We come now to the fall and judgment of Babylon the Great—the woman that sitteth the seven mountains: the well-known symbol of Rome. An angel came down from heaven to declare her true character and terrible overthrow. Now has there been, and is there, a vast system of idolatry and wickedness, having its seat at Rome, that answers to these fallen characters—a false system of religion that will be the habitation of demons, and the hold of every unclean, foul spirit? And have all nations been intoxicated with this system of wickedness and sought the favor of this woman? And is she connected with all the worldliness and riches of the world?
If our eyes have been opened to know the holy and heavenly character of the true church of Christ as built by Him—not of this world though in it—" Elect, holy, and beloved," the exponent of Christ on earth, then we must at once perceive that that which pretends to be the mother church of all churches answers, not to that which is built by Christ, but in every particular to the woman as here described. This wickedness may be more fully developed as it will be when the true church is gone to be Lord. For centuries she has been the habitation of demons. Where has there been more cruelty than is found in her, Satan using her to put to death the saints of God? What is she doing and plotting to do at this moment? Ah, England, thou hast shut thine eyes to the gospel of the grace of God, and now thou art blinded. The whole power of Romanism is determined to crush thee, and thou knowest it not! But oh, ye Christians that are in her at this moment, what do you think of her lies and despotism, and murders, and plots, and diabolical cruelty? Can you think the idolatry and luxury that characterizes this great Babylon in which you are found is of God? What does God say to you? " Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins."
If you do not come out of her, then remember that you are partakers of her unparalleled iniquities, which will yet increase more and more. " Tier sins have reached up to heaven." Whose sins? The sins of that woman which calls herself the mother church, whose seat is on the seven hills of Rome. Do you hear the voice from heaven, " Come out of her, my people"?
No doubt she will prosper amazingly during the short period of the power of the dragon and the beast. But her overthrow will be sudden and terrible, like a great millstone cast into the midst of the sea.
"And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth." What is said of Cain may be said of her in every case where she has put to death a saint of God. "And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous." (1 John 3:1212Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. (1 John 3:12).) It is not only that this great, idolatrous system is not Christian, but it hates Christianity and seeks to destroy it. And oh, how sad it is to be blinded by Satan and know it not. How soon she will receive her just reward.
Reader, we are close on the very coming of Christ to take His blood-bought church, and apostate Christendom will ripen fast and get ready for her sudden overthrow in judgment. It is a solemn inquiry, Am I helping on Babylon, or in blessed separation from her?
Yes; the ten kings and the beast will destroy her It will be sudden and terrible. Let us not forget the destruction of Christ-rejecting Jerusalem. And is the Babylon of wickedness to go on forever?
CHAPTER XIX.
ALL heaven is moved at the destruction and judgment of this great harlot. Can we wonder at this when we think how God has borne in patience with her wickedness for so many centuries? Now can there be any mistake as to who this great harlot? We are aware of the effort made to deceive Christendom by assuming that this harlot is literal Babylon restored on the Euphrates. But she is not literal Babylon, but MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT." She sits upon the scarlet beast, having seven heads and ten horns; and that in its last, restored, diabolical state. She is intoxicated with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. Her vast influence is over peoples, and nations, and tongues. She is fallen, and her last state is that she becomes the habitation of demons, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. She is in this state when the ten kingdoms of the Roman empire shall be formed and give their power to the beast or head of the empire; then they and the beast shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire—and thus great Babylon shall come into remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath. All this is plain revelation.
Now is there anything on earth that answers to this? Is there any great ecclesiastical system that has its seat at the seven-hilled city? Has it fallen, fallen from what it was? Read the epistle of Paul to the church of God in that city. Read every verse, and compare it with that vast system that calls itself the church now, and can anything be found more opposite in doctrine and practice? Whatever you find in Rome is the opposite of Christianity. And what is most remarkable, every feature of MYSTERY-BABYLON is found at this moment in her; not fully -developed, but developing. Soon her sins will have reached up to heaven, and God will remember her iniquities. We are compelled to admit these things are so. May the Lord's people who may be in her, hear the words of God: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins."
Now since these things are so, can we wonder at the outburst of joy in heaven at her overthrow and judgment? Hear that mighty " voice of much people in heaven saying, Alleluia, salvation, and glory, and honor, and power, unto the Lord our God: for true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great harlot," &e. Solemn words! "And her smoke rose up forever and ever." Oh poor, intoxicated England, how art thou also ensnared by the great harlot!
Some may be ready to say, How can these things be? How can Christendom come to such a terrible end? We have been expecting that the church would conquer the whole world. Others will say, We expected the gospel, as now preached, would convert the whole world. Still others will say, These things cannot be, for Christ said to Peter, " Thou art Peter [a stone], and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." How, then, can it become a vast system of worldly power, corrupting the earth, and God destroying it by these ten infidel nations? The answer to all these things is this: it is not that which Christ builds, but that apostate mystery of iniquity which man builds and has built. We will look shortly at that which Christ is building.
But, first, what have been the facts? What had that outward profession of Christianity become even before the apostle John departed? Was it not even then the last time, because there were many antichrists and many false prophets? (1 John 2:18; 4:118Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. (1 John 2:18)
1Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1).) And see what was the state of the seven assemblies in Rev. 2 and iii. Read again the sure inspired words of Paul. (Acts 20:29,29For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. (Acts 20:29) SO.) See the awful state of the professing church described in 2 Tim. 3:1-91This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. 6For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, 7Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. 9But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was. (2 Timothy 3:1‑9). Then, again, 2 Pet. 2, the whole chapter. Then read Jude. If we believe these. scriptures, we must admit that the unscriptural doctrine of the conversion, or conquest of the world by the church, is a strange delusion of: Satan to deceive men.
What is the condition of those nations and districts where the church of Christ was first planted? The Mahommedan religion, with its only hope of a paradise of beastly uncleanness, reigns over those very lands. And is the Romanism of the western empire any better? Has Christ built either of these systems of black iniquity? A thousand times No!
Have the words of Christ failed, then? Let that vast multitude gathered in heaven to celebrate the judgment of the great harlot answer as to that which Christ has built. Will you read what they, with a voice like mighty thunderings, say: " Alleluia; for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife bath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white," &c. Paul, writing of this, said: " Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it: that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself glorious, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing." (Eph. 5:2525Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; (Ephesians 5:25).) What a contrast to Mystery-Babylon! Reader, to which do you belong?
Now in this supreme moment, when the church as the bride or wife of the Lamb is presented to Him glorious, in the brightness of purity, without a spot, then will it be seen that the gates of hell have not prevailed against her. Ah, many of those who compose the church of Christ, have been dragged from their homes, buried for long in dark and loathsome dungeons; and put to cruel torture and shameful death at the orders of the cruel bishops of Babylon the Great. But have these gates of hell prevailed against a single member of the body of Christ? No! not one has perished!
Death cannot separate from the love of God in Christ. But the dead in Christ will have been raised first, and we who may remain until He comes, shall have been changed in a moment, and taken with them to be with the Lord. The gates of hell have not prevailed, the church—the wife of the Lamb—is presented glorious, amid the high alleluias of the great multitude, called to the marriage supper of the Lamb.
The four and twenty elders and the four living creatures worship God when Babylon, the great harlot, is judged. And then the bride, separated from the multitudes in heaven, takes her true place as the wife of the Lamb. Thus judgment has begun at the house of God, and apostate Christendom is the first to be destroyed. Then shall it be said, God "bath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand." The figure of marriage is carried out in the blessedness of those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. The bride will have her own peculiar place, though there may be vast numbers of Old Testament saints, and saints saved after the church has been taken during the time of the judgments on the earth, described in this book.
How solemn to think that all these events are at the very door. The various actors and principles are fast developing themselves. Assuredly, reader, we are hastening on to one of these events, either to form part of that Mystery Babylon, or to form part of the church presented glorious to Him for whom we wait. Now to which do you belong at this moment, for the next may be too late? It is in a moment that the living members of Christ will be changed, and then forever be with their Lord. (See 1 Cot, xv. 51; 1 Thess. 4:15-1815For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. 16For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: 17Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. 18Wherefore comfort one another with these words. (1 Thessalonians 4:15‑18).)
Let us next inquire what will take place after the destruction of the apostate harlot, and the marriage of the Lamb.