Noticeably Different - News With Views

by Rob Pue

Teachers of Bible prophecy have several interpretations of Revelation 18 regarding Babylon the Great. The original Babylon, of course, dates back to the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11. The prophet Daniel also knew well of Babylon — once the largest, most prosperous city in the world — as he prophesied the death of Belshazzar and the destruction of the city, when Belshazzar desecrated the treasures captured from the temple in Jerusalem by throwing a huge party and having his guests drink from the temple vessels. The city of Babylon was captured and destroyed in 539 BC; and the ruins of the city can still be seen today, 53 miles south of Baghdad, Iraq.

Some believe the prophetic words in Revelation regarding Babylon refer to the apostate false church of the end times, and some believe it represents our country, America, and what it’s become in these last days.

Regardless of your theology on Babylon, the words from Revelation 18 do bear a striking resemblance to our country today. You know, those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. History DOES repeat itself. There’s nothing new under the sun… the wickedness and evil and worship of false gods that took place in the ancient city of Babylon continue. If mankind would simply read, believe and LEARN from God’s Word; if the hearts of men would turn toward the one true God of heaven, perhaps we would avoid the righteous judgment of God. Instead of being cursed, we could be blessed, as our nation once was. But Revelation mentions Babylon in detail — a Babylon of the FUTURE — not the city in Iraq that now lies in ruins, …and it sounds an awful lot like our own country.

Let’s read together, from Revelation 18: “…I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.

“For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.

“Then I heard another voice from heaven say: ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. Give back to her as she has given; pay her backdouble for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself.

“In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.’ Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.

“When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!’

“The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore — cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and human beings sold as slaves.

“They will say, ‘The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.’ The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out: ‘Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!’”

As I look around today, I don’t hold out a lot of hope that we’re going to be able to “make America great again” — unless we repent, individually and as a nation. And that seems very unlikely to happen. Indeed, as times goes on, we just become more and more prideful in our sin. We export adultery, pornography and all manner of sexual perversion to the nations of the world. We revel in excessive luxuries and the nations of the world have become drunk with the riches of our debauchery.

We believe we’re invincible, that we’ll never mourn. But Scripture says of “Babylon,” that in ONE day, plagues will overtake her. Death, mourning and famine. Babylon of Revelation will be consumed with fire… and the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury will weep and mourn as the smoke of devastation rises from that once-Great City.

Yes, the “Kings of the earth.” Interesting this phrase is used. Let me remind you of the words of Psalm 2: “Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The KINGS OF THE EARTH set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and His anointed, saying ‘let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us.’”

It’s unfortunate that there are so many professing Christians out there who mock and ridicule the idea of so-called “conspiracy theories.” Clearly, as we read in Psalm 2, the kings of the earth DO take counsel together. They DO conspire. They’ve been doing it forever and they’re doing it NOW. And WHO do they conspire against? The LORD and His people — denying God, trying to be gods themselves. Believing they’re invincible, that the utopian New World Order is at hand. Yes, they’re conspiring RIGHT NOW, against the Lord and His anointed, His people. His true Church — real Christ-followers.

They want nothing to do with God. They’re still mocking Him, still spitting in His face. Still shaking their fists at heaven, refusing to submit to and revere their Creator. One of our political parties actually pompously removed God from their party platform. What’s more, as we have seen very clearly over the past year, the heathen ARE raging — RIGHT NOW — and people are imagining vain things — every possible sort of insanity is now accepted and celebrated in our land. Vain things.

Recently, Representative Gregory Steube of Florida warned Congress of the consequences of rejecting God’s natural design when discussing the so-called “Equality Act,” and the endorsement and celebration of the LGBTQP+ militant agenda and “transgenderism.” On February 25, in a 224-206 vote, the US House of Representatives passed the “Equality Act.” Steube argued, “the gender confusion that exists in our culture today is a clear rejection of God’s good design.” He went on to say, “Whenever a nation’s laws no longer reflect the standards of God, that nation is in rebellion against Him and will inevitably bear the consequences.” Representative Jerry Nadler of New York cut him off, stating arrogantly that “God’s will is of no concern of this Congress!”

Obviously. God was kicked out of our government long ago. He was also kicked out of our schools and colleges, and every major institution… including, very sadly, now a majority of our churches. Yes, a majority. Professing “Christians,” taking the Lord’s name in vain by calling themselves that, while accepting and celebrating the “diversity” of sexual perversion, the murder of our unborn babies, the false god of Islam, socialism, communism and so much more. God Almighty, His people and His Word no longer “factor in” to any decisions most people make. We think we’re our own gods. We want to “break their bands asunder and cast their cords away from us.”

Back to Revelation 18, the voice from heaven shouted, “Come OUT of her, My people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues, for her sins are piled up to heaven and God has remembered her crimes.” Yes, my friends, America has become Godless and our sins are piled up to heaven. How much longer will He tarry before destruction comes upon us suddenly? Scripture tells us that in ONE DAY there will be death, mourning, famine and a consuming fire. And those conspiring “kings of the earth” WILL, indeed, mourn. EVERY knee will bow and EVERY tongue will confess — including Jerry Nadler and every other wicked evil so-called “public servant” that has profaned the Word of the Living God and taught others to do so in wild abandon as well.

Friends, I can’t emphasize strongly enough the urgent NEED for true Christ-followers to COME OUT from among the sinful culture we’ve become so accustomed to and so comfortable with. Second Corinthians 6: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

“And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, ‘I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’

“Wherefore ‘come out from among them, and be ye separate,’ saith the Lord, and ‘touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters,’ saith the Lord Almighty.”

If you claim to be a Christian, what are you doing watching “questionable” “entertainment” on television? What are you doing supporting things like Netflix, Facebook, Amazon, professional sports, carnal music… not to mention the filth they’re feeding your children as they brainwash them in public schools, teaching them rebellion and hatred of God? And what are you doing perpetuating lies and propagating fear by submitting to the wickedness of mask-wearing, or kowtowing to evil government dictates, or standing in line to get poison injected into your body in the form of a so-called “vaccine” that’s proven to simply be one more step toward submission to the evil one?

We need to come out from among the carnal culture of this world and be separate. We ought to look, behave and BE different from those who have no time for God, no interest in God, those who worship false gods, or themselves as god. “In the world, but not OF it,” as they say. After the Last Supper and just prior to going into the Garden, just prior to His betrayal and arrest, Jesus prayed for His disciples. And part of His prayer was, “I have given them Your Word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is truth.” During this prayer, Jesus specifically said He was not praying for the world, but only for those who were truly His Father’s children.

Amid the evil and the lies and deception that’s rampant in our world today, as tiresome as it gets, and as weary as we become, we are to remain in this world until our Father calls us home, and during this time, we’re to be separate — NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT from those who are not filled with the Holy Spirit of God. If you don’t look any different, most likely you aren’t. And just as Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil, that’s our calling too. We’re to OCCUPY until He comes. Stop supporting wickedness and lies and evil; even if it means doing the “little” things like canceling your cable TV! For goodness’ sake, we’re to be sanctified, set apart. NOTICEABLY DIFFERENT.

I do believe, whether America is destined to suffer the horrors of the Babylon of Revelation 18 or not, this nation WILL be justly judged and WILL be destroyed, for our sins have definitely piled up to heaven now. And the world will be amazed that such a nation could perish so quickly, yes, even in a day. I share these things with you today not to frighten you, because true Christians have NOT been given a spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit, with power, love and a sound mind. But if you find yourself scared by what I’ve said here, then you SHOULD be.

It’s time to get serious. Draw close to God. Choose this day Who you will serve, even in the midst of great evil, even though the world will hate you. Only a fool would continue to ignore the warning signs all around us. Only a fool would continue to mock and ridicule. Think about what I’ve said.

E-Mail Rob Pue: Rob@WisconsinChristianNews.com