Today’s Devotional -April 16th (Revelation 18:23: “The Voice of the Bridegroom”)
By admin On January 17th, 2021.
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Today’s Devotional – April 16th
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Revelation 18:23:
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“The Voice of the Bridegroom”
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” Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…
And I heard another voice from Heaven,
saying, Come out of her, My people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that ye receive not of her plagues…
…for in one hour is thy judgment come…
…And the light of a candle
shall shine no more at all in thee;
and the voice of the bridegroom
and of the bride
shall be heard no more at all in thee…”
Revelation 18:10, 23
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ABOVE PICTURE: Holy Bible – cropped image – Wikimedia – Creative Commons Lic.
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Many theologians and Bible teachers wonder what or who is this fallen harlot city, Babylon, spoken of in Revelation 18.
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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IRAQ? DUBAI?
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Well, many mistakenly look to the Middle East for the answer.
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“Maybe Babylon’s the present-day country of Iraq? Or perhaps the new city of Dubai?”
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But what those teachers do not understand, is that Revelation is a spiritual Book concerning the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
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In other words, the entire Bible is the Gospel veiled within allegories, types, shadows and symbols.
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Dubai Marina 2013 – Wikipedia – Creative Commons License
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“LINE UPON LINE, PRECEPT UPON PRECEPT”
Isaiah 28:10
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Nor do modern-day theologians fully understand that the Bible is
its own key to understanding.
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And so, to understand Revelation, one must compare scripture with scripture to properly align together and interpret the various truths which are veiled behind those allegories, types, shadows and symbols.
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Bible and Key – Wikimedia – Share-alike license
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COMPARING SCRIPTURE WITH SCRIPTURE
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And so, to understand Revelation 18, and the harlot city, scripture must be compared with scripture, and spiritual things with spiritual, to solve this puzzle.
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And this harlot city is easily unveiled by comparing Revelation 18:23 with the Old Testament Book of Jeremiah.
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THE BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM
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Listen to Revelation 18:23…
“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee (Babylon);
and the voice of the bridegroom
and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee…”
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Now listen to the Old Testament, from Jeremiah 7:23…
“Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah,
and from the streets of Jerusalem,
the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness,
the voice of the bridegroom,
and the voice of the bride:
for the land shall be desolate.”
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So here are two almost identical prophecies which clearly reveal that this harlot city, Babylon of Revelation 18, is actually the city of Jerusalem!
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Papessa tiara Harlot rides Beast – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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WHO ARE THE BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM?
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Now one could stop right here, closing their Bible and saying, “This New Testament harlot city is obviously speaking of Jerusalem!”
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But let’s not forget that the Bible is a spiritual book concerning the Gospel and revelation of Jesus Christ.
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And so, to properly understand how this bride and bridegroom relates to the Gospel, one must compare scriptures concerning what “…the bridegroom, and…bride” are being spoken of in these verses from Revelation as well as Jeremiah.
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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THE NEW JERUSALEM
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Listen again…“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem,
coming down from God out of heaven,
prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.”
Revelation 21:2
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So here is revealed that the New Jerusalem is spoken of as “a bride adorned for her husband”.
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ABOVE PICTURE: The New Jerusalem – Heavenly Mount Zion Constellation (aka “Cassiopeia”)
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THE HUSBAND IS THE LAMB
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And so, the next obvious question is, “Who is the husband?”
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Listen once more to Revelation…
“And there came unto me one of the seven angels
which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues,
and talked with me, saying, Come hither,
I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
Revelation 21:9
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So here is plainly revealed that the “Lamb of God” is that husband of the New Jerusalem, His bride.
(John 1:29, etc., for “Lamb of God” reference)
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TWO JERUSALEMS!
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But then, why does Revelation 18 and Jeremiah 7 both say,
“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee;
and the voice of the bridegroom
and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee…”?
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Why does this above verse tell us that the voice of the Lamb and His bride, the Church, shall be silenced?
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Well, the answer to this puzzle is revealed in the New Testament Book of Galatians in which Paul reveals that there are two Jerusalems…
“Which things (Sarah and Hagar) are an allegory…
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia,
and answereth to Jerusalem which now is,
and is in bondage with her children.
But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all.”
Galatians 4:24-26
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So here is revealed the two Jerusalems, one which is now and is still in bondage to sin, and one which is from above and is the mother of all true Believers.
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ABOVE PICTURE (RIGHT): The Pleiades: The Captive Angel Constellation
ABOVE PICTURE (LEFT): The Pleiades: Mystery Babylon: Mother of Harlots
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JERUSALEM IN BONDAGE: THE HARLOT CHURCH
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And so, the harlot city is actually speaking of the apostate portion of the Church, and the
Jerusalem above is the Church-faithful, God’s Elect.
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And in the last days, God’s Spirit will be removed from the apostate portion of the Church, which God refers to as spiritual Babylon.
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And this removal of God’s Spirit is spoken of in the following terms…“And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee…” Revelation 18:23
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In other words, when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way from the apostate church-world, no longer are the bride and the bridegroom present.
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And what about the candlesticks going out?
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Listen, “…and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” The light of God’s presence has been removed from out of the churches!
(See 2nd Thessalonians 2:1-4 & Revelation 1:20)
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Whore – Babylon – Burgkmair – 1523 AD – Wikimedia – US Public Domain
Candlesticks of the Holy Place – www.thebiblerevival.com – Public-Domain
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“COME OUT OF HER (MYSTERY BABYLON), MY PEOPLE”
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And so, this absenting of Christ and His bride is revealed in Revelation
18:4, in which God calls His people out of this spiritual harlot city, Babylon…
“And I heard another voice from Heaven,
saying, Come out of her, My people,
that ye be not partakers of her sins,
and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
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Yes, God is now calling His children out of Babylon, the apostate church-world in an end-time exodus.
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And every soul who claims to be a child of God will hear that Voice and respond, by coming out of those apostate congregations.
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James Tissot – The Flight of the Prisoners – Wikipedia – US Public Domain
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HIS BRIDE, THE CHURCH-ELECT
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But they need not fear!
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No, by separating themselves from this desolate city they will still be the spiritual bride of the Bridegroom, Christ!
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And the marriage will still be celebrated, as God’s true worshipers become the eternal bride of Christ.
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And all are now invited to come to Salvation…
“And the Spirit and the bride say, Come.
And let him that heareth say, Come.
And let him that is athirst come.
And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”
Revelation 22:17
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to come out of this Babylon of confusion, and worship Thee 100%…
Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…May 20th (Jeremiah & The Two Jerusalems), or you can also read this article…JULY 23 (Come Out of Her, My People! Part 13: The Evangelical Cult!), or this next article… Fleeing to the Mountains: The Abomination in the Church, Part 1
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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“And there appeared a great wonder (sign) in heaven; a woman…
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And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness”
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Revelation 12:1, 14
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FROM WHERE & TO WHERE DOES SHE FLEE?
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WOMAN ROTATES THROUGH THE SEASONS…
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This page is about the Big Dipper, also called the Great Bear constellation (Ursa Major ). However, the ancient pagan cultures did not see this constellation as God intended it to be seen. It is actually a headless woman in childbirth. This is seen in springtime. It is seen in the northern skies.
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But as the seasons progress, this travailing woman flips upside down, now appearing as a woman with upraised arms like eagle wings who is running (eventually flying, as shown in sketch on right) into the wilderness (westward). The single star representing her birth-child (Christ) now becomes her head (“Christ is the head of the church.” Ephesians 5:23
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The 7 Stars (Big Dipper) is easy to see with its very bright 7 stars. But the Revelation 12 Woman (Ursa Major) must be seen on a dark starry night, away from city lights.
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These are star charts from Wikipedia, with sketches of the Woman added.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read…Woman of Revelation 12 (Flees to the Wilderness)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW…
“April 17th (To Know Thee More!)”
USMC – Prayer before Bible study – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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20+ MINUTE AUDIO STUDY IN JEREMIAH 
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS STUDY #106 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain