God's Effort to Heal Babylon
By R. S. Owen
BABYLON, where it is applied in the Bible to the last days, refers to confusion in religious matters. In the beginning of the world's history, men came together to build a high tower, to get to themselves a great name, and power in the earth, and there was a confusion of tongues. So in the religious world to-day, men are seeking to build a high tower (a union creed), and get to themselves a great name and wield a great power (the civil power by a union of Church and State) in the earth. But here is confusion. Men do not agree as to what shall be put into this tower (union creed); each one desires to build it with his own material so that his may be the great name, and his the great power. The spirit of self-exaltation in this latter effort, as in the former, is contrary to God's plan, for it seeks to gather to itself power to be used in coercing men in religious matters, thus invading man's free moral agency, which God intended shall not be violated, and which inviolate is necessary for man's highest good. But God is not pleased with this condition of confusion. He desires that His people shall be one; and, in harmony with His will, Jesus prayed that we all might be one even as He and the Father are one. And the apostle Paul says, "I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye may be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Yes, God would heal Babylon. O, if His divided children would but listen to His voice, saying, "Return, ye backsliding children," for "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely." "Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the Lord; and I will heal him." In Rev. 14:8, we find God's announcement of the fall of Babylon, but a loving father would never proclaim the fall of his children until after he had put forth an effort to heal them. In the preceding verses, we find a message which, if heeded, would have brought in harmony and healed Babylon. Reader, do you deplore the great confusion and the divisions which exist among God's people? If so, we earnestly entreat you to study carefully this message: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." Rev. 14:6, 7. Here is a Gospel message which is to go everywhere, for confusion is everywhere. The Gospel is ever God's means of restoring His straying children, and this Gospel is the everlasting Gospel, and, indeed, there is but one, and those who preach it must proclaim the truths set forth in this message, the central thought of which is to Not that slavish dread, but that wholesome fear which is mingled with sincere love, and which leads to cheerful obedience. O, how many to-day are not obedient to God because they have another fear which keeps them from His service. Some have a fear of losing their position; others fear the scoffing of their neighbors; some fear the loss of their influence; others fear their relatives; some fear they could not make a living if they should keep God's commandments. All of these forget this promise: "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed." Ps. 37:3. But this message calls upon us to give God His rightful place; to exalt Him above all things else; to let Him be our fear; to be willing to face even death itself rather than to disobey or displease Him. Not only are we to recognize the power and love of God, but we are to proclaim it, saying, "Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good; for His mercy endureth forever." "Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." "Let us exalt His name together." "For the Hour of His Judgment Is Come."
The apostle Paul said to the Athenians, God commandeth "all men everywhere to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in6righteousness; and, when standing before Felix, he reasoned of a judgment to come. But this message announces that the day appointed, the set time of the judgment, is come; that we are actually living in the time when the court of heaven is in session, and the eternal destiny of souls is being decided for weal or for wo. The scene described by the prophet Daniel in chapter seven, verses 9 and 10, in which he saw the Ancient of Days sit, while thousands ministered unto Him and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him, and the judgment was set, and the books were opened, is actually passing in heaven to-day; and God, in His mercy, has sent the message, "The hour of His judgment is come." "Worship Him That Made Heaven and Earth, and the Sea, and the Fountains of Waters."
In this sentence, we have the descriptive title of Jehovah—that which is used in the Bible to distinguish the true from false gods. Notice, when Jeremiah wished to turn the minds of men to the true God, he said, "He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by His discretion." Paul exhorts the Lystrians to turn from vanities to serve the living God who made the heavens, and earth, and the sea, and all things which are therein. And this same descriptive title God has placed in the bosom of His law; for in the fourth commandment we read, "For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day." This, then, is the autograph of the true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Author of the moral law, which He spoke from the flaming top of Sinai, and transcribed with His own finger on two tables of stone. In all true worship, there must be the recognition of the superiority of the one worshiped, and the inferiority and weakness of the worshiper; there must be such a submission of the will of the worshiper as will find expression in a prompt and willing obedience, for "He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination." Prov. 28:9. If we substitute the will of any of His creatures for that of the Creator, our worship is spoiled. For "in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matt. 15:9. This message calls for a complete submission on the part of all to God's will, and, if all were thus submissive, how soon would Babylon be healed! How soon would all confusion cease! Will you, then, dear reader, remember that we are living in the hour of His judgment, and while God has announced its beginning, He has not revealed the time of its close. Then, let us hasten to "fear God, and give glory to Him;" and worship the Creator in a way that will be pleasing and acceptable to Him by obeying fully and freely that law to which He has affixed His descriptive title, and thus we may be found in the company described in the 12th verse of this same chapter, who are said to keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus.