Babylon, the Winged Lion, and the Prophetic Rise of the Final Kingdom

The Book of Daniel provides one of the most detailed prophetic blueprints of world empires, starting with Babylon, the golden kingdom, symbolized by the winged lion in Daniel 7:4. This vision, alongside Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2, reveals Babylon as the head of gold, a kingdom of immense power, wealth, and influence. But just as Babylon fell, its spiritual and political legacy has never truly disappeared. Today, its ideology, religious system, and rebellion against God continue under new names, awaiting the final fulfillment of prophecy.

Babylon’s representation as a winged lion is significant.

The lion is known as the king of beasts, symbolizing royalty, power, and dominion, while the wings represent its speed and reach. Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar was the first of the great empires, expanding rapidly and dominating the known world. In Daniel 2, the kingdom is described as the head of gold, showcasing its unmatched wealth, luxury, and supreme authority over all other empires that would follow. But Daniel also foretells its downfall, as the golden kingdom would give way to an inferior one, leading to a succession of four world empires that would shape history.

The fall of historical Babylon was just the beginning. Mystery Babylon, as described in Revelation 17 and 18, continues its influence through false religion, corrupt government, and economic power. The Babylonian system, initiated by Nimrod at Babel, was never just about a city—it was about a spiritual rebellion against God, an attempt to unite humanity under one defiant rule rather than submit to God’s authority. The Roman Empire, which later absorbed many of Babylon’s practices, became the continuation of this system, blending paganism with religious deception.

The modern global push for a one-world government and religion mirrors Nimrod’s original rebellion and Nebuchadnezzar’s desire for absolute rule. The interfaith movements, economic alliances, and globalist agendas all carry the same Babylonian spirit, setting the stage for the final kingdom described in Daniel and Revelation.

Daniel’s prophecy of Babylon as the winged lion and head of gold serves as a warning. Though Babylon fell, its legacy continues, and the final form of Babylon is yet to come—the revived Beast system that will rule in the last days. Just as Daniel stood firm in the midst of Babylon’s corruption, God's people today are called to reject the Babylonian deception and come out of her, lest they share in her judgment (Revelation 18:4).

The winged lion, symbolic of Saint Mark the Evangelist😉 has long been associated with the Roman Catholic Church, European royalty, and various institutions across the world. Though often seen as a religious emblem, its deeper connections trace back to Babylon—the head of gold in the Book of Daniel—and the system of power that continues to this day.

In Daniel 2, Babylon is described as the head of gold in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, representing a kingdom of immense wealth, splendor, and absolute authority. This vision is reinforced in Daniel 7:4, where Babylon is depicted as a winged lion, symbolizing both strength and swiftness in conquest. While the historical empire of Babylon fell, its spiritual and political influence never truly disappeared. Instead, it evolved into the Mystery Babylon system described in Revelation—a system that blends religious deception, global influence, and immense wealth.

The Roman Catholic Church, particularly through its leadership, has embraced this Babylonian legacy. Three popes—Pope Pius X, Pope John XXIII, and Pope John Paul I—all incorporated the winged lion into their papal coats of arms, a direct link to the Venetian state, which itself drew from Babylonian and Roman imperial symbolism. Venice, once a dominant power in Europe, saw itself as a successor to Rome, and its patron saint, Saint Mark 😉 became synonymous with the winged lion. This same imagery appears throughout Catholic architecture, iconography, and heraldry, reinforcing a continued connection to Babylon’s ancient power.

The Vatican, like Babylon, is adorned with gold. Lavish displays of gold-plated ceilings, golden altars, and gilded artifacts fill its cathedrals, mirroring the extravagance of Nebuchadnezzar’s golden empire. Just as Babylon was known for its wealth and its false worship, the Vatican today sits as a religious and political powerhouse, exerting influence over nations, kings, and global systems. This fulfills the warning in Revelation 17:4-5, where Mystery Babylon is described as being arrayed in gold and precious stones, holding a cup of abominations.

Beyond the Church, the winged lion appears in royal heraldry, particularly in European monarchy. The British monarchy, Venetian state symbols, and various noble families have all used lion imagery to represent divine right and dominion, just as Babylonian kings claimed authority from their gods (rebellious fallen angels) The winged lion motif also extends into modern institutions, secret societies, and global governance structures, symbolizing the persistence of Babylon’s rule in the world today.

The Vatican, the European elite, and global institutions continue to uphold the Babylonian system in plain sight, wrapped in religious and political power, fulfilling Daniel’s prophecy that the spirit of Babylon would persist until the final days. The golden empire of Babylon may have fallen, but its influence, its symbols, and its deception remain alive, preparing for the final rise of the Beast system in the end times.

The Winged Lion of Babylon

In ancient Mesopotamia, the image of a lion – often with wings – was a powerful symbol of kingship, deity, and protection. Assyro-Babylonian art featured lamassu, colossal guardian figures with human heads and the bodies of winged lions or bulls

Human headed winged lion-Lamassu.

These hybrid creatures embodied the strength of a lion, the swiftness of a bird (eagle’s wings), and human intelligence, serving as divine protectors at city gates and palace doorways. In Babylon specifically, the lion (without wings) was sacred to Ishtar – goddess of love and war – and a national emblem of royal power. Processional walls of Neo-Babylonian Babylon under Nebuchadnezzar II were lined with striding lions, invoking Ishtar’s ferocity to guard the city

Panel with striding lion- The Lion of Babylon

A famous example is the basalt Lion of Babylon statue (6th century BCE), which likely represented the king’s authority and Ishtar’s patronage. This enduring lion iconography in Babylon signified dominance and divine sanction, setting the stage for the winged lion imagery in later cultural and prophetic symbolism.

Assyrian lamassu (human-headed winged lion) from the palace of Ashurnasirpal II, 9th century BCE. Such winged lions guarded gateways, symbolizing royal power and divine protection

From Imperial Emblems to Saintly Heraldry

The winged lion motif did not end with Babylon – it spread and transformed across civilizations. In Persian and Hellenistic art, lion-griffin hybrids (often a lion’s body with eagle’s head and wings) appeared as guardians and decorative emblems reflecting the same ideals of strength and swiftness. By the early Christian era, the winged lion took on new meaning as one of the Tetramorph symbols of the four Evangelists. Drawing from prophetic visions in Ezekiel 1:10 and Revelation 4:7, Christian art depicted St. Mark the Evangelist as a winged lion

This symbol – a lion with wings, often haloed and holding a Bible – became especially prominent in medieval Venice. While the Catholic Church claims that the winged lion represents St. Mark the Evangelist, historical evidence suggests that this symbol long predated Christianity and was directly linked to Babylonian deities—especially Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven. Through the Middle Ages, the winged lion thus persisted as both a religious icon and a political emblem – a direct inheritance of the awe and authority that Babylon’s winged lions once invoked.

Over time, the winged lion became a familiar figure in heraldry and civic symbols around the world. In Europe, it adorns coats of arms and statues wherever St. Mark’s (Ishtar's) influence spread. The most famous example stands in Venice’s Piazza San Marco: the ancient bronze Lion of Venice atop a column, which has symbolized the city since the 12th century

This winged lion icon, originally from antiquity, was repurposed as the very emblem of Venetian government and remains the regional flag of Veneto today. In architecture, winged lions appear as decorative guardians on churches, civic buildings, and even modern memorials (such as the Winged Lion Memorial in Prague honouring WWII airmen). Government and military insignia have likewise embraced the motif. The former Kingdom of Iraq (1932–1958) incorporated the Lion of Babylon as a supporter in its coat of arms

Coat of arms of the Hashemite Kingdom of Iraq (until 1958)

reconnecting modern Iraq to its Babylonian heritage (That could shed light on the interfaith discussions between the Pope and the Imam).

During WWII, Britain’s 10th Army – operating in Iraq and Iran – adopted the lamassu (winged bull/lion) as its insignia. Even NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command in Naples today uses a winged lion on its emblem (holding a sword and a scroll reading “PAX”) as a symbol of strength wielded for peace. In the commercial realm, the winged Lion serves as the logo of insurance giant Assicurazioni Generali and the trophy of the Venice Film Festival (“Golden Lion”). All of these examples show how the winged lion, born in Babylon, still signifies power, and prestige in a modern context.

From Babylon’s Beast to “Mystery Babylon”

The winged lion’s significance is not only historical but also deeply symbolic in biblical prophecy. In the Book of Daniel, the prophet recounts a vision of four beasts representing four empires. “The first was like a lion and had eagle’s wings” (Daniel 7:4). Biblical scholars and theologians overwhelmingly identify this winged lion as the Neo-Babylonian Empire of Nebuchadnezzar

Daniel 7:4:

"The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it." Just as a lion is king of beasts and an eagle rules the sky, the combined symbol conveyed Babylon’s regal authority and swift conquest. Notably, archaeologists have found ancient Mesopotamian carvings of winged lions, affirming that this imagery would resonate with Babylon’s own iconography. Daniel watches the lion’s wings plucked and it standing like a man with a human heart – an allusion, many believe, to Nebuchadnezzar’s humbling and restoration. In essence, the prophetic winged lion encapsulated Babylon’s pride and eventual repentance.

The Book of Revelation later revives Babylon’s symbolism to represent the evil world system opposed to God. The apostle John describes a terrifying composite beast rising from the sea with features of Daniel’s beasts: “It resembled a leopard, had feet like a bear’s, and had a mouth like a lion’s” (The Beast (Revelation) - Wikipedia). The lion-like mouth invokes Babylon’s bold arrogance, now woven into an end-times empire. John further personifies this corrupt power as “Babylon the Great, mother of harlots” – a rich, wanton woman dubbed “Mystery Babylon” who rides the beast (Revelation 17:3–5). In Revelation, “Babylon” no longer refers to a single city on the Euphrates, but a code name for the idolatrous, tyrannical civilization that spans eras (BABYLON AND THE HARLOT | Precept Austin). Just as literal Babylon of old was the font of pagan religion and oppression, “Mystery Babylon” signifies the culmination of those same evils in the last days. The winged lion of Daniel thus connects to Revelation’s imagery by representing the beginning of prophetic Babylon – the archetype of human empire in rebellion to God – while “Mystery Babylon” represents its ultimate manifestation and downfall. The continuity of the symbol underscores a sobering biblical theme: worldly powers may rise in lion-like glory, but like Babylon, they will be brought low by divine judgment.

Modern Resonances and Interpretations

Today, the winged lion endures in both concrete institutions and in speculative interpretations of current events. As detailed above, many national and regional symbols still feature the winged lion – consciously invoking the legacy of Babylon– to legitimize modern authority. From Iraq’s emblems harkening back to Mesopotamia, to European cities proudly displaying their patron lion, the ancient icon lives on. Even outside official heraldry, the winged lion’s mystique captures imaginations. Some religious commentators see prophetic significance in its reappearances. For example, a few interpreters suggest Daniel’s winged lion not only symbolized ancient Babylon but also foreshadowed modern powers. They point out that Great Britain is traditionally represented by a lion, and the United States by an eagle – a parallel to the lion with eagle’s wings. In this view, the plucking of the wings in Daniel 7:4 has been read as the American colonies gaining independence from Britain (Is America In Your Bible? (Daniel 7, Part 1) - Pat Vick). While mainstream scholarship sticks to the historical Babylonian interpretation, this creative modern reading shows how enduring the winged lion motif is in linking past to present. Conspiracy theories and prophecy enthusiasts likewise keep the term “Mystery Babylon” alive, sometimes applying it to contemporary superpowers or institutions (from global banks to capitals of commerce) as inheritors of Babylon’s spirit of materialism and empire.

Revelation 18:23

"for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived".

In a broader sense, the winged lion’s persistent presence in logos, architecture, and art serves as a reminder of how symbols transcend time. What began in Babylon as a proud emblem of kingship and divine mandate has been adopted and reinterpreted by successive ages. Whether guarding the gates of an ancient city, adorning a cathedral, or gracing a nation’s seal, the winged lion evokes authority, vigilance, and a connection to a storied past. And in religious thought, it continues to represent the arc of empire – from Babylon’s glory and fall, through the allegories of Scripture, to the cautionary tale that earthly powers, however lion-hearted, are fleeting. In the modern context, the winged lion stands as both a cultural artifact and a potent symbol: one that links today’s institutions back to the mythic grandeur of Babylon, and to the prophetic destiny that the name “Babylon” has come to signify in the human saga (BABYLON AND THE HARLOT | Precept Austin).

The Lion of Babylon statue in situ (early 20th-century photograph). This basalt sculpture (6th century BCE) depicts a lion trampling a man and was found in Babylon. It symbolized royal might and Ishtar’s ferocity – an icon of the Neo-Babylonian Empire

The Winged Lion: From Ishtar to St. Mark

The lion was sacred to Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven, and was prominently displayed throughout Babylon as a sign of divine authority, power, and war. The Ishtar Gate of Babylon, one of the most famous entrances to the ancient city, was covered in rows of lions, demonstrating Ishtar’s dominion over the empire. These lions represented strength, royal power, and divine protection, exactly how they are described when referring to St. Mark’s lion today.

The Roman Catholic Church, which has absorbed pagan traditions under the guise of Christianity, adopted this Babylonian imagery and rebranded it as Christian. The justification they provide is that the lion comes from the biblical visions of Ezekiel and Revelation, where four creatures surround God’s throne (Ezekiel 1:10, Revelation 4:7). However, this ignores the fact that these same four creatures were already present in ancient Mesopotamian religious iconography, proving that these symbols did not originate with Christianity but rather predate it by thousands of years.

The winged lion became associated with St. Mark primarily through Venetian influence. The Republic of Venice chose St. Mark as its patron saint, and because of his supposed bold and authoritative style in his Gospel, they assigned him the lion as his symbol. However, Venice was a major trading hub that interacted with the Middle East, meaning that Babylonian, Assyrian, and Persian influences were already deeply embedded in their culture. Rather than creating a "new" symbol, they simply borrowed the existing winged lion motif from the ancient world.

The same pattern of rebranding Babylonian symbols as Christian can be seen elsewhere:

Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven, became "Mary, Queen of Heaven".
The cross, originally the mark of Tammuz, was adopted as the Christian cross.
Sun worship was merged into "Christianity" by replacing the Sabbath with Sunday.

This method of pagan assimilation has allowed Babylon’s spiritual system to continue under different names, just as Revelation 17:5 warns of "Mystery Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots".

By claiming the winged lion represents St. Mark, they obscure the reality that this symbol belonged to Babylon first.

Matthew 24:24

"For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect."

The real question is: why would a symbol of Babylonian power and Ishtar, the Queen of Heaven, be used to represent a Christian saint? If St. Mark was truly separate from paganism, why does his symbol match the very imagery used by those who defied God in Babylon?

This deception serves a purpose—to continue the Babylonian system under a different name.

As Revelation 18:4 warns, "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins". The Roman Catholic Church, with its gold-adorned structures, statues, and symbols taken from Babylon, fulfills the very role of Mystery Babylon, keeping false worship alive under the banner of Christianity.

The lion of St. Mark is not Christian—it is Babylonian. It is the lion of Ishtar, recycled into a new narrative to hide its true origins. Yet, the truth remains evident "for those with eyes to see".

Daniel 2:43 – The Hybrid Kingdom and the Return of the Fallen Angels

The Book of Daniel 2:43 provides one of the most cryptic yet revealing prophecies concerning the end times:

"And whereas thou sawest iron mixed with miry clay, they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men: but they shall not cleave one to another, even as iron is not mixed with clay." (Daniel 2:43)

This passage speaks of a final kingdom that will be a mixture of two incompatible entities. The phrase "they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men" strongly suggests that "they" are not human. This aligns with the Genesis 6 account, where fallen angels, known as the sons of God (bene Elohim), corrupted humanity by mingling with human women and producing Nephilim hybrids. Just as in the days of Noah, when genetic corruption occurred, Daniel’s prophecy suggests a return of this same hybridization before the end times.

Who Are "They" in Daniel 2:43?

The phrase "they shall mingle themselves with the seed of men" raises a critical question: who are "they" if they are distinct from human beings?

"The seed of men" clearly refers to normal human beings.
"They shall mingle themselves" implies an external force attempting a genetic interaction with humanity.
"They shall not cleave" means this union is unnatural, unstable, and ultimately doomed to fail.

This strongly parallels Genesis 6, where fallen angels interbred with humans, creating the Nephilim giants, an event so corrupt that God sent the Flood to cleanse the Earth. If Daniel 2:43 is referring to a similar interference in the last days, then we are witnessing another attempt to alter human genetics, possibly through modern scientific and technological advancements.

Genesis 6:1-4 – The First Hybrid Corruption

Genesis describes how the sons of God (rebellious angels) took human wives, resulting in the birth of giants (Nephilim):

"The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.""There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown." (Genesis 6:2,4)

The term “sons of God” (bene Elohim) is used in the Book of Job (Job 1:6, Job 2:1) to refer exclusively to angels.
This passage reveals that fallen angels mingled with humanity, resulting in Nephilim hybrids—a direct genetic corruption of God’s creation.
The goal of this hybridization was to pollute human DNA and hijack God’s plan for the Messiah to be born through a pure human lineage.

The same hybridization and genetic tampering may be referenced in Daniel 2:43—but in a different form than before.

Jude describes the fallen angels who corrupted humanity in Genesis 6:

"And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day."

(Jude 1:6)

This means that certain fallen angels were imprisoned for their interference with human genetics. Yet, Jesus warns that the days of Noah will return before His second coming.

Jesus explicitly warned that the conditions of Noah’s time—which included the corruption of human DNA—would return before His Second Coming:

"But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."

(Matthew 24:37)

This implies that before the end times, there will be a resurgence of fallen angelic deception, genetic manipulation, and hybridization—exactly what Daniel 2:43 suggests.

What Does “Iron Mixed with Clay” Symbolize?

Iron = Strength, militarism, advanced fallen angel technology.
Clay = Humanity, weak and mortal (formed from the dust, Genesis 2:7).
Mixture = A forced union between fallen angels and humans.

Daniel’s prophecy describes a kingdom where iron and clay are combined—but do not fully merge. This suggests a genetic, spiritual, or technological hybridization between two different entities.

Daniel 2:43 suggests a last attempt to alter humanity—but this time, through different methods than in Genesis 6:

Genesis 6: Angels directly took human wives and produced hybrid offspring.
Daniel 2:43: A different kind of hybridization will take place—possibly through technological or spiritual means.
Revelation 13: The Antichrist’s kingdom will be empowered by Satan and fallen angels, just like in Noah’s time.

This hybrid empire will be a final attempt to corrupt God’s creation, but it will not fully succeed ("they shall not cleave").

Are We Seeing This Today?

Modern science is advancing in ways that could fulfill Daniel 2:43:

Transhumanism (merging human DNA with machines).
AI and cybernetics (creating human-machine hybrids).
Genetic modification (editing human DNA).
UFO and alien deception (which could be fallen angels posing as extraterrestrials).

If fallen angels once mingled with humanity in Genesis 6, could they be returning today through scientific and technological deception?

Daniel 2:44 – God Destroys the Hybrid Empire

"And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever."

This hybrid empire will be crushed by God’s kingdom.
No more Nephilim corruption or fallen angel deception.

Daniel 2:45 – The Stone Crushes the Beast System

"Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it brake in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure."

The “stone cut without hands” is Jesus Christ, who will return to crush this fallen angelic kingdom.
Revelation 19 confirms that Christ will defeat the Antichrist and Satan’s empire.

Are we witnessing the return of fallen angels in disguise OR did they never leave? Could this be the final deception before the Antichrist is revealed? The days of Noah are here again.

Oh, but of course the Roman Catholic Church abolished the Sabbath, prays to the Queen of Heaven, and calls a mere man "Holy Father"—because why follow God’s actual commandments when you can just rewrite them to fit your own agenda? Why keep the day God Himself sanctified when you can replace it with a pagan sun-worship day and call it "Christian"? Why worship the one true God when you can just pray to a Babylonian goddess rebranded as Mary? And why take Jesus at His word when He said, "Call no man your father upon the earth" (Matthew 23:9) when you can instead hand that title to a pope who declares himself infallible?

And let’s not forget the Vatican—dripping in gold, adorned with pagan obelisks, and flaunting wealth beyond comprehension. Because clearly, when Jesus said "Sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor" (Luke 18:22), He must have meant build the most extravagant empire on Earth instead!

Nothing suspicious about a so-called "church" that hoards gold, power, and political influence while preaching humility.

No deception here at all!

And of course, how could we overlook the horrifying reality that Catholic priests have been caught—over and over again—abusing children? Somehow, these "holy men" have spent decades, if not centuries, committing some of the most heinous crimes imaginable, only to be protected by their institution. Imagine if your local school teachers were exposed as child predators—would Catholic parents be so quick to turn a blind eye then? Would they shrug it off, move their kids to another classroom, and keep defending the school? But when it's the Vatican? Silence. Excuses. Cover-ups.

Yes, nothing suspicious here at all. Just the most "holy" institution on Earth!