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  • Babylon in the Book of Revelation: How She Became a House of Demons

    Babylon in the Book of Revelation: How She Became a House of Demons

    In the book of Revelation, chapter 18, it says Babylon has become the house of demons. For someone, or a group of people, to become a house of demons means that they were not always so — they used to be the house of God, and they became the house of demons. How did Babylon become the house of demons? Read parts one and two, where we established that Babylon cannot refer to pagan religions.

    Pagan religions never were the house of God that then became a house of demons — biblically, pagan religions were always houses of demons. Pagan religions never fornicate, in the sense of claiming to belong to Jesus while also worshipping Satan. Pagan religions never belonged to Jesus in the first place. Babylon, in the book of Revelation, falls in Revelation 14. We saw that “falling” means rejecting truth, or a message sent by Jesus.

    In Romans 11, Paul says Israel fell. Why? Because of unbelief. We fall when we reject a message. Pagan religions never received a special message from Jesus and then rejected it — but Christian churches were once the house of God, and they became the house of demons. Christian churches fornicate: they claim to belong to Jesus. But Babylon, in the book of Revelation, received a specific message, called the three angels’ messages — and they rejected the first angel’s message of Revelation 14:6-7.

    In the very next verse, Jesus says Babylon is fallen. Christian churches across the United States received a message around 1844, given by William Miller, called “the hour of His judgment is come.”

    Revelation 14:6-7 — “And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.”

    The questions to ask are: Who gave this message? When was this message given? What is this message about? We learn that this message is the starting point of the end times. After this message is given, Babylon, in the book of Revelation, becomes Babylon precisely by rejecting this message. Then Babylon receives the seven last plagues. Then Babylon receives the mark of the beast. Then Babylon receives the wrath of God. And sadly, all who remain in Babylon will face eternal destruction.

    Babylon in the Book of Revelation Represents the Christian Churches

    Let us reiterate that Babylon does not symbolize atheism or pagan religions. We have seen that Babylon, in the book of Revelation:

    1. Falls from the truth. Did pagan religions ever possess the truth? No.

    Revelation 14:8 — “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

    2. Babylon fornicates — meaning she claims to belong to Jesus, yet preaches beliefs originating from the kingdom of Satan, believing these to be Christian beliefs.

    Revelation 17:5 — “And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.” Pagan religions never claimed to belong to both Jesus and Satan at the same time.

    3. Babylon, in the book of Revelation, has become a house of demons. This is the central topic of this article. If Babylon “becomes” a house of demons, it means Babylon was previously the house of God — so pagan religions cannot fulfill this prophecy.

    The Hour of His Judgment

    The fall of Babylon comes when she rejects this message: “the hour of His judgment is come.” This is known as the first angel’s message. The three angels’ messages form the final message for planet earth, given to all nations, peoples, and tongues. All Christians must hear this message and either accept or reject it. Jesus always tests His children to see if they will be worthy of eternal life.

    Not everyone who says “Lord, Lord” is a true Christian. This three angels’ message is a test from God, to see who is truly worthy to enter heaven: honest people accept truth, while dishonest people reject it.

    The hour of His judgment is the same message found in Daniel 8:14 — the cleansing of the sanctuary. In ancient Israel, the high priest would enter the most holy place only once a year, in what was called the hour of judgment, or the cleansing of the sanctuary. Gabriel reveals that 2,300 years from the decree to rebuild Jerusalem, Jesus would enter the most holy place in heaven.

    Daniel 8:14 — “And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” When do these 2,300 years begin?

    Daniel 9:25 — “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks.” We will not go into full detail on this message here — known as the first angel’s message, or the 2,300-day prophecy.

    But what we know from Jesus is this: when this message is given to all nations, tongues, and peoples, and is rejected by many, those who reject it become Babylon. They then receive the seven last plagues, then the mark of the beast, and ultimately, eternal destruction. Babylon, in the book of Revelation, becomes Babylon specifically by rejecting the hour of His judgment — the first angel’s message.

    Again, we repeat: after this message is given, churches become Babylon. Immediately following this message in verse 7, Jesus says:

    Revelation 14:8 — “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

    Who gave this message? When was it given? What is it about? If you love yourself, and if you love Jesus — once you understand that this message is a matter of life or death — then, like the Bereans, we should search daily to know whether these things are true.

    Acts 17:11 — “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” When we understand that rejecting this message means receiving the seven last plagues and the mark of the beast, and that this is a test from Jesus to discern who is truly an honest Christian, we will study deeply, in order to escape the seven last plagues and the wrath of God.

    The First Angel’s Message

    Looking through history for someone who gave a worldwide message about the hour of God’s judgment, the sanctuary, and its cleansing in the most holy place, we find only one person in history who gave such a message: William Miller, around 1844, in the United States.

    This first angel’s message was given first to Protestants and Catholics in the United States, and then spread to the world. Most Protestant churches rejected this message and became Babylon — yet many would later come out of these fallen churches to join the remnant movement and embrace the three angels’ messages of Jesus.

    All Sunday-keeping Protestant churches become Babylon by rejecting the hour of His judgment message in Revelation 14. This message is also called:

    • The first angel’s message
    • The cleansing of the sanctuary
    • The 2,300-day prophecy

    Babylon Becomes a House of Demons

    Sadly, in Revelation 18, Jesus — the One who loves you, the One who died on the cross — says that these churches will become a dwelling place for demons and evil spirits. We have established that Babylon cannot represent pagan religions, and cannot represent atheism, because:

    1. Babylon was once the house of God before becoming a house of demons. Biblically, pagan religions were always houses of demons from the start.
    2. Pagan religions never fell from the truth — to fall from the truth, one must first possess the truth. When Jesus sends new light and a new message, and it is rejected, the believer falls from the truth. Pagan religions were never in possession of the truth, so they cannot “fall” from it.
    3. Pagan religions never fornicated, as they never claimed to belong to Jesus. Pagan religions do not worship Jesus and Satan simultaneously — but Sunday-keeping Protestant churches and the Catholic Church do worship Jesus and Satan at the same time. This is called “her fornication.”

    Her Fornication

    We covered this in part two of this series: how do Christians fornicate with Satan? By preaching his messages and beliefs, and by uniting with worldly governments and powers. Most beliefs found in the fallen churches can be traced directly back to the priests of ancient Babylon, who worshipped demons. When a modern pastor preaches the same sermon that a pagan priest of Babylon was preaching around 650 BC, in the days of Daniel, we can conclude that God can no longer call these institutions “churches” — He gives them a new name: Babylon.

    The Pagan Beliefs Hidden in Modern Christianity

    Which beliefs of modern Sunday-keeping Christians trace back to paganism?

    1. The secret rapture
    2. Speaking in tongues
    3. Eternal hell
    4. Going to heaven immediately upon death, or spiritualism
    5. Sunday worship
    6. The abolition of the law
    7. Once saved, always saved

    These represent most of the core beliefs of modern Christianity — and sadly, they can be traced back to the days of pagan worship of Satan. On any given Sunday, many Christian pastors teach a message that closely mirrors what a pagan priest would have preached in ancient Babylon, yet the congregation believes they are hearing a true Bible sermon. What an incredible deception.

    The Wine of Babylon

    The wine of Babylon represents false teachings that people believe come from the Bible, but which actually originate from paganism.

    Revelation 17:2 — “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.” This woman, representing the church, sits in Rome, the city of seven hills.

    Revelation 17:9 — “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” This Babylon is the mother church; her daughters fall when the first angel’s message is given to them.

    Pagan religions cannot become a house of demons, because they always were a house of demons. But Christian churches, by rejecting the first angel’s message and by preaching doctrines of demons and pagan beliefs, are worshipping Satan and Jesus simultaneously. This is why Jesus says:

    Revelation 18:2 — “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.”

    Why not study this topic carefully, dear friend? I urge you to read:

    1. The Great Controversy by Ellen G. White
    2. Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith

    This is, truly, a matter of life or death.

    Repeat after me: Father God, thank You for Your love. Help me to understand this three angels’ message, and to follow You, in the name of Jesus. Amen.

  • Who Is John That Wrote the Book of Revelation? The Three Angels’ Message Explained

    Who Is John That Wrote the Book of Revelation? The Three Angels’ Message Explained

    John is the apostle who was with Jesus — a teenager at the time. He is known traditionally as the beloved John, who rested his head on Jesus’s breast. He was also called by God to write the first, second, and third epistles of John, and lastly the book of Revelation, on the island of Patmos. Babylon in the book of Revelation? Babylon is the mother; she has daughters, and daughters come from the mother.

    What Is Revelation About?

    The book of Revelation is a revealing of the future of the world: seven churches, seven seals, seven trumpets. Most of the end-time message of the book of Revelation centers on a message given to the world in Revelation 14.

    This message is called the three angels’ messages. The first angel, the Bible says, is given to all nations, tongues, and peoples — so it is not an obscure message given by a local prophet. It is a worldwide message. Is this message given only to non-Christians? No — it says to all people, all nations.

    What Is This Message to the World That Is Rejected?

    This message is: “Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” (Revelation 14:7)

    Who gave this message to the world? When was it given? What is it about? The only person in history who gave this exact message was William Miller, in 1844 — no one else in history has given this message.

    This is the first angel’s message: “the hour of his judgment is come.” Babylon, in the book of Revelation, refers to fallen Christian churches.

    The Hour of His Judgment: A Sanctuary Message

    Israel observed, every year, the Day of Atonement, when the high priest would enter the most holy place to decide the destiny of the people. Babylon in the book of Revelation cannot refer to pagan religions, because pagan religions were never “the mother” the way the Catholic Church has been. In the Old Testament pattern of salvation in Israel:

    1. The priest kills the lamb.
    2. Once a year, the high priest enters the most holy place to cleanse the record of sin.

    If salvation were accomplished entirely through Jesus dying on the cross, why did Jesus then go to the sanctuary in heaven to intercede for us? If salvation were finished at the cross, this additional ministry would make no sense. This message — the hour of His judgment — was to be given in the end times, to all nations.

    This message parallels Daniel 8:14 — “And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” The cleansing of the sanctuary refers to the high priest entering the most holy place. Here, Gabriel says that after 2,300 years, the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary would take place — to cleanse sin not for Israel alone, but for the whole world.

    This hour of His judgment is so important because Jesus sends the seven last plagues, the mark of the beast, and His wrath upon those who reject this message. Understanding what this message is truly about is vital.

    Babylon in the Book of Revelation: Why the Churches Fall

    The next verse says that these churches become Babylon — meaning that they were once truly God’s churches.

    Revelation 14:8 — “And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Fornication here refers to false doctrines. We commit fornication when we have a husband or wife, yet take another lover. Here, Jesus says these churches claim to belong to Him, their one true husband, yet they preach beliefs that come from Satan, thereby advancing Satan’s kingdom on earth.

    They “fornicate” by embracing false doctrines. When we believe something, we become part of that belief — it becomes who we are. When we preach doctrines not found in the Bible, our whole being becomes contaminated by those false beliefs.

    What Happens When This Message Is Rejected?

    Jesus says these churches have become corrupt; they receive the seven last plagues; they receive the wrath of God; they receive the mark of the beast.

    Revelation 14:9-11 — “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.”

    Two Camps Since the Second Century

    Many pastors still teach about “the church” as though we were living in the first century, when there was only one church. Paul said that after his departure, divisions would form. Lucian, in the second century — used by God to help preserve the true biblical text, the Byzantine, or majority, text — recognized that camps were already forming. Since the second century, there have been two camps.

    Babylon in the book of Revelation refers to the mother church, the Catholic Church — many loving Catholics belong to her, but Jesus is referring here to the system of belief, not condemning individuals. The daughters of Babylon are the Sunday-keeping Protestant churches, which fell in 1844 when William Miller proclaimed the “hour of His judgment” message — a message of life or death.

    The Faith of Jesus: Keeping the Commandments

    Jesus says in Revelation 14 that this faithful group holds to the faith of Jesus and keeps His commandments by faith, while on the other side, many churches teach that the law has been abolished.

    Revelation 14:12 — “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

    Most churches do not realize that when they say “we no longer need to keep the law,” they are effectively saying “we are free to break the law.” But the Bible says: “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4) No one can keep the law in their own strength. The real question is twofold: (1) Is the law still binding? (2) Who keeps the law — and how?

    No One Can Keep the Law Alone

    Paul himself said he considered himself the worst of sinners. A converted person is someone who recognizes there is nothing inherently good within themselves.

    Romans 7:18-19 — “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”

    No one is righteous on their own. Jesus can only give His righteousness to: (1) those who recognize they are sinners — and this, sadly, is the minority, since most people believe they are already good; (2) those who know they cannot keep the law in their own strength; (3) those who ask Jesus for His righteousness.

    I encourage you to read the writings of Alonzo T. Jones and E.J. Waggoner on this subject. On one side, some preach that the law is finished — this is a false gospel. On the other, many teach that we keep the law through human effort alone — this is also false. Why not study this life-changing topic of righteousness by faith?

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