Cities Defined As Women in the Bible

   The old testament is full of history. It documents the rise and fall of kings and kingdoms, empires and cities, Judges and prophets. There were good kings such as Josiah who did what was right in the sight of God, while others like Ahab, did evil. There were also good queens such as Esther who saved her people from the likes of Haman; and evil queens like Jezebel who filled the northern kingdom of Israel with witchcraft, idol worship, Phoenician gods and goddesses and pagan sacrifices. 

    We also have mention of numerous cities that are often given feminine pronouns that maximize specific characteristics focused on behavior and their relationship to God. Some cities had good qualities while others did not; and that set them up for judgement. 

   Sodom and Gomorrah were marked for judgement "Because the cry of of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous..." Genesis 18:20-22

   As we know, the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed because the inhabitants  were consumed with iniquity and haughty pride. When compared with the iniquity of Jerusalem, Sodom was called the sister with daughters in the book of Ezekiel. Chapter 16 is full of feminine verbiage describing cities. 

That Great City: Revelation 17:18

And the woman that you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.

Greek: καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἣν εἶδες ἔστιν ἡ πόλις ἡ μεγάλη ἡ ἔχουσα βασιλείαν ἐπὶ τῶν βασιλέων τῆς γῆς.

 English translation with Greek markers: And the woman (γυνη) that thou saw is that great (μεγάλη, mega, large) city (πολις, polis); which reigns (βασιλείαν has kingship) over the kings of the earth. 

   Some of the most compelling, fascinating and challenging prophecies in the Bible are the ones in Revelation; especially those depicting the woman, Babylon the Great. There is an air of mystery surrounding her identity that has intrigued multitudes of Bible students for nearly two-thousand years.  

   Interpretive speculation abounds as to the mystery of the woman and what or who this woman represents. Many claim the woman represents the Catholic Church, or Vatican City, located in Rome, Italy. Some have thought the woman represents the United States or one of its cities such as New York or America's harlot city, New Orleans where demon worship abounds. 

   Others claim the woman represents a 'mystery mother-child religion' that came out of Babel, or the final religious world system directed at the worship of the little horn, the antichrist. Then there are those who are more meticulous regarding scripture who suggest that the woman will be a middle eastern city located in a desert: Jerusalem, Mecca, Tyre, Abu Dhabi, Istanbul or, a new Babylonian city that is yet future. 

   There are many people anxiously watching the preparation of the desert city of NEOM in Saudi Arabia. NOEM is derived from a combination of words, noe; Νέος, a word from the ancient Greek which means NEW, and the letter M; an abbreviation from an Arabic word: Mostaqbal which means Future - NEOM = New Future.

   As of now, the woman is still wrapped in a cloak of mystery as the tribulation has not yet begun and the Holy Spirit is still present.  

   Let's review some things that John documents in Chapter 17 by looking through the lens of verse 18.

And the woman that you saw is that great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth. 

Daniel's Fourth Beast -The Little Horn and the Woman

   The fourth kingdom represents the final kingdom of man; an anti-God kingdom full of wicked rulers with evil intentions. This kingdom is the kingdom of the ten horns aka: kings that will form an alliance in the end of days just before the rise of the Antichrist. The ten horns from this kingdom are ten kings in immense positions of power. From these ten kings another shall rise after them, subduing the power of three. This little horn is the eleventh king or as most call him; the antichrist. 

   Daniel 7, 8 and 11 gives us the first glimpse of the man who will rise in the last days once the order of the old world is destroyed. He will speak arrogant blasphemy against the most high, and the saints will be given over to him for a time and times and dividing of time. He will think to change times and laws breaking the feasts, traditions and holidays of the Jews. 

   Antioch Epiphanies, the Greek King, was the little horn of the old testament; the little horn of the new testament will be a typology of Antiochus but with much more globalized power. He will head the transformation of old world kingdoms under the authority of the ten horns, converting them into a new future for mankind. A new future that signifies death for many. And by peace he will destroy many.... 

   This kingdom is described in Daniel 7 as Daniel's fourth beast that rises from the sea. It is also described in Daniel 2 as the feet and toes of iron merging with the clay. The iron represents the strength of two kingdoms (legs) that converge into feet. One kingdom, older, growing frail and weak, the other a turbulent force focused on achieving world dominance. This division of iron (kingdoms) and clay (man / earth) form a weak base causing much instability as iron and clay do not mix. This weak base forms the final kingdom.  

English Back to Greek Revelation 17:3

English Back to Greek Revelation 17:3

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. 

   The most interesting area of study of Revelation 17 and 18 are translating the English  interpretations back into the original Greek and breaking down the meaning behind those words. Some of the English translations were poorly chosen. 

   John chose his words very carefully when drafting his account, detailing specifics that are not found in the English translations. Studying the Greek which John used gives us a clearer picture of what John was witnessing while in the spirit. 

   In verse 7 the angel tells John that he will tell him the mystery of the woman and the beast (kingdom) that carries her. The angel begins to give John a succession of events surrounding the beast that carries the woman upon his seven heads. It seems as though the angel completely skips telling John about the woman until we reach chapter 18. The angel begins with the beast in verse 8 but does not give John much more information concerning the city itself until the very last verse, Revelation 17:18. This final verse transitions chapter 17 into chapter 18. (chapter breaks were not added until the Geneva Bible was printed in 1557) Here, the angel tells John that the woman which he saw was that great (μεγας) city (πολις) which reigns over the kings of the earth. 

   In the Greek the words that he uses are μεγας, mega meaning great. When defined in the Greek μεγας means huge, enormous by volume, overtly large by physical size. 

πολις or, polis for city is defined in the Greek as a walled city, mother city, magistrate city of many that dominates well defined territory. 

   So now we know that the woman is a metaphor for a extremely large city. 

The Genetic Makeup of the Beast Kingdom: Mr. Frankenstein

    The Genetic Makeup of the Beast Kingdom:  Mr. Frankenstein 

  How would you describe the 'beast' that rises from the sea in Revelation 13? Is it a kingdom, a man, an animal, a government, a political system? 

   Let's break down the genetic makeup of the Beast (Greek - θηριον) using the scripture in Rev 13, 17 and Daniel 7 and see what can be discovered about the beast that rises mid-tribulation once the little horn rises to world dominance.  

   Most find the book of Revelation complicated or confusing as it is full of old testament symbolic references: seals, plagues, judgements, dragons, angels, a harlot city and a beast kingdom detailed in prophetic imagery. 

   But, it doesn't have to be. The books of the Bible interconnect and many answers can be found simply by searching scripture. The histories of specific kingdoms and their respective cities are defined by their relationship to Yahweh, Christ, Judah, Jerusalem and Israel. These are intertwined throughout the books of the bible; in fact, the entirety of the old testament is full of geographical references to kingdoms within the middle east that surround Israel. 

   The majority of the Book of Revelation details the unveiling of a time period at the end of human history called the 70th week of Daniel (Daniel 9), the time of Jacob's trouble (Jeremiah 30:7) or the tribulation period (Matthew 24:21). This is the 7-year time period when the wrath of God descends upon an unbelieving and unrepentant world before the second coming of Christ Jesus. It is broken into 2 segments; the first half is when antichrist signs a peace agreement or, confirms the covenant with Israel so, while the rest of the world descends into chaos, Israel lives safely under a banner of false peace. The second half or Great Tribulation is the time period when antichrist rises to full authoritative power, breaking the covenant and declaring war on the remnant of the woman (Israel) who have the testimony of Christ Jesus. 

English Back to Greek Revelation 17:1

   And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither, I will show you the judgment of the great whore πόρνης that sits upon many waters. Revelation 17:1

   The most interesting area of study of Revelation 17 and 18 are translating the English  interpretations back into the original Greek and breaking down the meaning behind those Greek words. Some of the English translations (in my opinion) were poorly chosen. 

   John chose his words very carefully when drafting his account detailing specifics that are not found in the English translations. Studying the Greek which John used gives us a clearer picture of what John was witnessing while in the spirit. 

   For example the Greek word translated into the English as great (megas) whore is  πόρνης which means commercially corrupt one, to export or sell a product or commodity immorally for profit or gain. This is generally defined or translated into English by its root πόρνη which is simply pornēs, prostitute or prostitution. This is where the term whore or harlot originated from, from the root of πόρνης. 

Revelation 13:3 King or Kingdom?

    I was a little late to the Revelation 13:3 social media party and almost missed it completely. After the assassination attempt on former U.S. President Donald J Trump, social media lit up with Revelation 13:3 scripture. This was mostly from those who don't study scripture but are quick to use it to serve their purposes or, fit a specific narrative which has become a common practice. Several comments were quite misguided, even delusional, misquoting scripture. 

   "And I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death; and his deadly wound was healed: and all the world wondered after the beast" 

   The bullet grazed President Trump's ear whereas the alleged shooter received a deadly head wound. Does Trump have seven heads? Do you know any human that has seven heads? Heads represent kingdoms, horns represent kings, Is Trump a kingdom? Is he a kingdom that sits upon the beast empire that rises mid-tribulation? Is he even a sitting President right now? Is he a leader (king) of a world kingdom? 

   Why doesn't scripture say one of the horns was wounded as to death if this verse represents a deadly head wound upon a man? Because is isn't a man, it's a kingdom. 

   Let me explain: 

   Revelation 13:1-4a details the rise of the antichrist kingdom aka: the beast kingdom mid tribulation. 

Dreams of a King Daniel 2

Nebuchadnezzar's Prophetic Dream

   Upon claiming the throne (605 BC) after the death of his father King Nabopolassar, King Nebuchadnezzar II inherited a bunch of mystic advisors that had once served his father. These wise men were collaborators of the dark arts who worked in service to the King. These advisors were the best the empire had to offer, Egyptian magicians, Canaanite fortunetellers, Aramaic astrologers, and Chaldean practitioners of the dark arts and dream interpreters. There were also soothsayers, diviners,  sorcerers, enchanters, conjurers, and illusionist available to provide counsel unto the new king.  

   But none would come close to doing what the king requested.

   King Nebuchadnezzar II was haunted by a dream that deeply troubled his soul. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep, the details of his dream evaporating as soon as he woke. It disturbed him so deeply that he called upon his court of dream translators, sorcerers, astrologers, and magicians to reveal his dream and also the interpretation. 

   He was desperate to know the meaning of the dream that evaded his waking moments. 

Hislop and the Mother Child Religion

   The argument used by Alexander Hislop to explain the mystery religion or, the mother - child worship predominant in the Catholic church is that every false religion in the world is connected to the worship of a woman named Semiramis and her child, Tammuz, the reincarnation of Nimrod. His argument is that the mother-child religion flooded the entire world after the fall of Babel to honor or replicate the worship of Semiramis and Tammuz. He claims that these are the same beings with different names since the languages had changed. 

    His argument, based upon his research, is that Mary and Jesus are simply imitations of Semiramis and Tammuz reintroduced into religion and the birth of Christ Jesus was a replacement for this ancient Babylonian mystery religion. He ignores any reference to the rise of fertility cults consisting of a variety of deities that dominated the Mesopotamia. 

   History shows that the Mesopotamia was filled with a mixed combination of occult  rituals, idol worshippers and a saturation of fertility religions post-flood. History has no mention of a woman named Semiramis until the 8th century BC, long after the tower of Babel fell and Nimrod no longer walked the earth. Her memory was expounded upon and included in the writings of many Greek historians beginning with Greek physician and historian, Ctesias (5-4th C BC) who connected her to a mythological character, King Ninus. 

   According to Greek mythology, King Ninus ruled Assyria in 3000 BC. These myths and legends are what many historians, including Alexander Hislop, based their research on. 

Debunking Alexander Hislop?

    Hislop did a fantastic job selling his bizarre hypothesis of Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz and the Babylon mystery religion; as it continues to be the primary teaching in the church today to explain the prophecy of the 'harlot woman' of Revelation 17. This is the only chapter in the entirety of the Bible explained by an outside source. 

   The majority of parishioners aren't even aware that these tales are based upon mythology, mythical figures and fictional characters. Those who are aware, just don't care. It is taught in church and that is good enough for them. Afterall, who would question their favorite Bible teacher?  

  Surely Bible teachers had done their research on this, investing in a full analysis of Hislop's claims before teaching it as a historical and biblical narrative? One would think so,  but it is impossible to fully analyze the conjuncture of Hislop and still teach it as a historical or biblical narrative with a clear conscience. Many are being misled by these teachings. 

   The interpretation of Alexander Hislop is the most protected non-Biblical source in modern history. The truth in the Bible supports itself both historically and scripturally.  When you have doubts or questions, the Bible defends itself as scripture is interconnected and scripture defines scripture. Not so with Hislop. When you have doubts or questions as to the logic of reincarnation or mythical characters there are no discussions or debates. You become an outcast, verbally attacked as 'crazy', your comments hidden, blocked or deleted. It is something you cannot question or criticize. The insanity of it all just boggles my mind.  But, it is what it is. In the age of mass deception, logic and reason become the first victims. 

   Beginning sometime around  2012 or 13, something quite uncanny occurred. Someone taught the Hislop narrative of the mystery religion of Semiramis, and before long every bible teacher was teaching it. As a result, you can't listen to a sermon on Revelation 17 without it. Almost all use the same Hislop narrative that includes Nimrod, a fabled mother / wife Semiramis and a son named Tammuz. 

Daniels Fourth Beast from the Sea

   The interpretation of Daniel 7 can be a bit perplexing. I thought I would attempt a quick and hopefully simple breakdown of Daniels four beasts that rise from the sea. It will aid in the interpretation of the beast kingdom in Revelation 13 and 17 and perhaps offer some clarity concerning the rise of this kingdom in the latter days. 

    The writing below is based upon scripture as the Bible is interconnecting: scripture defines scripture. Daniels night vision interconnects with Nebuchadnezzar's dream in Daniel 2. Nebuchadnezzar was intensely occupied with the future of  the mighty kingdom he had built. The Bible doesn't require outside sources to interpret scripture but, we often find that historical events fill in the gaps. When outside sources such as agenda riddled commentaries are added, scripture becomes twisted or confusing. For example: the beast like a leopard symbolizes a kingdom, it is not the secret leopard garments worn by Adam  and Eve that Noah gave to Nimrod. And no, Daniel didn't see the Roman Catholic church rise from the sea as the lion or as the fourth beast. 🙄 

   God doesn't want us confused, he wants us to understand what the prophets are documenting. We may have to search scripture for answers but, the answers are there. Fortunately for us, there was an angel close by to give us an explanation, adding  clarification to what Daniel was witnessing.

   Daniel 7:23,24 The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, which will be different from all the other kingdoms and will devour the whole earth and tread it down and crush it. Out of this kingdom ten kings will arise; and another will arise after them and he will be different from the previous ones and will subdue three kings. 
 

   Daniel chapter 7 documents a dream and a night vision where Daniel sees four beasts rise up from the sea. three of the beast symbolized a kingdom specifically recognized by their king. Each influenced Babylon in some way. Three kingdoms had kings or regent kings that occupied Babylonian territory by living within the confines of the Babylonian city. These kings were mighty warriors conquering most of the middle east. 

   The four beast that rise from the sea are kingdoms. Within prophetic implications, many prophecies, visions or dreams were given to various prophets cloaked in metaphorical significance; cities are depicted as woman, kingdoms as mountains and kings are mighty trees. In Daniels night vision, the beasts represent variations of four distinct kingdoms. 

   The kingdoms have the qualities that are similar to, or comparable with, those of the animal presented. The beasts are shown to Daniel as metaphors for kingdoms; just as the mystery woman in Revelation 17 is a visual of a city described metaphorically as a woman. 

Pharmakeia In the Last Days

Pharmakeia φαρμακεία is the Greek translation for pharmaceuticals or drugs used in sorcery, witchcraft, magic or magical enchantments. Generally translated as sorcery in the Bible, it is the mixing and use of psychotics in occultic rituals and spell casting. 

  In the Bible, spiritual harlotry is not only defined by the worship of idols or other gods. Harlotry also involves the practice of occultic rituals or seeking out practitioners of the occult: diviners, witches or those who call upon demons in the form of familiar spirits or the spirits of the deceased. Many of these rituals or demon summoning involve the use of pharmaceuticals, psychotics or mind altering drugs. 

   Pharmakeia, in the simplest definition is the intentional use of drugs, hallucinogens, psychotics and poisons in combination with sorcery, witchcraft, enchantments and spells to alter the state of consciousness or inflict harm upon another by the use of toxins. This use of pharmakeia is intentionally inflicted upon oneself or another. It is often considered as mass poisoning or spellbinding. 

   Remember the wicked witch of the West from The Wizard of OZ? She poisoned Dorothy, the lion and Toto with a magic spell. She combined witchcraft and a poison potion mixed in her golden goblet. She then spread this potion over her magic looking glass while chanting, 'Sleep, sleep" This is a silly but effective example of the use of pharmakeia in combination with a magic spell.   

The Woman in the Ephah Zechariah 5

    Zechariah 5, Vision #7 the Woman in the Basket.

   The prophet Zechariah was born in Babylon and left with the first remanent freed by Cyrus the Great after 70 years of captivity. Zechariah returned to Judah in 538 B.C. in the second year of Darius. He was instrumental in stirring the hearts of the Israeli people to complete the rebuilding of the temple 516 - 515 B.C., after a series of failed and forgotten attempts. Before the temple could be built, wickedness had to be removed. 

   Yahweh called Zechariah as a messenger to receive visions of prophecies in the year 520 – 519 B.C., twenty years after the fall of Babylon. Zechariah is in Judah when he receives his visions from the angel. 

     Then the angel who was speaking with me went out and said to me, “Lift up now your eyes and see what this is going forth.”  I said, “What is it?” And he said, “This is the ephah going forth (moving, in motion).” Again, he said, “This is their appearance (iniquity) in all the land (and behold, a lead cover was lifted up); and this is a woman sitting inside the ephah.”  Then he said, “This is Wickedness!” And he threw her down into the middle of the ephah and cast the lead weight on its opening. Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and there two women were coming out with the wind in their wings; and they had wings like the wings of a stork, and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heavens. I said to the angel who was speaking with me, “Where are they taking the ephah?” Then he said to me, “To build a temple for her in the land of Shinar; and when it is prepared, she will be set there on her own pedestal.” Zechariah 5:5-11 NASB

   An ephah represents a system of measure; it was a container used to measure volume for dry goods such as barley or fine flour. It was used in commerce and trade for the storing, weighing, buying and selling of dry goods. It wasn’t very big, equal to about a bushel 35 liters or 6 gallons. 

   And I said, what is it? And he said, this is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, this is their resemblance (of wickedness) through all the earth. 

New Orleans - American Harlot City

    In America, Hollywood is the occult worshiping city that gives their dark lord free publicity in return for carnal wealth, fame and luxury. Hollywood is the propaganda mechanism of Satan and the cheerleader team for the Occult. The city is also the control center of delusion, creating manipulations of magic and enchantments, false and lying wonders. Hollywood is deeply tied to Disney, the producers of wicked pleasures. 

    New Orleans is the American ‘harlot’ city that promotes Satanic worship, the occult, witchcraft, spell casting and sorcery. One would think that the most abominable city in America would be Las Vegas or even Salem, Massachusetts but they pale by comparison to the amount and variety of sorcery and mysticism that emanate from New Orleans. 

     Salem, Massachusetts is a highly commercialized city that promotes witchcraft to honor the innocent victims of the puritan witch hunt of the 17th century. Unknown to many, the witch trials fell under British law, not Puritan law, Christian law nor American law, as Massachusetts was still a British colony at that time. Fast forward 400 years, witchcraft and sorcery are highly promoted basically as a tourist investment focusing on its dark and foreboding past. 

    New Orleans is where the real demonic energies of the dark arts are centralized and manifested due to the large amount of people invoking familiar spirits (demons) on a continual basis. 

    The number of demonic forces personified as cultural practices is astronomical. The dark forces of unclean spirits are normalized and openly glorified in New Orleans. This makes New Orleans the most sought-after occult destination in the United States. 

    Witchcraft, Sorcery, Hoodoo, Vodou, Vodun, Voodoo-Catholicism, honoring and worshipping long deceased ancestors or practitioners of the occult are all part of the culture in New Orleans. 

Who Said the Bible Was Boring?

    In the bible you will find: Kings and kingdoms that rise and fall, beasts that rise from the sea and kings that rise from the earth. In the end of days, ten kings will rise from a beast kingdom to entrap the world under a banner of global unity. This happens just before an evil king rises up among them, unleashing global chaos and death.  

  There are queens that were good, queens that were evil and a queen who was thrown from her throne and left to wallow in self pity in the dust. There are also good kings and wicked kings that did evil in the sight of God. There were kingdoms filled with various seers, magicians, sorcerers and wizards performing necromancy and reading entrails, looking for signs. 

   You can read about strange creatures covered in eyes that dwell in heaven, good angels and fallen angels and angels who pretend to be good, but are really not. You will discover  vicious giants that walked the earth who became dark unclean spirits after a giant flood was sent to cleanse the earth. These unclean spirits prowl the earth searching for fleshy homes to inhabit. But, be careful, these are not spirits that you want hanging around your house. If you 'shoo' them away they will return with 7 others, more evil than the first for you to contend with. 

  You will find a woman named wickedness who was trapped in an ephah (basket) designed for commerce. She is secured inside with a lid made of lead so she doesn't escape when carried off to a land far away. Once her appointed time has come, she will have a temple built for her where she will be placed upon a pedestal to be worshiped, and a city will be built around her. Her city will be known for evil and bloodshed in the days when lawlessness will rule the earth. 

Mystery Woman of Revelation 17

Mystery Woman: 

    Who is this woman that has enchanted and mystified prophecy students for nearly 2,000 years and how did she receive such a seemingly influential position as a great harlot? She is joined in a mutual unity with the beast and his kingdom at the end of history, spreading her filth into the earth. She is even given royal treatment, sitting on the heads of the beast; the kingdoms of the world, and, her judgement is pending.  

   And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me saying unto me, come hither; I will show you the judgement of the great whore πόρνης (Greek: commercially corrupt one) that sits upon many waters. Revelation 17:1

So, who or what is this great whore; the commercially corrupt one? 

    To partially answer this question, we need to move the final verse in the Revelation prophecy to the forefront, it aides in the evaluation of the remaining text. This was the final clue the angel gave John; "I will tell you the mystery of the woman"... It is the ‘big’ picture that will define the harlot and the rest of the chapter with more clarity. We may not be able to identify her at this time in history but, there are many clues; so while she is being prepared, we may be able to recognize her for what she will be.  

    This interpretation is based upon scripture and the writings of the prophets which will omit the interpretation presented by Alexander Hislop taught within the church today.

    If you are not familiar with Alexander Hislop but have listened to modern Bible teachers interpret Revelation 17 as a harlot church, you are listening to, and learning the teachings of Alexander Hislop. Hislop's teaching is based upon fables, mythology, reincarnation and the various gods and goddesses that ruled the Mesopotamia, and later, the Greek and Roman cultures. These teachings are taught as actual historical and biblical narratives in the majority of churches today. These are the exact same teachings that scripture tells us to avoid. 

   For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they will turn away their ears from the Truth and (truth) shall be turned into fables (myths). 2 Timothy 4:3,4 

    When Revelation 17 is taught using authentic historical context and scripture, it reveals something completely different. Modern day bible teachers are misleading the flock by teaching the Nimrod, Semiramis, Tammuz fables as historical and biblical doctrine.

Nimrod Semiramis and Tammuz Deception

    The legend of Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz is the biggest con in the majority of  Christian churches today.  This teaching uses mythology and fables as authentic sources when they are anything but authentic. This bizarre teaching had literally caught fire in the online churches beginning sometime around 2012, but is now creeping into community churches throughout America. 

This is an extremely dangerous teaching. 

   The myths are literally taught as historical events and Christian theology. These fables are  presented as an alternative narrative to explain the mystery of the woman in Revelation 17,  dating back to the time of Babel. 

   These fables replace a harlot city with a harlot religion that allegedly rose from Babel and consumed the earth with a mother-child mystery religion.  The narrative suggests that the .02% rise of mother-child cults tied to the spread of fertility religions after Babel was scattered is the underlying factor that explains the 'mystery woman' of Revelation 17. The reality is: from the hundreds of fertility religions that saturated the Mesopotamia perhaps four actual mother-child cults spread to other regions of the world. That leaves 196 that did not. Not very good odds if you ask me. The mastermind behind these fabrications began with Scottish minister, Alexander Hislop. 

   History shows us that the spread in the occult, witchcraft and divination ran rampant after the flood, not mother-child religions.  

   If you are familiar with the Genesis story of Nimrod and the authentic histories of the ancient gods and goddesses of the Mesopotamia, reading the bizarre writings of Alexander Hislop will literally make your brain crawl. 

   As per Hislop, Nimrod (2500-2300 BC) was really Zoroaster, the Persian prophet who lived in the 5th C B.C. Hislop also claims that Zoroaster was really a Chaldean (9th century B.C.) who was a magician and sorcerer. Zoroaster (Nimrod) discovered the Chaldean Transmigration of Souls where he could reincarnate himself or possess humans throughout the ancient world and did so right up until the time of the Vikings. 

   By doing this little trick, he was able to establish himself throughout history as a god; many gods in fact. He was the Egyptian god Osiris, the Roman god Apollo, then Cupid son of Venus, Hercules, Vulcan (husband to Venus), Ninus, Kronos, the Norse god Odin among many others. Every ancient myth and pagan god or goddess that began in the new world was really the legacy of Tammuz / Nimrod and Semiramis passed down through the windmills of time for roughly 4000+ years.

  The creator of this myth never claims that these various gods have a common origin or were prototypes of Nimrod. Instead, his research is based upon his direct claim that they are the same being, the same divinity or the same person. And he (Hislop) creates that illusion by reincarnation. Is reincarnation a Christian concept? Of course not. But it was a concept heavily referenced in Greek mythology that Hislop relies on for his hypothesis.  

   Hislop claims that Nimrod's mother and wife, Semiramis was so popular and powerful that she was inserted into every future culture establishing herself as a goddess by way of her mystery religion. She was worshiped as the Greek goddess Rhea as the 'mother of the gods' in the 4th Century B.C. She was also worshiped in the 3rd Century A.D. as the Roman goddess Venus, the mother of impurity who corrupted the city with idolatry and prostitution. 

   

   Semiramis was worshiped throughout the entirety of history until she finally disappeared from view as Hislop tied her to the Catholic Church as Mary, completing his mission. These connections, as per Hislop's mapping of ancient 'mother' goddesses is what ties her to the Revelation 17 prophecy as the 'mother' of harlots. 

   And, just like that, the spiritually corrupt economic prostitute, the πόρνης (commercially corrupt one), the harlot city, becomes the Catholic church. 

   What a tangled web we weave.... 

   Here, we are told by Hislop that the members of the catholic church have worshiped her ever since, praying to Mary to hide the fact that they really pray to Semiramis. They are solely committed to concealing the Babylonian mystery religion that is deeply rooted to Catholicism. Even though there was never a primary mother-child religion centered in the city of Babylon or the Babylonian kingdom - the rumor mill is non-stop on this concept. There is no evidence that Nimrod had a wife named Semiramis or a child named Tammuz. I'm sure Nimrod being 'the mighty hunter before the Lord', was much desired by women; a real hunk of alpha male testosterone. But, still, no evidence exists from Babel to affirm this marriage. Also, Babel preceded Babylon by a thousand years, wouldn't that make her the Queen of Babel and not Babylon? 

   An example of meme's that float around the internet spreading fables. These are directly from the teachings of Alexander Hislop. 

   This is Hislop's theory as taught in the Christian church to explain the spread of the numerous fertility cults that rose in the Mesopotamia - which was a natural progression of a pagan, idol worshiping people. 

    Semiramis inserted herself into ancient history as a goddess. She was the mother of a god-child who was the reincarnation of her loving husband Nimrod. This was only after she had him killed and promoted him to sun-god status. She became pregnant with Tammuz after Nimrod was reincarnated as the Sun god. As the sun-god, Nimrod shined upon her, bathing her in sun light, creating a halo impregnating her with the rays of the sun. 

    This mystery religion of Semiramis and her child-god went deep underground, shrouded in secrecy and secret rites that are still practiced today. The religion was so well guarded that it survived nearly 3000 years. This, as per Hislop, was how the 'mystery religion', the  mother / child religion carried into the world after the scattering of Babel. We are told that this mystery religion is the religion found in the Catholic church. 

   But, history shows us another theory. The rise of fertility cults. Any god or goddess worth their salt had the power of fertility. There were roughly 200+ fertility gods and goddesses in ancient Mesopotamia after the flood. Perhaps four or five of these cults had a mother with child deity, a .02% ratio. Being idol worshipers, many idols and carvings were crafted so young woman could worship in the town square or carry fertility helpers with them where ever they went. 

   To be blessed with a family and a large one at that, was every woman's goal. A large family ensured the continuation of family lineage and was needed for hunting, farming, crop sharing and gathering. In the early days of civilization, temples were erected in the town square where idols of a fertility goddess were placed, available for worship. God said: go forth, multiply and fill the earth. And, that is exactly what they did. There were hundreds of fertility religions and cults that littered the plains. 

   But Alexander Hislop, thousands of years later decided there was another explanation to explain the explosion of fertility cults; Semiramis, Nimrod and Tammuz. He based his theory on  church historian Eusebius who wrote about an Assyrian queen, Queen Shammu-Ramat in the 4th century A,D. The writings of Eusebius were based on the research of the Greek physician and historian Ctesias (5-4th C BC) who connected her to a mythological character, King Ninus. This work was further cited by Diodorus from the 1st century B.C., and the work of Abydenus who lived around 200 B.C. 

   Diodorus wrote of the legend of Queen Shammu-Ramat, an Assyrian queen who lived around 811 B.C. and the Greek mythological king of Assyria King Ninus who Greek mythology places into Assyria in 3,000 B.C. He claimed Queen Shammu-Ramat was also called Semiramis and transported her legacy back into time to meet and marry King Ninus. They fell madly in love and had a son named Ninyas. Based upon the writings of Eusebius and Diodorus, Alexander Hislop assigned Ninus as Nimrod based on his understanding of Greek mythology and the biblical legend of Nimrod. He then switched the mythological child Ninyas to Tammuz, an ancient Akkadian and Babylonian child-god of plants and pastures. Tammuz was known as Damuzid in the Sumerian culture - 4,000 B.C.. 

   Not sure if you caught the date fluctuations? 

   This is literally how Hislop got his theory for The Two Babylons that he wrote in 1886 AD. Never mind the thousands of years that separate the two lives. According to Hislop's hypothesis, by the time Queen Shammu-Ramat (recreated as Semiramis) married King Shamshi-Adad V, she was already several thousands of years old.  You see, Queen Shammu-Ramat was a real queen who reigned over Assyria after her husband died in battle 811 B.C. She ruled until their son was old enough for the throne. But, unlike the fictional Semiramis she never married her son. This Queen was an actual historical figure whose legacy was tarnished by Alexander Hislop. This is what the fictional story of Semiramis and Nimrod is based upon, a queen who lived thousands of years after the flood. 

   She was transported back into the time to marry Nimrod leaving her husband and son in the 8th century BC. Hislop based his interpretation entirely on Greek myths and fictional characters (king Ninus) created from mythology. 

   Hislop carried on the tradition conducted by Diodorus and Eusebius uniting mythology and history together, intertwining them, erasing the lines of time to focus on a specific outcome: the legend of Semiramis and Nimrod. 

   There is way more to this sordid love / hate relationship that Hislop wrote about. For example, without any proof at all, Hislop claimed that Semiramis was the wife of Cush and Nimrod was their biological son. Semiramis left Cush (who became the god Bel, the 'ringleader' of apostasy) to marry Nimrod. Since the god Bel was the mythological father of the fictional king Ninus, Cush had to be transformed into the father: god Bel. Once Hislop put it to paper, Nimrod 'logically' became king Ninus, son of the god Bel who is really Cush. Then Nimrod becomes Osiris, Vulcan, Odin, Hercules, Cupid, ect... Hislop became the master of switcherooism; weaving tales and fables of mythological figures into biblical history. 

   I mean really? I have never read more made up garbage passed off as reality in my life. This is what many pastors are teaching their flocks and this is literally ingrained deep within many teachings of the YouTube churches. There has been hundreds of sermons preached on Semiramis, Tammuz and Nimrod surrounding the Revelation 17 prophecy. But, no matter how much you twist it, the woman in Revelation 17 does not metaphorically describe a church.  

   Do not go beyond what is written... I Corinthians 4:6

   I encourage you to read Hislop's theory on the Mother / Child religion that began with fertility cults in the land of Shinar. It gave me a headache each time but I got through it. Talk about bizarre mis-mapping and connecting Nimrod, Semiramis and Tammuz through every culture that ever existed in order to move them through history and tie them to the Catholic church. 

   And by the way, there is no mention of Semiramis or a wife of Nimrod in the Bible, nor in the writings of the Jewish historian, Josephus Flavius, nor on any ancient cuneiform tablets  found to date. In fact, nothing has survived from Babel on which to base these stories. Instead, these stories are based upon the writings of  one man: Alexander Hislop and his complex versions of mixing and matching Greek. Syrian, Latin and Roman mythologies. 

   I've been researching ancient Babylon, fertility cults, and the ancient god and goddess of the Mesopotamia since the 80's, and have never once come across this Nimrod, Semiramis, Tammuz 'mystery religion' that Hislop wrote about. (I truly believe he invented the entire narrative). What I did find were cultures deeply immersed in the occult, witchcraft, sorcery (drug induced spells) and divination scattered all through the Mesopotamia and Egyptian cultures. The practice of the dark arts was the common thread that dominated and spread throughout the world after Babel scattered, not a few mother-child mystery religions. 

   From over 200 fertility religions that dominated the Mesopotamia maybe four authentic mother-child religions sprung up after. That equals .02%, not a vast majority as Hislop would have you believe. 

   It wasn't until Bible teachers began preaching this as a historical narrative to explain this so-called mother / child religion that grew from the normal progression of fertility cults that I began to take notice. Having a background in authentic Mesopotamian history I began to  question where they were getting this information from. (As I said, I've been researching Mesopotamian history and mythology for as long as I can remember, and this version of history never existed in any authentic historical setting. The only setting this is found is from the pulpit.) As much as I hate to admit it, it's true. :( 

  If you believe that Adam, the first man was really the goat / man Pan, or that Nimrod had the power of reincarnation, then Hislop is your guy. Before you make any decisions please read the twisted tale, The Two Babylons thoroughly - but grab your Tylenol first!! 

   The online PDF versions: --   https://ia800309.us.archive.org/6/items/theTwoBabylons/TheTwoBabylons.pdf

and also: 

https://nazarenesoftheworld.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/THE-TWO-BABYLONS-HISLOP.pdf

.