That her destruction will be sudden, violent and complete is thus forcibly stated: "And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus, with violence, shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." (Rev. 18:8,21; Jer. 51:63,64,42,24-26)

And yet that it was to undergo a gradual consuming process is shown by Daniel (7:26) "But the judgment shall sit, and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end."

The Papal dominion (and much of the abject reverence of the people for ecclesiasticism in general), was broken down at the beginning of the Time of the End — 1799. Though the subsequent process of consumption has been slow, and there have been occasional signs of apparent recovery, the assurance of Papacy’s final destruction is positive. Its death-struggle will be violent. First, however, she must attain more of her old-time prestige, which will be shared with a confederated association of her daughters. Together they will be lifted up, that together they may be violently thrown down.

That the punishment of Babylon will be great is assured. It is written prophetically that, "Great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath." "And he hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand."

"Her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 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. How much she hath glorified herself and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, ‘I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.’" (Rev. 16:19; 19:2; 18:5-7)

While the broadest application of this language is, of course, to Papacy, it also involves all who are in any degree in confederation or sympathy with her. All such will be sharers in her plagues. (Rev. 18:4) Although the kings of the earth have hated the harlot and cast her off (Rev. 17:16), still she says, "I sit a queen, and am no widow." She loudly boasts of her right to rule the nations, and claims that her former power will soon be regained.

Of her boastings and threats the following from a Catholic journal of recent date is a fair sample:

"The Papacy will regain its temporal sovereignty, because it is useful and convenient to the Church. It gives the head executive of the church a fuller liberty and a fuller sway. The Pope can be no king’s subject long. It is not in keeping with the divine office to be so. It cramps him and narrows his influence for good. Europe has acknowledged this influence, and will be forced to bow to it in greater times of need than this. Social upheavals, and the red hand of anarchy, will yet crown Leo or his successor with the reality of power which the third circle symbolizes, and which was once recognized universally."

Yes, as the day of trouble draws on, ecclesiasticism will endeavor to use its power and influence more and more to secure its own political welfare, by its control of the turbulent elements of society. But in the crisis of the near future the lawless element will spurn all conservative influence and break over all restraints. The red hand of Anarchy will do its dreadful work — Babylon, Christendom, social, political and ecclesiastical, shall fall.

"Therefore, [because she will violently struggle for life and power] "shall her plagues come in one day [suddenly], death and mourning and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire [symbolic fire-destructive calamities], for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her." Rev. 18:8

"Thus saith the Lord, Behold I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against me [all in sympathy with Babylon], a destroying wind; and I will send into Babylon, fanners that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about...Destroy ye utterly all her host." Jer. 51:1-3

"And I will render unto Babylon [to the Papacy specially], and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea [or Babylonia – Christendom — to all the nations of the so-called Christian world] all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord." (Jer. 51:24)

As we call to mind the long train of evils by which Babylon has oppressed and worn out the saints of the most High (the true Zion), and how it is written that God will avenge his own elect, and that speedily; that, according to their deeds, he will repay recompense to his enemies; that he will render unto Babylon a recompense (Luke 18:7,8; Isa. 59:18; Jer. 51:6), we begin to realize that some fearful calamity awaits her.

The horrible decrees of Papacy — the reproach and reward of which Protestantism also is incurring by her present compromising association with her — for the burning, butchering, banishing, imprisoning and torturing of the saints in every conceivable way, executed with such fiendish cruelty in the days of her power by the arm of the State, whose power she demanded and received, await the full measure of just retribution; for she is to receive "double for all her sins." And the nations (of Christendom) which have participated in her crimes and guilt must drink with her to the dregs that bitter cup.

"And I will punish Bel in Babylon [the god of Babylon — the Pope]; and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up [He shall repudiate in his extremity the "great swelling words" and blasphemous titles which he has long appropriated to himself-that he is the infallible vicar, "vice-gerent of Christ," "another God on earth," etc.], and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him. Yea, the wall of Babylon [the civil power that once defended it, and that in a measure does so still] shall fall...Thus saith the Lord of hosts: the broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire [shall be destroyed]; and the people shall labor in vain, and the folk in the fire [to prop and save the walls of Babylon], and they shall be weary." (Jer. 51:44,58)

This shows the blindness of the people, and the hold Babylon has on them. The people will labor to uphold her against their own best interests. But notwithstanding her desperate struggle for life and to conserve her prestige and influence, like a great millstone cast into the sea, Babylon shall go down, never again to rise; "for strong is the Lord God that judgeth her." Only then will the people realize their wonderful deliverance, and that her overthrow was by the hand of God. Rev. 19:1,2

Such is the doom of Babylon, Christendom, which Isaiah and other prophets foresaw and foretold. And it is in view of the fact that within her borders are many of his own dear people that the Lord, through his prophet (Isa. 13:1,2), commands his sanctified ones, saying,

"Lift ye up a standard [the standard of the blessed gospel of truth, divested of the traditional errors that have long beclouded it] upon the high mountain [among those who constitute the true embryo Kingdom of God]; raise high your voice unto them [earnestly and widely proclaim this truth unto the bewildered sheep of the Lord’s flock who are still in Babylon]; motion with the hand [let them see the power of the truth exemplified, as well as hear its proclamation], that they [the willing and obedient, the true sheep] may go into the gates of the nobles [that they may realize the blessings of the truly consecrated and heirs of the heavenly Kingdom]."

The warning voice goes forth to "him that hath an ear to hear." We are in the time of the last or Laodicean stage of the great nominal gospel church of wheat and tares. (Rev. 3:14-22) She is upbraided for her lukewarmness, pride, spiritual poverty, blindness and nakedness, and counseled to forsake quickly her evil ways before it is too late.

The Lord knew that only a few would hearken to the warning and call. So the promise of reward is given, not to the whole mass of those addressed, but to the few who still have an ear for the truth, and who overcome the general disposition and spirit of Babylon.

"To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. He that hath an ear [a disposition to hearken to and heed the word of the Lord], let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." But upon those who have no ear, no disposition to hear, the Lord will pour his indignation.

With few individual exceptions, the attitude of all Christendom is that of pride, self-righteousness and self-complacency, which are manifest to the most casual observer. She still saith in her heart, "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." She still glorifies herself and lives deliciously. She says, "I am rich and increased in goods, and have need of nothing," and does not realize that she is "wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."

Nor does she heed the counsel of the Lord to buy of him (at cost of self-sacrifice) gold tried in the fire (the true riches, the heavenly riches, "the divine nature"), and white raiment (the robe of Christ’s imputed righteousness, which so many are now discarding, to appear before God in their own unrighteousness), and to anoint her eyes with eyesalve (complete consecration and submission to the divine will as expressed in the Scriptures), that she might see and be healed. Rev. 3:18

The spirit of the world has so fully taken possession of the ecclesiastical powers of Christendom, that reformation of the systems is impossible. Individuals can escape their fate only by a prompt and timely withdrawal from them. The hour of judgment is come, and even now upon her walls the warning hand of divine providence is tracing the mysterious words, "Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin" — GOD HATH NUMBERED THY KINGDOM AND FINISHED IT! THOU ART WEIGHED IN THE BALANCES AND FOUND WANTING! And the Prophet (Isaiah 47) now speaks, saying-

"Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon [said in derision of her claim to purity]; sit on the ground: there is no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate... Thy nakedness shall be uncovered; yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man...Sit thou silent, and get thee into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for thou shalt no more be called, The lady of kingdoms...Thou saidst, I shall be a lady forever, so that thou didst not lay these things to thy heart, neither didst remember the latter end of it.

"Therefore hear now this, thou that art given to pleasures; that dwellest carelessly; that sayest in thine heart, I am, and none else beside me; I shall not sit as a widow, neither shall I know the loss of children. But these two things shall come to thee in a moment in one day, the loss of children and widowhood [compare Rev. 18:8]: in their full measure shall they come upon thee despite of the multitude of thy sorceries, despite of the very great abundance of thy enchantments; for thou hast trusted in thy wickedness: thou hast said, None seeth me. Thy [worldly] wisdom and thy knowledge, it hath perverted thee: and thou has said in thy heart, I am, and none else beside me. Therefore shall evil come upon thee; thou shalt not know from whence it riseth: and mischief shall fall upon thee; thou shalt not be able to put it off: and desolation shall come upon thee suddenly, which thou shalt not [previously] know." Compare Verse 9 and Rev. 18:7.

Such being the solemn declarations against Babylon, well will it be for all who heed the warning voice and the instruction of the Lord to his people yet within her borders.

"Thus saith the Lord":...Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the Lord’s vengeance; he will render unto her a recompense...Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed...We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed. Forsake her;...for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies... My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord." Jer. 51:1,6,8,9,45. Compare Rev. 17:3-6; 18:1-5.

For those who would obey this command to come out of Babylon, there is but one place of refuge. That is not in a new sect and bondage, but in "The secret place of the Most High" — the place or condition of entire consecration, typified by the Most Holy of the Tabernacle and Temple. (Psa. 91) "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty."