Revelation Chapter 18
VERSE 4 “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”
AND I HEARD: The first three verses totally summarized the condemnation of Babylon. The picture was complete. John now uses his traditional section-dividing words to look at the results of that condemnation.
ANOTHER VOICE FROM HEAVEN: — a messenger sent who will deliver the Lord’s previously-stated condemnation to His people. This is Pastor C. T. Russell, the Seventh messenger (The Messenger to the last stage of the Church, the Church of Laodicea) The voice is in and from heaven — viz., the ecclesiastical world (or professed Christian church). (See comments on Rev 19:9.)
SAYING, COME OUT OF HER MY PEOPLE: This was, indeed, a large part of Brother Russell’s ministry. It is important to note; the message is FROM God; thus, it says, “My people;” but it is delivered by this “voice” which will speak with us now through Verse 20. The Lord’s true people DID respond and begin to “come out” and have continued to do so as they hear this important call.
“The Lord sends messages through under-shepherds, never recognized by the great systems, but merely for those who had an ear to hear and the right condition of heart to appreciate the message.” R4200:2 (See our study entitled, “Stumbling in the Way” for further insight on this.)
“Those who cannot see the errors (the false teachings) of Babylon (the nominal professing church) are not the called ones,” R5092:3
THAT YOU MAY NOT PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS: Christians, by their very nature, must engage in works for the Lord. But Babylon’s works are all tainted by her abominable doctrines and her compromises with the state and world. This phrase encourages the Lord’s people to come out so that they may engage in works acceptable to God, not works which promote and perpetuate the lies and sins of Christendom.
“Those who blindly follow the leading of the intelligent and influential (religious leaders of Christendom) become partakers of their sins and share the same penalty–both together “fall into the ditch.” (Matt. 15:14) R1875:1
Thus, implying that God’s people will see clearly what constitutes Babylon’s sins–errors of doctrine and of life. R1578:1
You are not sharers of her sins until you see this. Born in Babylon, the Lord is not holding you responsible for what you did not understand. R5478:4, 5092:4, 4044:2; Q63:1
This is a warning nevertheless, a reminder as well as a threat: a reminder that, when in ignorance of the truth, you have no responsibility for the errors, but that now that you see these errors, you are responsible. As responsible as those who formulated those errors, or more so, and will surely and justly partake of the consequences. R1578:1
AND THAT YOU MAY NOT RECEIVE OF HER PLAGUES: In Brother Russell’s day the plagues were yet future. Those who came out prior to 1914 escaped the plaguing. In our day, the plagues are in progress so that escape from Babylon is more difficult — but just as necessary so that participation in her sins can be avoided. (The First Plague beginning in A.D. 1914 with WWI. See Revelation Chapter 16, Part 2).
Those of this class, “My people” who remain, pictured by Lot who had to be literally drug out Sodom before its destruction will be “Deserving the “plagues” most thoroughly–as much or more than the “tare” class of Babylonians (nominal professors), because they have greater light.” Soon to come in a great time of trouble. R2553:3 R2883:6
Verse 4 as explained by Brother Shallieu in the “Keys of Revelation”.
The voice that spoke in Verses 2 and 3 was Jesus’. The voice now speaking in Verse 4 is none other than that of the Heavenly Father addressing His (“my”) people. The situation in mystic Babylon is similar to that of the Jews when they were confined within the walls of literal Babylon. God, through the Prophet Jeremiah, revealed to the Israelites residing in the city back there what He purposed to do. He intended to destroy Babylon, which was formerly employed as His instrument (Jer. 25:9), and He even explained the gory details—long before the destruction actually happened.
So too, God through the agency of the Seventh Messenger (Pastor Russell), revealed to the Israelites Indeed residing in the city, mystic Babylon what he intended to do here to the great city, here at the end of the Gospel Age.
Is not the city’s fall from favor implied?
The city had outlived its usefulness. The Lord’s message (i.e., forewarning) was an appeal to the faithful living in exile to forsake Babylon when they would see the impending siege (Jer. 50:8; 51:6). The faithful left the seeming security and prosperity of the city and removed to the countryside. This departure required the exercise of faith and, no doubt, a considerable degree of sacrifice— financial and otherwise—on the part of those who obeyed God’s instruction.
At this end of the Gospel Age, two classes are involved. One class heed the warning and leave mystic Babylon of their own volition; they come out freely in advance of the trouble. Not all who leave Babylon early are of the Very Elect, however, for there are other mitigating factors. The Little Flock, as a class, depart from Babylon the moment they are cognizant that she fell from divine favor in *1878.
The other class tarry until events and circumstances compel them to flee at the very last moment. Lot (representative of the Great Company) and his immediate family were almost literally dragged out of Sodom the very morning of its destruction. The Great Company are plucked out of the midst of the fire (Jude 23); their flight is in the winter of earth’s antitypical sabbath day (Matt. 24:20; Jer. 8:20). Once enlightened (made aware of Babylon’s true condition), those who remain in the precincts of Babylon—even though they refrain from her sinful deeds—become partakers of her sins and thus are liable to the distress and chagrin of the seven last plagues.
It was shown in Chapter 16 that the plagues were poured subsequent to 1878, the first one being activated in 1886. Here, in Chapter 18, the premise is the same. Upon the Lord’s return (Verse 1), but after the fall of Babylon from favor in 1878 and the call to come out of her (Verses 2 and 4), the seven plagues—though not mentioned— are emptied, one by one, in sequential fashion before the fulfillment of Verse 8, soon to be explained.
Brother Shallieu like many other brethren is of the opinion that the six volumes of the “Studies in the Scriptures” series written by Pastor Russell, including “Tabernacle Shadows” considered the seventh were the plagues which were poured out upon Babylon.
However, as I had stated in my opening comments on Revelation Chapter 16, Part 1:
“The difficulty I have with the idea that the Volumes (i.e., the “Studies in the Scriptures”, series) represent the plagues is that these volumes for the most part only effected that part of orthodoxy who even took notice of them. Even though they did have a wide publication at the time this does not guarantee that they were widely known or read by the world at large. Nevertheless, we do believe that the truths contained in the volumes were (and still are) a plague upon those who come into contact with them and who still cling to the errors of orthodoxy.
I suppose those who hold this view concerning the volumes ascribe the volumes as being the “bowls” or the means of delivery of the plagues or wrath of God. This is a distinct possibility however the whole idea of the volumes being the plagues seems to me to limit God’s wrath to only that small percentage of Babylon who come into contact with them.”
*1878: “The rejection of Babylon (Christendom), in 1878, was the rejection of the mass of professors, the “Host” as it is termed by Daniel, to distinguish it from the sanctuary class.” (Dan 8:14)” C180
The date 1878 not only marks the “fall of Babylon”, and the end of the Jewish “double” of 1845 years of disfavor and the beginning of the return of Divine favor, but likewise and more importantly to us, the Lord’s faithful, the First resurrection, and the resurrection of the “sleeping saints”.
We move on to Verse 5 in our next post.
