The Mystery of the Mixture

Chapter Twenty-One
The Mystery of the Mixture

From Babylon, Mystery Religion
Reverend Ralph Woodrow, 1965

WE HAVE SEEN – by scores of examples – how it was a MIXTURE of paganism and Christianity that produced the Roman Catholic church. In the last two chapters, we have seen how many of our common, well-known holidays and customs originated. We have mentioned these things because they are so well know to us all that they are outstanding examples of how pagan customs were renamed and slightly changed to make them appear to be of Christian origin. And even as this was done with holidays and their observances, so in things much more serious – in DOCTRINE and WORSHIP – such mixtures were also made:

Even as the pagans worshipped and prayed to a MOTHER goddess, so the fallen church adopted this pagan Mother-worship also, attaching the Christian name of Mary to disguise the MIXTURE. The pagans and gods and goddesses associated with various days, occupations, and events in life. The fallen church adopted this system; but to make the MIXTURE less obvious, these "gods" were no longer referred to as "gods", but were now called "saints" – while the old worship continued! Even as the pagans used idols or statues of their pagan deities in their worship, so the fallen church did also, simply called them by different names. From ancient times, pagans had used the "T" cross image, the initial letter of Tammuz, as a protector and an amulet. This symbol spread to the nations and took on various forms. The fallen church MIXED these superstitious uses of crosses with the cross of Christ. They continued to honor the cross image, while the true "finished", once-for-all work of the cross became hidden beneath the rituals of the pagan Mass with its rites of transubstantiation, sun-images, mystery drama, and prayers for the dead!

Even as the heathen had their repetitious prayers and rosaries, so these things were also MIXED into the fallen church, given a surface appearance of Christianity, and have continued to this day. The pagan nations had their relics that were highly venerated and which were believe to possess supernatural powers. The use of relics was also cleverly MIXED into the worship of the fallen church.

Pagan religion had its supreme Pontiff, so when paganism was MIXED with Christianity at Rome, this office – as unscriptural as it was – found a place in the fallen Romish church. The pagans carried their pontiff in procession; this practice was also MIXED into the fallen church. The pontiffs of paganism claimed "infallibility", and finally this too came to be associated with the Popes, the Roman pontiffs – in spite of the abundant evidence to the contrary! Even as the pagan pontiffs ruled over a college of Cardinals, priests of the Hinge, so does the pontiff of the fallen church. In literally hundreds of ways, pagan rites were merged with Christianity at Rome and this MIXTURE produced what is known as the Roman Catholic Church (as we have seen).

In his book "The Development of the Christian Religion", a noted Catholic writer, Cardinal Newman, admits that: "Temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays and seasons of devotion, processions, blessing of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure, and images...are all of PAGAN origin"! However, because these pagan customs have been "Christianized"; that is MIXED with similar Christian rites, days or doctrines – renamed and rededicated – many reason that these things now receive God's approval. Catholics believe that even though a rite or custom was originally paganistic, that if it is applied to Christ, then it is acceptable to God, even though it has no scriptural basis! But this is mere human reasoning – a reasoning that is completely contrary to the written word of God! Let us notice this carefully:

Let us notice how was the case in the days when the Israelites set up the golden calf (Exodus 32). None who read this account would deny that such worship as they engage in was false, was heathenistic, and an abomination in the sight of God. They wanted a god they could see – a sort of supplement to their worship of the invisible and Eternal God. And so they set up the golden calf – a symbol of the son of the sun-god. They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. They practiced heathenistic rites in which they made them selves naked (Verse 25). Whatever these rites may have been, they were no doubt rites that they had learned in the pagan land of Egypt, which in turn had received its paganism from Babylon. We have record that in Babylon there were certain heathenistic rites that priests carried out naked. Nevertheless, it is evident that the worship of the golden calf into which the Israelites fell was paganistic to the core! YET –and this is the main thing we wish to point out – they claimed that they were having a "feast for the LORD" – the true God! (Verse 5). Here then was a MIXTURE – an attempt to merge heathenistic rites into their worship and call it a feast to the LORD. Did God approve of this worship? We all know the answer. About three thousand fell by the sword as a result of such apostasy! Now if God did not accept such worship then, even though they said it was a feast to the LORD, then why should we suppose that he accepts worship today that is likewise a MIXTURE – a mixture between paganism and Christianity?

During the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, the children of Israel carried the tabernacle of God. They were strong believers in the true God, as we all know. However, some of them were not content with this, so they added something. They made unto themselves a Babylonian tabernacle that they carried with them also! As God said: "But ye have borne the tabernacle of your Moloch and Chiun your images" (Amos 5:26). This apostasy is also mentioned in the New Testament where these idol gods they carried are called Remphan and Chiun, which are but different names of BAAL (Nimrod) and ASTARTE (the Mother-Goddess). Because tof this mixture, God rejected their songs of worship, sacrifices, and offerings. Though these were made to him – to the true God – yet such worship was not accepted because it was a MIXTURE.

To cite another Biblical example of how paganism and the worship of the Lord were mixed together, let us notice the Seventeenth Chapter of Second Kings. In this chapter, we read that the children of Israel fell into false worship. They instituted secret rites; built high places; worshipped the sun, moon, and stars; used divination and enchantments; cause their children to pass through the fire; etc. (Verses 9-17). As a result, they were driven from their own land. Then the king of Assyria brought men from various nations, including Babylon, to inhabit the land from which the children of Israel had been driven. These nations also practiced heathenistic rituals and God sent lions among them. Seeing that the LORD was against their paganism, they sent for a man of God that had been carried away in the captivity. They wanted him to teach them how to worship and fear the LORd. "Howebeit every nation made gods of their own" and these gods are listed in verses 29-31. They attempted to worshop these gods and the LORD also – a MIXTURE. "SO" – in this way – "they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests...they feared the LORD, and served their own gods" (Verse 32). Such worship was rejected by God – he hates a mixture. Even though these nations claimed to worship the LORD, they served idols also. Today, likewise, Romanism claims to worship the LORD, but it is obviously a system that is a mixture of idol worship.

In the days of Zephaniah, another attempt to merge heathen worhsip witht he worship of the true God occurred. Concerning this, our Lord said: "I will cut off the remnant of Baal from this place...And them that worship the host of heaven upon the housetops; and them that worship and that swear by the LORD, and that swear by Malcham" (Zephaniah 1:4-5) Why was God going to destroy them? Were they not worshipping the LORD? Yes, but this worship of the LORD was mixed with Baal worship. God requires a pure worship and rejects a mixture-worship!

In the 17th and 18th chapters of Judges, we read that a certain man had a "house of gods" – a special chapel in which statues of pagan deities were placed. It had a priest called "father." The description plainly shows that such worship was idolatrous and false. Yet – and this we mention to show another example of MIXTURE – these people claimed to be seeking the four of the LORD (Judges 17:3-13) And the young father-priest claimed to speak the word of the LORD (Judges 18:6) So here again was a case of an attempt to MIX heathenism with the worship of the true God!

Another example of a MIXTURE of paganism into the worship of the LORD is found in Ezekiel Eight. Right in the very entrance of God's temple, the people had erected an idol. Inside the temple of God, even the ministers were offering incense to false gods. In this case, these abominations were pictures upon the walls – pictures of creeping things, beasts, idols, etc. This was plainly Babylonish, for such pictures are also found on the Ishtar Gate in Babylon. Also connected with the House of GOD were "women weeping for Tammuz" – the false Babylonian messiah – and men with their "backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east" – worshipping the symbol of the Babylonian sun-god! Now these people that had mixed such rites into their worship were people who had known the true God, the house of Judah (Verse 17) Though their worship was carried on in the House of God, thought they prayed to God – the true God – yet God refused their worship (Verse 18). God does not bless a mixture!

In Ezekiel 23, we read of a time of apostasy when people that had known God caused "their sons...to pass for them through the fire" and practiced other pagan rites. Concerning this, our Lord said: "Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary...For when they had slain their children to their idols, then they came the SAME DAY into my sanctuary to profane it" (Verses 38-39)

Jeremiah also wrote of this apostasy. His message was to the people that claimed to be the people of God. These people when they came to the temple of the LORD, came "to worship the LORD" (Jeremiah 7:2) But notice that along with their worship of the LORD, other rites had been mixed in that were of paganistic origin! "Behold," God said, "Ye trust in lying words that cannot profit. Ye...burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods...and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name" (Verses 8-10) And this same people that came to the house of God, this people that claimed to worship the LORD, not only worshipped Baal, but the worship of the pagan Mother, the "Queen of Heaven" was mixed into their religion also! (Verse 18)

By repeated examples then, we can see from the scripture that God will not accept a worship that is a MIXTURE. As Samuel preached tot he children of Israel when they attempted to worship God and still at the same time hold on to paganism: "If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth (the pagan Mother worship) from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him ONLY: and he will deliver you..." (I Samuel 7:3) And this is still the unchanging message of our God today. Worship and serve the Lord ONLY, with no mixture of paganism, with no mixture of rites and doctrines whose roots are in heathenism!

Satan does not appear as a monster with horns, a long tail, and a pitchfork. No, to deceive people, he appears as an angel of light (II Corinthians 11:14) Likewise, when he wanted to continue his old paganism, he knew that to deceive the world, he would have to continue it in disguise! Thus, little by little, he caused men to MIX Babylonish paganism into Christianity. This was done very smoothly over a long period of time until paganism was established in what was called the "church" – now dressed up with outer garments that appeared to be "Christian." As Jesus warned about "wolves" in sheeps' clothing (Matthew 7:15), so pagan wolves took on Christian garments – and this clever mixture has deceived millions. But even as might remove the skull-and-cross-bones label from a bottle of poison and substitute a peppermint candy label in its place, such would never change the contents on the inside. The contents would be deadly just the same. So also is paganism deadly, no matter how much it may be dressed up on the outside!

Because of the clever way that paganism was mixed with Christianity, the true Babylonish origin of fallen "Christianity" became hidden – became a MYSTERY – "Mystery Babylon." But even as a detective gathers clues and facts to solve a mystery, so in this book we have presented many Biblical and historical clues as evidence to solve the mystery. Some of these clues may have seemed insignificant at first glance, but when the full picture is seen, these things all go together to conclusively solve the mystery of Babylon – ancient and modern!

We have seen that: (1) Babylonian religion originated with Nimrod, his Queen-wife Semiramis, and her supposed god-child Tammuz; (2) as men were scattered from Babylon, they took this religion with them which developed in various forms and names; (3) when Rome conquered the world, these various phases of the Babylonian religion were absorbed into the Roman Empire becoming what is known in history as Pagan Rome; (4) then later, as history clearly reveals, much of this paganism was mixed with Christianity at Rome – a mixture which produced the Roman Catholic church; (5) the Reformation rejected a certain amount of the pagan element in Romanism, but still retained parts of it. And so today, much of what is called "Christianity" is still in a "fallen" condition – as the result of that great falling away of the third and fourth centuries that has deceived the world! And concerning this fallen system that is called "Mystery Babylon", God has spoken: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins..." (Revelation 18:4).

To whome then shall we look for salvation? Let us look to JESUS, the author and finisher of our fiath, the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, the Lamb of Gdo, the Captain of our Salvation, the Bread from heaven, the Water of Life, the Good Shepherd, the Prince of Peace, the King of kings and Lord of lords!

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Acts 4:12

Our salvation then is not dependent on a human priest. Is is not dependent on "Mary", the "saints", or the Pope! Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

Salvation then comes through Christ – and only through Him! Will we accept Him and obey His word the BIBLE or will we follow a religion that is built on "mixtures" that originated in BABYLON? Which will we choose?

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