Sacred Secrets E-Book

Mike Neville

• Herausgeber: The History Press
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 491

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2012

Beschreibung

Who were Tubalcain, Aholiab and Zabud and what is their significance for the Freemason? There is a general interest in the rituals of Freemasonry, generated in part by the apparently obscure references they contain. This is the only book that offers a guide to the stories used in Masonic ritual and their links to the Bible and Christianity. The new Mason is directed to a 'serious contemplation of the Volume of the Sacred Law' — but that is easier said than done without a grounding in the Scriptures, something that fewer and fewer people have. The historical and geographical setting of the Bible is explained here, making such contemplation easier for Mason and non-Mason alike. Mike Neville has systematically cross-referenced the most influential Chapters of the Bible to the ceremonies. It is his intention to get Freemasons to understand the ritual — not just to memorise and regurgitate — as well as to elucidate for the non-Mason. Sacred Secrets will aid the clergy, theologians and any other person interested in Freemasonry to see the links between ritual and scripture.

Leseprobe

First published 2012

This edition published 2022

The History Press

97 St George’s Place, Cheltenham,Gloucestershire, GL50 3QB

www.thehistorypress.co.uk

© Mike Neville, 2012, 2022

The right of Mike Neville to be identified as the Author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing from the Publishers.

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data.

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

ISBN 978 0 7509 9896 3

Typesetting and origination by The History Press

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ Books Limited, Padstow, Cornwall.

eBook converted by Geethik Technologies

Contents

Foreword

1The Bible and the Lodge

Introduction

The Bible in the Lodge

The History of the Bible

The Historical and Geographical Setting of the Bible

Masonic Degrees

Masonic Terms Explained

2The Book of Genesis

The Creation of the World

Adam and his Sons: Cain and Abel

Tubalcain, his Siblings and the Development of Civilisation

The Genealogy of Noah: Jared, Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech

Noah and his Sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth

The Tower of Babel

Raiders from the East: Biblical Warfare (Part I)

Melchizedek, the First High Priest

Abraham and Isaac

Jacob, the Man who became Israel

3The Time of Moses

Moses

The Holy Mountains: Sinai, Horeb, Moriah and Tabor

The Tent or Tabernacle Built by Bezaleel and Aholiab

The Ark of the Covenant

Aaron and the Biblical Impact on Masonic Dress: Consecration, Ceremonies and Furniture

4The Israelites Secure the Promised Land

Joshua and Rahab: Biblical Warfare (Part II)

The Time of the Judges: Biblical Warfare (Part III)

Boaz and Ruth

Samuel

David, Jonathan and Saul

Book of Psalms

Araunah the Jebusite

The Mighty Men and Other Characters in the Story of King David

5The Builders of King Solomon’s Temple

Solomon, King of Israel

The Wisdom of King Solomon and the Book of Proverbs

Hiram, King of Tyre and Sidonia

Hiram Abif

Officers of King Solomon

Adoniram

Organisation of the Temple Workforce

6King Solomon’s Temple

The First Temple

The Plans

The Wood

Joppa, the Port Serving Jerusalem

The Stone

Dyes and Linen

Bronze and Gold

The Pillars: Boaz and Jachin

The Dedication of the Temple and Jachin the High Priest

The Queen of Sheba

7After Solomon and into Exile

The Division of Israel – A Time of Prophets

Jerusalem Falls to the Babylonians

The Destruction of Jerusalem: Biblical Warfare (Part IV)

Ezekiel

Belshazzar’s Feast

Cyrus the Great

8The Second Temple

Zerubbabel and the Second Temple

Joshua or Jeshua: the Son of Josedech the High Priest

Haggai and Zechariah

Darius and Daniel

Ezra the Scribe

Nehemiah and Malachi

Euclid and Pythagoras

The Desecration of the Second Temple and the Maccabean Revolt

9The New Testament and Freemasonry

Herod’s Temple and the Early Life of Jesus

The Ministry of Jesus

St John: The Patron Saint of Freemasons

St Peter

The Crucifixion and Resurrection of Jesus

The Apostles after the Crucifixion

St Paul

The Book of Revelation

New Testament References in Degrees Open to Non-Christian Masons

The Destruction of Second Temple

10The First Thousand Years of Christianity

St Lawrence the Martyr and the Persecution of the Christians

Emperor Constantine

St Helena and the Patriarch Macarius

Bishop Eusebius

Julian the Apostate

The Development of the Christian Theology

Islamic Conquest of the Holy Land

The Venerable Bede and the English Monastery

Athelstan, the First King of all the English

11The Second Thousand Years of Christianity

The First Crusade

The Knights Templar and other Military Orders

St Thomas Aquinas

The Translation of the Bible into English

Biblical and Masonic Dating by Archbishop Ussher

The Book of Common Prayer

The Church and Freemasonry

Development of Masonic Ritual

12Conclusions

The Biblical Influence on Freemasonry

De-Christianised Freemasonry?

The Use of Biblical Text in the Ritual

Satanically Inspired?

Sacred Secrets

Old Testament Characters used as Titles

Bibliography

Index of Bible Chapters

About the Author

Foreword

by The Revd N. B. Cryer, M.A. Past Grand Chaplain

The value of this book will soon be obvious to anyone, man or woman, who joins the Freemasons or who is interested in knowing about their ceremonies. In the 17th and 18th centuries when these ceremonies were being formed, there were renewed interest in, and knowledge about, the Bible that had now been translated into English. Those ceremonies were made up of constant references to names, places and events which a member of the Society still has to memorise and repeat as he or she progresses in membership. As this book will reveal, there is an astonishing amount of Bible information that is shared.

In an age such as the present when familiarity with the contents of the Bible is nothing like as common as it was once, the newcomer to our ceremonies and their stories needs help to understand just what it is that is being referred to. To know about the background to the people and places that are mentioned helps the member to learn more easily the facts he or she has to repeat. I can well understand the benefit that the contents of this book can offer. It may also surprise the interested outsider to know how much of the Bible is still used and required by Freemasons. I have the greatest delight in wishing both this book’s author and its readers well.

The Revd N. B. Cryer, M.A. Past Grand Chaplain

1

The Bible and the Lodge

Introduction

When Freemasons join a lodge, an ‘Ancient Charge’ is recited to them, giving the basic rules of the Order and advice on how to serve God, their country and their fellow men. The new Mason is directed to a ‘serious contemplation of the Volume of the Sacred Law’. Whilst this could be the Koran or other holy book, in Western Europe, North America and Australasia, this will invariably be a King James Version of the Bible, open and in full view of all lodge members.

After the Third Degree, some lodges present a Bible to the candidate and so the Mason has no excuse for not following the instruction to ‘contemplate’ its contents. The Bible, however, is not the easiest book to contemplate or study. The language of the King James’ version is beautiful, but archaic. It is too easy to give up attempting to understand the contents after a few verses. One Freemason said to the author, ‘I know Aholiab and Bezaleel from the Holy Royal Arch ritual are in the Bible, but I had no idea where to start looking for them.’

This book seeks to explain the relationship between Freemasonnry and the Bible to the interested reader and at the same time help Freemasons to make the ‘daily advancement in Masonic knowledge’ that they are charged to do at their initiation and to understand what many consider to be the ‘word of God’.

Too many Masons have just heard the ‘bare bones’ of the story or simply learned the ritual parrot-fashion and not understood its contents. For example, all Freemasons are told that the holy vessels used at King Solomon’s Temple were cast in the ‘clay ground between Succoth and Zeredathah’ – now they can learn why this area was used for this purpose and where these places are located. The murderers of Hiram Abif, as told in the Masonic legend during the Third Degree, are said to flee towards Joppa – there is a very simple explanation as to why they decided on this escape route. Where a person, place or thing has a Biblical origin or is based on Christian doctrine or writings, this is explained. Older Freemasons should be aware that younger members of the lodge may not have had scripture lessons at school or attended Sunday School. Hence, many of the Biblical characters and stories will be unknown to them. The contents will also aid clergy, theologians and any other person interested in Freemasonry to see the clear links between ritual and scripture and will name the chapters of the Bible which have the most influence on the ceremonies.

The link between the Bible and Masons has of course been explored in popular fiction – The Lost Symbol by best selling author Dan Brown being the most recent example. It is, however, recognised that many have genuine concerns about the secret Masonic ceremonies and their blood-curdling oaths. The viewpoint is considered in the section on the Church and Freemasonry, where alleged comments of the current Archbishop of Canterbury are discussed. Some have claimed that the ritual is ‘Satanically inspired’. Some have questioned the compatibility of the ‘Craft’ with Christianity. These issues will be addressed and the conclusions will surprise many of the critics of Freemasons. First, we must consider the Bible itself.

The Bible in the Lodge

The Bible and Freemasonry have been inextricably linked for over 400 years, with the English version of the scriptures used in lodges since the sixteenth century. The Latin version may have been used much earlier, but owing to the incomplete history of Freemasonry, no one can be sure. The ‘Volume of the Sacred Law’, as Freemasons refer to the Bible, is a vital part of the lodge and the name itself may be derived from the Book of Psalms, which refers to the ‘volume of the book’ a phase later quoted by St Paul (see sections on Psalms and St Paul).

In lodges recognised by the United Grand Lodge of England it must be present and open when the lodge is at work. In fact, with one notable exception (see Noah below), the Bible is also opened in all Masonic ceremonies. According to Craft ritual, the Bible, together with the square and compasses, are the ‘furniture’ of the lodge and candidates must take their solemn obligations with their hands on it. In some degrees there is more than one copy of the Bible opened in the degree. In the Knights Templar Priest ceremony, there is a Bible placed on each of the seven pillars situated in the ‘tabernacle’ or lodge room.

In most ceremonies the Bible can be opened at any page, although there may be general guidance, such as displaying the Book of Kings or Chronicles, where King Solomon’s Temple is described. Lodge tradition may also dictate a certain section to display. Some degrees, however, are more prescriptive. For example, the Royal and Select Master ritual book states exactly which chapter the Bible must be opened at in each of its degrees.

The mass-produced English translations of the Bible, which started to appear in the sixteenth century (following the invention of the printing press), and then the King James Authorised Version (published in 1611), have had an enormous influence on Masonic ritual, signs, lodge furniture and regalia. As we will see, many of the ‘secret’ words used by Freemasons are taken from the Holy Book. Additionally the hand signals or ‘signs’ such as those used in the Royal Ark Mariner degree are directly related to the Biblical account and the stories of Joshua’s battles to secure the Promised Land are also a rich source of ‘secret’ signs.

In some degrees, officers of the lodge play the part of Biblical characters – some famous, such as Noah and Ezra, some more obscure, such as Zabud and Ahishar (see section on Officers of King Solomon). The colours and styles of the aprons and regalia worn in lodges appear to have their origins in scripture. The reader will see that nearly every major character and story in the Old Testament (and some from the New) feature in Masonic ritual. Many of these prophets also appear in the Koran, but the ritual has, no doubt, been derived from the Bible.

The first Bibles, published with black and white illustrations, immediately influenced the appearance of a lodge. These pictures depicted the interior of the Tabernacle and King Solomon’s Temple with a chequered or ‘Mosaic’ pavement. This is now used in all lodges and features on the ‘Tracing Boards’ (see section on Masonic Terms Explained).

The History of the Bible

It would be easy to assume that when Jesus died, the Old and New Testaments were combined and handed over to the new faith. Nothing could be further from the truth. It was not until nearly 400 years after the death of Christ that Pope Damasus assembled the first list of books of the Bible at the Roman Council in 382. He commissioned St Jerome to translate the Greek and Hebrew texts into Latin, which became known as the Latin Vulgate Bible. In 1546 the Roman Catholic Church declared that the Vulgate was the only authentic version – 1500 years after the crucifixion. Furthermore, Christian theology has continually evolved.

The word ‘Bible’ is probably derived from the word ‘Byblos’, a type of papyrus and a booklet or roll came to be known in Greek as ‘biblia’ or ‘the writings’. The papyrus was exported to Greece via the port of Gebal, which became known as ‘Byblos’ (see section on Hiram, King of Tyre). In Latin, the scriptures were known as biblia sacra or ‘sacred writings’. In time, the book became known as ‘The Bible’ and was referred to as one book, rather than a library of many. The current Authorised Version consists of 66 books, 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New. Some versions contain more and have variations. The Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims Bible (the Vulgate translated into English) contains several more books and the Psalms are numbered differently, with Psalms 10 to 146 differing by one.

The various denominations of Christianity have different versions of the ‘canon’ of the scripture. This word is derived from the Greek for ‘measuring rod’. Books outside the canon are called ‘apocryphal’, which originally meant ‘hidden’ but now means ‘not accepted.’ The explanation of the Royal Ark Mariner Tracing Board quotes from what it refers to as ‘the apocryphal Book of Enoch’ and, as we shall see, there are several references in Masonic ritual from books not included in the Church of England canon. There are also several versions of each. Much of the Masonic ritual is drawn from the King James Version, but words and phrases from other editions appear in the ritual. For example, the introduction to The Christian’s New and Complete Family Bible notes that it will guide the reader ‘through the paths of happiness’. This phrase occurs in the Craft Installation ceremony prayer and as this version of the Bible appeared in 1803, it fits in with the period that the ritual was being written.

In all versions, the story of the Israelites is not seamless and the various books are not in chronological order. For example, the story of Job is the eighteenth book in the Old Testament, but the story is set at the time of Abraham, who features in Genesis. Some parts are repeated several times in different books, particularly in the case of the Books of Samuel, Kings and Chronicles, on which much of the Masonic story is based. In the New Testament, the Gospels often relate very similar information, as is the case with the crucifixion of Jesus.

The authorship of the various books is unknown. Traditionally, Moses is said to have written the first five books of the Bible – the ‘Pentateuch’ or ‘Torah’ – which are known in English as Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. Likewise, King David was supposedly the writer of the Book of Psalms, whilst his son, Solomon, is said to have composed several books, including Proverbs, Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes. In the New Testament, as we will see, St Paul is credited with many of the letters to the early churches (although modern scholars question his authorship of some) and there are five items from authors called John – the Gospel of John, three letters and Revelation. We can never be sure if these are from one man or several with the same, common name.

The reader must understand that the Bible is neither an accurate historical record of world events, nor can it be completely dismissed as a collection of myths. Its contents were first passed by word of mouth and then written on scrolls, which were copied and recopied. As a result errors and omissions crept into the text – some being deliberate, so that the text would then support the author’s theological viewpoint. When the books of the Bible were placed in the order in which we see them today, they were placed not in a simple chronological order, but into the following nine categories:

Old Testament

1 Books of Moses (Genesis to Deuteronomy)

2 History Books (Joshua to Esther)

3 Wisdom Books (Job to Song of Solomon)

4 Prophets (Isaiah to Malachi)

New Testament

5 The Gospels telling of the life of Jesus (Matthew to John)

6 History of the Early Christian Church (Acts of the Apostles)

7 Letters of St Paul (Romans to Hebrews)

8 Other Letters (James to Jude)

9 Apocalypse (Revelation)

Furthermore, the stories (particularly in the Old Testament) are in a very simple, almost childlike format as they were originally for illiterate, nomadic people. For example, we now know that civilisation developed over many centuries in the Fertile Crescent between the Rivers Tigris and Euphrates. In the Bible, we are told that mankind began in the Garden of Eden – but the location of this mythical place is clearly defined as between the Tigris and Euphrates. We know that farming and metalwork took many thousands of years to develop. The Bible notes this progression of mankind’s skills, but makes it very simple and attributes these major steps forward to two brothers – Jabal and Tubalcain (see section on this man, who features in ritual), rather like the Roman legend of Romulus and Remus in establishing the great city.

This is not to say that that the Bible is devoid of historical facts. Numerous archaeological excavations have proved the existence of many of the main characters, including scrolls naming Belshazzar, of ‘The Writing on the Wall’ fame, in a Ziggurat (see section on the Tower of Babel), in modern Iraq. But perhaps proof of more obscure people from the Bible is more compelling. For example, a 2500-year-old tablet of Assyrian cuneiform held in the British Museum appears to confirm the historical books of the Old Testament. The writing on the tablet refers to Nabu-sharrussu-ukin, ‘the chief eunuch’ of Nebuchadnezzar II, who features in the Book of Jeremiah, Chapter 39. The tablet has been dated to twelve years prior to the siege of Jerusalem, which is covered in this book as it features in several Masonic ceremonies.

It should also be noted that the Old Testament was written by the members of one nation, Israel, and as such it has a very narrow viewpoint. As we will see later, the slaughter of their enemies, such as the Ammonites, is justified by the scriptures.

The Historical and Geographical Setting of the Bible

The place where the Bible and Masonic ritual is set is the ‘Holy Land’ or the Near East. Traditionally this area around the eastern shore of the Mediterranean was called ‘The Levant’ – French for ‘rising’, the point where the suns rises, the East – arguably the most fought-over piece of land in the world. Jerusalem, the heart of the story, has been besieged and destroyed on many occasions. Since the earliest time and up to the present, the area is of strategic value, being the land bridge between Asia, Europe, Arabia and Africa, with ports on the Mediterranean and Red Sea. As a result great empires have conquered and controlled the area at various times in our history – Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Greek, Roman and even British.

In historical terms, much of the Old Testament is set during the late Bronze and early Iron Ages. Looking around some lodges, the author is convinced that some Freemasons may well be eye-witnesses to such periods! There was no date when one Age passed to the other, just a gradual move from the use of one metal to another. In the Bible and Masonic ritual, many objects are referred to as being made of ‘brass’, including the important pillars at King Solomon’s Temple. This is a mistranslation, with bronze being the correct metal (see section on Metal Objects at the Temple).

The setting of the Bible – a strategic land bridge, which many have fought over.

Dates and times are notoriously difficult to pin down in the Bible. The number 40 is often used, not as an accurate measure of days or years, but to express a long period – hence the Israelites were in the desert under the Moses for 40 years and occupation by the Philistines (see Judges) and the reigns of David and Solomon each lasted for the same number of years. Forty days was the period of the rainfall in the flood story (see Noah), the time taken by Elijah to walk to Sinai (see Holy Mountains) and the period spent by Jesus in the wilderness (see Ministry of Jesus).

Masonic Degrees

It will help to give a brief explanation of the various orders in Freemasonry. They are diverse and jump around in Biblical and historical terms. Every Mason must go through the first three ‘Craft’ degrees. He can then simply stay there, with no need to progress further, but even these degrees are not in chronological order. The story in the Third Degree (the murder of Hiram Abif) comes prior to the completion of the Temple, as described in the Second Degree. Furthermore, the stories within the individual degrees jump around and travel rapidly through time. The explanation of the Second Degree Tracing Board (Masonic terms are described below) starts with the completion of the Temple, but then leaps hundreds of years backwards to Moses and the battles of Jephtha (see section on The Time of the Judges). The Holy Royal Arch, the last of the ‘Solomonic’ degrees, is the most diverse. The ritual mentions Adam and Abraham from the first book of the Bible, Genesis, and later refers to God as ‘the Alpha and Omega’ from the last book, Revelation. There are also sections of the ritual from the Books of Numbers, Samuel, Kings, Chronicles and many others, as we will see.

The various degrees, which fill in the gaps of the story, are often linked for administrative rather than theological or chronological reasons. For example, the earliest Biblical story used as a degree is that of Noah, in the Royal Ark Mariner Degree. This degree is now administered by the Mark Masons, so to join you must first be a Mark Master Mason, the legend of which is set around 1000 BC at the time of King Solomon. The Royal Ark Mariner story is at least 3000 years earlier (although the date of the flood legend – see section on Noah – will always be a matter of great debate). The First Degree in Craft Freemasonry provides the introduction to the Order and deals with issues as diverse as King Solomon’s Temple, the Golden Fleece, Roman Eagle, the importance of charity and rules of the lodge, hence it is omitted from the table below. The Second Degree is shown twice due to its two main themes. The Masonic Royal Order of Scotland is not included as it covers nearly all parts of the Masonic story.

Obviously, there is no requirement to be a Christian to participate in the degrees based on Old Testament events. The qualification for degrees based on the New Testament and Christianity is not as it would seem, with some allowing men of other faiths to join.

Masonic Degrees

Old Testament

Title of Degree

Parent Body

Approximate Date of Theme

Main Theme

Royal Ark Mariner

Mark

10000–4000BC

Noah

Grand High Priest

Allied

1800–1700BC

Melchizedek and Abraham

Second Degree (Craft)

Craft

1200–1100BC

Joshua and Jephtha

Order of the Scarlet Cord

Order of the Secret Monitor

1200BC

Rahab and the siege of Jericho

Order of the Secret Monitor

Order of the Secret Monitor

1006–965BC

King David

Thrice Illustrious Master ‘The Silver Trowel’

Royal and Select

965BC

Solomon becomes king

Mark Master Mason

Mark

974–967BC

Preparation and building of King Solomon’s Temple

Select Master

Royal and Select

969BC

Building of King Solomon’s Temple

Grand Tilers of Solomon

Allied

969BC

Building of King Solomon’s Temple

Third Degree (Craft)

Craft

968BC

Death of Hiram Abif

Royal Master

Royal and Select

968BC

Sacred word deposited and death of Hiram Abif

Second Degree (Craft)

Craft

967BC

Temple completed

Most Excellent Master

Royal and Select

967BC

Temple dedicated

Super Excellent Master

Royal and Select

586BC

Temple destroyed

Excellent Master

Holy Royal Arch (Scotland)

536BC

Jews freed by Cyrus and Temple rebuilt

Red Cross of Babylon

Allied

516BC

Rebuilding authorised by King Darius

Holy Royal Arch

Chapter

534BC–70 AD

Lost word recovered to destruction of Second Temple

In Craft, Chapter and various other degrees of Masonry, efforts were made to remove the Christian content in the eighteenth century, to make it open to all men who believe in a Supreme Being; hence God is referred to as the ‘Great Architect of the Universe’, ‘Grand Geometrician’, ‘Most High’ or other ecumenical term. Despite the revisionists’ attempts to erase the New Testament passages from the ritual, there are still many hidden Christian references and these are described in Chapters 9, 10 and 11. In the side degrees that a Mason can join after the Craft ritual, there are several that are exclusively Christian. These are not as easily identified as it would first seem. The St Lawrence Degree, part of the Allied Masonic Degrees, deals with the story of a Christian martyr. Surprisingly, any mason, of any religion, can join.

Christian Theme

Title of Degree

Parent Body

Approximate Date of Theme

Main Theme

Christians Only Degree

Rose Croix

Ancient and Accepted Rite

33 AD

Crucifixion of Jesus

Yes

Knight of Holy Sepulchre

Red Cross of Constantine

33 AD

Christ is risen

Yes

Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priest

HRA KTP

70–80 AD

Revelation of St John

Yes

St Lawrence the Martyr

Allied

257–258 AD

Martyrdom of St Lawrence

No

Red Cross of Constantine (RCC)

RCC

312 AD

Constantine’s conversion to Christianity

Yes

Knight of Constantinople

Allied

320 AD

Knighthoods conferred at time of Constantine

No

Order of Athelstan

Athelstan

925–939 AD

Rule of King Athelstan

No

Knights Templar

Knights Templar

1099 AD

Crusades

Yes

Knight of Holy Sepulchre

RCC

1099 AD

Crusades

Yes

Knight of St John the Evangelist

RCC

1099 AD

Excavations under temple

Yes

Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia (SRIA)

SRIA

Biblical times until Medieval period

Search for wisdom and knowledge

Yes

Following on from these tables, throughout this book, Masonic degrees are listed in the order shown below. It is recognised that this does not take into account the seniority of the various orders (viz. when they were founded) but it does reflect the chronological sequence. That said, this does prove difficult when the Allied Masonic Degrees cover a timeline of over 2000 years, from Abraham to Constantine. In such cases, the earliest degree is taken into account. Whilst the Red Cross of Constantine covers the resurrection of Christ, it has been placed in accordance with the lifetime of Constantine. The ‘Craft’ (the first three degrees) are shown first, as all Masons must join this Order before progressing. The Royal Order of Scotland appears second as it covers a great deal of the content of the other degrees. High rank in one Order does not carry weight in another, so a 33 degree Rose Croix Mason does not take this rank into a Craft lodge.

1 Craft

2 Royal Order of Scotland

3 Royal Ark Mariner

4 Allied Masonic Degrees

5 Order of the Secret Monitor (including the Scarlet Cord)

6 Mark

7 Royal and Select Masters

8 Holy Royal Arch

9 Rose Croix

10 Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priest

11 Red Cross of Constantine

12 Order of Athelstan

13 Knights Templar (including Knights of Malta)

14 Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia

Prior to the moving to the main part of this work, it is important to understand some of the terms used in the ritual.

Masonic Terms Explained

Masonic Term

Explanation

Chapter/Council/Conclave

Name for a lodge in various other Masonic Orders. ‘Chapter’ is also used as a name for the Holy Royal Arch degree

Craft

The first three degrees (Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and Master Mason)

Deacon

Lodge officer, who acts as a messenger and escorts the candidates through the ceremony

Degree

A step in the Masonic system

Initiation ceremony

The ceremony of joining a lodge as a new member

Installation ceremony

Usually, the appointment of Master or head of the Masonic unit

Jewel

A medal type badge worn to show membership of different degrees, assistance in Masonic charity or membership of a lodge

Lecture

Further explanation given to a candidate after certain degrees

Lodge (or Temple)

Term for place where masons meet

Side Degree or Order

A degree or Order outside the basic Craft degrees

Solomonic Degrees

Degrees in Freemasonry having some connection with King Solomon or his temple

Pedestal

Small tables in front of the Master and the Wardens. The Bible rests on the Master’s pedestal.

Tracing Board

Pictorial representation of symbols on wooden boards, used in various degrees (various examples are shown). An eighteenth-century ‘PowerPoint’

Unworked Degree

Where a degree is conferred on the candidate in name only, prior to the main ceremony

Volume of the Sacred Law

Bible or other book sacred to the members

Wardens

In various degrees, the two principal assistants to the Master

Working Tools

Representations of various tools (e.g. square, chisel, mallet, axe), which are used to symbolise various moral virtues

Now we turn to the main theme of this book: the Biblical link to subjects mentioned in Masonic ceremonies. With each, the date and Biblical and Masonic references are shown. Biblical dates are often difficult to set and different books give different times so all dates should be taken as approximate. If any other significant historical event happened during the same period, this is also shown to help the reader set the subject in context.

2

The Book of Genesis

The Creation of the World

Timeline

Prehistory

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapter 1 v1–3 (The Creation)

• Chapter 1 v16 (Greater and Lesser Lights)

Masonic reference

Craft

• First Degree

• Second Degree

• Third Degree

Royal Ark Mariner

• Ceremony of Elevation

• Installation of Commander

Holy Royal Arch

• Ceremony of Exaltation

Red Cross of Constantine

• Knight of the Holy Sepulchre

The Biblical account of God’s creation of the world, as related in the first two chapters of Genesis can be summarised as follows:

First Day

day and night

Second Day

sky and water

Third Day

sea and land with plants and trees

Fourth Day

sun, moon and stars

Fifth Day

birds and fish

Sixth Day

reptiles, animals and man

Seventh Day

rest

Whilst most Craft ritual is based on the building of King Solomon’s Temple, as related in the Books of Kings and Chronicles, the stories related in Genesis are also a major influence on Masonic ceremonies. This is emphasised by the fact that the first three verses of the Bible, the initial part of the Creation story, are read out by the candidate for exaltation to a Holy Royal Arch chapter:

I

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

II

And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

III

And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.

In the ritual, the scroll containing these words is part of the Book of the Law recovered from King Solomon’s Temple, which had been devastated hundreds of years before by the Babylonians. The prayer used at the start of the Chapter ceremony is to Almighty God ‘at whose command the world burst forth from chaos and all created nature had its birth’. In the Appendant Orders of the Red Cross of Constantine, part of the third verse ‘Let there be light’ is quoted.

In the original Hebrew, the name for God in the first sentence of Genesis is given as ‘Elohim’. This word has significance during the installation ceremony of the new master (‘Commander’) of a lodge of Royal Ark Mariners. God is referred to in Masonic ritual by various names related to the creation – ‘Great Architect of the Universe’ (First Degree), ‘Almighty Creator’ and ‘Author of the Universe’ (Second Degree) and ‘Divine Creator’ and ‘World’s Great Architect’ (Third Degree). Furthermore, during the explanation of the First Degree Tracing Board, and similarly in the Royal Ark Mariner degree, the ‘symmetry and order’ of His work is noted.

The creation story (Day four) includes familiar words, no doubt used by the ritual writers, ‘And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night’. The initiation ceremony includes reference to Greater and Lesser Lights. According to the ceremony of initiation, the ‘three great but emblematical lights are the Volume of the Sacred Law, the square and compasses.’ The sacred writings are to ‘rule and govern’ faith. The ‘lesser lights’ are said to be the sun, the moon and Master of the lodge. The sun is said to ‘rule the day’, the purpose of the moon is ‘to govern by night’ and the Worshipful Master ‘rules and directs his lodge’.

As can be seen, in the Biblical story, the sun was not created until day four; as a result, the ‘day’ of God may have been a very lengthy period. Early Hebrew also had no word for a ‘period of time’ and so the word ‘day’ was used.

Adam and his Sons: Cain and Abel

Timeline

Prehistory

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapters 1–2 (The Creation)

• Chapter 3 (The serpent)

• Chapter 3 v19 (Our bodies will return to dust)

• Chapter 4 v1–11 (Cain kills Abel)

Romans

• Chapter 5 v14 (All have to die because of Adam)

Hebrews

• Chapter 11 v4 (Faith of Abel)

Biblical reference continued

Revelation

• Chapter 12 v9 (Serpent is the devil)

Masonic reference

Craft

• First Degree Tracing Board (Logic Ritual)

Royal and Select Masters

• Royal Master

Holy Royal Arch

• Mystical Lecture

Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia

• Second Grade ‘Theoricus’

As has been described in chapter 1, the Bible gives details of the location of the Garden of Eden. A stream flowed through the garden, which then divided into four rivers, one of which is the Euphrates. The River Euphrates, together with the Tigris watered the ‘Fertile Crescent’, the cradle of civilisation. Hence, the Bible appears to be correct, but simplifies the story, by personifying the first humans into the characters of Adam and Eve.

The Bible relates that Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden for disobeying God’s commands. The serpent, which tempted Eve to eat from the ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil’, appears in Revelation as the devil. As punishment for eating from the tree, God reminds Adam ‘for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return’. During the Royal Master degree, the candidate is reminded of this fact during a lecture on human mortality. It is also recalled during the second grade of SRIA. To stop anyone entering Eden, God placed an angel with a fiery sword at the entrance, a form of heavenly Tyler (the Masonic officer who stands outside the door of a lodge, armed with a sword).

The Fertile Crescent: the location of the Garden of Eden?

The ‘Fall of Adam’ is the basis of the ‘penal’ or punishment sign in the Holy Royal Arch and the Mystical Lecture reminds the candidate that the ‘dreadful penalty’ for Adam’s sin was ‘no less than death’. In the New Testament in letters of the early churches in Rome and Corinth, St Paul links the death of Adam with the eternal life offered by Christ (see section on St Paul).

Adam and Eve later had two sons; Cain, a farmer and Abel, a shepherd. The story noted during the explanation of the First Degree Tracing Board relates to their offerings to God. Abel offered the finest of his lambs, whilst Cain offered poor quality fruit. Cain was chastised by God and became jealous of his brother. This led to the first murder, with Cain killing Abel.

God’s questioning of Cain as to his brother’s whereabouts led to the famous quote, ‘Am I my brother’s keeper?’ Cain and Abel are the first brothers in the Bible and this is notable for Freemasons, who refer to each other as ‘Brother’. The faith of Abel is noted in the New Testament in the Letter to the Hebrews. Adam and Eve later had a third son, Seth. The Bible then gives two conflicting genealogies of the human race – one from Cain and one from Seth. From these, the earth is populated and skills in agriculture and metal work are developed.

To emphasise how Masonic ritual does not follow the chronology of the Bible, Adam, who appears in its first book, is included in the Holy Royal Arch, the final ‘Solomonic’ degree, with the Chapter ‘Hailing Sign’ being derived from Adam’s actions when praying. The Logic version of the First Degree Tracing Board has references to many characters from Genesis and these appear in the ‘third last and grand reason’ in the lecture, which explains why ‘places of divine worship’ face east to west. This explanation is often omitted from other versions of the Tracing Board. For example, Emulation states that the third reason is ‘too long to be entered upon now’ and ‘is explained in the course of our Lectures.’ These are given very infrequently, resulting in a significant gap in the knowledge of many Freemasons.

Tubalcain, his Siblings and the Development of Civilisation

Timeline

8000–4000 BC

Biblical reference

Genesis Chapter 4 v20–22

Masonic reference

Craft

• Third Degree

Historical context

8000 BC – Domestication of animals and cultivation of crops

7000 BC – First walled city, Jericho

5000 BC – Earliest known evidence of weaving

4000 BC – Bronze casting begins and first use of plough

3000 BC – Production of bronze commonplace

Prior to a Freemason being ‘Raised’ to the Third Degree, he has to ‘prove his proficiency’ in the previous two degrees (Initiation and Passing). During this short piece of ritual, he is told that Tubalcain was the ‘first artificer in metals.’ In the Bible, Tubalcain is a descendant of Cain and together with his brothers, Jabal and Jubal, is used by the Bible to personify the development of skills amongst humans.

Jabal developed the raising of livestock and Jubal was the first musician and played the flute and harp. Tubalcain is described as the ‘instructor of every artificer in brass and iron’ – a tool maker. This is the first of many mistranslations of the metal ‘bronze’ as ‘brass’ in the King James’ Bible (a mistake copied into ritual during the lecture on the Second Degree Tracing Board). The setting of the pre-history in the Bible is the middle and late periods of the Bronze Age, not the ‘Brass Age’.

In the Bible, Tubalcain has a sister, Naamah. Whilst no role is given to her in Genesis, Jewish legends describe her as the founder of weaving. Tubalcain was, no doubt, selected for use in the ritual as a forerunner of the craftsman most revered by Freemasons, Hiram Abif. The Hebrew word used to describe both men in the original text is choreish-nechosheth meaning ‘a worker in brass’.

In ancient ritual, Tubalcain and his brothers built two pillars, which have since been attributed to Enoch (see below) to preserve the knowledge of the ‘sciences’. This is the earliest pillar legend, with Masonic ritual now being concerned with the pillars constructed many centuries later outside King Solomon’s Temple.

During the current ritual, Tubalcain is connected with ‘Worldly Possessions’. This may be because the Hebrew words ‘tebel’ meaning ‘earth’ and ‘kanah’ meaning ‘to obtain’ may have been used by the ritual compilers to translate Tubalcain as ‘to acquire possessions’ (Jackson 1992). As with the Creation and Adam, one of the first stories in the Bible is one of the last in the ritual, with Tubalcain appearing in the Third Degree of Craft ritual.

The Genealogy of Noah: Jared, Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech

Timeline

10000–4000 BC

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapter 5 (Genealogy of Pre-flood Patriarchs)

Hebrews

• Chapter 11 v5 (Faith of Enoch)

Jude

• Chapter 1 v14 (Enoch and Angels)

Masonic reference

Craft

• First Degree Tracing Board (Logic Ritual)

Royal Ark Mariner

• Ceremony of Elevation

• Tracing Board

Royal and Select Masters

• Select Master Degree

Rose Croix

• 13th Degree – Royal Arch of Enoch

Masonic reference continued

Order of Athelstan

In the genealogy of Adam’s third son, Seth, the forefathers of Noah appear, namely Jared, Enoch, Methuselah and Lamech. Enoch apart, the other three only appear in the Royal Ark Mariner degree, but their names are used as an important part of the ceremony. What is amazing about these men are their apparent life spans, with Jared living 962 years, Methuselah 969 years and Lamech a mere 777 years. It is possible that the names relate to ancient tribes and not individuals. For example, the House of Tudor ruled England for 118 years (1485–1603), this was not of course one man called ‘Tudor’, but five monarchs. In any case, little else is noted about these men. Enoch is far more interesting.

The three books of Enoch were considered as apocryphal. They were omitted from most versions of the Bible, although the First Book of Enoch is revered by the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. This book contains many bizarre stories of angels or ‘Watchers’ and although it was excluded from the King James’ Bible, rather oddly it appears to be quoted in the penultimate book of the New Testament, the Epistle of Jude (see section on Apostles after the crucifixion). A section of the Book of Enoch relating to the birth of Noah is quoted in the explanation of the Royal Ark Mariner Tracing Board (see image in section on Noah).

During this lecture, it is related that Enoch was informed by God that mankind is to be destroyed to wipe out all the wickedness in the world. As a result, he constructed two pillars, in which he hid the ‘Archives of Wisdom’, to preserve knowledge prior to the destruction of mankind (by the Flood). These pillars were approached by nine arches, a link to the arches described in the Select Master degree. These are under Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. It is unclear whether King Solomon later constructed his own nine arches or whether he utilised those constructed by Enoch (both sets of arches may just be legend and neither are mentioned in the Bible). According to the Book of Enoch, Methuselah was advised by his father that Noah would be saved from the flood.

During the explanation of the Logic version of the First Degree Tracing Board, the audience are reminded of the Biblical account of Enoch being ‘translated’ – this means to be taken by God to heaven, not having died. In the Royal Ark Mariner version his residence is said to be ‘with angels’. Of the ten pre-flood Patriarchs (senior Biblical figures from whom the human race is descended), he is the only one not to die a physical death. Enoch appears fleetingly in two other Masonic orders. During the Rose Croix ceremony the degree of the Royal Arch of Enoch is conferred on the candidate in name only and in the Order of Athelstan, Enoch is simply described as a ‘wise man’.

Noah and his Sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth

Timeline

10000–4000 BC

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapters 6–10 (Story of Noah)

• Chapter 6 v8 (Found grace in the eyes of the Lord)

• Chapter 7 (the flood begins)

• Chapter 8 v6–12 (Raven and dove sent out)

• Chapter 8 v2–22 (God’s promises)

• Chapter 9 v1 (‘Be fruitful, and multiply’)

Biblical reference continued

• Chapter 9 v20 (First vineyard)

Wisdom of Solomon

• Chapter 14 v1–8 (Thanksgiving for Noah)

Hebrews

• Chapter 6 v19 (Anchor of hope)

• Chapter 11 v7 (Faith of Noah)

II Peter

• Chapter 2 v5 (Preacher of Righteousness)

I Enoch

• Chapter 106 (Noah’s birth)

Masonic reference

Craft

• First Degree Tracing Board (Logic Ritual)

• Installation Ceremony

Royal Ark Mariner

• Ceremony of Elevation

• Tracing Board

• Installation of Commander

Mark

• Tracing Board

Noah is the son of Lamech and in the confused genealogy of Genesis he could be a half-brother of Tubalcain (whose father was a man with the same name). In a very early ritual of 1723, Noah is the main character in the Craft ritual, not King Solomon, and his sons try to raise his dead body from the grave. The story of Noah and the flood is preserved in the Royal Ark Mariner degree. In the ceremony the head of the lodge is known as ‘Worshipful Commander Noah’ and he refers to the Wardens as his ‘sons’, Japheth and Shem. Candidates for the degree are called ‘Noachida’, that is to say ‘Son of Noah.’

Noah does make a fleeting appearance in Craft ritual on some versions of the explanation of the First Degree Tracing Board, where he is described as a ‘Teacher of Righteousness’. This is a very similar description to the Second Epistle of St Peter, where Noah is called a ‘Preacher of Righteousness’.

As we have seen, the Lord became angry with his creation and decided to destroy the ‘old world’ (as described in the Second Epistle of St Peter and during the presentation of the Working Tools in the Royal Ark Mariner ceremony). Noah, however, was ordered to build the Ark as he had ‘found grace in the eyes of the Lord’ and this quotation from Genesis is used in the explanation of the Tracing Board in the same degree.

The Ark is described in the Bible as 150m long, 25m wide and 15m high. There were three decks, a door in the centre and a small window on the top. The Working Tools of the Royal Ark Mariner (axe, saw and auger) are concerned with wooden ship building, but only the axe is mentioned in the Bible and this is not related to the construction of boats. According to the Kings James’ Bible, the Ark was made of ‘Gopher’ wood. It is unclear what is meant by a Gopher tree, but it has been suggested that this may be another name for acacia. This has a Masonic connection (see Hiram Abif). Some Bibles state that it was made of cypress wood.

Noah took all manner of animals in the Ark, together with his family, including his three sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. Given the number of animals in the Ark, it may have been a very unpleasant place inside. Rain fell for 40 days and the earth was covered with water – only the inhabitants of the Ark survived. The drowning suffered by the Antediluvians (pre-flood inhabitants of earth) is alluded to in one of the several signs used by Royal Ark Mariner masons.

Many will be familiar with the story of Noah releasing a raven, which flew away, and then sending a dove three times to establish if there was any dry land. On the first occasion, the dove simply returned as water covered everywhere. The posture in which Noah stood whilst he waited for the dove and his method of bringing the bird back into the Ark are the origin of signs used by Royal Ark Mariner masons. After seven days, the Dove returned with an olive leaf in its beak – the first indication that the waters were receding. After another week, the Dove was released from the Ark again and she did not return. Noah was then sure he could soon leave the Ark ‘in safety and in peace’ as the ritual describes.

The dove and olive branch remain universal symbols of peace. The Noah connection is maintained in Craft lodges by the presence of doves on the wands of the two Deacons. Some Installation Rituals describe the duties of the Deacons as keeping peace in the lodge.

Many theories surround the flood legend, with accounts of an ancient deluge appearing in many parts of the world, including amongst Native Americans. In ancient Mesopotamia, the flood story’s hero is Gilgamesh. Evidence of a huge flood has been found near Babylon, in thick layers of mud from 4000 years ago. Furthermore, after the last ice age some 10,000 years ago, sea levels rose and caused the Mediterranean Sea to flood and break over to the Bosporus. This flooded the fertile inhabited area around a freshwater lake, which became the Black Sea.

The theory of the flooding of the Black Sea area would fit with the Ark landing on Mount Ararat. In the first century AD, the Jewish historian, Josephus (see section on the Destruction of the Temple for more on this man), stated that the name of the landing site was Apobaterion, meaning ‘the place of descent’. The same word in the Royal Ark Mariner ritual is translated as ‘a sacrifice after landing’. It should be noted that in the Koran, the whole earth is not flooded. Noah lived in the area of the Fertile Crescent and the Ark landed not too far away on Mount Ararat or ‘Mountains of Armenia’ as the area is also referred to in the ritual. This would appear to confirm the theory that it was a large regional flood around the Black Sea, rather than a universal deluge.

Once on dry land, Noah built an altar and offered up a sacrifice to God, whereupon God placed the rainbow in the sky, in token of his covenant that he would never again destroy mankind by means of a flood. The colours of the rainbow are used on the apron and jewel of this degree. God then instructed Noah and his sons to ‘be fruitful, and multiply’ and these words from Genesis are used at the very start of the ceremony of Advancement.

Later, as related in the Bible and Masonic ritual, Ham ‘fell from grace’. His father had fallen asleep naked in his tent (such tents are depicted on the Royal Ark Mariner Tracing Board) after becoming drunk on wine. Rather than covering Noah and maintaining his dignity, Ham left the tent to inform his two brothers. They were more respectful and walked backwards to lay a coat over him without looking. This incident is the first mention of wine in the Bible – ‘Taking wine’ is a Masonic tradition at the meal held after the lodge meeting, known as the ‘Festive Board’. Masons, therefore, have much to thank Noah for. It should also be noted that again the Bible appears to be relating the development of human knowledge in a simplified way – archaeological evidence suggests that the first wine was produced in the area around Georgia and Armenia between 8000 BC and 6000 BC.

As a result of Ham’s lack of action to help his drunken father, he was (rather harshly) cursed by Noah. As the father of Canaan, Ham’s descendents were to be slaves of the children of Shem and Japheth. According to Genesis, the descendants of Noah’s sons re-populated the Earth as follows:

Japheth

European and Asian people, including modern day Turkey, Spain, and Portugal and inhabitants of the north Mediterranean coast and islands.

Shem

Arabs and Hebrews, including northern Mesopotamia and the founders of the city of Ur, where Abraham was born.

Ham

Africa, Egypt and Libya. His descendents also included Babylonia (Babel) and the Canaanites and Philistines.

It should be noted that Canaan was the Promised Land, which was later invaded and ruthlessly purged of inhabitants by the Israelites (see Joshua). In addition, the Philistines and Babylonians were also future enemies of Israel. The cursing of Ham story may have been added to justify the wars against these peoples.

According to the Royal Ark Mariner ritual, Noah built his altar using the porphyry stone, which he had used as the ark’s anchor. The stone is formed of cooled magma and can only be found in a few places in the world. The name is derived from the Greek for purple. It was used by Constantine, Emperor of Rome (see section on Constantine), to build a pillar to celebrate the founding of his new capital, Constantinople. There is a Masonic link here through the Red Cross of Constantine degree. In relation to Noah, there is no Biblical mention of an anchor or porphyry stone. The mention of them in the Royal Ark Mariner degree would appear to be Masonic legend.

The Royal Ark Mariner degree is administered by the Grand Lodge of Mark Master Masons. The Mark Tracing Board has a nautical feature, a rope and anchor. This anchor also appears on Royal Ark Mariner Tracing Board and on some versions of the First Degree Tracing Board. In all cases it symbolises ‘hope’. This appears to be taken from the Book of Hebrews: ‘Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul.’ (See St Paul).

The Royal Ark Mariner degree is possibly one of the most Biblical of the degrees. The story is taken directly from the Bible, but this is the only Masonic degree where the Bible is not physically present in the lodge. The ritual gives a clear reason, ‘at the period whence we deduce the origins of this Degree, the Sacred Writings were not in existence.’ This is factually correct. Written Hebrew texts started to appear many centuries later around the time of King David. Oddly, given that this degree is open to Freemasons of any religion, it contains more quotations from the New Testament than any other non-Christian degree (see section on New Testament references in degrees open to candidates of all faiths).

The Royal Ark Mariner degree also makes use of the Apocrypha. It has already been shown that the Book of Enoch is quoted during the explanation of the Tracing Board (see section on Enoch). The prayer during the Elevation ceremony for a new member appears to be based on part of the Wisdom of Solomon. This is in the form of a prayer thanking God for the salvation of Noah. It also contains the phrase ‘Thy providence’, which appears in the ritual.

The Tower of Babel

Timeline

4000–2000 BC

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapter 10 v8–12 (Nimrod)

• Chapter 11 v1–9 (Tower of Babel)

Masonic reference

Old Craft, Mark and Royal Ark Mariner ceremonies

Worshipful Society of Freemasons – The Operatives

Historical context

3100 BC – Upper and Lower kingdoms of Egypt are united

2800 BC – Pyramid age in Egypt begins

2400 BC – Sargon forms first Mesopotamian empire Hittite invasions of Mesopotamia throughout the period

Earth having been re-populated, the Bible states that at this time all people spoke the same language and the next major event concerns one of the greatest building projects ever undertaken – to build a tower to heaven.

Surprisingly, the construction of the Tower of Babel no longer features in Masonic ritual. It did, however, feature in early Royal Ark Mariner and Mark Degree rituals. Furthermore, in ritual from the early part of the eighteenth century, the Tower of Babel appears to have been afforded the same status in ritual as King Solomon’s Temple. It was claimed in the Old Mark Degree ceremony that ‘at the building of the Tower of Babel, the Art and Mystery of Masonry was first introduced, and from thence handed down to Euclid.’

The location ‘Babel’ is Babylon in the plain of Shinar – the area between the Tigris and Euphrates – the cradle of civilisation. Babylon, of course, features later in the Masonic story, with the Jews being exiled there many centuries later and this early account may set the scene for future claims of Babylonian evil. Around 1700 BC, Babylon was the largest city in the world.

The building of the Tower did not please God and to frustrate their efforts He scattered the people across the face of the earth. He also made the people speak different languages, so their efforts to cooperate were frustrated. This is the origin of the word to ‘babble’.

During the first ‘Indentured Apprentice’ and second ‘Fellow of the Craft’ degrees of the Operatives or Worshipful Society of Freemasons, the story of Nimrod is included. The Bible has few details of this man; he is described as a ‘mighty hunter’ who was the great grandson of Noah. Nimrod founded a great empire and the Bible states that he ruled Babylon and surrounding cities. As a result, legends have connected him with the building of the Tower of Babel, even though this is not mentioned in the scriptures.

The Tower of Babel (1563) by Pieter Bruegel the Elder.

The Tower of Babel legend is probably connected with the building of Ziggurats. These were flat topped pyramids built in ancient Mesopotamia by various civilisations, including the Sumerians, Assyrians and Babylonians. They were not places of worship, but meant to be the dwelling place of the Gods – as was King Solomon’s Temple.

Abraham would have been familiar with these structures; the remains of the enormous Ziggurat at Ur, his birthplace, can still be seen.

Raiders from the East: Biblical Warfare (Part I)

Timeline

1800–1700 BC

Biblical reference

Genesis

• Chapter 14 v1–24 (Four kings versus five kings)

• Chapter 19 v24–25 (Cities of the Plain destroyed)

Deuteronomy

• Chapter 29 v23 (Four cities destroyed)

Job

• Chapter 1 v15 (Sabean raiders)

• Chapter 1 v17 (Chaldean raiders)

• Chapter 3 v17 (‘Wicked cease from troubling’)

• Chapter 5 v17 (Chastening of the Almighty)

• Chapter 8 v20 (‘Perfect man’)

• Chapter 18 v14 (‘King of terrors’)

• Chapter 29 v3–4 (The candle of God)

• Chapter 34 v13 (Great Disposer)

• Chapter 34 v22 (‘Workers of iniquity’)

Hebrews

Chapter 7 v1 (‘The slaughter of the kings’)

Masonic reference

Craft

• Third Degree

Allied Masonic Degrees

• St Lawrence the Martyr

• Grand High Priest

Order of the Secret Monitor

• Third or Supreme Ruler Degree

Masonic reference continued

Mark

• Tracing Board

Holy Royal Arch

• Mystical Lecture

• Installation Ceremony

Holy Royal Arch Knights Templar Priests

• Installation of a Knight Templar Priest

Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia

• Fifth Grade ‘Adeptus Minor’

Historical context

Hammurabi founded Babylonian empire in 1750 BC.