(PART TOW of TWO) Hello everybody and welcome in to episode #359 of the Bible 2021 podcast. We are reading Reading Revelation 19 today and our focus is on Will Jesus Return Meek and Mild and as a Servant? Plus, part two of: is the organized church the whore of Babylon? We are a daily 10ish minute podcast, where we will dig in to the truth of the Word of God by reading one Bible chapter a day and discussing it. Welcome to new listeners in Tel Aviv, Israel, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, Vastra Gotaland, Sweden, . Our goal is to encourage DAILY Bible reading, so you can jump in at any time and join with us. We want to invite as many people as possible to join us in daily Bible reading, so help spread the word and share the podcast! Don’t forget about our web-page, Bible2021.com – contact page, show notes, transcript and more– Click here for our Bible 2021 reading plan\
Today is part two of a two-part episode, by the way – don’t listen to this episode without listening to episode #358 Is the Institutional Church the Whore of Babylon?? first! . Be sure and listen to episode #358 also!
BEFORE we get into part two of our discussion, let’s look at something even better and more important – what will Jesus be like when He returns? Revelation 19 gives us an excellent and heart-stirring description, so let’s go ahead and read it a short part of it:
11 Then I saw heaven opened, and there was a white horse. Its rider is called Faithful and True, and with justice he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes were like a fiery flame, and many crowns were on his head. He had a name written that no one knows except himself. 13 He wore a robe dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. 14 The armies that were in heaven followed him on white horses, wearing pure white linen. 15 A sharp sword came from his mouth, so that he might strike the nations with it. He will rule them with an iron rod. He will also trample the winepress of the fierce anger of God, the Almighty. 16 And he has a name written on his robe and on his thigh: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Revelation 19:11-16
Will Jesus’ return be anything like His first coming? It does not appear so at all. Jesus first came as a helpless babe, born of a virgin woman, fully God and yet bearing the weaknesses of humanity. He came meek and mild – as a servant who washed filthy feet, and He was born into the most humble of circumstances – MERRY CHRISTMAS, by the way!! When He returns, the circumstances will be vastly different – He returns as a mighty warrior and an unquestioned King of Kings, riding a mighty war horse and bearing a sharp and powerful sword, and leading an army of Heavenly warriors. This time, He comes to rule and reign as a warrior-King. All Hail King Jesus!
Before the return of Jesus, the Mighty Rider on the White Horse,we see more about the fall of Babylon the Great/The Whore of Babylon:
After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying,
Hallelujah!
Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,
2 because his judgments are true and righteous,
because he has judged the notorious prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality;
and he has avenged the blood of his servants
that was on her hands.
3 A second time they said,
Hallelujah!
Her smoke ascends forever and ever!4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who is seated on the throne, saying, Amen! Hallelujah! Revelation 19:1-4
Marvel at this, dear friends. The downfall of Babylon the Great is so important – so noteworthy that all of Heaven – a vast multitude- rejoices in her fall. That is just simply incredible, and this brings us back to our question from yesterday: Is Babylon the Great – the Notorious Prostitute/The Whore of Babylon a metaphor or code word for the current institutional church or organized church? In other words, all places that have born the name “church” over the years: Metropolitan Tabernacle, pastored by Charles Spurgeon. Westminster Chapel, pastored by David Martyn Lloyd-Jones. First Baptist Fairhope pastored by Paul Martin, the churches in England pastored by George Muller, Agape Baptist, now pastored by my dear friend David, and Valley Baptist, pastored by me – are all of these churches and many hundreds of thousands more – all part of the Satanically controlled Babylon the Great which is so corrupt that all of Heaven will literally rejoice multiple times when that entity is destroyed by fire? Are all of the churches that were helped and served by Watchman Nee – are they part of the whore of Babylon? By the way Nee wrote this about his work among the ekklesia’s in China:
When the Lord called me to serve Him, the prime object was not for me to hold revival meetings so that people may hear more Scriptural doctrines nor for me to become a great evangelist. The Lord revealed to me that He wanted to build up local churches in other localities to manifest Himself, to bear testimony of unity on the ground of local churches so that each saint may perform his duty in the Church and live the Church life. God wants not merely individual pursuit of victory or spirituality but a corporate, glorious Church presented to Himself. (From: Watchman Nee’s Testimony)
The claims of Charles Newbold and those like him – that all of the organized and institutional churches are the whore of Babylon/Babylon the Great – doomed to be destroyed by God in fire that all of Heaven will rejoice over – those claims are remarkable, and remarkable claims require remarkable evidence. Think of it this way: if you are going to call a human female a “prostitute,” you’d better be beyond sure that your evidence is airtight, because such a statement is slanderous and hurtful if not. If you are going to call a whole bunch of people- millions- as part of the great and notorious prostitute – then you’d better have even greater evidence – because such a massive accusation, if wrong – is a really big deal considering these Bible commands, and others like them:
- Titus 3:1 Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. ESV
- Matthew 15:19 “For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander.”
Ultimately, stating that the organized church is the whore of Babylon is a big deal – especially if it is wrong. So – what does the Bible say? Let’s read four passages from Revelation 17-19 and see if they could possibly apply to the institutional church:
- Revelation 17:18, “18 And the woman you saw is the great city that has royal power over the kings of the earth.”
- Revelation 18: 1-2 “Babylon the Great has fallen!
She has become a home for demons,
a haunt for every unclean spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the wine of her sexual immorality,
which brings wrath.
The kings of the earth
have committed sexual immorality with her,
and the merchants of the earth
have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess.” - Revelation 18:9-11 “9 The kings of the earth who have committed sexual immorality and shared her sensual and excessive ways will weep and mourn over her when they see the smoke from her burning. 10 They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying,
Woe, woe, the great city,
Babylon, the mighty city!
For in a single hour
your judgment has come. 11 The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargo any longer— 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet; all kinds of fragrant wood products; objects of ivory; objects of expensive wood, brass, iron, and marble; 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour, and grain; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves—human lives.“4. Revelation 18:17-21, “And every shipmaster, seafarer, the sailors, and all who do business by sea, stood far off 18 as they watched the smoke from her burning and kept crying out, “Who was like the great city?” 19 They threw dust on their heads and kept crying out, weeping, and mourning, Woe, woe, the great city,
where all those who have ships on the sea
became rich from her wealth;
for in a single hour she was destroyed.
20 Rejoice over her, heaven,
and you saints, apostles, and prophets,
because God has pronounced on her the judgment she passed on you!
21 Then a mighty angel picked up a stone like a large millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,
In this way, Babylon the great city
will be thrown down violently
and never be found again.”
5. Revelation 19:1-2 After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying,
Hallelujah! Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God,
2 because his judgments are true and righteous,
because he has judged the notorious prostitute
who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality;
and he has avenged the blood of his servants
that was on her hands.
Do those passages seem like they are describing all of the groups of people in the world that call themselves churches, taken together? I don’t believe so – in fact, I don’t really see a shred of evidence in Revelation 17-19 that points in that direction, and it does not appear that Newbold makes a clear case from the Bible that the organized church is the whore of Babylon either. I think the Scripture itself rules out this outlandish conclusion, and I would encourage you to read and reread these chapters and see what conclusion you come to based on the evidence of the Word – what the Word is actually saying.
I don’t believe the institutional/organized church is Babylon the great – the entity that Heaven will be rejoicing over when she is judged and destroyed in a day. Does this mean that I think the institutional/organized church is doing great and awesome right now? Absolutely not! So many individual ekklesias and denominations have deviated from God’s Word in multiple dangerous ways. There is much compromise and corruption and abuse in the churches now. Does this make the whole thing illegitamte? I don’t believe so, but I certainly believe that there will be many churches and movements that will be judged like the churches in the first parts of Revelation – Jesus Himself will shut down and judge some churches, leaders, denominations and groups of churches, just like He promised to do in Revelation 1-3. But, like Smyrna and Philadelphia, some groups of believers, whether they call themselves church or ekklessia or chapel or assembly or fellowship or whatever – will persevere by His grace and be faithful…not by their power or character, but by the upholding of His Holy Spirit and the undergirding of His Word. Let’s read our chapter.
Shorter episode tomorrow – I promise!
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Bible Memory passage for the month of December: Revelation 5:12, “They said with a loud voice: Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
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