Does God have a movement to counter the spirit of Babylon? If, as we have seen, Babylon constitutes the great end-time confederacy of religious powers aligned against the government of God, then who will represent the case of God? The sad fact is, that the great majority of people will be deceived by the power and splendor of the woman that who rides the beast. The woman decked with gold, precious stone and pearls (Revelation 17:4) represents, as we have seen, Rome (see Wine of Babylon). This attire that she wears corresponds to that of the ancient high priest, which means that she usurps the High Priestly role of Christ, placing herself in His position. The doctrines of Rome have permeated through the cultures of the world and the religious systems have willingly accepted her leadership. The High Priestly ministry of Jesus is of vital significance to the world and while Babylon comes to fruition, God also heralds the final warning and invitation to call us back into a covenant relationship with Him.

            Throughout the ages, God has had a people through whom He chose to disseminate His truth. It was God’s plan that all people - every nation, tribe and tongue should become partakers of His grace. In His divine plan of restoration, He chose fallen human beings to become co-workers together with Him to achieve this end. God has always had faithful followers who would stand for truth and justice even in the face of great opposition. Before the flood, Enoch walked with God, and faithful Noah became the father of the post-flood human race, when he and his family were the only remnant to be saved from the destruction of the then-time apostate world.

            After the flood, the patriarch Abraham was given the promise that through his seed all peoples would be blessed. (Genesis 12:2)  The Messianic promise was to be realized through Isaac and Jacob whose name was changed to Israel after he wrestled with God for divine forgiveness and blessing. (Genesis 32:28) “Israel” became the name of the descendants of Jacob  - the chosen people in terms of the covenant between God and Abraham their forefather.  (Genesis 15:18; Psalm 105:9,10)
 

The Israel of God

a) Old Covenant Israel

            There is much confusion today as to who constitutes the Israel of God. Many denominations seek the fulfillment of the promises of God to ancient Israel in modern Israel. They expect the restoration of Israel, and the modern Israel in Palestine is seen to be integral in this process. It must be remembered that “Israel” is not the natural name of Jacob, but was given to him by God in recognition of a spiritual victory when he prevailed with God and secured pardon for his past sins. Jacob wrestled with the Angel and refused to let Him go unless he obtained the surety of the heavenly blessing which would grant him the pardon of his sins. Jacob prevailed and received the blessing, his was heart was renewed and he could face his brother Esau knowing that God was with him. The name change signified a change in character from the “supplanter or deceiver” to “God contends”. An understanding of the relationship between physical Israel and the covenant people of God is vital if we are to discern who God’s light-bearers are in this modern age.

            Following the Exodus from Egypt, God formally entered into a covenant with the nation of Israel. (Exodus 19:1-8) Israel was to be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation  (Exodus 19:6) and they were to spread light to all people on the face of the earth.  (Isaiah 60:1-3)  The covenant promises made to ancient Israel were conditional to obedience.

Now therefore, if ye will  obey My voice indeed and keep My covenant, then ye shall be a special treasure unto Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. Exodus 19:5

The promises were subject to “if”. The physical throne of Israel was always conditional to obedience, and both David and Solomon were informed on this issue.

...that the Lord may continue His word which He spake concerning me, saying, ‘If thy children take heed to their way, to walk before Me in truth with all their heart and with all their soul,’ He said, ‘there shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel.’ 1 Kings 2:4

           This promise was repeated in 1 Kings 9:5-7:

...then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying ‘There shall not fail thee a man on the throne of Israel.’ But if ye shall at all turn from following Me, ye and your children, and will not keep My commandments and My statues which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house which I have hallowed for My name I will cast out of My sight. Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all peoples.  1 Kings 9:5-7

Deuteronomy 28:1-14 contains a list of the most wonderful blessings ever pronounced to any nation or people. Again the promises were conditional to obedience. 

And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. Deuteronomy 28:2

            Israel did, however, not heed this admonition and became more corrupt than the nations around them. (2 Kings 17:6-23) Only the tribes of Judah and Benjamin were spared for a while, and the other tribes were carried away captive by the king of Assyria and disappear from history,  though some believe that they constitute the nations of Britain and their descendants including the USA. Without loyalty to God, the promises could not be fulfilled, and a century and a half later, even Judah was plucked up from the Promised Land and scattered in the Neo-Babylonian Empire.

            Nevertheless, some had remained faithful to God even in the face of this calamity as is shown by the stories of Daniel and his friends who were willing to rather face death than to disobey God. Through the prophet Jeremiah, God had granted a specific time for repentance and reflection, and He had promised that they would return to their land after 70 years of exile  (Jeremiah 31:10-14; Isaiah 43:1-13). They were to rebuild the temple, the time prophecies of Daniel predicted the advent of the Messiah; and they had the opportunity to be witnesses to the nations (Micah 4:1-4; 5:2-6; Zechariah 8:20-23). Again all these promises were conditional to obedience (Zechariah 6:15). Sadly, the nation rejected the Messiah, and forfeited its covenant role and the covenant promises. By Rejecting Jesus, the house of Israel became desolate.

b) New Covenant Israel

            When the Jewish nation rejected the Messiah, the gospel was to go to the Gentiles and all who would believe in the name of Jesus would become the spiritual descendants of Abraham. (Galatians 3:16; Romans 4:16; Romans 9:3,8)

And if ye be Christ’s, then ye are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:29

The apostle Paul speaks of Christians as the “Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16) and the “circumcision” (Phil. 3:3) The kingdom of God and the covenant promises associated with it were to be taken from the Jews and passed on to spiritual Israel - those who would permit Christ to transform them, to change their character as was the case with Jacob of old.

Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you and given to a nation bearing forth the fruits of it. And whoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. Matthew 21:43,44

            Jesus did not choose 12 disciples coincidentally. Just as the twelve patriarchs were the founders of ancient Israel, so these twelve men are the foundation stones of new Israel to which the Lord promised the kingdom (Matt 19:28; Luke 22:30). The subsequent choice of seventy others is modeled after the choice of seventy elders by Moses in ancient Israel (Num 11:16). The real Israel of God is a remnant chosen by grace (Rom 11:5). There is a marvelous continuity between the old and the new Israel of God. In Romans 11:17-24, Paul speaks of the olive tree which represents Israel. The branches (Jews) were broken off because of unbelief and the wild olive shoots (Gentiles) were grafted in to share in the nourishment of the tree. The natural branches could be grafted back into the tree if they accepted the conditions. God is no respecter of nations or individuals. All who turn to Him will be accepted (Acts 10:34,35).

For there is no difference between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all that call upon Him.  Romans 10:12 NIV.

For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26

            The new Israel is the inheritor of God’s covenant promises. Those who have accepted Christ have become the chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God. (Compare 1 Peter 2:9,10 with Exodus 19:5,6)  They were chosen to reveal God’s marvelous light to the world.  (1 Peter 2:9; Matthew 28:19,20; Ephesians 3:10)

            The human race is in desperate need of redemption. God yearns to forgive and cleanse. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:4) Henceforth it was the role of the church to carry the gospel to the world.

Spiritual Declension and Reformation

            It is a sad fact of history that, like Israel of old, spiritual Israel also experienced a moral decline and turned towards the worship of other gods. The principles of heathen sun-worship found their way into the church, and under the guidance of the Roman church were elevated to such a position that they would counterfeit the very gospel of Jesus Christ. (See Wine of Babylon)

            Throughout the period of spiritual decline, there were people who clung tenaciously to the word of God, but these were relentlessly persecuted for their faith. Among these were the Waldenses who, after having withdrawn to the Alps, because of persecution, fully separated from the Roman church. The work of Vigilantius Leo, who vigorously opposed the many false doctrines and practices that had been adopted by the Roman church, served as a light to many believers.

            The Waldenses constituted a remnant that kept the light of God’s word alive in a period of terrible spiritual declension. For their faith, they were ruthlessly massacred by Catholic leaders in a series of campaigns led against them, particularly those by D’Oppede in 1544, the Marquis of Pianesse in 1655, and Gabriel of Savoy in 1686.

            The light of truth which the Waldenses and Albigenses spread laid the foundations for the reformation. In England, John Wycliffe was the herald of reform, and Huss and Jerome, invigorated by his writings, carried the flag of reform in Bohemia. Huss was burned at the stake on July 6, 1415 and Jerome on May 30, 1416, but the reformation forged ahead in spite of persecution. One by one, the great reformers uncovered precious truths that had been hidden under the rubble of false doctrine and superstition. Justification by faith and the once-for-all atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ and His all-sufficient mediatorial priesthood were the cornerstones of the reformers’ faith.

  Many unbiblical teachings, such as veneration of saints and relics, the mass, purgatory, celibacy, the numerous sacraments and faith in tradition rather than the word of God were discarded. The Protestant Reformers were virtually unanimous in identifying the papal system as the “man of sin”, and he was equated with the “little horn” of Daniel chapter 7.

            Martin Luther was one of the most prominent reformers used by God to call the world out of darkness. He obtained much light, but the full work of restoration was not entrusted to him alone. Others followed and each had some aspect of truth that together could have created a highway for the gospel. Instead, the followers of Luther, Calvin, Knox, Wesley, and other great reformers often ventured no further along the path of gospel light than had their leaders. They would crystallize their beliefs into a creed to the extent of shutting out additional light that did not fit into this creed. Instead of forging a way for collective truth, the reformation resulted in a host of denominations, each with aspects of the truth, but excluding total truth. Satan had once again achieved a victory. Caught in the cage of creeds, Protestantism itself degenerated into formalism and theoretical theology, which extinguished the reformatory flame, opening the way to universal apostasy. The present wave of cooperation between the churches is based not on issues of the gospel, but on social issues, thus there is nothing separating the “reformed churches” from Rome. The aim of the reformation, the unveiling of the gospel, had once again been curtailed.

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by Professor Walter J. Veith Phd.