THE ISSUE - II

CONT., page 16

 

THE GREAT HARLOT / THE GREAT CITY

Why does ten represent Christianity? As we have said, ten is the number representative of complete order or responsibility. There were ten commandments, ten generations from Adam to Noah, ten plagues, ten nations Abraham were to possess, ten virgins, ten lepers Yahshua sent on their way to be healed, and a ten percent tithe that went to Yahweh. But as we will see more completely, this perfect order is relative to the earthly. Even the ten commandments were earthly external laws written on two stone tablets to effect in carnal man what will indeed be written fully on our hearts when we receive our heavenly bodies. This earthly order is, once again, seen in the Greek word which is translated "world." The word "world" is the Greek word "kosmos," and has the literal meaning - order. Thus we see that the number ten and the world are intrinsically related in this matter of order. All of this, of course, gets back to the fact that this order, up to now, has been relative to our worldly, Mother Earth, natural experience. No man, other than Yahshua, has put on the heavenly.

So how then is Christianity viewed as an earthly, kosmos, orderly ten? (Actually, this does not take much imagination to see when one takes an honest look at Christianity, its organization, and its fruits.) The kingdom of God is supposed to have an order based on twelve; but until Yahweh unites the ten and two together in resurrected bodies, Christianity's testimony is an earthly ten. How then does Yahweh view Christianity's relationship to the world's order seen in ten? What testimony does He provide us? This relationship is revealed in the book of Revelation. At the time of the Reformation, beginning with Wycliffe and continuing on through Luther, the reformers clearly understood who "the great harlot" Mystery "Babylon the great, the mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth" was. She was the church, and their writings and teachings clearly presented this. Somehow today though, men want to relegate that truth only to Rome. But the fact is - the church is the church, and "the great harlot" Mystery Babylon then, is "the great harlot" Mystery Babylon today. This woman we read of who is "clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality" (Revelation 17:4), is indeed the 2,000 year long breach church. Very importantly, one must realize that Christianity is a 2,000 year old body. It is not just what we see today; in fact what we see today is a VERY small part of the body of Christ. And this body is judged as a single corporate 2,000 year unit!

Let us share a most interesting and unique testimony concerning who this harlot is. What colors does this woman wear? The answer is - purple and scarlet. And, most significantly, what colors were placed upon Yahshua's body at the time of His affliction? In Matthew, the Roman soldiers put a scarlet robe on Yahshua (Matthew 27:28); yet in Mark and John, the soldiers dressed Him in purple (Mark 15:17, John 19:2). Thus we see that not just one, but very importantly, both of these harlot-identifying colors were associated with Yahshua in His affliction. Yahshua was clothed in purple and scarlet! Why? Because the body of Christ, for which Yahshua suffered, is equally in purple and scarlet in its affliction. Yahweh has provided an amazing testimony in this! These two colors placed upon Yahshua's body in His time of affliction, clearly identify the afflicted body of Christ as none other than the purple and scarlet clad harlot.

Also, you will notice that she is adorned with "gold and precious stones and pearls," or the element and jewels of the kingdom of God; and in her hand is a "gold cup," again the element of the kingdom.

And where is it this woman, Christianity, sits? Who bears her? Revelation 17 tells us that this breach church "great harlot" who commits abominations with the world, sits upon a beast "having seven heads and ten horns." Here, in Yahweh's assessment, is the relationship between Christianity and the prophetic ten associated with it.

The fact is, the two great weaknesses of the kingdom are the flesh and the devil - both clearly associated with the world. And the problem with the kingdom is, once again, its placement upon the earth "prematurely," when men are in the flesh and Satan is present. Thus, as equally pictured here in the beast with seven heads (Christianity and the mark of the beast) and ten horns (earthly order), the kingdom's weakness is the earthly. And to overcome this problem, this tainting factor, this leaven, this great limitation, this inevitable destructive downfall, man must be elevated out of the earthly realm to the heavenly realm to receive his resurrected, born from above body. Only then will he be able to handle the kingdom. Until this happens, man combines the earthly with the heavenly, thus committing harlotry against the kingdom. Let us look at another important related matter.

Revelation 17:18 states - "And the woman whom you saw is the great city, which has a kingdom over the kings of the earth." We need to look at two matters here. First, which "kingdom" does this woman have? Of course she has the kingdom of God given to earthly man. It is quite interesting and very important to note that Christianity has already had its opportunity to righteously fulfill the great scope of this promise - "a kingdom over the kings of the earth."

From the stoning of Stephen to 313 AD, Christianity was greatly persecuted. Then in 313 AD, a British prince named Constantine delivered the church from its persecution and began Christianity on the road toward being the "kingdom over the kings of the earth." Christianity was greatly strengthened under Constantine. Its power and recognition as the kingdom of God upon the earth steadily increased over the next nine hundred years, until from 1198 to 1216 (or 1200, twelve at the heavenly realm) essentially every European ruler submitted entirely to the power and authority of the church. Thus, this promise was literally fulfilled (in a carnal corrupted church kingdom fashion) - the kingdom of God in the church had literally become the "kingdom over the kings of the earth." But as that reigning "woman," history records gross abominations of harlotry with the world. The kingdom had become a kingdom of merchants, whose wares were displayed on the table of incestuous lust and greed. Even as Solomon's kingdom became the earthly, carnal fulfillment of the promise to Abram of a land expanding from the river of Egypt to the Euphrates, so the church in the Middle Ages became the fulfillment of Revelation 17:18, and an earthly, carnal, and very corrupt fulfillment of Revelation 11:15 - "The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord, and of His Christ ...." But though this earthly kingdom did climb to such power and acclaim, it did not become the kingdom that would "reign forever and ever." Catholicism lost its power and glory over the nations (a prophetic picture for the church whole).

Thus we have seen that the breach church of Christianity is "the great harlot." The second matter to be considered here is - How is Christianity "the great city," as identified both here and in other passages in Revelation? First, because the woman, "the great harlot" Mystery "Babylon the great," is Christianity. Here in Revelation 17:18 we specifically read - "And the woman whom you saw (i.e., "the great harlot" Mystery "Babylon the great" - vs. 5) is the great city." In other words, "the great harlot" and "the great city" are unquestionably one and the same. This fact that "the great city" is Christianity, brings a whole new insight to Revelation 11:1-13 concerning the testimony and death of the two witnesses, the two olive trees, the two lampstands.

Christian prophecy teachers try to present this portion of John's vision as a literal event that is yet to happen, when actually it is a parable of something that has already taken place. The two witnesses are the first Remnant who were killed. Where were the two witnesses killed? Verse 8 tells us they were killed in "the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt." Christian prophecy teachers want you to believe that "the great city" is Jerusalem. But how can this be when we are clearly and specifically told in Revelation 17:18 and 18:10 and 16 that "the great city" is the harlot, Mystery Babylon? The idea of physical Jerusalem being "the great city" in Revelation 11 requires that physical Jerusalem equally be Mystery Babylon and be swallowed up in flames and laid waste in one hour. That, the prophecy teachers do not teach.

But the inescapable fact is, "the great city" in chapter 11 is "the great city" in chapters 17 and 18. They are one and the same, and cannot be distinguished as two separate cities. "The great city" is "the great city." And as we have said, the two witnesses have already been killed and their bodies have been in the streets of Christianity for 2,000 years. How? In celebration of their death and the establishment of this breach apostate period called Christianity, the inhabitants of "the great city" have equally made "merry" and exchanged gifts (as reported in verse 10), only they call it Christmas. They greet one another with "Merry Christmas," and cut down the young evergreen tree, ending its life, and bring it into their own homes and church buildings for their own decoration and gift-giving. The evergreen tree that does not lose its leaf in season represents the Remnant, which Christians slay every year for their own pleasure, and the world joins in with them in their merry and abominable event. The death of the two witnesses is thus celebrated, their dead bodies lying in the street of "the great city," Christianity.

What other testimony do we have that "the great city" is Christianity? In Revelation 16:19 we read - "And the great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath." Once again, this passage is not literal, but is a parable. To emphasize the truth of this, if literal Jerusalem is "the great city," here we find it split into three parts prior to the return of Yahshua; yet Zechariah 14:4 says the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem will be split into two parts by a very large valley specifically at Yahshua's return. So which split is it to be if this is literal? How can literal Jerusalem be split into three parts, and be split into two parts? Do you not see the contradiction and far reaching unlikelihood of this? If you study these accounts, you will see that they greatly contradict, if they are to be literal. Once again the fulfillment of these two is to be on a higher spiritual level.

How then is "the great city"/"the great harlot" Mystery Babylon "split into three parts"? We have already seen in Zechariah 13:7-9 that the church is split specifically into three "parts" - "Two parts in it will be cut off and perish; but the third will be left in it. And I will bring the third part through the fire, refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested." This "three parts" split of "the great city" seen both in Revelation and Zechariah 13 is one more important testimony of its representation of the church.

How then is the Mount of Olives split into two parts? Because the Mount of Olives speaks of the olive tree two-part Remnant that is split into the first and second Remnants, being separated by the "very large valley" of Christianity. Thus we see how "Jerusalem," where the Mount of Olives is located, is split both three ways as well as two ways. As we have said before, "Jerusalem" is the kingdom of God.

Additionally, as Mystery Babylon, let us briefly examine Christianity's fulfillment of the original Babylonian pattern set forth in Genesis 11. Babylon made bricks and burned them thoroughly. On the day of Pentecost, the church had tongues as of fire upon them. Babylon used brick for stone. Bricks are fashioned by man's hands, even as the church has been fashioned by man, versus uncut living stones which Yahweh alone will use to build His heavenly temple. Babylon used tar for mortar. What was tar? It was old oil, found in tar pits. Christianity was built with old oil or tar, while the two Remnants are the "two sons of fresh oil." Babylon built "a tower whose top will reach into heaven." Christianity likewise is an earth-based work or tower that is built to "reach into heaven" (as did Christianity-representing King Nebuchadnezzar's tree). It is earthly, and strives to reach heavenward (evidenced by the Babylonian steeples or horns on church roofs); while Yahweh's fulfillment will be "born from above" and will extend from heaven earthward. Any work of man while in the flesh that strives to please God is "a tower whose top" is built to "reach into heaven." Such is Mystery Babylon Christianity. Babylon sought to "make for ourselves a name." So the church has made for itself an Antioch based name - Christianity. Babylon feared being "scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth," and indeed they were. Likewise, Christianity will be "scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth" when they are sent out to the nations at Yahshua's return. We find then that Christianity is Babylonian in every respect.

Many teachers have sought to identify Mystery Babylon, arriving at many and varied conclusions - the various religions, the World Council of Churches, the United Nations, the United States, even in the last several years a rebuilt Babylon by Iraq. These can all certainly have elements of or be one level of a fulfillment of Babylon. Undoubtedly, one of the closest conclusions of anyone to this truth was from the reformers in the 14 and 1500's. They wrote extensively that Mystery Babylon was the Catholic (Universal) church. In picture it certainly was. But in truth, the "picture" of the Reformation revealed to us the ultimate fulfillment of this harlotrous lady - the universal breach church of Christianity that for 2,000 years has possessed the kingdom of God. One must realize that on an earthly plane, the kingdom of God under Christianity is the highest fulfillment of the works of carnal man. Babylon the great is indeed "a mystery," and no one up until now has understood that mystery. It has been a mystery held secret from man for 2,000 years. Now in these last days we know who is mystery Babylon, the "great" tree of Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, "the great harlot," and "the great city" - she is the kingdom-receiving 2,000 year long great breach church of Christianity that spread throughout the world, and committed harlotry with it and with the nations.

As a final important testimony of Mystery Babylon being Christianity, and as an opportunity to reveal added truth concerning Christianity and the Remnant, it is remarkable and extremely significant that the prophecies of Isaiah and the 110 verses of Jeremiah 50 and 51 concerning the absolute total destruction of Babylon, never occurred! These chapters are filled with clear statements that Babylon would be judged and utterly destroyed by the Medes. But, when Darius the Mede took Babylon, he and his army diverted the Euphrates River, drying up its bed (a prophetic type of Revelation 16:12), crossed on dry land, entered Babylon, and took it without any bloodshed (other than King Belshazzar's) or pillage. Thus, Yahweh obviously changed His mind and repented of the evil He had planned against Babylon. Why? Why would He not carry out the wrath He clearly planned? Again we say - "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done." As Mystery Babylon is Christianity, what happens to Christianity has already been "played out," if you will, with Babylon per se. Babylon is thus a mirror image of substance Mystery Babylon Christianity.

We cannot give this matter a great deal of space here, other than to point out the consistency of Mystery Babylon as being "the great city," or Christianity, but one must ask - Why did Yahweh not carry out His planned judgment upon Babylon? It is obvious that the reason He did not was because if He had brought wholesale destruction upon that city at that time by the Medes, then the remnant of Judah who were in captivity in Babylon would have also been destroyed. Thus, for the sake of the remnant, Babylon was spared.

How then does this apply to Mystery Babylon Christianity? Yahweh, likewise, would most certainly utterly destroy in one hour this "mother of harlots and of the abominations of the earth" with a fiery billowing judgment, equally prophesied in Revelation 17 and 18, were it not for the fact that a Remnant is in it! Like the remnant of Judah, this is the Remnant that must be delivered out of Mystery Babylon in order to rebuild the true heavenly temple of Yahweh. This is the Remnant bride that is hidden in Babylon/in Egypt and must be delivered and revealed. Thus once again, even as "patterned" or "imaged" by the unfulfilled judgments of Isaiah and Jeremiah 50 and 51, the judgments of Revelation 17 and 18 against Mystery Babylon will equally be unfulfilled for the sake of the Remnant! Yahweh is once again acting out of His lovingkindness, with mercy triumphing over judgment.

Conclusively we see that "the great harlot," this Mystery Babylon "the great city," is Christianity; and it is she who, clothed in purple and scarlet with her kingdom gold and precious stones, sits upon the scarlet beast with "seven heads and ten horns." If Christianity knew who Mystery Babylon truly was (themselves), they would stop having their prophecy conferences in which they falsely teach of a wrath-filled God who will violently (to say the least) destroy the nations, but would instead call for prayer meetings to plead for Yahweh's mercy. But they are blind to the truth; and like King David or King Ahab who judged themselves for their own guilt by their own words (2 Samuel 12:1-15 and 1 Kings 20:35-43), so Yahweh has laid before Christianity a picture of themselves, by which they equally judge themselves by their own words. By their own teachings in which they espouse the guilt of Mystery Babylon and God's supposed destruction of the unbelieving by fire, they fulfill the words of Yahshua - "the way you judge, you will be judged."

 

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