January 4: ONE WHO CONTENDS WITH THE ALMIGHTY*

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea saying, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.” Revelation 18:21

A stone like a great millstone is a very effective metaphor to represent the weighty importance of correctly understanding Scripture. The action of grinding wheat, or any grain, requires two millstones, one stationery and one turning. The sound of the millstones is associated with other pleasant sounds of a happy, functioning community (Jeremiah 25:10, Revelation 18:22). This particular sound is symbolic for the handling of God’s word and sharing it with others, the main function of churches, symbolized by women (see Matthew 24:41).

The millstone also symbolizes man’s ability to make a living. If a man incurs debt, he is not to be deprived of his livelihood in posting a pledge: No man shall take the lower or the upper millstone in pledge, for he takes one’s living in pledge (Deuteronomy 24:6).

In Job 41, the LORD provides a thorough description of the sea monster, Leviathan, a parallel for the beast rising up out of the sea (Revelation 13:1). In that description, God points out: Indeed, any hope of overcoming him is false (Job 41:9 – compare to Jeremiah 51:9). He goes on to describe the heart of Leviathan: hard as stone, even as hard as the lower millstone (Job 41:24). The Bible provides many descriptions and parallels to help us understand the identity of Babylon. She is a master of hiding her abominations in plain sight and disguising herself. The little horn of Daniel 7:8 and 8:11 is a “he” (the office of the pope), while the Roman church that he leads is a “she” (Revelation 17).

In John’s vision, the mighty angel hurls a stone like a great millstone into the sea. Then the angel says, “Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down…” In middle-to-modern English, a throw-down and a take-down are interchangeable, referring to a confrontation that results in a winner and a loser. The one who is thrown down or taken down is definitely the loser. With this in mind, let us look again at Matthew 24:41 where Jesus is quoted: “Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and the other left.” In recent decades, Satan has exploited the ignorance of prominent writers and speakers to make this statement of Jesus mean the very opposite of what He is saying. The taken one is taken down and the one who is left is left standing, not “left behind” as in the popular fiction series! Luke 17:35-37 contains the same quote of Jesus and completes it to answer the disciples’ question of taken where, Lord? His answer, “Wherever the body is, there the eagles will be gathered together” is a direct reference to the supper of the birds (Revelation 19:17-18). To be thrown or taken down is confirmed by the next phrase: and shall not be found anymore. This expression echoes the permanent destruction of Babylonian philosophies (Ezekiel 27:36) and of Satan himself (Ezekiel 28:19).

“But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depths of the sea.” Matthew 18:6

*Job 40:2   More parallels: Jeremiah 51:60-64; Revelation 6:17