Sacred Secrets: Freemasonry, the Bible and Christian Faith by Mike Neville

Author:Mike Neville [Neville, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: The History Press
Published: 2012-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

Slaughter of the Sons of Zedekiah before their Father (1866) by Gustave Doré.

The Babylonians were experts at siege tactics, particularly the use of fire and ramparts; this is noted in the Bible and the ‘conflagration of the former Temple’ is mentioned in the Holy Royal Arch ceremony. As the attack on Jerusalem was reaching its climax and Nebuchadnezzar’s general, Nebuzaradan, was about to enter the city, Zedekiah and his officers ‘basely fled’ (this quotation is from Holy Royal Arch ritual) by night to the Plains of Jericho, to the north west of Jerusalem. He was captured and had to witness his sons being executed at Riblah, an ancient town to the north of Israel, where Nebuchadnezzar had his headquarters. Zedekiah was then blinded and taken to Babylon bound in what the Bible and Super Excellent Master degree describe as ‘fetters of brass’ (large bronze chains).

According to the Book of Mormon, which is the sacred text of the Church of Latter Day Saints, one of Zedekiah’s sons escaped. This son, Mulek, sailed to America and established a new civilization.

The Babylonians, under Nebuzaradan, destroyed Jerusalem, breaking down the pillars at the Temple, so important in Masonic ritual. The remaining treasures were plundered and all but the poorest people were sent to Babylon. The Holy Royal Arch ritual describes them as ‘those left behind by the Babylonian general for the purpose of tilling the land’. The Super Excellent Master degree and Book of Jeremiah note that the royal family, priests and craftsmen were all taken into exile. The Israelites had now gone full circle – returning to near Ur, where Abraham had begun his epic journey many centuries before.

This is the time when the ‘Sacred Word’, so important to Masons, was lost and has to be found in the Holy Royal Arch ceremony. The Book of Lamentations describes how ‘the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street’ meaning that the Babylonians had entered the Holy of Holies, where only the High Priest had been allowed to enter. Despite all this destruction, General Nebuzaradan did release Jeremiah, who had been thrown into prison (and down a well) for warning the Israelites of God’s anger and the impending destruction of Jerusalem as punishment for their sins. For a short time, Jeremiah lived with Gedaliah, who was later appointed governor of Judah, by the new Babylonian masters.

In the Super Excellent Master degree there are ‘Three Keepers of the Temple’. These positions are taken from the Biblical account and the Master of a Council of Super Excellent Masters takes the role of Gedaliah. According to the Bible, Gedaliah was assassinated soon after by the Ammonites. The Ammonites are continually engaged in conflict with the Israelites throughout the Bible and in some Masonic ritual most notably against Jephtha, many centuries earlier. King David had also defeated them.

Zedekiah was the last king of Judah and this fact is an important part of the Super Excellent Master degree. The Israelites were now in exile – ‘By the rivers of Babylon’ and were to remain there for 70 years.

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