Me? Yeah, I'm worried about that day, too. Worried I might forget to send my sister an ecard since that day is her birthday. :)
But I did find something yesterday to worry about. For the zillionth time I reread the book of Revelation, but this time when I got to the part where God totally obliterates 'Mystery Babylon', I opened another webpage and did a bit of research.
And oh my. Tons of Christians believe that Mystery Babylon is us. As in the U.S.A. Good ol' America, land of the free, home of the brave.
I went back to Revelation 17 and 18, reread the description of Mystery Babylon, and oh dear, oh dear... as I read, I thought, "Wow! How can it not be America?"
When Tom arrived from work, I told him about my discovery and how maybe we should consider (someday, not like tomorrow) retiring in a different Country because of, oh I don't know... verses like these:
“‘Come out of her (Babylon), my people,’
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
5 for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
...The light of a lamp
will never shine in (her) again.
The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in (her) again." Revelation 18:4,5, 23
Mr. Gypsy Blood found that grand. No really--already he'd been considering moving to some cozy, exotic retirement spot. Moving is always on his mind.
We're currently considering Canada. Some year, when the time is right, of course.
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Okay, this was written in a light-hearted manner since this is all so new to me, but I confess, I'm more serious than this short essay represents. But please don't go all postal on me in my comment box! I'm currently doing like Mary did--I'm just pondering these things in my heart (Luke 2:19).
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Is America Mystery Babylon the Great? Just one of many, many articles online.
Here's another: America is End Times' Babylon
And don't get all bug-eyed, but years ago I stopped believing in a secret rapture (wishful thinking according to Brother Andrew, God's Smuggler) which will save Christians from going through the Tribulation. Too many verses mention Christians dying during the Tribulation years and then there are a score of articles like this one: The History Behind The Rapture Doctrine. Eye-opener, indeed.
Again, no one go and have a cow, ok? Instead, go and do your own research so you, too, can do some pondering on your own. And then maybe we can all move to Canada together. :)
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15 comments:
I think Babylon will be in the Middle East...just my opinion and I am pre-rapture. God never pours His wrath on His children, ie, Sodom and Gomorrah {He would have spared if only 10 righteous people in it}, the great flood {He saved Noah and his family who walked with God.} Yes, we will suffer harm from other people but I don't think we will suffer the wrath to come...I sure hope I'm right but if I'm not, God will never leave us or forsake us!
Lori--yes! God will never leave us or forsake us. And I believe He will stand boldly within those Christians mentioned in Revelation who will be killed for their faith, the ones who stand at the altar asking when God will avenge their martyred deaths. And all the millions of martyrs already who have died, well, to me, they prove Christians *are* tortured and killed for their faith--it happens--there are not always happy endings. And martyrs are much revered in Heaven for their courageous stand. Much! Thanks for commenting! Blessings, Debra
Here are those verses about the martyrs at the altar:
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?” 11 Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,were killed just as they had been.
Revelation 6:9-11
I heard years ago that America as they saw it is not even mentioned in the end times. The minister that was saying this the first time I heard it said that would mean that we were no longer a world power at all. Or we were annihilated. I know we need to study and know our Bible but sometimes it can scare the wits out of you. ... Yes I can see that we could surely be the Babylon. :( That said I am pretty stuck here no matter what. Being the age I am in some way is a comfort as age may take me before these times. ?? But that cannot comfort me as I cannot think only of myself and only my welfare. So there are things to worry us more than just a little fiscal cliff for sure. This puts That ['the cliff" } in its place. We can still wish the rapture will happen. ?? Sounds nice at least. I don't mean to sound at all facetious. It just seems there are so many layers of worry and fret any more and you just told us not to get into all of this in past posts and now with this we are!! {and in this we should be...} Sarah
Oh Sarah! I don't want to make anyone worry. Since before Time, itself,God has had the end of the world planned and it's all under His control. He's not worried, so we shouldn't be, either. For me, I'm taking 'time off' now to let God restore me to a peaceful place so that--if America is Babylon--I'll be ok with it inside my head, not worried, but still a light to the world, full of peace as a witness to others. That's what I believe God wants for His people--that they will become more and more peaceful as times grow more and more bad. The end of all things has to come sometime and I'm thinking many of us will see it--or be within reach of it--and if that's so, then God will equip us to peacefully handle anything we must face (and it becomes so very important to stay tuned into God, rather than rely upon beliefs of men if those beliefs aren't real.)Thanks for commenting! Blessings, Debra
You are right on the rapture theory...sorta strange really that they took a young girl's dream and ran with that...but yea, we used to be on that band wagon too...but when you start to study more indepth, kind of hard to hang onto that one!! We have concerns too, but it boils down to simply finding, day by day, and doing whatever GOD leads us to do...HE knows ALL our days and we can trust that HE will be with us!! As to suffering...we have to look at so much of past history. And remember our destination...and that NOTHING will prevent our reaching there, in due time!! Meanwhile, study, learn and practice obeying what is written in Scripture!!
Debra, I am not worried, worried, but it does stay in the back of your mind when you read about it again. :) I was at Sam's club later today and they had the book How to Survive the End Of the World by Bob Hosteter. I only had very short time to look it over before I had to put it down and get out of the store. Seemed to be a Christian view of such thoughts and what the Bible has to say on the issue and how we should think of and behave about it... I will look it up on the net to see what they say. ...It just caught my eye after your post today. I take it others thought it interesting too..they only had 3 left. Cost there was $9.24. Interesting,.. but we know how God think we should react and do with our lives. I already own my Bible that instructs me already. Sarah
Huh...Finally someone who thinks as I do about things. I certainly felt strongly that we might be Babylon when reading Revelation last month (or was it October) and from a different standpoint about rapture, I dreamed many years ago that my husband and I had purpose in the end days, those tribulation days to try and lead others to Christ. That rather knocked any lingering beliefs in a Rapture event on the head for me.
If you've ever read anything about the fall of Jerusalem it would appear that at least most of the book of Revelation was fulfilled then.
It's a very interesting thing to ponder, from all sides.
I like resting in the simple joy that God knows what He is doing, even when I don't.
Elizabeth--oh, I know... Starting a whole new belief because of a feverish girl's vision. Wild, huh? :)
Sarah--so glad you are not worried, worried. :) Yes, the Bible is the best book for instruction of last days living. Truly.
Terri--sounds like we're definitely on the same page! :)
Judy--oh dear.. 'most' of Revelation has already happened? Guess I missed the parts where the great tribulation came and two thirds of the world was destroyed and the beast and the anti christ came and those two guys who everybody in the world saw preaching, then they were killed and resurrected and the 666 thing on peoples' hands or foreheads if they wanted to buy or sell... and then the world ended and God set up a new world here for 1,000 years and locked up satan and --
It's hard to miss that but I guess somehow I did. ....smile...
No, really, there is tons yet to come which Revelation and other scriptures (new and old)spoke of, things which have not yet happened, but will. I believe that God wants to prepare our hearts now for those times because they will be dire--He said so himself that He would shorten them for the sake of the elect.
I'm not worried--but I am serious about letting Him prepare me now for those times if I'm to go through them. That Jewish generation He said would not pass away before He came again are not getting any younger. :)
Thanks for your comments, Everyone! Blessings, Debra
Cozy & exotic? Would that really be Canada?! ;) I love Canada, though.
Julie--Yeah, actually Tom was thinking more like Caribbean islands for the cozy and exotic thing. :)
I was thinking Canada more for convenience in travel and he agreed because, as I said, it wouldn't take much for him to move *anywhere.* :) Blessings, Debra
Yes! You DID miss it! And so did I, for years and years.
Please note that I did not say that EVERYTHING has taken place, but the believers at the time John wrote the book of Revelation knew EXACTLY what he was telling them, it wasn't some far off prophecy, but one that played out right before their eyes.
And then there is the book of Daniel...
Judy--aha! You got me to doing some research today and well, I discovered you are a preterist. And well, I am really, really not a preterist. But oh well! You and I can't be 100 percent alike--that would be boring! :) Thanks for commenting. Blessings, Debra
Well, maybe, if one likes labels - which I don't. If I remember correctly, I started with a book called "Plow Shares and Pruning Hooks" by Brent Sandy. Mostly what surprised me was that this isn't 'way out there' stuff thought up by people who keep changing their prophecies each time the last one doesn't pan out. It helped provide a framework for prophecies and their fulfillment in the OT, and how that would translate into yet to be fulfilled prophecies. Lots of language and such. It was difficult reading for me, but so much truth was revealed. But the bottom line to all of this is, what's going to happen is going to happen and I've no problem at all with trusting my life to a loving God.
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