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Intimacy in the Spirit
  
You must be born again to enter into the kingdom of God.
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O HAPPY DAY ! Nov 29, 2008 1:04 pm
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Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
Washed my sins away (oh happy day)
Oh happy day (oh happy day)

He taught me how (oh, He taught me how)
Fight and pray (to fight and pray)
Fight and pray
And he taught me how to live rejoicing
yes, He did (and live rejoicing)
Oh yeah, every, every day (every, every day)
(oh yeah) Every day!

Oh happy day (oh happy day)
Oh happy day, yeah (oh happy day)
When Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When my Jesus washed (when Jesus washed)
When Jesus washed [hits high note] (when Jesus washed)
My sins away (oh happy day)
I'm talking about that happy day (oh happy day)
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DO YOU BELIEVE THE GOSPEL WITH THE MIND OR DO YOU BELIEVE WITH THE HEART UNTO SALVATION???? Nov 28, 2008 10:51 am
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THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN INTELLECTUAL ASSENT TO THE GOSPEL (KNOWLEDGE) AND A HEART CONVERSION TO THE GOSPEL. WE KNOW FROM THE SCRIPTURES THAT THE DEVILS BELIEVe IN GOD BUT THEY ARE NOT SAVED, SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE? LET ME TELL YOU.

God tells his sheep to preach the gospel and in doing so conversion may or may not take place. This is dependant on the heart condition. Jesus likened the heart condition to the condition of the ground. The thorny heart, the stony heart, and the good soil....the prepared heart. the holy Spirit prepares the heart. It is he who makes it ready to receive the word of God. This is an act of grace.

Mark 16:15-16

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.”

All hearts apart from God are fully carnal, being desperately wicked. It is only by the transforming power of God that the heart becomes alive unto God. The heart in biblical terms is the spirit of man. The soul is the mind...the mind is a biological function of the body, like a computer. THIS IS A SCIENTIFIC FACT! The mind needs to be renewed or reprogrammed to think like God and that is why we have the written word.

A religious person can program the mind to know scripture and have a form of knowledge but the religious person is not born again in the spirit man. Like a robot the mind can be trained to mimic a Christian. Talk like one, even act in some ways like one, so one must look real close at what that person really believes and the fruit they manifest in their lives.

Remember, that Christians are only born of God in the spirit man but the body which includes the mind needs to be constantly renewed. So, a Christian can sin but the Spirit of God in the spirit of man keep the Christian from walking in habitual sin. The christian is always learning and growing and able by Gods power to see sin as sin and repent quickly. A true Christian does not let sin reign in the mortal body because he has all the power of the holy Spirit at his disposal. ALL THINGS IS GIVEN TO THE CHRISTIAN THAT PERTAINS TO LIFE AND GODLINESS.

If one adheres to a different gospel other than the biblical gospel then he is a deceiver because he himself is deceived. The reason one can believe a lie is according to Jesus , because THEY ARE NOT OF THE TRUTH. In other words they are not born of God but are only false apostles, false brethren.

The false gospel always has works, achievements, exaltation of self, exaltation of man, humanism, exaltation of a false god. The true gospel sees self as complete only in Christ. In other words Christ is the head and self is worshiping at his feet. Any message that exalts man or a man (false prophet), and minimizes the sovereign Majesty of the living God is a false gospel.

To exalts ones gifts, achievements, personal image, is sin. God alone is to be worshiped. Man in and of himself is like the grass that fades and is gone like a vapor. Man has no good in himself outside of God. Even Jesus who was God himself never exalted himself on earth but always exalted the Father. Satan and his seed exalt themselves above the throne of God.

Jesus Christ warned, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many” Matthew 24:4–5

So in conclusion, one must be converted in his/her spirit and not the mind to be saved. We are a spirit, we have a soul (mind, will, emotions, and conscience, or personality), and we live in a body.

Our spirit, is the very core of who we are. Our spirit is the part of us that is going to live forever. Our spirit is the part of us that becomes born-again by God's holy Spirit.

1 Thessalonians 5:23

And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

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TRANSFORMATION FROM A WORM TO A BUTTERFLY Nov 27, 2008 2:47 pm
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Interestingly enough, David in the psalms refers to himself as a worm. He is identifying with the plight of the human soul without Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Psalms 22:6

But I [am] a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.

When a person becomes born again by the power of the holy Spirit, transformation takes place. The butterfly comes forth from the caterpillar by way of metamorphosis. Something beautiful comes forth from something base. Personal transformation comes from within the spirit of man and not from without, as in the body. The body is dead because of sin the bible says but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. That righteousness is Christ's righteousness which is imputed to the person at the new birth. That person is now a new creature. Old things have passed away and behold new things have come!

The word “transformed” is the Greek word metamorphoō (met-am-or-fo'-o which means to transform or “metamorphose”,to change, transfigure, transform. It comes from two words: 1) META- implying CHANGE 2) MORPHE - form

The word is transliterated in the English language as metamorphosis; to change into another form.

He who the son sets free is free indeed! The worm at the new birth becomes a beautiful butterfly, which symbolically represents freedom. Free from the old man, the sinful nature, the legalist law keeper and transformed into a child of God, filled with the power and might of the holy Spirit.

Jesus said that you must be born again...born from above...born of the Spirit to be saved. Travail in the Spirit Saints for those God puts on your hearts for Christ to be formed in them......metamorphosed into that butterfly. Wait patiently until the work is done in the secret place(cocoon)by the holy Spirit.

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DOGVILLE AND THE DEPRAVED HUMAN NATURE Nov 26, 2008 6:57 pm
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An interesting and controversial film (2003) entitled Dogville portrays the salvation message in a very unique way. I am afraid however, that this film probably goes over many people's heads. Some have tried to interpret the film from a humanist or political stance but it is only obvious that the film has a spiritual application.

Nicole Kidman plays the gift of grace that comes to Dogville, (representative of mans sinful nature)Grace, the fugitive sneaking up Dogville's mountain to escape gun-wielding gangsters. She doesn't get far. Moses the vigilant watchdog reveals her to the local philosopher, Tom Edison.

Tom takes Grace into his care. But it's not just charity. Tom wants to teach his town a lesson. The town folk who are industrious hard working folk seem to be good although somewhat peculiar, and yet because nothing has actually tested that goodness, they remain set in their ways, thinking themselves caring and generous of heart.

When grace arrives, Dogville, at first objects. They are suspect of her motives and so Grace sets about to win the town's approval. Tom sees Grace's arrival as an opportunity to expose the selfishness of the townsfolk. After Tom talks the town into giving Grace a chance, nobody seems to need her help with anything. She cannot find work. First, Ma Ginger (Lauren Bacall) lets her tend gooseberry bushes outside the general store, and eventually she's invited into each home to serve some small purpose. She visits the local beauty (Chloë Sevigny), the sullen hard-working farmer (Stellan Skarsgård), the farmer's wife (Patricia Clarkson), and Tom's hypochondriac father (Phillip Baker Hall.) Like Amelie, Grace even becomes the eyes of the local blind man (Ben Gazarra)

The film opens with a the open view of the town, with chalk outlines of homes, the shop, gardens, even the doghouse. When we see things from a human being's point of view, at eye-level, we can stare past the townsfolk as they putter about in their enclosed worlds. This reveals a powerful truth, the barriers that divide us are flimsy. None of our sins are private. One person's selfishness influences everything and everybody.

When the local police arrive Dogville must decide to give grace away or hide her. In doing so they will risk their own lives. Trying to do the right thing the townsfolk agree to harbor the fugitive. Thus, they have sealed their fate and are co conspirators.

Humanity in its basest form, when put to the test has no mercy, love, or kindness but is greed-driven, exploitive, and hypocritical. When Dogville is tested, by the appearance of Grace in their midst it fails miserably even as human nature will always fail to live up to God's goodness. The hospitality offered Grace is conditional as no one welcomes the prospect of giving “sanctuary to a refugee” Grace must work to gain approval after all works are what make one acceptable are they not?

As Grace becomes more of a threat to the town's lifestyle, in Dogville, becomes abusive and violent towards Grace. They want to get rid of her but find that they cannot. Expected to work longer and longer hours, Grace soon finds herself the victim of sexual abuse. She is raped first by Chuck (Stellan Skarsgard)when he returns from work in the apple orchard and finds Grace babysitting his children.

Eventually Grace is bond up and chained to a wheel in which she cannot escape, for if she escaped then she would reveal Dogwood's sin to the police( moral code)The wheel represents man's witty inventions, his human intellect. Grace responds to all the abuse with unconditional forgiveness and mercy.

Even with forgiveness Grace becomes too great a risk for Dogville to maintain. Grace only exposes their weakness, their humanness, their failures, their inability to be good.

It is Tom Edison( the humanist philosopher) who places the call to the gangsters and turns Grace in. Grace reveals to Tom, (human achievements) his own doubts regarding his moral purity and suggests that even he has been tempted to use her as violently as the rest of the town. When she forgives him for what is essentially his nature, Tom, overwhelmed, also begins to see Grace as a risk that will disclose the truth about him, his deep depravity.

When the gangster arrives Grace enters his car and calls him Daddy. The father of grace is judgment. The father challenges Grace's unconditional love.

BIG MAN: A deprived childhood and a homicide really isn’t necessarily a homicide, right? The only thing you can blame is circumstances. Rapists and murderers may be the victims, according to you, but I – I call them dogs; and if they’re lapping up their own vomit, the only way to stop them is with the lash.

GRACE: But dogs only obey their own nature, so why shouldn't’t we forgive them

BIG MAN: Dogs can be taught many useful things, but not if we forgive them every time we obey their own nature.

GRACE: So I’m arrogant; I’m arrogant because I forgive people?

BIG MAN: My God! Can’t you see how condescending you are when you say that? You have this preconceived notion that nobody – listen – nobody can possibly attain the same high ethical standards as you, so you exonerate them. I cannot – I cannot think of anything more arrogant than that. You my child, my dear child, forgive others with excuses that you would never in the world permit for yourself.

So, are God's standards really unachievable? By all means they are. That is why forgiveness is extended, because the law is unattainable. Moses the watchdog in Dogville, is the law that gages and watches humanities every move. Pointing out the intrusion of the sinful nature on the just moral code of God.

Grace is a law beyond the conditional laws of morality and forgiveness. Grace can forgive and pardon beyond the law. Infinite grace, in fact, consumes the town of Dogville but Grace’s choice to have the town massacred, to consume it by fire, is a natural extension of the right of Grace.

Grace confronts Tom before shooting him herself. And although Tom is afraid, he has not forgotten what he set out to illustrate from the beginning.

Although using people isn’t very charming, I think you’d have to agree that this specific illustration has surpassed all expectations. It says so much about being human. It’s been painful; but I think you’ll also have to agree, it’s been edifying. Wouldn’t you say?

Dogville could not receive Grace unconditionally because they were conditioned by their human nature. Dogville could only see Grace as evil, lacking any thought provoking human quality and so they abused grace. took it for granted, trod underfoot the gift and in doing so condemned themselves. So Grace agrees with her father and executes judgment.

This movie is fascinating and has many more allegorical themes. if you have not seen it then go to your movie store and rent it!



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CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF GOD BUT BORN INTO SIN Nov 25, 2008 11:05 am
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In order to understand the salvation experience, one must first of all understand the doctrine of the depraved nature. If one does not believe that man is born with a sin nature, then chances are that person is not born again but is only a religious person. The bible clearly teaches that although man was created in the image of God, having a three part person as he is a three part person(s), (body, soul and spirit),because of the fall man choose to aline himself with Satan and he now is a fallen creature even as Satan(his father by birth into that nature) is a fallen creature. In this natural depraved state, man is now an enemy of God by nature. He is not subject to the will of God nor can he ever be so.

So you see, the carnal man under the sin nature, is exceedingly sinful and must be regenerated (made alive unto God)by the holy Spirit and translated from darkness into the light, or in other words, God's kingdom.

Humans are created in the image of God. However, because of the fall, all are born sinful as a result of the sin of Adam, the first human. People are all born fully sinful and there is no moral good in people at all. They know good because Adam ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but they are unable to perform it. Every good act will always in some way, have an evil motive. Only God by the power of his holy Spirit can change the hearts of all those who are in Christ, thereby giving them moral goodness that is God breathed and the ability to do good things by his empowerment. Everything that the unsaved do is sin, because they are still in the state of utter sinfulness that they were born with.

Sin is simply not doing what God said to do. God told Adam not to eat of the forbidden tree in the Garden and Adam disobeyed God and that was sin. Fallen man canot obey God by their very nature, so they cannot please him in that nature.One man (Jesus) was able to redeem humanity out of sin(of Adam) because he took the penalty of sin and destroyed its power over those redeemed by his blood. Without the shedding of blood,(of a holy vessel) the bible says that there is no remission of sins.

The wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life. It is very important for you to realize that salvation is a gift. In no way is any one even able to earn it for the bible calls the unredeemed DEAD IN TRESPASSES AND SINS. How can a dead man give himself life? How can a dead person who is blinded by Satan because he has Satan's evil nature, save himself? He cannot! Salvation is completely and totally a work of grace to all that the Lord our God shall call and all whom he calls will come to him, Jesus said. Not one will be lost that the father gives to Jesus as his bride.

So you see, God is the author and the finisher of our faith. Those born of God have God's nature living in them and they now are his seed, born of his Spirit and purchased with a great price. The blood of the lamb!


AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPETH AND CHRIST SHALL GIVE THEE LIGHT
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AWAKE THOU THAT SLEEPETH AND CHRIST SHALL GIVE THEE LIGHT Nov 24, 2008 1:34 pm
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I will be doing a teaching on what it means to be a Christian, over the next couple of weeks. In this way I will identify the true Christian from the false Christian. The bible says to test yourself to see if you are really in the faith and to make sure that your doctrine is pure. If you are interested in understanding from a doctrinal perspective, the salvation experience, then stay tuned. Also, feel free to paste this teaching on a word document to use for study, or as a tool in evangelism. I welcome comments but if you are going to paste isolated scripture taken out of context to try and support your belief system or argue needlessly, or be rude and obnoxious, I will delete your comment. Feel free to ask questions or give supporting scriptures or comments.
Your blogger friend, Sweethoney

The bible teaches that in order to be saved or a child of God, one must be born again. We know from the book of James that believing in the gospel is not enough to be saved. Even the devil believes. Another interesting thing spoken by Jesus was that even if one was to visibly see a man raised from the dead, still he would not believe. To believe the gospel one must awake from the spiritual deadness of the unregenerated carnal man. This cannot in any way be done from one's own initiative but is rather, a miraculous work of the Spirit of the living God.

The holy Spirit regenerates the dead person and brings them to life. In other words the old man (the body of sin)is dead and crucified with Christ while the new man, the born of God person, becomes alive. This life is God breathed...the breath of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus into the spirit of man.

If one does not have the Spirit of God dwelling within his spirit then he /she is not saved. A person can know about God, be under the law, believe with the mind, be conformed to a set of principles, walk in a form of knowledge but not really have the power of God, or the holy Spirit DUMANIS (GREEK) POWER OF GOD in their person hood.

The terms born again, regenerated or transformed are synonymous with spiritual rebirth. One is born into sin, dead in trespasses and sin and then by the grace of God awakened from this dead state and given light resurrected, and is now alive unto God and translated into the kingdom of his dear son.

To be continued.


It is not enough to reply, "I belong to the church; I suppose I'm a Christian." Thousands of nominal Christians show none of the signs of being born again which the Scriptures have given us; many listed in the First Epistle of John. J.C. Ryle
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IS YOUR LIFE HID WITH CHRIST? DO YOU LIVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT? Nov 20, 2008 11:44 am
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If you obey the letter of the word in your own power and ability then according to the bible you are under the law, but if all that you do is empowered by the holy Spirit then it is no longer you that is obeying God but the Holy Spirit who dwells in you that does the work. That is why one must be born again of the holy Spirit. This is not water baptism...but Holy Spirit baptism...two different experiences. Baptism by water does not save. It is only symbolic of the regenerated life in Jesus Christ.

Your life is hid with Christ and it is no longer you that lives but Christ in you the hope of glory. Life in the Spirit is performing good deeds,mighty exploits,obedient acts by the empowerment of the Spirit of the living God and not of your own self efforts. God crowns only his own works. All works done by the sinful nature are burned in the fire!

So as you can see, requirements for obedience are even provided by our loving Savior! Praise God for his wonderful grace!

Philippians 4:12,13

I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Ephesians 5:17-21

Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.
And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

Romans 8:26-30

The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.

Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified

Galatians 2:19-21

For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Ephesians 6:18

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

Micah 3:8,9

But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the LORD, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity
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THE MARK OF THE BEAST Nov 19, 2008 7:10 am
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The 8 Characteristics of “The Mark”
Revelation 13:16-18; 14:9-11; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4
EadsHome Ministries

1) Likely a physical implant or detailed scarification

The repetitive nature of John’s description of the Mark lends itself to the interpretation that the Mark is to be taken as literal, rather than figurative.

It has been theorized that the Mark refers symbolically to the belief in [forhead] and support of [right hand] the AntiChrist, rather than to a literal Mark. If this were the case, it would be difficult to imagine how consumers could be easily identified as not having the Mark, since John says that those without the Mark will not be able to buy or sell.

The Mark is described as something that is “received”. Faith in AntiChrist and service to the AntiChrist is not “received”, it is ‘appropriated’ and ‘given’. The fact that the Mark is received highlights the fact that it comes from an outside source, not from within the person.

2) This physical Mark will be on the right hand/wrist or the forehead (Rev. 13:16)

The fact that the left hand is not mentioned as a possible site for the Mark is intriguing, and could shed some light onto the future purpose of the Mark from a practical standpoint. With large numbers of people receiving this Mark in a very short period of time, the choosing of the right hand may be for convenience purposes. New military recruits often stand in line to receive their vaccinations, which are given into the same arm as the line advances. The same may be true for the Mark. The location on the right hand may also serve as a quick means of identifying a person for commercial reasons.


3) The great majority of people on earth will receive the Mark

The usage of the word “everyone” in Revelation 13:16, cannot mean literally everyone on planet earth will receive the Mark. We know that there will be Christians who will not receive the Mark, and they are specifically mentioned in Rev. 20:4. Apparently all types of people will be represented as bearers of the Mark [small, great, rich, poor, free, slave].

4) It will be impossible to engage in common commerce without the Mark, but there will likely be an “underground” currency and commerce system amongst those without the Mark

The statement that “no one” could buy or sell without the Mark is not intended to mean that literally no one on earth will be able to buy or sell from anyone else on planet earth. If that were so, then most, if not close to all, Christians would die of starvation or dehydration during the final years. Since many elect will be left until the end to be gathered to Jesus [Matt 24:29-31], these will need to find a way to survive during the final 3 ½ years of oppression [Rev. 12:17, 13; Daniel 7:25].

Sustenance farming and lake water purification will not be immediately available to most, so an underground commerce system will likely form. Again, the usage of “no one” in Rev. 13:17 parallels the usage of “everyone” in Rev. 13:16, detailing that the entire world common market will be governed by the beast and will necessitate having a Mark to participate in it.

5) The Mark will consist of two types.
1) The name of the beast
2) The “number” of his name
It is important to remember that not every Mark will correlate to a number. We cannot be sure weather the majority will be related to his number or his name. The fact that even today a vast majority of people are familiar with 666 makes one wonder if the majority of “Marks” will relate to his name rather than his number as many will never imagine that they have the “dreaded Mark of the beast” because it is in no way related to a number.

6) The relationship of the Mark to the number of the beast will not likely be immediately apparent. Insight and wisdom will be necessary to make the connection.

Rev. 13:18 says that the correlation of the Mark to the number of the beast requires: 1) wisdom 2) insight and 3) calculation. The Bible says this despite the fact that a few words later the number 666 is given to us. For these reasons, the Mark will likely not be a large “666” tattooed on the back of the hand. We are encouraged to keep our mind and eyes open to recognizing the Mark. It may be prudent to avoid ANY marking or implantation of the right arm or head to avoid taking a device which is later transferred to the power of the beast.
It will be easier for those who have a marking or implant for innocent reasons to conform their pre-existing device to the name of a man, than it will be for first-time receivers of the marking or implantation.

7) 666: What we know about it.
1) The number is six-hundred and sixty-six, not six, six, six. Six, six, six is three separate numbers, whereas six-hundred and sixty-six is one number. The ramifications of this difference cannot be completely known at this time, but the Scriptures are clear that the number is a singular number, not three separate side-by-side numbers. Let the reader remember this important distinction.
2) 666 is “the number of his name” meaning that it is connected, though calculation, to the beast’s name. The tying of this number to the name of the beast may mean that a literal Arabic number will not be visible on the Mark.
3) 666 is also “that of a man”. The NIV translation of “man’s number” implies that mankind has a “number” which is known and can be used for our calculations. The structure of the greek is properly denoted in the NASB and KJV. The number is “the number of a man”. Let no one be deceived into thinking that this name, or its number comes from heaven in anyway. This number comes from a man. And anyone who follows man instead of God [Galatians 1:10] is destined for an eternity apart from God.

8 Those who receive the Mark will be tormented with burning sulfur without rest forever
Rev. 14:10-11
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AMERICA (a reorganized Babylonian empire ) Nov 19, 2008 7:01 am
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Economy

1) Controls the world via its Economic / Military / Political Superpower status
“Sits on many waters” Rev. 17:1;15
“great city that rules over the kings of the earth” Rev. 17:18

2) Exporting nation of many commercial goods: Rev.18:11-13

The long list and repetitive nature of the exported goods described in Rev. 18 prevents a figurative interpretation. Babylon will not merely specialize in one or two commercial goods, but a broad range of varied exports.

3) A Maritime Nation: Babylon will have sufficient access to the sea to export many of its goods via water so that many seafaring merchants grew rich from Babylon: Rev 18:17-19

4) A nation marked by luxury and extravagance

“her excessive luxuries” Rev 18:3

“the glory and luxury she gave herself” Rev 18

“dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls” Rev 18:16; see Rev 17:4

5) Other people will grow rich from Babylon

“and gained their wealth from her” Rev 18:15

“the merchants of the earth grew rich from her…” Rev 18:3

Morality/Spirituality

6) Well known for sexual immorality, adulteries, and prostitution: Rev. 17:1-5; 18:3

“prostitution” can refer to literal sexual immorality as well as spiritual adultery in turning away from the True God [See Hosea for example]. Other passages in revelation make it clear that Babylon is certainly not a Christian nation [take for example its persecution of believers]. prostitution and adultery in this case likely refer to both sexual and spiritual sins, though the emphasis appears to be upon Babylon’s well known sexual sins.

7) A persecuting nation:

Babylon will persecute Christians: Rev. 17:6

Babylon will be seen by all in heaven as a great persecutor

“Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets, because God has judged your judgment upon her.” Rev 18:20 [Greek]


Is held guilty for the blood of the saints, prophets, and all who have been killed:
“In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints,
and of all who have been killed on the earth." [Rev 18:24]

This point has many ramifications. Is Babylon the Great a brand-new modern nation that God holds responsible for the killing of ancient prophets? Or is Babylon the Great an ancient empire that reorganizes in future times and reinstitutes its persecution of God’s people?

The repetitive phrase “of all who have been killed on the earth” reiterates the persecution of the prophets and saints that Babylon is responsible for. The verb for “who have been killed” is “sphadzo”, which is used to describe the killing of innocent lives, esp. persecution or sacrifice.

The case for a reorganized Babylonian empire:

1) A reorganized Babylonian empire would be guilty of the blood of ancient prophets because of the link to ancient Babylon and the continuance of the same behavior of ancient Babylon. Jesus pronounced to the Pharisees that they were guilty of the ancient prophets’ blood because of their lineage and continued similar behavior. [Matt. 23:29-32]

2) The notion of a reorganized Babylonian empire which is linked to ancient Babylon is found in Jeremiah 25:12-38. The passage begins with a prophecy of ancient Babylon’s fall, which occurred in approx 539 B.C. at the hands of the Medes and Persians. But Jeremiah makes it clear that Babylon will experience punishment in two different time periods:

a) In the past: “when the seventy years are fulfilled” [70 years after Judah’s captivity began]
b) In the future: After all the kingdoms on the face of the earth have been judged

This occurs when “The LORD will roar from on high” [verse 30] and brings judgment on all mankind [verse 31], a reference to Jesus’ second coming.

3) Revelation 17:16-17 tells us that the beast’s kingdom will hate and attack Babylon and will be successful in defeating her. Daniel 11:40-45 chronicles the final battles that the beast’s kingdom will be involved in. Daniel mentions the king of the North [probably Russia] and the king of the South [probably Egypt] as countries that he engages in battle. Egypt is attacked and conquered by the beast and his kingdom. Libya and the Nubians [Sudan and southern Egypt] will also be conquered. Many other countries will fall, and one exception is given to the beast’s victories: Edom, Moab and Ammon [modern day Jordan]. The ancient Babylonian empire from 605 B.C. to 536 B.C. included Egypt, Sudan, Jordan, and several other countries [see Appendix 1]. Daniel therefore gives us documentation of the beast’s future attack and success [with one exception] against countries that were part of the ancient Babylonian empire.

9) Babylon has a corrupting effect upon the world
“who corrupted the earth by her adulteries.” Rev 19:2
“By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.” Rev 18:23


Geography / Physical characteristics 10) Composed of a main city that is part of a larger nation/empire: Rev. 18:14,21

Some have supposed that Babylon the Great is made up solely of a single city. But Revelation chapter 18 shows us the two phase destruction of Babylon that precludes the assessment that Babylon the Great is composed of only a city. In verse 14 John writes, “all your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.” Whereas in verse 21 he writes, “Then a mighty angel [said]… ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.” This shows a two-phased utter destruction of Babylon. If Babylon were only a city, then the second destruction is meaningless because verse 14 states it is already destroyed.

Some have supposed that verse 14 is ancient Babylon and verse 21 is future Babylon. But verse 14 states that after that first phase of destruction, its riches and splendor are never to be recovered again. And Babylon has to attain some level of prominence to be able to sit upon the beast’s kingdom, a kingdom which we know to be a futuristic kingdom.

Therefore the only explanation for the two-phased future utter destruction of Babylon is that Babylon the Great is composed of a prominent capital city within a larger empire nation.

11) Has access to large waterways / seas: see point #3

Method of Babylon’s Future Destruction

12) Babylon will be initially attacked by the kingdom of the beast, but her final annihilation will be exacted by God when Jesus returns

Phase 1: Revelation 17:16-17 tells us that the beast and the ten horned kingdom will hate Babylon and bring her to ruin.

This likely coincides with Revelation 18:1-19 and it’s description of Babylon’s first wave of destruction.
This also likely coincides with Daniel 11:40-45 and its description of fighting between “the king” [the beast] and other kings.

This also likely coincides with the 6th Trumpet [Rev 9:13-19] and it’s description of the death of 1/3 of mankind by fire, smoke, and sulfur when the armies mobilize to prepare to advance against Israel. This massive amount of death could result from intense warfare between Israel’s common enemies before the battle of Armageddon. Two of Israel’s common enemies are the beast’s kingdom and Babylon.

Phase 2: Revelation 18:21-24 tells us that a second wave of destruction awaits Babylon. This will occur when Jesus returns as the seventh bowl states:

“God remembered Babylon the Great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of His wrath.” Rev 16:19\

The ancient Babylonian Empire from 605 B.C. to 536 B.C. included the area spanned by the following modern-day countries in 2005 A.D.:

1) Egypt 2) Northern Sudan 3) Northern Saudi Arabia 4) Israel 5) Jordan 6) Syria
7) Eastern Turkey Azerbaijan 9) Georgia 10) Armenia 11) Western Iran 12) Kuwait 13) Lebanon
14) Iraq—with the capital city of Babylon
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