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Eureka

AN EXPOSITION OF THE APOCALYPSE
Sixth Edition, 1915
By Dr. John Thomas (first edition written 1861)

 

 

Chapter 18

 6. The Consummation

 


 
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"With violence shall that great city Babylon be cast down, and shall be found no more at all".

The plagues of Babylon are "death, anguish, and famine," consummated by her being utterly burned with fire. Death represents divers kinds of torments leading to that result. Whatever forms the torments may assume, they allow the subjects of them "no rest day nor night" during their operation (ch. 14:9-11). When all these restless days and nights are numbered, the consummation of their woes does not occupy long. The catastrophe is represented by a stone like a great millstone being let fall, or cast into the sea. The fall of the Chaldean Babylon was similarly illustrated. Jeremiah's prophecy in writing against Babylon was bound to a stone and cast into the Euphrates, accompanied with the words, "Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil I will bring upon her" (ch. 51:61-64). The earth did not open and swallow her up; but she sank from the rank of the Queen of the Nations, the capital of the greatest power of the world, to a city without power, and at length without inhabitants, and to such extreme desolation that no material for building should be found upon her site, as at this day (verse 26). From this depth she is to rise no more; although there are some in our day who affirm the contrary. But notwithstanding their fiat, the Spirit saith, "She shall not rise from the evil I will bring upon her". More than two thousand years have elapsed since this decree was registered. In all that time she has never risen, nor will she ever rise again  "she shall be desolate forever"

The Chaldean Babylon was brought to ruin for its sins against Yahweh in making his temple desolate, oppressing Israel, and intoxicating the nations. The Roman Babylon has done all this, and added to the offense in making herself drunk with the blood of the saints and witnesses of Jesus. The crimes of the Roman Babylon have far exceeded those of the Chaldean; her punishment will therefore be more tormenting and more signal. Hence, she is not simply to be in desolation upon the Seven Hills; but she is suddenly, "in one hour," to be "found no more at all". When "death, and anguish, and famine," have done their work, then YAHWEH ELORIM, after the example of the angels who visited Sodom, will send the Roman Sodom surging and crashing down into the volcanic subterranean. Pope and cardinals, bishops, priests, monks and nuns, "the temple of the god" they call St. Peter, basilicas, and churches, and all monastic "dens of foul spirits, and unclean and hateful birds," with all "the dainty and goodly things lusted after" by the beastly soul of the intoxicated harlot of the nations   all will rush headlong, yelling and blaspheming, into the roaring and fiery abyss to "be found no more at all". Thus, with violence she reaches the depths of her low estate, and is no more found among the cities of the earth. Henceforth "the voice of harpers and musicians, and pipers, and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in her; and every craftsman of whatever craft shall be found no more at all in her; and the sound of the millstone shall be heard no more at all in her; and the light of a lamp shall shine no more at all in her; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in her: for her merchants were the chief men of the earth; for by her sorcery all the nations were deceived".

 

 

 


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