“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me (the John class, representing the Lord’s people still in the flesh here at the end of the gospel age, i.e., during its Harvest), saying unto me, ‘Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sits 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
“As originally planted by Jesus and his apostles, the church was a chaste virgin espoused to one husband, even Christ, and for some time, she maintained her purity and suffered persecution of the world, but gradually became enamored of the world and the prospects it offered, and finally united with it, constituting the system of Papacy.
This system church, living in union with the world constitutes the abomination—the harlot, and the name Babylon, meaning confusion, is applicable because the world is called a beast and the church a woman. This then was the union of the woman and beast which is expressly forbidden in type. (Lev 18:23) It is confusion. We feel sure that we have the name Babylon properly applied since in Rev 17, we see the church seated on the beast—i.e., supported by and controlling the world.
“And in her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” (Rev. 17:5)
The great whore that sits upon many waters
“In the symbolic language of the Scriptures the word water has two distinct interpretations: (1) Water is a symbol for Truth; (2) Water also symbolizes revenues from outside peoples and kingdoms. In harmony with this latter thought we read that the woman with the golden cup sits upon many waters; “and the waters which thou saw are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” (Rev 17:1-15) This woman does not reign over one nation or people alone; her rule is catholic, or general; for all nations were made more or less “drunk with her false doctrines.” The water of the River Euphrates, flowing through Babylon, might, therefore, be understood to symbolize the peoples and nations supporting Mystic Babylon by contributions, offerings.
If the waters of that river signify material and/or financial support then the drying up of those waters implies a cessation of such support.”
This is an evident fact; most churches these days have seen declines in attendance. The Catholic Church for example has had to close several of its dioceses over the last several years due to the lack of attendance and support. Protestants fair no better that is with the exceptions of those churches which are willing to sacrifice their spiritual integrity (?) and incorporate more worldly functions and activities into their services in order to entice membership. Many such churches have a wide range of ministries designed to entertain and tickle the fancy of those attending. Unfortunately, these days those who attend are not interested in the truth, (in sound doctrine) no, all they want to hear is that they are saved, saved from the judgment to come, they and their loved ones. Such only want to have their ears tickled, to hear good news, and so they surround themselves with those with itching ears, ministers and teachers who will tell them just what they want to hear, specifically that all is fine with regards to their salvation and that they need not worry. (2 Tim 4:3, 4)
“Faithful servants will not seek to please the ear with soft words, nor to lull the drowsy, but will proclaim the unvarnished truth, exposing hypocrisy and deception, errors.”
“The people in general have lost their taste and appreciation for the water of life, the truth; and false teachers warn them against it, as poison. The wine of false doctrines now being manufactured at all the various theological seminaries is the wine of evolution and higher criticism, which satisfies not the thirst, but only increases the confusion of mind, and makes null every attempt to appreciate and comprehend the divine plan, as set forth in God’s Word. Even Babylon’s notables are dissatisfied, famished. (Amos 8:11)”
Babylon’s “Wine”
“Concerning this symbolic wine and intoxication, the Lord declares that Babylon has “made all the nations [inhabitants of the earth] drunken” with the wine of her incontinence and unfaithfulness to Him. (Rev 17:2; 18:3) The stimulating power is not of the spirit of a sound mind, but the delusion of a false doctrine: as the Prophet declares, they are “drunken,’ but not with wine”. (Isa. 29:9-13)
“She neglected the heavenly Bridegroom, and mingled in her cup a stupefying potion that has intoxicated the world; even the Lord’s saints were bewildered”. (Rev 17:1-6)”
“Babylon has had indeed the golden cup of the Lord’s Word in her hands and has affected to give from it to the people the spirit of the Lord, but instead she has filled the cup and presents as the teaching of God’s Word intoxicating errors which have misled the so-called Christian world. Thus, the Adversary has used the nominal Church of God as his tool to deceive all that dwell upon the face of the whole earth—to misrepresent the divine character and plan.”
“So, he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet-colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, 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.” Rev 17:3-5
The John Class is “carried away in the spirit into the wilderness” to see this “vision”; for none, really, save the truly consecrated children of God can have it. Neither Catholics, nor Protestants are able to see it, because of their identification with it.
“This fact is recognized by the Revelator, who shows that all who would get a true view of Babylon must, in spirit, take their position with the true people of God in the wilderness—in the condition of separation from the world and the worldly church, from worldly ideas and mere forms of godliness, and in the condition of entire consecration and faithfulness to and dependence upon God alone. “So, he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness; and I saw a woman… Babylon.”
“The vesture and decorations of this woman are in striking harmony with the application made of this symbol; for purple and scarlet are the chief colors in the robes of popes and cardinals; and among the myriads of precious stones which adorn her service, according to an eyewitness, silver (a symbol of truth) is scarcely known, and gold itself looks but poorly. And from the golden cup in her hand—symbol of purity of doctrine and profession, which should have contained only that which is unadulterated, pure, or, explaining the figure, only that which is in full accordance with truth—there came forth only abominations, and wine of her fornication, fit symbol for her abominable doctrines, and still more abominable practices.”
“The Revelator intimated that it would not be difficult to discover this great mystical city, because her name is in her forehead, that is, she is prominently marked, so that we cannot fail to see her unless we shut our eyes and refuse to look—`And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the great, the Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth.’”
Continued with next post.
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