THE UNSEEN HAND IN HISTORY - Keith W Stump - January 1977

Keith W Stump

Is history simply a meaningless patchwork of random events? Or is there a definite design and purpose behind it? In October, 539 B.C., Babylon - the greatest city of the ancient world - fell to a Medo-Persian army under Cyrus the Great. Less than a half century earlier, the famed city had reached the height of its power and splendor under King Nebuchadnezzar, builder of the magnificent Ishtar Gate and the world-renowned Hanging Gardens, one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. After Nebuchadnezzar's death, however, Babylonian power declined rapidly. By 539, the stage was set for collapse. Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon claim that Cyrus achieved entry into the heavily fortified capital by cleverly diverting the waters of the Euphrates River, which flowed under the city's huge brass gates and through the length of the metropolis. - Information Supplied By: Herbert W Armstrong Library