IRAQ -- VERY INTERESTING -- DID YOU KNOW

[Stewart_B]

IRAQ -- VERY INTERESTING -- DID YOU KNOW??????

1. The Garden of Eden was in Iraq.

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization!

3. Noah built the ark in Iraq.

4. The Tower of Babel was in Iraq.

5. Abraham was from Ur, which is in Southern Iraq!

6. Isaac's wife Rebekah is from Nahor which is in Iraq.

7. Jacob met Rachel in Iraq.

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

9. Assyria which is in Iraq conquered the ten tribes of Israel.

10. Amos cried out in Iraq!

11. Babylon which is in Iraq destroyed Jerusalem.

12. Daniel was in the lion's den in Iraq!

13. The 3 Hebrew children were in the fire in Iraq (that's good news to know that JESUS has been in Iraq too as the 4th person in the fiery furnace!)

14. Belshazzar, the King of Babylon, saw the "writing on the wall" in Iraq. (which hopefully Saddam will too!)

15. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, carried the Jews captive into Iraq.

16. Ezekiel preached in Iraq.

17. The wise men were from Iraq. (Where are the "wise" men today?)

18. Peter preached in Iraq.

19. The "Empire of Man" described in Revelation is called Babylon which was a city in Iraq! And you have probably seen this one. Israel is the nation most often mentioned in the Bible. But do you know which nation is second? It is Iraq! However, that is not the name that is used in the Bible. The names used in the Bible are Babylon, Land of Shinar, and Mesopotamia. The word Mesopotamia means between the two rivers, more exactly between the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The name Iraq, means country with deep roots.

Indeed Iraq is a country with deep roots and is a very significant country in the Bible. Here's why:

* Eden was in Iraq--Genesis 2:10-14

* Adam & Eve were created in Iraq--Genesis 2:7-8

* Satan made his first recorded appearance in Iraq--Genesis 3:1-6

* Nimrod established Babylon & Tower of Babel was built in Iraq-Genesis 10:8-97 &11:1-4

* The confusion of the languages took place in Iraq--Genesis 11:5-11

* Abraham came from a city in Iraq--Genesis 11:31 & Acts 7:2-4

* Isaac's bride came from Iraq--Genesis 24:3-4 &10

* Jacob spent 20 years in Iraq--Genesis 27:42-45 & 31:38

* The first world Empire was in Iraq--Daniel 1:1-2 & 2:36-38

* The greatest revival in history was in a city in Iraq--Jonah 3

* The events of the book of Esther took place in Iraq--Esther

* The book of Nahum was a prophecy against a city in Iraq--Nahum

* The book or Revelation has prophecies against Babylon, which was the old name for the nation of Iraq--Revelation 17 &18 No other nation, except Israel, has more history and prophecy associated with it than Iraq.

[Stewart_B]

If you a bible buff like me this is interesting.

[Inyokern]

The events of the book of Esther took place in Iraq--Esther

I think Esther took place in Iran.

[Senator Pardek]

"And The Cradle Will Iraq" is on VH's 3rd album.

[Stewart_B]

LOL

[NYC GOP Chick]

I think Esther took place in Iran.

It was Persia back then...

[Stewart_B]

My wife is checking this out (in bible) right now

[NYC GOP Chick]

rimshot

[crz]

I disagree with the notion that Eden was in Iraq. It was in Turkey.

[MegaSilver]

* The first world Empire was in Iraq--Daniel 1:1-2 & 2:36-38

Isn't that Iran, or Persia?

[Psycho_Bunny]

2. Mesopotamia, which is now Iraq, was the cradle of civilization

A reserve Marine Sgt, who is a Personal Trainer at my work, recently returned from being stationed outside of Ur.

I asked him what it was like to try to bring civilization back to the first city.

It's pretty sad.

[GulliverSwift]

Try Egypt or China.

[LiteKeeper]

For fascinating information about the place of Iraq in Biblical HIstory go to Clues to Creation in Genesis

This is an eBook written by Donald Wiseman's father during his tour of duty in Iraq in the 20's. He describes the work of the archaeologists during that era and the absolutely amazing discoveries they made. The book is $16 - but the original is selling for $225 - even though the "sticker price" is $6.95. It is a MUST read for anyone interested in Iraq and the Bible, and particularly in the correlation between the authorship of Genesis by Moses and the massive number of Sumerian cuneiform tablets of the same era.

I searched for three months before I stumbled on this site. BTW - any purchases will assist Donald Wiseman who is quite elderly, and in need of income. I have absolutely nothing to do with this site other than being a customer. The information was shared with me by the owner of the site.

[Stewart_B]

That is sad.

[Stewart_B]

Thanks for the info.

[freedom44]

Actually most of this stuff happened in what is NOW Iraq, but was THEN the Persian Empire, so it was controlled by Iranians and not Iraqis, therefore majority of this stuff cannot be attributed to Iraqis.

Esther was married to a *Persian* King, Daniel was in the Lions Den's when Darius the King of the Persian King was in control, etc..

[freedom44]

17. The wise men were from Iraq. (Where are the "wise" men today?)

The wise men were 'magi' the religion of the Persian Empire, they were Zoroastrians a religion found in late Persia and modern day Iran.

Where did this goof off get this load of BS?

[elli1]

What should have been #1 on the list:

1. The Tigris & Euphrates rivers are in Iraq. (That explains pretty much everything else on the list.)

[Stewart_B]

LOL. Im not sure if its a load of BS or not. My wife and I are checking out the scripture sited in the bible.
We recieved it in an e-mail from friends in Fla.

[Stewart_B]

True

[freedom44]

Scripture from the Bible is pertaining to Persia and the Persian Empire, there was no Iraq in the Bible.

Cyrus the Great who freed the Jews was a Persian King, as were Darius and Xerxes all mentioned several times in the Bible.

The Magi could not have came from 'Iraq', there was no such thing as Iraq.. to the east was the Persian Empire, religious leaders were Magi (Holy men of the Zoroastrian faith)

[freedom44]

BTW- Persians are still around in modern day Iran, not Iraq.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ir.html

IRAN:

Ethnic groups:
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

Languages:
Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2%

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/iz.html

IRAQ:

Ethnic groups:
Arab 75%-80%, Kurdish 15%-20%, Turkoman, Assyrian or other 5%

Languages:
Arabic, Kurdish (official in Kurdish regions), Assyrian

[Stewart_B]

I believe that the Persian empire (of the bible) encompassed the present day Iraq and Iran. Whats your point...semantics ?

[VOA]

8. Jonah preached in Nineveh - which is in Iraq.

Knox Seminary professor and pastor R.C. Sproul had a really good series of
lessons on Jonah on his radio show ("Renewing Your Mind") a few months ago.

Lots more interesting stuff in that humble bit of the Bible than the whale incident,
that's for sure!

[freedom44]

The Kings and every single historical, cultural, and ethnical tie is to Iran, no one argues that point so to say that 'Iraqis' somehow magically appear in 2004 on FreeRepublic and lay claim to Iran's historical greatness.

Arabs lived in deserts and ate sand while the Persians ruled empires.

[VOA]

This is an eBook written by Donald Wiseman's father during his tour of duty in
Iraq in the 20's. He describes the work of the archaeologists during that
era and the absolutely amazing discoveries they made.

IIRC, in some article about how the Baghdad museum had not really been looted,
there was a mention that even after all the years of archeology digs in
Iraq...there are still TONS of sites and artifacts to be dug out of the ground of Iraq.

All this after all the bombing, shooting, and desecration of the country
by Saddam and his buddies, including using some archeology sites for the mass graves.

[Stewart_B]

Persia was Iraq and Iran, whats so hard to understand.

[mel]

It is indeed interesting, thanks

[Stewart_B]

I thought so too.

[freedom44]

The Persians were and ARE 'Iranians', NOT Iraqis.

Persians controlled modern day Iraq, as they did virtually all of the region.

Cyrus the Great ( Kourosh in Persian, Kouros in Greek )

Cyrus (580-529 BC) was the first Achaemenian Emperor. He founded Persia by uniting the two original Iranian Tribes- the Medes and the Persians. Although he was known to be a great conqueror, who at one point controlled one of the greatest Empires ever seen, he is best remembered for his unprecedented tolerance and magnanimous attitude towards those he defeated.

Upon his victory over the Medes, he founded a government for his new kingdom, incorporating both Median and Persian nobles as civilian officials. The conquest of Asia Minor completed, he led his armies to the eastern frontiers. Hyrcania and Parthia were already part of the Median Kingdom. Further east, he conquered Drangiana, Arachosia, Margiana and Bactria. After crossing the Oxus, he reached the Jaxartes, where he built fortified towns with the object of defending the farthest frontier of his kingdom against nomadic tribes of Central Asia. The victories to the east led him again to the west and sounded the hour for attack on Babylon and Egypt. When he conquered Babylon, he did so to cheers from the Jewish Community, who welcomed him as a liberator- he allowed the Jews to return to the promised Land. He showed great forbearance and respect towards the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races. These qualities earned him the respect and homage of all the people over whom he ruled.

As Prof. Richard Frye of Harvard said (in The Heritage of Persia, p10-151):

"In the victories of the Persians... what was different was the new policy of reconciliation and together with this was the prime aim of Cyrus to establish a pax Achaemenica..... If one were to assess the achievements of the Achaemenid Persians, surely the concept of One World, .... the fusion of peoples and cultures in one 'Oecumen' was one of their important legacies"

The victory over Babylonia expressed all the facets of the policy of conciliation which Cyrus had followed until then. He presented himself not as a conqueror, but a liberator and the legitimate successor to the crown. He took the title of "King of Babylon_ King of the Land". Cyrus had no thought of forcing conquered people into a single mould, and had the wisdom to leave unchanged the institution of each kingdom he attached to the Persian Crown. In 537 BC he allowed more than 40,000 Jews to leave Babylon and return to Palestine. This step was in line with his policy to bring peace to Mankind. A new wind was blowing from the east, carrying away the cries and humility of defeated and murdered victims, extinguishing the fires of sacked cities, and liberating nations from slavery.

Cyrus was upright, a great leader of men, generous and benelovent. The Hellenes, whom he conquered regarded him as 'Law-giver' and the Jews as 'the annointed of the Lord'.

Prior to his death, he founded a new capital city at Pasargade in Fars. and had established a government for his Empire. He appointed a governor (satrap) to represent him in each province, however the administration, legistlation, and cultural activities of each province was the responsibility of the Satraps. Accoding to Xenophon Cyrus is also reputed to have devised the first postal system, (Achaemenide achievements).

His doctrines were adopted by the future emperors of the Achaemenian dynasty. Darius I (521-486 BC) brought together skills and craftsmen from all over the empire in building the city of Perse

http://oznet.net/cyrus/cyframe.htm

[freedom44]

Iran

Background:

Known as Persia until 1935

Ethnic groups:
Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1%

[Stewart_B]

I know this isn't registering with you.....ancient Persia encompassed the area where Iraq and Iran are. They are both descended from that empire (same peoples). You can do any kind of mental contortions you wish but the fact remains Iraq was part of the Persian empire in biblical times.... period.

[freedom44]

Iraqis are Arabs, semites and trace their history to the ancient Arabs and share absolutely no common ancestory as Iranians who are indo-Europeans and come from the Arya tribe in Europe.

Hence the fact that Iranians speak Farsi, have much lighter skin-tone, European facial structure, and trace their entire history to the Persian Empire, while Iraqis who speak Arabic, have darker skin tone, Arabic facial structure, and trace much of their history of Babylonia.

[Stewart_B]

LOL...I understand where you are coming from now.
Lost tribes of Israel migrated to Europe and all that stuff.
LMAO...live long and prosper.

[freedom44]

Apparently you have no clue on the Iranian v. Arab perjudice nor the history of the Mid-east.

Good luck in your studies.

[JennysCool]

NEVER believe any internet thing with copious question marks and exclamation points. I wonder who's writing this stuff?

[nutmeg]

FYI

[cherry]

I remember learning about Mesopotamia as a kid.....as I recall, it was a beautiful, succulent land with massive gardens.......

I always have pictured Mesopotamia to be very similar to the first scenes in Thomas Cole's series of paintings called "The Voyage of Life"...

[LisaMalia]

Just wondering...GEOGRAPHICALLY speaking....how much of this actually took place in what is now Iraq.

[Finalapproach29er]

Sammy is back with Van Halen! Tour possible this fall. They kissed and made up.

[freedom44]

Next time you meet an Iraqi call him a Persian, he's likely to get extremely angry to say the least.

Iraqis are devout Arabs and have a deep hatred of Iranians (Persians), and Iranians have a deep prejudice of Arabs.

There is no love, culture, heritage, history, between the two.

Arabs are a totally separate people from the Biblical Prophecies of the Bible.

I thought everyone knew Cyrus, Darius, and Xerxes are Persians and direct descendents of Iranians.

[freedom44]

http://www.farsinet.com/wisemen/magi.html

Magi (Majusian)

From old Persian language, a priest of Zarathustra (Zoroaster). The Bible gives us the direction, East and the legend states that the wise men were from Persia (Iran) - Balthasar, Melchior, Caspar - thus being priests of Zarathustra religion, the mages. Obviously the pilgrimage had some religious significance for these men, otherwise they would not have taken the trouble and risk of travelling so far. But what was it? An astrological phenomenon, the Star?

Church of Nativity in Bethlehem, was erected in 329 by Queen Helena in the area it was believed to be where Jesus was born. In 614, The Church was saved from destruction by the Persian rampage because of the mosaic of the Magi dressed in Persian Garb on the floor of this church.

Magi, priestly caste in ancient Persia. They are thought to have been followers of Zoroaster, the Persian teacher and prophet, and they professed the doctrines of Zoroastrianism. By the 1st century AD, the magi were identified with wise men and soothsayers. Encarta Concise Encyclopedia - Religion & Philosophy.
The Holy Epiphany - by Lwis Williams
While oftentimes conflicting lore muddles the story of the Magi, those bearing gifts for the Christ child are Caspar of Tarsus, Melchior of Persian and Balthasar of Saba. Weary from desert travel, the Magi humbly offer their gifts. Caspar is young, European and offers gold. Gold finances the Holy Family's coming flight to Egypt and also symbolizes Christ's immortality and purity. For his generosity, Caspar receives the gifts of charity and spiritual wealth. Melchior is middle-aged, Persian and offers myrrh. Myrrh is a fragrant gum, which the ancient Israelites believed to strengthen children. This symbol of Christ's mortality was blended with wine and offered to him on the cross, and also mixed with aloes to wrap his body for the tomb. Melchior receives the gifts of humility and truth. Balthasar is elderly, Ethiopian and offers frankincense. Frankincense is a resin used in incense for worship and also symbolizes prayer and sacrifice. Balthasar receives the gift of Faith. And Christ, humbling himself to become man, offers us the greatest gift of all, the light that forever burns in the darkness.

Wise Men of the East, also called Magi, or Three Kings of the Orient. In Matthew, noble pilgrims followed a star to Israel to pay homage to the newborn Christ Child (See Pilgrim). They asked King Herod the Great for assistance in finding the child. Herod could not help them but asked the men to return with news of the child. Warned in a dream, they did not return to Herod. Encarta Concise Encyclopedia - Religion & Philosophy.

"In Search of the Birth of Jesus, the Real Journey of the Magi"
A Pilgrimage from Ancient Persian to Modern Bethlehem with Paul William Roberts
Esfahan -> Saveh -> Damascus -> Jerusalem -> Bethlehem
Roberts has woven the journey of the Magi with a comtemporary journey overland - by car and camel - from Iran to Bethlehem and has gathered up some intriguing information on the development of our civilization and our belief systems.

The Magi, revisited
Another translation of Marco Polo's classic

By H. Behzadi
May 28, 2002
The Iranian

Religion did not play a big part in my upbringing in Iran. What little I know comes from those interminable compulsory Religious Study classes at high school in Tehran which as I recollect were either run by clerics or Literature teachers looking for extra income. The Persian Literature teachers never took it that seriously and as long as you remembered the main tenets and could basically write. You were assured of getting through with a reasonable grade.

We (or at least I) could never understand what the clerics were on about, as they seemed to speak in a foreign language. Those who have read Jamalzadeh's short but very witty ingenuous piece "Farsi Shekar Ast" ("Persian Is Nectar") will know what I mean. They seemed to pride themselves into making the subject at hand totally uninteresting and arcane. And to a child they were dangerous as they were liable to fail you in "Feqh". IMagine the risk of losing those beautiful summers having to study for a Religious Studies re-sit.

I know even less about Christianity and it wasn't till my daughter started school run by the local church in the suburbs of London, chosen mainly for its proximity and better reputation that I had any proper exposure to it. Don't worry! This is not an attempt to convert you. The religious schools in England are very popular with the immigrant communities, non-religious and even non-believers.

They are chosen solely because of their reputation for better discipline, smaller class sizes and higher standard of learning. In some ways it shows up something of the double standard by these groups and I have often wondered why the school organisers tolerate it. Some Catholic schools now insist on at least one parent being Catholic and the local priest confirming regular worship before acceptance.

One of the stories the kids become familiar with from an early age is the story of three Magi (or the three Kings) who foresaw the birth of Christ and went on a pilgrimage to see the newly born baby Jesus. My mother, god bless her soul, was kind of funky with a surreal aspect to her character. She had a habit of sometimes dropping and boring you (that is how it seemed to me then) with "pearls of wisdom" either totally unrelated to the subject of conversation or what you were up to at the time (like trying to find an excuse to get out of the house to play football in the street or to spy on the girls in the neighbourhood).

The funny thing was that she never liked anyone else doing the same to her and if she was concentrating, say reading a good book, the only response you could ever get would be a 'hmmm'. You could shout and scream about the house being on fire but if she was reading a particularly good novel, 'hmmmm' meaning: "don't bother me kid; let whatever is happening, happen without me."

Just after my mother moved to England I have a vague recollection of her dropping one of these pearls of wisdom without any solicitation on my part about the three Magi, according to her the the three Magi must have been Iranian as Magi must be the same as "mogh" in Persian meaning Zoroastrian priests, being young and not interested in these matters I never really paid attention.

I recently read "The Travels" of Marco Polo translated by Ronald Latham for Penguin Classics and the first story Marco Polo relates about Persia proper is about the three Magi. The Iranian published an excerpt from another translation in 1997 but I prefer the Penguin version as it is a better translation and Ronald Latham has used modern names where it has been possible to make a match. Thanks to the Internet I also found the story as it appears in the Bible in the Testament of Matthew.

Marco Polo's version relates the version of the story prevalent in Iran in the middle of the 12th century with specific references to places in Iran making it very interesting reading. I also looked up Magi in the dictionary and learnt that it is indeed plural for magus, meaning "a: a member of a hereditary priestly class among the ancient Medes and Persians; b often capitalized : one of the traditionally three wise men from the East paying homage to the infant."

Here is the Ronald Latham translation:

In Persia is the city called Saveh, from which the three Magi set out when they came to worship Jesus Christ. Here, too, they lie buried in three sepulchres of great size and beauty. Above each sepulchre is a square building with a domed roof of very fine workmanship. The one is just beside the other. Their bodies are still whole, and they have hair and beards. One was named Beltasar, the second Gaspar, and the third Melchior.

Messer Marco asked several of the inhabitants who these Magi were; but no one could tell him anything except that they were three kings who were buried there in days gone by. But at last he learnt What I will tell you.

Three days farther on, he found a town called Kala Atashparastan, that is to say Town of the Fire-worshippers. And that is no more than the truth; for the men of this town do worship fire. And I will tell you why they worship it. The inhabitants declare that in days gone by three kings of this country went to worship a new-born prophet and took with them three offerings -gold, frankincense, and myrrh - so as to discover whether this prophet was a god, or an earthly king or a healer. For they said : 'If he takes gold, he is an earthly king; if frankincense, a god; if myrrh, a healer.'

When they had come to the place where the prophet was born, the youngest of the three kings went in all alone to see the child. He found that he was like himself, for he seemed to be of his own age and appearance. And he came out, full of wonder. Then in went the second, who was a man of middle age. And to him also the child seemed, as it had seemed to the other, to be of his own age and appearance. And he came out quite dumbfounded. Then in went the third, who was of riper years; and to him also it happened as it had to the other two. And he came out deep in thought. When the three kings were all together, each told the others what he had seen. And they were much amazed and resolved that they would all go in together.

So, in they went, all three together, and came before the child and saw him in his real likeness and of his real age; for he was only thirteen days old. Then they worshipped him and offered him the gold, the frankincense, and the myrrh. The child took all three offerings and then gave them a closed casket. And the three kings set out to return to their own country.

After they had ridden for some days, they resolved to see what the child had given them. They opened the casket and found inside it a stone. They wondered greatly what this could be. The child had given it to them to signify that they should be firm as stone in the faith that they had adopted. For, when the three kings saw that the child had taken all three offerings, they concluded that he was at once a god, and an earthly king, and a healer. And, since the child knew that the three kings believed this, he gave them the stone to signify that they should be firm and constant in their belief.

The three kings, not knowing why the stone had been given to them, took it and threw it into a well. No sooner had it fallen in than there descended from heaven a burning fire, which came straight to the well into which it had been thrown. When the three kings saw this miracle, they were taken aback and repented of their throwing away the stone; for they saw clearly that its significance was great and good. They immediately took some of this fire and carried it to their country and put it in one of their churches, a very fine and splendid building.

They keep it perpetually burning and worship it as a god. And every sacrifice and burnt offering which they make is roasted with this fire. If it ever happens that the fire goes out, they go round to others who hold the same faith and worship fire also and are given some of the fire that burns in their church. This they bring back to rekindle their own fire. They never rekindle it except with this fire of which I have spoken. To procure this fire, they often make a journey of ten days.

That is how it comes about that the people of this country are fire worshippers. And I assure you that they are very numerous. All this was related to Messer Marco Polo by the inhabitants of this town; and it is all perfectly true. Let me tell you finally that one of the three Magi came from Saveh, one from Hawah, and the third from Kashan.

---

Christ and the Persian magi
Marco Polo on Persia's "Christian" fire worshippers

December 22, 1997
The Iranian

From Chapter XI (Of the province of Persia) of Marco Polo's "The Travels; The Description of the world" written in 1298. This translation is by William Marsden, revised by Thomas Wright (Konemann Travel Classics, Koln, Germany, 1996).

Persia was anciently a large and noble province, but it is now in great part destroyed by the Tartars. In Persia there is a city which is called Saba, from whence were the three magi who came to adore Christ in Bethlehem; and the three are buried in that city in a fair sepulchre, and they are all three entire with their beards and hair. One was called Baldasar, the second Gaspar, and the third Melchior.

Marco inquired often in that city concerning the three magi, and nobody could tell him anything about them, except that the three magi were buried there in ancient times. After three days' journey you come to a castle which is called Palasata, which means the castle of the fire-worshippers, and it is true that the inhabitants of that castle worship fire, and this is given as the reason.

The men of that castle say, that anciently three kings of that country went to adore a certain king who was newly born, and carried with them three offerings, namely, gold, frankincense, and myrth: gold, that they might know if he were an earthly king; frankincense, that they might know if he were God; and myrth, that they might now if he were a mortal man.

When these magi were presented to Christ, the youngest of the three adored him first, and it appeared to him that Christ was of his stature and age. The middle one came next, and then the eldest, and to each he seemed to be of their own stature and age. Having compared their observations together, they agreed to go all to worship at once, and then he appeared to them all of his true age.

When they went away, the infant gave them a closed box, which they carried with them for several days, and then becoming curious to see what he had given them, they opened the box and found in it a stone, which was intended for a sign that they should remain firm as a stone in the faith they had received from him.

When, however, they saw the stone, they marvelled, and thinking themselves deluded, they threw the stone into a certain pit, and instantly fire burst forth in the pit. When they saw this, they repented bitterly of what they had done, and taking some of the fire with them they carried it home.

And having placed it in one of their churches, they keep it continually burning, and adore that fire as a god, and make all their sacrifices with it; and if it happen to be extinguished, they go for more to the original fire in the pit where they threw the stone, which is never extinguished, and they take of none other fire. And, therefore, the people of the country worship fire.

Marco was told all this by the people of the country; and it is true that one of those kings was of Saba; and the second was Dyava, and the third was of the castle.

[Hank Rearden]

So has anything at all happened there in the last 5,000 years? Especially stuff that can actually be verified to be true?

[TexanToTheCore]

Most of these are true. Ur is now called Sulurmaneiah and Babylon is Southwest of Baghdad.

The potential for Christian tourism in Iraq takes one's breath away. But only if the Iraqis get their act together.

[BushMeister]

The Persian Empire was founded three thousand years after great civilizations had arisen in Iraq.

[RaceBannon]

Babylon: The first world wide worship center

(Gen 11:1 KJV) And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech.

(Gen 11:2 KJV) And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there.

(Gen 11:3 KJV) And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them thoroughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for mortar.

(Gen 11:4 KJV) And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.

(Gen 11:5 KJV) And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded.

(Gen 11:6 KJV) And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.

(Gen 11:7 KJV) Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another's speech.

(Gen 11:8 KJV) So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city.

(Gen 11:9 KJV) Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.



Babylon: The world's LAST world wide worship center.

(Rev 18:2 KJV) 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.

(Rev 18:3 KJV) 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.

(Rev 18:4 KJV) 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.

(Rev 18:5 KJV) For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

[ItsOurTimeNow]

For some reason, I'm reminded of a few VeggieTales epidoses while reading your post.

[from Daniel and the Lion's Den]

Oh, no, what we gonna do
The king likes Daniel more than me and you
Oh, no, what we gonna do
We've gotta get him outta here.

We could throw him in the dungeon
We could let him rot in jail
We could drag him to the ocean
Have him eaten by a whale

We could throw him in the Tigris
Let him float awhile,
Then we'll all sit back and watch him meet
A hungry crocodile

We could put him on a camel's back
And send him off to Ur
With a cowboy hat without a brim
A boot without a spur

We could give him jelly doughnuts,
Take them all away
Or we could fill his ears with cheese balls
And his nostrils with sorbet

We could use him as a footstool
Or a table to play Scrabble on
Then tie him up and beat him up
And throw him out of Babylon

[Verginius Rufus]

Haran (Harran) is in southern Turkey near the border with Syria. Rebekah and Rachel were from Abraham's relatives who stayed in that area, so they would have lived either in Turkey or Syria, not Iraq.

The Haran of the Bible is the same place known to the Romans as Carrhae. One of the worst military disasters in Roman history was when the Parthians defeated Crassus near Carrhae in 53 B.C.; Crassus was killed but Cassius, the later assassin of Julius Caesar, collected the remnants of the Roman army and got them to safety.

[RaceBannon]

NO! Daniel was thrown in the lions Den by a MEDE named Darius! :) NOT a Persian!