As far as I can tell, no replica arch will be constructed in Times Square, but London is going ahead with a reproduction of the Arch of Triumph, which the Romans originally built in Palmyra and that has nothing to do with Baal, the pagan god. As you may or may not know, the United Nations (and UNESCO) wanted to construct these 3-D replicas as an "act of defiance" against ISIS, who destroyed the entrance to the Temple of Baal in Palmyra, Syria last year.
I, for one, do not underestimate the importance of Christians across this country praying against the installation of such a pagan symbol in the city that represents this nation's economic prosperity. And, in case you are unaware of this spiritual significance, I will let columnist Matt Barber explain it in clear and precise language: "Baal worship involved burning infants alive, and ritualistic Baal worship, in sum, looked a little like this: Adults would gather around the altar of Baal. Infants would then be burned alive as a sacrificial offering to the deity. Amid horrific screams and the stench of charred human flesh, congregants – men and women alike – would engage in bisexual orgies... The ritual of convenience (of getting rid of the unwanted consequences of the orgies) was intended to produce economic prosperity by prompting Baal to bring rain for the fertility of 'mother earth'. "
Do you see the connection between New York City/Wall Street and the worship of Baal to produce economic prosperity? And do you also see the similarity between the ancient pagan "rituals" and our practices of abortion and sexual immorality? By our prayers and repentance, did we convince God to delay His judgment for just a little longer, so that we might bring about a nationwide repentance? I would like to think so... but for now, I am just thanking Him for His grace and mercy!
The real Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, before its destruction by ISIS |
To begin with, the Arch of Triumph in Palmyra, Syria, is also known as the Monument Arch, or the Arch of Septimius Severus, a Roman emperor who ruled from 193 AD to 211 AD. After conquering his rivals for Emperor, he consolidated his rule over the Western provinces, and defeated the Parthian Empire in the East, which consisted of the political and cultural power in ancient Iran and Iraq. Late in his reign, he actually travelled to Britain, strengthening Roman power in that region and invading Scotland. But he fell fatally ill in late 210 AD, and died in early 2011, in what is now York, England. His sons succeeded him as Emperor; and ultimately, Severus founded the Severan dynasty, the last dynasty of the empire before what became known as the "Crisis of the Third Century.". This period was also known as the "Military Anarchy" or the "Imperial Crisis", (AD 235–284) in which the Roman Empire nearly collapsed under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression.
Are you starting to connect the dots yet? Nothing ... and I mean nothing ... is really new in the history of the world. It has always been about the same thing since the Garden of Eden. Lucifer, the Enemy of God and His Chosen, is trying to convince the peoples of the earth to be disobedient to God's commandments; to place themselves as equals to the Creator; by tempting them to become like him: a lover of self, rebellious, prideful, boastful, arrogant, and unholy.
These Arches are monuments to empires ruled by pagan men who could not afford the division that Christianity versus paganism caused in their domains. Although Severus was called both a persecutor and an apologist by early Church historians, he felt the need to promote religious harmony by promoting syncretism, and by possibly issuing an edict that punished conversion to Judaism and Christianity. According to Wikipedia, Syncretism is "the combining of different, often contradictory beliefs, while blending practices of various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merger and analogizing of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths." [My emphasis].
Can you see where I'm coming from? Do you think it is simply coincidence that the monument to a Roman Emperor, who promoted synchronization of different faiths is being constructed in one of the capitals of Europe? Do you find it interesting that this monument, which was originally built in the heart of the Parthian Empire (a province that this Roman Emperor defeated in war), will now be built in the heart of modern-day western Europe? Do you not think that this has mega-significance in the spiritual realm? We must not lose sight of the fact that the early Roman acceptance of other cultures' religions into their own made it easy for them to integrate the newly encountered religions they found as a result of their expansion. Could the Enemy be turning that historical fact on its ear, and could the building of this monument in London play into the current scenario of Islamic migrants and refugees flooding into Europe?
Remember that Emperor Severus, for whom this Arch of Triumph was built, was part of the last dynasty before "the Roman Empire nearly collapsed (in the Third Century) under the combined pressures of invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression." Will we, in the 21st Century, see our own period of "Anarchy" or "Crisis" from invasion, civil war, plague, and economic depression? Is this Arch meant to prophesy that coming doom? Is it a symbol of the impending collapse of Europe?
Here is what I want to leave you with ... While we can breath a sigh of relief that the entrance to the Temple of Baal will not be reproduced in New York City, there is no guarantee that this Arch of Triumph will not eventually be installed in Times Square. The Institute of Digital Archeology (IDA), creators of the new monument, made this statement: "There will be no simultaneous unveiling in New York – they may transport the London arch there later, or build another one...". So, you can see, this may just be a brief respite before the Enemy tries another attack against our spiritual armor. I would tell you to keep praying, repent of the sins of this nation, and ask God to forgive us. Ask for a Holy Fire to sweep our land and renew us; ask that we not be led into temptation [to follow after our own desires and knowledge], but be delivered from Evil. One more day of Grace means one more day to help save a soul.
Ecclesiastes 1:9 "What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done; there is nothing new under the sun."