Come out of her, my people
I would like to begin from the words of Revelation book.
Rev 17, 1-6:
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: 2 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. 3 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. 4 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: 5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Rev 17, 18:
And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
Have you ever asked yourself what do these words in the Revelation book mean? I remember the time when I already was a believer, who understands that Jesus Christ is my savior, yet I still considered myself a roman catholic. I sincerely did not distinguished between Christianity and Catholicism at that time, but lots of discrepancies between Bible and catholic teachings worried me a lot. It was a time of the search for Truth. I read the Bible, the Revelation book also, and I understood little in it, but I wanted to find out what is the meaning of all those images, including that whore woman, Babylon (or Babel) form the Chapters 17 and 18. The Catholic priests explained this place in the Bible saying that Babylon mentioned in the Revelation book is the city of Rome, Roman Empire, where Christians were persecuted, where fornication flourished and which collapsed shortly. But I doubted: “Can it be just that? Bible is a spiritual book. Can it be that these words from Revelation book mean nothing for us today?” I started to look in the Internet for explanation for these words and I found one page, which had upset me greatly.
There was the woman on the beast depicted and there was a wide description, explaining that this whore woman in the Revelation book is the Roman Catholic Church, which I sincerely considered myself belonging to at that moment. Everything was based on the word of God. I was shocked and I was thinking: “How dare they to say so?” In fact, this shock was beneficial for me, because it urged me to pray more and to raise questions for God in my prayer, to read Bible more, to study catechism and try to understand catholic teachings. I wanted to defend catholics and to prove that what I had read was not true, but instead I found more and more things contradicting the Word of God. I have found out about many terrible things in the history of catholic church and about many ugly things happening in modern times. In this way, little by little, God opened my eyes. If you also will be socked or even get angry with me after reading this article today in the similar way, let it be for your benefit. Pray, ask the Lord to reveal to you the truth, if you really want to know it. Because sometimes it is more convenient not to know it, because the truth hurts and it is not easy to accept. Because understanding of the truth leads to decision making and urges to change your life...
Let's go back again to the book of Revelation.
Rev 18, 1-6:
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 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. 3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, 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. 4 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. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 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.
Let us think for a moment that these lines are about the Roman Empire. Then the word of this prophecy would have been fulfilled already. If you know the history of Christianity, you know that the Christians did not come out leaving the Roman Empire for the wrath of God as it is said to do in these lines. We know that Christianity gradually merged into Empire and was made a state religion. People were forced to become “believers” quickly. It is sad truth. Another thing; we cannot say that only the order of Roman Empire was wicked in God’s sight and deserving of punishment. There were many empires before Rome and many after, not less wicked and cruel. Thus, we see, that this place form the Bible cannot be meant exceptionally for Rome or Roman Empire.
Let us see, what more is said about Babel:
Rev 18, 11-13:
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
We see this city or state is rich and, amongst other things to merchandise, slaves and souls of men are mentioned. These words are not only about slavery. Who merchandise souls? Therefore, it is clear reference not to particular city (Rome), but to spiritual thing.
Rev 18, 21-24:
21 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. 22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
We see here several things. We see that people in Babylon like arts; they are educated and cultured, rich and proud. The pride of merchants, these great men of the earth – it is the first reason why Babylon will be destroyed.
We remember that the city of Babel is described in the Old Testament. This is what happened shortly after the flood:
Gen 11, 1-9:
1 And the whole earth was of one language, and of one speech. 2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar; and they dwelt there. 3 And they said one to another, Go to, let us make brick, and burn them throughly. And they had brick for stone, and slime had they for morter. 4 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. 5 And the LORD came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of men builded. 6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do. 7 Go to, let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not understand one another’s speech. 8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from thence upon the face of all the earth: and they left off to build the city. 9 Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth: and from thence did the LORD scatter them abroad upon the face of all the earth.
Babylon is the symbol of human pride and desire to live without God. "Let us make us a name"– this is a slogan of those who belong to Babylon. It would seem that there is no mention of any specific sin: those people did not steal the brick, did not shoot each other. They worked unanimously, only one little thing – there were no sincere love for God, absolute disregard for the Creator. "I'm doing what I want, I do as I prefer."
In the Old Testament we read about Babylon that is ruled by Chaldeans; the place that was once religious centre of a very powerful empire, the place of witchcraft and worship of variety of gods. This is the same Babylon, mentioned in the Books of Genesis and Revelation. Practically the same words are written about its destruction and the warning for people:
Jer 51, 42-53:
42 The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof. 43 Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby. 44 And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. 45 My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD. 46 And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler. 47 Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. 48 Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD. 49 As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. 50 Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind. 51 We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD’s house. 52 Wherefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan. 53 Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.
Let us look again to Revelation book. Why Babylon is punished?
Rev 18, 23-24:
for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
We also remember the similar verses of the same chapter, just above,
Rev 18, 3:
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, 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.
Also from the chapter 17:
Rev 17, 2:
2 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.
We see fornication and sorcery mentioned; and big deceit of the all nations. Adultery and fornication in the verses of Bible often should be understood not in the literal sense. These images mean the worship of other gods. Read any of the prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, or for example Ezekiel Chapter 16 and you will see what images are used in the Bible to describe the worship of other gods and idols. Thus, Babylon is not only proud and ignores her Creator, consider herself to be wise and powerful, but also worships other gods. It happens to a large extent, because it covers the whole earth.
And one more thing should be said about Babylon (Babel). As if not quite enough what so far has been found out about Babylon - we read about prophets, saints (at a time when the book of Revelation was written, this word was used to describe the followers of Jesus Christ), and not only them, but the blood of all the people killed upon the earth. This is too strong accusation for the Rome as the average city or even for the one empire. Babylon kills, kills those who do not want to be drunk and deceived and to make fornication in the way she demands. She also kills those whom are deceived and drunk, because the intoxication is deadly. Also she kills anyone in order to achieve her goal, because the human body and soul it is only a merchandise for Babylon.
So what is this hideous in the sight of God, violent, terrible city, or maybe the state? I was talking about the Babel in Genesis, about the Babylon city, and the Roman Empire, but historically we cannot name just one specific city or state, because there are plenty of cities and states. This is not one city and not a state, it is the whole system. The new cities and states are forming and growing in each historical period, but the system is practically the same. It is the religious system.
It would be fine to say that those Bible verses written about Babylon is meant only for the Catholic Church, but such approach would be too simple. When we remember the history of what took place at a time when Catholicism was the state religion, the Crusades, the Inquisition, indulgences, the lewdness and profit desire of clergy, people deceit and exploitation and semi-pagan ceremonies in the language people do not understand, we of course cannot deny that all these things fits perfectly to the description of Babylon in the Bible. But not only system of Catholicism killed people who refused to worship God as they were ordered. Not only Catholics are now seeking for profit from people and high positions in the state and political system. People are manipulated not only in the Catholic Church. Therefore, I am talking about not only the Catholic Church or any other single church organization. This is the whole religious system. In fact, all the religion organizations are part of the Babylon. Religion system is that Babylon, which from time immemorial flirts with government structures and seeks to control people, not only their bodies, but also souls.
It sounds not softly, but I say that even so called Christianity nowadays belongs to the Babylon that is described in the Revelation book. Such Christianity, which identifies itself as a religion is bound to be part of the Babylon.
You may say that old days should be forgotten and now Christian organizations do not kill anyone, in contrary help people, practicing charity. Yes and no. Now Christians usually do not kill, it is more usual for people of certain other religion, who kill people in the name of God now, like so called Christians were doing centuries ago. Unfortunately, a great deal of false teachings are spread in various so called Christian organizations, poisoning people minds and souls and distorting desires of their hearts.
Let us remember what Jesus have said, what is more to be feared? And can the death be only corporeal?
Luke 12, 4-5:
And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
Please, think for a moment looking at these verses, what would be better: to be killed or to be tempted by some teaching of false teachers from 2 Tim: 4, 3 and then, when it will be too late, to understand that you did not choose the right narrow way.
Religion kills and that is a fact.
To be continued in the next part
