Fleeing Religious Babylon: Finding True Fear of the Lord
God is not looking for crowded churches or filled pews. What He really desires is:
Filling empty hearts with His love and presence.
Give empty eyes vision, so we can see His higher purposes.
Igniting empty hearts with passion, so we burn for Him.
Guiding empty wills to live meaningful and purposeful lives for God.
The Decline of Religious Systems
Let’s take a look back at the complexity and sometimes “barbarism” of the ancient Jewish religious system. A huge apparatus with thousands of priests, Levites, countless offerings, sacrifices, new moons, Sabbaths, Urim and Thummim. Into this context, suddenly God singled out a single man: John the Baptist, with a special mission: “Go and prepare the way of the Lord.”
John the Baptist faced a well-established system, with:
Over 2,000 priests, a high priest, and an elaborate Temple.
A system of buying and selling livestock and items for sacrifice.
An outer court where people could come to the priest to confess their sins and offer sacrifices for atonement.
Yet John the Baptist came and boldly declared: “This entire religious system is obsolete. God will manifest himself without all that. And there is another!” When asked, “Are you that One?” he replied, “Oh, no, I am not. I have only come to prepare the way for Him.”
God’s Sorrow and the Judgment of the System
God’s sorrow comes not only from the failure of Adam, but also from the decline of the entire religious system that He established. Even the great movements of history, such as the Reformation (500 years) or the Brethren (200 years), have experienced decline and deficiency.
Throughout the ages, God has always chosen a few individuals from within the religious system itself to speak judgment on that system. John the Baptist confronted the Jewish system; Martin Luther opposed the Roman Catholic Church; John Wesley challenged the Church of England. Do we dare today to confront the modern religious system, the “Laodicean megachurch” that is spreading everywhere? Those who dare to do this often pay a high price, sometimes even their lives, to fulfill God’s mission.
The Bible clearly shows us God’s will to free His people from the bondage of the religious system. Ezekiel 13:17-23 warns sternly about false “prophetes” who use “charms” and “head coverings” to “hunt for souls,” deceiving His people for material gain:
“You have deceived My people who love to listen to lies, to kill those who should not die and to save those who should not live.”
“I will pluck them out of your hands and release the souls you hunt like birds.”
“I will also tear your veils and rescue My people out of your hands. They will no longer be in your hands as prey. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”
This passage shows God’s abhorrence for those who misuse His name to manipulate and harm the souls of others. These “religious Babylons,” out of love of money and power, have discouraged the righteous and strengthened the hands of the wicked.
The Modern Challenge: Fleeing Babylon
Today, many modern churches are facing tremendous pressure to survive as an entity, a building, or a denominational name. They are on the brink of compromising with secular values, such as same-sex marriage. Despite the reassurances, I believe that this compromise will not last.
The coming days will be a jarring wake-up call for us from our slumber. The acceptance of moral issues by the world, such as same-sex marriage, may be a necessary shock to the Body of Christ. We need to be awakened to be uncompromising witnesses, willing to lose for the love of the truth.
It is time to flee from religious Babylon – from systems that are so concerned with outward appearances that they lose sight of the essence of true godliness. God wants to fill empty hearts, not empty churches.
Do you see signs of “religious Babylon” in today’s society?