Waggles

Rev 17:4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. Three issues to note here: 1) arrayed in purple and scarlet are most definitely the colours of the RCC; 2) gold, jewels and pearls > worldly wealth and treasures is what satan offers and is in complete contrast to what Jesus teaches about treasure in Heaven; 3) sexual immorality is the hallmark of the RCC from the wickedness of the Popes over history, nuns and monks getting up to mischief (one of the reasons that motivated Luther), homosexuality rife within the church over history, child sex scandals after scandal after scandal, forbidding their clergy to marry ... 1Tim 4:1 Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. [remember no eating of meat on Friday]

Mystery Babylon - the false religion with its idolatry, symbolism and opposition to the God of Adam arising in Sumer > Babylon > Assyria > Egypt > Greece > Rome > Europe > the world Mystery refers to the incorporation of these most ancient Mesopotamian/Egyptian religions into Roman Catholicism without recognition of their origin and symbolism by the faithful. Their Babylonian origins are disguised and people do not understand the incorporation of false religion into the origins of the Papacy and the evolution of the church of Rome. Mystery Babylon is not about a world political system, etc as Revelation is about the history and development of the gospel, the church, Christianity and of judgement. Rev 17:4 The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 17:5 And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth's abominations.” 17:6 And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marvelled greatly. Rev 17:18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth. Rome represents the cultural, economic and political history and achievements of Europe from the Caesars to now as the ruling civilization of the world. Europe is a product of Rome. The Roman Catholic religion is truly world wide and exercises great worldly political and religious power over her peoples and governments. Search for a map of the worldwide distribution of Roman Catholicism and you can clearly see how the RCC is the most populous of all the Christian churches. No others Christian faiths come close to matching the RCC. MYSTERY BABYLON - come out of her my people - Jesus called out to the children of Israel to come out of Egypt; and Jesus calls out believers to come out of the world (to come out of Egypt) note then how the RCC at her very "spiritual" centre has an Egyptian monolith . Why honour false religion and Egypt?

That is to do with the hearts of men and women. Not all people want to believe the scriptures above their allegiance and fondness for what is familiar in their lives. Not everybody responds to the scriptures with an open heart and a desire for a personal relationship with God through the indwelling Holy Spirit. Cessationists in all churches have done much work in denying the scriptures and teaching that the signs and gifts of the Holy Spirit are not for today. I have laid hands on people and also prayed from afar for people with serious ailments and they have been miraculously healed. Then I have also witnessed to them that they too can receive the Holy Spirit and pray in tongues for miracles and healings. And I get a "thanks for the healing. Your faith is wonderful, but as for me (various excuses)." Mark 16:15-20 and Acts is still a stumbling block for most church Christians. Timing. The worldwide Pentecostal revival occurring these days is a sign that truly we are in the last of last days.

The Catholic Church has 77 books in their Bible while the "Protestant" Bibles have the correct 66 books with a separate Apocrypha. All the documents are available either in one volume or separate volumes. At present I am doing a study on the original Book of Enoch which is quoted in scripture. God knows the history of the world before it happens - He will preserve the truth of his word for our benefit unto salvation. Luke 21:33 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my [Jesus] words shall not pass away. 1Peter 1:24 For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower thereof falls away: 25 But the word of the Lord endures for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. Isaiah 40:8 The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever. Have confidence in God - He knows what he is doing.

Aaaahhhh !! Now we get to the nub of the issue ... for 'my church' is Pentecostal and Spirit-filled with all disciples praying in tongues, laying hands on the sick, casting out demons in the name of Jesus, and a church full of miracles, wonders and testimonies to the power of God in disciples. "My church" is not the Roman Catholics, nor the Eastern Orthodox Churches, nor the Lutherans, nor the Methodists, nor the Quakers, nor the Baptists, nor any other denomination that is short of the full gospel of salvation. The church of the first century was Pentecostal > repentance, full immersion water baptism and Holy Spirit baptism with the Bible evidence of praying in tongues. Miracles, healings, signs following and nine gifts of the Holy Spirit given abundantly to believers for the benefit of the body of Christ.

Because Jesus already knew before hand would would happen. That this event and conversation would occur.

You can obtain New Testaments written in Aramaic (which I believe is still spoken in Syria today).

Daniel 2:32 The head of this statue was of fine gold, but the breast and the arms of silver, and the belly and the thighs of brass. 33 And the legs of iron, the feet part of iron and part of clay. 34 Thus thou saw, till a stone was cut out of a mountain without hands: and it struck the statue upon the feet thereof that were of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then was the iron, the clay, the brass, the silver, and the gold broken to pieces together, and became like the chaff of a summer's threshing floor, and they were carried away by the wind: and there was no place found for them: but the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain, and filled the whole earth. This is about Jesus not Peter.

Isaiah 28:16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God: Behold I will lay a stone in the foundations of Sion, a tried stone, a corner stone, a precious stone, founded in the foundation. He that believeth, let him not hasten.

1Cor 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building. 3:10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another builds thereon. But let every man take heed how he builds thereupon. 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. No mention of Peter here.

Build Your House on the Rock Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and hears my sayings, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like: 6:48 He is like a man which built a house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. 6:49 But he that hears, and does not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great. That rock is Jesus and the word of God.

Not true. Not taught in scripture. Sheol (Hebrew) or Hades (Greek) is the underworld where all the dead (our souls) do go awaiting for the resurrection of Judgement. Even the dead in Christ are in Hades waiting to be transformed in a twinkling of an eye and to rise up and forever be with our Lord and God.

Luke 23:46 And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he breathed his last. 47 And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. 31 The Jews therefore, since it was Preparation, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the sabbath (for of that *sabbath the day was high), asked Pilate that their legs be broken, and they be taken away. The soldiers therefore came, and brake the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him: 33 but when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs: 34 but one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and straightway blood and water came out. 35 And who hath seen hath borne witness, and his witness is true: and HE knoweth that he saith true, that YE also may believe. John 11:23 Jesus saith to her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith to him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection, and the life: who believeth unto me shall live, even if he die; 26 and every one who liveth and believeth unto me shall nowise die unto the age. Believest thou this?

In Revelation I believe Mystery Babylon refers to the hidden and disguised sources of paganism that arise from Mesopotamia and spread into Egypt and the Greco-Roman world. Thus when Constantine formalised the Christian faith and churches as State religion Christianity was reinvented to incorporate the many pagan practices and pagan doctrines. These are not readily understood by later faithful generations who blindly see Rome as the "mother church" of Christian faith. No other religious leader compares to the political and worldly wealth of the Popes. Even Protestant heads of State visit the Pope. Yes even Obama dutifully called in to pay homage. Babylon again in Revelation is referred to a city - Rome refers to herself as 'the eternal city' which is yet another blasphemy because Jerusalem is the chosen eternal city, not Rome. Rev 17:18 And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.

? ? ? ? What are you writing of ?

Mystery Babylon is the RCC and the Papacy 4 ... Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; 18:5 for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. A warning about the first Babylon which is equivalent to the verses in Revelation Jeremiah 51:6 Flee from the midst of Babylon; let every one save his life! Be not cut off in her punishment, for this is the time of the LORD's vengeance, the repayment he is rendering her. 7 Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD's hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad. Rev 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. 10 They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, “Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come.” 11 And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, 12 cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, 13 cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.

But they did know his name - Yahweh

Our Lord Jesus is talking about Judah and the spiritual mismanagement of the children of Israel by the Pharisees and Sadducees. On how Jesus is casting out demons [unrighteousness] but in the end Judah will end up in a state worse than when Jesus found her to be. "Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation"

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. 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. 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. 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.

I see that witty repartee and satire are beyond some.

Exactly the same as you do, Peter! But not always with the same hubris.

Jesus is giving a parable to his audience of unbelieving & contentious Pharisees and Sadducees In Matthew's account, Jesus lectures the ruling elite over the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, followed by knowing a tree by its fruit (very pointed criticism of same); followed by the sign of Jonah prophecy which ends with: Matt 12:42 "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and lo, more than Solomon is here." In Luke's account he writes of the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit and follows this with the verses on the parable of the unclean spirit ... Then Jesus speaks the parable of the unclean spirit and addresses this to whom? - "Even so will it be also to this evil generation." Luke 11:14 And he was casting out a dumb demon. And it came to pass, when the demon was gone out, the dumb spoke; and the crowds marvelled. 15 But some of them said, By Beelzebul the prince of the demons casts he out the demons. 16 And others, trying him, sought of him a sign from heaven. 17 But HE, knowing their thoughts, said to them, Every kingdom divided against itself is made desolate; and a house divided against a house falls. 18 And if Satan also is divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I by Beelzebul cast out demons, by whom do your sons cast out? therefore shall THEY be your judges. 20 But if I by God’s finger cast out the demons, then is the kingdom of God come upon you. 21 When the strong fully armed guards his own court, his goods are in peace: 22 but when a stronger than he shall come upon and overcome him, he takes from him his whole armour wherein he trusted, and divides his spoils. 23 Who is not with me is against me; and who gathers not with me scatters. Return of an Unclean Spirit 24 When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walks through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, I will return unto my house whence I came out. 25 And when he cometh, he finds it swept and garnished. Matthew 12:45 Then goes he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more evil than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man becometh worse than the first. So shall it be also to this evil generation. Our Lord Jesus is talking about Judah and the spiritual mismanagement of the children of Israel by the Pharisees and Sadducees. Just before the verses on the parable of the unclean spirit Jesus had this to say about the religious establishment of Judah ... Matt 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. and again the same condemnation Matt 23:27 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.

I too am an "expert" at understanding scriptures especially the New Testament through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth. 1John 2:27 And the anointing which ye received of him abides in you, and ye have no need that one teach you; but as his *anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, abide in him. 1Cor 2:12 But we received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is from *God; that we might know the things *freely given to us of *God. 13 Which things also we speak, not in words taught of man’s wisdom, but in Spirit-taught words; interpreting spiritual things to spiritual men.

I do not find the words of Jesus confusing.

Why?