Let In to Get Out

The exodus from Babylon, the exit from death, is the most vital topic that needs to be properly understood. Knowledge of love is the School of Eternal Life.

Prophecies warn us that after the call to leave the fallen city, the Lord will destroy this empire of lies, executing His verdict and pouring out plagues on those who have chosen the right to death.

In our world, there are only two kingdoms: the Heavenly Kingdom led by Jesus and Babylon led by Satan. Until the moment of final sealing, God's children could be in the fallen city without even realizing it. But at the end of time, the Lord wants to have an especially pure people who know His voice, have God's law in their hearts, and love their neighbor. Preparation for this event is already underway.

The angel from Rev. 18:1 has great power from God, and the whole earth will be illuminated by his glory. Some of us joyfully await this time, while for others it will become a death sentence. Although the Angel's call is very good and offers every person, especially believers, to pass from death to life, only a few will accept and hear it. Verse 23 of the same chapter says that all nations were deceived by Babylon's sorcery. And if I already believe in something, it's difficult to convince me otherwise. It's easier to give good advice to a thirsty soul.

In Jesus' prayer for us, the following request is contained: John 17:15: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." The Bible does not teach us to live in isolation from society, but while being in this world, we, like salt, will preserve it from final corruption. However, the time will come, and it is already coming, when even our physical presence in the midst of Babylon will be undesirable and mortally dangerous. We are advised to leave large and small cities because they will be the first to be subjected to God's judgments. At the same time, we should continue to serve those living in them. "Bad company corrupts good character," and it's not worth risking one's salvation for material benefit.

In the description of Babylon from Rev. 18, we see that trade and material well-being lie at the foundation of its deceptions, and such temptation has tied all nations to itself. It distracts everyone's gaze from true knowledge.

Let's take, for example, the lessons of this School. To study them, it is necessary to make a stop in time, to stop earning and thinking about worldly affairs. Not everyone is capable of such a sacrifice, and some do not withstand such a trial. And what will happen when God's call illuminates the whole earth? I think not all of God's children will respond.

The exit from spiritual Babylon differs from the earthly understanding of exit. For example, for me to be gone from the house, I need to leave it. But the exit from Babylon, especially from what sits in my head, implies cleansing of the mind. And this becomes possible if I ask God and allow Him to do so.

Opening my heart to Christ and studying God's will, I give the Holy Spirit the authority to inscribe His law in my thoughts. And such knowledge of God displaces all the garbage from my consciousness. To make a vessel clean, it is not taken out into the sun, but filled with water and the walls are rubbed, freeing them from dirt.

The Gospel of Christ has helped many people become different, but the enemy of the soul has introduced theological disputes into this teaching and divided God's children into many denominations and movements that still do not cease to feud and divide. And those who are stronger and bigger oppress and persecute the weak and smaller. But it should not be so, because we have one Jesus, one faith, and one baptism. And someone, for the sake of the faith of their ancestors, is ready to kill dissenters if allowed.

The Lord knows this feature of modern Christianity, therefore for the last time He sent the Laodicean message, which will squeeze Babylon out of my head and become light and power for me.

Offering unusual goods in Rev. 3:18, the Faithful Witness aims to endow us with special power that will make us winners in the approaching collision.

Being a winner with Babylon in your head will be absolutely impossible. The Lord will not share His throne with wicked people who did not want to leave this world for His sake.

I used to naively believe that my salvation directly depends on my desire to be saved and on my choice, and that knowing this path, I can always step on it, and God will cleanse me and accept me as a prodigal son. But, knowing God, I realized that such an understanding comes from the enemy of the soul and deprives me of the possibility of salvation forever. When God calls a person and illuminates his mind, wanting to save and bring him out from under the influence of Babylonian charms, then He gives the gift of repentance, which convinces my will to take such a step and puts me before a choice. This is like when I am invited to enter a lifeboat from a sinking ship, and I decide whether I should leave the comfortable cabin and respond to the call. In case of refusal, I cannot be sure that I will be called again, but by God's mercy, I still hear this quiet voice, which is no longer so convincing. And since the ship is sinking slowly, I still hope to live comfortably in it, thinking that the lifeboat will not sail away without me. Repentance is God's gift for the time of calling. It is a symbolic offer to enter into a marital relationship with Jesus. The message for Babylon is God's call to let into your mind what will cleanse it.

Recent world events give us abundant food for thought and amaze us with their speed. But knowledge of these events will not save me and will not indicate the way out of Babylon. It will only make me realize that the end of everything is coming. A mouse realizes its fate when it falls into a trap that snaps shut from the outside. The mouse is still alive, but can no longer change anything. The owner of the mousetrap can release the caught victim. But that's not why he set this trap. Hoping for the mercy and kindness of Satan is a very foolish and naive undertaking. Those who have forever closed their doors to God will someday very clearly understand how cruel and merciless their cunning lord of evil under heaven is, whom they chose by believing his temptations.

God's love is able to displace any Babylonian habit from my mind and wash away any dirt. By choosing love, I say "yes" to Jesus, and then the law of marital relations comes into force, and my exit from Babylon begins thanks to the consistent filling of my consciousness with God's truth and light. It costs me time, and the best and most valuable time at that. It costs me leaving sinful habits in exchange for new desires: to do good and to know Christ. It changes all of me, the old and sinful, to God's and pure. Will I make such a sacrifice? This is like when I am told that for a full life I need to constantly eat tasty and healthy food 2-3 times a day. For this, you need to make stops in time and sit at a decorated table. Am I capable of such a great sacrifice?

The advice of the Faithful Witness surprises me with its modesty. The Lord seems to be asking me: "Do you want to be Mine forever and win the war?" And I listen and don't understand what He wants, because I have already been baptized, and faithfully give tithes, and my diet is the most correct and useful. What to answer?

Questions for reflection on this chapter

1. Please read John 8:31-32,36; 14:6; 17:7; Rev. 17:12-14; 18:1-4; Phil. 4:8; Col. 3:2,10,12-17; Luke 12:32; 17:20-21; Heb. 10:16-17; Matt. 11:12; 12:26-32,43-45; 18:3; 21:43; 23:25-26; Prov. 1:17-18; Isa. 42:1-4; 1 Cor. 4:20; 15:33-34; Rev. 3:18 in light of this chapter.

2. What did you understand from this chapter?

3. How to determine which kingdom is between my right and left ear?

4. Does my environment influence my thoughts?

5. Does what I watch, listen to, and read influence my mind?

6. Do you understand that Babylon should be left as soon as possible?

7. If I don't know where to go out of Babylon, should I leave it?

8. Is God interested in my exit from Babylon?

9. If I choose love and start thinking in this direction, will it help to expel Babylon from my life?

10. Does the parable about the evil spirit from Matt. 12:43-45 fit the theme of this chapter?

11. Is Babylon dangerous? Why should one leave it?

12. If I move to live in a rural area, will this be an exit from Babylon?

13. Does the message to Laodicea help to find the right answer to the call to come out of Babylon?

14. What will happen if I start postponing my exit for later?

15. How long can the Lord wait for my final decision to leave the great city of Babylon?