CHAPTER VIII.

DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON AND THE VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD.

THE

HE final destruction of Babylon is very plainly described in Revelation 18. The last message of mercy is still proclaimed. The majority of nominal Christians reject it. The Spirit of God leaves them, and the evil spirits get control of them more and more, and of the church to which they belong. The blessed truth and commandments of God are rejected, and pagan fables and commandments of men are accepted instead. Still there are some who embrace the message, and the Lord gives them his Spirit in rich measure.

Call To Leave Babylon.

Then the Lord pours out the latter rain upon his people, just as he poured out the early rain upon the apostles and first Christians. They are blessed with the fullness of the Gentiles, or a great abundance of spiritual gifts, just as the first Christians were blessed with the fullness of the Jews, all receiving of the fullness of Christ and grace for grace.

1

After this the message of the fall of Babylon is proclaimed with great power, and the people of God who are still united with some of the fallen churches hasten to leave them. "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.'

1 John 1: 16; Rom. 11: 25; James 5: 7.

2 Rev. 18: 4.

The Plagues of Babylon Come in One Day.

The proud harlot who did sit like a queen, and gloried in the false hope that she should see no sorrow, will then suffer the terrible plagues which are poured out; and they are to come upon her in one prophetic day.3

In vain the kings of the earth and the merchants weep over the stately and magnificent churches and congregations which are destroyed and perish during the plagues. All their trade with luxury has ceased; all the costly and extravagant things which they have heaped together in the last days are now destroyed. They have despised the truth of God, and hated his people. They have brought upon themselves the wrath of God by their hypocrisy and worldliness.

The voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more among them. No artist or art shall be found among them any more; even the sound of the mill ceases. The voice of the bridegroom and of the bride is heard no more. Gloom and silence reign everywhere in this realm of death. All the counterfeit, proud Christianity, which had exalted itself above the word of God, and despised the kind warning message of the Lord, all this proud Babylon, shall be thrown down as when a great millstone is cast into the sea, and shall be found no more at all.1

Let us then try to understand what Babylon is, and what her sins are. Let us make no delay in obeying the warning voice of God, but go out of Babylon with the people of God, that we may escape her plagues, and go home with Christ to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

The Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

"And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he

3 Rev. 18: 7, 8.

4 Rev. 18: 21-23.

Just

saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God."5 as the fate of the unfortunate peeple who have rejected the message of mercy is described in the eighteenth chapter of Revelation, so the glorious victory and salvation of the people of God is described in the first part of Revelation 19. Jesus comes to bring the righteous judgment of God upon the great harlot, and to avenge the blood of his servants at her hand, and at the same time he comes to gather all his servants, both small and great, who fear God.

"And a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and great. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, say. ing, Alleluia for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.""

The great throng, which at the time here spoken of is praising God with a loud voice, is in heaven.' The fifth verse shows that it embraces all the servants of God. The marriage of the Lamb is the union of Christ with the New Jerusalem. It takes place in heaven before Jesus comes to this earth the second time.' The wedding guests are those who are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. They rejoice and reign with Christ in the holy city until the earth is made new, and the new Jerusalem becomes its eternal, glorious capital.

5 Rev. 199.

8 Rev. 21: 9.

:

6 Rev. 19 5-7.

9 Dan. 7: 13, 14.

7 Rev. 19: 1.