And the LORD said unto me,
"Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.
See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms,
to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down....
....to build, and to plant."
Jeremiah 1:9-10....to build, and to plant."
In his own words, the prophet Jeremiah was "a child" when God first made known to him his prophetic calling. Yet, notwithstanding Jeremiah's young age, God did not withhold from revealing to him the seemingly 'uncivil' aspects of his prophetic office.
'Jeremiah, I've called you to be a prophet to the nations.'
'Fantastic, LORD! Wow! to be used like that to build your Kingdom; what an honor! Where do I start? What do you want me to do?''I want you to root out, pull down, destroy, and throw down....'
The present generation, in America, knows almost nothing about the true prophetic ministry. Although the American churches are literally inundated with self-proclaimed apostles and prophets, yet, they are charlatans and not true prophets or apostles. In fact, if Jeremiah were alive, today, he would doubtless condemn such widespread hypocrisy and apostasy in the strongest possible terms. Here's what he spoke against the false prophets in his own day:
Spiritual things can only be spiritually understood. First, it is imperative to know and understand who and what is modern-day 'Babylon'. For, Babylon is spoken of throughout the Bible - most of which appears as what is as yet unfulfilled prophecy, notwithstanding that ancient Babylon was long, long ago destroyed.
How, then, can and must that be done?
I very well understand, as a Christian and as a minister of Christ, the great reluctance to do anything that has the appearance of attacking the Church. I love Christ's Church, that is, God's People. I would never say or do anything to harm or disparage Christian persons. It is false doctrine and the works of darkness that I oppose with all my might. It is Apostate Christendom (which is not at all Christian) that I denounce.
The only sense in which I mean for my statements to be taken as applying to all churches, everywhere, is in those cases where I seek to uphold the righteousness of God's Word. I have said that all mainstream Protestant Denominations are apostate. That is not the same thing as saying that each and every one of the churches that may belong to this or that Denomination is necessarily apostate; although, I have warned that each and every denominational church is in very grave danger of apostatizing, by reason of ongoing affiliation and association with its respective Denomination.
Moreover, many if not most independent churches, likewise, are either apostate or they are in grave danger of apostatizing, by reason of following after the teachings and practices of the mainstream denominational churches. For, those same well known false prophets who are destroying Christian churches all across America: so-called preachers and teachers, book authors, conference speakers, music and/or video artists and producers: they are all infiltrating and subverting all Christian churches where soever there is no alert, well-informed, and godly watchman to guard the flock.
For far too long, however, my own fear of offending the Spirit of God has caused me to abide by a 'hands-off ' policy toward all Christian churches, regardless of the demonstrable corruption in a great many instances. That is to say, that I was loath to speak or to write anything in opposition to the teachings and practices of such churches, simply because they were professedly Christian churches.
But I now see that a 'hands-off ' policy is not according to the Word of God, which is the mind of Christ. In fact, a hands-off policy plays right into the devil's hand, and suffers the enemy to continue, unchallenged, to corrupt churches and individuals, and to distort the public image, in a real sense, of Christianity. Churches that have been subverted, in turn, become instruments of corruption affecting other individuals and churches.
The Apostle Paul wrote, that "there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..., whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses [churches], teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's [money's] sake" (1Timothy 1:10-11). And Paul did not shrink from naming names.
(More, much more, to come....)
Of course, Jeremiah's commission also included "building and planting". But that aspect of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry is much better understood by the Church. And, so, I will not further discuss that, here.
"I have seen also in the prophets of Jerusalem an horrible thing: they commit adultery, and walk in lies: they strengthen also the hands of evildoers, that none doth return from his wickedness: they are all of them unto me as Sodom, and the inhabitants thereof as Gomorrah. Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts concerning the prophets; Behold, I will feed them with wormwood, and make them drink the water of gall: for from the prophets of Jerusalem is profaneness gone forth into all the land." Jeremiah 23:14-15
"For I have not sent them, saith the LORD, yet they prophesy a lie in my name; that I might drive you out, and that ye might perish, ye, and the prophets that prophesy unto you." Jeremiah 27:15
"Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee: and they have not discovered thine iniquity, to turn away thy captivity; but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment." Lamenatations 2:14
'Root it out, Jeremiah! Seek out their real agenda; inquire into the nature of their work among the churches; ask the hard questions concerning what it is they believe. Penetrate the real meaning of those things they are saying and teaching in my Name: do their words agree with Mine? Consider, well, Jeremiah, the fruit of those self-professed apostles' and prophets' teachings. Root it out of the hidden places - in between the lines of the pages of their books; out of the obscurity of their religious-sounding words; that are full of the poison of asps! Pull it down, Jeremiah! Destroy it! throw it down, altogether!'
'What shall I "pull down" and "throw down", LORD? And how shall I "destroy" it?'
"I have forsaken mine house, I have left mine heritage; I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies. Mine heritage is unto me as a lion in the forest; it crieth out against me: therefore have I hated it. Mine heritage is unto me as a speckled bird, the birds round about are against her; come ye, assemble all the beasts of the field, come to devour" (Jeremiah 12:7-9).
In the above passage, the phrases "mine house", "mine heritage", and "the dearly beloved of my soul": those all are references, in the Old Testament, to the chosen People of God, that is, to the nation of Israel. Importantly, the nation of Israel, in the Old Testament, is in many ways an allegorical representation of the Church in this present Church Age. Whereas Israel went into captivity and was ultimately dispersed, because of her ongoing rebellion against God; the contemporary, professing - but apostate - Church likewise is facing the severity of God's judgment and wrath, because she has not harkened to the pleadings and warnings of God's Spirit, to repent and to return from her worldly ways.
Note carefully, and understand the nature of God's judgment against his own "heritage": God commanded "all the beasts of the field" to "come and devour" his heritage. The "beasts of the field" is an allusion to demonic powers! In other words, because that Israel was unfaithful to God, he sent her into captivity in Babylon. Yet, Israel repented not but, instead, added to her sins by adopting the Babylonians' pagan religious ideas and practices - together with their worldly lifestyle. Thus, those descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob who would not faithfully cling to God with their whole heart, consequently were led into captivity to, and became integrated with, a worldly religious system. And, so, the great majority of what had formerly been the people of Israel now became a part of Babylon itself! Therefore, God commanded the demonic powers to "devour" what had been his own "heritage".
Is that not exactly what has happened, in America (and throughout erstwhile Christian nations), to the great majority of those descendants of what used to be the Church of the living God? The great majority of professing Christians, in what once was called 'Western Civilization', have gone into spiritual captivity and increasingly have become an integral part of what are supposed to be Christian churches but which are replete with pagan religious ideas and practices.
The celebration of Easter and Christmas, with pagan symbols associated with those, are but two, albeit very common, examples of paganism in Apostate Christendom. Not coincidentally, many of those pagan ideas and practices actually go all the way back to ancient Babylon itself! Yet, those two examples hardly begin to fill up the catalog, as it were, of pagan and otherwise anti-christian ideas and practices that comprise the teaching and modes of 'worship' among most contemporary churches - which, increasingly, are given over to more overt forms of demonic influences. The contemporary, professing Church - just like ancient Israel in Babylon - has now become a very part of that spiritual Babylon: Apostate Christianity.
The celebration of Easter and Christmas, with pagan symbols associated with those, are but two, albeit very common, examples of paganism in Apostate Christendom. Not coincidentally, many of those pagan ideas and practices actually go all the way back to ancient Babylon itself! Yet, those two examples hardly begin to fill up the catalog, as it were, of pagan and otherwise anti-christian ideas and practices that comprise the teaching and modes of 'worship' among most contemporary churches - which, increasingly, are given over to more overt forms of demonic influences. The contemporary, professing Church - just like ancient Israel in Babylon - has now become a very part of that spiritual Babylon: Apostate Christianity.
In that notable 50th chapter of Jeremiah, which declares the judgment of God and his pronouncements against Babylon, are found the reasons for God's anger and wrath against that Kingdom:
"My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds [pastors] have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains..." (v.6)
"Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls [an allusion to corrupt church leaders]; your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert. Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues" (verses 11-13).
APOSTASY! The People of God - which had been chosen and separated unto to God and were given an inheritance to possess: the "land flowing with milk and honey"; they loved the world more than they loved the LORD that redeemed them. Although God dealt with them in mercy, and in measure, yet they would not truly repent. Therefore God gave them over unto their own ways, and they were taken captive by a religious system (Babylon), which appealed to them and, ultimately, devoured them.
When God ordered the destruction of Babylon, all those - including a multitude of Israelites - who were in Babylon...and Babylon was in them, perished. They had been warned: "Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks" (v. 8). So, too, have contemporary Christians been warned: "Come out of her [spiritual Babylon], my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues" (Revelation 18:4). What does it mean, where the LORD said that those who will come out of Babylon must be "as the he goats before the flocks"? Sheep are followers; whereas, 'he goats' don't wait around to see what the herd is going to do. Likewise, when God opens your eyes to see the truth about spiritual Babylon, don't wait around to see whether anyone else is going to come out of an apostate church.
'Then, how shall I destroy it (Babylon), LORD?'
"Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her. Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest..." (verses 14-16).
Spiritual things can only be spiritually understood. First, it is imperative to know and understand who and what is modern-day 'Babylon'. For, Babylon is spoken of throughout the Bible - most of which appears as what is as yet unfulfilled prophecy, notwithstanding that ancient Babylon was long, long ago destroyed.
Spiritual Babylon is Apostate Christianity (see footnotes*).Are modern-day Jeremiahs - that is to say, true prophets of the contemporary Church - supposed to "root out", "pull down", "tear down", and "destroy" spiritual Babylon? Oh, yes!
How, then, can and must that be done?
- "Put yourselves in array against [spiritual] Babylon round about": This means to adopt a militant attitude of mind against spiritual Babylon, after that one's eyes are opened to perceive the truth concerning the nature of that false religious system; and work together to expose and overthrow those ideas and practices - together with the false prophets who are the mouthpieces - of that pseudo-christian system;
- "Shoot at her, spare no arrows"; "Shout against her round about": This means both to pray [bow and arrow is a metaphor for prayer] against that system and the demonic powers behind it; as well as it means to speak and write boldly and openly against Apostate Christianity - specifically, explicitly, and not merely generically;
- "Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest...": The 'Babylonian' "sower" and the 'reaper' are metaphors for the spiritual leaders of that system. They are the teachers and preachers, the authors and conference speakers, who are instrumental in propagating the false doctrines and instigating the abominable practices associated with apostate Christianity. "Cut off" means that they are not to be overlooked or tolerated: for, they are not the ministers of Christ but of antichrist. And the 'Church' which they lead is not the House of God but it is the Synagogue of Satan (Revelation 2:9; 3:9).
As recently as a hundred years ago, the real Christian Church was often called the "Church Militant". Do you still wonder why that Church used to have such an appellation? Do you yet wonder why She is no longer called by that honorable name? One word explains it:
$ucce$$
I very well understand, as a Christian and as a minister of Christ, the great reluctance to do anything that has the appearance of attacking the Church. I love Christ's Church, that is, God's People. I would never say or do anything to harm or disparage Christian persons. It is false doctrine and the works of darkness that I oppose with all my might. It is Apostate Christendom (which is not at all Christian) that I denounce.
The only sense in which I mean for my statements to be taken as applying to all churches, everywhere, is in those cases where I seek to uphold the righteousness of God's Word. I have said that all mainstream Protestant Denominations are apostate. That is not the same thing as saying that each and every one of the churches that may belong to this or that Denomination is necessarily apostate; although, I have warned that each and every denominational church is in very grave danger of apostatizing, by reason of ongoing affiliation and association with its respective Denomination.
Moreover, many if not most independent churches, likewise, are either apostate or they are in grave danger of apostatizing, by reason of following after the teachings and practices of the mainstream denominational churches. For, those same well known false prophets who are destroying Christian churches all across America: so-called preachers and teachers, book authors, conference speakers, music and/or video artists and producers: they are all infiltrating and subverting all Christian churches where soever there is no alert, well-informed, and godly watchman to guard the flock.
For far too long, however, my own fear of offending the Spirit of God has caused me to abide by a 'hands-off ' policy toward all Christian churches, regardless of the demonstrable corruption in a great many instances. That is to say, that I was loath to speak or to write anything in opposition to the teachings and practices of such churches, simply because they were professedly Christian churches.
But I now see that a 'hands-off ' policy is not according to the Word of God, which is the mind of Christ. In fact, a hands-off policy plays right into the devil's hand, and suffers the enemy to continue, unchallenged, to corrupt churches and individuals, and to distort the public image, in a real sense, of Christianity. Churches that have been subverted, in turn, become instruments of corruption affecting other individuals and churches.
The Apostle Paul wrote, that "there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers..., whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses [churches], teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's [money's] sake" (1Timothy 1:10-11). And Paul did not shrink from naming names.
(More, much more, to come....)
Of course, Jeremiah's commission also included "building and planting". But that aspect of Jeremiah's prophetic ministry is much better understood by the Church. And, so, I will not further discuss that, here.
*FOOTNOTES
- G.H. Pember (19th Century) in all of his writings identified spiritual Babylon with Apostate Christianity, headed by Roman Catholicism.
- The Puritans practically universally identified Roman Catholicism as being the head of Apostate Christainity.
- Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons, 7th ed. (S.W. Partridge & Co., London), pp 1-2: "There never has been any difficulty in the mind of any enlightened Protestant in identifying..."Mystery, Babylon the great", with the Roman [Catholic] apostacy [sic]".
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