December 21: NOT SO AMONG YOU
For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. Revelation 18:3
Who has been affected by the corrupted doctrines, symbolized as wine of the wrath of [Babylon’s] fornication? The answer is all the nations (see Psalm 2:1). Then today’s verse goes on to single out the leaders of the nations: the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her (Psalm 2:2-3). This is an explicit reference to political interaction between national leaders and the Babylonian church, pointing to her seductive activities, deceiving leaders to push for her policy within each of their own countries.
“Civil society must acknowledge God . . . and must obey and reverence His power and authority.” Pope Leo XIII
Such “authority” emanates from the Catholic Church alone, according to the popes. More recently Pope John Paul II reminded the world that the Roman church oversees the common ownership of all property, stating that the church has “never upheld the right [to private property]. A position that defends the exclusive right to private ownership…is unacceptable.” Laborem exercens encyclical
This is an affront to the 8th Commandment, you shall not steal, which is the Roman church’s 7th, due to their removal of the 2nd. This commandment is applied for the benefit of the upper hierarchy in the church, for to retain one’s personal property is stealing from the church.
The advancement of liberal social policies is a major component of one-world politics. But now we find a new aspect of end-time Babylon’s influence that involves the merchants of the earth. This reveals Babylon’s underlying motivation for economic security above all else (see Luke 16:14; 1 Timothy 6:10; 2 Timothy 3:2). It also reveals her insecurity regarding money as she pursues multiplicities of avenues for bringing in cash. Thus, the fallen church presents herself and her accomplices to the world as benefactors. The deeper reality behind this is the fact of Satan’s exploitation of human weakness in regard to wealth and riches, for his ultimate goal is the eradication of individuals whose loyalty to God remains steadfast (see Revelation 12:17; 14:12). When the mark of the beast crisis takes center-stage, those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus will be in violation of the Roman church’s 3rd commandment regarding Sunday-keeping. This is a whittled down - to only eight words - version of God’s 4th Commandment of ninety-eight words (see Exodus 20:8-11).
And [Jesus] said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called ‘benefactors.’ But not so among you.” Luke 22:25-26a