The Triumph of the Kingdom
and the Fall of Babylon

by Lynn Ridenhour

 

There were two prominent cities written about in the Bible—Jerusalem & Babylon. And these two cities are diametrically opposed in everything they represent. Jerusalem, for instance, represents, peace, righteousness. Babylon represents bondage and corruption.

Two Literal Cities

Let’s take a good look for a moment at ancient Babylon, located on the beautiful banks of the mighty Euphrates, a flowing river running diagonally through her, a city surrounded by walls 338 feet high, 85 feet thick, and 60 miles in circumference. Walls studded with towers and blessed with brazen gates. Set in the garden of the East (located in southern Iraq today), she was a square city, five times the size of London. A tower of man’s magnificent monument. Her palaces, her hanging gardens, her terraces, formed a mountain of scenery. The riches of the world were brought through her splendid gates. It’s been said, "…this was the golden kingdom of a golden age." I believe it.

On a given night, perhaps the night of the annual festival, Belshazzar might give a feast to a thousand of his lords--his servants, his princes, his wives and concubines, all dancing in the ivory palace as they drank wine, praising their heathen deities far into the night.

This was ancient Babylon.

And then there was Jerusalem, the city of our Savior, located 32 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea and 18 miles west of the Jordan River. Babylon’s antithesis. A city where sheep graze on hillsides and priests wail at the Wall. The chief city of Palestine. Kings have fought to destroy her; kings have given their lives to defend her. Solomon’s temple in all its glory was built there. Jesus in all his humiliation was crucified there. Trade and bushels of wheat pass through its streets and love and hate pass through its traditions.

Someone, somewhere, has always wanted to conquer Jerusalem, take over its prized possession—her sacred history. Jesus wept over this city. Mothers raised their children in Jerusalem. And politicians talked about their duties and denarius. The city was, and is, even today a strange mixture of the Divine and Ordinary. The sad and sublime.

Babylon and Jerusalem both exist and live on today in the hearts of mankind.

Historically, we know Babylon was the first kingdom to fall. It was conquered by the Medo-Persian army. Spiritually, Babylon will be the last kingdom to fall. It will be conquered by overcoming saints. But fall, she will.

Babylon, the Institution

Babylon stands for many things, but specifically the spirit of Babylon stands for the presence of institutionalism—monuments to man. Here’s the way it works:

…A man is used of God to create a move of God—which starts out holy.

…A move of God becomes a movement—which begins to weaken the Spirit’s role.

…A movement turns to a monument—which eventually worships man.

Thus, the beginnings of a denomination. A man, a movement, a monument is the typical digression.

Denominations are by and large institutions of control bearing the fruit of Babylon. Pastors and leaders are in bondage these days like never before, running the affairs of their congregations, preparing sermons, attempting to expand their membership with the ever-so-near concerns of dismissal, salary, retirement, promotion, and political scandal. Babylon exists today in the hearts of its people.

In one sense, a saint’s worst enemy is not "the world, flesh, and the devil" (I Jn.2:15,16). It’s his religion. His religion, not his sins, will do him in, if he’s not careful.

Be prepared. Babylon will fall. That whole scene will fall. And God’s overcoming saints will have a vital role to play in its final destruction.

The Triumph of the Kingdom

The Savior taught us to pray, "…thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven…" As we pray, we must realize every petition in harmony with the will of the Son is a prophecy of what will be. Praying the above prayer assures us that this earth will not always be in the hands of the accursed, the depraved, a mixed scene of suffering and tyranny. We can expect a complete regeneration of the globe, a change in our environment.

Do not, however, expect change without opposition. Battles must be fought; trials will be enormous. The triumph of the kingdom does have its price.

His Work Goes Before Him

For some reason, those of us who come from a Protestant background tend to think that Jesus will "do it all" when he comes. That we’re essentially to wait around passively for his coming. But Isaiah tells us:

"…Behold, thy salvation cometh; behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord, and thou shalt be called, Sought out…" --Isa.62: 11,12

Before the Lord returns, his work shall go before him. The Lord will have a holy people; they shall be sought out to do his work—to help set up the Lord’s kingdom. And every rule, every system of economics, every government, shall at last come under his rule.

"…The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High…" –Daniel 7:27

It is the Lord’s saints in these last days that will help prepare the earth for the millennium.

The Millennium

The millennium is the thousand-year reign of Christ which will occur between this present age that Satan rules and the future age that God rules the earth. It’s the transition age.

The Bible says that Satan is the "god of this world" (II Cor. 4:4). The word is "age," not world. He is the god of this present age. There is a future age (of which we’re about to enter) when God shall rule preeminently this earth. Most Protestant Christians, especially evangelical Christians, are a bit uncomfortable with the thought of God ruling this earth. We’re used to God ruling heaven.

We’re more in touch with the idea of present-day saints leaving this earth than with former saints arriving on it. But the truth is—there’s not going to be a rapture; there’s going to be an invasion! Present saints are not leaving; former saints are returning.

Which raises the issue…

Two Resurrections

Another scary thought for most Protestant believers. Believe it or not, the Bible speaks of two resurrections. Daniel speaks of one before the millennium and John speaks of one after the millennium. Hear Daniel:

"…And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince…and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time; and at that time thy people shall be delivered…

…And many of them [not all] that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt." --Dan.12:1,2

Daniel speaks of a time of trouble like the world has never witnessed. It’s the Great Tribulation, the Day of the Lord. In Revelation 20:5 we’re told of a resurrection that takes place at the end of the thousand years. The resurrection in Daniel is for another purpose, occurring at the beginning of the thousand years.

Daniel’s resurrection is for those saints of all ages who embraced the promises, who gave their lives wholly to God, but who did not enter into his fullness here on earth. They will take part in the first resurrection. The passage in Daniel says "…many of them that sleep…" Not all of them. The rest of the saints will come forth later.

The Battle of the Ages

There is another group who gave their lives wholly over to Satan. They too will come forth, be resurrected. And the greatest battle of the ages will begin—two armies, epitomes of good and evil. One with the Sons of God, on the side of the Incarnation of God, the Lord Jesus Christ; the other with medium, sorcerers, and adepts, on the side of the Incarnation of Satan, the Anti-Christ.

There is war in heaven, or the heavenlies—not unlike the first war when Michael and his angels fought the Dragon, that old serpent, the devil. It’s the Sons of God against the sorcerers of Satan. It’s late in the day. It’s power against power, anointing against anointing—as it was with Moses going against the sorcerers of Egypt. The Sons of God will bring defeat to Satan’s mediums, and restoration begins: restoration of the earth, restoration of the whole creation, restoration of goodness and mercy, of faith and love, restoration of health and healing and marriages and nations.

Warriors will walk the earth, clothed with the full armor of God. They’re his Sons, enlisted to do battle on both sides of the veil during the endtime. God has an army of Sons on both sides…doing battle.

God’s Armies

God has more than one army; he has two. One of Mathew’s parables, the parable of the wedding banquet, gives us a hint (chapter 22). The king issues invitations for his subjects to attend his banquet. Most of them make excuses, so, enraged, he sends his armies out and destroys their city.

"…But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth, and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and destroyed their city" (vs.7).

The king sent forth his armies. Most students of scripture believe the king in the parable is Christ. And the theme is possibly the marriage supper (Rev.19). Notice, the armies are plural but the city is singular. God’s armies will destroy Babylon, that city. Let’s compare scriptures concerning the plurality of God’s armies.

First, Daniel,

"…And he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth…" --Dan.4:35

Note the distinction: "army of heaven" and "inhabitants of the earth." Question: why not "army… of the earth?" Because God hadn’t formed his earthly army yet.

Daniel is considered to be the apocalypse of the Old Testament. The apocalypse of the New Testament makes a comparison.

"…And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True…And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses…" --Rev.19:11-14

Now it’s "…armies…" By the time Babylon has fallen, the army of the earth has been trained. The troops have been roused to join the army of heaven. Job said it this way, "…his troops come together…" –Job 19:12. And Paul said it another,

"…That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth…" --Eph.1:10

God has both his armies together now, "…which are in heaven and which are on earth…"

God’s armies are joined together—coming down and going up!

Two armies are joined together, one from this side and one from the "other side." After the return of our Lord, saints from this side of the grave will have access into heaven and saints from the "other side" will return to this earth. A marvelous plan, indeed.

God gives us a picture of accessing both worlds in Genesis 28 with Jacob’s ladder-- angels ascending and descending into two worlds. That’s the message of I Thessalonians four: saints coming back and forth from another world.

"…Them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him…" (verse 4).

Now Satan has no place to hide. He can no longer go into heaven and accuse the brethren; he can no longer roam this earth like a roaring lion, defeating the saints.

It’s over.

Glorified saints will take care of him no matter where he attempts to roam—heaven, hell, the earth. We will rob his house, bind him, destroy his power, and help cast him into the bottomless pit.

All manners of crime and vice will be abolished. Pimps and terrorists will be out of work. Tyranny and oppression will be no more. The Middle East will live in peace. Drug addiction and racial prejudice will vanish. All religious schisms and sects will dry up like the south wind. There will be only one "religion," the love of Jesus. There will be no lying, no gossip, no slander. Evil speaking, tale-bearing, and false accusations will be a thing of the past. Crooked landlords, greedy bankers, and grab-alls will have vanished from the face of the earth while there remains a people who gladly bow.

In fact, every knee shall bow, for it’s the millennium, and…

"…Babylon is fallen, is fallen…"r