CHAPTER 33 (The
Great Controversy)
The Sins of
Babylon
I saw the state of the different churches since
the second angel proclaimed their fall.
They have been growing more and more corrupt; yet they bear the name of
being Christ's followers. It is
impossible to distinguish them from the world.
Their ministers take their text from the Word, but preach smooth
things. The natural heart feels no
objection to this. It is only the spirit
and power of the truth, and the salvation of Christ, that is hateful to the
carnal heart. There is nothing in the
popular ministry that stirs the wrath of Satan, makes the sinner tremble, or
applies to the heart and conscience the fearful realities of a judgment soon to
come. Wicked men are generally pleased
with a form without true godliness, and they will aid and support such a
religion. Said the angel, Nothing less
than the whole armor of righteousness can overcome, and retain the victory over
the powers of darkness. Satan has taken
full possession of the churches as a body.
The sayings and doings of men are dwelt upon instead of the plain
cutting truths of the word of God. Said
the angel, The friendship and spirit of the world are at enmity with God. When
truth in its simplicity and strength, as it is in Jesus, is brought to bear
against the spirit of the world, it awakens the spirit of persecution at once. Many, very many, who profess to be
christians, have not known God. The
character of the natural heart has not been changed, and the carnal mind
remains at enmity with God. They are
Satan's own faithful servants, notwithstanding they have assumed another name.
I saw that since Jesus had left the Holy place of
the heavenly Sanctuary, and had entered within the second vail, the churches
were left as were the Jews; and they have been filling up with every unclean
and hateful bird. I saw great iniquity
and vileness in the churches; yet they profess to be christians. Their profession, their prayers and their
exhortations, are an abomination in the sight of God. Said the angel, God will not smell in their
assemblies. Selfishness, fraud and
deceit are practiced by them without the reprovings of conscience. And over all these evil traits they throw the
cloak of religion. I was shown the pride
of the nominal churches. God was not in
their thoughts; but their carnal minds dwell upon themselves. They decorate their poor mortal bodies, and
then look upon themselves with satisfaction and pleasure. Jesus and the angels looked upon them in
anger. Said the angel, Their sins and
pride have reached unto heaven. Their
portion is prepared. Justice and
judgment have slumbered long, but will soon awake. Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith
the Lord. The fearful threatenings of
the third angel are to be realized, and they will drink the wrath of God. An innumerable host of evil angels are
spreading themselves over the whole land.
The churches and religious bodies are crowded with them. And they look upon the religious bodies with
exultation; for the cloak of religion covers the greatest crimes and iniquity.
All heaven beholds with indignation, human
beings, the workmanship of God, reduced to the lowest depths of degradation,
and placed on a level with the brute creation by their fellow men. And professed followers of that dear Saviour
whose compassion was ever moved as he witnessed human woe, heartily engage in
this enormous and grievous sin, and deal in slaves and souls of men. Angels have recorded it all. It is written in the book. The tears of the pious bond-men and
bond-women, of fathers, mothers and children, brothers and sisters, are all
bottled up in heaven. Agony, human
agony, is carried from place to place, and bought and sold. God will restrain his anger but a little
longer. His anger burns against this
nation, and especially against the religious bodies who have sanctioned, and
have themselves engaged in this terrible merchandise. Such injustice, such oppression, such
sufferings, many professed followers of the meek and lowly Jesus can witness
with heartless indifference. And many of
them can inflict with hateful satisfaction, all this indescribable agony
themselves, and yet dare to worship God.
It is solemn mockery, and Satan exults over it, and reproaches Jesus and
his angels with such inconsistency, saying, with hellish triumph, Such are Christ's followers!
These professed christians read of the sufferings
of the martyrs, and tears course down their cheeks. They wonder that men could ever possess
hearts so hardened as to practice such inhuman cruelties towards their fellow-men,
while at the same time they hold their fellow-men in slavery. And this is not all. They sever the ties of nature, and cruelly
oppress from day to day their fellow-men.
They can inflict most inhuman tortures with relentless cruelty, which
would well compare with the cruelty papists and heathens exercised towards
Christ's followers. Said the angel, It
will be more tolerable for the heathen and for papists in the day of the
execution of God's judgment than for such men.
The cries and sufferings of the oppressed have reached unto heaven, and
angels stand amazed at the hard-hearted, untold, agonizing suffering, man in
the image of his Maker, causes his fellow-man.
Said the angel, The names of such are written in blood, crossed with
stripes, and flooded with agonizing, burning tears of suffering. God's anger will not cease until he has
caused the land of light to drink the dregs of the cup of his fury, and until
he has rewarded unto Babylon double.
Reward her even as she rewarded you, double unto her double according to
her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.
I saw that the slave-master would have to answer
for the soul of his slave whom he has kept in ignorance; and all the sins of
the slave will be visited upon the master.
God cannot take the slave to heaven, who has been kept in ignorance and
degradation, knowing nothing of God, or the Bible, fearing nothing but his
master's lash, and not holding so elevated a position as his master's brute
beasts. But he does the best thing for
him that a compassionate God can do.
He lets him be as though he had not been; while
the master has to suffer the seven last plagues, and then come up in the second
resurrection, and suffer the second, most awful death. Then the wrath of God will be appeased.
See Psalms 56:8; Amos 5:21; Romans 12:19;
Revelation 14:9-10, 18:1-6, 18:13
Psa 56:8 Thou
tellest my wanderings: put thou my tears into thy bottle: are they not in thy
book?
Amo 5:21 I
hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn
assemblies.
Rom 12:19
Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it
is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.
Rev 14:9 And
the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the
beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his
hand,
Rev 14:10 The
same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without
mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire
and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb
Rev 18:1 And
after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great
power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2 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 a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For
all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the
kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
Rev 18:4 And I
heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be
not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5 For
her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her
iniquities.
Rev 18:6
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to
her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Rev 18:13 And
cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and
fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and
slaves, and souls of men.
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