Lesson 251: "They Live Among Us"

Although the city of Babylon did not exist in the beginning of Genesis, her sins were birthed in the Garden. From the time Lucifer (Satan) made known his intentions to take over God’s domain, was kicked out of heaven, crept into the Garden of Eden and made earth his dwelling place (Isa. 14:12-15), the sins of Babylon have prevalent. The bible is filled with Babylon being the source of false religion, deceit, and disobedience to God, starting with the “tower” (Gen. Chapters 10-11). Like a hurricane that swirls in the ocean, gathering strength, Babylon weaves her way throughout the scripture; getting stronger and stronger, heading toward Revelation when she will slam into the earth with full force. In the book of Revelation, Babylon is the home for demons; the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth. The evil woman riding on the beast symbolizes the religious system, world trade and political power. Babylon’s strength will peak in Revelation chapter seventeen and come to a violent, bitter and final destruction in Revelation chapter eighteen.

This world does not have to wait until the tribulation for false prophets and idol worshipers. They are here! Listen to Jesus when He warns us to watch out that no one deceives us; “they” will come claiming they are the Christ (Matt. 24:4-5). “Why do you break the command of God for the sake of traditions” (Matt. 15:3)? “Be careful! Be always on the watch! Pray to be able to escape all that is about to happen” (Luke 21:34-36). “You did not believe Moses” (John 5:47). Listen to Peter (2 Pet. 2:1), Acts 4:12); Listen to Stephen (Acts 7:51-53); Listen to Paul (Rom. 16:17-18, 2 Cor. 11:4, 1 Tim. 4:1-7, 6:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:5-9).

In Revelation seventeen, Babylon is seen in her religious character, gathering the nations together into a world religion. Revelation eighteen seems to refer to Babylon as a political power; a great city and the seat of power of the great world empire, just before Christ’s return. The evil woman who sits on many waters symbolizes the religious system of Babylon and the many waters symbolize the people, multitudes, nations and languages. The woman rides on a scarlet beast that comes out of the Abyss, the home of Satan and the place from which demons come. The beast is controlled by Satan who uses the evil, enticing woman to lure in all the people under his rule. However, the beast hates the prostitute and will bring her to ruin and after this, the “man of lawlessness” takes on world wide political power and will “assume” the place of God, demanding that everyone worship him or be killed (Dan. 11:36-38, 2 Thess. 2:4, Rev. 13:8).

Revelation’s Babylon “feeds” off the merchants’ trade. They are drawn to her beauty and splendor. False religion is like a drug that drives men to madness while it brings riches to the sellers but is doomed for destruction. They are so attached and dependent on Babylon that when they witness her destruction the kings as well as the merchants will grieve. In this oh, so modern day, we are “feeding” Babylon, giving her strength by buying in to the “new churches”. We are drawn to these false, deceiving religions because they “feed” us! “For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear” (2 Tim. 4:3). Satan watches as we feed him souls to build his kingdom in hell. You may say the tribulation and its horrors have nothing to do with you since you are saved by the grace of God and will not enter into the devil’s reign on earth during this season. This is true, however, can you calmly bide your time, waiting for the glory of your heavenly home, knowing your successors will not know the true gospel? They will not know unless we pass the Word down through the ages, forcefully and with the conviction of Nehemiah we pull them away from false religions and idol worship. “I beat some of the men and pulled out their hair. I made them take an oath in God’s name” (Neh. 13:23-27). Are you telling those around you?

First the woman is brought to ruin by the beast that throws her off his back and burns her with fire. In Revelation eighteen God judges her, consumes her with fire and the angel declares as he throws a millstone into the sea that the great city of Babylon will never be found again. A comparison of chapters seventeen and eighteen show there is but one Babylon but two different events. The woman in seventeen is associated with “the political power” but is not “the ultimate power” and her destruction brings no mourning from the earth (because the merchants can still continue commerce). After the woman is destroyed, the entire world is under one rule; the final form of world religion which will be the worship of the world ruler; Satan’s substitute for The Trinity of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit being the beast, the false prophet and the devil (Rev. 20:10)! This authority is the beast which once was, now is not and yet will come (Rev. 17:8, 19:19-20) and/or the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil or Satan (Rev. 20:2).

There is no mention of an “antichrist” in the book of Revelation. In fact the only scripture I find on the antichrist is in 1 John 2:18-19 and this says the MANY antichrists HAVE come and they “went out from us”. The first appearance of the beast is in Revelation (except for Daniel which is a prophecy of Revelation); he has not already come and we do not know who “he” is. We cannot pin a name of any particular world leader to this beast. The woman has been used not only by the Satan and the beast to gather people to him but also by God Himself (Satan still does nothing without permission from God) and in Revelation 17:17, “God has put it into their hearts (the kings of the world) to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule until God’s Words are fulfilled”. Babylon’s final destruction comes in eighteen by the Lord and brings loud laments from the earth’s political and economical powers because they will no longer be able to carry on commerce with the city.

“Come out of her my people” (Rev. 18:4)! Who are these people? They could be the tribulation saints; people who were not Christians at the time of the Rapture but who, during the tribulation, received Christ as Lord and Savior. Some will refuse to bow to the Antichrist and will not have the mark of the beast. This “calling out” is compared to God’s mercy on Lot’s family prior to the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. He is still merciful and He is still calling! Calling His people out of the vast multitudes of humanized churches! We have thousands of devoted saints, countless true and faithful churches, seminaries, organizations and movements and pastors and leaders of unwavering loyalty. On the other hand, our churches are generally so full of worldliness, indifference, half-heartedness, pleasure seeking and evil indulgence that it is hard for a non-believer to see Jesus within the Christian. So little of God’s Word is in the sermons and so little of the Holy Spirit is in the services. Indifference, formalism and professionalism would make a person think that it is “the Church” that needs to be called out of apostasy.

There are two cities in the book of Revelation. One is the present ruler and will be annihilated (Rev. 18:21) and the other is yet to come! “I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:2)! Where are you living? Do you need to make a move?

BEHOLD! I AM COMING SOON! MARANATHA!