As I study the Bible the following verses become more and more interesting.
Re 18:1 ¶ And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Fallen is Babylon, it has become demonized. That means it must have been higher before it fell.
Jesus’ voice was once heard in Babylon but that will not always be the case, Rev 18:23.
Re 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
If Babylon had to fall to “become” the habitation of demons, then it was not the habitation of demons before it fell.
This is similar to the falling away mentioned in 2 Thess 2:3 and 11.
2Th 2:3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that “day” shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
God judges those who have fallen on the “Day of judgment”.
The “Day” or “The judgment of the Day” is similar to the concept of “passing under the Rod” in the Old Testament, Ez 20:33-38.
Eze 20:33 ¶ As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you:
34 And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out.
35 And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face.
36 Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith the Lord GOD.
37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant:
38 And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am the LORD.
This concept is also found in the book of Hebrews, Heb 12:6-10.
Heb 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.
9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
In the parable from Rev 18 God has judged Babylon, and sentenced them in Rev 18:8.
Jesus and His Bride were once heard there but are no longer heard among those people, Rev 18:23.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
As a result of their fall and punishment, they deceive “All Nations” as is seen in Rev 18:23.
They become deceivers and deceive “all others”.
Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Isaiah 43:3-4 have an application to Revelation 18.
Isa 43:3 For I am the LORD thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.
4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honorable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life.
Unbelievers are included in the group of deceived people within the phrase “All nations” from Rev 18:23, they will be deceived because they refuse to have faith in Christ.
In my opinion, these unbelievers are the people whose lives God sacrifices for the people who are honorable in His sight.
God’s fallen people, called here Babylon, influence others to “fall” with them through their deception.
The unbelievers can be given a false sense of what being a Christian means and thus their deception results from their participation with the fallen people from Babylon, Rev 18:3.
Re 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The entire chapter of Rev 18 describes God’s judgment, and some Christians will be completely hardened and refuse to be corrected by God’s discipline.
Through a comparison of its content with 1 Cor 11:32, it can be seen that some people will “come out” of the judgment by understanding and accepting God’s correction.
2 Thess 2:3 describes a warning that Paul addresses to His Christian brethren.
2 Th 2:3 ¶ Let no man deceive you by any means: for that “day” shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Paul says that God does not discipline people unless they fall away.
This statement by Paul in 2 Thess 2:3 has implications for Job’s trials.
As the falling in 2 Thess is likened to the falling in Rev 18 it is seen that those who stay in Babylon will participate in the plagues of those people, Rev 18:4.
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
The “Day”, is the “Day of the Lord’s judgment”, Rm 2:5 and 2 Pet 2:9.
In 2 Thess 2:3 Paul told us that God does not discipline His people unless they “fall away”.
Ro 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
In 2 Pet 2:9 it is seen that the unrighteous believer will be kept under the punishment ascribed to their behavior on the “Day of the Lord’s judgment” as long as they continue to sin.
Their behavior will affect other people.
2 Pe 2:9 (ASV) the Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment unto (“In” Strong’s #1519) the day of judgment;
Believing in a lie is God’s discipline, and in 2 Thess 2:11 the “Day” resulted in a fallen and deluded Christian who believes lies.
2 Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
As 2 Peter 2:13 tells us that “The wicked will receive a reward of “unrighteousness” which means that they do not do the right thing.
2Pe 2:13 And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it a pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Obedient Christians will get a crown of righteousness, 2 Tim 4:8.
2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. (KJV)
God is able to grant us grace and enable us to do the right thing and behave righteously and deny ungodliness., Titus 2:11-12.
Tit 2:11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
He is also able to keep us from doing the right thing by sending a lying spirit to people, 1 Kings 22:22-23 and 2 Chron 18:21-22.
2Ch 18:21 And he said, I will go out, and be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And the LORD said, Thou shalt entice him, and thou shalt also prevail: go out and do even so.
The “Day of the Lord” is the same thing as the “Day of Judgment”, it is not, however, The “Second Coming”.
The “Day” is for destruction (Isaiah 13:6) and the Second Coming is for salvation (Heb 9:28).
Isa 13:6 ¶ Howl ye; for the day of the LORD is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty.
Heb 9:28 So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Having fellowship with Christians that God has allowed to believe lies is discouraged by the Bible, 2 Thess 3:14.
2Th 3:14 And if any man obeys not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed.
Because of these verses, it can be seen that “Deluded” people are not able to recognize that they are deluded.
In Revelation Chapter 18 the people who have fallen away are called Babylon.
Babylon is defined in Rev 18:23 as the city or group of people who deceive.
Re 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
Deceived people will deceive those with whom they come in prolonged contact.
Fallen people who once heard the Lord but no longer hear Him (Rev 18:23) are by definition “Fallen Christians”.
All nations of the world are deceived by the sorceries (pharmakeia Strong”s 5331) of Babylon which can be also referred to as “Fallen Christians”, Rev 18:23.
Ps 115:16 The heaven, even the heavens, are the LORD’S: but the earth hath he has given to the children of men.
As Christianity goes so goes the world, Rm 8:22 and Rm 11:15, Isaiah 26:9.
Ro 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.
Rm 11:15 For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?
Is 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
The Devil of course deceives the people of the world, however as we are told in the millenium parable of Rev 20 “God binds The Devil with chains when Christians are obedient”, and The Devil is loosed when Christians are disobedient.
A. Obedient Christians are to teach and make disciples of all nations, Matt 28:19-20.
Mt 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Mt 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
B. The fallen willfully sinful deceived Christians of Babylon deceive all nations, in Rev 18:23.
The voice of Jesus (the bridegroom) and the Church (His bride) was heard in Babylon at one time, but hearing them in Babylon will cease according to Rev 18:23.
Re 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
In many places in scripture, Jesus said that if a person has “ears to hear” they are to pay attention.
Babylon appears to be a place where Jesus could at one time be heard and then changes into a place where He will no longer be heard.
This brings to mind Jesus’ statement in Matt 13:12, where knowledge of the mysteries of God is taken away from a person.
Mt 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
In 2 Cor 3:15 and 16, the veil is taken away from people and they can “hear”, and in these verses regarding the falling of Babylon, the veil is again established in their lives, and as a result, they no longer hear.
This was Isaiah’s commission in Isaiah 6:9-10.
Isa 6:9 ¶ And he said, Go, and tell these people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. 10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
The voice of the Bridegroom “will be heard no more”, meaning that previously Jesus’ voice was heard by them.
The parable of Rev 18 is describing the Christians who have fallen into deception, and it tells us that obedient Christians must come out from among them when they become aware of the deception.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Re 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
This is the same type of situation that is addressed in Matt 24:15.
Mt 24:15 When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand).
The abomination that causes God to make someone desolate is a pattern of “willful sin”, Heb 10:26-27.
“Believing a lie” is the discipline that God sends to willfully sinful people in 2 Thess 2:11.
When a Christian who was not originally deceived falls into willful sin they become deceived as a result of ungodliness and they will believe lies.
This delusion is God’s will for them as 2 Thess 2:11 illustrates.
God wants them to be deceived so He releases the deceiver or Satan to facilitate their being judged, as is seen in 1 Cor 5:5 and Rev 20:7.
1Co 5:5 To deliver such a one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. (KJV)
Re 20:7 And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,
As a result, they will/should be saved through fire and taught to deny ungodliness which is the function of God’s grace as is seen in Titus 2:11-12. 2 Thess 2:11-12.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned (Judged- Strong’s 2919) who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
Tit 2:11 ¶ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Heb 10:26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, 27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries (the opposition, YLT).
The Christians themselves are not devoured, the characteristics (elemental things) that oppose God within the Christian are devoured.
Ga 4:9 But now, after that, ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
Col 2:8 (RSV) See to it that no one makes prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.
This can be seen when we understand that God’s judgment is meant to correct Christians, not destroy them, 1 Cor 11:32 and 2 Peter 3:10 and 12.
1 Cor 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.
Isa 26:9 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
When willful sin becomes a part of the Christian’s life, the faithful Christians who are around them are instructed to leave and flee to the mountains.
God is the Mountain, Dan 2:45.
This is similar to the instruction from 1 Thess 4:15 and 1 Cor 5:11.
Obedient Christians who remain in the “Presence” (Strong’s #3952 parousia) of the Lord are not to go before the backslidden sleeping Christians.
1Th 4:15 (YLT) for this to you we say in the word of the Lord, that we who are living–who do remain over to (In) the presence of the Lord–may not precede (go before) those asleep,
1Co 5:11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such a one no not to eat.
Mt 24:16 Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
The metaphorical mountain is, of course, God.
When this concept is applied to a group of people the faithful Christians are instructed to leave the group and go where God is.
The question then becomes, if a congregation is so enmeshed in delusions, such as the tongues or rapture delusions, do we participate in that group?
Do we go there as missionaries hoping to bring them out of the delusion sent by God?
When an entrenched delusion has become a doctrinal point in a congregation the Holy Spirit’s council has been resisted for a long time, Rev 3:18.
They are “unlearned” or deluded by choice, and are “willfully ignorant”.
They believe in a lie and do not realize that their opinions are incorrect.
I think the answer is No, we do not stay in such a group.
Because they are deluded they cannot recognize their own delusion.
An obedient Christian may start to fellowship with a deluded group.
However, after further exposure to the group’s tenants, they may realize that the group is deluded.
When we become aware of their delusion we are commanded to leave and come out from among them.
If obedient Christians stay in that place they will become a part of Babylon’s sin and also of the resultant divine discipline of delusion.
They take the chance that they will start to believe the same lies.
They are still brethren and what we do to them we do to Jesus (Mt 25:40), so we cannot cause them to stumble.
Mt 25:40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. (KJV)
However, they are not growing in grace and the knowledge of the Lord, 2 Pet 3:18.
2 Pe 3:18 But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever. Amen.
Obedient Christians “Grow in grace and knowledge”.
A distinction must be made between “Unlearned believers” and “Deluded believers”.
“Believing lies” appears to be the deciding factor as to whether a congregation has been deluded as a result of God’s judgment or is simply a group of unlearned Christians.
Is the person unlearned or do they believe a lie?
In many cases, this is a question of their adhering to the deceptions that originated in previous generations and not because of their personal willful sin.
In this case, and if an unlearned Christian remains in these types of groups they will simply become lukewarm and complacent and participate in the plagues of the Deluded Christians.
Re 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
These congregations continue the delusions of the past because they are not devoted to scripture.
This situation then becomes one in which the deceived people cling to tradition because they fear peer pressure from those who do not study the bible enough to recognize the delusion.
Their continued delusion may or may not be the result of their willful sin, but we can be sure that God has allowed these delusions to persist for His own purposes.
So the admonition to flee is the Divine instruction in both the case of deluded groups/denominations of Christians and unlearned groups/denominations of Christians.
Many Christians will begin to notice decreased church membership in these deluded groups and attribute it to disinterest on the part of people.
They will begin to say what is wrong with people!
They will not initially recognize their own shortcomings but will attempt to say that everyone else has a problem.
Hopefully, they will begin to see that the groups that they left were comprised of deluded Christians.
We can be sure that these people are being chastened for their lukewarmness or delusion as Revelation 3:19 indicates.
Re 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore and repent.
However, they may not recognize the chastening, unless they continue to immerse themselves or be baptized with the water of the word of God.
They will become progressively more comfortable while being chastened.
Their hearts will grow harder and harder.
The result of continued delusion can be seen in the cultic groups as was the ultimate case of Babylon, the voice of the bride and bridegroom will be heard no more, Rev 18:23.
Re 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
We can also be sure that the Holy Spirit is counseling these people to repent as Revelation 3:18 indicates.
Re 3:18 (RSV) Therefore I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may be rich, and white garments to clothe you and to keep the shame of your nakedness from being seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see.
The instruction of the Holy Spirit can however be ignored by the deluded Christians.
Obedient Christians are told to “Flee” from Babylon/Christians who are fallen and deluded and let God’s judgment bring them out of the delusion as 1 Thess 4:16 and 17 illustrate.
As many of the Apostles grew tired of their message being rejected they went to Gentiles and preached.
Ac 13:46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
Mt 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.
The evidence of the Kingdom of God is the ability to do what is right with joy and peace.
Christians from whom the Kingdom has been taken will not be able to do what God considers “right” and they will fall into sin and backslide.
They will not abide in “Righteousness, Joy, and peace in the Holy Spirit, Rm 14:17.
Ro 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
Deluded Christians will remain deluded until God brings them out of their delusion.
When deluded people understand that they are not being given the kingdom attributes, and yet others seem to possess them they may hopefully begin to question their own relationship with God.
Ps 94:12 ¶ Blessed is the man whom thou chastenest, O LORD, and teachest him out of thy law;
13 That thou mayest give him rest from the days of adversity until the pit be dug for the wicked. 14 For the LORD will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.
Ps 94:15 For judgment shall return unto righteousness, And all the upright in heart shall follow it. (ASV)
Psalm 94:15 is likened to 1 Cor 11:32.
1 Cor 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. (KJV)
God’s judgment will bring His people back to the right way.
1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: (KJV)
1 Thess 4:16 means that Jesus will descend upon the “sleeping Christians” (In judgment) and correct them so that they can again join those who have remained in His presence.
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. (KJV)
We are told to go into the world and Preach.
If the churches are deluded due to their disobedience we are to go to unbelievers.
Whether this results in our preaching to groups of unsaved people or witnessing to individuals.
I feel that the mandate to come out of the deluded groups is a scriptural command from the Lord Jesus himself.
The verse that encourages Christians not to stop fellowshipping with each other is Heb 10:25.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
This scriptural direction applies to obedient Christians, and not deluded groups of people calling themselves churches.
Deluded Christians and congregations will see other people inherit the kingdom attributes and wonder why.
As previously mentioned, people in these groups will see a decline in membership.
They will at first attribute this decline to a lack of devotion by the people who left their deluded group.
Deluded people cannot see their own delusions.
As they continue to notice a decline in membership and if they continue their personal devotions, hopefully, they will begin to question their own doctrinal beliefs.
The scriptural pattern is that Israel (God’s people/The Church) will become jealous when they see that the Gentiles have inherited the kingdom.
So, if the Churches are preaching delusions then those who are obedient should come away from them.
They are then to bring the Gospel to unbelievers.
Ro 11:11 I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.