Babylon Rising

Many of you probably recieve Joel Rosenberg's updates. Today we got this from Joel;

(Washington, D.C., January 6, 2011) -- This week the New York Times published an intriguing article on Iraqi efforts to preserve, protect, restore and rebuild the ancient city of Babylon and make it a draw for tourists, with U.S. taxpayer assistance. The Times reports that a modern Babylon museum will open later this month. Reporter Steven Lee Myers also posted a fascinating four minute video walking through some of the rebuilt ruins of Babylon, and explaining Iraqi efforts to protect and restore numerous Biblical sites.

What's more, Times' reporter Stephen Farrell posted an equally compelling three and a half minute video on the tomb of the Hebrew Prophet Ezekiel in the Iraqi town of Kifl, describing how Muslims pray at the tomb of this Jewish prophet, and how the Iraqi government wants to study the site more, preserve the it better, and draw more tourists there. (All links are posted on my blog.)

"The Babylon project is Iraq's biggest and most ambitious by far, a reflection of the ancient city's fame and its resonance in Iraq's modern political and cultural heritage," the Times reports, noting that "in November, the State Department announced a new $2 million grant to begin work to preserve the site's most impressive surviving ruins. They include the foundation of the Ishtar Gate, built in the sixth century B.C. by Nebuchadnezzar's father, Nabopolassar, and adorned with brick reliefs of the Babylonian gods Marduk and Adad."

"The American reconstruction team has refurbished a modern museum on the site, as well as a model of the Ishtar Gate that for decades served as a visitors' entrance. Inside the museum is one of the site's most valuable relics: a glazed brick relief of a lion, one of 120 that once lined the processional way into the city. The museum, with three galleries, is scheduled to open this month, receiving its first visitors since 2003."

Of course the Bible talks much about Babylon rising in the VERY last days. So here is one more important sign for all the watchers to pay attention to.