Babylon Is Fallen by R. M. KILGORE

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 15, 1874

Babylon Is Fallen.

By R. M. KILGORE

“AND there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.” Rev. 14: 8.

This message is the second of a series of three which, from their character, and the nature of the work designed to be accomplished by them, are clearly located, and must precede the coming of the Son of man, upon the white cloud, to reap the harvest of the earth. They are, therefore, emphatically, a threefold warning of the approaching end. The second contains a most solemn announcement.

This “great city,” or “Babylon,” is certainly symbolical, representing corrupted Christianity or apostate Christendom. Compare Rev. 17: 1–6, with verse 18. Her fall, therefore, must be a moral fall, and the reason assigned for this fallen, or low, condition is “because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

Here is represented the false doctrines which the church, during her apostasy, has propagated, adulterating and corrupting the pure truths of God’s word. And out of this mixture of truth and error have grown her different creeds, which are as various as her costly towers. And as a result, we now behold what we might expect; instead of unity, division; instead of love, envy and jealousy; instead of piety, ungodliness; and instead of faith, unbelief and skepticism.

There never was a time when there were so many professing godliness, and so little devotion; so many teachers of the people, and so little real burden for the salvation of precious souls; when there was so great a need of reform, and so bitter an opposition to it, as at the present time.

We see developed before our eyes the photograph which the apostle painted eighteen centuries ago: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.” 2 Tim. 3: 1–5.

With the false doctrines of corrupted Christianity have the nations of the earth been brought to a state of spiritual intoxication. A drunken man is insensible to danger, however imminent it may be, and cannot be aroused. He heeds not the note of warning or the kind voice of supplication.

There the nations of the earth are represented, morally, when the day of the Lord bursts upon the world. The prophet Isaiah says, “Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: They are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your rulers [heads, margin], the seers hath he covered.” Chap. 29: 9, 10.

The reason why the Lord thus deals with the people is evidently given in the following chapter: “Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the latter day [margin]; that this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the Lord; which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things; speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits; get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.” Chap. 30: 8–11.

And the apostle in his letter to Timothy charged him to “preach the word;” for the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Like men in a state of intoxication, regardless of danger and of the voice of warning, they reply: “We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.” Isa. 28: 15.

Then the time hastens when the above announcement must be repeated, and its power increased. This we find in Rev. 18: “After these things I saw another angel come down from Heaven, having great power; and the earth was lighted with his glory, and he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Compare also Jer. 5: 25–31, and 2 Tim. 3: 1–5.)

Is it surprising that this solemn announcement should be made when such a state of things exists as is here described? Indeed, it would be truly wonderful if the cry was not raised, the trumpet blown, and the alarm sounded in the ears of those who have ears to hear, that they may accept the gracious invitation: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Rev. 18: 4. [For God has in the past always preceded his judgments by a faithful warning to those upon whom they were to fall. But it will be in the future, as it was then, there will be but few who will hearken to the sound of the trumpet and heed the warning, while the multitude pass on unconcerned and unmoved. They will have no relish for unadulterated truth, but will clamor for “fables,” the doctrines and commandments of men.

From this impure fountain have the nations of the earth been drinking, until stupor has seized them, and wrapt in carnal security they lie dreaming of “peace and safety” and “a good time coming,” seeing in their visions a world’s conversion and universal brotherhood.

The words of the apostle are applicable. Oh! that all would take heed and be warned by them. “But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day; we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.” 1 Thess. 5: 1–7. R. M. KILGORE.