20161117 Thursday, November 17 2016
Revelation 14: The Fall Of Babylon's Towers

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication ... And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!"

The words "Babylon" and "Babel" originated from an ancient Semitic word that meant confusion - of thought and behavior. The term began in the time and place of the infamous tower of Babel i.e. the tower of babble (see The Tower Of Babel).

Humans have been building "towers" (the English-language word "tower" originated from a very-ancient Greek word that meant a heap, or to heap) of Babel ever since - not to the glory of God, but to the glory of man, or a man. Many towers (including the carved tree trunks and Asherah poles as recorded in the Bible; see The Tree Huggers Of Israel And Judah) were deliberate phallic symbols (the vulgar "middle finger" gesture of the present day is merely yet-another form of it) that manifested that form of idolatry (the literal meaning of Sodomite is male idolater; see Sodomites).

But the return of the LORD God (see The Feast Of Trumpets: The Return Of The Messiah) is going to bring a good "brain washing" that will liberate humanity from the confused and twisted thinking (see What Does Wicked Mean?) that has caused so much depravity and destruction. The return of the Messiah will not, at first, be welcomed by those who think that their self-inflicted ways of death are better than their Creator's Way of Eternal Life. But they will.

The Book of Revelation (see The LORD's Letter From Patmos and The Seals, Trumpets And Vials Of The Messiah's Return) describes the step by step process by which "Babylon" will be restored to the worldwide Paradise that existed when the Earth was created.

The 144,000 of Israel will be representative of what the ancient Israelites symbolically failed to do, but which, by means of the great "dry bones" prophecy, will then enable them to get to the Promised Land (see When The LORD Will Raise All Of The Dead). Notice however that the 144,000 of Israel will be contemporary of that end-time, and that they will be "virgins" (see The Mystery Of The 144,000 Revealed).

"14:1 And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.

14:2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: 14:3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. 14:4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 14:5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." (Revelation 14:1-5 KJV)

The return of the Messiah to establish the Kingdom of God on Earth (see Born Again In The Coming Kingdom Of God) will be a worldwide, all of humanity event. Babylon plagues everyone, so the cure will be everywhere: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

"14:6 And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, 14:7 Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.

14:8 And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

14:9 And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: 14:11 And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

14:13 And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth:

Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Revelation 14:6-13 KJV)

Much of the Messiah's Ministry involved prophecies of the coming Kingdom of God - and how it will happen (see What Gospel Did Jesus Preach?). The Messiah's famous the "harvesters are angels" was stated repeatedly by Him.

"13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. 13:41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; 13:42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." (Matthew 13:40-43 KJV)

The "harvesters are angels" was then repeated to the apostle John for his writing of the Book of Revelation (see the Fact Finder question below).

"14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped.

14:17 And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. 14:18 And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. 14:19 And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. 14:20 And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." (Revelation 14:14-20 KJV)

Fact Finder: Did the apostle John see the Son of God as a human and as the LORD God?
See John's Eyewitness Of The Messiah And The LORD God