Babylon Represented the Apostasy of the Ancient World

The fact is that Babylon had far more influence over men, and specially over Israel, than even Prof. Delitzsch supposes. It was to the ancient world what Papa s been to Christendom. There is not a truth of

Christianity which is not travestied by Rome; there was no truth of the primeval revelations

that was not travestied-by Babylon. Therefore it is that Babylon was so abhorrent to God and

to His people; therefore it is that in the Apocalypse the name is connected with the Christian apostasy. The ordinances of the Hebrew cult were not, as the German Rationalists suppose, picked out of that old-world

dirt-heap; theyw ulgation of divi which Babylon ha rverted and deoraded. What wonder is it if the false

bore resemblance to the true!

And this leads me to repeat with emphasis that the main question here at issue is not the truth of traditional beliefs or of so-called “orthodox” interpretations of Scripture. For these I care but little; and this being so, I have no fear of criticism of the Bible, however searching, if only it be fair and intelligent and true. But while we hear ad nauseam of the “decisions” of criticism, it is not too much to say that as yet the tribunal has not even been constituted which could claim to adjudicate a a acta ores aE Ot e demand a fair tribunal, whereas the critics have entered on the inquiry with a prejudice. We demand a competent tribunal, whereas at every step the critics give proof that they are lacking in the primary qualification of practical acquaintance with the science of evidence. And on the accepted principle of trial by one’s peers we demand also a Christian tribunal, a tribunal, that is, which recognises the deity of Christ, and will accept His authority as a teacher. For nothing short of this has any right to the name of “Christian.”