22/01/13

Babylon that was and wasn't

Jeremiah 50:23,24
How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations! I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.


Just in the morning I had a person question me why I speak against the Catholic Church in my messages and why I can't I concentrate on just giving the Gospel, and then I received this message from the Lord for today.

Catholics jump to defend themselves when Believers point that the Catholic Church is the Mother of all fornication mentioned in Revelation chapter 17. When I was a Catholic I too never believed people who gave their theories on this Babylon of the new era. I always thought it was their hatred against the so called "Universal Church set by the Apostles" that made them to be blinded.

It was later when I saw the traditions of the Catholic Church were going against the Word of God and found that the Lord had in fact warned specifically about these going to happen that I realized how those people were true about this Babylon. Even though many of these prophecies have come true in history yet the lies broadcasted by this church fools many.

Firstly we need to realize like the Israel of the Bible is more to do with the people of God than with the Jews, similarly the Babylon is more to do with the Great Whore than with the kingdom that existed in those times.

If the Jews were the true people of God then the Holy Spirit would not have led the Apostles to come out of the Jewish Church but would have led them to be better Jews. We would not have had Paul warning Titus in chapter 1:9-10 about the people who included Jewish traditions in to Christianity or in his letter to Romans stating a Jew is not the one of traditions but of spiritual understanding.

Paul also says God's chosen people are not those born of the flesh but those who are born out of faith, that is why we Christians are called descendants of Abraham but our faith in Jesus Christ. The Lord did keep the natural Israelites for His Name sake until people know the True Israel the spiritual Israel.

Similarly if we look at the Babylon in the Old Testament, although it sieges to exist today yet we see the New Testament continues to talk of it in the book of Revelation, clearly showing that the real Babylon is yet to come.

Catholics have one contention of not being the false church that is since they existed for a long period therefore they have the favour and approval of God.

If we look at history in the Old Testament the events there did not happen in days but many were over long periods of time (in years).

The people of Israel were under the bondage of the Egyptians for nearly 400 years did the Egyptians have the favour of God?

The fight between the Israelites and the Amorites went on for years and years; was the favour of God also on the Amorites like it was on the Israelites?

The Assyrian and Philistines tormented the Israelites for long eras, was God strengthening the Philistines and Assyrians like He did to the Israelites?

The Lord selected Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon to punish the Israelites when the wrath of God was on the Israelites but wasn't it the Lord who make an example of him when he glorified himself as a god.

If one goes through the seven letters to the seven Churches in Revelation (chapters 2 &3) and understands them; they talk of the seven stages of the Church of Christ. This seven letters are not chronicle recordings like the book of Acts but are prophetic revelations and this is why recorded in the book of Revelation (I have written below the stages up to current date).

This matter needs to be known by all Christians so that they do not confuse Catholics as Christians but people who call themselves Christians. A person who believes in Jesus Christ is not called a Christian but the one who follows Him is.

In today's message the Lord speaks about what is due to this church. This needs to be read along with Revelation 17:3 - 18:21. This is also viewed with what happened with king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon when God punished him even though God had selected him to punish the Israelites (Daniel 4:24-37).


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we pray your people come out of the deceit that is done in your name. Let your people know that it is your Spirit that is the foundation of the Church for You have said not by your Power or by your Strength but by your Spirit...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scriptures ]
Titus 1:9-10
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

Romans 2:28 - For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

Romans 4:10-17
10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision.
11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also:
12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith. 14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect:
15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.
16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,
17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were.

1 Chronicles 6:15 - And Jehozadak went into captivity, when the LORD carried away Judah and Jerusalem by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar.

Jeremiah 27:6 - And now have I given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him.

Ezra 5:12 - But after that our fathers had provoked the God of heaven unto wrath, he gave them into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, the Chaldean, who destroyed this house, and carried the people away into Babylon.

Revelation chapters 2 & 3
The first stage or Ephesus was the stage of the Apostles and their disciples ministered over the Church.
The second stage Smyrna (myrrh a poisonous aromatic gum) was the coming of the Catholic Church (the dark ages)
The third stage Pergamos (elevation) the renewed Catholic Church
The fourth stage Thyatira (affliction) the newly formed Believer Church
The fifth stage Sardis (red ones - symbolizing people passionate for the Lord) the revamping of the Believer Church (the present stage which we are just entering).

Daniel 4:24-37
24 This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the most High, which is come upon my lord the king:
25 That they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and they shall wet thee with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over thee, till thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
26 And whereas they commanded to leave the stump of the tree roots; thy kingdom shall be sure unto thee, after that thou shalt have known that the heavens do rule.
27 Wherefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable unto thee, and break off thy sins by righteousness, and thine iniquities by shewing mercy to the poor; if it may be a lengthening of thy tranquillity.
28 All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon.
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
31 While the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.
32 And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.
33 The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles' feathers, and his nails like birds' claws.
34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation:
35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?
36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added unto me.
37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.

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