You are thinking way too small thinking the US is Babylon. Babylon is global.
It is my belief that the AC is here and has been for quiet some time, God just hasn't "named" him yet.
So the entire world is going to weep because the entire world is going to be destroyed in one day?
Here is the one thing I know for sure, I know I'm thankful that we are not required to fully understand Revelation. That being said, I do enjoy the study of it. I'm of the opinion that there's more symbolism in Revelation than many think.Well at least he wasn't there when the verse was written. I personally believe the AC is a role Satan will play, pretending to be God so Satan has always been "here" in various ways, but the actual appearance of the AC would still be future...only after the global government rises in the start of the GT, then will the AC rise up and take control of it all.
If you read Ezekiel, Daniel, the Olivet Discourse, that will help with it think.Here is the one thing I know for sure, I know I'm thankful that we are not required to fully understand Revelation. That being said, I do enjoy the study of it. I'm of the opinion that there's more symbolism in Revelation than many think.
Therein lies the problem though. They had not rejected Christ as their messiah. God had made many efforts through the prophets to call Israel back. After Christ came that was His last call to Israel. Christ instituted the New Covenant and Israel rejected it. That is where they truly became apostate. Furthermore Paul is predicting the apostasy of those who would fall away before Jerusalem fell.I'm keeping the timeframe correct in my interpretation of Revelation. The people of the old covenant were apostate long, long before Paul foretold of the falling away. It was impossible for Paul to "foretell" of that which has already occurred. I am also aware of the FACT that there are those who can not accept the TRUTH in this matter (and many more) and, at the same time, keep that ball rolling.
I think you have seen many responses that believe the woman of Revelation 17/18 is:
1.) Rome
2.) Jerusalem
They are incorrect.
The name Babylon is a "title" bestowed upon her by God to properly indicate her character (a house of bondage and abominations). In other words, the unfaithful Church has "spiritually" become as Babylon. And she is a mystery or secret [musterion] because how many people do you think recognize that this fornicating woman called mystery Babylon is the unfaithful Church? ..it's a secret to all except those whom Christ has given to know Spiritual things. There are not many who will see that this is spiritually earth's representation of the holy city Jerusalem, the Lord's assembly. To most professing Christians, the Church is an untouchable entity that the gates of Hell shall never prevail against. But what they don't "SEE" is that there are two Churches spoken of in scripture. The external Covenant church, and the indivisible (not invisible) eternal Church comprised of all the true saints. One goes forth preaching and the gates of Hell won't prevail over as it builds God's Church. The other is masquerading as a Church, the bride of Christ, but will come under judgment as unfaithful. This is just as the external Old Covenant congregation Israel did in Old Testament times. For the congregations today are no better, and God is no respecter of persons. Read Ezekiel chapter 16 for great insight into this principle. Also:
Mark 13:14
The answer to "when" is that it will happen near the Lord's second coming. That event is preceded by a great Apostasy in the Church, which is spiritually speaking, Judaea. The answer to "how" is that it is by those in the Church that are unfaithful that they become unequally yoked together with unbelievers, posing as believers. And the answer as to "why" is because those in the Churches have compromised and fallen away from holding fast the word of God and have adulterated His word to do man's will instead of God. the man of sin rules in God's place. Thus as judgment, they will have famine and be given to serve a false god in the Holy temple.
- "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:"
2nd Thessalonians 2:3-4
The purpose of Revelation chapter 17 is that by the Spirit of God, John (and indeed all the elect) would show God's people the judgment of the great harlot, the unfaithful woman that sitteth upon many waters. Even as by the Spirit John saw it, so by the Spirit the elect will have revealed the mystery/secret of the harlot. To the rest, Babylon will remain a mystery/secret, as they are oblivious to the destruction going on in their Churches. Because their conscience is seared.
- "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
- Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God."
..without the Spirit, it's just another cryptic and mysterious page of Revelation that is out of the grasp of their understanding.
And as for your question about the blood of the Saints and the blood of the martyrs of Jesus that the woman drunk with. For example, we read in Revelation 17:6:
To be drunken is allegorically speaking of those whose awareness is impaired so that they are without sober spiritual perception. People who are deceived are those who are spiritually drunken. In this manner, it is this woman that causes professing Christians to act without sound judgment, having their faculties impaired by reason of the spirit of Satan that empowers her. These professing Christians are seduced so that by her seduction they are made spiritually drunken whereby they forsake sober or sound teachings for hose catering to the lusts of the flesh. Not unlike God compares the fool (those acting unwisely or imprudently) in Isaiah to being drunken.
- "And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.
Isaiah 19:13-14
It is illustrative of those without bearing who are spiritually intoxicated by her false teaching so that they are under Satanic influence. Just as someone would be under the influence of alcohol so that they begin to make poor decisions and to act foolishly. This is the analogy being drawn here. The people stagger to and fro as they have unsure footing and are thus unable to soberly find the way. Spiritually speaking, as drunkenness their eyes are darkened, their paths blurred, and their mind is unsound.
- "The princes of Zoan are become fools, the princes of Noph are deceived; they have also seduced Egypt, even they that are the stay of the tribes thereof.
- The LORD hath mingled a perverse spirit in the midst thereof: and they have caused Egypt to err in every work thereof, as a drunken man staggereth in his vomit."
Job 12:24-25
Again, the portrait is of a confused and unsound mind. The power or capacity of him to think soberly is gone causing an altering of his behavior in a negative fashion. In a phrase, spiritual drunkenness.
- "He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
- They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
You might also do a study of how Christ said Jerusalem was drunk with the blood of the prophets. Because Jerusalem is a synonym for the church and their drunkenness was symbolic of their error and lack of sober judgment to discern truth.
The Woman is not Rome. Is not Jerusalem. Is not the United Nations. She is the one turns the new testament congregation away from serving God faithfully. That is the nature of spiritual fornication. This church (of which they are a part) has committed spiritual fornication with the world. Their false prophets and christs are out there to appease the sinners with their kool-aid Jesus doctrines. Just as Israel did with the nations around her, and yet there was a remnant according to Grace, who was still within her, but who ultimately came out.
For example, do you really feel comfortable going into Joel Osteen's Lakewood Church and listening to his abominations? Or do you need to leave the church to avoid being deceived? Yet Joel Osteen is one of MANY false prophets and there are many churches like his. Collectively, they are Babylon the Great.
No, they will weep at the loss of the religion they were a part of, and the loss of the god they worshiped. They had it all for a short time but will weep when it all crumbles.
America is the harlot
Like a banking institution or false religion?
False religion. She is the opposite of the bride of Christ. The Rev 13:1 beast controls political, military and financial aspects of government.
Was it a false religion back in the days of Jesus and the Apostles that their City and Temple had to be destroyed?Hi ewq
See we can agree.............a False Religion
Israel was, for all intents and purposes, set against God from day one and God was to the point of eradicating them on numerous occasions. The Israelites have absolutely nothing to do with Pauls warning in 2 Thessalonians nor are they, as a "chosen" people, the subject matter in Revelation; all must come to God through Christ. Thankfully, the ground at the foot of the cross of Calvary is completely level. Paul is clearly talking about the second coming of Christ. Furthermore, Paul is speaking/writing to the saints at Thessaloniki and he says the church will be led astray by lies. That is the fact of the matter.Therein lies the problem though. They had not rejected Christ as their messiah. God had made many efforts through the prophets to call Israel back. After Christ came that was His last call to Israel. Christ instituted the New Covenant and Israel rejected it. That is where they truly became apostate. Furthermore Paul is predicting the apostasy of those who would fall away before Jerusalem fell.
There are zero prophecies, predictions or anything of the sort in Matthew 23, Jesus is simply condemning the "elite" Scribes and Pharisees. Those claiming to be the "most" religious but in reality were just the opposite.Christ pronounced His judgment would come to Jerusalem at Matthew 23:33-37...and it did in 70AD.
The fact of the matter is all of Revelation is directed to the church and most of Revelation subject matter is the church gone astray.That's truly what most of Revelation is all about. That is the *FACT* of the matter...
Yes THEY WILL and it would behoove US ALL to think long and hard about that fact!!and many will be alarmed to see Christ returning with none of what they think will happen coming to pass.
Was it a false religion back in the days of Jesus and the Apostles that their City and Temple had to be destroyed?
The problem with that is the Rev 13:1 beast has all 7 heads intact so they clearly cannot be successive Caesar's. The 7 heads are mountains, which are areas of land. They are not kings or Caesars.
Rev 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
"having seven heads" not having one head with 6 dead heads. The kings are the horns not the heads.
Rev 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
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