Newsletter 15: The Tower of Babel, Chapter Four

Brick, Burned Thoroughly, for Stone, and Slime for Mortar

The first thing that Ron found was a section of extremely old baked-brick wall. But what was so exciting was the fact that the bricks were 70 cm. X 70 cm (about 28 ” by 28″) and a little over 5 « inches thick. As far as we have been able to find, the largest baked bricks found to date are about 20″ x 20″, 8″ smaller than these. The mortar between the bricks is black asphalt or tar mixed with what appears to be sand. So far, these things agreed with what we are told about the construction of Babel. This section of structure is angled upward, not straight like a vertical wall. He obtained samples of a portion of a brick, some mortar and some clay from the area for comparison.

ArtifactsHe also found several artifacts which indicate the time of the occupation of the site in comparison with other sites in the region. He found several “shaped” stone objects which appear to be some sort of tools. One, with a hole in it, is termed a “palette” by archaeologists though we aren’t sure what it was used for. It has a shaped hole through it and Ron believes it was perhaps used for starting fires- by twirling a flint or other object in order to get a spark, flammable materials such as twigs or dry grass placed underneath the hole were ignited while stray sparks were prevented from flying outward. Just a theory- we haven’t tried it yet since it’s been so damp here.

Other objects found were made of pottery material and one we think was a shuttle used in weaving. If placed in a little bag attached to a thread, it could have pulled that through the vertical strands. Another object has the appearance of a small wheel such as have been found in the same general region attached to small carts probably pulled by oxen. Ron’s specimen matches, in color and size, several complete carts found in the same general region (within about a 70 miles radius).

Those features in AA, vol XXXVI, p. 165-171 are all made of a pale, buff-colored white clay with wheels from 7.5 cm. to 8.5 cm.- Ron’s is made of the same material of a light reddish buff and measures 7.75 cm. Because of the number of these found, it has been suggested that these early people had a belief similar in concept to some found in Voo-doo; that by fashioning small models of objects, they had a certain power over the true object the figurine represented. (EB, vol vii, p. 691). This may have been true to some degree that we do not understand because we know that the Egyptians believed that after a person was dead that their “spirit” needed certain objects to return to after “flying around”, such as statues of the dead person. They also believed that a person’s name, written on the wall of their tomb, was insurance against being cast into oblivion. When people wanted to “curse” someone already dead to this sort of doom, they would chisel away their name. They also knocked off the noses of the statues of those deceased because they believed their “spirit” entered the statue through the nose. So, perhaps these models of carts represented some paganistic belief concerning things related to commerce or farming.

However, the wheel(?) also resembles whorls used for spinning. One author, when writing of these same objects found in the same region, states: “Spindle-whorls of stone, baked clay and bone and impressions of textiles on pottery are found in many sites… Spindle-whorls are indeed commonplace at ancient sites all over the Near East; and one common type is shaped like a miniature wheel and made of pottery…. The function of these small wheels is not always certain; they have bilateral hubs, giving them the appearance of belonging to model carts. Such carts are known from a number of sites in or near the Early Trans-Caucasian zone, and discs of hubbed form are even more widespread, occurring at sites in [Soviet] Georgia, Armenia, the Nakhichevan region, and eastern Anatolia…. The very number of the discs, however, mitigates against their invariable interpretation as parts of model carts or wagons…. It seems improbable that these people spent so much of their time making toys. Though some of these discs belong to model vehicles, most of them could perfectly well have served as one type, though not the only one, of spindle-whorl.” (PH, p. 74). What is at question here is whether these model carts were toys or for cultish purposes.

The most important fact we learn here is that these forms are the most widespread in the area that Noah’s family originally lived in. This indicates that this object, whether spindle-whorl or cart wheel, was brought to the Babel area from the original home of Noah’s family. And by “brought” I mean the “knowledge and use of” was brought here, not the actual object.

The Leg of a “Goddess”Another object he found was a funny-looking longish object, seen in the photo at right, which we pondered a bit. It looked like a leg, but we weren’t sure. Then, we discovered the archaeological books on excavations in eastern and south central Turkey contained many, many examples of this same object. It is the leg of one of the well-known “mother-goddess” figurines so common to this earliest period. The sketches below, are of similar legs found in Hacilar.(AA, vol. VIII, p. 147). These have been found by the hundreds, not only in Turkey but in every early civilization in some form or another.

IRONThe most important object that he found was a small piece of metal which upon examination is seen to be 2 flat pieces of metal welded together. And it is iron. We will have it examined by electron microscope at a later date and will report on the results in a future issue.

This was his first investigation in the region and for now, we have no conclusions except that this site provides some very interesting evidence that dates it to the earliest time period. The tools are similar to those found in all the early sites throughout the region that are called “Neolithic”. The “mother-goddess” is certainly one of the earliest types of figurines or idols found. But the baked brick is far larger than that found at other sites, even those dated to a much later date. This indicates construction on a larger scale or people who were used to handling larger objects, such as the 36″ sword blade we mentioned earlier that would be almost impossible to hold with one hand by people today.

The presence of iron, not even considering the fact that it appears to be welded, would date it, according to secular archaeologist, to over 1,000 to 1,300 years later. This indicates that the knowledge of metallurgy was “advanced”, declining among certain peoples when they were isolated into groups by language barriers. Combined with the evidences of metallurgy near Noah’s home and the Araxes Valley (Ararat Plain), there can be no denial of the technical abilities of these earliest of peoples on the post-flood earth.

Plans for Continued Exploration in the Babel RegionWhile the site Ron examined is quite large, he feels that the “tell” he photographed from the plane is a better candidate for Babel based on its immense size. Locating and investigating this particular site will be the next order of business and we will keep you posted as things progress. But whether or not the tower itself can ever be identified, the facts already demonstrated through the archaeological research of others are enough to show the Biblical account to be accurate.

The assumption of scholars and archaeologists has been that man progressed through various stages uniformly all over the world, even though they admit that in certain areas of the world today there are people who are termed “paleolithic” or “neolithic”. Yet, in Turkey and the regions extending out around from it are evidences of people who appear “on the scene” with knowledge and abilities rivaling that of thousands of years later. All this in the land which contains people who speak over 50 different languages and dialects.

The Major Civilizations after BabelEveryone, even the non-believer, is certainly familiar with the fabulous ancient remains found in Egypt and Mesopotamia, especially Sumer where the ancient city of Ur (NOT Abraham’s Ur) was found. But little is heard of the incredibly advanced civilization that arose in the Indus Valley in present-day Pakistan and then simply disappeared. It is from the evidences found in these 3 regions that the advanced technical knowledge of mankind in his earliest times is fully demonstrated.

What we have discovered in gathering our research on these subjects is that the things which have been found that cannot be explained except by the Biblical account have been virtually forgotten- eliminated from most publications except perhaps the original excavation reports or other obscure books and papers. And I believe that some of what you are about to read will perhaps surprise you.

One Major Center – Destroyed In a Few InstantsAfter Babel, we know that the people began to migrate to the different regions of the world. In the last hundred or so years, discoveries have been made that have shown that the earliest and most advanced civilizations were along the fertile rivers of the Middle and Near East – areas that were once lush and beautiful but today are desolate, barren desert regions. One very advanced early civilization leaves us no evidence whatsoever except ashes and shapes. The Canaanite cities of the Jordan Valley, Sodom & Gomorrah and the cities of the plain, were without a doubt a most important center in the ancient world, for they were attacked by four kings of entire nations with their armies. Now that we know where they were located and their sizes, we know that they rivaled the early great cities of Egypt and Mesopotamia in all ways. Sadly, we cannot look upon their homes and temples except to view the ashen shapes.

Archaeology has revealed 3 major civilizations that virtually spring up from “nowhere”, so to speak. They were highly civilized and had governments, possessed vast technology (though different in different areas), and each produced writing (all three had picture writing, then two develop a writing system). I believe there is no room for doubt that these were the three earliest large civilizations formed just after Babel. And what we have discovered in their ancient remains is evidence that these people were very intelligent and far more advanced than the civilizations that followed them for many hundreds of years.

The evolutionist believes things evolve into “higher” or better states. However, the laws of nature (God’s laws) show that everything evolves into a chaotic state. There’s a saying that we begin to die the moment we are born. Well, that’s the way with all things. Mankind began to lose knowledge the moment he was “born” after the flood. And we would have degraded into a complete loss of technical knowledge and ability except for the Divine assistance provided in fulfillment of prophecy:

Dan 12:4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.”

It is our belief that the time of the end began in 1798 and if we examine the history of man, we see that the VAST majority of achievements in technology of every kind was made from this time forward. But those who study and know God’s Word can see and understand that this increase in knowledge has a Divine purpose – for not only do we have this great knowledge, we have access to information and understanding that sheds great light on the validity of the Biblical account and the understanding of His prophecies. The frustrating part is that Satan is ever fighting to twist and misinterpret these things to further confuse man about God’s Truth. For those who want His Truth, there can be no denying what the evidence shows – everything happened exactly as the Bible said.

THE INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATIONWhen the numerous groups left Babel, just as when they left their original homes near Noah, they had to follow a river or coastline as much as possible. Following the Euphrates or the Tigris to the delta region near the Persian Gulf, then following the coastline east through present-day Iran into present-day Pakistan, we find the Indus River. Along this valley has been found evidence of a very advanced, very unique civilization that sprang up suddenly and existed at the same time as earliest Sumer – a unique civilization built by those who left Babel.

The Indus Valley today lies in Pakistan which came into being at the time of the Partition of British India in 1947. But, for all practical purposes, it is a part of India. Physically, India (with Pakistan) is cut off from the greater part of Asia by the Himalayas to the north. Today, this Indus region is not a pleasant place. Except for the narrow strip of green along the river where artificial irrigation systems have been built, this is a forbidding, sandy desert, 120 degrees in the shade in the summer. It is one of the last places on earth one would expect to find the remains of cities. Yet, all along this river a civilization stretched 1,000 miles long, covering more than twice as large an area as Ancient Egypt or Sumer.

A Completely Unknown Civilization Comes to LightThe early Indus civilization was completely unknown until early in this century when the railroad was being built and workmen found the ruins when they noticed the bricks. When excavated, cities were found that were technologically advanced to the extent that they rivaled some of today.

“These discoveries establish the existence… during the fourth and third millennium B.C., of a highly developed city life; and the presence, in many of the houses, of wells and bathrooms as well as an elaborate drainage system, betoken a social condition of the citizens at least equal to that found in Sumer, and superior to that prevailing in contemporary Babylon and Egypt… Even at Ur the houses are by no means equal in point of construction to those at Mohenjo-Daro.” (OH, pp. 394-5)

We’ll use the most famous of these cities, Mohenjo Daro, for most of our examples as it has been the most thoroughly excavated and is so well preserved. The discoveries made here have completely baffled the secular scholars, as happened with this discovery in the Indus Valley:

“One of the disturbing things about archaeology is the way it is always upsetting the established order of things. Whenever a scholar sits down to write a work of history, a nagging fear must plague him: perhaps, before he can see his book through the press, some new archaeological find will explode his whole view of history. His work will be out of date before it even appears! The history of ancient India is a good case in point…. Overnight, the whole pattern of early Indian history was overthrown.” (ED, pp. 91-3)

These cities are not only built of brick, they are built of BAKED brick. These burnt-bricks, or kiln-baked bricks, as they are variously called, are costly materials. But, unlike the simple sun-dried mud-brick, these baked bricks required entire forests of wood to fuel their kilns. But the advantage of baked over sun-dried is that the baked remains intact throughout rain, mud or whatever, and this decision on their part is the singular reason that their cities remained until today.However, it may also be the reason that their civilization disappeared:

“For a thousand years, the furnaces burned, and the tree grew fewer. A forest breathes, though; it gives off water-vapor, which collects in the atmosphere and returns in the form of rain. Remove the trees and the cycle is interrupted. In their lust for baking bricks, the Harappans [the name given this civilization by archaeologists] may well have turned their own valley into a desert…. Once there was a mighty civilization in that valley. Today, there is a desert.” (ED, p. 99)

A similar fate has befallen most of the early civilizations.

The Earliest “Pre-Planned City Ever FoundWhen people set out from Babel, they were equipped with great knowledge. From Noah and his sons they had learned about cities and technology. When they founded their own civilizations, they used that knowledge to plan their cities:

… Mohenjo-Daro,… is the earliest pre-planned city ever found anywhere in the world. It consists, like most Indus towns, of a large residential area at its lowest level overlooked from the west by a high citadel, a fortified and much smaller area. Below the citadel, the city was carefully designed for about 40,000 people in a grid pattern apparently of 12 main earth-paved streets, each about 9-13 metres (30-45 feet) wide. This street grid enclosed blocks of fairly even size, each block consisting of hundreds of houses very close together and opening off narrow lanes. The lanes vary in width from about 1.2 to 3 metres (4-10 feet), and are built with frequent right-angle bends- probably as a break against the winds. Most of the houses excavated were quite spacious, with several rooms around a central courtyard, a well and stairs to an upper story.” (LO, p. 75)

Their boundaries were over 5 kilometers (3 miles) in circumference, which is no small town.

Many of the accounts of these cities mention the fact that there are no doors or windows on the main streets, and as we read in the above account, they like to attribute this to some sort of “wind control” or other such explanations. But I suggest that this design is, once again, for protection from the wild animals that are reproducing far more rapidly than the human population.

Advanced Construction- Drainage Systems, Water Mains, Bathrooms in Every HouseBut what is most amazing is the advanced design and construction of these cities:

“Some of the houses are so well preserved that they could be occupied today, and use made of the bathroom as well as the irrigation and drainage services -… For a primitive town, in fact, the city of the Indus lacked neither grandeur nor comfort. The principal avenues were sometimes over 35 feet wide, and some of them crossed the town from one end to the other…. their drainage system has been miraculously preserved and, according to archaeologists, is the most ingenious and complete systems known to antiquity. The brick conduits, arranged under the streets, received the efflux from pipes placed in each house, and were linked to stone sewers. At intervals these sewers were supplied with cesspools which were easy to clean, while it was only necessary to move a few bricks to clean out the small drains in the streets if they became blocked up…. They constructed a whole system of water mains which collected the water from the rain falling outside the city and distributed it via ingenious brick conduits which conducted it to wells in each house…. These water mains fed the bathrooms. Each house possessed its own- and they were much the same as those still in use in India today…. Roads have been found covered with a sort of Macadam made of fragments of pottery and bits of crushed brick, soaked and tamped, probably to avoid the dust and mud which are the scourge of Far Eastern towns.” (WA, vol 1., pp. 97-8)“`The noteworthy and recurrent features,’ writes Mortimer Wheeler, `are the insistence on water-supply, bathing and drainage…. In some houses a built seat-latrine of Western type is included on the ground or first flood, with a sloping and sometimes stepped channel through the wall to a pottery-receptacle or brick drain outside. These brick drains are remarkably well made and cleverly designed. Nowhere else in the ancient world- except in the palace of King Minos of Crete, at Knossos- is there the same modern approach to waste disposal.'” (ED, p. 108)

I suspect that this advanced knowledge of waste-disposal, etc. came from one who had expert knowledge of the subject after living with seven other people over a year in a ship filled with animals of every kind.

The Incredibly Large Grain Storage BinInside the well fortified citadel of Mohenjo-Daro is a very large building, 150 feet long, 75 feet wide, with walls 20 feet high. This is positively identified as their granary, as others of similar size and design were found in other Indus cities. They are thought to have served the same function as a modern day bank or treasury, and hence their position in the city.

“What is left of the state granary today is only the ruined bases of the building- the wheat and rice would have been stored in a series of high spaces, probably of timber construction , above this podium. But the approach for the carts bringing the grain from the outlying farms, the unloading platform and the system of underfloor air-ducts to keep the grain dry, can all be seen.” (LO, p. 77)

The Mohenjo-Daro granary had 27 blocks with a recessed unloading bay for the carts bringing the grain. The granary at Harappa, another Indus Valley city of the same date, was built in 2 rows of six split by a street. Triangular ventilation shafts lined the back of the granaries. Outside, there were 17 round platforms for workers to process, or pound, the grain into flour.

Dice, Chess-Men, Lipstick, Perfume and Eye-Shadow – even Dogs & Cats!The people of this Indus civilization not only knew city planning and construction, they raised wheat, melons, barley, dates and COTTON. They fished the river with nets. They raised cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. Their craftsmen made statuettes and figurines of such quality that one would think they came from Greece over 1,000 years later. They fashioned elaborate jewelry of gold, silver, copper, shell and stone. They had auger drills, as well as

“…household utensils and toilet outfits; pottery painted and plain, hand-turned and turned on the wheel; terra cottas, dice and chess-men; coins older than any previously known;… faience work of excellent quality; stone carving superior to that of the Sumerians; copper weapons and implements, and a copper model of a two-wheeled cart (one of our oldest examples of a wheeled vehicle); gold and silver bangles, ear-ornaments, necklaces, and other jewelry `so well finished and so lightly polished’, says Marshall,`that they might have come out of a Bond Street jeweler’s of today rather than from a prehistoric house of 5,000 years ago'”. (OH, p. 395)

They even had lipstick, eye makeup which is still used today (kohl) and perfume!:

“Near this, the first lipstick known to antiquity was found in the shape of a rectangular piece of red ochre, which elegant women at this remote time already used to enhance the natural color of lips and cheeks. This stick, one end of which is worn- to whose lips was it last applied five thousand years ago?- lay on a small low table beside vases of kohl, flasks of perfume, hairpins and bronze razors.” (WA, vol. 1, p. 113.)

They even had cats and dogs within their cities which indicates that they were domesticated. The proof of this comes from a brick found in the city of Chanhu-Daro which bears the footprint of a cat slightly overlapped by that of a dog. When the brick was laid out to dry prior to going into the kiln, the cat must have whisked across the bricks at a high rate of speed, followed by the speeding dog, which is evidenced by the deep impress of their footpads. All of this gives a whole new meaning to “there is nothing new under the sun…”

Picture Writing and Strange AnimalsTheir writing comes mainly from engraved seals, but is also found on fragments of pottery and tablets. It is a picture-writing of which about four hundred different signs have been identified; however, it has not been deciphered because there is no other known language with which to compare it to. I don’t know what this may mean, but the ONLY other place that writing similar to this has been found is on Easter Island where the huge, black carved heads are found. Whereas both Sumer and Egypt began as picture writing, or hieroglyphic, then went on to develop an actual writing system, there is no evidence that these people ever developed beyond the picture stage. This may have been because their civilization came to an end too soon.

Their beautiful carved seals found in great abundance tell us of the animals there – we see monkeys, hares, doves, tigers, bears, rhinoceros, parrots, deer and great humped cattle. Since no monkeys or parrots live in this barren wasteland today, this is good evidence that this valley was once a jungle land. But some of these also show very strange creatures, such as a beast with three heads, an ox-like creature with only one horn, and two-headed snake-like creature.

The major difference between this civilization and the other two major civilizations of Egypt and Sumer is the absence of any temples, which is usually the first thing found when an ancient site is excavated. Without deciphered writings and temples, it is difficult to know anything about their religion.

Except there are the strange looking creatures on some of their seals which can only represent some mythical god-like creature. Some of these resemble the later gods of the Hindu religion, which are similar to those found in other parts of the world.

Links to Their Origins – and NimrodOne seal betrays the fact that, in spite of the uniqueness of this society, the people had a common origin with the other two major civilizations- a seal (photo at left) with the “lion-slayer” (Nimrod, the great hunter) holding two lions or perhaps tigers at bay on each side. The other evidence which they have in common with the earliest peoples in Anatolia, is the presence of the “mother-goddess”:

“A curious statuette of the Mother-Goddess also dates back to this period,…” (WA, vol 1., p. 112)

Evidence of Communication with Other Early Civilizations of Southern MesopotamiaWhen the people left Babel, those who traveled the same basic route to their various destinations knew where those who settled along that route were located. The people of the Indus Valley most certainly knew of those who settled in Sumer, which was along the basic route to the Indus Valley from Babel.

“The Harappans [the civilization of the Indus Valley] were in contact with the other civilized nations of the ancient world. This, too, we know from archaeological evidence. About 2300 B.C., when Sargon of Akkad ruled in Mesopotamia, there was trade between Sumer and Harappa. We know this because engraved seals of Harappa manufacture have been found in Sumerian cities dating from the time of Sargon.” (ED, pp. 111-2)

On the island of Bahrain of the east coast of Saudi Arabia (believed to be “Dilmun” of ancient records) are found seals of the Indus Valley designs along with those of Sumer, which place these two earliest civilizations as contemporary.

What Happened to the People of this Early Civilization in the Indus Valley?The presence of ancient dams shows that flooding was a problem, just as it was in ancient Sumer as evidenced by the so-called “flood layer” which Woolley incorrectly believed represented the flood of Noah’s time. (He believed in the “local-flood” theory, not the universal flood of the Bible).

“All delta regions are subject to flooding, some more than others- this is dependant upon the source of the river involved. The Indus begins in the Himalayas where in the spring, the melting snows can cause severe flooding. The evidence shown by the rebuilding after each flood indicates the most likely cause of their disappearance…. it seems likely that the people had simply exhausted the timber available from the great forests that once had surrounded them. Earlier, Mohenjo-Daro had been flooded at least three times, and each time they had simply rebuilt the city over the mud left by the waters. But their building materials were timber and baked brick, and more timber was needed to fire the huge quantities of bricks used in the city. Without wood at a reasonable distance, repairs and rebuilding were neglected. Later dwellings are jerry-built and the spacious houses of the great period were often divided.” (LO, p. 79)

Evidence of contact between the Indus Valley and Sumer disappears suddenly, which indicates that something happened to the actual civilization itself. The later occupation levels of the rebuilt cities indicate that they simply left the region when they had exploited the natural resources and turned the region into a desert.

Cuneiform records found in Sumer mention a land called “Meluhha” from which came gold, ivory, carnelian and lapis-lazuli. These have long been exports of India and we know the beads of gold and ivory from the Indus Valley were found in ancient Sumer. Could this “Meluhha” be the Indus Valley? In one of the Vedic (Indian) hymns the “Mleccha” are mentioned as the people that the Aryans, who took over the region much later, conquered. This may be further confirmed by a discovery made in Mohenjo-Daro in the last occupation level:

“In 1925 and 1926, Vats and Hargreaves were fortunate to exhume several corpses from the ruins of a house. The convulsive and painful positions they were found in showed that they had died a violent death. There was a group of fourteen of these skeletons in one room, and another group of six in a road, some of which are decapitated. The most moving is undoubtedly that of a woman who had fallen head first down a stairway which led to a well below the street. Mr. Wheeler found a group of skeletons of men, women and children in the ruins of the citadel, exhumed in 1946, probably belonging to the same family. This was probably a family of ivory sculptors, because two elephant tusks were discovered near the corpses. The man had carried them away in his flight,… After the fall of the citadel, the invaders stripped the fugitives of all their possessions and killed them, but they left the tusks behind.” (WA, vol 1., p. 116)

The fact that so few people were in the city during this attack is further confirmation that the majority of the population had long since deserted the area. All evidence of trade had ceased. Then, the Aryans took over the region. It appears that when they attacked, there were but a very few still in the cities at that time, as evidenced by the small number of skeletons found in this last occupation level.

A Mystery SolvedThe archaeologists and scholars tell the tale themselves, of this civilization that seemingly “came from nowhere”:

“A civilization as complex as that of the Indus Valley does not spring full-blown out of nowhere. But that is exactly what appears to have happened at Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. They are cities built from scratch. The archaeologists of the future will have to account for this mysterious improbable breakthrough of civilization in the Indus Valley, circa 2500 B.C.” (ED, p. 107)

Well, the answer to this mystery is simple, and in fact, the ONLY answer. The pieces of the puzzle of mankind will never fit except in the context of the Biblical account.

THE EGYPTIAN AND MESOPOTAMIAN CIVILIZATIONSThere is no need to go into much detail about these civilizations as we did with the Indus Valley civilization for the simple reason that almost everyone is familiar with these. In fact, we will not discuss the evidences from Sumer which are so well known. The world has been fascinated with ancient Egypt for the last 150 to 200 years, and due to the abundance of artifacts, much is known about these early people. However, as usual, for the most part the evidences have been “explained” in light of men’s theories instead of the Biblical account and the true picture has been distorted.

When “kings lists” have been found, they have been construed to be a continual list- one after another- when in fact, it is known that different kings ruled at the same time in different parts of Egypt. Because of this error, scholars proclaim that the Egyptians go back to a time prior to the flood.

It is the earliest period of Egypt that is the least known, but it is from these evidences that we find the information which relates to “where these people came from”. Most of the evidence of this earliest period comes from burials, which has revealed that Egypt’s earliest inhabitants were also highly civilized and in possession of technical knowledge. Although their earliest cities have not survived to tell their tales as the Indus Valley’s have, we have learned from their earliest burials that they had boats, wore elaborate jewelry, wore make-up, wore clothes of woven fabric, ate with ivory spoons, and worked in gold, silver and lead, just to mention a very, very few. The earliest object ever found made of plywood (other than the deck timber from Noah’s Ark) was in early Egypt-

“a coffin whose sides were made of six thin superimposed layers of wood with the grain alternating as in modern plywood”. (“Saqqara”, p. 99 by Jean-Philippe Lauer)

Their common point of origin is again found. Below is seen some pottery from a pre-dynastic Egyptian burial. Note the ibex (goat with long, curved horns) on the vase at left. This same design is also seen on an early vase from Susa in ancient Elam (see photo above right). These 2 civilizations were very far apart and showed absolutely no evidence of early trade or communication. Yet, the design is so similar. Now, note the picture below right (top), which is a drawing of an ibex from the Palanh caves near Adyaman (a little west of Babel). Their common point of origin? The region of Babel.

Another similarity can be also be seen by comparing the Egyptian pottery with the design found on pottery in Arpachiyah, north of Nineveh and east of the Tigris. In the drawing (below right), note the design of storks or herons- now note in the photo at left from Egypt, the design of ostriches on the vase at left. The repetition and usage of animals in designs are shared features that didn’t just “evolve” independently among these very separate early civilizations. These were designs, themes and motifs used when the people were one, united in language and purpose. After Babel, when they went their separate ways, they carried with them the methods and themes of design used by their families when they lived at their original home in Anatolia.

Another more impressive similarity is seen in the knives shown left. The first knife, found in a pre-dynastic Egyptian burial, is made of flint with a gold sheet handle. But of importance is the “snake” design on the handle. This same motif of a very similar “snake” design can be seen in the second drawing of a knife, also from a burial, also made of flint but with a bone handle. Where did this second knife come from? It came from south central Turkey, in a male burial at €atal Hyk- near Babel.

The Hero, the “Lion Slayer”, AGAINAnd, of course, we find the “lion slayer” theme in the very earliest times of pre-dynastic Egypt. In this drawing from a pre-dynastic tomb, we see the typical pose of the hero with the 2 lions on each side or in each hand. (See lower left of photo at right). What is so very clear from studying the themes and designs on the earliest objects and artifacts is that certain events took place PRIOR to the dispersion of the people from the Babel area- and these things are found in the artwork (statues, wall and cave wall drawings, pottery designs, etc.) of each of the earliest civilizations. From there, we can then see how all the early pagan religions and earliest myths began with the same concepts, such as the “lion killer” and the “earth” of “mother goddess”. From there, though, they begin to develop their own peculiarities and distinctions- the result of being separated by the language barrier.

Knowledge Possessed by the Earliest PeopleOptical Lenses and EyeglassesIf we go to our encyclopedia or history books, we read that lenses, be it in telescopes, microscopes or eyeglasses, are an invention of the last 400 to 500 years. Yet, there is evidence that early man had these devices long, long ago. In archaeologist Layard’s book, “Nineveh and Babylon”, chap. viii, pp. 16-7, he tells of finding a glass “lens of considerable power” along with two glass bowls in a chamber of the ruin called Nimroud. It is plano-convex, an inch and a half in diameter and 9/10th of an inch thick, giving a focus at 4 « inches from the plane side.

Considering the intricate and extremely accurate astronomical knowledge of the earliest peoples, it seems almost a necessity that they had some sort of devise with which to allow them to see the heavenly bodies more closely. Pliny, who was born about 23 AD wrote that in his day

“artificers used emeralds to assist the eye, and that they were made concave the better to collect the visual rays”. (Hist. Natur., lib. Xxxvii, c. v.)

He even adds that Nero used such glasses when he watched the fights of the gladiators. Iamblichus, who wrote of the life of Pythagoras, wrote that Pythagoras

“sought to contrive instruments that should aid hearing as effectually as optic glasses and other contrivances aided sight.” (PN, p. 179.)

Pythagoras lived in the 6th century BEFORE Christ. Plutarch speaks of mathematical instruments used by Archimedes “to manifest to the eye the largeness of the sun”. Archimedes lived during the time of Alexander. These are just a very few of the many, many references to optical lenses. In fact, it appears that these were so common and everyday that little was thought of the importance of writing about them. But in time, knowledge of these devices grew less and less until it was lost until man “reinvented” the idea over 1,000 years after the last historical mention of them.

Ancient buildersIn the edge of the mountains of Lebanon, over 2,300 feet above sea-level is Baalbek. Nothing is known of this site prior to the time the Romans came in and built magnificent buildings over the existing remains. But it is the existing remains which are the most astounding ever found. In the below photo is seen the largest hewn stone on earth. It measures 68 feet by 14 feet. (Note the man standing by it and the one lying atop it.) Today, with our sophisticated engineering methods, it is doubtful that we could even lift stones such as those of this size.

But these early builders not only chiseled out these “humongous” blocks, they moved them! At right, is seen the ancient foundation of a building at Baalbek which the Romans much later built upon. Note the size of the man standing on the left side, about 1/3 up from the bottom. Three great stones in this foundation measure 63’x13’x10′ and were placed above the sub-structure which measures 23 feet.

Whoever built this structure had engineering abilities beyond our wildest dreams. This is an example of the pre-flood knowledge passed from Noah and his sons to their descendants after the flood. And as time passed, man LOST much of this knowledge and ability.

Obelisks of Ancient Egypt Though of several hundred years later, the huge towers of rock erected by the ancient Egyptians is still a feat that has long puzzled the engineers of today. At left can be seen an obelisk at Asswan which was never finished due to flaws in the granite near its center.

Though these have been found in numerous sizes, this one measures 137 feet tall and would weigh about 1,170 TONS. Many theories have been set forth as to how these “primitive” people were able to accomplish such astounding feats of engineering, such as the construction and erection of these obelisks and the pyramids, but the fact is that they did.

GearsIf the knowledge of puzzling discoveries which cannot be explained aren’t simply put aside and forgotten, such as that discussed above, then they are considered freakish finds and are found only in sensational books which appeal to the tabloid newspaper set. “Serious” scientists and scholars remain silent on them, unable to explain their existence.

Such an example is a find made in 1900. In that year, a sponge diver found the wreck of a Greek ship laden with statues and other objects. One strange object was a bronze instrument encrusted with calcareous deposits. When it dried and the outer wood encasing split, it broke into 4 flat fragments which revealed parts of geared wheels. While it cannot be determined exactly what this device was used for, x-rays revealed more than 30 gears of various sizes which meshed in parallel planes.

There is one mention in the ancient records of a device which may be similar. Cicero and Ovid both wrote of an ingenious planetarium devised by Archimedes which simulated the movement of the sun, the moon, and 5 planets. We’ll probably never know what this device was or who made it. But once again, we see that knowledge we think belongs to our time is only some of that which was long ago forgotten. (MP, p. 157; IU, p. 42.)

Ancient Dry-Cell BatteriesThere have been numerous discoveries of objects which have been described as appearing to be dry-cell batteries. One example is that found by German archaeologist Wilhelm K”nig. While exploring an ancient site in present-day Iraq, he discovered a terra cotta vase containing an iron rod set inside a copper cylinder. This idea that this resembled a battery was strengthened by the discovery of rods presumably corroded by acid (possibly vinegar or wine). Yet, we think the battery was invented in about 1800 AD. (IU, p. 43.)

There have been many discoveries made of objects of advanced technology which could not be explained and were therefore forgotten. But it only takes one to “upset the apple-cart”. Today, the “brilliant” scientists and scholars may tell the world that they have found “black holes” and other discoveries which cannot be proven, but they should keep silent until they can explain the simple evidences which show that early man possessed vast knowledge and abilities that we have only recently “rediscovered”. The evidence of man’s history is plain to those who will see.

Babylon is Fallen, is Fallen!The time is at hand for the most stupendous events in history to occur, and those who will participate in the last great battle will need a faith that can NOT be shaken, even when confronted with seemingly miraculous events. Our ONLY safeguard will be in a rock-solid foundation,- a thorough knowledge and confidence in God’s Word.

Pharaoh’s magicians were able to make it appear that they were able to do the same miracles that God wrought through Moses in the Pharaoh’s court. It will be no different just before the last trump. But those who do NOT know and have complete faith in His Word will be deceived. And don’t think this isn’t possible. It’s already happening. The difference is that we won’t be faced with Pharaoh’s magicians, who made no claim to be “of God”- we will be faced with those who DO claim to be doing God’s work, and then finally, with Satan, himself, as an “angel of light”.

We are plainly told that it is by miracles that Satan convinces the world to make “the image to the beast”:

REV 13:13,14 “And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, And deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.”

Finally, the culmination of events leading to the great “battle of Armageddon” is brought about by:

REV 16:14″…the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty.”

We look back at those of the time of Babel and wonder how the people could fall into so great an apostasy when they lived so closely with Noah and the ark that had saved humanity and the animal kingdom from total and complete extinction. But they did, just as Adam and Eve, who actually walked and talked with the Lord, fell. Do we dare think we’re better or smarter than these people?

At Babel, the people wanted to be “one people”. They wanted their own name, not the Lord’s name. They willingly accepted Satan’s false religion which they took with them throughout the entire world. In studying the paganism of the earliest peoples, we can see that Satan took that which was truth and fact, and corrupted it through those who were led of him. By combining truth with error, the people who accepted it (obviously the majority) very quickly fell into complete apostasy.

What God did at Babel did not prevent the ultimate outcome- it only delayed it until it was HIS time. The consequences of sin had to be demonstrated fully. Had the people remained together, united in purpose, they surely would have filled their cup of iniquity thousands of years ago. But by their forced separation due to the language and ocean barriers, the battle was drawn out in order that God’s purposes could be fully implemented.

In order to offer fallen mankind redemption from their sins, the plan of salvation and all it entailed must take place exactly at the predetermined times. And now the time has arrived for the great finale. we have arrived at the time when the last decisions for eternal life will be made.

Is it necessary that we understand everything that occurred at Babel? Perhaps not everything- but we DO need to understand one thing. The influences of the pagan religion that began there still touch our lives to this very day.

Does this shock you? Do you think, “Not me!” I respectfully ask you to think again. The church steeple which is so greatly admired is the direct descendant of the Egyptian obelisk which represents the sun-god. The day we celebrate the earthly birth of the Messiah was originally celebrated by the pagans as the birthday of Mithra, the sun god. The day we celebrate the resurrection of the Messiah, Easter, comes from the word, “Astarte”, the Chaldean goddess of heaven (“Ishtar” in Assyrian).

But, how could this be true? In the infancy of Christianity, less than 300 years after Christ’s death, in order to make the true faith more appealing to the heathen, the Romans (who adopted Christianity as the official religion of the Roman empire) renamed many of the pagan holidays, celebrations, rites and even deities, and reassigned them to the Christian faith. Not one of these was instituted by Christ or His Father. These pagan influences and even doctrines (such as “immortality of the soul” discussed earlier) have remained firmly embedded in many churches throughout the last almost 2,000 years.

But are these practices and doctrines acceptable to God? He always expressly forbade any union of his people with anyone or anything that was pagan or contrary to His Word. Yet, today, after the blood, sweat and tears of the faithful throughout the ages who literally gave their lives to preserve the purity of the faith, those who call themselves by His Name are not turning to the pure faith- they are instead uniting with those they know to be in error: “Let’s unite on points of common agreement to preach the Word of God throughout the world”. Is this what we are to do? No- read the following carefully:

2CO 6:17 “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you”

The time is at hand for the final events to occur, and they will NOT occur as is popularly believed. While the so-called Christian community is uniting not only with each other but with other religions, those who “know their God shall be strong and do exploits”(Dan 11:32) They will understand and honor God’s requirement to:

“Be … not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?” 2CO 6:14

The last call of mercy to man from God is to “come out”:

REV 18:4,5″And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”

Those who heed the call and “come out” of “Babylon” will be those who finally demonstrate that God’s Law IS the only standard of righteousness. They will be surrounded by a world professing a “Christianity” that is not based on God’s Word, but on the doctrines of men and demons. They alone will receive the seal of God while the rest of the world receives the mark of the beast; therefore, they can neither buy nor sell. They will be disfellowshipped from their churches, and finally deemed worthy of death by those who claim to be “of God”:

JOH 16:2 “They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.”

But don’t be alarmed at this prospect. For when these things come to pass, “…look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” Luk 21:28 The long, wearisome and dangerous journey from Babel to the last Babylon will be over.