Back in John’s day everyone knew how the god of this world and his minions operated, so John didn’t explain the basic concepts in Revelation. But ever since humanism took front and center we are in fact ignorant of his devices (II Corinthians 2:11), and we have to learn about paganism from secular sources.
American Gods (2001) by British author Neil Gaiman is centered on the concept of making sacrifices to the gods – even when, as humanists, we don’t realize we are doing it.
Odin / Wedn (from which we get Wednesday) / head god / Satan is recruiting American manifestations of the Old Gods to participate in a battle against the New American Gods of humanism – higher standards of living, technology, especially the internet. He is working with Low Key Lyesmith, i.e. Loki Lies Maker in a “two-man con“. When Loki set up the battle between the New and Old Gods
- as a sacrifice to Odin, restoring Odin’s power
- also allowing Loki to feed on the chaos / energy of the battle
the rest of the New and Old gods are suckered into transferring their energy during the battle, and Odin and Loki are the only winners in this battle.
Parallel this hyperdimensional situation with YHVH’s battle.
YHVH’s power as carried by and manifested through his people is also weakening with the rise of the new gods.
He calls his followers to
- sacrifice the things that are in the world – “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (I John 2:15-16) restoring God’s presence to the people around us in our Christ-like behavior towards them. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him” (I John 4:8-9)
- even dying to show the way through the chaos to God’s promise of everlasting life through connection with him. “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.” (Luke 23:46)
This sacrifice template allows us to clearly recognize the players in a war where visibility is rapidly lost in clouds of smoke and mirrors.
- Action!
- the people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits. And they that understand among the people shall instruct many:” (Daniel 11:32)
- “thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” (II Corinthians 2:14)
- Reaction: “yet they shall fall by the sword, and by flame, by captivity, and by spoil, many days…to try them, and to purge, and to make them white because it is yet for a time appointed.” Daniel 11:33)
- Action!
- a woman…brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne…I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, NOW is come salvation!, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. (Revelation 12 flashback)
- Reaction!
- And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which 1) keep the commandments of God, AND 2) have the testimony of YHVH’s Chosen Savior / Melchizedek through the ages…
- Anyone who unites with Jesus has to be prepared to fight against the devil in their own life – whether a personal struggle against addictions of the flesh, or as a leader in society sacrificing their lives for the cause of Christ.
- the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days / eras:
- be thou faithful unto death…Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth [in Pergamos]. (Daniel 11, Revelation 2)
- Action! behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed [already won the battle to bring about the end of Satan’s rule] and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood – we are now worthy / powerful enough to win the battle! – out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation. (Revelation 5)
- Reaction! Destruction of as many believers still on earth as possible A researcher has estimated the number of Christians martyred since the time of Jesus as 70 million, including Christians systematically exterminated in Nazi Germany at a million, in Russia between 1917 and 1950 at 15 million, in China, at least 200,000 Christians and foreigners in the Boxer Rebellion of 1898 with another 700,000 in communist China between 1950 and 1980…”Is there a global war on Christians? judging from the number of deaths and torture in recent years, my conclusion is, yes – and the casualties are staggering. Read more about modern persecution at https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/
- Action! the seventh seal – the suspense is literally killing – angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, which came with the parayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand.
The motif of smoke-carried odors rising up to God is present throughout history. Mixed in with smoke is a specific scent, like a pheromone, relaying its “smoke signal” message to God. We can understand this as disgusting odors:
“I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts…Which say, Stand by thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier than thou. These are a smoke in my nose, a fire that burneth all the day.” (Isaiah 65:2-5)
But this time the odor is from roasted meat transferring the life of the flesh.
The odor of the righteous sacrifices pleasing to God are not just the right type of incense or sacrificed animals, they are the personal sacrifices made in every aspect of daily life to more effectively serve God.
“present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God…For we are unto God a sweet savour…of life unto life.” (Romans 12:1-2, II Corinthians 2:15-16)
Can we discern the idea that the final cycle of unsealing and setting in motion the end time events only happens, as with John at Patmos during Nero’s terrible persecution, when the ones who name the name of YHVH’s Savior present our bodies – as he did – a living sacrifice?
Judaism had its opportunity when the Maccabees courageously led a religious uprising against Antiochus Epiphanes, but their Hasmonean line blew it by aligning with Caesar until they were wiped out.
Christianity has had its opportunity for the last 2,000 years but has likewise become a corrupted supporter of Daniel’s fourth empire.
Charles Marsh notes in a New York Times editorial, “Wayward Christian Soldiers,” American evangelicals “have amassed greater political power than at any time in our history.” This power, which can be traced to a handful of evangelical leaders with decided political agendas, reaches into the Oval Office and deep into the bowels of Congress.
The result has been a fusion of the Christian Right and politics. In examining the war sermons delivered by influential evangelical ministers during the lead up to the Iraq war, Marsh, a professor of religion at the University of Virginia, came to the conclusion that the “single common theme among the war sermons appeared to be this: our president is a real brother in Christ, and because he has discerned that God’s will is for our nation to be at war against Iraq, we shall gloriously comply.”
This can only be a precursor to a massive falling away from the faith that has occurred in history.
“Jerusalem hath grievously sinned; therefore she is removed: all that honoured her despise her, because they have seen her nakedness…O LORD, behold my affliction: for the enemy hath magnified himself…the LORD hath delivered me into their hands, from whom I am not able to rise up.” (Lamentations 1:8-9, 14)
“Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and the LORD gave [it]…into his hand…Ashpenaz the master of his eunuchs [took] certain of the children of Israel…whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans…among these were…Daniel/ God is my Judge… he gave…the name of Belteshazzar” (Daniel 1:1-7)
Press pause. I have found only casual attempts by Bible commentators to translate this name “Belteshazzar” into a meaningful title that contributes any depth of understanding as to why it is included in this extraordinary prophetic passage. This is understandable, given that all cuneiform languages, including Babylonian, don’t translate as easily into alphabetic languages as these do to each other.
While cuneiform include phonetics like consonants that correspond to sounds, enabling the representation of various languages, cuneiform symbols also represent entire words. Then, that same item/symbol can also represent related non-material concepts. For example, the symbol for the substance “water” also means conceptual “chaos” – its action when not contained. The rules of syntax are typically Subject-Verb-Object, but variations may occur, especially in poetic or formal texts.
To translate meaningfully, the entirety of the “sentence” has to make sense in its context. Take, for example, the Neo-Babylonian Akkadian name of the founder of the Neo-Babylonian Empire.
Nabo-pol-assar Nabû-apla-uṣur,= Nabu-son-protect. We can only understand this by cultural competence of the common practice of calling on indwelling deities. “[The God] Nabu, son of the god Marduk protect [(your spirit incarnated human, i.e.] son“.
Another Babylonian name is provided in scripture that assists us in translating one from the other.
Bel-sha-zzar Bēl-šar-uṣur, meaning “[The God] Bel, the king protect”.
While Bel can simply mean Lord as in the Semitic Baal or to refer to Jesus Christ in Christianity, “Bel” at this time in Neo-Babylonian history specifically referenced the god Marduk , father of the rival god Nabu, clearly a rivalry between “denominations” of pagan gods equivalent to Judaism’s devotion to YHVH vs Christianity’s to Jesus as the son of God.
Using the KISS principle – Keep It Simple Stupid – I matched every matchable element between Bel-shazzar and Bel-te-shazzar while at the same time applying “compare and contrast” irony as is so common in identifications.
- “Bel=Lord, in Daniel’s case meaning LORD / YHVH exclusive to the monotheistic Hebrew God,
- adding one word te=YOU, doubling down, emphasizing the subject LORD,
- sha = of
- uṣur = protection
In the context of Daniel’s new identity in the Babylonian court, his unfailing testimony of being spirit-indwelt, “the son of” YHVH because he refused against all inducements and surely punishments to honor the Babylonian gods, surely impressed his overseer into comparing and contrasting him with
- Belshazzar “Asking that Bel protect him as worthy of attention because he is king and provides lavishly for Bel’s upkeep”
- Belteshazzar “Utter assurance that his LORD God IS protection itself, despite his condition as a castrated slave in an enemy country.
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” (I Corinthians 3:16-17)
Kingdom Come 