The State of Babylon Fallen
Contents 1. Introduction
2. The Steps to "Babylon Fallen"
3. The Nature of Babylon Fallen
4. The Response to Babylon Fallen
5. Adventism and Babylon Fallen
6. Conclusion: A Burden to BearIntroduction
Zahakiel: I will ask Bro. Luke to open our meeting with a prayer.
Qinael: Our most holy and loving Father, We thank you for the blessing of this time together, and of these sacred hours of self-examination and cleansing. We are always blessed when the Sabbath and the New Moon occur close to eachother, as we are reminded of the rejoicing we have in your rest alongside the judgment, in which we also rejoice. We ask your blessing on this meeting and those in attendance, in Yahshua’s name, amen.
Jody: Amen.Zahakiel: Amen.Daphna: Amen.Peterson: Amen.Jirehiel: Amen.Guerline: Amen.Sheila: Amen.
Zahakiel: Today’s topic is called “The State of Babylon Fallen.” It was inspired by a recent conversation involving pastor, Luke (who had recently returned from a trip in which he spoke to some independent Adventist congregations) and myself.As most of you know, the CSDA Church has historically had a much easier time convincing worldlings and people of other Churches about the errors of the mainstream SDA organization than actual Adventists themselves. It seems that, without a definite doctrine of a soon-to-come judgment, and straight teachings about lifestyle reform, and most of all the beliefs (straight from the Scriptures) about the lifetime walk of sanctification as an integral part of salvation, an atmosphere of Laodicea is a natural consequence.
This is the reason why the very first of the Three Angels’ Message, found in Revelation 14, is a call to awaken to the reality of these things in preparation for the “work” that humans are called to do under the next two divine messengers.
We have generally delineated the core messages of the three revealing angels as these:
1) A call to worship Yahweh in Spirit and in truth because of His coming judgment, which is really the same as a call to an acceptance of the true Gospel, including the promise (not threat, as some seem to take it) of Victory over Sin.But you might notice that, just now, I appeared to both praise and criticize non-Adventist religions, saying first that it was easier for them to understand our teachings about errors in mainstream Adventism (such as its union with the U.S. state government, and sometimes even their acceptance of the Trinity doctrine), and second that they had fallen into a Laodicean state due to their liberal nature.2) An announcement that Babylon has fallen, which we will be examining in some detail in this study; and we understand Babylon to be a symbol of both confusion (Jer 51:47) and an acceptance of false religions. (Dan 2:2 – in which the term “Chaldeans” signifies the people of Babylon) That being the case, the second Angel is also an announcement of judgment, but not against individuals specifically; rather, it is a decree that false religions, and the confusion that results from them, are about to be destroyed.
3) A warning about the Mark of The Beast, and the terrible consequences of receiving it. So dangerous, and global in scope, is this Mark that it necessitates all with the love of Christ within them to take up the angel’s message and bear it to others, a message that requires both spiritual power (Zec 4:6) and unity (John 17:20-23) to properly convey.
While this appears to be a paradox, it really isn’t. But it does raise the legitimate question, “Why does Laodicea see errors more easily?” Unfortunately, that’s not really what is happening. These other churches are seeing errors easily in a set of beliefs not their own. If you try to convince a Laodicean church of its own shortcomings regarding the Scriptures, you will get a very different response. This is in accord with Christ’s own description of this condition: “thou sayest, ‘I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.’” (Rev 3:17)
There is nothing wrong with Laodicea’s vision when it comes to the errors and shortcomings of others, and so if you show from the Scriptures that a Christian is not to take others to court, and then that a particular church is suing other organizations and individuals at law, then of course – they can see the hypocrisy and evil of that system. But if they themselves are members of that church… then no, it is not nearly so easy.
But the fact of the matter is that the true Christian disregards personal comfort and safety for the sake of truth. All of us who worship with the CSDA Church have had to go through, or are currently going through, something that the flesh would describe as “uncomfortable” for the sake of this message. Our lives are joyful, and not one of us would ever trade the life that Yahweh has given us for any other life; but at the same time the joy we receive is tempered by sorrow and trial. As it is even written, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Yahshua shall suffer persecution.” (2Tim 3:12)
For SDAs, the cost of admitting the present truth about the Beast and its Image is high, and we need to be sensitive to that. An Adventist is heavily invested, by the very nature of this religion, in the community of the saints. An Adventist understands, correctly, and to a greater degree than many Churches, the importance of membership in a congregation, the unity of the faith, and the importance of the worldwide organization in taking the message to the world. These are all Biblical doctrines, and the SDA Church takes them seriously. But for an Adventist to come to an understanding that the organization meant to represent all these things, upon which a great emotional and spiritual dependence is necessarily placed, is in error… that is a great trial. It’s a trial most of us know very well, having gone through it ourselves. It is really quite a scary prospect, that even with the wonderful understanding of the Scriptures, and the accurate interpretation of prophecy, and the added blessing of inspired writings by people like Ellen White, even with all these things… if the Church could still fall into such an irredeemable state, what hope can there be for ANY Church to be “right” before Heaven?
If you have been “burned” by a bad history with another church, can you really afford to trust another movement again? This is a barrier we encounter quite often in calling people to Christ. But the fall of the mainstream Adventist Church did not just “happen.” It was a slow process, and a subtle one, but it is not as if there were no signposts, no warnings. And furthermore, it was a very specific process, and one that can, and must, be understood, so that we who seek to finish the work of the Three Angels may never repeat the sins of the past. That is why it is always beneficial to go over the teachings of our people from the past (such as the Christ the Beast and the Corporation video we saw yesterday) and at the same time to seek new and greater light for the path still before us.
Today, in examining the state of Babylon fallen, we will be doing both by Yah’s great blessing.
Are there any questions at this point?
Daphna: No.Jirehiel: No.Jody: No.Daphna: No.Sheila: No.Guerline: No.Peterson: No.The Steps to “Babylon Fallen”
Zahakiel: It has always been a burden of mine, right from the beginning of my work in the CSDA Church, to show all our doctrines directly from the Scriptures. It is not that I do not love and appreciate the works of the pioneers, particularly Ellen White, and I often find them helpful in enhancing my own understanding of Yahweh’s word. At the same time, I believe that the Church of Christ will have no true “standard,” no basis for its doctrines, than the Bible itself.When it comes to a discussion of the Second Angel’s message, which proclaims the “fall” of Babylon, we can most easily speak of these things by referring to Adventist writings, because they have covered the topic of this fallen Babylon so well. And yet, we cannot go to the Baptists and Methodists with a copy of The Great Controversy and try to show them the truth from this. You can take that from me; in my early days in the mainstream Adventist Church, I tried to convince someone that the Biblical diet was still an obligation of the Christian from one of Ellen White’s books. I thought that since this new knowledge made so much sense to me, and was so obviously inspired by the same Spirit that was at work in the pages of the New Testament, anyone else would also receive it with joy. That didn’t turn out so well.
Regarding Babylon Fallen, the SDA pioneers (not so much the more recent theologians) have done a very good job of outlining the steps for its creation. We can, however, find the main detours from the Highway of Holiness in the Bible… we just have to let Yahweh guide our search. First, in Revelation we find that there is something called “Babylon” that is declared to be fallen. What is it?
Jirehiel: The 7 women from Isaiah who wanted to use Christ’s name for their own benefit while neglecting His Gifts.
Zahakiel: Right. The parable of the 7 women is one example. In general, Adventists declare it to be an apostate Church (or set of Churches).
Qinael: Babylon is an unfaithful woman, which is a symbol of a church elsewhere, either true or untrue.
Zahakiel: Yes. We believe that “Babylon” is a condition of a Church, some organization that was once, but is no longer, faithful to the teachings of Christ. And you will notice, the Angel does not declare, “The Church is fallen, is fallen.” No, the thing that falls is already something that is described by a word that the Bible uses to mean “confusion.” So then, it is apparent, right from there, that the “fall” is not an unforeseeable event. It is the last step in a process of corruption that had already begun.To verify this, we must understand how the Scriptures, particularly the Book of Revelation (in which we find the primary reference to this condition and process) uses the term “Babylon.” In some places it is called a great city. In another place we read, “So [the angel] 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. 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. And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Yahshua; and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” (Rev 17:3-6) By the way, that word “admiration” at the end is not necessarily a complimentary term; it simply means “with great amazement.” But here we have a “woman,” and we have established in numerous studies and with numerous verses that a woman in symbolic prophecy, as Luke mentioned, is always a Church. (Jer 6:2, Hos 3:1-5, Eph 5:25-32)
In one specific place where Yahweh’s people are collectively referred to as a “woman” we read this interesting passage: “And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.” (Isa 1:8, 21) Here we have the very same imagery as John recorded in Revelation. Here we have a “city” that is also a “woman,” and that a “harlot” because she has engaged in unlawful congress with sin.
In Revelation, we get a more specific indictment of the “woman,” in that she has committed blasphemy, which is speaking evil of Yahweh, and she is also guilty of persecuting the saints, “the martyrs of Yahshua.” As we read through Revelation 17 we find also this in the verse just before the ones quoted above: “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.” (Rev 17:2)
So this woman, Babylon, is identified by the following features: she is a spiritual organization (a church) that is called a “harlot” because, like the “daughter of Zion,” she has committed sins with the “kings of the earth.” In the process, she has spoken evil of divinity, and ultimately persecuted the saints. As we look over history from a Protestant perspective, what Church has there been that has, in conjunction with civil power, become rich (decked with gold and precious stones and pearls) through the abuse of doctrine, and those who would worship God?
Jody: Roman Catholicism.
Zahakiel: Right. It can only be the Church of Rome. In fact, even the Bible tells us this explicitly. Peter, writing from Rome (according to various Church historians like Eusebius and Tertullian), actually says, “The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.” (1Pet 5:13) At that time, of course, this congregation was merely “at” Babylon, or Rome, and was not yet united with it. The union of the Christian Church with pagan Rome came much later on, but it is interesting that even back then the identification of Rome with Babylon was already in place.But now, Babylon has “fallen,” and the Angel in Revelation 14 tells us exactly how and why: “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” (Rev 14:8b) Babylon sharing her “wine,” the wrath of her fornication with the nations of the earth is not merely a characteristic of the Babylon condition. Instead, it is the specific reason given for why Babylon, already evil, world-wealthy and proud, “falls” to an even greater degree of spiritual depravity, one so notable that it calls forth an angel to testify against that fall.
The steps then, directly from the Bible, to get to the condition of “Babylon fallen” are these:
1) A Church must exist, accepting of the doctrines taught by Yahweh.After a Church acquires that civil power, however, it inevitably does descend into actual and active persecution.2) That Church must become worldly in nature, taking on pagan characteristics. As a result, this Church will experience a degree of “success” in terms of secular benefits: gold, silver, precious clothing. This stage can happen quickly, or over a long period of time.
3) The state of the Church degenerates to the point where it becomes guilty of “blasphemy,” of speaking ill of the Creator. At this point it is fully “Babylon” in nature.
4) In this state of confusion and wickedness, this Church commits “fornication” with the nations and kings of the earth. When this takes place, when this unholy union occurs, the Angel announces that this “Babylon” has “fallen.” This fallen condition is characterized by the Church becoming a persecuting power; this is necessarily the order, since before it acquires civil power it cannot actively “persecute” the saints of God. All it can do (and all the Bible says a Church CAN do) is to remove rebellious individuals from membership.
There may be, and have been, other specifics added in to help identify these various stages. For example, in Adventist writings the observation is made that when she has been separated from God, a Babylonian Church will codify its doctrines into a “creed” and use this to identify heretics and dissenters. When the union with the world is complete, the secular power it obtains is used as a weapon against those who will not conform to its requirements.
In general, however, the four steps listed above – taken directly from the Bible – are sufficient to show the stages through which a Church falls to become the wicked entity described in Revelation 14.
This has mostly been a review so far. Is everyone understanding all that has been said?
Jirehiel: Yes.Jody: Yes.Qinael: Yes.Guerline: Yes.Sheila: Yes.Peterson: Yes.The Nature of Babylon Fallen
Zahakiel: Ok, so now, Adventists refer to other organizations than the Roman Catholic Church as “Babylon” as well. We have expanded that term to include other Churches with characteristics similar to the Roman organization. Are we justified in doing so?
Jirehiel: The daughters from Babylon.
Zahakiel: Yes. Clearly, there is more than one “harlot” that the Bible mentions in Revelation. We note that “Babylon the great” is not merely a harlot, but described as “the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth.” If this description is accurate, then it must follow that there are “daughters” that are being identified as “harlots” and “abominations of the earth.” And did the Roman Catholic Church have “daughters?” Were there other, perhaps smaller, churches that she birthed, that “came out” from her, but maintained many of the same familial characteristics? We would have to say that, the symbolic prophecy being true, this must be the case.In the Bible, the word “daughter” is often used to describe the thing itself, if the characteristics match. We read, for example, of Israel being called both Zion (Isa 1:27) and the “daughter of Zion.” (Isa 37:22) This applies not only to faithful nations, but apostate ones as well. We read, of Babylon itself, “O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed; happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee as thou hast served us.” (Psa 137:8)
That is a verse with particular importance to this study. We discover that organizations or entities that share familial relationships are considered one and the same for spiritual reasons. Husbands and wives are “one flesh,” for example. The apostate “sisters” of Samaria and Judah, referred to in Isaiah’s parable as “Ahola and Aholibah” undergo similar chastening, although one precedes the other into harlotry. (Ezek 23)
Another place where “sisters” are treated the same as daughters, and the same as the original “woman” herself, is here: “Then thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.” (Ezek 16:61)
Similarly, and using very similar symbolism as Revelation, “Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand.” (Ezek 23:31)
We read this verse describing the Seraphim, “Their wings were joined one to another; they turned not when they went; they went every one straight forward.” (Ezek 1:9) The imagery is intended to convey that the wings are set together, almost as one object, and moving in the same direction in unity. But what is translated into English as the phrase “one to another” is actually, in the Hebrew, “a woman to her sister.”
It would seem, then that the nature of Babylon fallen is not only that it identifies a specific organization, but any organization similar to that original “mother of harlots,” whether it be daughters, or, as we shall see shortly, sisters.
If we mean to speak of the “nature” of Babylon fallen as its characteristics, we have seen some of those already. Like Laodicea, she is “rich and increased with goods,” and not coincidentally. She is cruel to the saints of Yahweh. She is unfaithful to her first covenant (hence the title “harlot”). She is united with the kings of the earth. This is seen in the way that the kings are spoken of in relation to her, but also in the way that John sees her “riding” a beast. She is taken around by a beast. Its power has become hers, but she directs it, much as the rider of a horse directs the horse.
In plain terms, then, the “nature” of Babylon fallen is an apostate Church, fallen into pagan errors and blasphemy, directing the actions of a state power (for as we know a “beast” in prophetic symbolism refers to a governmental authority) and also being carried, or supported, by it.
Furthermore, that nature is intended to be a general description of any organization related in any way to this Mother of Harlots.
Are there any questions at this point?
Jirehiel: No.Jody: No.Peterson: No.Qinael: No.Guerline: No.Sheila: No.Daphna: No.The Response to Babylon Fallen
Zahakiel: How do we respond to the condition of “Babylon Fallen?” The Second Angel’s message does not give any specific instructions, but those who know the Scriptures would know what to do in response.
Jody: Come out of her, my people.
Zahakiel: Right. They may have read, for example, the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, which directs, “Go ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, ‘Yahweh hath redeemed his servant Jacob.’” (Isa 48:20)
Qinael: When literal Babylon fell, it was taken over by Medo-Persia. The people of Yahweh were immediately released and sent back to their home to rebuild the temple and the true worship of Yahweh. So there’s not just the coming out, but historically, the precedent of uniting in the truth as well.
Zahakiel: They were allowed to rebuild, yes... That’s right. But now some may say, “But that verse refers to Babylon, and the literal one at that. Does that mean Christians are to leave an organization as soon as it begins to teach errors?” The answer to that is “No.” It cannot possibly be thus, because we read, even from the days of the apostles, that the early Christian Church was subject to infiltration by false doctrines and misled teachers. (Acts 20:29, 30; 2Tim 3:1-8; 2Cor 11:12-15)
Qinael: For literal Babylon, it was the false prophets who told the people to rebel and strike out on their own from Babylon. Jeremiah consistently told them to stay in place until the proper time.
Zahakiel: Very true. In Revelation, Yahshua testifies against a number of Churches that have fallen into great error, but to none of these does He instruct the members, “Flee to a new Church.” The fact of the matter is that, especially in the last days, Satan’s influence over a Church is so subtle, so carefully plotted, that none can be sure when the point comes to “go ye forth” without the direct divine instruction from Heaven. And that instruction comes, according to the repeat of the Second Angel’s Message in Revelation 18, only when it has already fallen.We may understand the matter thus: as members of a Church, we are “covenanted” to it if we are proper members according to the Biblical pattern. (Heb 8:6) If we detect, within that Body, or within that congregation, the principles of Babylon at work, we should certainly withdraw ourselves from it. The New Testament tells us not to even so much as “eat” with those who claim to be brethren, and yet do not stand firm upon Christian principle. (1Cor 5:11) But Paul, who writes to the Christians not to keep company with he who is “called a brother” and yet commits open sins, is not telling them to depart from the Body of Christ, or seek another religion.
The response to Babylon, to confusion and error, is to depart from it, but not to violate the covenant; and that is an important distinction. We find that there is a place indeed to protest from within, to stand apart from the progress and flow of a Church, but to continue to support it as the Bride of Christ, even if it happens to be an a feeble, defective state. And of course, here we find a ditch on both sides of the road. Some stay within the broken body long after it has ceased to be the Bride of Christ, and others rush off and form independent, atomic ministries that do far more harm than good to the Gospel work.
So when Babylon unites with the world and “falls,” committing fornication openly with the kings of the earth, then we have a very different, and very clear, instruction. Then Yahweh not only calls His people out, but calls them to a new place that He has prepared for them; Luke showed this with the example of Literal Babylon, and it is true on a spiritual level as well.
In the time of Christ, Judaism was very confused. It was very “Babylon,” in that it had a number of dissimilar factions: Essenes, Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees, and various other independent ministries. And yet, Yahweh did not send His Son to the earth to be born into some obscure religion separate from the Covenant He had with Israel. When Yahshua was born, He was not told, “Separate yourself from these wicked people, for their apostasy is great.”
No, Yahshua attended the Synagogues. He spoke to the Rabbis. He taught obedience to the instructions given to Israel. But when, in this state of Babylonian confusion, Israel united with Caesar and persecuted the Prince of Life, then the Divine One did a very different thing. He called people out. The first sermon, the very first sermon taught by the apostles under the direct inspiration of the Holy Spirit after the cross was a calling-out of the faithful Jews from Israel after the flesh and to the Body of Christ. Those who, even today, claim that literal, earthly Israel will have a place in Yahweh’s plan for the last days had best read Acts 2 with spiritual enlightenment. Peter said to Israel, even those who had not physically laid hands on the Messiah, “His blood is upon your hands. Save yourself from this untoward generation.”
And of course, there is no statute of limitations on the blood of Christ; Israel of today, just like pagans and worldlings of today (no better, no worse), need to separate themselves from the violated Covenants they may claim, and unite with the Church, the Body, the Bride, of the Son of Yahweh. That, through the Blood of Christ, is the only way.
In this last generation, the instructions are clear and easy to understand regarding how to deal with Babylon Fallen, with a Church that, once faithful, had begun to teach errors, and then, finally, united with the state power to become a persecuting force:
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 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. 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.’
“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. For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 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.’” (Rev 18:1- 6)
Are there any questions at this point before we move on?