The name Babylon comes to us from the ancient Tower of Babel. The tower received the name "Babel" because God had "confused" the language of its builders (Gen. 11:9). The builders and inhabitants of the land had united in opposition against God, and by confounding their language God had scattered them abroad and over-ruled their plans. The descendants of the people who continued to inhabit the land eventually formed the great world empire of Babylon.

It was from this ancient culture that the basis for all pagan and false religions developed. It was from here that the worship of the sun, moon and powers of nature was given birth. Because of this history of rebellion the name Babylon has come to signify confusion between truth and error (calling good evil and evil good). It is synonymous with sin. It represents rebellion, particularly of the various religous institutions that unite with the world in opposition to God’s government. In short, all things that oppose God’s sovereignty fall under that apostate system known as "Babylon the Great." Babylon and the New World Order are one and the same.

"Come hither; I will show unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration." Rev. 17:1-6

It is this union of the various religious institutions with the governments of the world that John witnesses here in the Spirit. As you recall in Revelation chapter 12, the true church was represented by a pure woman, and so the blending of these various apostate or false religions is represented by the great whore Babylon who has made the world drunk with her wine or false doctrines.

The mother of harlots can be none other than the Catholic church. The other various institutions that came out of her, yet are united with her, constitute her daughters. She and her daughters have been charged with sleeping with the kings of the earth while professing their marriage to Christ. As Paul said, "having the form of Godliness but none of the power thereof", they are forced to go to bed with the governments of this world for the power they lack from God.

In verse three it is clearly shown that these religious institutions will control the world governments. The great harlot is seen riding (controlling) the beast that represents the various political systems that arose from the collapse of pagan Rome. There is a clear union of church and state represented here.

The Bible also gives us clear insight as to who will make up the union of apostate religions that constitute Babylon. "And the great city was divided into three parts...and great Babylon came in remembrance before God... And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." Rev. 16:19,13&14.

As shown in these verses, Babylon consists of three parts: the dragon, the beast and the false prophet. We already know the dragon represents the pagan part of Rome, but since Rome once represented all paganism throughout the world it must also include those forms of paganism that have survived. Buddhism, Hinduism, reincarnation, spiritualism, Mother Earth worship and other various religions that deify nature must all be included under the figure of the dragon. Spirit mediums and psychics are part of this class as well, for these practices come from paganism and are strictly forbidden by God. See Lev. 19:31; 20:6,27; Isa. 8:19; Acts 16:16-18.

The beast we have already identified as Roman Catholicism, but what does the false prophet represent? "I will give power unto my two witnesses (New and Old Testament), and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth." Rev. 11:3. During the 1260 year reign of the Papacy, God’s true and faithful champions of Truth used the Bible (two witnesses) to wage a never ending battle against the lies and superstitions of the corrupted church of their time. It was because of this that they were given the name Protestants, for they protested against error. These were the true and faithful prophets of their time. How sad to think that hardly a word spoken by these men is echoed today. The majority of Protestants today are only so by name. They are false Protestants or as we have read "false prophets" and are represented as being one of the three parts of the great city Babylon.

How unfortunate that this implicates Protestant America which constitutes the majority of the Protestant world. What a shame to see the depths to which they have FALLEN FROM THE TRUTH they once had. Where once they had the power of the Truth to touch the conscience and melt even the hardest heart, apostate Protestants now run to the civil authorities for the power they lack. "When a religion is good, I conceive that it will support itself; and, when it cannot support itself, and God does not take care to support [it], so that its professors are obliged to call for the help of the civil power, it is a sign, I apprehend, of its being a bad one." Benjamin Franklin, Oct. 9, 1780. The Writings of Benjamin Franklin, vol. 8, p. 154.

Protestant America will be the leading agency in bringing together this three fold union. Both the political and religious policies of the world will be regulated and controlled by this confederacy that God has labeled Babylon.

In Daniel chapter 3, we find an object lesson (concerning Babylon) that pertains to our situation today. It deals with laws concerning religion enforced by the government which go directly contrary to one’s right to worship God according to conscience.

After Daniel had shown King Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of his dream, the king was displeased with the part about his kingdom coming to an end. He immediatley set out to defy God’s plans by setting up a giant image like the one in his dream, except he had it made completely out of gold, thereby signifying his kingdom would never end. He then set up the image on the plain of Dura where it could be clearly seen by all. Nebuchadnezzar then summoned all of the dignitaries and leaders of the known world to come and bow down to the image he had formed, and at the appointed time all except Daniel’s three faithful young friends bowed to the image. Daniel was not present at this gathering.

The King was furious that these three young men would not obey him, for their conscience would not allow them to worship images. So Nebuchadnezzar had them thrown into a fiery furnace which had been fanned seven times hotter than normal, however, the fire had no effect on them because they were safe with their Saviour. Jesus was in the fire with them protecting them because they stood firmly for the Truth, against all odds.

So shall it be again in these last days, when the whole world will be arrayed against a faithful few. Babylon, the world united in error, will take its stand against God’s chosen few and place them in the fiery trials of persecution, but when they receive the death penalty for refusing to worship the "image of the beast" the LORD will intervene and deliver them just as He did Daniel's three friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Let anyone who will stand up for Truth put their trust in God, for they will suffer persecution.

Martin Luther said, "I know that the pope is the Antichrist, and that his see is that of Satan himself. The Papacy is the general chase, by command of the Roman pontiff, for the purpose of running down and destroying souls."

Charles Spurgeon said, "We must warn with judicious boldness those who incline towards the errors of Rome; we must tell them of the black doings of Popery."

John Knox said the pope was "the very antichrist."

John Wesley said of the Papacy, "He is in an emphatical sense, the Man of Sin, as he increases all manner of sin above measure."

John Calvin said, "We call the Roman pontiff Antichrist."

In the Roman faith the teachings of Christ are buried beneath a mass of senseless traditions, false interpretations, and rigorous exactions. Well do the Saviour’s words to the bigoted Jews apply even more to the leaders of the Roman Church: "They bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers." Matt. 23:4. Satan is constantly misrepresenting God’s character, the nature of sin and the real issues at stake in the great controversy between good and evil. By his seductive arts he lessens the obligation of God’s word and gives man license to sin. While conscientious souls are kept in terror of an offended God, many of the dignitaries of the church live in luxury and sensual pleasure. The worship of images and relics, the invocation of saints and the exaltation of the pope are all devices to attract the minds of the people away from God and His Son. These practices are antichrist (against Christ: see 1 John 2:22). Satan will direct people to any object that can be substituted for the One who has said: "Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest." Matt. 11:28. When the people need primitive Godliness, Satan supplies them with useless and empty rounds of ceremonies. There was a time when Protestantism supplied that need.

The term Protestant was not a self-applied label, but, rather, it was given by the Catholic church to those that opposed her doctrines and publicly protested against them. It was these faithful champions of truth that risked life and limb, many of which gave up their lives, to speak out against the oppressive policies of that great false religious system. It was by their testimony, sealed with their blood, that you have the rights and privileges you practice today.

"We hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776.

"The framers of the Constitution recognized the eternal principle that man’s relation with his God is above human legislation, and his right of conscience inalienable. Reasoning was not necessary to establish this truth; we are conscious of it in our own bosoms. It is this consciousness which, in defiance of human laws, has sustained so many martyrs in tortures and flames. They felt that their duty to God was superior to human enactments, and that man could exercise no authority over their consciences. It is an inborn principle which nothing can eradicate." Congressional documents (USA), serial no. 200, document no. 271.

The principles of our Constitution come from the confessions of Protestantism which were put together at Augsburg on June 25, 1530. Its two great principles of civil and religious liberty became the cornerstones of the American Republic. The Augsburg confession stated that the duty of the church is to minister the Gospel of Christ to men and not the laws of the state. In dealing with its membership in exercise of discipline, the church is to act not by might nor by power, but solely by the Word of God. This is true Christianity. People are to be won to Christ by the truth, not by force. Every person has the right to freedom of thought.

If these great victories for the freedom of your mind are relinquished and Catholic ideals should once again reign, what would become of your rights? Once again I let the Catholic church speak for herself. Below are quotes from Catholic sources.

"Is it the intention of the pope to possess this country? (USA) Undoubtedly. In this intention is he aided by the Jesuits, and all the Catholic prelates and priests? Undoubtedly, if they are faithful to their religion." Dr. Q.A. Brownson, editor Catholic World.

"This is our country, as it is to be thoroughly Catholic, we have a deeper interest in public affairs than any other citizen...We must labour to gain the confidence, love, and respect of the American people. This once gained, the Catholic Church is on her way to claim the American heart...Protestantism, the murderous hag, is slowly dying of corruption and congenital rotteness, and she will not much longer encumber the earth...If Catholics ever gain sufficient majority in this country, religious freedom is at an end." Making America Catholic, pp. 11,16,44,47.

 

"The State has not the right to leave every man free to embrace whatever religion he shall deem true.

"The Church has the right to require that the Catholic religion shall be the religion of the State, to the exclusion of ALL OTHERS.

"Cursed be those who assert liberty of conscience and of worship and such that maintain that the church may not employ force." The syllabus of Pope Pius IX.

 

"We are the children of the church which has ever avowed the deepest hostility to the principle of ‘religious liberty’.

"‘Religious liberty’ is one of the most wicked delusions ever foisted upon this age by the father of all deceit.

"Our form of government is one based wholly on the will of the people...the state is free from all control of the churches...all these principles have been formally condemned by Rome." The Independent New York, June 12, 1913

 

"Catholics must make all possible efforts to bring about the rejection of this religious indifference (separation of church and state) and the insubordination (true protestantism) as soon as possible for the wished for union and concord of state and church." J.H. Nichols, Democracy and the Churches, p.226.

 

"I want to hear some American stand up and shout: ‘Give us justice, Give us decency. And to hell with the Constitution.’" The CatholicNews, July 25, 1963

 

"On his tour of Poland in 1978, Pope John Paul II denounced excessive materialism and the separation of church and state." Time. June 17, 1991.

 

TODAY the descendants of those faithful martyrs who gave us the Protestant faith have forgotten why they are called by that name. There was a time when the doctrines of Rome were an offense to the purity of the gospel and Protestants based their beliefs on the Bible and only the Bible. Has that changed? Consider the following:

! "It is time for Protestants to go to the shepherd (the pope) and say, ‘What do we have to do to come home?’" Dr. Robert Schuller, Los Angeles Herald Examiner, Sept. 19, 1987.

! At the reception of his honorary doctor’s degree from Belmont Abbey College, a Roman Catholic institution, Billy Graham told his audience: "The gospel that founded this college is the same gospel which I preach today." While on the Phil Donahue Show, Oct. 11, 1979, transcript # 10119, Mr. Graham also had this to say about Pope John Paul II,: "Thank God I’ve got somebody to quote now with some authority."

I ask you, dear Reader, what happened to quoting the Bible? Has the Bible lost its authority? Do Protestants now quote from the man of sin? Where are the watchmen on the walls of Zion? It appears they have fled to the other side.

"Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh." 1 Cor 6:15,16 KJV "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." 2 Cor 6:17,18 KJV

The trend to side with human agencies and traditions, that go contrary to the written Word of God, will inevitably lead to the enforcement of the dreaded "mark."

Is it any wonder Paul felt so impressed to warn us about this matter? "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day [Christ’s second coming] shall not come, except there come a FALLING AWAY FIRST [from the Truth], and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition [the papacy]; Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God." 2 Thes 2:3,4.