The rest of this study on the Book of Revelation will be completed quickly. Thus, we can take a bit more time to dig into the part that is just beginning to unfold. A large part of the prophecy is spent on the destruction of “the great harlot”—Mystery Babylon. It is obvious that we need to really understand this, especially when it is appropriate for God’s people to “come out of her” and the signs of this.
In the 1960s and 70s, with emerging of movements like the New Testament pattern church, apostolic, and home church, a number of teachers began to proclaim the “come out of her My people” message. This message referenced not only the Roman Catholic Church, but all institutional and denominational churches. Of course, the intent was for these believers to come into these new movements. These new movements had a great deal of life in them for a time, and many still do, but they fell short of the hope that they were God’s new wineskin to hold the new wine. Why?
The Lord will bless many things He will not inhabit. God will bless just about any movement or anything we try to do for Him, but that does not mean He will inhabit them. We must distinguish between what He will bless and what He will inhabit. We must ask if we are really building His temple—His dwelling place—or just franchises.
Our best new thing can be like King David trying to bring the Ark to Jerusalem on a new ox cart. It may look good for a time, but it often ends as a tragedy. After many of the movements in the 1960s through the 1990s were unable to bring in the glory of God, many leaders resolved to study God’s ways more thoroughly. This is so when we try to carry His Ark again, we will do it His way.
King David had a noble desire to bring the glory of God to Jerusalem, but he had limited understanding of the Lord's holiness to think His glory could be carried on an ox cart, even a new one. Oxen represent natural strength, and the new cart represents the way we often think our new revelation, or our new way of doing things, will bring His glory in—but it is really based more on human effort. David learned the hard way how carefully we must treat the Ark of God’s presence. Have we?
Most of the movements I’ve known had some merit and accomplished some good things. Even those that did not end well at least taught us many things that will no doubt prove helpful. The people in these movements also brought a lot of good fruit to the times. It is a noble thing to have the faith of a sojourner willing to leave all and wander in new places seeking the city of God. However, the city that we’re seeking is one that God is building, not men. So what will identify what He is doing opposed to just what people, even well intentioned people, are building?
The first thing is timing. Revelation states that Babylon will be destroyed, and this will be followed by “…another angel (messenger) coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” (Revelation 18:1-2) If the premise is correct that “Babylon the Great” is the institutional church(s) built by man and not God—which became a harlot by marrying the powers of this age instead of waiting for Christ—it has not yet been destroyed, and neither has this angel appeared. If this is the case, than it is still not time to tell God’s people to “come out of her.” So what does that mean for us now?
For one thing, there has been a massive harvest going on in the Roman Catholic Church, and virtually all denominations, for about fifty years. Millions have been born again and baptized in the Holy Spirit in these churches. Though this great move does seem to be in its waning stages, it appears that until this great messenger appears to illumine the earth with his glory, it is not time to call people out of these churches.
Next week we will cover the second major factor that will make the timing of these things clear.
