In the Book of Revelation there are two remarkable women.
The one, the heavenly woman, so pure and true that only heaven is worthy of her, and even there only the very galaxy of the heavens worthy to be her adorning. She is clothed with the sun; the moon is under her feet; and she is crowned with the stars. Rev. 12:1.
Through pain and the travail she brings into the world the Son of God, the Saviour of men. Her child is caught up unto God, and to His throne. Vs. 2, 5.
Through deadly peril and persistent persecution unto the end of the world this heavenly woman holds in the world the true and pure worship of God in the preaching of the Gospel of Salvation and the keeping of the Commandments of God and the Faith of Jesus. Rev. 12:11-17.
And by this she incurs the perpetual enmity of "that old serpent called the Devil and Satan," who uses against her in succession all the power of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet or image of the beast.
The other, the earthly woman, is so vicious and degraded that her worthy place is to sit only on "a scarlet colored beast full of names of blasphemy": she herself an ugly drunken harlot, "arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, and having in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication." Rev. 17:3, 4.
She invites all the nations to her drunken, lascivious banquet; and the kings and inhabitants of the earth are made drunk with the wine of her fornication; and she herself is drunken with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And on her forehead is a name written:
"Mystery.
"Babylon the Great.
"The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth." Rev. 17:2, 5, 6.
This woman is so admired by "that old serpent called the Devil and Satan" that he welcomes her into his palace, seats her on his own throne, and gives her his own power and great authority. Rev. 13:2, 4.
The heavenly woman has just one Son.
The earthly woman has just one son.
The heavenly woman has just the one Son, the Son of God.
The earthly woman has just the one son, the son of Perdition.
The heavenly woman has the one Son, the Son of God and Saviour of men and the world.
The earthly woman has the one son, the son of Perdition and destroyer of men and the world.
The heavenly woman has just the one Son, and no daughter at all.
The earthly woman has just the one son, but many, many daughters.
The heavenly woman has the one Son, and no daughter at all: yet she has a great multitude of children: but they are all born of God, and are hers only by adoption.
The earthly woman has the one son, and many, many, daughters; and these are all her very own by natural birth.
The heavenly woman has the one Son, and no daughter at all; yet a great multitude of children, all born of God, and hers by adoption; and all of these are partakers of the divine nature, and have God's character and Christ's disposition.
The earthly woman has the one son, and many, many, daughters, all her very own by natural birth; and all of these are partakers of their mother's nature, and of her harlot character and Jezebel disposition.
The heavenly woman has just the one Son, the Son of God and Saviour of men and the world; no daughter at all, yet a great multitude of children, all born of God and hers by adoption; are all partakers of the divine nature, and of God's character and Christ's disposition; and these "are not defiled with women." Rev. 14:4.
The earthly woman has just the one son, the son of Perdition and the destroyer of men and the world; has many, many, daughters, all her very own by natural birth; all partakers of their mother's nature, and of her harlot character and Jezebel disposition; and all of her children are defiled with these women.
In which company are you?
In this time of the finishing of all mysteries, this awful woman "Mystery, Babylon the Great," rises again to place and "power over men" and nations. Rev. 17:12, 13, 17.
To her all prospects then seem so pleasing that she proudly congratulates herself, "I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow." "I shall be a lady forever." Rev. 18:7; Isa. 47:7, 8.
Again her alluring banquet is spread. The kings of the earth are invited to the feast, and live deliciously with her. But in the midst of the revellings, even while the golden cup is in her hand, her peace is disturbed. Isa. 47:11; Rev. 18:9.
"Suddenly," "in one hour," her judgment falls. Desolation overtakes her. "With violence" she is "thrown down, and shall be found no more at all." Rev. 17:8, 16:18:10, 17, 19, 21.
Before this comes, as in the broad and busy street of ancient Babylon, in the busy streets of this final Babylon the word of God will be read proclaiming her doom and warning all to "Flee out of the midst of Babylon" and "Let Jerusalem come into your mind." Jer. 50:1; 51:58, 61-64; Rev. 18:1-23.
"And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Come Out of Her My People."
And "ye are come unto
"Mount Zion, and unto
"The City of the Living God,
"The heavenly Jerusalem, and to
"An innumerable company of angels, to
"The General Assembly and Church of the First-born, which are written in heaven, and to
"God the Judge of all, and to
"The spirits of just men made perfect, and to
"Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to
"The Blood of Sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel."
"Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God; for He hath given you the former rain moderately, and He will cause to come down for you the rain--the former rain and the latter rain." Joel 2:23.
"When I have bent Judah for me, and filled the bow with Ephraim, and raised up thy sons, O Zion, AGAINST they sons, O Greece, and made thee as the sword of a mighty man. [Zech. 9:13] [Pp. 190, 253.]
"And the Lord shall be seen over them, and His arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.
"The Lord of Hosts shall defend them; and they shall devour and subdue with sling stones; and they shall drink, and make a noise as through wine, and they shall be filled like bowls, and as the corners of the altar. Eph. 5:18; Acts 2:13, 16, 17.
"And the Lord their God shall save them in that day as the flock of His people; for they shall be as the stones of a crown, lifted up as an ensign upon the land." Zech. 9:13- 16.