Laying Out the Information

This topic may be introduced by the following Bible passage:

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she has made all nations drink of the wine of the wreath of her fornications." Revelation 14:8 [10]

Satan almost succeeded in having his way in the days of Noah when men's hearts imagined only "evil continually" [100], but the flood destroyed them all. And as we have seen above, Satan was making great progress at Babel through Noah's great grandson Nimrod, but God again frustrated his plans. Still, Satan used the false religion of Babel which has come to be called Paganism to conduct a great spiritual war against God's people Israel throughout the Old Testament period and very nearly succeeded in having his way time after time. Particularly when Nebuchadnezzar, a later king of Babylon took Judah and Israel captive. But God has always preserved a "remnant" to Himself in every age - a few faithful people who would live by faith in His Word. As Jesus told Satan in the wilderness of temptation-

"But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Matthew 4:4

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry." 2.Timothy 4:2-5

Some preachers expect their church goers never to read literature which challenges their teachings. God's Word says to compare what is preached with the Word and hold fast that which is found in its pages. We grow up either in Christ or sideways into false teachings. We are living in a time when Satan is busy sowing seeds in people's mind which leads to skepticism and infidelity. Error is taught so insidiously that faith of many is rapidly undermined. People come to church to have their faith built-up, but too often, instead it is undermined by the wind of all sorts of doctrines. Men and women have excellent gifts, great abilities, the best qualifications, but one sin, one defect, will proof to the character what the worm-eaten plank does to a ship - it leads to utter disaster and ruin.

Perhaps we begin to realize that it is good people, people of faith, who can be carried this way and that way by the winds of doctrines. If we remember again that there are two kinds of angels: unfallen and fallen angels.[114] The heavenly messengers. When we read God's Word, we listen to messengers. Depending on what we have cherished in our heart, our messengers will be sent to aid us (heavenly messengers), or they are sent to mislead us (demons). The spiritual world is a very real world! Each time we hear or read the Word, we are connected to either of these two sides but are rarely permitted to look behind the veil. Yet, we still make choices. The Spirit which we choose to accompany us is the one which will accompany us.

We may think of us that we are unbiased, rational, discerning, fair-minded, even-handed, wise people. But likely very few of these traits apply to us. We are fallen beings. We have fallen natures. Yet, we are worshipping beings. We are bent toward evil by nature. It is our inclination to play games in our thinking and hope for the best. Because the consequences seem to be deferred, we tend to walk right through the `mine-field' of sin, setting off explosions of which we are not even aware.

There is a reason why the pews are empty and the amusement houses are crowded. There is a reason why Christians do not abide by the pure principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here we expound on those reasons.

We shall first demonstrate how Satan works harder inside the church than on the outside. Our purpose will be to study the workings of Satan to produce the cleverest counterfeit of God's great system of truth ever known. It traces all the way back to the Garden of Eden, and has always divided the world into two mighty camps - true religion and false religion. Trusting God's Word and trusting men.

The Bible presents the situation this way:

But who is this woman? How has she fallen into the state of sin and adultery? Was it a physical fall or a moral fall?

Revelation chapter 8 teaches that a moral fall is described in that portion of scripture.

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." Rev. 14:8

"And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." Rev. 16:19.

That verse 19 explains that the city was divided up into three parts must mean that it was united before. What are the three parts? To see that clearly we must compare this, in fact the whole book of Revelation, with Old Testament scriptures, as we know that the Apostle John refers back to Old Testament scriptures over 1000 times in his last book.

The explanation of what the three parts are into which the city was divided we read, chapter 16, verse 13:

"And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet." Rev. 16:13.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

c) the characteristics of the false prophet in Rev. 16:14.

It is their intention to gather the anti-God forces together to battle against God.

The rise of the antichrist, for example, was possible because men believed in the monopoly of truth. But truth is independent of men, it is of God, Hebr. 1:3; Jh. 14:6. Therefore, since there is no man who has a monopoly of truth, so there are no places where we must go to find it. The believers in Antioch did not need to go to Jerusalem to learn the truth or to find out if what they had was the genuine article. The fact that truth was first preached in a certain place does not prove that it can be found only there. In fact, the last places in the world you want to go with an expectation of finding or learning truth are the cities where the gospel was first taught in the first century after Christ. Cities like Jerusalem, Antioch, Rome, or Alexandria. - This is how the papacy arose in part. It was assumed that the places where the apostles, or some of them, had preached must have the truth in its purity and that all men must take it from there. It was also assumed that the people of a city must know more of it than the people in the country or in a village. So, from all bishops being on an equality as at the beginning, it soon came about that the "country bishops" were rated as secondary to those officiating in the cities. When that spirit took hold, the next step was necessarily a strife among the city bishops to see which one should be the greatest; and the unholy struggle went on until Rome gained the coveted place of power.

Since the Book of Revelation is grounded in Old Testament themes we may ask, Do we find there such a combination of three forces working against God? Actually we find two examples, one in the Old Testament and the other in the New.

Please read for yourself in 1 Kings 22. We find three key personalities in this chapter working against God.

1. King Ahab,
2. Queen Jezebel
3. the prophets of Baal

It was the 2nd, Queen Jezebel, who did not shrink back to kill the people faithful to God and destroy their altars.

The second story we find in Mark 6. Again, do we have here a king, a queen and a third person, the daughter, who oppose and kill John the Baptist, the forunner of Jesus Himself.

In this case too, it was the queen (Herodias), who was the more dangerous of the three.

"Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness: yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine." Ez. 16:8.

"And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God. But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was." Verse 14.

abominations
the life of a harlot and in
fornication

"Thou hast played the whore also with the Assyrians, because thou wast unsatiable; yea, thou hast played the harlot with them, and yet couldest not be satisfied. Thou hast moreover multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea; and yet thou wast not satisfied herewith. Ez. 16:28-29.

"Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord." Jeremiah 31:32.

"That they have committed adultery, and blood is in their hands, and with their idols have they committed adultery, and have also caused their sons, whom they bare unto me, to pass for them through the fire, to devour them. Moreover this they have done unto me: they have defiled my sanctuary in the same day, and have profaned my sabbaths." Ez. 23:37-38.

"Thou art thy mother's daughter, that loatheth her husband and her children; and thou art the sister of thy sisters, which loathed their husbands and their children: your mother was an Hittite, and your father an Amorite." Ez. 16:45.

"And I will judge thee, as women that break wedlock and shed blood are judged ..." Ez. 16:38a.

"... and I will give thee blood in fury and jealousy. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare." Ez. 16:38b-39

The same situation exists today.

We find God's New Testament bride described this way.

"And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." Rev. 12:1.

"Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it." Ephesians 5:25.

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people,
Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:6-7.

This angel's message is known as the First Angel's Message and it teaches the following:

We find the following description:

"And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication." Rev. 17:1-2.

What does she do?

She commits the same sins Israel committed, she fornicates. She is involved in politics and has similar ideologies and practices as old Israel had. She is the mother of harlots, that means she is married and has daughters - that is, she has daughter churches, who are like their mother in key aspects.

Who are we talking about?

Could this be the Muslims? The Hindus or Buddhists?

No! Not at all.

The woman that apostatized in OT times was a nation. The woman which apostatized in NT times is a church.

She is decked like Israel was in gold and jewelry - and she is like Israel was found to be filled with sin.

Her followers will not be ready when Christ comes because the devil doesn't sleep.

She experienced a drastic change from the woman on the moon (Rev.12:1-6) to a harlot.

These images represent two gigantic, competing religious powers -- one God's true church and the other a system of error.

Everyone of us, yes of all human beings, must eventually and finally belong to one side or the other. We will follow either God's system and obey His commandments, or follow a false system, and keep the commandments of men. [130]

We find in the Bible several identifying points to help us understand the meaning of the symbol of the fallen, scarlet woman.

First, we want to find out who the beast symbolizes upon whom the woman rides. This beast has two characteristics which are explained quite clearly.

"And here is the mind which has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth." Rev. 17:9

"And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet." Rev. 17:12

So we see clearly that the beast symbolized the old Pagan Roman Empire [200]. In Revelation 12:3, the same power is represented by a dragon with seven heads, and ten horns who tried to put Jesus to death when He was born -- an obvious reference to Herod, the Roman puppet king, and underling of Caesar.

The reason why the Bible has so much to say about ancient Rome and its influence throughout the ages since, is because that power was used so mightily by the devil to destroy God's truth. Not only did Rome try to kill Jesus when he was born, but it was the Roman tribunal by the name of Pilate who sentenced Jesus to be crucified and Roman soldiers nailed Him to the cross.

Later, the same nation, through its pagan emperors, killed hundreds of thousands and millions of Christians who held to the faith of the Apostles. The early Christians suffered terribly but the devil could not stamp out the truth, even through the cruelty of Pagan Rome persecution.

In fact persecution brought more people to seek Jesus Christ. The witness of every martyr through death became the cause for new converts to the Christian faith [250]. Since Pagan Rome failed to destroy the gospel of Jesus Christ, the devil must try a new scheme. What he could not accomplish by force, he would try to do by strategy. He would join the church.

Corrupting the Church of the Apostles caused it to unite with paganism resulting in the corruption of the truth, introducing errors and confusion. He would do this by causing the leader of his own church, Emperor Constantine, profess to have become a Christian.

We read:

"Now since Mithras was `The Sun, the unconquered,' and the Sun was the `Royal Star,' the religion looked for a King whom it could serve as the representative of Mithras upon earth. ... The Roman Emperor seemed to be clearly indicated as the true King. In sharp contrast to Christianity, Mithraism recognized Caesar as the bearer of the divine Grace, and its votaries filled the legions and civil service. ... It had so much acceptance that it was able to impose on the Christian world its own Sun-Day in place of the Sabbath, its Sun's birthday, twenty-fifth of December, as the birthday of Jesus." [300]

For the Jews, their `stumbling stone' was a system of self-salvation via works. They preferred that system to Christ. Paul shows in Romans 9:33 that in giving His Son to save them, God laid down a stone of stumbling. "Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offense: and whosoever believeth on Him shall be ashamed." If their mistake was a commitment to saving themselves by their own works, the predominant error today is seeking a salvation that has no boundaries, a wide road to heaven. But Christ cannot be found on a wide road. Jesus will take us where we have never been before. We are going to see how worldliness crept into our lives, and how the standards we have been called to uphold are there to protect us, not squeeze us in.

But the real stumblingstone is Jesus Christ. People reject truth because their commitment to it is only superficial. They have other motives for being at church. They may want their children to know that God is part of their cultural heritage; and they want them to receive moral and ethical education - keep them from substances of abuse. For them going to church and even making modest contributions for its support is part of their life style. But behind it all, truth may not be welcome to them. And so the process begins; people begin to modify faith and round up the corners. The requirements of following God are quietly explained away as some defect in a group of believers heritage. They claim to be more mature, to have grown past the `closed minds' of the obedience preachers. They claim to have a more enlightened faith. And so their attitude changes. Those who say, `Thus saith the Lord' are seen as too narrow and straight-laced. While prosperity may increase for those who have a profession of faith, difficult times shall purge the church. The greatest method for advances of the Church of Jesus has always been adversity's trimming and pruning. It is for us to remove all those things which separate us from Christ. Study His Word daily, pray and set our course toward His Land. Instead of just seeing difficulties we look beyond and understand the solemn time in history in which we live.

Taking a closer Look at the Woman on the Beast

As we read that the scarlet woman first of all is riding a beast which scripture identified as Pagan Rome, she represents a church. Simple review of Roman history makes it plain that one church became the mistress in Rome. She, like the emperors, used the armies of Rome to destroy her enemies and was given power and authority by the emperors who donated their capital city by 538 A.D. as the seat of their head elders, the popes. It was in this year that Emperor Justinian proclaimed the pope to be "the head of the world."

The second identifying mark is described as follows,

"And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." Rev. 17:6.

"And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth." Rev. 17:5.

Babylon means "confusion," and that is what the mingling of Babylonian sun worship and Christianity has become. Passing from Babylon to Medo-Persia to Greece to Rome, the doctrines of paganism were finally absorbed by the woman, whose clerical leaders reside in Rome, from the beast she was riding, Pagan Rome.

And we look a little closer at this woman and we look inside the cup she is holding high, what do we find? The cup is filled with "abominations and filthiness of her forniaction."

How can a church commit fornication and adultery? So we remember the church is the bride. She is "betrothed," or as we say, "engaged" to Christ the bridegroom. However she will not be married until the time of the Second Coming of Christ. But when this bride allows her love to become divided and turns from loyalty to her husband's loving fellowship and rejects His principles of righteousness and instead, accepts the love and permissive ways of another, she commits fornication or adultery. She becomes a harlot. She does not keep herself pure.

The Apostle James describes individual Christians who become involved in these very acts of disloyalty.

"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4.

The text says that the adulteries are contained in the golden cup. That means false doctrines, contrary to what Christ taught, are in the cup: because unscriptural, man-made, devil-inspired teachings and laws constitute those adulteries.

Bowing before images, confessing sin to men for forgiveness, the head of the church sitting upon a throne intended to show himself as God, traditions instead of Bible teachings, are part of the contents of the cup.

The Most Important Message of the Book of Revelation

This presentation tries to make it plain, based on the Bible, that, what we believe about God, Christian doctrines, do matter. Any church which holds on to false doctrines or unbiblical teachings, unsupportable by the Bible, falls immediately into the family of Babylon.

Revelations most important message is this:

"And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven having great power; and the earth was lighted with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon, the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornications, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:1-4

God's people are scattered in the sphere of influence of all churches. God says, "Come out" when falsehood is being presented - when the thought leaders of those churches are "drunk" with the wine of false doctrines, when they revel in the limelight of their short lived popularity and popular recognition. Modernism, ecumenism, and evolution are riddling many Christian churches today, and those who do not agree with it are wondering what to do. God settles it for them. He says, "Come out." A believer cannot support truth and error at the same time. You cannot honestly subscribe to a doctrine you do not believe in.

The only way we can love Jesus personally is to love His truth. He is "the Truth", John 14:6. The way we relate to truth is the way we relate to Jesus who is the truth.

Someone may say,

What difference does it make if I don't know what Babylon is, just as long as I love Jesus?

The answer is this,

If you love Jesus, you will want to do what He asks you to do. The call to "Come out" is a call from heaven. It is not from us. Jesus is leading all those who follow the voice of His Word:

"And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd ... But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me." John 10:16,26,27

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1.John 1:7

God's People Inside these Religious Systems

Many, many people born among those within the realm of this religious system are innocent of the deeds of those in power. They were never asked if they wanted to belong to it, they were just baptized before they could decide for themselves and added to the ranks - and that is why it is a system; systematic addition of followers who could not consciously cast their vote. Later on, looking at all their family, friends and giant edifices, they would just assume that they are part of the truth of God. But the Apostle John relates to us the command of God given to those who are part of this giant Babylonian system.

We read,

"Come out of her, my people." Rev. 18:4.

God calls His people out because ...

1. There is only one body of Christ, because false doctrines represent sin, a false Christ
   
2. There is an insurgent program being hatched against all of God's people.
   
3. He wants His people to show forth His praises, His virtues.
   
4. Separation is of God. We cannot start it or stop it.

That is why it is so hard to move people to accept God's call for He gives it before people see and feel those plagues. But if we wait for that, it will be too late, therefore this warning message. God is telling us that no one can support truth and error at the same time. You cannot honestly subscribe to a doctrine you do not believe.

That reminds me of school friends who belonged to these systems and occasionally stated, that they do not really believe what is being taught.

Nevertheless, this call to come out is a serious and a shocking call - but it is God's call, not ours. We are just going over these scriptures and show to you what they say. We are the messengers, you are the receivers.

So we reflect once more and realize how millions have been unknowingly following the commandments of men. It was not their fault that they ended up believing wrong doctrines. God says that His people are in Babylon, which stands for confusion. But after reading these lines you are no longer in the dark. Now you can respond to the call to "Come out" (2.Cor. 6:17,18; Rev. 18:4). However, if you do not, you will be at fault and charged with personal responsibility for loving and supporting error.

God calls us to forsake the errors which are part of Babylon, and lay hold of the truth and praise God that He has given us help before it is too late so everyone who responds to God's invitation by deciding to follow His call, can adopt this scripture which says,

"But if we walk in the light, as he [Jesus] is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." 1.John 1:7.

What Is Finally Ahead For God's People?

What is the goal of Bible based faith? The Apostle Paul says it this way,

"But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." 2.Cor. 2:9.

"Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." 2.Peter 3:13.

"And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea." Revelation 21:1.

So we turn to the Bible to read some of its observations and how it may show God's wonderful, unfolding plan for His people.

"The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose." Isaiah 35:1.

"By faith Abraham . . . looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." Hebrews 11:8,10.

"And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God." Rev. 21:2,3.

"And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. . . . And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. . . . And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass." Rev. 21:14, 16, 21.

How large is this city? What are its dimensions so we can visualize it?

How long are 12,000 furlongs? [600]

Thus we use 1500 miles, which would correspond to the distance between San Francisco and Denver from the west to the east and Los Angeles to Seattle from north to south.

This city would be truly a giant city, something like 2,250,000 square miles in size.

And such a city, the Bible says, shall be prepared in heaven by God and descend from heaven to become the new citadel of God, the center of His government, and the home town of God's people whom He loves and of which there will be room for millions and billions of people.

In fact, it will be the talk of all the universe, for we read,

"For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." Philippians 3:20,21.

"And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity." Isaiah 33:24.

"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert." Isa. 35:5,6.

While we can hardly fathom all of this, we can believe it.

Check this out,

"And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." Rev. 21:4.

"They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Isa. 11:9.

"For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. . . . And they shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands." Isa. 65:17, 21,22.

Jesus promises us this,

"And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 8:11.

Oh, Moses, I have so many questions, can you take some time and tell me all about it?

`Sure,' Moses will say, `we got plenty of time now for each other.'

Sometime later you see this other man and you go up and say, `Hello, who are you?'

And the answer comes back, `I am Paul and who are you?'

And you start talking and talking and finally you say, `Wow, Paul, I always wanted to know how it was when you preached in those many cities back there in 55 AD.'

And Paul will say, `Never mind that. I want to know how you were able to pass through those times just before Jesus came to take us all home. - And so you talk and talk.

Who would want to miss such and other situations?

None need to. We all can have such a life to its fullest just ahead of us. It is not just a dream, but a true promise of God.

"And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord." Isa. 66:23.

"And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads." Rev. 22:4.