Notes for December 29

December 29

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All comments made on this site are the thoughts of the authors who are all Christadelphians but could sometimes make points which may not be agreed by all. Please reply to authors directly using the link at the end of the comment.

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Reading 1 - Job 39

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The point of this chapter, for the large part, seems to be to show us that God has provided only humankind with the brainpower to obtain the sort of wisdom of which he speaks. We do well to realise this responsibility we have.
Peter Cresswell [Derby Bass Street (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

Yahweh continues to question Job about his ignorance of His ways.
Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

We need to recognise also that all power is of God. We do not have the power to do any of the things mentioned in this chapter. This is a humbling thought, which should bring us to be more dependant on God.
Peter Cresswell [Derby Bass Street (UK)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Peter

One might have thought that just one or two questions would have been all that was necessary to bring Job to his senses. However God continues to establish mans ignorance in the matters of how God does things.
Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Peter

ch 38 and 39 - HOW GREAT THOU ART
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands have made
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed

When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze

Then sings my soul, my Saviour, God, to thee
How great thou art, how great thou art
Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to thee
How great thou art, how great thou art.

If we ever begin to downsize God and think that he is not much more than us, we need to re-read these chapters. The power and glory of God leaps off the pages displaying his awesome majesty and creative works. What hope does any man have of answering his questions? All we can do is bow in humility and worship, giving honour and praise to our creator.
O Lord my God, how great thou art!

Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Robert

The little details of the way that creation 'works' - for example the way that the ostrich hatches her young (39:14-16) shod cause us to appreciate that creation was of God and that the way things are reflect His pleasure. Against the evolutionary ideas that permeate society we would do well to marvel at the detailed way that creations works.
Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2003 reply to Peter

Job 39:26. Job has been shown how little he understands, and how he lacks the power to do anything regarding the wonders of nature. He is now asked a series of questions about the hawk and the eagle, as to what is Job’s involvement in their life.
          Did Job teach the hawk to fly, or to migrate south?
          Did Job command the eagle to fly?
          Did Job make “her eyes behold afar off” the prey?
          Did Job provide her the ability to pass instinct to her young?
This was all provided for by the creator.

John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)]     Comment added in 2003      reply to John

It's an interesting view God gives Job of His Own creative power. The Lord "deprives the ostrich of wisdom" (Job 39:13-18). I think we can assume, therefore, that God decided that this funny bird should be so daft as to leave its eggs in the sand, not thinking that they might be crushed! Are we permitted to think that the Lord had a smile on His face?
David Simpson [Birmingham Kings Norton (UK)] Comment added in 2004 reply to David

V.1 Even wild beasts, cut off from all care of man, are cared for by God at their season of greatest need. Their instinct comes direct from God and guides them to help themselves during the time of the birth of their young; the very time when the herdsman is most anxious for his herd.
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2005 reply to John

chapter 39 - Here we have clean and unclean animals. Sometimes the clean die so the unclean can live. We have gentle and violent animals and perhaps they are symbolic of man. Christ (who was clean) died so the unclean might live. Perhaps we have the suggestion that Job was suffering, at least in part, for someone else's benefit.

Charles Link, Jr. [Moorestown, (NJ, USA)] Comment added in 2005 reply to Charles

We know Yahweh exists because we see the things He made (Rom 1:20). He is an awesome God whose ways are above man's ways. As the prophet Isaiah says of the LORD: For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts (Is 55:8,9). Although we cannot fully understand or appreciate Him, we can love, trust, and respect Him.

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2005 reply to Michael

39:2 Doubtless Job and his friends knew about gestation periods. This is not what God is asking Job. It is rather like the questions the preacher was moved to ask Ecc 11:5.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2006 reply to Peter

39:26 Herein is a direct challenge, one of many, to Job’s understanding of the way that God works. However we must not presume that because God challenges Job that Elihu, or any other of his friends, did understand or have anything valuable to say to Job.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2007 reply to Peter

1:2-3 Rather than struggling to understand how God could ‘hate’ Esau we would do well to reflect on why. God’s feelings were based on the spiritual state of the two boys. Gen 25:27 shows that whilst Esau was a man who thought he could fend for himself Jacob was a ‘stranger and sojourner’.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2008 reply to Peter

39:1-2The idea developed here that man cannot know the way that animals grow in the womb s echoed by Solomon – Ecc 11:5

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2008 reply to Peter

39:19-24 God not only asks Job whether he can do certain things but now talks about the way in which a horse actually thinks. Something that only God could do.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2009 reply to Peter

39:10-16 The way in which God questions Job is markedly different from the way in which Elihu has already spoken similarly.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2010 reply to Peter

Reading 2 - Malachi 1

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v.13 - I find this verse quite frightening, as I personally find it so easy to consider the work of the Lord to be a weariness. You do things out of duty instead of love, and you argue to yourself that that is better than not doing them at all. Is it? This passage suggests maybe not. Mark 14:37-38
Peter Cresswell [Derby Bass Street (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

1:2 I loved Jacob and I hated Esau Romans 9:13
1.11 From the rising of the sun ... of the same Psalm 50:1

Similarities with the time of Ezra / Nehemiah
1:8 governor 6346 Haggai 1:1, Ezra 8:36, Nehemiah 2:7, Esther 3:12

The message was directed against the priest. 1:6 2:1 because they were ignorant of the ways in which they were short changing their God. This can be seen in the way that they seems surprised at the message of the prophet in the following passages where their response is 'where are we failing?' Malachi 1:2,6,7 2:14,17 3:7,8

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

v.14 - Further to my comment above, here we see where the true worshipper stands - in giving that which he cherishes the most, and not keeping it for himself.
Peter Cresswell [Derby Bass Street (UK)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Peter

The priests who received the message from Malachi were so blind that they did not see that their lifestyle was so abhorrent to God. Notice the repeated 'wherein?' 1:2, 6, 7, 2:17, 3:8, 3:13. Such complacency is amazing - can we be so complacent
Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Peter

SECOND GRADE OFFERINGS
Throughout the time the Bible was written, the people of Israel brought sacrifices and offerings to the LORD at the tabernacle or temple. God required the offerings to be perfect animals or the very best the person had to offer. Today we are not required to present sacrifices and offerings to the LORD, but when we do give, the principle of giving the best that we can give, still remains.
We give offerings to God of our time, our attendance at meetings, our devotion, our intellect and our love. But just like the sacrifices that Israel brought, it is easy for us to bring second grade offerings. Maybe we give God our "leftover" time - times when there is nothing better to do, instead of devoting an offering of time to him. It is easy to feel that going to attend meetings of believers is a burden and to go with a bad attitude to match. When we give him our attendance at Church it must be wholeheartedly or we will be guilty of giving second grade offerings. If we are devoted, it must be complete - not just sometimes, if we study the word or expound it, use all our powers; and to love, love with all our hearts.
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Robert

We maybe should wonder why God 'loved Jacob and hated Esau'. We learn Genesis 25:27 'And the boys grew: and Esau was a cunning hunter, a man of the field; and Jacob was a plain man, dwelling in tents.' We may think this some general comment on the two boys however it goes a lot further than this. Esau was a man of this world seeking to sustain himself. Jacob, on the other hand was a sojourner - 'living in tents'. The word 'plain' is elsewhere translated 'perfect' (Genesis 17:1). This description of the two boys contrasts their attitude to the things of God and provides the reason for the comment in Malachi.
Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2003 reply to Peter

Mal 1:1. The name MALACHI means my messenger. He is the first of five messengers mentioned in this short prophesy.
         Malachi                  1:1
         The priests              2:5
         John                        3:1
         Christ                      3:1
         Elijah                      4:5

John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)]     Comment added in 2003      reply to John

Malachi, whose name means my messenger, prophesied about 450-400 BC. After him, there was prophetical darkness for about 400 years until the dawn of the Lord Jesus (Isa 9:2; Amos 5:18). Malachi spoke a century after the Jews had returned from Babylon. Temple worship in Jerusalem had been practiced. However, the keenness of the Jews' worship had given place to a matter-of-fact, begrudging adherence. Moreover, they had decided that it was pointless to bring their best cattle to be sacrificed. After all, they were only going to be destroyed, so why not save the best cattle for us, they thought. The LORD was displeased (1:8,13). After what He had done for His people, the LORD should be honored with the best: Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase (Prov 3:9). We too should bring our best to the LORD. This all begins with the right attitude: And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men (Col 3;23).

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2003 reply to Michael

1:5,11,13 We know that God intended to offer salvation to the gentiles. Malachi, on these three occasions, speaks of God's name being known outside Israel. So here we have an indication of the extension of the gospel message to the gentiles.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2004 reply to Peter

V.3 God's love to Esau is manifest in the blessing he received Gen 27:39-40, and the powerful nation he became. But, in comparison to the Messianic blessings that were to flow through Jacob and his posterity, they were by comparison as "hate"
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2004 reply to John

SACRIFICE OF PRAISE

Peter tells us that we "are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices to God through Jesus Christ." (1Pet 2:5) A little further on Peter enlarges on this, saying that, "you are a chosen people, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." (1Pet 2:9) Comparing these two verses, it would seem that the spiritual sacrifices he speaks of, equates to the declaring of praises.

In Malachi's days, sacrifices on the altar were still being offered. But God took offense at the offerings the people presented to him because they were not the best they could give. In fact, more often than not, the people gave the worst of their flocks and herds to the LORD. God is not interested in the sheep that are offered on the altar, but what he is interested in is the heart and the attitude of those who worship him. Half-hearted giving is not good enough.

We no longer sacrifice sheep and cattle but we can and should offer the sacrifice of praise. Would God have the same complaint against us? Do we give him the best of the fruit of our lips? Do we sing praises with as much energy as when we sing along to the radio? Would he be pleased with our praise?
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)] Comment added in 2005 reply to Robert

V.8 Though our attitudes of mind are largely hidden from us, the actions to which they lead are out in the open for all to see. Every sacrificial animal was to be without blemish (Exo 12:5), and the law expressly forbad the offering of blind, lame or sick animals (Lev 22:18-25, Deut 15:21). A little thought should have established that blemished goods could not be presented to a humah governor, much less to God, Malachi prefers this argument from human life to giving a rationale of sacrifice.
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2005 reply to John

Attitude is all important. As we have seen with the people in Malachi’s day that, even if the deed is right but the attitude wrong, then the effort is not acceptable to the Lord.

There will be those who claim to have done the works of Christ who will be rejected at the judgement (Matt 7:21-23).

Works performed out of love, and not grudgingly out of a sense of duty, are the only ones acceptable (1Cor 13).

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2005 reply to Michael

We don’t quite know when Malachi prophesied, but it was probably to the returned Jews, and chronologically comes in the right place after Haggai and Zechariah. It’s sad to realise that so soon after their return to their land they were despising God, and only offering to Him the seconds. Would the governor accept such rubbish? God asked. The Jews had to learn, and so must we, that only the very best of what we have is good enough for the Lord God.
David Simpson [Birmingham Kings Norton (UK)] Comment added in 2005 reply to David

1:7 In saying ‘wherein have we polluted thee?’ the priests demonstrated that they had a careless attitude to their service of God. This stands as a lesson for us. How often to we carefully consider what we are doing in the name of God?

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2006 reply to Peter

RIPPED OFF

Have you ever felt ripped off? Maybe you bought a product that had some great promises or qualities only to get it home to discover that it was not all it was supposed to be.

Some years ago we bought a second hand car. In the car yard it looked like great value. It was bright and shiny, the motor purred, the interior was clean and tidy, and the mag wheels looked great. But within a few months of having it we realised that it was not all it was cracked up to be. The body had been bogged and touched up, it appeared to have been in an accident, and the engine had to have almost every vital part replaced in the following couple of years. Not only that, but the big tyres were very expensive to run and replace. We felt really ripped off buying that car. In the end we almost gave it away in our desperation to be rid of it.

Sometimes God feels ripped off too. Several times throughout the book of Malachi, God tells Israel just how ripped off he feels. The people did not show respect for God, they offered sacrifices that were not the very best they could bring, and they insisted that serving God was a burden.

We can look back at them and ask how they could do that to God. But it is very easy for us to do the same. Do we rip him off when we read his word without thinking about what he says? What about when we fail to pray? Or when we don't bother to go to church because other things are more important. Let's examine ourselves to see if there is any area of our lives in which God is ripped off by us, then make the effort to change.
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)] Comment added in 2006 reply to Robert

As we read through this short prophecy, we can not help but to be aware of the turning away of the people from God. Again and again Malachi charges them with turning away in their hearts, while outwardly professing to serve Him, and each time, they dared to contradict God's testimony, and asked proof of what Malachi had to say.(Mal 1:2,6,7; Mal 2:14,17; Mal 3:7,8,13) They had shown an outward return to God, but their hearts were far from Him. A warning that each one of us can not afford to ignore.
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2006 reply to John

1:11 ‘from … of the same’ quotes Psalm 50:1 to speak of the glorious spread of the gospel throughout all the world.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2007 reply to Peter

KEEP THE FIRE BURNING

When God gave Israel instructions about the tabernacle and the altar, he said, "The fire on the altar must be kept burning; it must not go out." That instruction was repeated in the next breath, "The fire must be kept burning on the altar continuously; it must not go out." (Lev 6:12-13)

God was so upset with the priests in the days of Malachi that he said, "'Oh, that one of you would shut the temple doors, so that you would not light useless fires on my altar! I am not pleased with you,' says the LORD Almighty, 'and I will accept no offering from your hands.'" (Mal 1:10) Not only was God upset that Israel were offering reject offerings to him on his altar, but it appears that they let the fire go out. Each time they wanted a fire they had to light another one.

The altar of burnt offering and the fire on it stood for devotion. Israel were letting their devotion go out and attempting to rekindle it as it suited them. But God described their fires as useless.

Let us make sure the fire of our devotion that has been lit in our heart by God never goes out. We must feed it and keep it burning all the time. Allowing it to go out and having to rekindle it time after time is nothing like the commitment or devotion God wants from us. Keep the fire burning!
Robert Prins [Auckland - Pakuranga - (NZ)] Comment added in 2007 reply to Robert

1:11 "My name is great among nations" A total of four times Malachi in this chapter describes God as great ( twice in this verse and also in verses 5 and 14). what we would suggest here is that the prophet is telling the priests that the time would come when all nations would come to know the God of Israel as He was revealed to Israel, through His servants of old, and as we read in the Acts of the Apostles in particular, how the Way would be opened to the Gentiles through Christ.
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2007 reply to John

1:2 ‘I have loved you’ quotes Isaiah 43:4 – the returning exiles should have known what God had said – after all Malachi was speaking to the priests who should have known the Scriptures.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2009 reply to Peter

1:11 ‘My name shall be glorious among the gentiles’ is looking to the time of the kingdom. Those who had returned from Babylon in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah may well have thought that they were entering the time of Messiah. They were not. And we should realise that because of they rebellion we have a hope of eternal life – Rom 11:11

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2010 reply to Peter

Reading 3 - Revelation 17 and 18

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18:9 - What a sadly apt description of the behaviour of the 'Kings of the Earth' throughout the ages, but now it is a description that belongs to so many.
Peter Cresswell [Derby Bass Street (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

17:1 Why do you think that the angel saw the need to show John the judgment of the 'great whore'?

Actually this is simply a continuation of the way that God does nothing without telling his servants. He views His servants as His friends and as such tells them things they do not need to know 1 Kings 21:29. Also he tells His servants about the future Amos 3:7.

ch.18 - This extensive list of quotations from the Old Testament

18:2 Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen Isaiah 21:9
18:2 and is become the habitation of Jeremiah 51:37
18:3 nations have drunk of the wine Jeremiah 51:7
18:3 the kings of the earth have committed fornication Isaiah 23:17
18:4 come out of her, my people Jeremiah 51:45
18:5 for her ... have reached ... heaven Jeremiah 51:9
18:6 reward her even as she has reward you Jeremiah 50:29
18:8 shall her ... come in one day Isaiah 47:9
18:9 shall bewail her, and lament for her Ezekiel 27:31
18:10 that mighty city Ezekiel 26:17
18:11 and the merchants Ezekiel 27:36
18:12 the merchandise Ezekiel 27:24
18:12 silver Ezekiel 27:12
18:12 precious stones Ezekiel 27:22
18:12 fine linen, and purple Ezekiel 27:16
18:12 thyine wood Ezekiel 27:17
18:12 all manner Ezekiel 27:18
18:12 ivory Ezekiel 27:15
18:12 vessels ... and of brass Ezekiel 27:13
18:12 and iron Ezekiel 27:12
18:13 and wine Ezekiel 27:18
18:13 oil ... and wheat Ezekiel 27:17
18:13 and sheep Ezekiel 27:21
18:13 horses Ezekiel 27:14
18:13 and souls of men Ezekiel 27:13
18:15 The merchants Ezekiel 27:36
18:15 made rich by ... fear Ezekiel 27:33
18:16 linen, and purple ... scarlet ... gold Ezekiel 27:29
18:16 precious stones Ezekiel 28:13
18:17 And every shipmaster ... all the company in Ezekiel 27:29
18:17 trade Ezekiel 27:27
18:17 sea, stood Ezekiel 27:29
18:18 What city is like unto ....? Ezekiel 27:32
18:19 And they cast dust on their heads Ezekiel 27:30
18:21 and cast ... saying,, Thus ... Babylon Jeremiah 51:63-64
18:22 the voice ... and musicians ... shall be heard Ezekiel 26:13 Jeremiah 25:10
18:23 and the voice of the bridegroom, and the bride Jeremiah 25:10
18:23 shall be heard no more Ezekiel 26:13
18:23 for thy merchants were the great men of the earth Isaiah 23:8
18:24 all that were slain upon the earth Jeremiah 51:49

Shows how that the Babylon of this chapter draws on language which speaks of both Babylon and Tyre

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2001 reply to Peter

17:5	mother of harlots	2KINGS 9:22
17:4	purple ... scarlet ... gold	EXO 28:6

The linking of Jezebel (2 Kings 9:22) with the high priest's garments (Exodus 28:6) shows how false religion in the form of the Papacy mimics the true. This is why false religions is presented as a harlot.

18:23

thy sorceries

2KINGS 9:22

Another reference which draws upon Jezebel. A review of her influence upon her husband Ahab shows that she - as a whore - was able to turn a weak man away from serving his God.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2002 reply to Peter

17:16

burn her with fire

LEV 21:9

This is how harlots were to be dealt with in Israel. So the judgement is quite in keeping with God's way. Interestingly the orthodox church burnt 'heretics' - men and women who opposed the false teaching of the church.

18:5 That God remembered the iniquities is reminiscent of how the sins of Sodom came up to Him and so He then intervened. (Genesis 18:12)

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2003 reply to Peter

17:10 In saying "five are fallen" we are reminded of Joshua's victory (Josh 10:6)over the five kings found in the cave at Makkedah.

18:3 We might think that it is only the servants of God who can be held responsible for their sins. However the fact that God is judging nations for their fornication shows that all men are guilty before God.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2004 reply to Peter

18:8 "Lord God" of this statement is Yahweh Elohim of the Old Testament. The name of God which is prophetic of His purpose to manifest Himself in the multitude of the Redeemed. That multitude will execute the judgements written as predicted Zech 14:5
John Wilson [Toronto West (Can)] Comment added in 2004 reply to John

The whore (17:1); the woman sitting on the beast, bedecked in purple and scarlet and jewels (17:3,4) is a description of the papacy (ecclesiastical power) in all its pomp. The beast upon which she rides is descriptive of the political power of the Roman Catholic Church (could be descriptive of a catholic Europe at the time of the end). Babylon is descriptive of Rome because Rome has followed the original idolatrous practices that Nimrod and Semiramis his wife set up in Babylon after the flood. The woman (papal ecclesiastical power), operating from Babylon (Rome), has been responsible for the deaths of countless true followers of Christ over the centuries (17:6; 18:24). As Babylon was destroyed, so shall Rome and its practices be destroyed when Jesus returns (18:21).

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2005 reply to Michael

17:3 Remember a women was pursued into the wilderness by a red dragon – 12:4-6

18:5 In saying that Babylon’s sins had reached unto heaven we have an interesting contrast with the original Babel. They anted to build a tower to reach unto heaven – Gen 11:4 – the original Babel which was a pattern for all of man’s works that were to follow was seeking to emulate God. However by his own endeavors it is only his sins that reach to heaven, not his aspirations. It is only in Christ that ‘heavenly places’ are available to men. Ephesians 2:6.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2006 reply to Peter

18:1-2 The association of the earth being lightened by ‘his glory’ and the fall of Babylon shows how inextricably linked is the end of the kingdom of men and the establishment of the kingdom of God. The two cannot exist side by side. Likewise the thoughts of the kingdom of men cannot exist alongside the thoughts of the kingdom of God in our minds.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2007 reply to Peter

18:8 ‘in one day’ quotes Isa 47:9 where Isaiah also speaks of the destruction of Babylon. Jesus, In Revelation is reminding his readers that just as his father destroyed Babylon of old this ‘Babylon’ would be overthrown equally quickly.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2008 reply to Peter

17:7 The seven heads are explained as the seven mountains upon which Rome sits (17:9). The ten horns relate to the ten toes of Daniel's image (Dan 2:41,42). Iron, originally, represented Imperial Rome; and clay represents humanity. Imperial Rome passed into Ecclesiastical Rome. It is Ecclesiastical Rome which is, then, represented by the iron that is mingled with the nations (humanity). Ten is a number of completeness. Here it represents a complete political block of nations. That block is Europe. Europe is, also, represented by the beast on which the woman (Church of Rome) is riding (17:3). Thus, in the end times, Catholic Europe will rise to confront the Lord Jesus as He claims His throne in Jerusalem. Evangelicals, and other Protestant groups, who will claim Jesus is the antichrist, will join with Catholic Europe in making war on the Lord. Their efforts will be in vain, as the Lord Jesus and His immortalized saints will crush them (17:14).

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2008 reply to Michael

18:4 Babylon (The Roman Church and its worldwide influence) is doomed to destruction. The Lord appeals to His people not to have anything to do with her, so as not to be included in her disaster. In this politically correct world, one is urged to merge all differences in a humanistic dance. This is fatal to one's spiritual development, and, eventually, to one's eternal life. We should, first, be knowledgeable about the enemies of Christ; and second, unafraid to defend the interests of our Lord. He is the one who can grant us immortality, not the present politically correct world.

Michael Parry [Montreal (Can)] Comment added in 2008 reply to Michael

17:6 In speaking of the harlot being ‘drunken’ we are reminded that the forces of evil delight in persecuting the servants of God and do so to such excesses, at times, that they become so intoxicated with their hatred that they cannot stop. Thus it is with the harlot system.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2009 reply to Peter

17:8 Perdition <684> is elsewhere translated ‘destruction’ – Matt 7:13. The context n Matthew highlights that we have a choice. Either we enter the narrow way or travel the road of the beast.

Peter Forbes [Glenfield (UK)] Comment added in 2010 reply to Peter