Babylonians

 •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 11
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The inhabitants of Babylon or its districts (Ezra 4:9; Ezek. 23:15, 17, 23). Thousands of tablets have been discovered which throw great light upon the social life and character of the Babylonians. They were an educated people. Some tablets appear to be geological, geographical, and mathematical; and many others are records of contracts, loans, marriages, dowries, purchase of slaves, and so forth. Their astronomy was mixed up with astrology. Many tablets show that they held that the stars and signs of the heavens foretold events, agreeing with God’s message to Babylon: “Let now the astrologers, the star-gazers, the monthly prognosticators stand up and save thee” (Isa. 47:13). Many magical and incantation tablets show that they were in great fear of evil spirits: they called upon “the spirit of heaven”‘ and “the spirit of earth” to deliver them. Their religion has been described as the worst possible form of nature worship, and their gods seem to have been countless. These tablets, made thousands of years ago, now reveal how Satan succeeded in keeping the Babylonians completely under his dominion.