Hell, Sheol, and the Grave

 

James L. Melton

Why do some teach that hell is the grave? The real reason is that most of them are on their way to hell and they hope it isn’t what the Bible says it is. The most prominent promoters of this heresy are the Jehovah’s Witnesses, founded by Charles T. Russell in the late 1870’s. The basic argument is that the word “hell” in the King James Bible is translated from Hebrew and Greek words that do not imply a place of fiery torment.

The first word, the Hebrew word sheol is used 65 times in the Old Testament Hebrew text from which the King James Bible was translated. Sometimes the word is translated as grave, but always with a negative connotation. For instance, Job 21:13 speaks of the wicked and says, “They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave.” The Hebrew word for grave in this verse is shoel, a negative word, because it is a negative thing when wicked people die and go to hell, even though their bodies go to the grave. Their souls are in hell while their bodies are in the grave with no hope of a resurrection; therefore the negative sheol is used.

Psalm 9:17 says, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God.” Here sheol is the word for hell, which some suggest should be translated as grave. But there is no real warning in saying that the wicked shall be turned into the grave (since we all go there), therefore hell in this verse implies something more than the grave, something deeper than the grave. Hell isn’t the grave, but it would be proper to say that hell is a grave for the soul, located in the mantle and outer core of the earth, both of which are under one’s bodily grave. Only in that sense is hell anyone’s grave.

Every time sheol is used it is used negatively, whether it’s translated hell, grave, or even pit, yet Hebrew words other than sheol are used in reference to the common burial of the righteous. Job 17:16 presents a good example: “They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust.” If we substitute the words pit and dust with the Hebrew words, the verse would read, “They shall go down to the bars of sheol, when our rest together is in aphar.” Notice that “they” (the ones in sheol, or the pit) are not said to be resting, but “our” rest (Job speaking, being a righteous man) is in another place, a place called aphar, which simply means the dust, the earth, the ground. The “hell is the grave” crowd never makes this distinction. The meaning of the word sheol itself should be enough to make the distinction for them because the word means to inquire, request, or demand. If you’ve read Luke 16 lately, then you know that people in hell are requesting plenty. To be in sheol (hell) is to be in a place of dissatisfaction and asking for help. To be in sheol (the grave) is to be a dead lost man whose body will never be glorified like that of the Lord Jesus Christ, therefore he too is not satisfied and not resting in peace. In both cases, sheol concerns a lost man. In my personal studies, I have not found a single place in the Bible where sheol refers to the peaceful grave of the righteous. Rachel’s “grave” in Genesis 35:20 is the Hebrew geburah, not sheol. Josiah, a good king, didn’t go to sheol when he died (II Kgs. 22:20); he went to geber gibrah (a peaceful burying place, a grave). Yes, the wicked too go to a burying place, but not in hope of a resurrection, therefore their burying place is called sheol, as is their place of torment.

The Greek words for hell are hades and gehenna. Hades has basically the same meaning as sheol, while gehenna was the city dump of Jerusalem, used as a similitude to describe hell, God’s “dump” for the wicked.

However, it isn’t necessary that one know the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words in order to realize that hell isn’t the grave. Without using any of the information just presented, the serious Christian soldier can easily show anyone from the Bible that hell cannot be the grave by using five simple arguments.

The first argument is the fact that the grave contains no fire, yet the hell of the Bible does: “And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke 16:23-24) “But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Mat. 5:22) “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:6) Clearly, the Lord could not have intended for us to understand hell to be the grave in these verses because the hell in these verses contains fire, yet the common grave does not. In fact, the words “hell” and “grave” are never found in the same Bible verse, yet “hell” and “fire” occur in eight separate verses!

Secondly, no one speaks from the grave, yet, in Luke 16:24, the rich man actually speaks from the fires of hell. All indications are that he has all of his natural senses. This is not so with a person in the grave.

A third point is the fact that hell, according to the Lord Jesus (Mat. 25:41), was originally prepared for the devil and his angels. This is not so with the grave.

A fourth argument is that only one’s body goes to the grave at death, not one’s soul. The Christian, in death, is said to be “absent from the body” and “present with the Lord” (II Cor. 5:8). The body of the Christian obviously goes to the grave like the body of anyone else, yet the Bible declares that the Christian himself (in distinction from his body) goes to be with the Lord. So, there is a separate dwelling place other than the grave. If this is true with Christians, then it is also true with unbelievers, which is made clear in the Scripture already provided from Luke 16:23-24, as well as in other passages.

A final and most logical argument against hell being the grave is the fact that Jesus said “it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.” (Mat. 18:9) If hell is only the common grave, then it certainly would not be better to suffer a handicap forever than to simply die and be gone forever, suffering no affliction at all. Obviously, Jesus was indicating that hell is something far worse than a physical handicap.

Friend, the Bible declares that hell is a very real and very horrible place. You do not have to go there, but you WILL go there, if your sins remain unforgiven due to your continued rejection of Jesus Christ.

(Accompanying chart by the great Clarence Larkin (1850-1924), author of Dispensational Truth and other fine works)

Healthy Minute- SIBO and SIFO protocol

SIBO- Small intestine bacterial overgrowth

SIFO- Small intestine fungal overgrowth

To have a healthy microbiome, we need to think of it like a garden.
First, we prepare the area by removing the things that would hinder good growth. Begin by eliminating the foods mentioned in the Reset Your Gut Protocol. We want to follow this first step for at least a week before moving on to the next.
Next, you would ensure there are no harmful bugs, and ensure that there is good soil. The below herbal antibiotic protocol and the clove green tea are what will help with this. You'll want to drink this tea while taking the herbal antibiotic regimen for at least 2 weeks before moving on to the next step.

Then, you plant the seeds that you want to produce in your garden. That's where you add in those good bacteria through the yogurt mentioned below. These should be done at least one week before moving on to the next step. You can continue this indefinitely.

Finally, you water and fertilize it. That is where adding in the fiber that feeds your good bugs comes from. You should add in many different types of fiber and try to get at least 20 grams per day. However, you need to build up to this amount slowly.

You'll need to maintain this area so that you can grow more in the future. So, you will continue using fiber and yogurts while adding in the clove green tea or the herbal antibiotic regimen as needed.

Herbal antibiotic regimen:

• CandiBactin AR and CandiBactin BR
• Take 1 to 2 capsules of CandiBactin AR twice daily for 14 days.
• Take 2 capsules of CandiBactin BR twice daily for 14 days.
• NAC (N-acetyl cysteine) 600-1200 mg twice per day for 14 days.
• Curcumin without black pepper added in OR Berberine- 300 mg twice per day, building up to 600 mg twice per day for 14 days.

Adding in some food grade essential oils of oregano, clove, and/or cinnamon can also help to kill off the fungus. You would start by adding just one drop to a tablespoon of either olive oil or coconut oil and ingesting it; work up to 6 drops daily. If you notice you are having severe die-off reactions, you can add 1000 mg of activated charcoal to your regiment to help reduce those symptoms, or remove the essential oils.

Repeat as necessary when you see signs of fungal or bacterial overgrowth, either internally or externally. 

Rebuild your mucosal lining:

This recipe will help rebuild any breached intestinal mucosal lining that allows bacteria and fungi to penetrate your intestinal wall and end up in other areas of your body. You can drink it unsweetened or you can sweeten it with allulose.

• 2 cups water
• 1 TBS whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1 teabag green tea or matcha powder
• 1 tsp FOS powder

1) Combine the water, cinnamon and cloves into a small saucepan and bring to a boil.

2) Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3) Add the teabag during the last 2 or so minutes and allow to simmer. If using matcha powder, add after you've removed from heat.

4) Remove from heat, and discard teabag or add your matcha powder here.

5) Stir in the FOS or other sweetener. Drink.

Supergut Yogurt:

Start eating 1/2 cup of this yogurt after you've completed your 2 week course of herbal antibiotics to replace the bacteria in your system with good buggies. You'll need to do this for at least 4 to 6 weeks, but it can be continued daily for maintenance purposes. After about 2 months, you can reduce the hours that it cultivates so the yogurt isn't as tart. I recommend a yogurt maker or sous vide machine so you can control the temperature.

Which strains should you use? That depends on what benefits you are looking for. Here are a few:

• L-reuteri is good for restoration of muscles and strength, deeper sleep, increased libido, appetite suppression, accelerated healing, reduced social anxiety, preservation of bone density, and more.
• Lerteri and L casei for deeper andlonger sleep, reduced stress, and enhanced immune function.
• B coagulans for reduced inflammation and arthritis pain.
• L helveticus and B longum for reduced anxiety, improved mood, and reduced depression.
• L casei for enhanced mental clarity and focus.
• L reuteri and L gasseri for weight loss and reduced waist size.
• L reuteri and B coagulans for increased strength and accelerated recovery.
• B infantis for expecting and breastfeeding mothers, helps reduce colic and improve sleep and longterm health.

Yogurt recipe:

• 1/2 gallon milk
• 1/2 gallon half-n-half
• Bacterial starter
• 2 TBS inulin fiber

1) "Boil" the milk (only the milk). This is important or your yogurt will turn out weirdly runny! You want to bring the temperature of the milk up to 180*. Stir and check the temperature often. Once it hits this temp, turn the burner off and move the pot. Allow to cool to about 110*. Add in your half and half, and check the temperature. It needs to be around 103*.

2) Remove and discard any film that has formed over the top of the milk. It won't harm your yogurt if you leave it, but again it messes with the texture.

3) Put your "starter" in and whisk to combine thoroughly. This will be the amount specified by bacterial strain below. There should be no sugar in this!

4) Pour into the Instantpot and press the YOGURT setting. If you can adjust the temperature, set it for the type of bacteria you are cultivating. OR, Pour into jars and place into a yogurt machine or sous vide machine and set to the appropriate temperature.

L. Reuteri will be killed off at 109* or higher. You can mix ones that use the same temperature to create a compound of beneficial bacterial species yogurt. 

L reuteri, L gasseri, and B coagulans can be mixed together and fermented at 106*.

• Lactobacillus reuteri- 10 tablets, crushed at 100*-106*
• Lactobacillus gasseri- 1 capsule at 109*
• Bacillus coagulans- 1 capsule at 115*-122*
• Bifidobacterium Infantis- 1 packet at 100*
• Lactobacillus Casei- 1 bottle at 109*
• Lactobacillus helveticus and bifido bacterium longum- 1 capsule at 100*
• L rhamnosus GG- 1 capsule at 107*
• L plantarum- 1 capsule at 104*-109*
• Kefir- 2 TBS at 106* (this yields multiple species depending on which brand of kefir you use- see below)

Make certain the pressure is not activated. It should be medium and about 36 hours (this will make it thick and tart!). After this time check to make certain there's a yogurt type consistency with whey around it. After this amount of time there should be billions of good bacteria in your yogurt. If you can't handle the tartness, then reduce the hours to around 30 and slowly increase until you can tolerate it.

5) Allow to cool, then remove from the Instantpot or yogurt/ sous vide machine. I have a large plastic bowl and a large colander that I use. Place the colander in the bowl, and put a clean kitchen towel or cheese cloth spread out into the colander. Fill it with the yogurt, then cover with plastic wrap and put into the fridge. 

6) The whey will separate into the bowl, leaving a thick yogurt in the colander. Remove the colander, you can use the whey in other recipes or dump it out, but keep about 1 to 2 cups to add back into your yogurt.

7) Remove 1 cup of the thick yogurt and store in a mason jar in the fridge for your next batch of yogurt. This will be your "starter" for your next batch. You can "refresh" your yogurt every couple of months if needed by adding in additional probiotic capsules, but it isn't necessary each time after your initial batch.

8) If you are having a lot of problems and you can't stomach unsweetened yogurt, then just add fruit to the yogurt right when you eat it or mix some of it up in a smoothie. Sugar, even in fruit, tends to change the bacterial profile, and the longer the sugar is in the yogurt, the more the profile changes.

Kefir is a great addition to any gut health protocol. Depending on which type of kefir you get you can add in a host of beneficial bacterial species. Making yogurt out of it enhances the benefits exponentially! 

Wallaby brand of kefir contains the following bacterial species:

• S thermophilus
• L bulgaricus
• L casei
• L acidophilus
• L rhamnosus
• L lactis
• L cremoris
• L paracasei
• L lactis biovar diaceylactis
• L mesenteroides cremoris
• L delbrueckii lactis
• B Lactis

Lifeway brand of kefir contains the following bacterial species:

• B breve 
• B lactis
• B longum
• L acidophilus
• L casei
• L cremoris
• L lactis
• L plantrum
• L reuteri
• L rhamnosus
• S diacetylactis
• S florentinus

Two different brands with only four overlapping species. That's pretty amazing! If you were to make yogurt by mixing these two you would get a powerhouse yogurt!

Coconut yogurt (for those allergic to milk):

• 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut milk (with no additives)
• 3/4 tsp guar gum
• 2 TBS sugar
• 1 TBS raw potato starch
• Lactobacillus reuteri- 10 tablets, crushed

1) Heat the coconut milk to 180* in a saucepan.

2) Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then add the guar gum, sugar, and potato starch and blend together until it is the consistency of heavy cream.

3) Cool until the temperature reaches around 100*, then add the L. reuteri tablets.

4) Ferment for 48 hours at 100*F. This one is a little more tricky since the Instantpot keeps the temperature closer to 106*.

5) Store in glass mason jars in the fridge.

After your 4 weeks, your yogurt is amazingly potent. You can continue making this way indefinitely. There are other strains that you may want to add in to make your yogurt's bacterial profile more diverse. If you are having trouble killing off Candida, you may need to make certain that your yogurt contains the bacterial strain Lactobacillus rhamnosus and Saccharomyces boulardii.
The following are other brands that contain various additional strains which work well in making yogurt:

• Ther-Biotic Synbiotic
• Ther-Biotic Complete Powder
• Biospora
• BiotiQuest Sugar Shift

You should also add in a Prebiotic (at least 2 tsp daily) to make sure your good buggies are well fed and remain healthy. Jarrow Formulas has a good bundle you can purchase. Or you could just purchase some acacia fiber and inulin fiber and work your way up from 1/8 tsp to 1 tsp each daily.

For long term success, continue the yogurt as part of your regular diet, and add in certain essential oils and herbs like cloves, oregano, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, rosemary, coriander, and peppermint (these can be added into dinners a drop or two at a time for both flavor and health benefits).

For more information, please read Super Gut by William Davis or watch this video:

K-9 (video sermon)

Homemade Baby Formula recipes

 Dr. Mary Enig developed an alternative to commercial baby food formula. It is preferable to commercial formulas (with their rancid oils and denatured ingredients) and is full of highly nutritious ingredients.

Formula ingredients for homemade raw milk-based formula takes account of the fact that human milk is richer in whey, lactose, vitamin C, niacin, and long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to cow’s milk, but leaner in casein (milk protein). The addition of gelatin to the formula will make it more digestible for the infant. Use only truly expeller-expressed oils in the formula recipes, otherwise they may lack vitamin E.

 For sources of good quality milk, see www.realmilk.com. If the only choice available to you is commercial milk, choose whole milk, preferably organic and unhomogenized, and culture it with kefir to restore enzymes.

Although goat milk is rich in fat, it must be used with caution in infant feeding as it lacks folate and is low in vitamin B12, both of which are essential to the growth and development of the infant. Inclusion of nutritional yeast to provide folate is essential. To compensate for low levels of vitamin B12, if preparing the Milk-Based Formula (above) with goat’s milk, add 2 teaspoons organic raw chicken liver, frozen for 14 days, finely grated to the batch of formula. Be sure to begin egg-yolk feeding at four months.

A step-by-step recipe on page 602 of “Nourishing Traditions”. You can purchase most of these items at Radiant Life.

*Makes 36 ounces

2 cups of whole fat raw milk, from Pasture-fed cows or goats
¼ cup of home made liquid whey
4 tablespoons of Lactose
¼ teaspoon Bifidobacterium infantis
2 tablespoons of good quality cream (can be pasteurized but NOT ultra pasteurized, or UHT)
½ teaspoon of high vitamin cod liver oil 
½ teaspoon of high vitamin butter oil
1 teaspoon of unrefined sunflower oil
1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons of coconut oil
2 teaspoons of Frontier brand nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons of gelatin
1 7/8 cups of filtered water
¼ teaspoon of acerola powder

Put 2 cups filtered water into a pyrex measuring pitcher and remove 2 tablespoons (that will give you 1-7/8 cups water).
Pour about half of the water into a pan and place on a medium flame.
Add the gelatin and lactose to the pan and let dissolve, stirring occasionally.
When the gelatin and lactose are dissolved, remove from heat and add the remaining water to cool the mixture.
Stir in the coconut oil and optional high-vitamin butter oil and stir until melted.
Meanwhile, place remaining ingredients into a blender.
Add the water mixture and blend about three seconds.
Place in glass bottles or a glass jar and refrigerate.
Before giving to baby, warm bottles by placing in hot water or a bottle warmer. NEVER warm bottles in a microwave oven.

This video is one in a series of instructional videos from Weston A. Price Foundation on Vimeo.

Meyenberg powdered goat milk has a longer shelf-life due to being powdered, but Meyenberg fortifies their milk with folic acid and Vitamin D, specifically because it's often used for toddlers. This recipe is for making individual bottles right before a feeding.

8 oz. water at body-temperature
2 scoops (28 g)  powdered goat milk
1/2 tsp nutritional yeast (for the B vitamins and folic acid)
1 tsp brown rice syrup (for the carbohydrates)
2 tsp blackstrap molassas (for the iron)
1/2 tsp cod liver oil (once a day)
Vitamin D drops – amount according to brand (once a day)

Place all ingredients in a bottle and shake vigorously to combine. You can also use a small mason jar or pre-mix enough for 2-3 bottles in a blender.

For the first few days of using the formula, use half the recommended amount of powdered milk and slowly work up to the full amount, especially if your baby hasn't started eating solid food.

For babies with a milk allergy: Our liver-based formula also mimics the nutrient profile of mother’s milk. It is extremely important to include coconut oil in this formula as it is the only ingredient that provides the special medium-chain saturated fats found in mother’s milk. As with the milk-based formula, all oils should be truly expeller-expressed.

3-3/4 cups homemade beef or chicken broth
2 ounces organic liver, cut into small pieces
5 tablespoons lactose
1/4 teaspoon bifidobacterium infantis
1/4 cup homemade liquid whey 
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon high-vitamin fermented cod liver
1 teaspoon unrefined sunflower oil
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon acerola powder

Simmer liver gently in broth until the meat is cooked through.
Liquefy using a handheld blender or in a food processor.
When the liver broth has cooled, stir in remaining ingredients.
Store in a very clean glass or stainless steel container.
To serve, stir formula well and pour 6 to 8 ounces in a very clean glass bottle.
Attach a clean nipple and set in a pan of simmering water until formula is warm but not hot to the touch, shake well and feed to baby. (Never heat formula in a microwave oven!)

Unknown Heroes (song)

The Safe Place (poem)

I went to Jesus with a prayer

Upon a suppliant’s knee;

Low at His cross I laid me down,

Nor asked His face to see,

Yet whispered in His ear the tale

No mortal ear could bear:

The story of a faithless heart,

And of its self-despair.

I told Him how my feet had slipped,

How often gone astray;

How oft my heart refused to love,

My lips refused to pray.

In stammering words that none but He

Hearing could understand,

I made complaint of careless work

Done by a careless hand.

Of wasted hours, of idle words,

Of love oft waxing dim,

Of silence when a warmer heart

Had testified of Him.

I owned my weak and selfish ways;

How often all day long,

Moanings and sighs had filled His ears

To whom I owed a song.

And what said He? What whispered words

Responded unto mine?

Did He reproach me? Did His love

On me refuse to shine?

Nay, thus He spoke, and bent Him low

To reach my anxious ear,

My child, thou doest well to lie

As thou art lying here ;

I knew thy human weakness, knew

Each lurking bosom sin,

Knew it, and yet in loving grace

Thy heart I stooped to win.

I knew that thou wouldst often fall,

Poor work for Me wouldst do,

Wouldst give Me only half thy love,

Give praises faint and few.

And yet I choose thee. Be content

And since thou canst not fly

To heights by dearer souls attained,

Let it suffice to lie.

Here at My feet; it is the place

To which My loved ones flee;

They find it sweet, and so shalt thou;

‘Tis a safe place for thee.

Yes, it is sweet, and it is safe!

And here will I abide;

Sinful, and yet forgiven, sad,

And yet so satisfied.

-Elizabeth Prentiss

Mystery Babylon

 If you've spent any time reading the Bible, or studying the book of Revelation, you've probably heard the phrase "mystery Babylon".

Genesis 10:8-10- And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar.

Babel was the tower that humanity tried to build to reach heaven. God came down and created multiple different languages to stop them. This area became known as Babylon.

God doesn't have much to say about Nimrod. His name only shows up 4 times in the Bible. The most important things that God wanted us to know about him is that he was a mighty hunter, he started a kingdom which would later be called Assyria, and that he was mighty upon the earth- he ruled.

I Chronicles 1:10- And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be mighty upon the earth.

Micah 5:6- And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.

Babylon is in the area known in the Bible as Assyria. If you read anything in Scriptures referencing Babylon or Assyria you will find that it's never good.

Eusebius was a Greek historian of Christianity around AD 300.He had a lot to say about Babylon. From his work, Alexander Hislop wrote the book "The Two Babylons".

The story goes that Nimrod married a woman named Semiramis. They were the rulers of the kingdoms mentioned above. Nimrod started to conquer and rule over peoples after the great flood of Genesis 6. Before this time, there was no mention of rulers or kingdoms; each person controlled his household only, and the cities all had people who resided in them as judges for when someone committed a crime. This was all before Moses was given the ten commandments. People during this time were governed by their conscience.

Nimrod wanted to rule more than just his household. He was the first kingdom builder. He was a mighty hunter who not only conquered lands, but also killed those who opposed him.

Islop believes that his death occured when he out warring against other cities, and that it's possible that his body was torn to shreds and the pieces were sent throughout his empire letting others know that he had been defeated.

Semiramis, his wife, didn't want to lose her place. Either she was in the beginning stages of pregnancy, or she fornicated and ended up getting pregnant. She hatched a plan that would enable her to keep the kingdom.

She said that this pregnancy was a miracle. She claimed that her conception was a miracle from the fallen Nimrod, who was now resurrected as the god of the sun. The child she bore was named Tammuz.

This is the beginning of all idolatry. Nimrod became known as the sun god; his name would change according to the different languages but he is always associated with the sun, among other things. Semiramis became known as the moon goddess, the goddess of fertility, and the queen of heaven, among others. And, Tammuz would now be known as the god of new life.

According to legend, Tammuz was killed by a wild animal, most say a wild boar, but his mother raised him from the dead.

You can search the Scriptures, but you'll never find the name Semiramis mentioned. You will, however, find the mention of the queen of heaven all throughout the book of Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 7:18- The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.

Jeremiah 44:19- And when we burned incense to the queen of heaven, and poured out drink offerings unto her, did we make her cakes to worship her, and pour out drink offerings unto her, without our men?

Jeremiah was a prophet in Israel around 626 BC. He preached against the wickedness being committed by the Hebrew people- mainly their worship of certain Babylonian deities.

Tammuz is only mentioned once in the Bible.

Ezekiel 8:14- Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the LORD'S house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.

God takes Ezekiel to see the wickedness that is happening in Jerusalem. He sees women weeping for the fallen son of Nimrod.

If you go back up and read the mention of Nimrod's kingdom, you will see the name of a city called Shinar. This area is where a few of the cities of Babylon were located, most notably Babel.

Zechariah 5:1-11- Then I turned, and lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and behold a flying roll. And he said unto me, What seest thou? And I answered, I see a flying roll; the length thereof is twenty cubits, and the breadth thereof ten cubits. Then said he unto me, This is the curse that goeth forth over the face of the whole earth: for every one that stealeth shall be cut off as on this side according to it; and every one that sweareth shall be cut off as on that side according to it. I will bring it forth, saith the LORD of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely by my name: and it shall remain in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And he said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah. And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base.

There are a few things that Zechariah sees that are somewhat of a mystery. First, he sees what seems to be a UFO, and the Lord said that it was a curse that would go over all the earth- like a religion that spread across the globe?

Next, he sees an ephah. This is a dry measurement used for weighing items such as grains. In the center of the ephah is a woman sitting- perhaps Semiramis? The angel tells Zechariah that this is wickedness, so we know that this woman is not good.

Then, Zechariah watches as this evil woman is thrown into the ephah and lead was put on the top of it, sealing her inside. The only problem is that something comes out.

Zechariah describes two winged women who come out of the ephah, and they use their wings to carry the ephah to Shinar to build it up again.

The angelic looking beings (according to all Catholic pictures) set up a false religion in the land of Babylon which has a woman as its main deity.

And now you can see the pieces of the puzzle starting to click into place. In the land of Shinar (Babylon), there is a religion that revolves around a woman and her dead son (which she claims to have brought back to life). There are even winged angel women associated with this religion.

But God calls it all wickedness.

The Jews were taken to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar and while they were there for 70 years, they picked up a lot of the false religious practices of those people.

When Jesus Christ showed up, they couldn't accept that He was their Messiah because they didn't know the Scriptures like the should. They had so much tradition stuck in their religious protocols that they couldn't separate truth from legend. That's why Jesus always asked them, "Have ye never read?"

In Revelation 17, John saw the woman that portrayed Mystery Babylon. She is described in great detail.

Revelation 17:1-13,18- And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns. The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is. And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

She wears certain colors- purple and scarlet- with lots of gold and jewels. She holds a golden cup from which she drinks wine. And she is located on seven mountains. And it is the only religion that ruled over kings. This perfectly describes the Roman Catholic Church.

Mystery Babylon, the religion that started thousands of years ago which worshiped a mother called the queen of heaven and her son, is the same religion that the Jews picked up and added to theirs as tradition around 600 BC, and it is the same religion that is worshiped around the world by Catholics.

That woman is not Mary. No where in the Bible is she ever called the queen of heaven, but someone was worshiped by that name 600 years before Mary's birth!

That baby in the woman's arms is not Jesus Christ, the son of God. He is the child of a murderous warmonger who started the first kingdom with the intent to build a tower that reaches to heaven.

The cup is filled with abomination and murder and is forced upon others. The dark ages is what we refer to as the time when the Roman Catholic church was in power, and they would kill anyone who wouldn't submit to their rule. Their atrocities are recorded on every continent.

She will stand with the antichrist during his reign and help him as he destroys nations and people.

And one day the Lord will judge their wickedness and condemn it. The religion that began after the judgement of the flood on the world will one day end forever. Those that were deceived by it and those that were forced into it are warned to get out of it!

Revelation 18:1-5- And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. 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.

Be not deceived, God is keeping the books and everyone will give an account for what they've done.