Typical and Antitypical Babylon

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 30, 1908

Typical and Antitypical Babylon

THE subject of the Sabbath-school lesson for May 9 is “The Restoration from Babylon,” and this suggests a study of the significance of the experience of the people of God in their connection with ancient Babylon.

The real meaning of the record concerning ancient Babylon, as given in the Scriptures, is lost unless we see that it is prophetic history or typical prophecy. Ancient Babylon is a type of modern Babylon. In ancient Babylon as a temporal power is the prophecy of modern Babylon as a spiritual power. The religion of ancient Babylon was paganism, open and unconcealed. The religion of modern Babylon is paganism baptized under Christian forms and names—the most dangerous and most deceptive idolatry. Ancient Babylon was a universal temporal kingdom, and modern Babylon claims universal spiritual jurisdiction. So long as the people of God maintained the spiritual character of their religion in the olden time, and did not adopt the customs and habits of the heathen around them, they were protected against the assaults of their enemies, and the glory of the Shekinah was revealed in the temple service; but when a compromise was made with heathenism, and the temple service became a mere cloak for sin, then “the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] hand, with part of the vessels of the house of God.” A few years later, because of persistent refusal to listen to the counsel of God, “the wrath of Jehovah arose against his people, till there was no remedy;” the captivity of Judah became complete; and the temple was utterly destroyed. This experience was repeated in the history of the Christian church. So long as the gospel was maintained in its purity, the church was powerful against all her foes, and prospered under fierce persecutions; but when the standard was lowered, and a compromise with paganism was effected, the church lost her means of defense, and soon became a captive in modern Babylon. This parallel might be extended to many particulars, but this is sufficient to illustrate the typical character of the history of ancient Babylon.

The fundamental principle underlying all false religions is that the worshiper must do something for his own benefit. If there are sacrifices and offerings, they are offered as a means of purchasing the favor of some god or appeasing his wrath, rather than as an expression of faith in an efficacious sacrifice. If there are gifts made, they are regarded as meritorious according to their size, rather than as a manifestation of gratitude to be estimated only by the motive back of the gift. Punishment of the body is substituted for that self-denial which is a crucifixion of the old man of sin, and thus indulgence of the worst passions becomes compatible with a spurious holiness. Such is heathenism, both ancient and modern, although the revelation of it may vary in different ages and in different countries. It is that outworking of the pride of the human heart which will not submit itself to the righteousness of God, but goes about to establish its own righteousness. It is the substitution of righteousness by works for righteousness by faith.

All false religions must necessarily deny the essential doctrine of Christianity—the mystery of godliness—the union of divinity and humanity through the incarnation of the Son of God. The reason of this lies in the fact that “every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God;” and, further, “whosoever believeth that Jesus [the man] is the Christ [the Messiah of prophecy] is begotten of God.” The personal acceptance of the doctrine of the incarnation of the Son of God, not as a theory but as a fact of life, means the indwelling presence of God in our flesh and the manifestation of his righteousness in the place of our righteousness. This is the vital thing in the gospel: “I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; . . . for therein is revealed a righteousness of God from faith unto faith: as it is written, But the just shall live by faith.” The denial of the incarnation is therefore a necessary feature of all false religions, whose fundamental principle is self-salvation—righteousness by works.

When the Chaldeans, hard pressed by Nebuchadnezzar to tell him his dream and to make known the interpretation thereof, declared their inability to meet the requirement of the king, and said: “There is no other that can show it before the king, except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh,” they published the creed of Babylon, and the creed of all false religions, and denied the essential principle of Christianity—the incarnation of the Son of God. This denial of the incarnation is the true explanation of that exhibition of pride in her own achievements which is the characteristic of Babylon, and which was expressed in those significant words of King Nebuchadnezzar: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” This formal declaration of righteousness by works marked the climax of Nebuchadnezzar’s self-exaltation,

and having thus declared himself independent of God, he was left to reveal the consequences, and to show that a man apart from the indwelling of God will be reduced to the same plane as other animals.

When the professed people of God lost the significance of the temple and its services, designed to be a witness to the purpose of God to make humanity his dwelling-place through the incarnation and the priesthood of his Son, and substituted the outward forms of religion for the inward experience, they put righteousness by works in the place of righteousness by faith, and in reality, although not in express terms, adopted the creed of Babylon. When they said, “The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah are these,” and made the glory of the temple and its services an excuse for gross and heaven-defying sins, they denied the true principle of the gospel of salvation by faith just as truly as did Nebuchadnezzar when he said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built?” The consequence of this departure from the truth was that they lost their defense against their old-time enemy, the temple was destroyed, the outward forms of their religion were interrupted, and they themselves were led captives to Babylon. The lesson which they refused to learn and to remember in prosperity, they were compelled to learn in adversity. And before the seventy-years’ experience was accomplished, they saw Babylon humbled by a foreign foe, her pride of independence of any help outside of herself brought into contempt, and her false religion discredited. Individuals were saved out of Babylon through the preaching of the gospel by some of the faithful believers among the captives; but Babylon as Babylon was overthrown, and never recovered her former glory. Righteousness by works may make an outward appearance for a time, an impression upon the senses by great buildings and dazzling ornamentation and an elaborate ritual, but it will not endure the test and trial which will reveal the worth of righteousness by faith. The power of the indwelling Son of God through the Spirit is alone sufficient to save from sin and death.

The call out of Babylon was a call to righteousness by faith, and the restoration from Babylon was the outworking of righteousness by faith. The city and temple which they could not retain against the power of their enemies after they had fallen from righteousness by faith, they were able to rebuild in the face of bitter opposition, after they had once more accepted righteousness by faith. They had learned that “except Jehovah build the house they labor in vain that build it: except Jehovah keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain,” and their trust was placed in God. The result was the restoration of the city and the temple and the service of God.

The application of these lessons to our time is obvious, and hardly needs to be pointed out. The final call out of Babylon is now going forth in the threefold message of Revelation 14; but that message must be proclaimed as the gospel of righteousness by faith, in order that the call may be effective. And it is only through the vital truth of the sanctuary and its services in its present application to the work of our great High Priest in the heavenly sanctuary, that this message can be the genuine message of righteousness by faith to this generation. Let the genuine message be proclaimed in its purity and power.