THE CHURCHES AND THE BIBLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20235, 20 April 1929, Page 16

THE CHURCHES AND THE BIBLE.

(Published by arrangement.)

BABYLON —ROME —JERUSALEM. B? BEREAN CHRIST ADEUHTAN. No other cities have play.ed so important a part in tho world's history as the abovementioned, and, what is more to the point, no modern city will reach the significant status that tho last ono is destined to do. It is recorded in the Sacred Book (Deuteronomy xxxn., 8): " When the Most High divided to the nation their inheritanco . . . . He set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of Israel. Four thousand years of past history proves this, also that in the sight of the Most High the nations are only a " drop of a bucket" (Isaiah xl., 15) a simple truth which the science of astronomy fully substantiates. Jerusalem and Babylon were commenced to be built about the same time, some years before 2000 8.C.; the first mention in the Bible of the former is in connection with " Melchizedek, King of Salem (Genesis xiv., 18). At the time of Nebuchadnezzar, 600 8.C., Babylon was the metropolis of the world, greater in proportion than London is to-day. But God had made known to His " Servants." the Prophets, that Babylon should fall j and the " glory of the Chaldeans" as Sodom and Gomorrah (Isaiah xiii., 19) and never more arise, and the miles of extensive rubbish mounds where proud Babylon once stood in the ' Plain of Shinar" are a witness to the truth of the Bible and Christ's parable of a foolish man who built his house 011 the sand. Many Church 'people have the belief that Babylon must be rebuilt in order that the prophetical announcement concerning the destruction of " Great Babylon may be accomplished (Revelation xviii..). This is a serious error, as God said that Babylon should not bo inhabited any more for ever (Isaiah xiii., 20). There is no mistaking the identity of Great Babylon " communicated " to the Apostle John in tho Isle of Patmos, at the end of the first century A.D., when Babylon of the Cbaldees was sinking into the sand. In Biblo language, a prominent city is always represented in the feminine gender (Isaiah xlvii., 5). A city in righteousness was symbolised by a chaste virgin, in wickedness just the opposite, a loathsome feature; tho capital cities, Jerusalem and were thus described by the latter symbol (Ezekiel xxiii.). The woman on whoso forehead was written among other titles " Babylon the Great was that great city which " reigneth over the Kings of the Earth " (Revelation xvii., 18). At that time (98 A.D.) there was only one metropolitan city—Rome—the socalled Eternal City, on tho Tiber; Jerusalem had been laid in ruins thirty years previously, as Jesus Christ had prophesied would be the case (Matthew xxiv., 2). There is no other city but Rome which fits the description of sitting "on seven mountains (Revelation xvii., 9). At the time of Jesus' birth. Rome was the seat of Government of the " fourth" beast universal Dominion (Daniel .vii.) and continued " Mistress " of the world for centuries afterwards; and from the fourth century, when professing Christianity was placed on tho throne of tho Roman Emperors by the sword of Constantine, y f was recognised as the " Mother " in contrast to tho " chaste virgin " state of the Bride of Christ so much desired by Paul (11. Corinthians xi.. 2). Rome is still extensive with the earth, especially in its ecclesiastical system. Though " divided " into smaller states, tho " fourth beast" (dominion) still lives until destroyed by the fifth Universal Empire or Kingdom of God (Daniel ii., 44, vii.. 26. 27). Pome and Jerusalem are rival cities, materially and spiritually; London. New York, or Paris being cities of tho Gentiles (Genesis x-, 1 to 5) do not count, only so far as aiTecteo by the fornjer two. Jerusalem, like the house of the wise man of Christ's parable, is built on solid rock, and stands for ever. Rome is built on extinct—? volcanoes in (lie region of ' fire and brimstone" (Revelation xviii., 8) and must fall. The spiritual merchants oi; the earth and traffickers in " souls " will lament at her downfall (Revelation xviii., 11-13); not so the Saints and Apostles and Prophets (xviii., 20). The Churches are all more* or less in the " Great Babylon" institution; Methodist Church, Salvation Army Church, Baptist Church, etc.. and all who hold any of the three main fables of Christendom —Immortality of the soul, a Triune God, commonly known as tho Trinity, and a superhuman being called the Devil; Seventh Day Adventists, denominational and International Bible Associations, etc., including some denominations going under tho name of Christadelphian, who believe .there was 110 change in Adam's and Eve s substance or bodies after they had brought, sin (and death by sin) into the world, and who cannot see what the Devil is, nor his origin, nor how he had the power of death (Hebrews ii., 14). Constitutionally, all men and women are the same, and the clergy who hold immortal-soulism have no placo for the Biblo truth that the irresponsible who " understand not are , like the beasts that perish" (Psalms xli.w.) : also Paul's statement—" If ( no : Resurrection, then All have perished" (I. | Corinthians xv.). But the responsible must bo brought forth (good and bad) to everlasting life or everlasting contempt ' and seeond death (Daniel xii., 2). Hie Holy Ghost or Spirit is not a person sepaiate from God Himself, but the great ' power of God (Lukei., 35). Jesus Christ was not co-equal nor co-eternal with God. but was God's " only begotten Son ' (Gospel of John i., 14) and was Himself ' the " beginning of the creation of God (Revelation iii., 14), " foreordained before tho foundation of the world" (I. Peter i., 20). Tho Bible docs not blame a super- ' human Devil for all tho wickedness and sin in tho world, but it certainly blames responsible men and women; and tho Devil is simply a personification of sin_m individual men and women, communities and nations, who have been the cause of all tho wickedness in the earth (Galntians v.. 19-20), (Revelation 2-10), and 3 finally destroyed, as there shall be no 1 more mortal people on the earth to carry 3 tho fleshly principal of " sin and death 1 on (Povolation xx.). _ , r Reader;— These unscriptural views which 5 the Churches and denominations hold aie f part of the "Great City Babylon" dewed with scarlet, and are 110 part of the t " puro and white linen clothed Holy C ity 5 Jerusalem" (Revelation sxi., 9-10). I T. J. CON'NOTJA.