Revelation - Its Happy Climax!

 A REVELATION TO JOHN-this thrilling book of the Bible brings the divine record to a happy climax. Why do we say "happy"?   Well, the Author of the Bible is described as "the happy God," who entrusts  "glorious good news " to those who love him.  He wants us to be happy too. Thus, at the outset Revelation assures us: "Happy is he who reads . . . the words of this prophecy."  In its final chapter we are told:  "Happy is anyone observing the words of the  prophecy of this scroll." - 1 TIMOTHY 1:11; REVELATION 1:3; 22:7.

How do we find happiness through the book of Revelation?  We do so  by searching  out the meaning its vivid signs or symbols, and acting in harmony therewith.  Mankind's turbulent history will soon read a catastrophic  climax, as God and Jesus Christ execute judgment on today's wicked system, replacing it with "a new heaven and a new earth," Where even "death will be no more." (Revelation 21:1, 4)  Do not all of us want to live in such a new world, in true peace and security?  We can if we build up our faith through study of God's Word, including the stirring prophecy of Revelation.

Next time: Revelation-Its Happy Climax! - Apocalypse-What Is It?

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Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

 The Price of Compromise

Guenter Lewy  writes in his book The Catholic Church ad Nazi Germany:  "Had German Catholicism from start adhered to a policy of resolute opposition to the Nazi regime, world history might well have taken a different course.  Even if this struggle had ultimately failed to defeat Hitler and prevent all of his many crimes. It would in this view have raised the moral prestige of the Church immeasurably.  The human cost of such resistance would undeniably have been great, but these sacrifices would have been made  for the greatest of all causes.  With the home front unreliable, Hitler might have dared going to war  and literally millions of lives would have been saved. . . .When thousands of German and anti-Nazis were tortured to death in Hitler's concentration camps, when the Polish intelligence was slaughtered, when thousands of thousands  of  Russians dies as a result of being treated as Slavic Untermenschen [sub-humans], and when 6,000,000 human beings were murdered for being 'non-Aryan,' Catholic Church officials in German bolstered the regime perpetrating  these crimes.  The Pope in Rome, the spiritual head and supreme court teacher of the Roman Catholic Church, remained silent."  Pages 320,  341.

Next time:  Revelation-Its Happy Climax! 

From the jw.org publications

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Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Conclusion of An Appalling Bloodguilt

One way is that many wars are related to religious indifferences. For example, the violence in India between Muslims and Hindus  in 1946-48 was religiously motivated. Hundreds  of thousands of lives were lost.  The conflict between Iraq and Iran in the 1980's was related to sectarian differences, with hundreds of  thousands being killed.  Violence between Catholics and Protestants in  Northern Ireland had taken thousands of lives.  Surveying the field, columnist C.L. Sulzberger said in 1976:  "It is the dismal truth that probably half or more of the wars now being fought around the world are either openly religious conflicts or involved with religious disputes."  Indeed, it has been so throughout the turbulent history of Babylon the Great.

What is the second way?  From Jehovah's viewpoint, the world's religions are bloodguilty because they have not convincingly taught their followers the truth of Jehovah's requirements for his servants.  They have not convincingly taught  people that God's worshippers must imitate Jesus Christ and show love toward others regardless of their national origin.  (Micah 4:3, 5; John 13:34, 35; 1 John 3:10-12) Because the religions making up Babylon the Great have taught these things, their adherents have been drawn into the vortex of international warfare.  How evident this was in the two world wars of the first half of the 20th century, both of which started in Christendom  and resulted in fellow religionists' slaughtering one another!  IF all who claimed to be Christians had adhered to Bible principles those wars could never take place.

Jehovah lays the blame for all this bloodshed  at the feet of Babylon the Great.  Had the religious leaders, and particularly  those in Christendom, taught their people  Bible truth, such massive bloodshed would have occurred.  Truly, then, directly or indirectly, Babylon the Great -the great harlot and world empire of false religion -must answer to Jehovah not only for  
"the bloodshed of prophets and of holy ones "whom she  has persecuted and killed but for the blood "of all those being slaughtered on the earthy." Babylon the Great does indeed carry an appalling bloodguilt.  Good riddance when her final destruction takes place!

Next time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - The Price of Compromise

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Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - An Appalling Bloddguilt

In conclusion, the strong angel tells why Jehovah judges  Babylon the Great so severely.  "Yes, says the angel,  "In her was found the blood of prophets ad of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth." (Revelation 18:24)  When on earth, Jesus told the religious leaders in Jerusalem that they were accountable for "all the righteous blood spilled on earth, from the blood of righteous "Abel onward. Accordingly, that crooked generation was destroyed in 70 C.E.  (Matthew 23:35-38)  Today, another generation of religionists bears bloodguilt for its persecution of God's servants.  

In his book The Catholic Church and Nazi Germany, Guenter Lewy writes:  "When Jehovah's Witnesses were suppressed in Bavaria on April 13  (1933) the Church even accepted the assignment given it by the Ministry of Education and Religion of reporting on any member of the select still practicing the forbidden religion."  The Catholic Church thus shares responsibility for consigning thousands  of Witnesses to concentration camps;  its hands are stained by the lifeblood of hundreds of Witnesses who were executed. When young Witnesses, such as Wilhelm Kusserow, showed that they could die courageously by a firing squad, Hitler decided that the firing squad was too good for conscientious objectors; so Wilhem's brother Wolfgang, at 20 years of age, died by the guillotine.  At the same time, they Catholic Church was encouraging young German Catholics to die in the army of the fatherland. The bloodguilt of the Church is plain to see!

However. the prophecy says that the bloodguilt of "all those who have been slaughtered  on the earth" must be charged to Babylon the Great/  That has certainly been true in modern times. For example, since Catholic intrigue helped to bring Hitler to power in Germany, the Vatican shares in a terrible bloodguilt with regard to six million Jews that died in Nazi programs. Further, in our time,  well over a hundred million people have been killed in hundreds of wars.  Is false religion to blame in this connection? Yes, in two ways. 

Next time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End -  Conclusion of An Appalling Bloodguilt

From the jw.org publications

Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Hurling a Great Millstone

 What John next sees confirms that Jehovah's judgment of Babylon the Great is final.  "Ad a strong angel lifted  up a stone like a great millstone and hurled it into the sea, saying:  "Thus with a swift pitch will Babylon the Great city be hurled down and she will never be found again."  (Revelation 18:21)  In Jeremiah's time, a similar act with powerful prophetic meaning was performed , Jeremiah was inspired to write in a book  "all the calamity that would come upon Babylon."  He gave the book to Seraiah and told him to travel to Babylon. There, following Jeremiah's  instructions, Seraiah read a declaration to the city:  "O Jehovah, you yourself have spoken against this place in order to cut it off so that there may come to be in it no inhabitant, either man or even domestic animals, but that she may become mere desolate wastes to time indefinite."  Seraiah than tied a stone to the book and threw it into the rive Euphrates, saying:  "This is how Babylon will sink down and never rise up because of  the calamity that I am bringing upon her." - JEREMIAH  51:59-64. 

The throwing of the book with the attached stone into the river was a guarantee that Babylon would plunge into oblivion, never to recover.  The apostle John's seeing  a strong angel perform and similar act is likewise  a powerful guarantee that Jehovah's purpose toward Babylon the Great will be fulfilled. The completely ruined condition of ancient Babylon today testifies powerfully to what will befall false religion in the near future. 

The strong angel now addresses Babylon the Great, saying: "And the sound of singers who accompany themselves on the harp and of musicians and of flutes and of trumpeters will never be heard in you again,, and no craftsmen of any trade will found in you again, and no sound of a millstone will ever be heard in you again, and no light of a lamp will ever shine in you again, and no voice of a bridegroom and of a bride will ever be heard in your again; because your traveling merchants were the top-ranking men of the earth, for by your spiritistic practice all the nations were misled." - REVELATION 18:22, 23. 

In comparable terms, Jeremiah prophesied concerning apostate Jerusalem:  "I will destroy out of the sound of exultation and the sound of rejoicing, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the hand mill and the light of the lamp. And all this land must become a devastated place, an object of astonishment."  (Jeremiah 25:10, 11) As the principal part of Babylon the Great, Christendom will become a lifeless ruin, as so vividly depicted by Jerusalem's desolate condition after 607 B.C,E,   The Christendom that once rejoiced lightheartedly and bustled with everyday noise will find herself conquered and abandoned

Indeed, the angel here tells John,  all of Babylon the Great will change from a powerful international empire ti arid, and desert like wasteland.  Her "traveling merchants," including top-ranking millionaires, have used her religion for personal advantage with them.  But those merchants  will no longer have found  found it profitable to share in the limelight with them. But those merchants will no longer have Babylon the Great with her mystic religious practices. 

Next time:  Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - An Appalling Bloodguilt

From the jw.org publications

Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

 Rejoicing  Over Her Annihilation

When ancient Babylon was overthrown  by the Medes and the Persians, Jeremiah prophetically said: "And over Babylon the heavens and the earth and all that is in them will certainly cry out joyfully."  (Jeremiah 51:48) When Babylon is destroyed, the voice out of heaven climaxes its message, saying of Babylon the Great: "Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and you apostles and you prophets, because God has judicially exacted punishment for you from her!" (Revelation 18:20)  Jehovah and the angels will be delighted to see the annihilation of God's ancient enemy, as will the apostles and early Christian prophets, who by now are resurrected and have taken their position in the 24-elders arrangement. - Compare PSALM 97:8-12. 

Indeed, all the "holy ones"-whether resurrected to heaven or still surviving on earth-will cry out  for joy, as will the associated great crowd of other sheep.  In time, all the faithful men of old will be resurrected into the new system of things, and they tooo will join in the rejoicing.  God's people have not tried to avenge themselves on their false religion persecutors.  They have remembered Jehovah's words: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah." (Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35, 41-43)   Well, Jehovah has now  repaid. All the blood spilled by Babylon the Great will have been avenged. 

Next time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Hurling a Great Millstone 

From the jw.org publications 

Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

Merchants Weep and Mourn 

The kings of the earth are not only the ones to regret the passing of Babylon the Great.  "Also, the traveling merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full stock anymore, a full stock of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet; and everything in scented wood and every sort of ivory object and every sort of object out of most precious wood and of copper and of iron and of marble; also cinnamon and Indian spice and incense and perfumed oil and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and horses and coaches and slaves and human souls.  Yes, the find fruit that your soul desired has departed from you [Babylon the Great], and all the dainty things and the gorgeous things have perished from you, and never again will people find them." - REVELATION 18:11-14. 

Yes, Babylon the Great was a close friend and a good customer of wealthy merchants.  For example, the monasteries, nunneries, and churches in Christendom have over the centuries acquired huge amounts of gold, silver, precious stone, valuable woods, and other forms of material wealth.  Further, religion's blessing has been bestowed on the lavish buying sprees and drunken orgies that accompany the celebration of Christ-dishonoring Christmas so-called holy days.  Christendom's missionaries have  penetrated distant lands,  opening up new markets for  "the traveling merchants" of this world. In 17th century Japan, Catholicism, which had come with the traders, even became involved  in feudal warfare.  Reporting on a decisive battle upon the walls of Osaka castle, the Encyclopedia Britannic states:  "The Tokugawa troops found themselves  fighting against a foe whose banners were emblazoned  with the cross, and with the images of the Saviour and St James, the patron saint of Spain."  The victorious faction persecuted ad practically wiped out Catholicism in that land.  The churches participation in worldly affairs today will likewise bring her no blessing. 

The voice out of heaven says further:  "The traveling merchants of these thins, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, saying: "Too bad, too bad - the great city, clothed with fine linen and purple, and scarlet, and richly adorned gold ornament and precious stone and pearl, because  in one hour such great riches have been devastated!"  (Revelation 18:15-17a)   With the destruction of Babylon the Great, the "merchants" mourn at the loss of that commercial partner.  Truly, it is selfish and that they like the kings-"stand at a distance."  They do not get close enough to be of  any help to Babylon the Great.

The account goes on:  "And every ship captain and every man that voyages anywhere, and sailors and all those who make a living by the sea, stood at a distance and cried out as they looked at the smoke from the burning of her and said, 'what city is like the great city?'  And they threw dust over their heads and cried out, weeping and mourning, and said:  'Too bad, too bad-the great city, in which all those having boats at sea became rich by reason of her costliness, because in one hour she has been devastated!"  (Revelation 18:17b-19)  Ancient Babylon was a commercial city and had a fleet of ships.  Similarly, Babylon the Great does much better business by the "many waters of her people.  This provides employment for many of her religious subjects.  What economic blow the destruction of Babylon the Great will be for these!  There will never be another source of livelihood like her. 

Next time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Rejoicing Over Her Annihilation 

From the jw.org publications 

Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

 Babylon's end is good news for Jehovah's people, but how do the nations view it?  John tells  us:  "And the kings of the earth who committed fornications with her and lived in shameless luxury will weep  and beat themselves in grief  over her, when they look at the smoke from the burning of her, while they stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment day and say,  'Too bad, too bad, you great city, Babylon you strong city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived." - REVELATION 18:9. 10.

The nation's reaction may seem surprising in view of the fact that Babylon was destroyed  by the symbolic ten horns of the scarlet-colored wild beast.  (Revelation 17:16)  But when Babylon is gone,  "the kings of the earth" will evidently realize how useful she was to them in keeping the people  pacified and and in subjection.  The clergy have declared  wars to be sacred, acted as recruiting agents, and preached the youth into the battle lines.  Religion has provided a screen of holiness behind which corrupt rulers have operated in oppressing the common people.  (Compare Jeremiah 5:30, 31; Matthew 23:27, 28.)  Notice, however, that these grief-stricken kings now stand at a distance from the doomed city. They do not get close enough to come to her aid.  They are sad to see her go but not sad enough to takes risks in her behalf.

Next  time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn

From the jw. org publications

The Great City Devastate - "The Traveling Merchants . . . Become Rich"

 "Between 1929 and the outbreak of World War II,  [Bernadino] Nogara [the Vatican financial administrator] assigned the Vatical capital  and Vatican agents  to work in  diversified  areas of Italy's economy-particularly in electric power, telephone communications, credit, and banking, small railroads, and the production of agricultural implements, cement, and artificial textile fibers.  Many of these ventures paid off.

"Nogara gobbled up a number of companies including La Societa Italiana delia Viscosa La Supertessile, La Societa Meridonale Industre Tessili, and La Cisaraion.  Fusing these into one company, which he named CISA-Viscosa  and placed under the command of Baron Francesco Maria Oddasso, one of the most highly trusted Vatican laymen, Nogara then maneuvered  the absorption of the new company by Italy's largest textile manufacturer, SNIA-Viscosa. Eventually the Vatican  interest in SNIA-Viscosa grew larger and larger, and in time the Vatican  took control -as witness the fact that Baron ODdasso subsequently became vice president.

"Thus did Nogara penetrated the textile industry. He penetrated other industries in other ways, for Nogara had many tricks up his sleeve. This selfish man . . . probably did more to infuse life into the Italian economy than did any other single businessman in Italy's history . . . Benito Mussolini had never quite been able to achieve the empire of which he dreamed, but he enabled the Vatican and Bernadino Nogara to create a dominion of another kind." -The Vatican Empire, by Nino Lo Bello, pages 71-3.  

This is just one example of the close cooperation between the merchants of the earth and Babylon the Great.  No wonder  these merchants will mourn when their business partner is no more!

Next time: Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

From the jw.org publications

The Great City Devastated - "The Kings . . . Committed Fornication With Her"

 In the early 1800's  European merchants were smuggling large quantities of opium into China.  In March 1839 Chinese officials tried to stop the illegal trade by seizing 20,000 chests of the drug from British merchants.  This led to the tension  between Britain and China.  As relations between the two countries deteriorated, some Protestant missionaries  urged Britain to go to war, with statements such as the following: 

"How these difficulties do rejoice my heart because I think the English government maybe enraged, and God, in his power may break down the barriers which prevent the gospel of Christ from entering China." -Henrietta Shuck, Southern Baptist missionary.

Finally war broke out-the war that is today known as the Opium War.  Missionaries wholehearted encouraged Britain with comments such as these: 

"I am constrained to look back upon the present state of those things not so much as an opium or an English affair, as the great design of Providence to make the wickedness of man subserve  His purposes  of mercy toward China in breaking through her wall of exclusion." - Peter Parker, Congregational missionary.

Next time: The Great City Devastated - "The Kings . . . Committed Fornication With Her"

From the jw. org publications