Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - The Wheat and the Weeds

 In his parable of the wheat and the weeds, Jesus spoke of a man who sowed fine seed in a field. But "while men were sleeping." an enemy came and oversowed weeds. Hence, the wheat came up top obscured by weeds. Jesus explained his parable in these words: "The sower  of the fine seed is the Son of man, the field is the world, as for the fine seed, these are the sons of the wicked one, and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil." He then showed that the wheat and the weeds would be allowed to grow together until "the conclusion of the system of things," when the angels would "collect out" the symbolic weeds. -MATTHEW 13:24-30, 36-43.

What Jesus and the apostle Paul and Peter warned about happened. "While men were sleeping," either after the apostle fell asleep in death or when Christian overseers became drowsy in guarding the flock of God. Babylonish apostasy sprouted right inside the congregation. (Acts 20:31) Soon the weeds greatly outnumbered the wheat and hid it from view. For a number of centuries, it might have appeared that the seed of the woman had been engulfed by the voluminous skits of Babylon the Great. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - The Wheat and the Weeds - Continue

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Babylon's Disgraceful Fall - Conclusion

 Since Babylon the Great is the religious part of Satan's Seed, she has always made Jehovah's woman," "Jerusalem above," her main target. In the first century the congregation of anointed Christians was clearly identified as the woman's seed. (Genesis 3:15; Galatians3:29; 4:26) Babylon the Great tried hard to conquer that chaste congregation by seducing it into committing religious fornication. The apostle Paul and Peter warned that many would succumb and a great apostasy would result. (Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Peter 2:1-3) Jesus' messages to the seven congregations indicated that toward the end of John's life, Babylon the Great was making some progress in her efforts to corrupt. (Revelation 2:6, 14, 15, 20-23) But Jesus had already show how far she would be permitted to go. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" -The Wheat and the Weeds

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Babylon's Disgraceful Fall - Continue

 Babylon the Great has also made conquests, but for the most part, these have been more subtle. She has "made all the nations drink? by using the wiles of a prostitute, committing religious fornication with them. She has enticed political rulers into alliances and friendships with her. Through religious allurements, she has schemed political, commercial, and economic oppression. She fomented religious persecution and religious wars and crusades, as well as national wars, for purely political and commercial reasons. And she has sanctified these wars by saying they are God's will.

Religions involvement in the wars, and political politics of this 20th century is common knowledge-as in Shinto, Japan, Hindu, India, Buddhist, Vietnam, "Christian" Northern Ireland, and Latin America, as well as others-not to overlook the army chaplains' part on both sides of the two world wars in urging young men to slaughter on another. A classic example of the philandering of Babylon the Great is the share she had in the Spanish Civil War of 1936-39, in which at least 600,000 people were killed. This bloodspilling was provided by supporters of the Catholic clergy and their allies, in part because of the wealth and position of the church was threatened by Spain's legal government.

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" -Babylon's Disgraceful Fall - Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Babylon's Disgraceful Fall

 Let us examine in more detail the circumstances surrounding the disgraceful fall of Babylon the Great . . . made all the nations drink of the wine of the anger of her fornication." What does this mean? It relates to conquest. For example, Jehovah told Jeremiah: "Take this cup of the wine of rage out of my hand, and you must make all the nations to whom I am sending you to drink it. And they must drink and shake back and forth and act like crazed men because of the sword I am sending among them." (Jeremiah 25:15, 16) In the sixth and seventh centuries B.C.E., Jehovah used ancient Babylon to pour out a symbolic cup of tribulation for many nations to drink, including apostate Judah, so that even his own people were taken into exile. Then, in her turn, Babylon fell because her king exalted himself against Jehovah, "the Lord of the heavens. - DANIEL 5:23. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!!" -Babylon's Disgraceful Fall - Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!"

 It was at Babylon, more than 4,000 years ago, that Jehovah confused the tongues of the would-be builders of the Tower of Babel. The different language groups were scattered to the ends of the earth, taking with them the apostate beliefs and practices that are the basis of most religions to this day. (Genesis 11:1-9) Babylon the Great is the religious part of Satan's organization. (Compare John 8:43-47.) Her most prominent segment today is apostate Christendom, which emerged as a powerful, lawless organization in the fourth century after Christ, with creeds and formalisms derived, not from the Bible, but largely from Babylonish religion. - 2 THESSALONIANS  2:3-12.

You may ask, 'Since religion still exercises great influence in the earth, why does the angel announce that Babylon the Great has fallen? Well, what resulted in 539 B.C.E. when ancient Babylon fell? Why, Isarael was freed to return to its homeland and restore true worship there! So the restoration of spiritual Israel in 1919 to a radiant spiritual prosperity, which continues and expands to this day, stands as evidence that Babylon the Great fell in that year. No longer does she have power of restraint over God's people. Moreover, she has come into deep trouble within her own ranks. Since 1919 her corruption, dishonesty, and immorality have been widely exposed. In most Europe, fee people go to church anymore, and in many socialistic countries, religion is regarded as "the opium of the people." Disgraced in the eyes of all lovers of God's Word of truth, Babylon the Great now waits on death row, as it were, for the execution of Jehovah's righteous judgment on her. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Babylon's Disgraceful Fall

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Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!"

 It is the hour of God's judgment! Listen! then, to this divine message: "And another, a second angel, followed, saying: 'She has fallen, she who made all the nations drink of the wine of the anger of her fornication!' " (Revelation 14:8) For the first time, but not the last, Revelation focuses attention on Babylon the Great. Later, chapter 17 will describe here as a voluptuous harlot. Who is she? As we shall see, she is a global empire, she is religious, and she is Satan's counterfeit system that he uses in fighting against the seed of God's woman. (Revelation 12:17) Babylon the Great is the entire world empire of false religion. She includes all religions that preserve the religious teachings and practices of ancient Babylon and that manifest her spirit.  

Next time: Chapter Thirty/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" - Continue

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Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song - Declaring Everlasting Good News - Conclusion

 Every is urged to fear, not the wild beast and its image, but Jehovah, who is incomparably more powerful than any symbolic beast controlled by Satan. Why, Jehovah created heaven and earth, and now the time has come for him to judge the earth! (Compare Genesis 1:1; Revelation 11:18) When on earth, Jesus prophesied concerning our day: "And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come." (Matthew 24:14) The congregation of anointed Christians is fulfilling the commission. (1 Corinthians 9:16; Ephesians 6:15) Revelation here reveals that invisible angels are also involved in this preaching work. How often does angelic  guidance has been apparent in bringing one of Jehovah's Witnesses to a home where some distressed soul was yearning, even praying, for spiritual help!

As the angel flying in midheaven has declared, the hour of for judgment has arrived. What judgment will God now render? Ears will tingle at the announcements not to be made by a second, a third, and a fourth, and a fifth angel. - JEREMIAH 19:3. 

Next time: Chapter Thiry/"Babylon the Great Has Fallen!" 

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Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song - Declaring the Everlasting Good News

 John next writes: "And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, and he had everlasting good news to declare as glad tidings to those who dwell on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people, saying in a loud voice: 'Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of judgment by him has arrived, and so worship the One who made the heavens and the  earth and the sea ad fountains of waters.' " (Revelation 14:6, 7) The angel flying "in midheaven," where the birds fly. (Compare Revelation 19:17.) Hence, his voice can be heard around the globe. Of how much greater range than any television news flash is this angel's worldwide proclamation!

Next time: Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song - Declaring Everlasting Good News  -Conclusion

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Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song- Followers of the Lamb - Continue

 These firstfruits of (Jesus Christ, the 144,000m and he great crowd) have interesting correspondences in the festivals celebrated according to the ancient Mosaic Law.  On Nisan 16, during the festival of Unfermented Cakes, a sheaf of the firstfruits of the barley harvest was offered to Jehovah. (Leviticus 23:6-14) Nisan 16 was the day Jesus was resurrected from the dead. On the 50th day from Nisan 16, in the third month, the Israelites celebrated the festival of the harvest of the first ripe fruits of the wheat harvest. (Exodus 23:16; Leviticus 23:15, 16) This festival came to be called the Pentecost (from a Greek word meaning "fiftieth"), and it was at Pentecost 33 C.E. that the first members of the 144,000 were anointed with holy spirit. Finally, in the seventh month when the whole harvest was gathered in, there was the Festival of Booths, a time of joyful thanksgiving when the Israelites dwelt for a week in booths made of, among other things, palm branches. (Leviticus 23:33-43) Correspondingly, the great crowd, who are part for the great ingathering, give thanks before the throne with "palm branches in their hands." - REVELATION 7:9, 

Next time: Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song - Declaring the Everlasting Good News 

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Chapter Twenty-Nine/Singing the Triumphal New Song -Followers of the Lamb - Continue

 The 144,000 are "bought from the earth," "bought from among mankind." They are adopted as spirit sons of God, and after their resurrection, they will no longer be mere flesh-and-blood humans. As mentioned in verse 4, they become the firstfruits to God and to the Lamb." True, back in the first century, Jesus was "the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep in death." (1 Corinthians 15:20, 23) But the 144,000 are the "certain firstfruits" of imperfect mankind, purchased by means Jesus' sacrifice. (James 1:18) Nevertheless, the ingathering of fruitage, from mankind does not end with them. The book of Revelation has already pointed to the harvesting of an unnumbered great crowd that cries with a loud voice "Salvation we own to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb." This great crowd will survive the great tribulation, and as they continue to be refreshed by the "fountains of waters of life," they will raised to human perfection earth. Sometime after the great tribulation, Hades will be emptied, and countless millions of other humans will be resurrected and have the same opportunity to drink from those same waters of life. With this in mind, it would be correct to call the great crowd a firstfruits of the other sheep-they are the first to 'wash their robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb' with the hope of living forever on earth. - REVELATION 7:9, 10, 14, 17: 20:12, 13.

Next time: Chapter Twenty-Nine/ Singing the Triumphal New Song - Followers of the Lamb - Conclusion

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