Hitler - The Pergamon Altar - Obama
Obama's Acceptance Speech...
The temple stage set at Invesco Field was obviously a replication of the Pergamon Altar in the quite wonderful Pergamon Museum in Berlin, put together by Middle East history academicians in the early 20th century. Did Barack Obama have time in his visit to Berlin (when he didn't have time to fly to see the wounded American soldiers in Ramstein) to visit the Pergamon Museum? Just asking.
Forty miles north of Sardis sits ancient Pergamum in the Caicus Valley. Pliny, the Roman writer, called it "the most famous city in Asia." It was the center of Roman power and authority in the province. In fact, the Pergamanians worshipped power. As early as 29 B.C., it became the site of the first temple of the Caesar-cult, erected in honor of Augustus Caesar. The city also housed an ancient temple to the god Zeus - the god of power. The altar from that temple is in the Berlin Museum and was often visited by Adolf Hitler. Pergamum (also, Pergamos) was the epitome of the hunger for power in pagan society.
Pergamum was an incredible city. Pillared temples, public buildings, and massive fortifications sat atop the acropolis. And above all was the great Temple of Zeus, king of the gods.
Pergamum was also known for its famous asklepium (Healing and medical center). Here, religious meditation, dream interpretation, snake-handling, and medical arts were combined for healing purposes. Near the summit stood the immense altar to Zeus. A short distance away was the elegant Temple of Athena (Greek goddess of war). But more than anything else, the imperial cult of Caesar worship dominated all else at Pergamum.
The Roman government was headquartered here. Pergamum was the center of political power for Asia. It was also a center of pagan worship. The worship of the emperor was fiercely enforced here. In fact, the very first temple erected to worship a living emperor was built in Pergamum in 29 BC to Caesar Augustus. There were many other pagan temples in Pergamum. There were other temples but dominating the city was the 40 feet tall altar to Zeus. It stood on a projecting ledge of rock overlooking the city, and looked like a great throne on the hillside. Jesus described Pergamum as the city where Satan has his throne. Many scholars believe that Jesus is symbolically referring to this throne-like altar to Zeus as Satan’s throne.
There is an interesting thing about that altar to Zeus. In the 1880's, an archaeologist working in the city of Pergamum removed that altar from the hillside and took it to Europe. Today it is still in the Pergamum Museum in the city Berlin. For 100 years Zeus’ altar has been in East Berlin. If that pagan altar symbolically represented "Satan’s throne," it is interesting that it was in Berlin when Adolf Hitler and Nazis came to power.
Of course, Zeus’ altar was just a symbol of the Satanic power dominating the city of Pergamum. Jesus was saying that Pergamum was city dominated by evil and wickedness. Jesus often described Satan as the "Prince of this world," and his reign was evident in this city. The values and morals of Pergamum were being set by Satan.
Of course, the devil is active every where, but there are some places where his influence just dominates. Some places you can almost feel his evil presence. It is tough to be a Christian in a place where Satan rules. It is always hard to go against the tide.
America is fast becoming a modern Pergamum. The influence of Satan is growing all around us. There is no doubt about it. Look at the flood of pornography in our culture. Look at the violence and crime in our society. Look at the hostility in our media to any expression of Christian faith. More and more we find ourselves dwelling where Satan has his throne.
Pergamon Altar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The front of the Pergamon Altar, as it is reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum in
Berlin. The Great Altar of Pergamon, a massive stone podium about one hundred feet long and thirty-five feet high, was originally built in the 2nd century
BC in the Ancient Greek city of Pergamon (modern day Bergama in Turkey) in north-western Anatolia,
16 miles from the Aegean Sea. The Great Altar of Pergamon has figured in lists of the Wonders of the
World.
It has long been assumed that the magnificently-scaled and opulently decorated open-air
altar was dedicated to Zeus. The altar appears to be mentioned in the Book of Revelation, Revelation 2:12-13: "In Pergamos where Satan's Throne
is".
In 1879 and 1904 a German archaeological team lead by Carl
Humann excavated the altar and shipped it out of the Ottoman Empire where it
was then reconstructed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, built in part to receive it, from 1910, where it can be seen alongside other monumental structures such as the Market Gate of Miletus and the Ishtar Gate from Babylon.
The Date of Construction
Construction of the original monument may have started as early as ca. 160 BCE.
Political Use
The Great Altar was probably constructed in the wake of Eumenes II's military victories over his opponents in the eastern Mediterranean and the mainland of Asia Minor.
The Nazi-era architect Albert Speer used the Pergamon Altar as the model for the Zeppelintribüne, 1934-37. The Führer's pulpit was in the center of the tribune.