Babylon

Go To Laodicea

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:3-5)

What Babylon is.

Babylon represents the efforts of people to build the Kingdom of God by their own wisdom and strength. The first Babylon was an attempt to reach into the heavens by human wisdom and strength.

And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth. (Genesis 11:4)

The people wanted to make a name for themselves, and to band together in unity. Their purpose was to make themselves strong so they could accomplish their personal desires, not so they could please or worship God. God knows that when people band together to accomplish things in their own strength they forget God, and so He brought confusion into their midst. God always will do this.

Every denomination, every religious organization, every Christian work, has in mind to band together in order to accomplish what it believes to be God's purposes. When we see the Glory of the Lord, our instinct is to do something, to build three tabernacles—or anything else!—not knowing what we are doing. But God desires that we "keep our hands off the Ark", that is, that we allow Him to build His own Kingdom.

For two thousand years people have attempted to do Christian works, to work "for God." However, it appears that almost all Christian endeavor has been performed in ignorance of God's specific will. This is why we have many denominations and works of various kinds that hold different beliefs and compete with one another. The Christian organizations of today, in many instances, are a part of Babylon the Great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.

At first thought it might appear that the description of Babylon in Revelation, Chapters 17 and 18 is too harsh to represent the efforts of well-intentioned people to do God's work. The truth is, the established denominations, particularly the Roman Catholic organization, have murdered thousands—perhaps millions—of true Christians during the Christian Era.

To attempt to build a spiritual kingdom by our own strength, to try to be like God, is close to the heart of Satan. This is why there is so much envy and hatred in religious circles. This is why the Pharisees murdered the Lord Jesus. Spiritual envy is a deadly sin.

After the death of the Apostles of the Lamb.

The Apostles of the Lamb, including the Apostle Paul, lived and moved under an unprecedented anointing. They represented in themselves the fullness of the work of redemption. No other believer dared to join himself to them. They were a dispensation to the Christian Church.

After they died, less-inspired men took over their work and office, as God knew they would. No doubt many of the Church fathers were devout, godly men. Perhaps some of them knew the will of God.

It cannot be denied, however, that many of the early builders were spiritually blind. They guessed at God's will and proceeded to build organizations of believers. There was, and continues to be, much hatred and strife as the various organizations fight one another.

A survey of the history of the Christian religion gives the impression of babylonish confusion of doctrine and practice. In addition, there has been much torture and murder as one group attempted to force another group to conform to its beliefs. In many instances the Christians have not been one in the Father and the Son nor have they loved one another. (There have been notable exceptions.)

Knowing God's will.

The difference between Babylon and the true saint is simply that the true saint knows God's will and is performing it.

Notice carefully the following passage: God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; (Hebrews 1:1,2)

True Judaism and true Christianity have never been characterized by men working for God but by God speaking to men. It is true that whoever seeks God with a sincere heart will find Him. But when we find Him, then we are to search for His will each day, proving His will by presenting our body a living sacrifice.

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:1,2) There is no shortcut to finding God's will. We have to work it out by years of cross-carrying obedience, patiently seeking the Lord each day of our pilgrimage.

The Scriptures are clear concerning God's foreknowledge, concerning predestination, concerning the fact that it is Christ alone who builds His Church.

Jesus loved us before we loved Him. He accomplished His perfect work of atonement on the cross of Calvary before we were aware that we are sinners. God chose His elect before the creation of the world, and then revealed His salvation to them at some point after their physical birth.

We did not choose Him, He chose us.

Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. (John 15:16) The believers know that such statements are in the Scriptures. They realize that God reached down and touched us before we were aware of our need of Him. However, since the first century, men have set out to do God's work without a certain knowledge of God's goal, means, or timing. We humans find it almost impossible to believe that what God has started He will finish, and that our sole task is to determine His specific will.

Moses is a good example of what it means to know God's will. Whatever the Lord told Moses to do, that is what Moses did. It is true that every Christian does not receive a direct revelation of God's will in the same manner as Moses. It is true also that God has taught us through the Scriptures His attitude toward man, the standards of conduct He requires, and our need to be in the image of Christ and to be one with Him. We are to study the Scriptures and, by the help of the Holy Spirit, do what they say.

In the case of numerous energetic people however, they are not content to live a godly life before the Lord. They are ready to set out to spread their faith. They may pray and ask God to guide them, to assist their efforts; but then they proceed before they hear from the Lord. They are so desirous of doing what is on their heart (and it may indeed be the Lord who has given them the desire!) that they go forth before the time is ripe.

God's way is to give us a desire for something, a ministry perhaps, or a particular circumstance, relationship, or blessing. He may visit us in a dream, or vision, or a sudden clarifying of our thoughts. However, we have no way of understanding the exact nature of the fulfillment of the promise or when or where it will be fulfilled.

The actual fulfillment of the word of God to us may be close at hand, or many years in the future as was true of Abraham. The mistake of Babylon is to seize the promise, guess at how it is to be fulfilled, and proceed to force people and circumstances until the vision is fulfilled according to the guesswork of the ambitious individual. This is how the Christian organizations have operated during the two thousand years of Christian Church history.

The true saint soon learns he never is to put forth his hand and help God along. Since he does not know what the actual fulfillment will be (for example, he doesn't know whether God has spoken literally or symbolically), or when or where the fulfillment will take place, he will only create confusion if he attempts to bring God's will to pass.

The character of the saint is formed in the interval between the giving of the vision and its fulfillment. Either he waits for God, patiently bearing his cross and following Jesus while various desires burn in him, or else he is deceived into going forth in his own strength and brings forth an "Ishmael."

Who is among you that feareth the Lord, that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves about with sparks: walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand; ye shall lie down in sorrow. (Isaiah 50:10,11)

The story of Uzzah is the Lord's warning to us to keep our hands off the Glory of the Lord, to allow the Lord to establish His own Kingdom.

The Ark was returning to Jerusalem on a new cart, which typifies the strength and wisdom of men in doing the work of the Kingdom. According to the Law, the Ark was to be carried on the shoulders of the Levites, not on a cart. Because the Ark was on a cart and not on the shoulders of men, it came to a place where it was in danger of falling to the ground.

And when they came to Nachon's threshingfloor, Uzzah put forth his hand to the ark of God, and took hold of it; for the oxen shook it. (II Samuel 6:6)

One would think that the Lord would appreciate the diligence of Uzzah in seeking to prevent harm to the Ark. Surely Uzzah's intentions were good. But good intentions are not sufficient in the work of the Kingdom of God. Uzzah was struck dead for touching the Glory of the Lord.

And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for his error; and there he died by the ark of God. (II Samuel 6:7)

The error of Uzzah was presumption.

Entering the rest of God.

If we are to enter the rest of God, and thus escape from the self-will of Babylon, we must accept the fact that God knows precisely what He is doing, that His works have been finished from the foundation of the world all the way through to the new Jerusalem.

Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. (Hebrews 4:1)

For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. (Hebrews 4:3)

God made everything in six days and then rested on the seventh. The animal realm of Adam and Eve was but a prototype of what is in the mind of God. The Divine fiat, that man be in the image of God, male and female, be fruitful, and have dominion over all things, can be realized only in Christ.

When God finished His work, every detail of the new Jerusalem had been completed in His timeless vision. Every person is encouraged to enter that rest, that completed work.

We are not to seek ways to save ourselves, to create our own paradise, to accomplish our own destiny. Rather we are to enter the perfect work of God and allow Him to bring us to the place prepared for us from the creation of the world. It is difficult for us to merely allow the Lord to have His way. Our personal desires, the lusts of our flesh, the counsel of the world, fear, the feeling that we ought to be doing something, false teaching—all combine to remove us from God's rest.

The diligent saint finally comes to the realization that he knows nothing at all. His task is to lean not to his own understanding but to acknowledge the Lord in all that he thinks, all that he says, all that he does. Babylon comes into being whenever we take matters into our own hands and go forth to do God's work without knowing what we are to do or when or where we are to do it.

Spiritual ambition.

Satan is ambitious. He wants to be like God in every way but not to be part of God. He desires to be an individual who is like God but who maintains his own will.

Satan aspires to the majesty of God, to His authority, His power. He wants to have the worship of all of God's creatures. He also seeks the virtues of love, joy, and peace; and this is why we hear the humanists and other worldly people speak so much of love, joy, and peace.

When man disobeyed God, the spirit of Satan entered him. As a result, man desires to be like God in every way but not be a part of God. Because of the spirit of Satan that is in him, man seeks to be an individual who is like God but who maintains his own will.

Religious man aspires to the majesty of God, to His authority, His power. He wants to have the worship of all of God's creatures. He seeks the virtues of love, joy, and peace, but on his own terms. He is not always ready to surrender his individuality in order to be one with God through Christ.

He desires to be free from the Law of Moses but not married to Christ.

For two thousand years religious man has been active in Christian works of various kinds. Satan's spirit of envy and murder, which often dwells in the leaders of Judaism and Christianity, have been revealed on numerous occasions. Babylon is the "mother" of abominations of the earth.

How many religious leaders actually know God's will? How many are plowing ahead, working as hard as they can, but not receiving clear direction from the Lord? How many think they are hearing from the Lord but are in deception?

Waiting on the Lord for direction should be the most important subject in the curriculum of every institution that trains ministers of the Gospel. But how many of such institutions emphasize numerous methods for spiritual success, yet give minimal attention to the necessity for coming to God for clear direction?

Babylon teaches that we should study the Scriptures and from them build the Kingdom of God. The Spirit of God teaches us that we should look to God always and not trust our own judgment. As the Spirit leads us He emphasizes appropriate passages of the Scriptures. The sons of God are led by the Spirit.

The inability of Christian organizations to follow the Lord.

Any person who is doing the Lord's will, resting in Him, is ready at any time to go, to return, to cease the work altogether and turn in a different direction.

We are not referring to the believer who is weak, impressionable, double-minded, unable to pursue an objective to its conclusion. We are not speaking of people who begin projects and then become bored and try something else, saying "the Lord told me to do this and the Lord told me to do that." Such people never can bear fruit, because they do not work at an undertaking long enough to bring it to a successful conclusion, or remain in one situation long enough for their roots to go down into God.

When we speak of moving with the Lord, of being one of God's chariots that move at the whisper of God's command, we are not indicating a light, frivolous believer who cannot be depended on to bring any fruit to perfection. Rather, we are emphasizing the absolute need to follow the Lord closely, not assuming that God is commanding today the same thing He commanded yesterday.

One sign that we are not watching the Lord closely enough is that we find it necessary to plead for money. The individual who is performing the Lord's will does not have to beg for money. God pays for what He orders. It is the person who is working in his own wisdom and strength who must beg for money to help him do what he believes to be God's will.

It is difficult for an organization, particularly a denomination, to keep moving with the movings of the Lord, to be God's chariot. A denomination organizes, in the first place, for the same reason the builders of the Tower of Babel organized—to build a city and a tower whose top may reach to the heavens, and to make a name, so the people will not be scattered abroad over the face of the earth.

At the beginning, a denomination is formed in order to organize and coordinate the efforts of a group of people in order to accomplish what they believe to be God's work, and so they may all teach the same doctrine. It is not long, however, before the organization exists for its own sake; and its efforts thereafter are directed at strengthening and enlarging itself.

Perhaps it was God's will for a particular group to organize in the first place. But once the denomination has been formed it is impossible to dismantle it. The assumption of the members is that it is God's will for the denomination to continue forever in the same work, holding the same doctrine.

It is not unlikely that soon after the denomination has been formed, God desires that it either cease to exist (because its work has been completed) or that it accept new doctrines and experiences that the Holy Spirit is bringing forth as He moves the Church toward the restoration of all that was given in the first century.

The denomination begins with one gifted person or a small band of holy radicals. Soon there is considerable financial involvement. People are hired who were not part of the original vision. Costly edifices are constructed. Seminaries are established.

The office of president of the denomination becomes attractive because of the prestige and salary. Ambitious men with administrative skill make their way to the top and then proceed to move the denomination as one would a business, using the latest techniques of advertising and merchandising. The original emphases on prayer and holiness fall by the way.

The idea of dismantling the organization appears ridiculous. Many people would lose their jobs. Yet, the Lord had removed Himself from the organization many years previously. Ornate structures remain that actually are receptacles for sacred relics. It appears that there is no exception to this.

Some spiritual life may remain in the organization and good works may be being accomplished. The Bride of the Lamb remains in Babylon to the present hour. There are godly people who love the Lord in the Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal, and other institutions. But the denominations themselves will never be able to move with the current Presence of the Holy Spirit. Almost the moment the denomination is formed, "Ichabod" (the Glory has departed) is written on it in letters of fire.

The Christian religious systems are involved in the world.

The Christian religious systems have been and still are involved in the economic and political activities of the world. Much is said in Revelation, Chapter 18 about the grief of the merchants when the secular governments finally turn against organized Christianity and destroy it from the large cities of the earth.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16)

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning, (Revelation 18:9)

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: (Revelation 18:11)

Many of the large retail establishments of the world would collapse today if the Christian population refused to honor the pagan celebrations known as Christmas and Easter and did not buy material goods to give to one another.

The expression "And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her" (above) reminds one that there will be a convergence of the spiritual and natural realms as we approach the Day of Judgment, the Day of the Lord. In that hour, the spiritual and the natural realms will be one, making it possible for all the kings of history to see the execution of God's vengeance on the Christian religious systems that had represented themselves as the vicars of Christ.

The interaction between the Catholic Church and the nations of Europe is well known to historians. The kings and popes played politics with one another under the impression (held by the Catholic leadership) that the Catholic Church actually represented the Lord Jesus.

The murder, the immorality, the thievery, the covetousness, the politics that occur as the religious leaders and the heads of government vie with one another for control of people, have no place in the Lord Jesus. His Kingdom is not of this world. Yet the Catholic Church and other large Christian organizations continue to this day to play the role of the representative of Christ in the earth. This truly is an abomination. There have been, and yet are, members of the Catholic Church who are true Christians. But the institution itself along with the other Christian institutions does not know the Lord and has no part in the Lord. It all is Babylon—the mother of prostitutes and abominations of the earth.

Babylon is a prostitute.

A prostitute is one who refuses to be faithful to a husband, preferring to sell her beauty and graces to whoever will pay for them.

Whenever the Christian religious systems reach out to attract the world, either to gain members or to acquire some other kind of profit for themselves, the Spirit of God leaves them. The cry of the churches to "go out and save souls" often is not coming from the Spirit of God but from the desire of the institutions to be successful. They compass land and sea, as Jesus said, to make one proselyte, and then make the proselyte twofold more the child of Hell that the institutions are. God has given gifts of grace to His Bride, and the beauty of holiness. None of these are to be used apart from the Presence of the Lord. They are only to be employed under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit.

The world has nothing of value to offer and it is spiritually blind. It is willing to come to the churches when they have something it perceives to be of benefit to itself—such as Christmas shopping season.

Christians who love the Lord have been instrumental in numerous works of social value, such as the education of children, prison and hospital reform, and the abolition of slavery. But it remains true that the churches are to remain separate from the world—holy in the Presence of God's holiness.

We are to assist the widows and orphans while keeping ourselves unspotted by the world. God has not charged the churches to "save souls." Rather, the responsibility of the churches is to practice and teach righteousness of behavior and holiness of personality. When the churches do this, the Lord will raise up evangelists and others who are able to bring the Word of Life to sinners.

The pressure to "save souls" proceeds, more often than not, from the personal ambition of the religious leaders. A church of many people brings money and status to the leadership. The emphasis of the Epistles to the churches is not on going forth and saving souls nor is it on building assemblies of numerous people. Rather, the emphasis is on righteousness, in view of the coming of the Lord in His Kingdom. One has only to read the Epistles of the Apostles to see that this is so.

The Christian Church is to be the prophet of God among men. As such its gatherings are to be holy convocations in which God is worshiped and the mysteries of the faith are practiced. The Christian assembly is not for the purpose of attracting members of the community nor is it for the purpose of healing the ills of the local community.

When the assembly of Christians keeps itself separate and holy before the Lord, the needs of the local community will be met by one means or another. But when the churches compromise the worship of the Lord in order to make themselves understandable and attractive to the community, then neither God nor the community will be served. The babylonish Christian systems are prostitutes. They take of the spiritual graces that have been given to them by the Lord God and attempt to use His Glory for their own ends.

Babylon says, "I am a queen."

How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. (Revelation 18:7) She claims to be no "widow," but she is a widow. The Lord is not her husband.

She claims to be a queen. But the Lord will have no queen. His wife is His body, His glory, not His queen. Queens are separate individuals. They sharewith their husbands in the majesty of their kingdom and sometimes compete with them for power.

The true Bride of the Lamb is an eternally indivisible, integral part of the Person of Christ. She is not separate from Him. She does not compete with Him. How could she? She has been formed from His Substance and lives by His Life. Babylon, the religious systems, will never understand the oneness of Christ and His Wife. They believe themselves to be queens, to be married to the Lord. They make sure that they live in sensuous pleasure and believe they cannot be harmed. But their destruction shall come in one hour and they shall not be seen again in God's creation.

Babylon is a prostitute by nature, ready to sell herself in order to gain the approval of the world. She does not keep herself for a husband nor could his heart safely trust in her. She is a proud, imperious woman who calls herself by the name of the Lord but who chooses to wear her own clothes and eat her own bread.

And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4:1)

The "seven women" are the denominations of our day, and the "one man" is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Babylon is a murderer.

Satan wants to be like God in every way but God has chosen Jesus to receive the fullness of the inheritance. Therefore Satan is filled with envy and murder, and does everything in his power to destroy everyone who loves and serves Jesus.

We behold Satan in the religious leaders of Israel. They were filled with satanic envy and therefore sought to murder the Lord's Anointed.

Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; (Matthew 26:59)

But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. (Matthew 27:20)

For he [Pilate] knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy. (Mark 15:10) This is a clear picture of Babylon in action. The leaders of the religious system were filled with murderous rage against the innocent Jesus, the Lamb of God.

One of the most amazing facts of history is that devout men, learned in the Law, zealously serving God to the best of their ability, would be so deceived as to murder God's Christ.

We all should take heed to this example. Whenever we aspire to religious prominence or power, Satan is not far away. Christian leaders throughout history have tortured and killed many hundreds of thousands of innocent followers of Jesus. Yet, just as was true of the chief priests and elders, they thought they were serving the God of Heaven.

We say we would never do such a thing. How do we know? The Scriptures warn us clearly concerning Babylon. We are to come out of Babylon, as the Lord leads us, and serve the Lord in a personal way, not just as part of a Christian system. We are to seek the Lord daily, remembering that Satan is intent on deceiving us.

This does not mean we cannot attend a denominational church or participate in the activities of the denomination. But we must always keep in mind that we are married to Jesus, not to an organization.

The day will come, according to the Scripture, when God will call His true people out of Babylon. When that hour arrives we must be ready to leave without glancing back even one time. We shall leave many friends behind, because they are married to the system, not to the Lord.

Whoever is seeking power and prestige in a Christian denomination is in danger of being deceived by Satan. He may think he wants a position of prominence because of the good he can do. It is highly unlikely that this is his true motive. He is deceiving himself. He, like Satan, is aspiring to be "like God."

The "high hills" of religious aspiration "leap" in their pursuit of honor and preeminence. But God has chosen Zion.

Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the Lord will dwell in it for ever. (Psalms 68:16)

Korah, Dathan, and Abiram were filled with satanic envy. They desired to receive the honor being given to Moses and Aaron. They brought themselves, their families, and their followers, to destruction.

They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation. (Numbers 16:33)

After this, God showed by the miracle of Aaron's rod that He had chosen Aaron. Aaron was no better a person than any other member of Israel. The difference was, God had chosen him. The blossoming of Aaron's rod signified the choosing of Aaron and symbolized the creation and maintenance of the royal priesthood of God by the power of resurrection life.

True Judaism and true Christianity, which constitute the only God-given plan of redemption, were instituted and operate according to the plan that God made before the heavens and the earth were created. Whenever ambitious man, following the lead of Satan, decides to acquire prominence in the Judaic or Christian realm, he exposes himself to the danger of becoming part of Babylon or of the False Prophet.

The high hills leap in vain, because the true Divine salvation works in terms of God's choices. He who would seize spiritual preeminence soon comes into conflict with those whom God has chosen for preeminence. Then the ambitious individual is filled with rage and seeks to destroy God's anointed servant.

Whenever the Holy Spirit brings the churches forward in the plan of restoration, the leaders of the established denominations are filled with satanic rage. In spite of the obvious fruit of the Pentecostal revival, there still are denominational leaders who cry, "Speaking in tongues is of the devil." Thus they blaspheme the Holy Spirit of God and are in danger of eternal condemnation.

But God is merciful. Why do they rage against something that is not hurting them? It is because they are filled with satanic envy. They are enraged because God has not revealed Himself in the same manner to them. "How could God dare to bypass the leadership of our denomination? How could other people be blessed spiritually in a manner not true of us? Why won't these individuals submit themselves to our Board of Inquiry?"

Babylon is so wicked in the sight of God that it is destined to become a prison of unclean spirits. 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. (Revelation 18:2)

The serpent in the garden was made to go on his belly and condemned to eat dust all the days of his life, meaning that God has given him an insatiable desire for human flesh. So it is true that every unclean spirit, every unclean and hateful bird, will be imprisoned in the Christian religious systems. These wicked spirits will be bound in the system and prevented from escaping. They have vented their lusts on the innocent who sought to worship God; now they are imprisoned in the system and cannot depart.

Over the years the religious systems, particularly the Catholic Church, have tortured and murdered the Lord's elect. In the last days the Catholic Church will probably be part of a huge Christian organization located at the site of ancient Babylon, along with all other groups that have become part of the worldwide Babylon. This tremendous conglomerate will finally be destroyed as a political-financial power.

Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. (Revelation 18:20,21)

The Book of Revelation, though brief, is of extraordinary importance. Everything mentioned in this vision is highly significant. The number of verses allotted to the fall of Babylon, the destruction of the works of ambitious religious men, is an indication of how seriously God views the well-intentioned but misguided efforts of people to build the Kingdom of God by their own ambition, talents, wisdom, and strength. Let us not make this mistake but rather wait on the Lord and seek Him for every decision, always being ready to go when He goes, to turn when He turns, to stop when He stops.

Let the humble of the earth rejoice. Let the true saints rejoice. God will destroy her who has shed the blood of the righteous. God will avenge Himself on her and she shall be destroyed forever. Ambitious man will never again be permitted to make slaves of the Lord's elect.

Babylonish ecumenicism.

During modern times there has been an interest in bringing together some of the larger Christian organizations. John 17:21-23 instructs us that we are to be one in Christ in the Father. Babylon has no understanding of this passage. Rather, she is seeking more power, more money, more influence, more status.

The historic denominations are sepulchers. Their joining together will be the joining of sepulchers. There are ecumenical movements taking place today, but none of them are of God as far as we know.

There are serious problems with ecumenicism. For example, how could there be a blending of the Catholic and Protestant churches? How could there be agreement and harmony without fatal compromise? If the Catholic were to cease venerating the Virgin Mary (out of all proportion to the Gospel accounts), or to refuse to call the Pope, "Father" (a title forbidden by the Lord—Matthew 23:9), he or she no longer would be a genuine Catholic.

Can any true Christian accept the worship of Mary or can he call the Pope, Father? If not, there can be no oneness of spirit. Two cannot walk together unless they are in agreement. Eventually one or the other must compromise. "Ah," we say, "if we love Jesus we can get together apart from doctrine." This may be true to a certain extent for the members of the organizations. But the leaders never will compromise their basic beliefs and will maneuver endlessly for political and financial advantage.

The unity of John 17:21-23 is not that of religious leaders using their administrative skills to combine forces to their mutual advantage. The meaning of John is so far above such fleshly, babylonish thinking and practice that comparing the two is like comparing Heaven and Hell.

The Babylon of the future.

It is true, we believe, that the denominations of today will join forces and create a mammoth Christian religious organization. Because of the following passage from Zechariah we think that the headquarters of the organization will be at the site of the ancient Tower of Babel, in the plain of Shinar, on the Euphrates River in the country of Iraq.

Then the angel that talked with me went forth, and said unto me, Lift up now thine eyes, and see what is this that goeth forth. And I said, What is it? And He said, This is an ephah that goeth forth. He said moreover, This is their resemblance through all the earth. And, behold, there was lifted up a talent of lead: and this is a woman that sitteth in the midst of the ephah.

And he said, This is wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah; and he cast the weight of lead upon the mouth thereof. Then lifted I up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, there came out two women, and the wind was in their wings; for they had wings like the wings of a stork: and they lifted up the ephah between the earth and the heaven. Then said I to the angel that talked with me, Whither do these bear the ephah? And he said unto me, To build it an house in the land of Shinar: and it shall be established, and set there upon her own base. (Zechariah 5:5-11)

The ephah was a measure of cereal, the size of a person. It was used in the measurement of fine flour for the offering made by Aaron and his sons when Aaron was anointed High Priest of Israel. Since wheat is sometimes employed as a symbol of the Lord's people, we think the ephah of Zechariah's vision refers to the churches.

There was a "woman" sitting inside the ephah. We believe this woman to be the spirit of Babylon as portrayed by the Catholic Church. She is "inside" the Lord's people.

Then two women appeared who carried the basket to the land of Babylonia. We believe one woman to be the Catholic Church and the other woman to be her daughters, the Protestant churches.

The two women lifted up the Lord's people and flew to the land of Shinar, there to build a house—a headquarters, as we understand the symbolism. The ephah will be established there on her "own base." The plain of Shinar, in Babylon, is appropriate as the site of the headquarters of organized Christianity.

Babylon was the location of the first attempt of mankind to reach into the heavens by their own works. Babylon was the empire that God used to destroy Jerusalem and carry away the Glory of God, the Ark of the Covenant. We think that Babylon will be the world headquarters of the Christian religion.

If the Catholic Church and the Protestant churches are to unify, Rome no longer will be suitable as a headquarters. The Protestants never would accept Rome as the world headquarters because of all that is associated with this location. We see, therefore, the likelihood of there arising in the future a mammoth Christian organization located on the Euphrates River. This organization will be one of the prominent forces of the last days that will promote evil, along with democratic government and the Christians who are exercising miracles in support of democratic government.

The exodus of the Bride.

There will come a time when the Lord calls His people out of organized Christianity.

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. (Revelation 18:4)

True saints will no longer be found in the Christian organizations.

. . . and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: . . . . (Revelation 18:23) We are not suggesting that today the Lord's people should stream out of the organized churches. To do so would create another Babylon. If the nature of Babylon is that people do what they think is correct without consulting the Lord's will, then to leave the churches without being commanded to do so by the Lord would be to act without hearing from God, which is exactly what we have said one should not do.

We do not believe the Lord is saying at this time that we should leave the churches. Rather, we are to live unto the Lord, seeking Him in all matters, and doing with all our strength what is set before us. We are to live and work as joyously as we can, knowing we shall receive our reward from our Lord and Bridegroom. Then, when it is time for us to leave, the Lord Jesus will show us exactly what to do and how to do it.

Perhaps the clearest symbol in the Scriptures of the Lord's true people leaving Babylon is that of the animals coming to Noah's Ark.

The Lord instructed Noah to include the animals of the earth with the people who were to seek safety in the Ark.

And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female. (Genesis 6:19)

From the description it appears as though Noah was to go out and gather two animals of every sort, wild beast, domestic animals, and creeping things. To do so would have been as impossible as it would be today to gather all Christians into one body.

Let us look at how the Lord's commandment actually worked.

There went in two and two unto Noah into the ark, the male and the female, as God had commanded Noah. (Genesis 7:9) And they went in unto Noah into the ark, two and two of all flesh, wherein is the breath of life. (Genesis 7:15) Noah did not have to go and bring in the animals; they came to Noah. Without doubt one of the most magnificent sights in all of earth's history was the coming of the animals of the earth, from the largest to the smallest, to the Ark for safety.

The same kind of pattern will occur in preparation for the destruction that is coming with the Day of the Lord. The Spirit of God will bring the true saints into a place of protection in Himself. There they will rest under the shadow of God's wings. The judgments that come on the earth will serve to lift them to safety.

The Scriptures appear to indicate that the saints will be forced to leave the cities of the earth and hide in the wilderness, under the protection of the Lord.

And when they [the saints of the last days] shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. (Revelation 11:7)

We think that the killing of the witnesses means that the Christian testimony will be driven from the large cities of the earth, not that all of the elect will be slain. We know there will be Christians who will remain alive until the Lord returns.

And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations. (Revelation 13:7)

And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. (Revelation 12:6)

And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defence. (Isaiah 4:5)

It seems that the saints will hide in some wilderness area, and all who go out to them will be delivered.

And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call. (Joel 2:32)

We understand also that the elect Jews are not to remain in Jerusalem when Antichrist takes his place in the Temple and proclaims himself to be God.

Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains: (Matthew 24:16) It may be true that the account of Jacob and his family fleeing to Egypt during the famine, there to be nourished by Joseph and his Gentile bride, is a type of the elect Jews fleeing into the wilderness, there to be nourished by the Lord Jesus and His Gentile Bride.

There will be a place of deliverance throughout the great tribulation. Multitudes will be saved.

And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13,14) "Came out of [the] great tribulation"!

The remnant, the "two sticks," the elect Jews and Gentiles, will remain alive until the Lord returns. Then they will be filled with unprecedented glory and herald the Lord's return.

In the days of Noah, the fountains of the deep gushed forth before the rain fell. So shall it be at the coming of the Lord. The Light of God shall shine from the saints—those on earth and those in the spirit realm—until the Divine Light is as lightning that shines from one end of the heavens to the other.

Babylon, the Christian organization, will not partake of the Glory of the Lord. Only the individual members of the Bride of the Lamb, those who are married to Jesus, will be part of the Divine Light. No matter how the "high hills leap" they can never participate in the Glory of the Lord. They are serving as scaffolding that will be discarded when the Lord Jesus is ready to receive His own.

The destruction of Babylon.

The Antichrist governments will use the massive Christian organization until they are through with it. Then they will destroy it.

And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. (Revelation 17:16) The world governments will permit the spiritually dead Christian organization to exist for a period of time.

And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified. (Revelation 11:8)

But wickedness will attain such a depth of foulness that not even the dead Christian institutions will be allowed to exist any longer. The true saints, during this period, will be hidden away in the wilderness, waiting for the Lord to return.

Every vestige of Christianity will be removed from the large cities of the earth. There will be great rejoicing in Heaven and among the saints when God, using the worldly governments, destroys the religious systems.

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. (Revelation 18:6)

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. (Revelation 18:8)

And after these things I heard a great voice of much people in heaven, saying, Alleluia; Salvation, and glory, and honour, and power, unto the Lord our God: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand. (Revelation 19:1,2)

Laodicea