Mystery #7 & God’s Repentance

A Prophetic Storyline of Triumph & Victory

My reader, it is essential to understand how the current spiritual fulfillments of the Kingdom of God do draw upon the exploits of the Messiah that go from victory to victory. As it will be physically, so it is spiritually. What will be victorious, is now victorious, howbeit it must be spiritually discerned by the eyes of faith or the joy thereof will never be realized (Jn. 15:7-11, 15-16, 16:23-24, 33). Thus, the eyes of faith must look upon the stated objectives of the Messiah. Christ is the object of our faith, and our understanding of what He is doing are the objectives of our faith. Being persuaded of these, faith is animated and enlivened into action! Faith beholds the object victoriously accomplishing the objectives from beginning to end. In proceeding, our study will bring us to grasp the fruition of all implications pertaining to each Mystery resulting in the Age-Ending Revival; however, to do so, we must observe yet another Mystery. This brings us to Mystery #7.

The masterplan of redemption for the Jews in the Last Days will be accomplished in 1,335 Days. In just a few words, this is the plan: Babylon Arose, Conquered, and then was Conquered. Literally, and physically, this leads to the salvation, regathering, and restoration of the Jews from Day 1,290 to Day 1,335. Right? This is because Babylon is God’s backup plan for the Jews. As abundantly documented by the Prophets, this was God’s plan for the backslidden Church of the Old Testament with historical Babylon. As abundantly documented by the Prophets & Apostles, alongside the Son of God, this was God’s plan for the backslidden Church of the 1st Century with historical Rome. Even so, this is God’s plan for the obstinately impenitent Jews of the Last Century with Mystery Babylon the Great (Rev. 17:1-18). However, as duly foretold by the Messiah, the Christians of the current Gentile Church Age will be backslidden in the Last Century. Therefore, they will be deserving of Babylon like all other backslidden Churches of former times.

According to the apostle John, to whom was given “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” (Rev. 1:1), Mystery Babylon the Great will be used by God to revive, restore, & perfect the Christians of the current Gentile Church Age (Rev. 7-11); even though, according to “the Revelation of Jesus Christ” given to Paul (Gal. 1:12), the current era of redemption among the Gentiles is being powered by what God will do to & through Babylon in accordance with Mysteries #1 & #2. In other words, the use of Mystery Babylon the Great (Rev. 17) to punish & purify the saints of the Gentile Church Age is a compounding fulfillment of two different senses of the same prophetic words at the same time. Following the path of victory prophetically plotted on behalf of the Jews, we are enabled to behold the spiritualized version that is divinely planned for the Gentiles in the soon-to-be future.

Mystery #7

The physical conquering of Babylon in the 2nd Advent War on behalf of the Jews is equated to the spiritual conquering of Babylon during the 3 ½ Year Great Tribulation on behalf of the Christians of the Gentile Church Age.

Here, as in other cases, a mysterious equation is going to be spiritually accomplished for the Gentiles in harmony with the physical accomplishment on behalf of the Jews. In respect to the Jews, lo and behold: Babylon Arose, Conquered, and then was Conquered. That’s the story line of Messianic Prophecy in the Gospel of Isaiah. Literally, and physically, this leads to the salvation, regathering, and restoration of the Jews from Day 1,290 to Day 1,335. Even so, in respect to the Gentiles here’s the storyline: Babylon Arose, Conquered, and then was Conquered. How?

As of nearly 2,000 years ago, the apostles were acknowledging the spiritual rise of Babylon as a devastating force upon the saintliness of the Church. With a growing sense of anticipation and urgency, they spoke of the darkness of night steadily increasing upon the Church (1 Thess. 5:1-8, Rom. 13:11-14). Nighttime wasn’t merely about them; it was encroaching upon them (Eph. 5:6-17)! As a people marching toward their fate, the apostles knew the midnight hour would come (Matt. 25:1-13). Even as Isaiah foretold in the ancient time (Isa. 21:1-12), or as John later elaborated (Rev. 8:12, 9:1-11), they believed it was inevitable. This is exactly why Paul said that the Day of the LORD “shall not come, except there come a falling away first” (2 Thess. 2:3).

Evidently, the apostolic testimony of nighttime darkness wasn’t a miscellaneous use of metaphorical rhetoric. These weren’t relativistic acknowledgments that are disconnected from the rest of Scripture. The apostles were alarmed at the dogmatic fulfillments of Biblical Prophecy as they observed the increasing blackout of spiritual light in their days (Matt. 5:13-16). Plainly spoken, John said, “whereby we know that it is the Last Time” (1 Jn. 2:18). In one statement, simply put, the apostolic acknowledgement was twofold: (1) Backsliding saints (2) deserve Babylon. For, whether of old, or anew, only backsliders are deserving of Babylon. Not just physically, but spiritually. Right? In other words, only those who are overcome by spiritual Babylon are deserving of physical Babylon. Thus, in beholding the saintliness of Christians turning into worldliness for lack of abiding in Christ (Jn. 15:1-7, 1 Jn. 2:15-19), John acknowledged that this could be none other than the work of antichrist (1 Jn. 4:1-6).

“…this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world” - 1 Jn. 4:3

John is speaking of the “spirit” of antichrist, or, the rise of a spiritual antichrist. He isn’t acknowledging the coming of the physical antichrist. The former precedes the latter. According to the apostles (speaking under divine inspiration), the antichrist will rise spiritually before he comes physically. Yet, who is the antichrist, but the figurehead of Babylon (Rev. 13)? Therefore, let the reader understand, this is one and the same as acknowledging the rise of spiritual Babylon.

Spirit of Antichrist  à Physical Antichrist

Spiritual Babylon  à Physical Babylon

Just as the antichrist will rise spiritually and then physically, even so does Babylon rise spiritually and then physically. This is what Paul called “the mystery of iniquity” (2 Thess. 2:7); and, how hardly will the backsliders of any generation come to a sober acknowledgement of it! According to the apostles, the casualties are among the Church. Expressly, John is affirming that this is the cause of backsliding among the saints. As an indicator of the Last Time (1 Jn. 2:18), lo, this is bringing about a falling away from Christ (2 Thess. 2:3)! Or, in terms of John’s Gospel, this is bringing about a severance of the branches from the Vine as they are being broken off for their lack of abiding in Christ (Jn. 15:1-17). Literally, this is a discontinuance of saints in the Son of God (1 Jn. 2:24). Therefore, in departing from the Church (John argues), it is visibly evident that these individuals are no longer “of” the Vine (1 Jn. 2:19, 24; Jn. 15:1-7).

Therefore, in Paul saying, “the mystery of iniquity doth already work” (2 Thess. 2:7), he was acknowledging the manifestation of a prophetically foretold scenario that would directly precede the physical arrival of Babylon & its antichrist. Thus, in acknowledging the mystery of iniquity already at work, he was acknowledging the rise of apostasy; and, in acknowledging the rise of apostasy, he was acknowledging the rise of spiritual Babylon. As of the 1st Century, some 2,000 years ago, the foretold spiritual battle was at hand. Spiritual Babylon was the real and present danger among them. They knew that “many” would be “offended” in the spiritual rise of Babylon, or that “many” would be deceived, and “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt. 24:10-12). Therefore, Paul was compelled to testify how spiritual Babylon was already on the rise (“the mystery of iniquity doth already work” - 2 Thess. 2:7), even as John acknowledged the spirit of antichrist (1 Jn. 4:3).

When, in beholding the casualties (2 Tim. 3:1-5, 4:3), Paul informed Timothy by letter, saying, “This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1:15). Even so, fearfully, all the virgins of the Gentile Church Age will be asleep in the darkness of Babylon directly preceding the 3 ½ Year Great Tribulation (Matt. 25:1-13). For, “He who now letteth will let, until He be taken out of the way” (2 Thess. 2:7), until the future scenario is exactly as foretold. Therefore, like Ezekiel beheld, it must needs be that the Glory of God will depart from the Churches of this current age of redemption (2 Thess. 2:7). In other words, be warned, the invisible God will depart from the visible Church!

We know the Jews deserve Babylon. They have been in rebellion against their Messiah for millennia. However, because the Gentiles have been incorporated into the salvation that belongs to the Jews, and have also backslidden therefrom, they too deserve the likes of Babylon. Hereby, ingeniously, God will accomplish all with the two peoples in one generation. According to John, as described in Revelation 7-14, the divine scheme of Babylon savingly purifies the Gentile Christians before it does the Jews. The Jews get saved after the 7th Trumpet, and the Gentiles get savingly restored before the 7th Trumpet, so that just before the LORD turns from the Gentiles back to the Jews, He rapturously removes the Christians of the former era. Therefore, as Ezekiel foresaw (Ezek. 9-10), only this time worldwide (Rev. 7-8), the divinely controlled Celestial Operation through Babylon will effectively purify the Christians of the Gentiles Church Age until, behold, “His wife hath made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7-10). In other words, after Babylon spiritually conquers the saints of the Gentile Church Age, the Messiah will suddenly arise to their rescue and spiritually conquer Babylon.

Just as the LORD will suddenly awake unto judgment to physically conquer Babylon to liberate the Jews through the 2nd Advent War, as foretold in Isaiah 59:16-21 (Rom. 11:26-27; Isa. 51:9), even so shall the LORD suddenly awake unto judgment to spiritually conquer Babylon to liberate the Gentiles – and, consequentially, this means the perfection and glorification of the Spiritual Temple of the Gentile Church Age (Rev. 11:1-2). This sudden awakening of God is a repentance in the heart of God, a refusal to allow the elect to remain impenitent and apostate any longer. The prophetic storyline goes like this: as described in Isaiah 59:1-15, the LORD justly abandoned the Jews and refused to savingly intervene to their deliverance because their suffering under Babylon is the just desert of their rampant iniquity. God uses Babylon as a divine remedy to humble them. Then, suddenly, as described in Isaiah 59:16-21, the LORD savingly intervenes to do the judgment that no one else could do. Expressing this sudden change from the vantage point of the stand-alone Intercessor, it was written,

“Yea, truth faileth; and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey: and the LORD saw it, and it displeased Him that there was no judgment. And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His Arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him. For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloke.” – Isa. 59:15-17

It’s not that the LORD hasn’t seen apostasy before among the Jews. Sadly, this was most often the case. Nevertheless, according to Paul (Rom. 11:26-27), by the time that this prophecy will be finally fulfilled the Jews will have been generally and almost totally unconverted for nearly 2,000 years. Therefore, the divine intervention foretold in Isaiah 59:15-21 will suddenly take place after an unprecedentedly long duration of divinely allowed apostasy among the Jews (Rom. 11:1-25). In other words, this intervention is a divine disallowance of apostasy, therefore it was said, “…the Redeemer shall come to Zion” (Isa. 59:20), “the Deliverer”, of whom it was said that He “shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Rom. 11:26). A sudden divine intervention after a long duration of divine refusal to intervene represents a change of mind in the God of Israel. Statedly, in a sudden change of mind, which results in a sudden intervention of divine action, the LORD boldly declares that He will no longer hold His peace, be still, or refrain Himself (Isa. 42:13-14)!

“The LORD shall go forth as a Mighty Man, he shall stir up jealousy like a Man of War: he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself: now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.” – Isa. 42:13-14

Many men of God in generations past, being born into an apostate generation, thought upon the days of old (Ps. 143:5, 119:49-56) with intense longing and prayerful agony. Interceding, they would say, “Keep not thou silence, O God: hold not Thy peace, and be not still, O God” (Ps. 83:1), and, “Why withdrawest Thou Thy hand, even Thy right hand? Pluck it out of Thy bosom” (Ps. 74:11), with many other such like appeals. At such times, it was apparent to the intercessors that God’s mind wasn’t toward the current generation as in other former generations. Thus, in remembering “the years of the right hand of the Most High” (Ps. 77:10), also called, “the years of ancient times”  (Ps. 77:5), the intercessors were praying that God would come and have mercy as He used to do (Ps. 119:132). In other words, they were praying that God would change His mind.