I recently had the opportunity to visit the Penn Museum. If you have never heard of it, the Penn Museum is associated with Penn University in Philadelphia. It is the closest thing to the British Museum in London that you will find in the United States, with an impressive collection of over one million objects from human history around the world. Naturally, I was eager to see their collections from the Middle East and Egypt, although the museum as a whole yielded insights on Scripture that are well worth the five hours I spent pouring over the exhibits. I wanted to record what I found, not only for my own benefit, but also for those who may not have the time or opportunity to explore the museum for themselves. Along with the insights gleaned, I’ve included over thirty of my personal photos from the experience.
I should also note that some of this may have a “conspiratorial” flavor to it for anyone who has not explored these topics. It is not my intention to be conspiratorial, or to force anything to become evidence where there is none. My intention is only to consider what the Bible says, and then notice the patterns in world history and cultures that echo biblical truth. If the Bible is true (it is) and if God says exactly what He means (He does) then secular history will align. And yes, the Bible does make it plain that there is an enemy lurking in the shadows, influencing the course of this world, so we can expect to see his filthy fingerprints along the way. That said, let’s begin!
Egyptian Magic
The Egyptian magic demonstrated by Janes and Jambres (II Timothy 3:8) in Exodus 7:11, 7:22, and 8:7 was very real. In other words, it was not parlor tricks meant to mimic the miracles God performed through Moses, but rather they were real supernatural manifestations all their own, performed through those magicians by the power of Satan and his minions. Why should we believe that? First, the Bible never gives us any reason to doubt that it was real. Second, in Exodus 8:18-19, the magicians attempt and fail to bring life from the dust, which causes them to cry out “This is the finger of God.” Their reaction suggests that they suddenly discovered the limits of the power granted to them by Satan, and that some supernatural feats are reserved exclusively for God. The point is that magic was a very real part of Egyptian culture. It was also very prevalent based on how frequently it was mentioned among the displays at the Penn Museum. One such example is the “cartouche,” which is an oval ring meant to offer magical protection over whatever was written in the hieroglyphs within the ring.
Egyptian Influence
The influence of Egypt over time and geography is far greater than I previously understood. This is noteworthy given Egypt as a type of the world in Scripture, and the proliferation of corrupt Alexandrian texts. The gods and goddesses of Egypt did not remain exclusively part of Egyptian culture; they were adopted in whole or in hybrid forms by other cultures, including but not limited to Rome. An honest examination of world religions throughout history leads to one conclusion: there is the God of the Bible, and everything else. Everything else - regardless of time, region, or culture – shares eerie similarities with one another, some of which will be addressed below. These similarities, and the ease by which they cross-contaminate with one another, suggests to me that the notion of a “one world religion” is really nothing new, and that mystery Babylon (Genesis 11:1-11, Revelation 17:5) has been around for a very, very long time. All the Antichrist will need to do is reunify them as they once were in Genesis 11.
The Egyptian Worldview
Although there was no corresponding artifact, there was an informational display about Egyptian worldview that was interesting. Notably, it recognized the need for an intercessory figure between the gods and humanity. Even more interesting, that intercessor needed to be a king who was both one of the gods and one of the people simultaneously. Does that seem like a counterfeit of the real thing to anyone else, or is it just me?
The Mother-Son Cult
Speaking of Mystery Babylon, intercessors, and counterfeits, the prevalence of the mother-son cult around the world is inescapable among the exhibits. One display even referenced the mother-son worship based on Isis (an Egyptian goddess) in Rome as a “mystery cult!”
The Worship of Diana
Worshiping female figures was a big part of the mother-son cult, although sometimes the son was set aside. How interesting then, that Mystery Babylon is a woman riding upon a beast. If this is all new for you, please proceed with caution: this is not meant to disparage women in general, or even any specific women. This is just looking at the facts about what the Bible says, and what secular archeology has revealed, and connecting the dots between those things to yank the curtain back on Satan’s counterfeits. One exhibit showcased the worship of Diana, but there were only fragments – there were no photo-worthy pieces to share here. In Scripture, the worship of Diana is particularly seen at Ephesus (Acts 19:21-41).
The Prevalence of Serpents
The presence (and prominence) of serpents was also practically inescapable among the displays. How interesting that such a creature could be regarded highly and unanimously in God-rejecting pagan cultures. I’m sure it’s just a coincidence. On second thought, I don’t believe in coincidences.
The Prevalence of Lions
Speaking of “coincidences,” lions were also prevalent. Although it is much less sinister than a serpent, I can’t help but cast a suspicious eye on the spiritualized, pagan use of a creature that is used to describe both Christ and Satan. Satan perpetually seeks to counterfeit Christ, does he not? Where he can’t slither in as a serpent, he stomps in masquerading as a roaring lion (I Peter 5:8, Psalm 91:13).
The Prevalence of Strange Beasts
Not all the serpents and lions were typical. For example, there were a few fire-breathing serpents, and some winged lions. There was even a beast with a human head, lion’s body, serpent for a tail, and scorpions for feet. Why does all that sound so familiar? Check out Daniel 7:4, Revelation 9:7-11, Revelation 9:17-19, and Job 41 (particularly verses 20-21).
Ur of the Chaldees
The Penn Museum has an entire (impressive) collection exclusively dedicated to Ur – where Abraham was called out of in Genesis 11-12! It is worth noting that Ur was not some backwater, underdeveloped civilization. Quite the contrary – it was developed, sophisticated, and thriving. Such understanding underscores Abraham’s faith to walk away based on the promise of a God that he couldn’t see and go to a land he didn’t know.
Also, you’ll never guess who I found lurking around in the displays about Ur – Ashtar, another prevalent mother-son cult that is found in various forms throughout the Old and New Testaments. And guess what animal she was apparently associated with? A lioness.
Ashtar also went by the names Ashtoreth and Ishtar. She was a goddess of love and fertility (like Aphrodite, who is in the photos above) and was also called "the Queen of Heaven."
There’s nothing new under the sun. Just the same old devilish tricks recycled again and again.
Historical Evidence of Gentile Rulers and Deities
Nebuchadnezzar, Sargon, and the false god Baal are all mentioned explicitly by name. While Nebuchadnezzar and Baal are commonly accepted as historical by Bible-rejectors, Sargon’s existence is significant since the Bible has been criticized in the past for naming a ruler that there was no archeological evidence for. As usual, men just had to catch up with the Bible. Although they have never been in doubt, it was also thrilling to see tangible evidence of the Assyrians, Greeks, Romans, Pontius Pilate, and Herod.
Sophisticated Workmanship
Across all periods and cultures, the intricate workmanship with all sorts of materials – especially gold – was impressive. Some of it was so precise it looked like it had been done with modern tools and technology. Seeing all of that suddenly made the descriptions of the Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple, and their contents seem all the more vivid in my imagination.
The Spiritual World and Afterlife
The modern “scientific” notion that disregards a spiritual world and an afterlife is truly modern: most of human history has acknowledged that there is more in this world than can be viewed with a microscope or captured in a beaker. Every culture in the world has recognized god(s), monsters, and spiritual beings like angels and demons. Likewise, every culture has recognized that the death of the physical body is not the end. Modern attempts to explain these beliefs away as relics from a less-informed time run directly against the plain evidence that generations past were not misinformed fools lacking our “sophisticated” understanding of the world; indeed, it would suggest that the notion of “evolution” continues to be an absolute crock, as we seem to exercise less common sense today than our ancestors. So much for “incremental progress.”
A Tangent about Buddha
Although it falls a little bit out of the overall theme of this post, I think it is worth mentioning that Buddha is dead. No really. He died, and the Buddhists of Asia seem awfully happy about it. In fact, they celebrate it! In the several depictions I saw regarding Buddha and his life, they all give special attention to Buddha’s death. Why? Because they claim that he had achieved whatever form of “perfection” was necessary to release himself from the cycle of rebirth. I guess there are worse explanations for why your leader is permanently gone in a religion that believes in reincarnation. Personally, I prefer a living Savior over dead religious leader.
What Is Noticeably Absent
There are a few things noticeably, although not surprisingly, absent in the Penn Museum:
In a place that specializes in Egyptian artifacts (there are ten rooms dedicated to Egyptian artifacts, although several were closed for renovation when I visited), there was no mention whatsoever of the Ten Plagues that devastated the “New Kingdom” era and from which Egypt never fully recovered. There was only one mild reference, and I’m not even sure it was indicating the plagues found in Exodus.
The nation of Israel is hardly ever mentioned, and the total number of artifacts included would probably only occupy a regular-sized backpack with room to spare. When Israel is mentioned, it is only represented in ways that showcase its various states of compromise with pagan nations. Even among the many books offered in the museum’s gift shop Israel is left unaddressed, although there was a book about witchcraft, along with several books about the mythology and magic of Egypt that were more celebratory than they were informative.
The Conclusion of the Matter
All in all, it was a spectacular experience for the mere $18 entrance fee. I could have easily spent more time there, but exhaustion was starting to set in due to the overwhelming amount of content they had.
So what are the key takeaways here?
Stick with the Bible. God says what He means, and means what He says. He has been gracious enough to let us find some bits of stone, metal, and wood that verify His word, but that’s just a toy in the Happy Meal!
The secular world will do everything it can to avoid the truth of God’s word and the recognition of God’s people, but the facts are the facts. If you read God’s word, you’ll know the facts, and not even a prestigious museum will be able to prevent the Lord from slipping into their displays. The honest facts always support God! Like John Chrysotom, Archbishop of Canterbury in 4th century, said, “Seest thou, how even against their will they contend for the proof of the truth?”
Looking for More?
If you enjoyed this post, consider checking out the Penn Museum's "Online Collections" at this link. I would also recommend Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons for an in-depth exploration of the mother-son cult. You can purchase the book at this link, or view and download a free PDF at this link. Some find Hislop's writing style difficult to read, so I also recommend a similar book by Ralph Woodrow titled Babylon Mystery Religion: Ancient and Modern. You can purchase the book at this link, or view and download a free PDF at this link.
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