Culture, History, & News

Ancient Babylon

The ancient city-state of Babylon was located in Mesopotamia between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The city was known for wealth, power, and its pursuit of the arts. Their king introduced the world to the Hammurabi Code: a set of written cuneiform laws set in stone for the public to view. After falling into apostasy, the Israelites were punished by the Lord and taken into captivity to Babylon. While Israel was in exile, the divine wisdom of Daniel would elevate him to a position of prominence in this foreign kingdom. Babylon has a reputation in the Christian Bible as a spiritual place of materialism and ungodliness.

“After falling into apostasy, the Israelites were punished by the Lord and taken into captivity to Babylon.”

According to the short book: Babylon: A History From Beginning to End by Hourly History (2018): the king encouraged higher learning in many areas. The Babylonians were polytheistic, similar to the Assyrians: “[King] Hammurabi encouraged the pursuit of art, science, music, mathematics, literature, and astronomy, and the center of the city was dominated by a mighty ziggurat, a stepped pyramid…” (p. 12). “The Assyrians and Babylonians worshipped many of the same gods, and Marduk, the god who brought order out of chaos, was one of the most revered” (p. 24). 1

Ziggurat of Ancient Mesopotamia
“The Babylonians were polytheistic, similar to the Assyrians.”

The Israelite exiles in Babylon were to serve a prophetic sentence of seventy years for their apostasy. A young Daniel was among this group of Israelites. He and three other youths (Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego) were chosen by the king to be advisors. Daniel (whose name was changed to Belteshazzar) had the divine wisdom to interpret dreams and Babylonian kings would often seek his counsel on matters of state. Even in a foreign land, that worshipped other gods than the monotheistic Israelites, the Lord allowed Daniel to rise to a position of power. The Bible states: “Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm” (Holy Bible KJV Daniel 6:3). Later, jealous rivals would plot against Daniel and have him thrown into a den of lions. The Lord intervenes by sending an angel to protect him from harm.

“Later, jealous rivals would plot against Daniel and have him thrown into a den of lions.”

Babylon began as a small port town and grew into one of the most powerful city-states in the region. It also gained great enemies in the form of other nations, such as: the Assyrians, Hittites, Elamites, Persians and Macedonians (northern Greece). Babylon would eventually be conquered by Cyrus the Great, the King of Persia and Alexander the Great of Macedonia. 2

“Babylon began as a small port town and grew into one of the most powerful city-states in the region.”

The polytheistic Babylonians would be introduced to Christianity in the first and second centuries C.E. In the year 638 C.E., Muslim rule would weaken Christianity in the Mesopotamian region. By the mid-seventh century, the Babylon of old no longer existed. It was subjected to the rule of the Rashidun Caliphate. 3 The city’s reputation would live on through Biblical scripture as a spiritual place of materialism and ungodliness.

Bibliography

(1, 2, 3) History, Hourly. Babylon: A History From Beginning to End (Mesopotamia History) Kindle Edition. October 29, 2018.

*Reposted article from the June 2023 Edition.

“Daniel: The Writing on the Wall | Daniel 5 | King Belshazzar | Nebuchadnezzar eating grass”
GIDEON Films on YouTube

“The Story of Daniel in the Bible | Courage in the Lion’s Den | Bible Stories”
Bible Stories in Black on YouTube

“Book of Daniel Summary: A Complete Animated Overview”
Bible Project on YouTube

“A day in the life of an ancient Babylonian business mogul – Soraya Field Fiorio”
Ted-ed on YouTube

“THE BOOK OF DANIEL | Full Christian Movie – Starring Lance Henriksen, Robert Miano”
Pinnacle Peak Christian Movies on YouTube

Art/Film/Literature News

China Cry

Sung Neng Yee (later known as Nora Lam) was coming of age in 1950s China. It was a pivotal time as communist beliefs began to move through the nation. The movie: China Cry (1990, PG-13, running time 1 hour 46 minutes) is based on the true story of her life. She was a teacher who was subjected to political persecution for her personal convictions and religious beliefs. The movie’s foreword about the events of this time-period states: “It happened a decade before China’s Great Cultural Revolution and some thirty years before the bloody history of Tiananmen Square.” A very good movie to watch!

*Reposted article from the January 2025 Edition.

“China Cry (1990) | Full Movie | Julia Nickson-Soul | Russell Wong | James Shigeta | France Nuyen”
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Business/Non-Profit/Inspirational News

God Ordained Spouses

How do you know if the person you are dating is your potential spouse? Ask God! Shanique Beckford Ministries and Wisdom Speaks Life provide excellent instruction and guidance on the topic of God ordained spouses (their videos are posted below). Remember, it is better to be in the will of the Lord for your life and marriage than to be unequally yoked in a marriage chosen by your own natural understanding. Instead, be obedient to the supernatural wisdom of the Lord Almighty. Obedience is better than sacrifice.

To have a God ordained spouse does not mean your marriage will be free of trials. But what it does mean, is the Lord approves of your union to glorify his kingdom and expose the enemy Satan. Whom the Lord loves and approves, he chastises and also blesses. Watch these inspirational videos for more insight on the topic!

*Reposted article from the November 2024 Edition.

“Do I Choose My Own Spouse or Does God Choose for Me?”
Shanique Beckford Ministries on YouTube

“My Testimony: I Caught My Fiancé In Bed With Another Woman. Signs I Ignored…”
Wisdom Speaks Life on YouTube

“What Actually Happens When You Meet Your SOULMATE?”
Love with the Robertsons on YouTube

Book Review

An Interview with Farida Nabourema

The short book: An Interview with Farida Nabourema (2021, 16 pages, kindle edition) by Dwayne Wong (Omowale) is a two part interview the author conducted via email with Farida Nabourema for the Huffington Post (2017). Ms. Nabourema is a Togolese writer and activitist who provides her perspective on politics and corruption in her homeland. She makes intelligent observations about military dictatorship rule, colonalism, democracy, and the future of Africa. A great read!

Book Quotes:

“Togo has a very peculiar story. It is a land of refuge of several tribes who fled persecution from all over the places in West Africa.”

“I have always felt like we Africans who have voluntarily migrated to the United States were able to do so because those who were forced to settle there as slaves fought for their liberation…”

“We are fighting for the freedom of our people from all form of oppression and democracy is a tool to reach that freedom.”

“Is your country at risk of becoming a dictatorship? Here’s how to know | Farida Nabourema”
Ted on YouTube
March 2019

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