Hello all dear brothers and sisters. So good that you mention this "Chris" because when it are a talk about Babylon I was a little unsure. I hope it's okay if I drop in on your conversation, because I didn't know this. From old maps I mean Babylon from ancient times was in what we call Iraq today. So a church there, well, nothing is impossible for God. There are many secrets if we are open to them. God bless us all, in Jesus Name. Romans 8:12-17
I thilk Babylon in the Book of Revelation has a close resemblance to the present Christian Church itself. A church should be a center where people experience God's grace, love and get regenerated with Holy Spirit. Sermons and programs must be supportive to the journey of Faith and spiritual growth.
But now adulterated messages, soothing offers and assurances are being heard from most places. The media too join the work. The call is not to look upwards to God, but to seek down, that is, for material benefits. This is Satan- sponsored gospel; He is the illegitimate custodian of earthly pleasures and he gives it abundantly in the guise that it is from God. The church people are happy: they get a good share of it.
Hosea 2: 1-13 "For she did not know that I gave her corn and oil and multiplied her silver and goldwhich they prepared for Bal" ( Hosea 2:8)
I think this is the great whore Babylon. God has allowed her to grow up till harvest. She still bears children for Satan
Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Yes, thank you for your post to me. It is absolutely true, the parallels we see in today's challenge are exactly what Babylon we read about. So that's why we should be happy and have been enlightened. In a way so that we can see the spiritual things that are mixed into the scriptures. And not just what we read that Babylon is in today's Iraq.
As a newly converted, (last century). I had countless conversations with Christians who believed that Allah is the same God that we praise and honor. Yes, it came from the same. But it is not at all the same. Because and believing that Jesus is a prophet is not the same as today sitting at God's higher side. And not at all the same as the one who died and rose again on the third day. Here is a big difference in evangelization. Here too, deception is in capital letters, why do so many people believe that they are in agreement? Of course, I can accept a conversion to Christianity and in the Name of Jesus. But until then, those who live in Babylon are God's enemies to me. A side note perhaps, but also a truth that is worth mentioning today. When everyone's eyes are on Israel and all the confusion there is around this. When you can't see what is what, it is clearly a true certainty that the Spiritual is reflected on Earth, unfortunately. Everything is connected. And what amazes me is all the different groups we have in the Old Testament that actually fought against Israel and Jerusalem from ancient times. That is how it is now and yet now we are talking about the whole Earth being shaken by the hatred that is directed at the chosen people who are called Jews, Israelites. We live in dangerous times, perhaps the most dangerous since the Lord Jesus rose again. But let us hold fast to the truth that leads to God in Jesus Christ. Together with all the believers in Jesus. Eph 6:10-20
Hello Free. I looked up the Web for anymore info on Babylon and just send this short excerpt to you.
"There is not a thriving modern-day city of Babylon; the ancient city is now an archaeological site in Iraq, with ruins located near the modern city of Al-illah, about 55 miles (88 km) south of Baghdad. The ancient city was abandoned centuries ago, but the area contains remnants of its famous structures, including the Ishtar Gate and the Lion of Babylon statue, and has been partly reconstructed with elements like Saddam Hussein's palace."
As you rightly wrote, Babylon was located "in what we call Iraq today" and at the time of Christ, the apostles and the Church, there was very little there, just ruins. Now of course, cities have been built around it and there is every likelihood that believers and a Church gathering also meets in or around that area, at least in the city of Al-Hillah. Blessings.
Christian greetings! I am still meditating on the Church of God at Babylon. Seems impossible for this little Church to remain faithful and yet it was at this time. The elected to not be divided probably had no inheritance from Babylon the city. My thoughts would be the elected of this Church had to leave the hope of the city for the better hope in Christ Jesus.
Brother Carleton. Just a little background to help you in your consideration & meditations on this Church at Babylon. Maybe your understanding is that the Apostle Peter was referring to "this little Church" as being in the city of Babylon.
As you would remember that Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus (of Persia) in 539 BC, with only a few folk and structures existing in that region till the 7th Century AD. Peter's reference to it in 1 Peter 5:13 was not about a Church functioning in that city that was sending greetings to the scattered believers in Asia Minor ( 1 Peter 1:1), but he was referring to the city of Rome. His letter was being sent, distributed and read by many of these scattered believers and could quite easily fall into the wrong hands, i.e. the Roman authorities. So, Peter uses this word, Babylon, as a cover for the city of Rome, so as to avoid trouble & persecution from the authorities (at least for the short term; persecution would come later). Peter was living in Rome and very likely connected to this "church at Babylon" during the last decade of his life, and wrote his epistle in 63 AD just before the outbreak of Nero's persecution in 64 AD. It is believed that Peter died three years later.
Hope this snippet of background info will help you picture the situation in Rome at that time, with Peter effectively ministering to the believers gathered there and his tender heart of concern and ministry to other believers scattered elsewhere. Every blessing brother.
Christian greetings brother Chris! Thank you! I think the thought may still hold. The Christian elect could live according to the Gospel while in the known Babylon (stay separated). The Church at Rome sought the glory of Rome, perhaps their faith was shrinking? Peter surely was trying to steady the Church for the times ahead?
Indeed brother Carleton, the condition of believers' spiritual lives would always be varied and fluctuating (anywhere you go in the world). Godly men and women need to be cognizant of this always, endeavoring to teach and strengthen believers in their day-to-day lives living in their "Babylon" of temptations, seductions, and attractions.
I hear the echo of the Apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord..". If their faith was shrinking, or at least, caught in the turbulence of the times, Peter's presence there among them would have been as the Lord's instrument to calm the ship and set its course aright. And to think that he carried this burden of the other scattered believers as well, showing the man to be of great spiritual caliber and one of incessant earnest prayer. I agree, 'separation' for the believer must be in every aspect of our lives - we might be jeered by the world, but how special we would be in the Sight of God. GBU.
"The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son." 1 Peter 5:13 KJV
I thilk Babylon in the Book of Revelation has a close resemblance to the present Christian Church itself. A church should be a center where people experience God's grace, love and get regenerated with Holy Spirit. Sermons and programs must be supportive to the journey of Faith and spiritual growth.
But now adulterated messages, soothing offers and assurances are being heard from most places. The media too join the work. The call is not to look upwards to God, but to seek down, that is, for material benefits. This is Satan- sponsored gospel; He is the illegitimate custodian of earthly pleasures and he gives it abundantly in the guise that it is from God. The church people are happy: they get a good share of it.
Hosea 2: 1-13 "For she did not know that I gave her corn and oil and multiplied her silver and goldwhich they prepared for Bal" ( Hosea 2:8)
I think this is the great whore Babylon. God has allowed her to grow up till harvest. She still bears children for Satan
Matthew 13:30 "Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest, I will say to the reapers, gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn."
Blessings.
As a newly converted, (last century). I had countless conversations with Christians who believed that Allah is the same God that we praise and honor. Yes, it came from the same. But it is not at all the same. Because and believing that Jesus is a prophet is not the same as today sitting at God's higher side. And not at all the same as the one who died and rose again on the third day. Here is a big difference in evangelization. Here too, deception is in capital letters, why do so many people believe that they are in agreement? Of course, I can accept a conversion to Christianity and in the Name of Jesus. But until then, those who live in Babylon are God's enemies to me. A side note perhaps, but also a truth that is worth mentioning today. When everyone's eyes are on Israel and all the confusion there is around this. When you can't see what is what, it is clearly a true certainty that the Spiritual is reflected on Earth, unfortunately. Everything is connected. And what amazes me is all the different groups we have in the Old Testament that actually fought against Israel and Jerusalem from ancient times. That is how it is now and yet now we are talking about the whole Earth being shaken by the hatred that is directed at the chosen people who are called Jews, Israelites. We live in dangerous times, perhaps the most dangerous since the Lord Jesus rose again. But let us hold fast to the truth that leads to God in Jesus Christ. Together with all the believers in Jesus. Eph 6:10-20
"There is not a thriving modern-day city of Babylon; the ancient city is now an archaeological site in Iraq, with ruins located near the modern city of Al-illah, about 55 miles (88 km) south of Baghdad. The ancient city was abandoned centuries ago, but the area contains remnants of its famous structures, including the Ishtar Gate and the Lion of Babylon statue, and has been partly reconstructed with elements like Saddam Hussein's palace."
As you rightly wrote, Babylon was located "in what we call Iraq today" and at the time of Christ, the apostles and the Church, there was very little there, just ruins. Now of course, cities have been built around it and there is every likelihood that believers and a Church gathering also meets in or around that area, at least in the city of Al-Hillah. Blessings.
gbu
As you would remember that Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus (of Persia) in 539 BC, with only a few folk and structures existing in that region till the 7th Century AD. Peter's reference to it in 1 Peter 5:13 was not about a Church functioning in that city that was sending greetings to the scattered believers in Asia Minor ( 1 Peter 1:1), but he was referring to the city of Rome. His letter was being sent, distributed and read by many of these scattered believers and could quite easily fall into the wrong hands, i.e. the Roman authorities. So, Peter uses this word, Babylon, as a cover for the city of Rome, so as to avoid trouble & persecution from the authorities (at least for the short term; persecution would come later). Peter was living in Rome and very likely connected to this "church at Babylon" during the last decade of his life, and wrote his epistle in 63 AD just before the outbreak of Nero's persecution in 64 AD. It is believed that Peter died three years later.
Hope this snippet of background info will help you picture the situation in Rome at that time, with Peter effectively ministering to the believers gathered there and his tender heart of concern and ministry to other believers scattered elsewhere. Every blessing brother.
Same to you brother Chris!
I hear the echo of the Apostle Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 6:17, "Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord..". If their faith was shrinking, or at least, caught in the turbulence of the times, Peter's presence there among them would have been as the Lord's instrument to calm the ship and set its course aright. And to think that he carried this burden of the other scattered believers as well, showing the man to be of great spiritual caliber and one of incessant earnest prayer. I agree, 'separation' for the believer must be in every aspect of our lives - we might be jeered by the world, but how special we would be in the Sight of God. GBU.
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