMMENTARY: How Ham&#8217;s descendants and Israel are related is shown in the <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Family_tree_of_the_Bible\">Bible family tree<\/a> where we find <a title=\"Nimrod\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nimrod\">Nimrod<\/a> (i.e. Babylon) and <a title=\"Mizraim\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mizraim\">Mizraim (i.e.\u00a0<\/a> Egypt) who both became mighty <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\">religious nations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The reason for reviewing this history is to make the point that Egypt and Babylon are estranged, distant cousins of Abraham and Israel. They became enemies (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\/sibling-warfare\">Siblings in Conflict)<\/a> when <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:20-27\">God cursed Canaan<\/a>. Therefore, Egypt and Babylon, as grandchildren of Ham, share in the effects of the curse which places them under <a class=\"spell\" href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?safe=vss&amp;q=subjugation&amp;spell=1&amp;sa=X&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjk3f_5zM7RAhVE0mMKHedMAR4QvwUIGSgA&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=565\"><b>subjugation<\/b><\/a> to <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shem\">Israel which is the offspring of Shem through Abraham<\/a>. This another way to symbolically represent the New Covenant overcoming Old\/First Covenant religion.<\/p>\n<p>All the nations with which Israel had to contend in its journey to the Promised Land and in the Promised Land were descendants of Ham &#8212; including Egypt (<span class=\"verse-6\"><a class=\"strongs\" title=\"Strong's Number: 04714\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/interlinear-bible\/strongs\/?t=nas&amp;ll=h&amp;sn=04714\">Mizraim<\/a><\/span>), Babylon (<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/kuwsh.html\">Cush<\/a>\/<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/nimrowd.html\">Nimrod<\/a>), and Canaan. Because the false religions of these nations represent the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/antithesis\">antithesis<\/a> of true religion that God wanted to establish in Israel, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">religion has always been God&#8217;s enemy.<\/a> That is why the Bible reports so many conflicts between Israel and Ham&#8217;s descendants.<\/p>\n<p>But there is more to Israel&#8217;s relationship with Egypt and Babylon than the fact that their religion was different. God actually used these and other pagan nations to discipline Israel. We see this in stories where Israel is exiled to a pagan nation and then rescued and returned to the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/land-and-earth\/3\">Promised Land<\/a> (i.e. intimacy with God.) These are all prophetic images of religious people spending time in Old\/First Covenant religion before they are rescued and converted into New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p>Reading carefully, we see that the relationships between the ancient religions of\u00a0 Egypt and Babylon and Judaism and Christianity appear early in the Bible in the story of Noah and the genealogical history of Noah&#8217;s Descendants:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/10.html\">Genesis 10: <\/a><span class=\"verse-number\">1<\/span> <span class=\"verse-1\"> Now these are the records of the generations of Shem, Ham, and Japheth, the sons of Noah; and sons were born to them after the flood. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The sons of Japheth were Gomer and Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiras. <span class=\"verse-number\">3<\/span> <span class=\"verse-3\"> The sons of Gomer were Ashkenaz and Riphath and Togarmah. The sons of Javan were Elishah and Tarshish, Kittim and Dodanim. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">From these the coastlands of the nations were separated into their lands, every one according to his language, according to their families, into their nations. <span class=\"verse-number\">6<\/span> <span class=\"verse-6\"> The sons of Ham were Cush and Mizraim and Put and Canaan.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Noah&#8217;s curse on Ham&#8217;s son Canaan also applied to Mizraim (i.e. Egypt).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">The sons of Cush were Seba and Havilah and Sabtah and Raamah and Sabteca; and the sons of Raamah were Sheba and Dedan.<\/p>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00a0Now Cush became the father of Nimrod; he became * a mighty one on the earth. <span class=\"verse-number\">9<\/span> <span class=\"verse-9\"> He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore, it is said, &#8220;Like Nimrod a mighty hunter before the LORD.&#8221;<\/span><\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: We interpret Nimrod to be a powerful religious leader.<\/p>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">\u00a0<span class=\"verse-number\">10<\/span> <span class=\"verse-10\"> The beginning of his kingdom was Babel and Erech and Accad and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">11<\/span> <span class=\"verse-11\"> From that land he went forth into Assyria, and built Nineveh and Rehoboth-Ir and Calah, <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">12<\/span> <span class=\"verse-12\"> and Resen between Nineveh and Calah; that is the great city. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">13<\/span> <span class=\"verse-13\"> Mizraim became the father of Ludim and Anamim and Lehabim and Naphtuhim <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">14<\/span> <span class=\"verse-14\"> and Pathrusim and Casluhim (from which came the Philistines) and Caphtorim. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-18\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">15<\/span> <span class=\"verse-15\"> Canaan became the father of Sidon, his firstborn, and Heth <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">16<\/span> <span class=\"verse-16\"> and the Jebusite and the Amorite and the Girgashite <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">17<\/span> <span class=\"verse-17\"> and the Hivite and the Arkite and the Sinite <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">18<\/span> <span class=\"verse-18\"> and the Arvadite and the Zemarite and the Hamathite; and afterward the families of the Canaanite were spread abroad. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-19\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">19<\/span> <span class=\"verse-19\"> The territory of the Canaanite extended from Sidon as you go toward Gerar, as far as Gaza; as you go toward Sodom and Gomorrah and Admah and Zeboiim, as far as Lasha. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-20\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">20<\/span> <span class=\"verse-20\"> These are the sons of Ham, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, by their nations. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-30\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">21<\/span> <span class=\"verse-21\"> Also to Shem, the father of all the children of Eber, and the older brother of Japheth, children were born. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">22<\/span> <span class=\"verse-22\"> The sons of Shem were Elam and Asshur and Arpachshad and Lud and Aram. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">23<\/span> <span class=\"verse-23\"> The sons of Aram were Uz and Hul and Gether and Mash. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">24<\/span> <span class=\"verse-24\"> Arpachshad became the father of Shelah; and Shelah became the father of Eber. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">25<\/span> <span class=\"verse-25\"> Two sons were born to Eber; the name of the one was Peleg, for in his days the earth was divided; and his brother&#8217;s name was Joktan. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">26<\/span> <span class=\"verse-26\"> Joktan became the father of Almodad and Sheleph and Hazarmaveth and Jerah <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">27<\/span> <span class=\"verse-27\"> and Hadoram and Uzal and Diklah <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">28<\/span> <span class=\"verse-28\"> and Obal and Abimael and Sheba <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">29<\/span> <span class=\"verse-29\"> and Ophir and Havilah and Jobab; all these were the sons of Joktan. <\/span><span class=\"verse-number\">30<\/span> <span class=\"verse-30\"> Now their settlement extended from Mesha as you go toward Sephar, the hill country of the east. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-31\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">31<\/span> <span class=\"verse-31\"> These are the sons of Shem, according to their families, according to their languages, by their lands, according to their nations. <\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-32\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\">32<\/span> <span class=\"verse-32\"> These are the families of the sons of Noah, according to their genealogies, by their nations; and out of these the nations were separated on the earth after the flood. <\/span><\/div>\n<p>At first glance, these scriptures might appear to be just one of several Biblical lists of boring genealogy with no application to us who live in these modern times. This shortsighted way of thinking violates and ignores what God said about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">all scripture training\u00a0 us for righteousness<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>When we give God credit for being true to his word, however, we see that Genesis 10 informs us about the origins of both Judaism and Christianity. Such analysis is aided greatly by organizing the scriptures into genealogical charts. The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Family_tree_of_the_Bible#Sons_of_Noah\">Wikipedia chart<\/a> which details the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Family_tree_of_the_Bible#Hamitic\">sons of Ham<\/a> is very useful. In this chart, we see that <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mizraim\">Mizraim (Egypt)<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Canaan\">Canaan<\/a> were sons of Ham and that <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nimrod\">Nimrod<\/a> (the one who <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+10:8-10\">created the kingdom of\u00a0 Babylon<\/a>) was a grandson of Ham. Looking further down the chart we see that Canaan&#8217;s children include the several <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=jebusites+amorites&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">nations that occupied the Promised Land<\/a> and with whom Israel engaged in warfare almost constantly. In particular, Canaan&#8217;s offspring includes the <span class=\"verse\"><span id=\"verse-1\"> Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites, which God sometimes conveniently lumps together as Canaanites or as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/pelishtiy.html\">Philistines <\/a>who are descendants of Mizraim (i.e. Egypt).<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>To come to the spiritual meaning of the Canaanites we must pause to ask the following questions about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-33;+judges+2:1-2;+deuteronomy+7:1-5;+exodus+34:12-15\">scriptures which are conveniently overlooked in Jewish and Christian doctrines<\/a>:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>What are we to learn from genealogies?\u00a0 Are genealogies exceptions to the rule that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">all scriptures are useful for training in righteousness<\/a>?<\/li>\n<li>What it was about the <span class=\"verse\"><span id=\"verse-1\"> Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Hivites and Jebusites,<\/span><\/span> that caused God to place Israel in their land?<\/li>\n<li>Why did God warn Israel to avoid relationships with them (i.e. make no covenants with them, not intermarry with them)?<\/li>\n<li>Why did God tell Israel that it should not worship the<span class=\"verse\"><span id=\"verse-24\"> gods of the Canaanites, nor serve them (i.e. the Canaanites and their gods)?<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span class=\"verse\"><span id=\"verse-24\">Why did God say that Israel should not do what they (i.e. the Canaanites) do)?<\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li>What are the deeds of the Canaanites that Israel should avoid doing?<\/li>\n<li>How could the Canaanites make Israel sin against God?<\/li>\n<li>Why did God tell Israel to tear down the altars, sacred pillars and high places where the Canaanites worshiped?<\/li>\n<li>Who or what are the hornets that God will send ahead of Israel to drive out the Canaanites?<\/li>\n<li>Who are the modern day Canaanites to whom we can apply the meanings of these scriptures?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">STUDY NOTE: If we don&#8217;t ask these kinds of questions about the Promised Land (i.e. the land occupied by the Canaanites), and similar questions about Egypt and Babylon we will never understand the Bible. These stories are not in the Bible only for historical reference, nor are they exceptions to the truth that all scripture is <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17\">useful for training in righteousness.<\/a> They are there to teach us about religion. But, to be taught, we must first learn to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\">interpret the Bible symbolically &#8212; not literally.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The simple, all-inclusive, answer to these questions is that Canaanites symbolically represent all kinds of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\">religions &#8212; <\/a>including <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Abrahamic_religions\">religions with Abrahamic origins<\/a>. They were all under the curse of religion that was placed on Ham&#8217;s child Canaan. With this understanding, we see that God purposely placed his people in religious environments that offered<a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-23;+deuteronomy+7:1-8;+judges+3:1-8\"> temptations to sin by adopting those religions when he sent them to the land of <\/a><br \/>\nCanaan. But, because the Israelites <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/ezra\/passage\/?q=ezra+9:1-4\">did not separate themselves from those religious people but actually intermingled with them<\/a> (i.e. adopted their religious practices), God considered those <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">religions to be his enemy<\/a>. That was true then and is still true today.<\/p>\n<p>With this understanding we see that the Promised Land is a very competitive, tempting, spiritual environment in which God uses a multitude of religions to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/?s=testing&amp;x=11&amp;y=8\">test his people<\/a>. They pass the test and show that their hearts are inclined toward God when they do not join other religions. They fail the test when they adopt the religious beliefs and behaviors of the people among whom they live. God does not want his people to fail, so he<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-33;+exodus+34:10-15;+deuteronomy+7:12-16;+deuteronomy+20:1-18;+joshua+23:1-13;+deuteronomy+7:1-5;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+judges+2:1-3;+psalm+106\"> warned Israel not to serve their gods or follow their religious practices.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Despite the Biblical record found in Genesis 10 and despite<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+7:16;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\"> God&#8217;s warnings not to follow the customs of other religious nations<\/a>, Jews and Christians have trouble accepting that that their religions have their origins in Egyptian and Babylonian religions. Scholars who feel very strongly about these accusations argue publicly for the legitimacy of their religions. These <a style=\"outline: 1px dotted; outline-offset: 0px;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.classicapologetics.com\/special\/copycat.html\">apologists defend against criticisms that their religions are influenced by ancient, pagan myths and religions,<\/a> despite clear evidence to the contrary that are exposed later in this series of pages.<\/p>\n<p>Jews and Christians reject and deny this evidence because they do not understand that God purposely modeled every aspect of the Law of Moses on the physical, visible features of ancient, pagan religions. He did this, of course, as he did throughout the Bible, following the &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-2\/3\">first the natural and then the spiritual<\/a>&#8221; principle where he used examples found in natural religion to represent spiritual truth.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\">Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 1,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-2\">Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 2, and\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-3\">Literal or Symbolic Interpretation Part 3<\/a> for understanding of how God symbolically represents spiritual truth through things, including religious beliefs and practices, that exist in the physical world.<\/p>\n<p>There are many reasons why Jews and Christians cannot see that their religions are influenced by Egyptian and Babylonian religions. Perhaps the main reason, however, is that they have ignored <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+7:16;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8\">God&#8217;s commands that they should not follow the customs of other religions<\/a>. Locked securely in their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-a-stronghold-of-wrong-thinking\">strongholds of wrong thinking<\/a>, they pridefully think that the enduring history and purity of their religious beliefs insulates them from making the same mistakes the ancient Israelites made. Nevertheless, they make the same mistakes that Biblical Israel made because they do not understand that Israel&#8217;s story is a prophetic parable of their own religious experience. In other words, they do not understand that everything that written in the Bible, including stories of Israel&#8217;s idolatry and harlotry, is there to teach and warn about the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/#temptationsofjesus\">temptations to practice religion<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/two-deaths#firstdeath\">consequences of practicing religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>PROPHECIES ABOUT EGYPT AND BABYLON<\/strong><br \/>\nWe know from the documented histories of ancient <a href=\"http:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/ancient-history\/ancient-egypt\">Egypt<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gotquestions.org\/Babylonian-empire.html\">Babylon that they <\/a>did not survive even though they both had seasons of great glory and power. All that is left of them is the decaying evidence of their architecture, a few artifacts, and histories recorded on stone. What God wants his people to learn from the natural history and Biblical record of these once powerful nations is that they are parables for religion in general and for Judaism and Christianity in particular. Yes they were great and did have much influence on the world stage, but they will not last.<\/p>\n<p>The Bible has much to say about these ancient religions from a spiritual perspective. Perhaps the most telling scriptures are these prophecies that deal with judgement beginning with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/isaiah\/passage\/?q=isaiah+19:1-22\">Isaiah 19:1-22:<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture\" lang=\"en\">\n<div id=\"v-1\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">1 The oracle concerning Egypt. Behold, the LORD is riding on a swift cloud and is about to come to Egypt; The idols of Egypt will tremble at His presence, And the heart of the Egyptians will melt within them.<\/div>\n<div id=\"v-6\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">2 &#8220;So I will incite Egyptians against Egyptians; And they will each fight against his brother and each against his neighbor, City against city and kingdom against kingdom.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">Religion is the Enemy, <\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\/gods-at-war\">Gods at War, <\/a>and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\/sibling-warfare\">Sibling Conflict.<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"scripture\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-19\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3 &#8220;Then the spirit of the Egyptians will be demoralized within them; And I will confound their strategy, So that they will resort to idols and ghosts of the dead And to mediums and spiritists. 4 &#8220;Moreover, I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a cruel master, And a mighty king will rule over them,&#8221; declares the Lord GOD of hosts. 5 The waters from the sea will dry up, And the river will be parched and dry. 6 The canals will emit a stench, The streams of Egypt will thin out and dry up; The reeds and rushes will rot away. 7 The bulrushes by the Nile, by the edge of the Nile And all the sown fields by the Nile Will become dry, be driven away, and be no more.<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: These are all poetic images of Old\/First Covenant drying up and withering away as formerly religious people become New Covenant disciples.<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">8 And the fishermen will lament, And all those who cast a line into the Nile will mourn, And those who spread nets on the waters will pine away. 9 Moreover, the manufacturers of linen made from combed flax And the weavers of white cloth will be utterly dejected. 10 And the pillars of Egypt will be crushed; All the hired laborers will be grieved in soul.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: These are poetic images of the decline of commercial religion. All the religious leaders who earn income from religion will lose their jobs.<\/div>\n<div class=\"scripture\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">11 The princes of Zoan are mere fools; The advice of Pharaoh&#8217;s wisest advisers has become stupid. How can you men say to Pharaoh, &#8220;I am a son of the wise, a son of ancient kings &#8220;? 12 Well then, where are your wise men? Please let them tell you, And let them understand what the LORD of hosts Has purposed against Egypt.<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Here God shames religious leaders who are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=proverbs+3:7;+proverbs+12:15;+proverbs+26:5;+proverbs+26:12;+proverbs+28:11;+isaiah+5:21\">wise in their own eyes.<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">13 The princes of Zoan have acted foolishly, The princes of Memphis are deluded; Those who are the cornerstone of her tribes Have led Egypt astray. 14 The LORD has mixed within her a spirit of distortion; They have led Egypt astray in all that it does, As a drunken man staggers in his vomit.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\">Religion is Deception and <\/a>The Law is a Stumbling Block<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\">.<\/a><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-20\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">15 There will be no work for Egypt Which its head or tail, its palm branch or bulrush, may do. 16 In that day the Egyptians will become like women, and they will tremble and be in dread because * of the waving of the hand of the LORD of hosts, which He is going to wave over them. 17 The land of Judah will become a terror to Egypt; everyone to whom it is mentioned will be in dread of it, because * of the purpose of the LORD of hosts which He is purposing against them. 18 In that day five cities in the land of Egypt will be speaking the language of Canaan and swearing allegiance to the LORD of hosts; one will be called the City of Destruction. 19 In that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar to the LORD near its border. 20 It will become a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of Egypt; for they will cry to the LORD because * of oppressors, and He will send them a Savior and a Champion, and He will deliver them.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This is poetic language about the demise of Old\/First Covenant religion led by<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\"> false prophets <\/a>who are displaced by New Covenant disciples who speak truth.<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">21 Thus the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+31:31-34;+1-thessalonians+4:9;+1-john+2:27;+john+14:11-17;+john+14:26;+1-corinthians+2:12;+hebrews+8:10-11\">LORD will make Himself known<\/a> to Egypt, and the Egyptians will know the LORD in that day. They will even worship with sacrifice and offering, and will make a vow to the LORD and perform it. 22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking but healing; so they will return to the LORD, and He will respond to them and will heal them.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This is a poetic picture of what happens when many who were formerly religious become New Covenant disciples. This transformation occurs when religious people hear God&#8217;s spoken voice. At first, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice#spiritconvicts\">his voice strikes them with conviction of sin. <\/a>And then, because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/sickeness-disease-blindness-and-deafness\">God calls religion a sickness of the heart,<\/a> he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\/4\">miraculously heals their hearts with the power of his spoken voice.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">When this happens they are considered to be healed and a blessing to everyone in the earth. After they are healed, they are no longer Egyptians or Assyrians but true, spiritual Israel, the work of God&#8217;s hands and not the work of men&#8217;s religious efforts.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/jeremiah\/51.html\">Jeremiah 51: <\/a><span id=\"jer51-1\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\">Thus says the LORD: &#8220;Behold, I will stir up the spirit of a destroyer against Babylon, against the inhabitants of Chalde&#8217;a; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-2\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">2<\/span> and I will send to Babylon winnowers, and they shall winnow her, and they shall empty her land, when they come against her from every side on the day of trouble. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">True Prophets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-3\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">3<\/span> Let not the archer bend his bow, and let him not stand up in his coat of mail. Spare not her young men; utterly destroy all her host. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-4\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">4<\/span> They shall fall down slain in the land of the Chalde&#8217;ans, and wounded in her streets. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-5\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">5<\/span> For Israel and Judah have not been forsaken by their God, the LORD of hosts; but the land of the Chalde&#8217;ans is full of guilt against the Holy One of Israel. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-6\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">6<\/span> &#8220;Flee from the midst of Babylon, let every man save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD&#8217;s vengeance, the requital he is rendering her. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This is a call for religious people to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">come out of religion.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-7\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">7<\/span> Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD&#8217;s hand, making all the earth <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+29:1-6;+isaiah+29:1-10;+isaiah+51:16-23;+jeremiah+51:7;+revelation+17:1-2;+revelation+18:1-3\">drunken; the nations drank of her wine, therefore the nations went mad<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\">Toxicity. <\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-8\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">8<\/span> Suddenly Babylon has fallen and been broken; wail for her! Take balm for her pain; perhaps she may be healed. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-9\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">9<\/span> We would have healed Babylon, but she was not healed. Forsake her, and let us go each to his own country; for her judgment has reached up to heaven and has been lifted up even to the skies. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-10\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">10<\/span> The LORD has brought forth our vindication; come, let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-11\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">11<\/span> &#8220;Sharpen the arrows! Take up the shields! The LORD has stirred up the spirit of the kings of the Medes, because his purpose concerning Babylon is to destroy it, for that is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance for his temple. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-12\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">12<\/span> Set up a standard against the walls of Babylon; make the watch strong; set up watchmen; prepare the ambushes; for the LORD has both planned and done what he spoke concerning the inhabitants of Babylon. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-13\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">13<\/span> O you who dwell by many waters, rich in treasures, your end has come, the thread of your life is cut. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-14\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">14<\/span> The LORD of hosts has sworn by himself: Surely I will fill you with men, as many as locusts, and they shall raise the shout of victory over you. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-15\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">15<\/span> &#8220;It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding stretched out the heavens. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/model-warriors\">Model Warriors,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">True Prophets<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">Religion is Injustice, Slavery, Oppression and Affliction<\/a> for understanding of why God wants to destroy Babylon and to discover who he sends to carry out the destruction.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-16\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">16<\/span> When he utters his voice there is a tumult of waters in the heavens, and he makes the mist rise from the ends of the earth. He makes lightnings for the rain, and he brings forth the wind from his storehouses. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-17\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">17<\/span> Every man is stupid and without knowledge; every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; for his images are false, and there is no breath in them. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-18\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">18<\/span> They are worthless, a work of delusion; at the time of their punishment they shall perish. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Compared to New Covenant disciples who understand God <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\">Mysteries<\/a> and Biblical <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\">Symbols, Signs, Types, Copies, Shadows and Patterns<\/a>, religious people are stupid. They think they understand <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\">God\u2019s Written Word, but they do not hear his God\u2019s Spoken Voice.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Goldsmiths are religious leaders who fashion religious idolatry.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-19\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">19<\/span> Not like these is he who is the portion of Jacob, for he is the one who formed all things, and Israel is the tribe of his inheritance; the LORD of hosts is his name. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-20\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">20<\/span> &#8220;You are my hammer and weapon of war: with you I break nations in pieces; with you I destroy kingdoms; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-21\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">21<\/span> with you I break in pieces the horse and his rider; with you I break in pieces the chariot and the charioteer; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-22\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">22<\/span> with you I break in pieces man and woman; with you I break in pieces the old man and the youth; with you I break in pieces the young man and the maiden; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-23\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">23<\/span> with you I break in pieces the shepherd and his flock; with you I break in pieces the farmer and his team; with you I break in pieces governors and commanders. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">24<\/span> &#8220;I will requite Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chalde&#8217;a before your very eyes for all the evil that they have done in Zion, says the LORD.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: God uses Model Warriors (i.e.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">True Prophets)<\/a> to tear down and destroy\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\">Religious Enemies<\/a> and displace the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">Religious Kingdoms of False Prophets<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-24\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-25\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">25<\/span> &#8220;Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, says the LORD, which destroys the whole earth; I will stretch out my hand against you, and roll you down from the crags, and make you a burnt mountain. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-26\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">26<\/span> No stone shall be taken from you for a corner and no stone for a foundation, but you shall be a perpetual waste, says the LORD. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: God symbolically calls Babylon a high mountain whose religion destroys people.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-27\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">27<\/span> &#8220;Set up a standard on the earth, blow the trumpet among the nations; prepare the nations for war against her, summon against her the kingdoms, Ar&#8217;arat, Minni, and Ash&#8217;kenaz; appoint a marshal against her, bring up horses like bristling locusts. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-28\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">28<\/span> Prepare the nations for war against her, the kings of the Medes, with their governors and deputies, and every land under their dominion. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-29\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">29<\/span> The land trembles and writhes in pain, for the LORD&#8217;s purposes against Babylon stand, to make the land of Babylon a desolation, without inhabitant. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-30\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">30<\/span> The warriors of Babylon have ceased fighting, they remain in their strongholds; their strength has failed, they have become women; her dwellings are on fire, her bars are broken. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-31\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">31<\/span> One runner runs to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to tell the king of Babylon that his city is taken on every side; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-32\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">32<\/span> the fords have been seized, the bulwarks are burned with fire, and the soldiers are in panic. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-33\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">33<\/span> For thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: The daughter of Babylon is like a threshing floor at the time when it is trodden; yet a little while and the time of her harvest will come.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-34\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">34<\/span> &#8220;Nebuchadrez&#8217;zar the king of Babylon has devoured me, he has crushed me; he has made me an empty vessel, he has swallowed me like a monster; he has filled his belly with my delicacies, he has rinsed me out. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This prophecy parallels the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+14;+revelation+17;+revelation+18\">destruction of Babylon in Revelation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-35\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">35<\/span> The violence done to me and to my kinsmen be upon Babylon,&#8221; let the inhabitant of Zion say. &#8220;My blood be upon the inhabitants of Chalde&#8217;a,&#8221; let Jerusalem say. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-36\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">36<\/span> Therefore thus says the LORD: &#8220;Behold, I will plead your cause and take vengeance for you. I will dry up her sea and make her fountain dry; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-37\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">37<\/span> and Babylon shall become a heap of ruins, the haunt of jackals, a horror and a hissing, without inhabitant. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-38\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">38<\/span> &#8220;They shall roar together like lions; they shall growl like lions&#8217; whelps. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-39\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">39<\/span> While they are inflamed I will prepare them a feast and make them drunk, till they swoon away and sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, says the LORD. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This prophecy parallels the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+14;+revelation+17;+revelation+18\">destruction of Babylon in Revelation.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-40\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">40<\/span> I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams and he-goats. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-41\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">41<\/span> &#8220;How Babylon is taken, the praise of the whole earth seized! How Babylon has become a horror among the nations! <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-42\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">42<\/span> The sea has come up on Babylon; she is covered with its tumultuous waves. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-43\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">43<\/span> Her cities have become a horror, a land of drought and a desert, a land in which no one dwells, and through which no son of man passes. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-44\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">44<\/span> And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and take out of his mouth what he has swallowed. The nations shall no longer flow to him; the wall of Babylon has fallen. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-45\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">45<\/span> &#8220;Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every man save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD! <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-46\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">46<\/span> Let not your heart faint, and be not fearful at the report heard in the land, when a report comes in one year and afterward a report in another year, and violence is in the land, and ruler is against ruler. <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This call to come out of Babylon parallels the exhortation in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/revelation\/18.html\">Revelation 18.<\/a><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><span id=\"jer51-47\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">47<\/span> &#8220;Therefore, behold, the days are coming when I will punish the images of Babylon; her whole land shall be put to shame, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-48\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">48<\/span> Then the heavens and the earth, and all that is in them, shall sing for joy over Babylon; for the destroyers shall come against them out of the north, says the LORD. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-49\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">49<\/span> Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-50\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">50<\/span> &#8220;You that have escaped from the sword, go, stand not still! Remember the LORD from afar, and let Jerusalem come into your mind: <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-52\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">51<\/span> &#8216;We are put to shame, for we have heard reproach; dishonor has covered our face, for aliens have come into the holy places of the LORD&#8217;s house.&#8217; <span class=\"versenum\">52<\/span> &#8220;Therefore, behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will execute judgment upon her images, and through all her land the wounded shall groan. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-53\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">53<\/span> Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify her strong height, yet destroyers would come from me upon her, says the LORD. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-54\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">54<\/span> &#8220;Hark! a cry from Babylon! The noise of great destruction from the land of the Chalde&#8217;ans! <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-55\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">55<\/span> For the LORD is laying Babylon waste, and stilling her mighty voice. Their waves roar like many waters, the noise of their voice is raised; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-56\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">56<\/span> for a destroyer has come upon her, upon Babylon; her warriors are taken, their bows are broken in pieces; for the LORD is a God of recompense, he will surely requite. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-57\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">57<\/span> I will make drunk her princes and her wise men, her governors, her commanders, and her warriors; they shall sleep a perpetual sleep and not wake, says the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-58\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">58<\/span> &#8220;Thus says the LORD of hosts: The broad wall of Babylon shall be leveled to the ground and her high gates shall be burned with fire. The peoples labor for nought, and the nations weary themselves only for fire.&#8221; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-59\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">59<\/span> The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Serai&#8217;ah the son of Neri&#8217;ah, son of Mahsei&#8217;ah, when he went with Zedeki&#8217;ah king of Judah to Babylon, in the fourth year of his reign. Serai&#8217;ah was the quartermaster. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-60\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">60<\/span> Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, all these words that are written concerning Babylon. <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-61\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">61<\/span> And Jeremiah said to Serai&#8217;ah: &#8220;When you come to Babylon, see that you read all these words, <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-62\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">62<\/span> and say, &#8216;O LORD, thou hast said concerning this place that thou wilt cut it off, so that nothing shall dwell in it, neither man nor beast, and it shall be desolate for ever.&#8217; <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-63\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">63<\/span> When you finish reading this book, bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of the Euphra&#8217;tes, <\/span> <span id=\"jer51-64\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"><span class=\"versenum\">64<\/span><\/span><span id=\"jer51-64\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> and say, &#8216;Thus shall Babylon sink, to rise no more, because of the evil that I am bringing upon her.'&#8221; Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.<\/span><span id=\"jer51-64\" class=\"versetext\" style=\"display: inline;\"> <\/span><\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+32:26;+deuteronomy+32:35;+deuteronomy+32:43;+nahum+1:1-3;+romans+12:19;+hebrews+10:30;+psalm+54:1;+psalm+72:4;+psalm+82:3;+ezekiel+36:23;+2-kings+9:7;+psalm+94:1;+isaiah+1:24;+jeremiah+5:9;+jeremiah+5:29;+jeremiah+9:9;+jeremiah+46:10;+joel+3:21\">God will take vengeance on religion <\/a>for all the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">Injustice, Slavery, Oppression and Affliction <\/a>it has imposed on his people.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"fallofbabylonprophecy\"><\/a>Revelation 18 is perhaps the best known prophecy about Babylon. It anticipates God&#8217;s messengers (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/angels\">angles<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/messiah\">messiahs<\/a>) speaking words of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\/jesus\/20\">warning and woe to religious people. <\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div id=\"v-24\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div id=\"v-1\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>1<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-1\">After these things I saw <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/nas\/allos.html\">another <\/a>angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/greek\/kjv\/autos.html\">his<\/a> glory. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY: Translation from the original Greek text wrongly implies that only one angel came from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/15#heaven\">heaven<\/a>. In truth, God sends many messiahs to speak words of warning to religious people. The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\">earth (i.e. world)<\/a> of religion is enlightened with<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/10\"> God&#8217;s words (i.e. glory)<\/a> spoken by them.<\/div>\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-2\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>2<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-2\"> And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, &#8220;Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div id=\"v-24\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\">\n<div class=\"row\">\n<div class=\"col-md-12\">\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY: All the angels\/messiahs cry out to the religious people saying,in effect, that the fall of religion is imminent. They speak the truth which is that religion is the domain of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/serpent-devil-satan-adversary-demons-evil-spirits-and-anti-christs\">demons<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine\/2\">unclean preachers<\/a> and unclean spirits.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-3\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>3<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-3\"> &#8220;For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.&#8221; <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"scripture verse-padding\" lang=\"en\">\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY: Nations in the bible are not ancient political entities. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\/4\">Nations are symbolic references to religious entities. <\/a><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Biblical references to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/2#nakedness\">drunkenness, wine and immorality <\/a>symbolize the power of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/2\">religious pride<\/a>. Biblical references to kings is God&#8217;s way of saying that religious leaders function as <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/kings-queens-and-princes\">kings<\/a> in their religious communities. God considers the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/3#adulteryandprostitution\">relationship of religious leaders with their followers to be immoral, adulterous acts because religious people listen to their voices rather than to God&#8217;s spoken voice<\/a>.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">Religious leaders actively participate in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/examples-of-business-and-commerce-in-religion\">commercial religion. <\/a>Many have become materially rich, but the symbolism of<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/3\"> wealth<\/a> here is to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/5\">spiritual pride<\/a> earned by religious leaders who have follower who listen to them for religious teaching. In God&#8217;s view, listening to the teaching of a religious leader is symbolized as sensuality. Both speakers and hearers are excited by the relationship. Such excitement should be reserved for God and his people.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-4\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>4<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-4\"> I heard another voice from heaven, saying, &#8220;Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-5\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>5<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-5\"> for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-6\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>6<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-6\"> &#8220;Pay her back even as she has paid, and giveback to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-7\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>7<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-7\"> &#8220;To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, &#8216;I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.&#8217; <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-8\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>8<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-8\"> &#8220;For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-9\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>9<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-9\"> &#8220;And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-10\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>10<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-10\">standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, &#8216;Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.&#8217; <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-11\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>11<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-11\"> &#8220;And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes anymore &#8211; <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-12\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>12<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-12\">cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-13\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>13<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-13\"> and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-14\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>14<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-14\"> &#8220;The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-15\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>15<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-15\"> &#8220;The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-16\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>16<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-16\">saying, &#8216;Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-17\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>17<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-17\"> for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!&#8217; And every ship master and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-18\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>18<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-18\"> and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, &#8216;What city is like the great city?&#8217; <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-19\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>19<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-19\"> &#8220;And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, &#8216;Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!&#8217; <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-20\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>20<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-20\"> &#8220;Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.&#8221; <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-21\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>21<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-21\">Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, &#8220;So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-22\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>22<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-22\"> &#8220;And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-23\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>23<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-23\"> and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. <\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"v-24\" class=\"verse font-helvetica\" style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span class=\"verse-number\"><strong>24<\/strong><\/span> <span class=\"verse-24\"> &#8220;And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.&#8221; <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><span class=\"verse-24\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\">We know from recorded natural history that prophecies about Egypt and Babylon have already been fulfilled in natural terms. These two great powers no longer have the influence on the world stage that they once had. But, we must keep in mind that these are symbolic representations of the demise of the two great religions &#8212; not about natural history.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\">These rambling diatribes against Egypt and Babylon anticipate the end of the two religions that had the most influence on Israel and, ultimately, Judaism and Christianity. With these prophecies in mind, we can begin to understand why God was, and is, so intent on tearing down the temple systems that evolved under this influence. Slowly, but surely, this is being accomplished in these modern times as he calls his people out of bondage to religion one person at a time.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">STUDY NOTE: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">Tabernacles, Temples, Altars, High Places and Pilgrimages<\/a> for further insight on the reasons why the temple system needed to be destroyed.<\/p>\n<p class=\"Title TitleSmall\" style=\"text-align: left;\"><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>REVIEW OF EGYPTIAN RELIGION<\/strong><br \/>\nMuch has been written about the influence of ancient, pagan religions and the Abrahamic religions. Since it has all been written by historical scholars and not theologians, however, Jews and Christians are inclined to discount these writings because, on the surface, they seem to dismiss Judaism and Christianity as mythology which argues against their strong tendency to interpret the Bible literally.<\/p>\n<p>This attitude by Jews and Christians is a big mistake. What they ignore is that God, in his wisdom, saw fit to include references to pagan religious practices in the Bible. Ancient Israelites understood these references because they lived in that pagan environment. But most of us who live in these modern times are not familiar with those pagan religious practices, and that handicaps us from understanding how God has used them symbolically to represent spiritual truth. Our challenge is to learn how these references to pagan religion are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:12-17;+romans+15:1-4\">useful for training in righteousness<\/a>. If we do not make an effort to understand what God wants us to learn, we greatly reduce any claims we might make about trusting God and the Bible.<\/p>\n<p>A simplistic understanding of the deliverance of Israel from Egypt is that\u00a0 they were slaves that needed to be set free from the control of an oppressive king. And a simplistic understanding of the reason why God called his people out of Babylon is that just wanted them to return to the promised land. The spiritual message of these stories, however, is that God&#8217;s abiding love for his people compels him to deliver them from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">slavery to Old\/First Covenant religions<\/a> so that they can become New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p>We who live in these modern times must come to accept that God&#8217;s love still compels him to deliver his people from religion &#8212; including the religions of Judaism and Christianity. Jews and Christians of today are no less enslaved by religion and religious leaders today than the Israelites were enslaved by Pharaoh Egypt and Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon.<\/p>\n<p>To understand how the issue of slavery applies to all religious people, we must take a close look at the story of Ham in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/9.html\">Genesis 9. <\/a>There we find that Canaan is cursed because of what his father Ham did to Noah. We must also study <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/genesis\/10.html\">Genesis 10<\/a> where we find that the sons of Canaan included the nations that occupied the promised land, <span class=\"verse-6\"><a class=\"strongs\" title=\"Strong's Number: 04714\" href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/interlinear-bible\/strongs\/?t=nas&amp;ll=h&amp;sn=04714\">Mizraim<\/a> <\/span>(i.e. Egypt), and Cush, <span class=\"verse-8\">father<\/span><span class=\"verse-8\"> of<\/span>Nimrod <span class=\"verse-8\">whose <span class=\"verse-10\">kingdom was Babel in the land of Shinar. What God is trying to say in these genealogies and obscure stories is that all these people and nations represent religion in all ages because they all are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?sclient=psy-ab&amp;biw=1280&amp;bih=565&amp;noj=1&amp;q=antecedents&amp;oq=antecedents&amp;gs_l=serp.3..0l10.3919.7306.1.8898.11.8.0.2.2.0.590.1707.0j3j3j5-1.7.0....0...1c.1.64.serp..2.9.1718...0i67k1j0i131k1j0i10k1j0i20k1.xsIubtxvHzw&amp;safe=vss\">antecedents<\/a> of Ham and Canaan. They are not descendants in natural terms, of course, but they are spiritual descendants who carry and pass on the spiritual gene of religion to their children. This spiritual gene is the curse of religion.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<p>More to the point, these nations\/religions are all <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-the-enemy\/sibling-warfare\">siblings in conflict<\/a> with <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Shem#Family_tree\">Shem who is the spiritual father of Abraham and Israel. <\/a>To simplify this conflict further, we can say that it is the ongoing conflict between Old\/First Covenant religion and New Covenant disciples.<\/p>\n<p>With respect to Egypt, the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=psalm+78:40-51;+psalm+105:7-27;+psalm+106:1-22;+1-chronicles+4:24-40\">Bible says that it is the land of Ham. <\/a>This means that the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+9:18-27\">curse of religion that Noah placed on Ham&#8217;s children<\/a> extends to Egypt. And, since<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Nimrod#Evil_Nimrod_vs._the_righteous_Abraham\"> Nimrod, a rebel toward God and the builder of the Tower of Babel (i.e. Babylon)<\/a>, is a grandchild of Ham, we read that the curse of religion fell on him and his offspring also.<\/p>\n<p>With these understandings about the origins of the curse of religion, we see that the reason God wants to deliver his people from Egypt and Babylon is to break the curse. This is the same curse to which God refers when he talks about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+11:26-28;+deuteronomy+30:1;+deuteronomy+30:19;+deuteronomy+28\">blessings and curses<\/a> where blessings are code language for the New Covenant and curses are code language for the Old\/First Covenant.<\/p>\n<p>But we cannot be deceived into thinking that deliverance from religion is something that God just does unilaterally for people without their involvement. He calls them to &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+18:1-5;+jeremiah+50:1-9;+jeremiah+51:1-9;+jeremiah+51:37-59;+2-corinthians+6\">come out<\/a>&#8221; of religion with <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/ezekiel\/passage\/?q=ezekiel+33:1-19\">repentance<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>INFLUENCE OF EGYPTIAN AND BABYLONIAN RELIGION ON\u00a0 JUDAISM AND CHRISTIANITY<\/strong><br \/>\nBoth <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion\">Egypt<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babylonian_religion\">Babylon<\/a> had well-established religious cultures that included numerous gods and religious practices for worshiping those gods. The following chart includes a sample of Egyptian religious practices alongside common religious practices found in Judaism and Christianity. Entries under the Egyptian Religion column are extracted from the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Predynastic_and_Early_Dynastic_periods\">Ancient Egyptian religion Wikipedia website.<\/a><\/p>\n<table style=\"border-color: #474062; border-width: 1px; height: 166px;\" border=\"1\" width=\"422\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: center;\"><strong>Features of Ancient <\/strong><br \/>\n<strong>Egyptian Religion<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><strong>Common Features of Judaism and Christianity<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Included a complex system of <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Polytheistic\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Polytheistic\">polytheistic<\/a> beliefs and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Official_rituals_and_festivals\">rituals<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_religious_movements\">Jews <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_Christian_denominations\">Christians<\/a> have many different movements and denominations with different religious traditions. They all claim to follow the same god, but the evidence of diverse traditions and doctrines indicates\u00a0 that they are really polytheistic &#8212; not monotheistic as they clam. Furthermore, the fact that each religion has leaders that function as idols and gods also testifies to polytheism.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Centered on interaction with many <a title=\"Deity\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Deities\">deities.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">See Religion is Idolatry.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Believed in a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/pantheon\">pantheon of gods<\/a>, which were involved in all aspects of nature and human society.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">\u00a0See Religion is Idolatry.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Some deities were believed to exist in many different manifestations, and some had multiple mythological roles.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Jews recognize only God. Christians differentiate between, God, the holy spirit and Jesus. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\/religion-is-idolatry\/10\">Jews and Christians idolize their religious leaders.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Some gods had vital roles in the universe while minor deities or &#8220;demons&#8221; had very limited or localized functions.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both religions believe that satan and demons have power over people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Religious practices were efforts to provide for the gods and gain their favor. Religious practices were efforts to sustain and placate these phenomena and turn them to human advantage.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Jews and Christians pray, pay tithes, do good works and make offerings to gain favor with God.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Ceremonial religious practice centered on the <a title=\"Pharaoh\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pharaoh\">pharaoh<\/a>, the king of Egypt, who was believed to possess a divine power by virtue of his position.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a id=\"pharaohs\"><\/a>Pharaohs are symbolic representations of all religious leaders (e.g. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/apostles\">Pastors, Priests, Rabbis, Apostles, Bishops, Elders, Deacons, Overseers, Rabbis, Priests, Pastors, Popes, Missionaries and Evangelists<\/a> ) who are believed to have unique spiritual qualities that set them apart from others and qualify them to serve as leaders. Religious organizations (e.g. churches, synagogues, ministries, etc.) are all led by pharaohs in a variety of positions.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left;\">Pharaoh acted as the intermediary between his people and the gods and was obligated to sustain the gods through rituals and offerings.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Pharaohs are symbolic representations of all religious leaders (e.g. Rabbis, pastors, priests, evanglists, prophets, etc.) who function as mediators between men and God through teaching, conducting rituals, and receiving offerings. Religious organizations (e.g. churches, synagogues, ministries, etc.) are all led by pharaohs in a variety of positions.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">The state dedicated enormous resources to <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Official_rituals_and_festivals\">Egyptian rituals<\/a> and to the construction of the <a title=\"Egyptian temple\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Egyptian_temple\">temples<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Religious\u00a0 buildings are common features of Judaism and Christianity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Individuals could interact with the gods for their own purposes, appealing for their help through prayer or compelling them to act through magic.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Jews and Christians are encouraged to pray, sing and worship God and Jesus privately.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Belief in the afterlife and <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Ancient Egyptian burial customs\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_burial_customs\">funerary practices<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Most religions, including <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afterlife#Judaism\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afterlife#Christianity\">Christianity<\/a> believe in the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afterlife\">afterlife<\/a> and have <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Funeral\">funeral practices.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Made great efforts to ensure the survival of their <a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Egyptian soul\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Egyptian_soul\">souls<\/a> after death.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Soul#Christianity\">Most sects of Christianity include doctrines about saving souls after death<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Provided tombs, grave goods, and offerings to preserve the bodies and spirits of the deceased.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Preservation of the physical body after death is a common practice in both Judaism and Christianity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Religious beliefs changed over time.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Doctrines and Judaism and Christianity are constantly changing in one way or another.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Consisted of a vast and varying set of beliefs and practices, linked by their common focus on the interaction between the world of humans and the world of the divine.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Judaism#Jewish_religious_movements\">Christianity is comprised of many denominations<\/a>.<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Judaism#Jewish_religious_movements\"> Judaism is made up of several movements.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Sometimes deceased Pharaohs were believed to be divine. Occasionally, distinguished commoners such as <a title=\"Imhotep\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Imhotep\">Imhotep<\/a> also became deified.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Jewish and Christian <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\/religion-is-idolatry\/10\">religious leaders are believed to have divine qualities that equip them to speak for God. Some religions, Catholicism in particular, declare deceased religious leaders to be saints who are highly revered and to who prayers are submitted.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Depictions of the gods in <a title=\"Art of ancient Egypt\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Art_of_ancient_Egypt\">art<\/a> were not meant as literal representations of how the gods might appear if they were visible, as the gods&#8217; true natures were believed to be mysterious. Instead, these depictions gave recognizable forms to the abstract deities by using symbolic imagery to indicate each god&#8217;s\u00a0role in nature.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Jews, to their credit, are careful to avoid making physical representations of God. Christians, on the other hand employ <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Icon\">iconography<\/a> and\u00a0 artistic symbolism liberally.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Often grouped gods together to reflect divine relationships. Pairs of deities usually represent the duality of opposite phenomena. One of the more common combinations was a family triad consisting of a father, mother, and child, who were worshiped together.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">\u00a0Jews, to their credit, are pure monotheists. Christians, on the other hand, have created the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Main_Page\">trinity doctrine<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Relationships between deities could also be expressed in the process of <a title=\"Syncretism\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Syncretism\">syncretism<\/a>, in which two or more different gods were linked to form a composite deity.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">The Christian doctrine of the trinity links three entities into one, composite deity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Afterlife\">elaborate beliefs about death and the afterlife.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Afterlife#Abrahamic_religions\"><span class=\"toctext\">Abrahamic religions<\/span><\/a> have distinct beliefs about the afterlife.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heaven#Egypt\">Believed in the possibility of a paradisaical afterlife.<\/a> In the fully developed afterlife beliefs, the soul had to avoid a variety of supernatural dangers before undergoing a final judgement in which the gods compared the actions of the deceased while alive (symbolized by the heart) to determine whether he or she had behaved in accordance with standards of<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Cosmology\"> truth, justice, and order.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewfaq.org\/olamhaba.htm\">Judaism<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Heaven_in_Christianity\"> Christianity<\/a> both have doctrines about heaven.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Had no unified religious scripture, but produced many religious writings of various types.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Religious_text#Judaism\">Jews<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Religious_text#Christianity\">Christians<\/a> have many sacred texts &#8212; much of which does not agree with other writings.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Egyptian_mythology\">myths\/metaphorical stories<\/a> intended to illustrate and explain the gods&#8217; actions and roles in nature.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_mythology\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_mythology\">Christianity<\/a> embrace myths (e.g. creation, flood, etc.) based on the Bible.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Among the significant Egyptian myths were the <a title=\"Ancient Egyptian creation myths\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_creation_myths\">creation myths<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both Jews and Christians embrace the creation narrative found in the book of Genesis.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Ritual_and_magical_texts\">written procedures for religious rituals<\/a>\u00a0 which were used as instructions for those performing the rituals.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Liturgy#Judaism\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Liturgy#Christianity\">Christianity<\/a> follow <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ritual\">religious rituals <\/a>and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Liturgy#Christianity\">liturgical<\/a> forms. Some Christians like to think of themselves as being non-liturgical, but even these follow a standardized order of events in their religious services that fit the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wiktionary.org\/wiki\/liturgy\">broad definition of liturgy<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Hymns_and_prayers\">prayers and hymns<\/a> written in the form of poetry.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_music\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_music\">Christianity<\/a> are both well known for their <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_prayer\">prayers<\/a> and music.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Temples\">religious buildings (i.e. temples)<\/a> in most towns.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both Judaism and Christianity are well known for their <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/tabernacles-temples-altars-high-places-and-pilgrimages\">religious buildings.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a title=\"Oracle\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Oracle\">oracles<\/a> through which gods gave knowledge and guidance to priests who served as mediators between people and their gods.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both religions respect and employ religious leaders (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-commerce\/8\">priests<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">false prophets<\/a>) to lead ritual\u00a0 worship and communicate God&#8217;s word to his people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Popular_religion\">private, personal religious practices<\/a>\u00a0 by common people (i.e. laity) in homes and shrines where people sought sought to discern the gods&#8217; will, seek knowledge, or affect the gods&#8217; behavior to their own personal benefit without the direction and supervision of priests.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both Judaism and Christianity encourage common people to pray, worship and read Bibles privately.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Employed <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Magic\">magic through the use of words (i.e. songs, prayers, incantations), manipulation of objects and ritualistic behaviors of the physical body to positively influence their gods for personal benefit and prevent or overcome negative events<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Egyptian_religion#Magic\">.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062;\">Both Judaism and Christianity use words in songs, preaching and prayer. They also rely heavily on ritualistic behavior that manipulates physical objects (e.g. Torah, cross, prayer shawl, ceremonial clothing, musical instruments, body movement, sacraments, etc.) in worship designed to impress God so that he will bless them. Magic in religion is discussed more fully in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-deception\/6\">Religion is Magic<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>From this chart we see clearly that both Judaism and Christianity are modeled after Egyptian religion. But. what about Babylon? The relationship of\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Abrahamic_religions\">Abrahamic religions<\/a> to ancient Babylon religions has been documented in many scholarly articles including, but not limited to, the following:<\/p>\n<table style=\"width: 363.5px;\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 284.5px;\">\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babylonian_religion\">Babylonian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Zoroastrianism\">Zoroastrianism<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Sumerian religion\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sumerian_religion\">Sumerian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Sumerian religion\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Sumerian_religion\">Ancient Mesopotamian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>We learn from these articles that the origins of Judaism and Christianity are not as pure as Jews and Christians like to believe. What we learn, in fact, is that the beliefs and practices of both religions exist in the ancient religions about which God said &#8220;<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+7:16;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8;+ezekiel+11:1-12\">do not follow their customs or do their deeds.<\/a>&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>The following are a few examples of customs and deeds that originated in Babylon that are found in Judaism and Christianity<\/p>\n<table style=\"border-color: #474062; border-width: 1px; height: 166px; width: 650px;\" border=\"1\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px; text-align: center;\"><strong>Features of Ancient Babylonian Religion<\/strong><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px; text-align: center;\"><strong>Common Features of Judaism and Christianity<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included<a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion#Public_devotions\"> temples that supposedly served as dwelling places for their gods.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Synagogues and churches are physical places where people go to meet with God.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.historyonthenet.com\/mesopotamian-priests-and-priestesses\/\">Priests mediated between gods and people.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 314.75px;\">Rabbis, priests and pastors always teach about God, lead people in worship, and pray for people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Priest#Historical_religions\">Priests and priestesses conducted the business of the temples and performed religious activities on behalf of people.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Rabbis, priests and pastors always are in charge of the business of synagogues and churches and always perform religious activities (e.g.\u00a0 sacraments, prayer, music, weddings, funerals, etc.) on behalf of the people.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.historyonthenet.com\/mesopotamian-priests-and-priestesses\/\">Temples had training programs for people who wanted to be priests and priestesses<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Denominations, synagogues and churches have programs (e.g. Sunday school, Bible studies, etc.) and institutions (e.g. <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Seminary\">seminaries<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Bible_college\">Bible colleges<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yeshiva\">yeshivas<\/a>, etc.) for training people to serve in ministry.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included <a href=\"http:\/\/ancient-mesopotamian.weebly.com\/rituals-worship-and-festivals.html\">public rituals, worship and festivals<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion#Private_devotions\">private devotions<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Includes <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Church_service\">regular services<\/a> and periodic <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Religious_festival#Christian_religious_festivals\">festivals<\/a> and special events (e.g. music, evangelism, etc.).<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tithe#Ancient_Near_East\">Tithing was widely practiced in ancient, near east religions.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Tithes and offerings are fairly common practice in both <a href=\"http:\/\/www.jewfaq.org\/tzedakah.htm\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Tithe#Christianity\">Christianity<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px; text-align: left;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Music_of_Mesopotamia\">music<\/a> in worship.<\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 314.75px;\">Music is a common feature of both Judaism and Christianity.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/world4.eu\/ancient-assyrian-culture\/\">Religious leaders were distinguished by unique clothing<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/thewayweseereligion.blogspot.com\/2012\/03\/religious-ornaments-and-labels.html\">Religious leaders in both Judaism and Christianity are often identified by their clothing and adornments.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mesopotamian_prayer\">public and private prayer to gods<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px; text-align: left;\">Prayer is a common feature of both <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Prayer#Judaism\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Prayer#Christianity\">Christianity<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included a theology of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion#Morality.2C_virtue_and_sin\">personal morality and sin<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_views_on_sin\">Jews<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_views_on_sin\">Christians<\/a> both have strong attitudes about morals and sin.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included a theology of <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion#Afterlife\">life after death<\/a> and practiced <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ancient.eu\/burial\/\">burial of the dead<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px; text-align: left;\">The afterlife is a feature of both <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Jewish_eschatology\">Judaism<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christian_eschatology\">Christianity<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Funeral#Jewish\">Jews<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Funeral#Christian\">Christians<\/a> both have unique funerary rituals.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">Included belief in<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mythencyclopedia.com\/Am-Ar\/Angels.html\"> angels<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Yazata\">demons<\/a> and the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Devil#Zoroastrianism\">devil<\/a>.<\/td>\n<td style=\"width: 314.75px;\">Belief in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/angels\">angels<\/a> and other<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\/serpent-devil-satan-adversary-demons-evil-spirits-and-anti-christs\"> supernatural beings is common in both Judaism and Christianity<\/a>.<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px;\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/En%C3%BBma_Eli%C5%A1\">Babylonian creation myth depicts order emerging out of chaos.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px;\">The creation narrative found in the Bible is similar to the Babylonian <a title=\"Creation myth\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/En%C3%BBma_Eli%C5%A1#Relation_to_the_Bible\">creation myth<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 288.25px; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/List_of_flood_myths\">Flood myths are found in Mesopotamian religion and many other religions.<\/a><\/td>\n<td style=\"border: 1px solid #474062; width: 314.75px; text-align: left;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/creation.com\/noahs-flood-and-the-gilgamesh-epic\">The story of Noah and the great flood is similar in many ways to the Mesopotamian flood myth.<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">What we learn from these comparisons of ancient Egyptian and Babylonian religions to Judaism and Christianity is that these neither of these well-known, modern religions are unique. They both have their origins in Egypt and Babylon. And this fact tells us why we need to pay attention whenever the Bible mentions Egypt and Babylon. They are not there just for historical reference.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Knowing history without understanding the symbolism of Egypt and Babylon only yields <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\/5\"> intellectual (i.e. ginosko) knowledge<\/a>. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#oldcovenant\">Old\/First Covenant<\/a> religionists are content with this kind of knowledge. But, history that is enlightened\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/literal-or-symbolic-interpretation-part-1\/5\">with spiritual (i.e. epiginosko) knowledge<\/a>\u00a0of the symbolism of these two <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/nations\">nations<\/a> has the power to <span class=\"verse-16\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-timothy\/passage\/?q=2-timothy+3:16-17#\">correct and train us in righteousness.<\/a> This is the kind of knowledge that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/2#newcovenant\">New Covenant <\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.studylight.org\/dictionaries\/ved\/d\/disciple.html\">disciples (i.e. learners)<\/a> desire and seek. Old\/First Covenant religionists, on the other hand, are content practicing the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-sin\">sin of religion<\/a> and are unwilling to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\">die<\/a> to their religion so that they might become righteous.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">New Covenant disciples have already learned that Egypt and Babylon represent religion. They have <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/circumcision\">circumcised their hearts<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">escaped from bondage in Egypt, and come out of Babylon. <\/a>Old\/First Covenant religionists, however, have chosen to remain in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">bondage to religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">New Covenant disciples have taken to heart God&#8217;s commands <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;+deuteronomy+7:16;+deuteronomy+12:29-32;+deuteronomy+18:9;+leviticus+18:3;+leviticus+18:30;+leviticus+20:22-26;+2-kings+17:7-13;+2-kings+21:1-2;+ezra+9:10-15;+jeremiah+10:2;+jeremiah+44:2-8;+ezekiel+11:1-12\"> not to follow the customs or do the deeds of religious nations <\/a>such as Egypt, Babylon and the many religious kingdoms of Canaan. That means they do not believe or do any of the things that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/5#featuresancientegyptianreligion\">Egyptians,\u00a0<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/5#featuresofancientbabylonreligion\">Babylonians<\/a> and Canaanites believe or do.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>MYTH OR PARABLE <\/strong><br \/>\nWhen we consider how <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/5#featuresancientegyptianreligion\">Egyptian<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\/5#featuresofancientbabylonreligion\">Babylonian<\/a> religions influenced Judaism and Christianity, we can understand why critics of Judaism and Christianity say that they are based on ancient pagan myths. There are too many parallels to avoid the conclusion that the influences exist.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">STUDY TIP: See\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/creation\">Creation<\/a> for more about the ways Egyptian and Babylonian religions influence Judaism and Christianity.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>THE WORLD OF ANCIENT RELIGION<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 120px;\">STUDY TIP: See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/world\">The World.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It is instructive to study non-Biblical resources so that we can have an informed perspective on the Bible similar to what ancient Israel had. We therefore recommend the following resources for study:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/4\">HISTORY OF RELIGION<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Babylonian_religion\">Babylonian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christianity_and_Paganism\">Christianity and Paganism<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Christianity and Paganism\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christianity_and_Paganism\">Christian mythology<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"mw-redirect\" title=\"Mesopotamian religion\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mesopotamian_religion\">Mesopotamian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Comparative_religion#Middle_Eastern_religions\"><span class=\"toctext\">Middle Eastern religions<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Panbabylonism\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Panbabylonism\">Panbabylonism<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Ancient Mesopotamian religion\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion\">Ancient Mesopotamian religion<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a title=\"Ancient Mesopotamian religion\" href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Ancient_Mesopotamian_religion\">Religions of the ancient Near East<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>What we should expect to learn from these resources is that neither Judaism and Christianity are unique in their fundamental beliefs and practices. In fact, God has said as much when he said <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/ecclesiastes\/passage\/?q=ecclesiastes+1:1-11\">there is nothing new under the sun.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>To be under the influence of either nation meant exposure to their respective religious practices and strong pressure to adhere to those practices. For some, that exposure, when combined with intermarriage, resulted in conversion to the prevailing religion or to adoption of some of its religious practices. This, of course, stands in direct opposition to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+23:20-27;deuteronomy+12:29-32;deuteronomy+18:9;leviticus+18:3;leviticus+20:22-23;2+kings+17:7-13;2+kings+21:1-2;ezra+9:10-15;jeremiah+10:2;jeremiah+44:2-8\">God&#8217;s commands about doing what other nations do<\/a>. And we must keep in mind that when God says, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/leviticus\/18-3.html\"> &#8220;<\/a><span class=\"versetext\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/leviticus\/18-3.html\">You shall not do as they do (i.e. in Egypt or Babylon, or in any other religion), <\/a>he means that Israel (including Christians) should not adopt any of the practices found in those other religions.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"versetext\">Lest we who live in these enlightened modern times think that this warning could not possibly apply to us, we need to be reminded that God is not just warning about setting up physical idols or making animal sacrifices, or other practices commonly associated with pagan religions. He is warning about adopting any religious practices (e.g. buildings, priests, offerings, sacraments, rituals, etc.) that are found in all religions past and present. Because all religious practices include<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+29:13-14;+matthew+15:1-9;+mark+7:1-13;+colossians+2:1-8;+colossians+2:20-23;+titus+1:15-16\"> rules and regulations (i.e. laws) designed and administered by men<\/a>, they all represent Old\/First Covenant religions which are fulfilled through physical, fleshly activities that are contrary to spiritual activities. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><span class=\"versetext\">In Biblical terms, these fleshly religious activities, and the religious environments in which they occur, are symbolically represented as the &#8220;world.&#8221; In other words, when we read &#8220;the world&#8217; in the Bible, we should interpret &#8220;the world of religion&#8221;.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, when God refers to nations and various cities such as Egypt and Babylon we must keep in mind that he is not talking about natural, historic, governmental or ethnic places. Rather, he is referring to religions of all types that have always existed in all cultures in all generations. With that understanding, we then see that God has given ample warning that his people should not do anything that other religions do or ever have done.<\/p>\n<p>Knowing that God does not want his people to learn from or adopt the religious practices of other religions, it seems <a href=\"http:\/\/www.merriam-webster.com\/dictionary\/counterintuitive\">counter-intuitive<\/a> that he would send them to places like Egypt and Babylon. Sending them into hotbeds of religious activity does not seem like the best way to guard them from learning religious practices that they have otherwise been told to avoid. But that is what God did many times in the Biblical record. Consider these examples:<\/p>\n<table border=\"0\" align=\"center\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>Abraham went down to Egypt.<\/li>\n<li>Jacob went down to Egypt.<\/li>\n<li>The Promised Land was already occupied by several pagan religious nations.<\/li>\n<li>Israel was sent into exile in Babylon.<\/li>\n<li>Rome occupied Jerusalem and Israel.<\/li>\n<li>Mary and Joseph took Jesus to Egypt to hide from Herod.<\/li>\n<li>Jesus was sent into the desert to be tempted by Satan.<\/li>\n<li>Early Christians were scattered into pagan Greece and Rome.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Because these are only a few examples of a pattern that exists throughout the Bible, we must assume that God continues with that pattern in these modern times. In fact, there is nowhere in the world that anyone can go to avoid exposure to ungodly pagan religion. Constant exposure to what the world does religiously presents constant challenges to avoid adopting the religious ways of the world.<\/p>\n<p>Christians and Jews should not be comforted in believing that they would never be deceived into adopting worldly religious behaviors just because they claim to believe in God and Jesus and trust the Bible for direction in their lives. Using God&#8217;s name and Jesus&#8217; name in worship and in everyday language does not guarantee immunity from the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/forum-descriptions\/toxicity\">toxic influence<\/a> of the world&#8217;s religious ways that are so easily identified through various<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/fakefaith\/2018\/05\/20\/disconnects\/\"> religious forms<\/a>. In fact, we have argued strongly throughout this website that Judaism and Christianity embody many unbiblical practices and beliefs that clearly demonstrate their spiritual immaturity through their affections for religious form. We refer to these practices as Old\/First Covenant doctrines and practices that are the substance of <a title=\"RELIGION\" href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\">RELIGION<\/a>.<br \/>\n<!--nextpage--><br \/>\n<strong>EGYPT<\/strong><br \/>\nWe first see the principle of God using pagan religions for disciplinary purposes in the life of Abraham who went to Egypt during a famine in Canaan. Here is the story:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/genesis\/12.html\">Genesis 12:<\/a> Now the LORD said to Abram, &#8220;Go from your country and your kindred and your father&#8217;s house to the land that I will show you.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This command given to Abram is the same command that is given to all Old\/First Covenant religionists. It is an early example of God&#8217;s command to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">come out of Babylon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/land-and-earth\/3\">promised land is a spiritual place<\/a> &#8212; not a physical place. It is the <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\">place where God places his name<\/a> and where people <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/how-to-hear-gods-spoken-voice\">hear his spoken voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">2 And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=exodus+3:1-6;+joshua+24:3;+1-chronicles+1:34;+luke+1:73;+luke+3:8;+john+8:39;+john+8:52-59;+acts+7:1-8;+romans+4:16;+james+2:21\">Abraham is the father of all New Covenant disciples<\/a> because he <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+12:1-4\">left the religion of his fathers<\/a> and<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/hebrews\/passage\/?q=hebrews+11:8-10\"> lived by faith.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/third-commandment\">Name is a symbolic reference to character<\/a>. Thus, this verse says that God will make Abraham&#8217;s character great when he takes him out of his family religion and delivers him to the promised land where he listens to God&#8217;s spoken voice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Abraham&#8217;s character will be the same as God&#8217;s character when God writes his laws on Abraham&#8217;s heart. This is important because God&#8217;s laws are the essence of his character. His laws are the laws by which he governs his activity. When <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/6#spirituallaws\">God&#8217;s spiritual laws<\/a> are written on a person&#8217;s heart, those internal laws govern their thinking and behavior.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">When Abraham heard God&#8217;s voice, he was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/the-law-is-a-stumbling-block\/signs-wonders-and-miracles\/5\">born again<\/a> and was <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/5\">recreated in God&#8217;s image.<\/a> When Abraham&#8217;s<a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/place-where-god-will-place-his-name\/5\"> character became like God&#8217;s character, <\/a>he began <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/11\">blessing religious people by speaking God&#8217;s voice to them.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3 I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and by you all the families of the earth shall bless themselves.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/death-resurrection-life\/4#lifedeathblesscurse\">Blessing is a code word for hearing God&#8217;s spoken voice. Curse is the code word for the Old\/First Covenant. <\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">The <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/gods-written-word-and-gods-spoken-voice\/the-law\/two-covenantspart1\/faith-grace-mercy-peace-love-heart-glory-blessing-spirit-and-truth\/11\">greatest blessing is the ability to hear God&#8217;s spoken voice.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">New Covenant disciples are <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/true-prophets\">true prophets<\/a>. Old\/First Covenant religionists bless themselves when they\u00a0 listen to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=john+3:34;+jeremiah+26:1-5;+ezekiel+2:1-7;+ezekiel+3:4-11;+2-chronicles+36:15;+acts+3:26;+revelation+1:1;+deuteronomy+18:18;+isaiah+51:15-16;+john+17:1-8;+isaiah+59:21;+deuteronomy+32:1;+job+22:22;+psalm+19:14;+proverbs+12:6;+jeremiah+1:9;+jeremiah+5:14;+hosea+6:5;+daniel+9:9-11;+2-peter+1:19-21\">true prophets who speak for God<\/a> instead of <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/people\/religion-is-the-kingdom-of-false-prophets\">listening to false prophets<\/a> who <a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=genesis+6:5;+genesis+8:21;+jeremiah+16:12;+jeremiah+7:24;+jeremiah+11:8;+jeremiah+14:14;+jeremiah+18:12;+jeremiah+3:17;+jeremiah+13:10;+luke+1:51;+colossians+2:18;+jeremiah+27:9-17;+jeremiah+23:16;+jeremiah+28:15;+jeremiah+29:8;+1-john+4:1;+matthew+7:15;+2-corinthians+11:13-15;+galatians+1:8-9;+ezekiel+13:1-6;+ezekiel+13:23;+ezekiel+21:29;+ezekiel+22:28;+proverbs+12:6;+proverbs+1:11;+proverbs+1:16;+ecclesiastes+10:12;+ezekiel+33:31;+revelation+13:1-5\">speak out of the evil imaginations of their minds.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">4 So Abram went, as the LORD had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. 5 And Abram took Sar&#8217;ai his wife, and Lot his brother&#8217;s son, and all their possessions which they had gathered, and the persons that they had gotten in Haran; and they set forth to go to the land of Canaan. When they had come to the land of Canaan, 6 Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. 7 Then the LORD appeared to Abram, and said, &#8220;To your descendants I will give this land.&#8221; So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him. 8 Thence he removed to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the LORD and called on the name of the LORD.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Abram has heard God&#8217;s promises and traveled by faith to enter the promised land. As a sign of devoting himself to God&#8217;s purposes, Abram built two altars. The scripture does not say that he offered any sacrifices on the altars, but it is not necessary to report that because a human altar is what God really wants. We know this because <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/exodus\/passage\/?q=exodus+20:22-26\">God later tells Moses to build an altar of earth (i.e. make yourself a living altar where earth symbolically refers to people)<\/a>. Thus the altar that Abram made is not a physical altar but a spiritual altar: Himself.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Since Abram has acted on God&#8217;s promise, we assume that he is a New Covenant believer even though it is not until later that scripture reports that<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=romans+4:1-3;romans+4:20-24;galatians+3:6;james+2:23;genesis+15:1-11\"> his belief was credited to him as righteousness<\/a>. In that righteous condition, Abram knew that what God really wanted was a human altar.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">9 And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb. 10 Now there was a famine in the land. So Abram went down to Egypt to sojourn there, for the famine was severe in the land.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This is the first time the Bible mentions a famine in Canaan. We must keep in mind that is a spiritual famine not a physical famine. Scripture does not report why God invoked a spiritual famine, but we might suppose that it was to test Israel to see if it would trust him or seek other gods. Or, famine could have occurred because God&#8217;s people did not <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/passage\/?q=exodus+15:22-26;+exodus+23:21;+exodus+19:5;+jeremiah+7:23-26;+jeremiah+11:1-4;+matthew+4:1-4;+deuteronomy+8:1-3;+job+22:21-23;+psalm+119:9-13;+psalm+138:4;+isaiah+28:23;+jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+22:21;+psalm+106:25;+nehemiah+9:29;+jeremiah+11:10;+jeremiah+13:11;+zechariah+7:11;+isaiah+46:12;+matthew+13:15\">listen to his spoken word.<\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">11 When he was about to enter Egypt, he said to Sar&#8217;ai his wife, &#8220;I know that you are a woman beautiful to behold; 12 and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, &#8216;This is his wife&#8217;; then they will kill me, but they will let you live. 13 Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared on your account.&#8221; 14 When Abram entered Egypt the Egyptians saw that the woman was very beautiful. 15 And when the princes of Pharaoh saw her, they praised her to Pharaoh. And the woman was taken into Pharaoh&#8217;s house.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">16 And for her sake he dealt well with Abram; and he had sheep, oxen, he-asses, menservants, maidservants, she-asses, and camels. 17 But the LORD afflicted Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sar&#8217;ai, Abram&#8217;s wife.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">18 So Pharaoh called Abram, and said, &#8220;What is this you have done to me? Why did you not tell me that she was your wife? 19 Why did you say, &#8216;She is my sister,&#8217; so that I took her for my wife? Now then, here is your wife, take her, and be gone.&#8221; 20 And Pharaoh gave men orders concerning him; and they set him on the way, with his wife and all that he had.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY:<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>IMAGERY OF EGYPT<\/strong><br \/>\nEgypt&#8217;s imagery is similar to Babylon. The spiritual differences are very subtle, but both are places where religions are practiced under the control of powerful rulers (i.e.<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/paroh.html\"> Pharaoh<\/a> and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/lexicons\/hebrew\/nas\/nebuwkadnetstsar.html\">Nebuchadnezzar<\/a>) who symbolically represent all religious leaders.<\/p>\n<p>The main difference between Israel and Babylon is how Israel came to reside in these religious kingdoms. It went to Egypt first because there was a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine#goodspiritualfood\">spiritual famine (i.e. there was no good spiritual food)<\/a> in the promised land. This contrasts with Babylon where Israel was sent (i.e. exiled) as a consequence for the sin of religion.<\/p>\n<p>Both nations are parables of the condition of Judaism and Christianity. In effect, they are still in exile in Babylon. And it is because they are in exile that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/god-is-calling-people-out-of-religion\">God calls his people to come out of Babylon (i.e. religion).<\/a><\/p>\n<p>But we are not so familiar with other stories of God&#8217;s people interacting with Egypt after the exodus or of God&#8217;s reminders that he brought Israel out of Egypt and warnings not to go back to Egypt. Here is a collection of scriptures that show in many ways that we need to pay attention to God&#8217;s references to Egypt:<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<table style=\"width: 76.886%; border-color: #000000;\" border=\"3\">\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=le+11:45;le+18:3;le+19:34;le+19:36;le+22:33;le+23:43;le+25:38;le+25:42;le+25:55;le+26:13;le+26:45\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Leviticus<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God reminds his people many times that he brought them out of Egypt. This is his way of saying that he has delivered them from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/religion-is-injustice-and-slavery\">slavery to religion<\/a>,<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=nu+1:1;nu+3:13;nu+8:17;nu+9:1;nu+11:5;nu+11:18;nu+11:20;nu+13:22;nu+14:2;nu+14:3;nu+14:4;nu+14:13;nu+14:19;nu+14:22;nu+15:41;nu+20:5;nu+20:15;nu+20:16;nu+21:5;nu+22:5;nu+22:11;nu+23:22;nu+24:8;nu+26:4;nu+26:59;nu+32:11;nu+33:1;nu+33:3;nu+33:4;nu+33:38;nu+34:5\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Numbers<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">Israel longed to return to religion in Israel but God dissuades them.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=de+1:27;de+1:30;de+4:20;de+4:34;de+4:37;de+4:45;de+4:46;de+5:6;de+5:15;de+6:12;de+6:21;de+6:22;de+7:8;de+7:15;de+7:18;de+8:14;de+9:7;de+9:12;de+9:26;de+10:19;de+10:22;de+11:3;de+11:4;de+11:10;de+13:5;de+13:10;de+15:15;de+16:1;de+16:3;de+16:6;de+16:12;de+17:16;de+20:1;de+23:4;de+24:9;de+24:18;de+24:22;de+25:17;de+26:5;de+26:8;de+28:27;de+28:60;de+28:68;de+29:2;de+29:16;de+29:25;de+34:11\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Deuteronomy<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God reminds his people about their time in religion (i.e. Egypt).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jos+2:10;jos+5:4;jos+5:5;jos+5:6;jos+5:9;jos+9:9;jos+13:3;jos+15:4;jos+15:47;jos+24:4;jos+24:5;jos+24:6;jos+24:7;jos+24:14;jos+24:17;jos+24:32\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joshua<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God reminds his people about Egypt while laying out the boundaries of the promised land (i.e. New\u00a0 Covenant) that they will occupy after leaving religion behind.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jud+2:1;jud+2:12;jud+6:8;jud+6:9;jud+6:13;jud+10:11;jud+11:13;jud+11:16;jud+19:30\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Judges<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">More reminders that God&#8217;s people had been delivered from religion.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1sa+2:27;1sa+4:8;1sa+6:6;1sa+8:8;1sa+10:18;1sa+12:6;1sa+12:8;1sa+15:2;1sa+15:6;1sa+15:7;1sa+27:8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1 Samuel<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">More reminders that God&#8217;s people had been delivered from religion.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=2sa+7:6;2sa+7:23\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2 Samuel<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God reminds Israel that he has not lived in a physical house (i.e. temple) since they left Egypt (i.e. religion).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 12px;\">God says that his people are not like other religions.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=1ki+3:1;1ki+4:21;1ki+4:30;1ki+6:1;1ki+8:9;1ki+8:16;1ki+8:21;1ki+8:51;1ki+8:53;1ki+8:65;1ki+9:9;1ki+9:16;1ki+10:28;1ki+10:29;1ki+11:17;1ki+11:18;1ki+11:21;1ki+11:40;1ki+12:2;1ki+12:28;1ki+14:25\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">1 Kings<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">Solomon and his sons return to their religious ways (i.e. form alliances).<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/2-chronicles\/passage\/?q=2-chronicles+7:19-22\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2 Chronicles<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God brought disaster on Israel because it adopted the religious practices of Egypt.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/isaiah\/19.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Isaiah 19<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God will punish Egypt and the restore it.<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+11:1-7;+jeremiah+42:11-22;+jeremiah+43;+jeremiah+44;+jeremiah+46:2;+jeremiah+46\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Jeremiah<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">God gave several prophecies against Israel and Egypt.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/lamentations\/passage\/?q=lamentations+5:1-9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lamentations<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">Israel sinned by going to Egypt for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/breadfood-and-wine#evilspiritualfood\">bread (i.e. evil spiritual food)<\/a>.<br \/>\n<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=eze+16:26;eze+17:15;eze+19:4;eze+20:5;eze+20:6;eze+20:7;eze+20:8;eze+20:9;eze+20:10;eze+20:36;eze+23:3;eze+23:8;eze+23:19;eze+23:21;eze+23:27;eze+27:7;eze+29:2;eze+29:3;eze+29:6;eze+29:9;eze+29:10;eze+29:12;eze+29:13;eze+29:14;eze+29:19;eze+29:20;eze+30:4;eze+30:6;eze+30:8;eze+30:9;eze+30:10;eze+30:11;eze+30:13;eze+30:15;eze+30:16;eze+30:18;eze+30:19;eze+30:21;eze+30:22;eze+30:23;eze+30:25;eze+30:26;eze+31:2;eze+32:2;eze+32:12;eze+32:15;eze+32:16;eze+32:18\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ezekiel<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<td style=\"text-align: left; width: 50.2193%;\" rowspan=\"8\" align=\"right\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">Many warnings about Egypt<br \/>\n<\/span><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=da+9:15;da+11:8;da+11:42;da+11:43\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Daniel<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=ho+2:15;ho+7:11;ho+7:16;ho+8:13;ho+9:3;ho+9:6;ho+11:1;ho+11:5;ho+11:11;ho+12:1;ho+12:9;ho+12:13;ho+13:4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Hosea<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/joel\/3-19.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Joel<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=am+2:10;am+3:1;am+3:9;am+4:10;am+8:8;am+9:5;am+9:7\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Amos<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=mic+6:4;mic+7:15\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Micah<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/nahum\/3-9.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Nahum<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/haggai\/2-5.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Haggai<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td style=\"width: 18.5965%;\"><span style=\"font-family: Arial,Helvetica; font-size: small;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=zec+10:10;zec+10:11;zec+14:18;zec+14:19\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Zechariah<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>And here is one particular scripture that summarizes how we should look at Egypt:<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/isaiah\/passage\/?q=isaiah+30:1-17\">Isaiah 30:1-17<\/a> &#8220;Woe to the rebellious children,&#8221; says the LORD, &#8220;who carry out a plan, but not mine; and who make a league, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin; 2 who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my counsel, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh, and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: This says clearly that going to Egypt (i.e. religion) is rebellion and sin.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Going down to Egypt is equated without asking for God&#8217;s counsel (i.e. listen to his voice).<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Seeking refuge in the shadow of Egypt means that Israel has not sought refuge in God.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Making a league means to make an alliance which is what Babylonians did when they agreed to build a tower to reach God, which is not something God told them to do.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">3 Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Seeking protection from Pharaoh is a symbolic way of saying seeking protection from religious leaders.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">4 For though his officials are at Zo&#8217;an and his envoys reach Ha&#8217;nes, 5 every one comes to shame through a people that cannot profit them, that brings neither help nor profit, but shame and disgrace.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: There is no profit in religion. It only yields shame and disgrace.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">6 An oracle on the beasts of the Negeb. Through a land of trouble and anguish, from where come the lioness and the lion, the viper and the flying serpent, they carry their riches on the backs of asses, and their treasures on the humps of camels, to a people that cannot profit them. 7 For Egypt&#8217;s help is worthless and empty, therefore I have called her &#8220;Rahab who sits still.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: There is trouble and anguish in Egypt.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">Religion is worthless and empty.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">God calls religion <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/search\/?s=bibles&amp;q=Rahab&amp;t=nas&amp;c=all\">Rahab, a harlot<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">8 And now, go, write it before them on a tablet, and inscribe it in a book, that it may be for the time to come as a witness for ever. 9 For they are a rebellious people, lying sons, sons who will not hear the instruction of the LORD;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Religious people are rebellious because they refuse to\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=genesis+22:18;+exodus+23:21-22;+numbers+7:89;+numbers+14:22;+deuteronomy+4:12;+deuteronomy+4:30;+deuteronomy+4:36;+deuteronomy+5:22-26;+deuteronomy+8:20;+deuteronomy+9:23;+deuteronomy+13:4;+deuteronomy+13:18;+deuteronomy+15:5;+deuteronomy+26:14;+deuteronomy+26:17;+deuteronomy+30:20;+joshua+5:6;+joshua+10:14;+joshua+22:2;+joshua+24:24;+psalm+81:11;+psalm+95:7;+psalm+106:25;+jeremiah+3:13;+jeremiah+3:25;+jeremiah+7:23;+jeremiah+7:28;+jeremiah+9:13;+jeremiah+11:4;+jeremiah+11:7;+jeremiah+18:10;+jeremiah+22:20-21;+jeremiah+26:13;+jeremiah+32:23;+jeremiah+40:3;+jeremiah+42:6;+jeremiah+42:13-14;+jeremiah+43:1-7;+jeremiah+44:23;+isaiah+28:23;+isaiah+32:9;+isaiah+55:1-3\">hear and obey God&#8217;s voice<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">10 who say to the seers, &#8220;See not&#8221;; and to the prophets, &#8220;Prophesy not to us what is right; speak to us smooth things, prophesy illusions, 11 leave the way, turn aside from the path, let us hear no more of the Holy One of Israel.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Religious people prefer to listen to false prophets who tell them what they want to hear rather than listen to God&#8217;s voice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">12 Therefore thus says the Holy One of Israel, &#8220;Because you despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and rely on them; 13 therefore this iniquity shall be to you like a break in a high wall, bulging out, and about to collapse, whose crash comes suddenly, in an instant; 14 and its breaking is like that of a potter&#8217;s vessel which is smashed so ruthlessly that among its fragments not a sherd is found with which to take fire from the hearth, or to dip up water out of the cistern.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: The result of failure to listen to God&#8217;s spoken word is destruction.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">15 For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel, &#8220;In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be your strength.&#8221; And you would not, 16 but you said, &#8220;No! We will speed upon horses,&#8221; therefore you shall speed away; and, &#8220;We will ride upon swift steeds,&#8221; therefore your pursuers shall be swift. 17 A thousand shall flee at the threat of one, at the threat of five you shall flee, till you are left like a flagstaff on the top of a mountain, like a signal on a hill.<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 150px;\">COMMENTARY: Horses and swift steeds symbolically represent religious leaders who pursue them so that they can enslave them.<\/p>\n<p><!--nextpage--><\/p>\n<p><strong>IMAGERY OF BABYLON <\/strong><br \/>\nThe Bible introduces Babylon in Genesis as the place where people came together to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/rsv\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+11:1-9\">build a city and tower that would reach to the heavens and make names for the builders. <\/a>God spoiled the people&#8217;s plan, confused their language, and scattered them all over the earth because their ill-conceived plan to create a religion for themselves was not his idea.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/genesis\/11-6.html\">God was also well aware of the potential people had to build powerful religious structures.<\/a> When thinking about this structure, we must make clear that the story uses the imagery of a physical structure (i.e. a tower built with man-made bricks) to represent an organizational, institutional structure that is designed and built by men for personal religious motives (i.e. make names for themselves). <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=jeremiah+7:31;+jeremiah+19:1-5;+2-samuel+7:1-7\">None of this was God&#8217;s idea, just like it was not his idea for David and Solomon to build a physical temple<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore, God was compelled to spoil their plans because he knew that the physical structures and the religions that they represented would attract many followers who would perceive that they could touch god and make names for themselves as religious people if they were part of an organized group that worshiped in a physical building where anyone could see them doing their religious activities.<\/p>\n<p>God also knew that unified people with a common language (i.e. they were in agreement about their religious beliefs), and shared desire to create reputations as spiritual people (i.e. make names\/reputations for themselves),<a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/genesis\/11-6.html\"> would be successful in their efforts<\/a>. For these reasons and the tendency of men to trust religious leaders who would teach them, God instructed Israel to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=revelation+18:1-8;+jeremiah+50;+jeremiah+51\">come out of Babylon<\/a>, to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12;+deuteronomy+20;+numbers+21:1-3;+numbers+31:1-18;+numbers+32;+numbers+33:50-56;+deuteronomy+9;+joshua+7:1-15;+joshua+9;+joshua+11;+joshua+23;+judges+2:11-23;+1-samuel+15:10-26;+deuteronomy+7:1-6;+deuteronomy+31:1-8;+zechariah+12:9;+jeremiah+1:10;+jeremiah+51:15-23\">utterly destroy the religious nations of Canaan <\/a>and to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/nas\/passage\/?q=isaiah+21:1-10;+revelation+16:17-24;+revelation+17;+revelation+18;+jeremiah+51\">destroy Babylon<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/passage\/?q=deuteronomy+12;+deuteronomy+20;+numbers+21:1-3;+numbers+31:1-18;+numbers+32;+numbers+33:50-56;+deuteronomy+9;+joshua+7:1-15;+joshua+9;+joshua+11;+joshua+23;+judges+2:11-23;+1-samuel+15:10-26;+deuteronomy+7:1-6;+deuteronomy+31:1-8;+zechariah+12:9;+jeremiah+1:10;+jeremiah+51:15-23\">.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It is important to review this history of Babylon because later Biblical references to it carry the clear inference that <a href=\"http:\/\/www.biblestudytools.com\/genesis\/passage\/?q=genesis+11:1-9\">Babylon symbolizes institutions in which religious people build tower (i.e. religious organizations) that enable them to reach God<\/a>. In more specific terms, Babylon is a man-made religious structure or organization that is designed and built by people for their own personal benefit (i.e. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\/religion-is-not-faith\/pride\/2\">pride<\/a>, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/fakefaith\/2018\/02\/18\/making-a-name-for-yourself\/\">make reputations\/names for themselves<\/a> as spiritual people.) But since religions always have specific locations usually called &#8220;holy places,&#8221; Babylon is also a physical place (e.g. church, ministry, synagogue, etc.) where religious activities are convened by religious leaders who have taken responsibility for building the religious structure and advancing it for their personal benefit.<\/p>\n<p>Thus we should interpret Babylon as anywhere religion is practiced &#8212; not just as a place on the map. These symbolic Babylons exist in many forms.<\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<ul>\n<li>They may be unique, visible religions with unique names such as Judaism or Christianity with all their various denominational subdivisions.<\/li>\n<li>They may be corporate (i.e. established according to government laws), independent ministries within Judaism or Christianity.<\/li>\n<li>They may be independent, private ministries created by individuals according to their own ideas of what they must do if their are to earn reputations as spiritual people.<\/li>\n<li>They will all be under the leadership of a human who is perceived to have god-like qualities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p>Regardless of the form, Babylon always represents <a href=\"http:\/\/www.thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/religion\">religion<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IT IS NOT ABOUT HISTORY OR GEOGRAPHY\u00a0\u00a0 It is impossible to understand the Bible without a solid understanding of the symbolism of Egypt, Babylon and Canaan. We are not personally rebuked, corrected or trained in righteousness if we think of <span class=\"excerpt-dots\">&hellip;<\/span> <a class=\"more-link\" href=\"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/mystery\/symbols-signs-types-copies-shadows-and-patterns\/egypt-and-babylon\"><span class=\"more-msg\">Continue reading &rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":1687,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2259","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2259","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2259"}],"version-history":[{"count":79,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2259\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12740,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2259\/revisions\/12740"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1687"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewaywesee.com\/religiondetoxnetwork\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2259"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}