Her name is Cozbi. We don’t know just how she became involved with a man of Israel. We meet Princess Cozbi as she enters the scene with Zimri, the son of a ruler from the tribe of Simeon. Together with Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, they will enact a drama illustrating the battle between the Realm of Darkness and the Realm of Glory. More importantly, they represent the conflict between the true church of Jesus and Mystery Babylon, the false church. Princess Cozbi, the daughter of one of the five kings of Midian, symbolizes Satan’s harlot, the opponent of the overcoming Bride of Christ. This book will unmask the identity of this bold enemy of the Church. Before we continue with the story of Cozbi, let’s look at the events leading to this tragic drama.

The Midianites and the Moabites joined together in order to confront the Israelites. This nation of about three million people who recently came upon the scene is causing great concern among all the nations of that region. The Israelites dwell under the care of an apparently powerful deity whom they know as Yahweh. [1] A great fear of Yahweh and of the people of Israel fills the region.

This fear of Yahweh and the Israelites will continue a generation later as two Hebrew spies sneak into Jericho and come to the house of Rahab. She tells them exactly why everyone fears Yahweh greatly:

"I know that Yahweh hath given you the land, and that your terror is fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land faint because of you. For we have heard how Yahweh dried up the water of the Red Sea for you, when ye came out of Egypt; and what ye did unto the two kings of the Amorites, that were on the other side Jordan, Sihon and Og, whom ye utterly destroyed. And as soon as we had heard these things, our hearts did melt, neither did there remain any more courage in any man, because of you: for Yahweh your God, he is God in heaven above, and in earth beneath." (Joshua 2:9-11 KJVm)

However, at the time Cozbi, Zimri, and Phinehas enter the scene, the Red Sea crossing and the defeat of the two kings of the Amorites are recent events. Because they fear Yahweh and His people intensely, the Midianites and Moabites develop and activate a plan to remove the threat to their safety posed by these invaders. They decide to employ the services of a diviner from Mesopotamia whose name is Balaam. He is probably an astrologer who mixed his knowledge of the mysteries with a certain respect for Yahweh, the true God.

Most notably, Balaam has a reputation for pronouncing curses that come to pass. King Balak of Moab persuades him to come to Moab with the promise of a generous diviner’s fee. To earn his fee, he must pronounce a curse on Israel. Balaam comes but he fails to produce the results Balak hired him for. Yahweh limits him to speak only blessing upon Israel.

In his first prophecy, Balaam describes Israel as "a people dwelling alone, not reckoning itself among the nations." (Numbers 23:9b) In his second prophecy, Balaam says of Yahweh, "He has not observed iniquity in Jacob, nor has He seen wickedness in Israel." (Numbers 23:21a)  Apparently, no reason for a curse can be found in Israel. Proverbs tells us, “a curse without a cause shall not alight.” (Proverbs 26:2b)

Not wanting to lose the enormous fee Balaak promised him, Balaam thinks of a way to make the curse come upon Israel.  Perhaps he can arrange for iniquity and wickedness to be found in Israel. Plan B is simple. Invite Israel to participate in the fertility cult of Baal worship. That will surely appeal to the male instincts. Just dangle before the men some pretty young women who will serve as bait in this demonic trap.

The nation that once dwelt alone and did not reckon itself among the nations now joined itself to another people and another god. "And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of Yahweh was kindled against Israel." (Numbers 25:3 KJVm)  Apparently, Israel joined itself to Baal of Peor at the high place of Peor, from which Balaam gave his third prophecy.

We return to the tragedy as it plays out and observe Zimri returning from the festivities at Peor. He comes directly into the Israelite camp and presents Cozbi in the sight of Moses and in the sight of all the congregation of Israel. Cozbi is probably a high priestess of the fertility cult, and she and Zimri are about to carry out its revolting ritual in the middle of the Israelite camp. The third actor in the drama, Phinehas, angered by such a hateful act being committed in the camp of Israel, grabs a javelin, rushes into the tent where they lie, and thrusts the javelin through both of them.

Life under the Old Covenant was brutal. The Old Covenant established the law of sin and death. Under the New Covenant, those passionate for their God do not take up a sword of steel to war against flesh and blood. Instead they carry the Sword of the Spirit to battle “against principalities, against powers, against rulers of darkness of this age and against spiritual hosts of wickedness in heavenly places.” (Ephesians 6:12b)

Because of his radical response, Yahweh says, "Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned back My wrath from the children of Israel, because he was zealous with My zeal among them, so that I did not consume the children of Israel in My zeal.  Therefore say, `Behold, I give to him My covenant of peace; and it shall be to him and his descendants after him a covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made atonement for the children of Israel.'" (Numbers 25:13)  In response to Phinehas’ action, God stops the plague among the people of Israel. One man’s passion for righteousness saved the nation from destruction.

Let’s meet the actors and understand the parts they portray in this drama. Cozbi plays the part of Mystery Babylon, the harlot. Her name means “my lie” and she certainly represents Satan’s lie to the Church. She seduces the Church into abandoning its separation from the things of this world and then tempts her to strive for the knowledge and understanding this earthly life can offer. Zimri represents the men of God who Mystery Babylon uses to bring her harlotry into the Church. They become willing participants, joining themselves to Babylon, the harlot. Phinehas represents the men and women of God who refuse to be lured by Mystery Babylon, but will zealously attack the spirit of Mystery Babylon and the spirit of religion that comes into union with her. These chosen ones will enter into the “covenant of an everlasting priesthood.”

The Bride and the Harlot

We know Christ has a bride. John refers to that bride as the holy city, New Jerusalem. John wrote, “Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2) New Jerusalem represents the Bride of Christ. In the same way Mystery Babylon symbolizes the harlot of Satan. Those who place saving faith in Jesus will join with the bride. Those who sell themselves to Satan will unite with his harlot. As this age draws to a close, we find the false church of Satan battling the true Church of Jesus Christ.

The theme passage opening this chapter portrays the harlot sitting upon many waters, demonstrating her control over great multitudes, including the kings of the earth.

So he carried me away in the Spirit into the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a golden cup full of abomina­tions and the filthiness of her fornication.

And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMI­NA­TIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. ... ''And the woman whom you saw is that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.'' (Revelation 17:3-6,18)

Some in Israel considered Babylon a desirable city, but God considered her a harlot.

"Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chal­deans! For you shall no more be called tender and delicate. Take the millstones and grind meal. Remove your veil, take off the skirt, uncover the thigh, pass through the rivers. Your nakedness shall be uncovered, yes, your shame will be seen." (Isaiah 47:1-3)

Babylon the harlot says, “I shall be a lady forever.” but God says, “You shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms.” Babylon says, “No one sees me.” and God says, “Your nakedness shall be uncovered.” The harlot says, “I am, and there is no one else besides me.” God says, “Desolation shall come upon you suddenly.” (Isaiah 47:3-11) Written centuries later, we read in the Apocalypse of John the same message given to the same harlot. "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ (Revelation 18:7)

Finally God ends the dialogue and challenges Babylon:

"Stand now with your enchant­ments and the multitude of your sorceries, in which you have labored from your youth - perhaps you will be able to profit, perhaps you will prevail. You are wearied in the multitude of your counsels; let now the astrologers, the star­gazers, and the monthly prognosti­cators stand up and save you from these things that shall come upon you." (Isaiah 47:12-13)

In these verses we see en­chantments, sorceries, astrologers, stargazers, and monthly prognosticators – it sounds like a glossary on New Age. In fact, New Age is the twentieth century version of what began in the Garden of Eden, was rebirthed in the time of Nimrod, and became embedded in the culture of Neb­uchad­nezzar’s Babylon. All of these activities fall within the sphere of Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots.

How does it work?

What about Mystery Babylon? What’s the mystery? Everyone loves a mystery. Many of us want to know how things work. True, we are sometimes satisfied just knowing they work, but often we want to know how they work. When we want to turn on a light, we know if we set the arm of the switch in the up position the light will turn on. With a little more understanding, we know when we move the arm up the contacts of the switch close and allow power to go to the light bulb. That very elementary knowledge will satisfy most people, but some may want to know what burns so brightly inside the glass bulb. They might want to know why the bulb turns bright when they apply power. They might want to know where the power comes from, how it came to be in the switch, and how it gets from the switch to the bulb. Until all the questions are answered a mystery remains.

Mystery Babylon thrives on this principle. We all have unanswered questions and unsolved mysteries, especially regarding life itself. Often we must simply operate at the level of knowing that if the light switch is up, the light is on. But, we have a built-in desire to know more and so we pursue knowledge, lusting after the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.

The earliest heretics in the church, beginning in the first century, called themselves gnostics. They considered themselves seekers of knowledge. In the later history of the church, men unsatisfied with the simplicity of God’s redemptive message, sought illumination and enlightenment. Today, theosophy, meaning divine wisdom, is the New Age buzzword for the pursuit of knowledge. These New Age advocates represent their ideas in terms of revealing truth and present them in the vocabulary of light.

In contrast, as men and women sink deeper into Mystery Babylon, they cover themselves in darkness. They engage in mystery religions of the ancients. They form secret societies. They seek arcane or esoteric knowledge, meaning hidden knowledge. They take part in the occult, performing rituals in the darkness provided by their secrecy. These words express why Mystery Babylon, while pretending to walk in light, must operate in darkness to practice her demonic rituals.

The Secret of the Lord

Because we live in a secular world, most people pursue knowledge without considering the Creator and Sustainer of Life, the Lord God. He holds the secrets and mysteries of the universe, and He desires to reveal them to those who call upon Him. Moses wrote: "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." (Deuteronomy 29:29) The Psalmist adds, "The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant." (Psalms 25:14)

What is the secret of the Lord? The New Testament reveals several mysteries through the ministries of Christ and the apostles. These mysteries all relate to particular aspects of redemption. Let’s consider two mysteries mentioned by Paul.

Resurrection

First, let’s look at the mystery of the resurrection. Neither the world nor the Jews nor the devil expected the God that created the universe to come as a suffering servant and to die on the cross instead of coming as a conquering king.

However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

This mystery goes beyond the cross of Christ and includes the crucified life of the believer who also lays down his life. Paul expresses the mystery this way: “Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized [immersed] into Christ Jesus were baptized [immersed] into His death?” (Romans 6:3) This miracle takes place when the Holy Spirit places the believer in Christ. The mystery also goes beyond the cross to the resurrection. We discover the first mystery of redemption in the power of the cross operating through the resurrection power of the Holy Spirit.

Restoration

Now let’s examine the second mystery – the mystery of restoration. Christ not only lives in us, He lives through us.

… the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.   To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Colossians 1:26-27)

This mystery explains the first. Our weakness becomes strength because He can live through us when we lay down our strength. This miracle occurs with the Spirit of Christ coming into the believer. We live through an exchanged life. Thus the second mystery of redemption operates as the restoration ministry of the Holy Spirit.

These two principles, resurrection and restoration, form the foundation for God’s plan and purpose of redemption. However, in their pride and rebellion, satanically inspired men work against God’s purposes. They install their own version of the mysteries of the universe; specifically, they offer reincarnation and regeneration as Satan’s poor substitutes for God’s offer of resurrection and restoration. They lead men to seek understanding of these mysteries through secret societies and their rituals.

The Harlot’s Agenda

As we began by talking about Mystery Babylon we referred to Isaiah’s condemnation of those who join with her. He warned: “let now the astrologers, the star­gazers, and the monthly prognosti­cators stand up and save you from these things that shall come upon you.” (Isaiah 47:19b) God gave us the stars as a witness to His grace, but God’s archenemy perverted the message of the stars into a tool he could use to control men and lead them from worshiping the Creator to worshiping creation. 

This chapter’s theme passage portrays Satan’s harlot: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed forni­cation, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Revelation 17:1b, 2) Showing her seated on many waters reveals that she controls multitudes of people. Mystery Babylon wins control over the multitudes using religion as her primary tool to. Whether Jew, Christian, or Moslem; whether Protestant, Catholic, Mormon, or Jehovah’s Witness; whether Buddhist, Hindu, or Sikh; even New Age or New Thought religion – Mystery Babylon manages to gain enough control of the world’s religious bodies to enable her to manage the masses. Satan’s harlot succeeds in winning control over these religions by enrolling their leadership in various secret societies, bringing them under her spell. As we investigate the work of Mystery Babylon among Jews, Christians, and Moslems we will recognize all or most of six distinct traits of her operation working within each religion:

·         Secrecy – Allowing knowledge of the mysteries (the Secret Doctrine) only to the elite

·         Elitism – Separating the elite from the lower ranks

·         Legalism – Laying burdens on the lower ranks to maintain control over them

·         Symbolism – Using symbols to convey hidden meanings, interpreted differently depending upon the level of initiation

·         Goddess Worship – Eventually enticing the masses to worship the harlot

·         The Generative Principle – Promoting the themes of reincarnation and regeneration as substitutes for the power of Christ’s resurrection and the restoration power of the Holy Spirit

The harlot lures men and women into worshiping her as Ishtar of ancient Babylon, Artemis of ancient Greece, Diana of Rome, Devi of the Hindus, or Gaia of New Age. We even find Mary, the most honorable and honored of all women, worshiped as the Queen of Heaven with the same devotion given to any goddess. [2] Yet Satan uses the harlot as a tool to entice men to worship him. Chapter Two introduces Satan as The Father of Darkness.