And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 2 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. 3 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. 4 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. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 6 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. 7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. - Revelation 18:1-8 KJV.

Jonathan,

I’m intrigued by the title of this post and the passage quoted without any explanation from you. OK … we have discussed on this board “worship” and controversies surrounding worship; we have discussed “the church” or churches affected by the church growth scheme; we have also covered the “restoration of the church” and how the change agents have distorted the historical perspective and objective of the Restoration Movement in order to justify their scheme to transform the church of Christ.

Revelation 18 has been generally described as the “fall of Babylon,” although something similar can be said of Revelation 17 as well. Interestingly, the first 8 verses in reference are related only to the proclamation of the fall of the city by an angel and by a voice from heaven. Of course, the rest of the chapter deals with the “mourning” and “justification” of the city’s fall.

I’m only guessing that you may be suggesting that the expression, “Come out of her, my people” (v. 4) is alluding to the church in the last days. How do we connect “worship” to all this? The word “BEYOND” is all in caps. I’m wondering if your implication of the word in the subject is—that the church can no longer be restored [or is not restorable] in the last days.

Would you state your premise, please?

Donnie

Donnie,

I believe that the Bible teaches, especially the book of Revelation, that churches (local) will become so full of iniquity and apostasy toward the end of time that the true believer or member of the eternal church (body of Christ) will be commanded to no longer fellowship there.

True belivers agonize as we see church after church falling away. Many saints will try to "hang in there" so as to not "forsake the assembly", but this will be a futile attempt. They will either be so repused by what is happening or those who have taken over the churches with false gospels will force them out, they will have no choice but to obey Revelation 18:4 and come out of the church now given over to the man of sin and apostasy.

Hebrews 10:25 will not be broken either when the true believer at this point leaves because Hebrews 10:25 tells us not to forsake the assembling of OURSELVES together, ourselves being us and other believers who are likeminded in truth, the fact of the matter is, there will be NO assembly to forsake:

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. - Hebrews 10:25.

Jonathan +

How can we be sure that Revelation 18 is speaking of the time of the great tribulation and that Babylon is a reference to apostate churches?

There are many tie-ins that reveal that the Babylon mentioned in Revelation 17 & 18 is focusing on the end time churches that has gone completely apostate. For example, we read this in verse 2 of chapter 18:

"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."

One reason we know that Babylon here is a picture of the unfaithful churches is because Revelation 18:2 says that Babylon is fallen, and is "BECOME" the habitation of devils, etc.

Now, if Babylon is picturing the world or literal Babylon, how is it that all of these evils are just coming to pass? The world has long been the habitation of devils, hasn't it? But the church on the other hand----the church has been used of God for many centuries. And it is not until the beginning of the final tribulation period when Satan is loosed that it "BECOMES" the habitation of devils. The churches and congregation become the habitation of devils during the great tribulation because Satan is reigning as the man of sin in many congregations (see 2 Thes 2:1-9). Also, when we go through Revelation 17 & 18 and check out the words and phrases that God uses there they identify with the church in many instances. Again, using verse 2 of Revelation 18 as an example:

"...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."

This language is very similar what we find in the book of Jeremiah, chapter 5:

27) As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit....

The Lord is connecting a cage full of birds to houses full of deceit. When churches and congregation stop bringing the true Word of God they are bringing a deceitful message----and spiritually speaking this is as a cage full of hateful birds.

There are many biblical tie-ins that show that Babylon spoken of in Revelation 17 & 18 is none other but the apostate churches that has gone astray near the end of the world during the great tribulation. Another example of this can be found in verses 23 & 24 of Revelation 18:

22) And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23) And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24) And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

Several times in the book of Jeremiah we read that God intends to remove the light of a candle, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride from Jerusalem (see Jeremiah 25:8-12). All of this being language that points to the gospel of salvation. Christ is the Bridegroom (John 3:27-29); and the bride is the body of true believers. The light of the candle is the truth of the gospel message. The faithful declaration of the Scriptures.

God told ancient Judah He was going to remove all of those spiritual blessings from them due to their apostasy; and that is exactly what He did. Likewise, God says in Revelation 18:23 that He will remove the blessings of the gospel from the churches once they become heavily involved with spiritual fornication during the last days. Finally, verse 24 of Revelation 18 tells us that in Babylon was found the "blood of the prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon earth." Where is it actually that the saints of God are slain? Who is it that normally kills God's people? The answer is -----Jerusalem. Or, the church which Jerusalem spiritually points to and patterns. Please turn to Luke 11:

46 And he said, Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers. 47 Woe unto you! for ye build the sepulchres of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48 Truly ye bear witness that ye allow the deeds of your fathers: for they indeed killed them, and ye build their sepulchres. 49 Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute: 50 That the blood of all the prophets, which was shed from the foundation of the world, may be required of this generation; 51 From the blood of Abel unto the blood of Zacharias, which perished between the altar and the temple: verily I say unto you, It shall be required of this generation. 52 Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered. - Luke 11:46-52 kjv.

Jerusalem slays God's people. And Jerusalem is a type and figure of the last days apostate church before it is destroyed and replaced by the new Jerusalem (Revelation 21, compare with Jeremiah 20:5, 26:18). Therefore, when we see language in Revelation 18:24 that lays the deaths of the saints and prophets and ALL that were slain upon earth at Babylon's door step------then we know that Babylon is representing the apostate church without any question.

So, the command in Revelation 18:4 is for all those that are still involved in attending apostate churches that are beyond restoration:

"...come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. - 2 Timothy 2:19.

Try shining this light on Revelations 17 & 18

Rev. 17: Roman Catholic Church
Rev. 18: United States of America

I think these will get you closer to the truth. Please don't think I'm trying to get the modern church in USA off the hook, no, I think they should be double hooked. Not for their apostasy, but for defening it.

To God be the Glory
Joe McKnight

Dear Joe:

I am quite firmiliar with those who hold the position you speak of; however, when one does an in-depth verse by verse study of the book of Revelation, I believe that the teachings you speak of cannot & do not fit the context of the book of Revelation or the entire Bible for that matter; but it is indeed a difficult book as is the entire Bible and no doubt must be studied very prayerfully and carefully.

peace in Christ
JC + + +