One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits by many waters. – Revelation 17:1

Today's Scripture Reading (July 27, 2024): Revelation 17

Her name was Semiramis. Today, she is considered part historical person and part mythical creation. She was the wife of Onnes, an Assyrian army general under King Ninus's leadership. According to the story, King Ninus fell in love with Semiramis, and at some point, Onnes committed suicide, allowing Semiramis to marry the Assyrian King. Some have identified Ninus as Nimrod, the great-grandson of Noah. Nimrod was a mighty warrior who came from Babylon before he founded the city of Nineveh and the Assyrian Empire.

Semiramis is believed to be a priestess and the originator of the Babylonian religion and brought idol worship into the heart of the world during that era. Semiramis gave birth to a son she called Tamuz, who was conceived of miraculously. This son of Semiramis was considered to be the Savior of the World. Tammuz was also believed to have been killed by a wild beast and then brought back to life.

It may be the story of Semiramis that John has in mind as he begins to write about the great prostitute. The city of Babylon would itself become the image of the great harlot, but the story of Semiramis who instituted Idol worship in Babylon and had miraculously had a son who would be the Savior of the world must have hit John as an inferior form of the story he knew from the life of Jesus. And so, he would be interested in the punishment that would be suffered by the one who was nothing more than an inferior copy of the one he served.

Semiramis, Tammuz, and the Babylonian form of idol worship would be a thorn in the side of the Hebrew people throughout their journey on the earth. Ezekiel would preach against the practice of weeping for Tammuz, which God said was detestable.

Then he brought me to the entrance of the north gate of the house of the Lord, and I saw women sitting there, mourning the god Tammuz. He said to me, "Do you see this, son of man? You will see things that are even more detestable than this" (Ezekiel 8:14-15).

And Jeremiah speaks against the practice of making cakes for the Queen of Heaven, Semiramis.

The children gather wood, the fathers light the fire, and the women knead the dough and make cakes to offer to the Queen of Heaven [Semiramis]. They pour out drink offerings to other gods to arouse my anger (Jeremiah 7:18).

The local Canaanites called the Babylonian Tammuz by a different name: Ba'al. John reveals that, in the end, Tammuz and his mother, Semiramis, will be defeated.

Tomorrow's Scripture Reading: Revelation 18