As known, there are two kinds of healing – physical healing and spiritual healing. Both are good, but one is more imperative, which is spiritual healing. In this subject, we want to consider why Babylon has refused healing, despite the availability of healing.
There is always balm in Gilead, but that doesn’t depict that those who need healing will be healed, in fact, their proximity to balm sometimes, is the reason they don’t get healed, they are too familiar with God.
And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Matthew 13:14-15
Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand,
that made all the earth drunken:
the nations have drunken of her wine;
therefore the nations are mad.
Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed:
howl for her;
take balm for her pain,
if so be she may be healed.
We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed:
forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country:
for her judgment reacheth unto heaven,
and is lifted up even to the skies. Jeremiah 51:7-9
The plan of God, in the beginning, was for the earth to be replenished and filled, but it got to a time that the people came together to conspire against God’s paradigm, determining to build a city whose tower will reach heaven, such that they would be in one place and not be scattered. It sounds good, an attempt to bring unity and harmony amongst the people, but this is ludicrous to God’s plan. He came down and confounded them, and laid waste their evil conspiracy. This is where Babylon gets its meaning -Confusion! Babylon was the first world empire, ruled by King Nebuchadnezzar, but God destroyed Babylon. Well, there are two Babylon, physical and spiritual. And perhaps, we can behold ourselves in the mirror of God’s word considering physical Babylon to see where we are standing, because God is just.
First, the Bible says that Babylon had been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand. “Had been” as emphasis showed that she lost this position. Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon was a proud king, always daring God, and would not learn until God rendered him into an animal.
All this came upon the king Nebuchadnezzar. At the end of twelve months he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon. The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? Daniel 4:28-30
God gives gifts, and He gives wealth, but you have to be careful and ensure that ‘self’ doesn’t rise inside of you because of what you received. Actually, there is nothing you have that you didn’t receive. How humble are you when God answers your prayer? Trust me, without God, you are nothing. Do not let pride kill you like this king. God looked at him and meted his judgment quite all right. A proud man is nearing an utter fall (such fall that without remedy). Nebuchadnezzar forgot that it was God that made him an emperor. Self, rose up in him so much that he began to show contempt of God. God proved to him that He made him no matter what he is or becomes.
While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will. The same hour was the thing fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles’ feathers, and his nails like birds’ claws. Daniel 4:31-33
You and I need to be careful that God will not take the good thing He gave us because of pride. Should you despise your Creator because of what you become -that He made you? May God not useless us, Amen!
The good thing is, Nebuchadnezzar repented and was restored because he typed something. He was cast out for “seven times” according to the bible, which is a type of Gentile time that will span seven dispensations. At the seventh, a message of restoration will take the church back to what she lost.
And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation to generation: Daniel 4:34
Meanwhile, Babylon did another evil that made God wipe her out completely. Yes, God used Nebuchadnezzar to deal with the children of Israel, she went beyond and devoured God.
Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me,
he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel,
he hath swallowed me up like a dragon,
he hath filled his belly with my delicates,
he hath cast me out.
The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon,
shall the inhabitant of Zion say;
and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea,
shall Jerusalem say. Jeremiah 51:34-35
And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah. Jeremiah 51:63-64
Let’s look at the second Babylon, the spiritual one.
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Revelation 17:1-6
Obviously, both physical Babylon and the spiritual have a golden cup. Guess what? You have that cup as well, everyone does. The question is, what do you fill inside? If the world should come drinking from you, what will they become? Spiritual Babylon today is the Roman Catholic Church, but I must tell you that she did not start like that, just like you. You started with the fear of the Lord, and wouldn’t give yourself to debauchery, but now, you’re beginning to show contempt for God.
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. Revelation 18:2
The Catholic church was originally a Pentecostal church, an extension of what happened in the upper room. They don’t baptize children, and they don’t worship images and all evil that is in her today. Those who started the church of Rome are those that experienced Pentecost, it wasn’t even Paul that established the church. Let’s see those who started the church in Acts 2.
And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all amazed, and were in doubt, saying one to another, What meaneth this? Others mocking said, These men are full of new wine.
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established; That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.
Now I would not have you ignorant, brethren, that oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, (but was let hitherto,) that I might have some fruit among you also, even as among other Gentiles. I am debtor both to the Greeks, and to the Barbarians; both to the wise, and to the unwise. So, as much as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. Romans 1:8-15
Of course, Rome was a pagan nation, and when the gospel gets there, we can say that the gospel was thriving in the midst of their paganism. That spirit could not enter the church because the true servants of God were there, ministering to them. They were guiding the church of Christ to uphold the true world of God and not mix it with the traditions of the land. The Spirit of Lion was on the ground, roaring against lawlessness. Paul spoke about them in his book to them.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Romans 1:18-32
How did the church in Rome get corrupted? There was a separation made by the government of the land that caused this. There was a law that every Jew should leave the land of Italy, and this separation caused men without the Spirit of God to mount their pulpits and begin to dish falsehood. If there is a warning, here is it: when you think you are sufficient, you have already fallen. Do not separate yourself from the church of Christ. Before the devil will get you, the first thing he will do is separate you, then he can get you cheaply.
After these things Paul departed from Athens, and came to Corinth; And found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, lately come from Italy, with his wife Priscilla; (because that Claudius had commanded all Jews to depart from Rome:) and came unto them. Acts 18:1-2
Through desire a man, having separated himself, seeketh
and intermeddleth with all wisdom. Proverbs 18:1
The degradation of the Catholic church was gradual, till it became terrible as we see today. The devil is smart, he won’t spoil you in a day, but once he gains access, it will take God for you to be delivered.
Men and brethren, when God corrects you, no matter how harsh it is, it is for your healing. Take it with humility. God knows us more than we know ourselves, let us not argue with God’s authority. There is a balm in Gilead, there are physicians, but you need humility and obedience to be healed. If we humble ourselves under the mighty hand of God, He will exalt us in due season. Don’t reject what will heal you, otherwise, you will die.
Shalom in the name of Jesus Christ.