MYSTERY BABYLON: How the Two Orders Are Revealed from Genesis to Revelation
By Carl Timothy Wray
For centuries, Mystery Babylon the Great has been one of the most misunderstood symbols in the Book of Revelation. Many have searched for a single city, a political empire, or a religious institution while overlooking the larger testimony of Scripture.
In MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT: The Full Counsel of God Revealed, Carl Timothy Wray examines this prophetic symbol through the entire biblical narrative. Beginning with God’s eternal purpose before the foundation of the world, he follows the recurring witness of the two representative men, the two orders, and the many biblical symbols that reveal the old creation in contrast to God’s purpose fulfilled in Christ.
Rather than treating Revelation 17 and 18 as isolated prophecy, this study traces the progressive unveiling of Mystery Babylon from Genesis to Revelation, inviting readers to compare Scripture with Scripture and discover the unity of God’s eternal purpose revealed throughout the whole counsel of God.
MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT: The Full Counsel of God Revealed is a Genesis-to-Revelation study of Mystery Babylon through the whole counsel of God. Discover how the two representative men, the two orders, the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, Babylon, the beast, and other biblical witnesses form one unified testimony that reaches its climax in Revelation 17 and 18. This book explores Mystery Babylon by comparing Scripture with Scripture and revealing God’s eternal purpose through the complete biblical narrative.
Introduction
The Book of Revelation is not an isolated prophecy. It is the unveiling of truths that have been progressively revealed throughout the entire Bible.
One of its greatest symbols is Mystery Babylon the Great. Throughout history, countless interpretations have attempted to identify Babylon as a particular city, nation, religion, or political system. While those discussions have continued for generations, this book begins with a different question.
What if Revelation is unveiling an order that has been developing throughout the whole biblical story?
The Scriptures reveal remarkable patterns. Long before John saw Mystery Babylon in Revelation 17, the Bible had already introduced the first man, Babel, Egypt, Babylon, the kingdoms of men, the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, the old man, the carnal mind, and many other witnesses that reveal the same recurring order from different perspectives.
Likewise, the Scriptures reveal a second order centered in Jesus Christ—the second man, the last Adam, the new creation, the Kingdom of God, the Bride, the New Jerusalem, and God’s eternal purpose to bring all things together in Christ.
This book is built upon one guiding conviction: every revelation must be reconciled with the whole counsel of God. No symbol should be interpreted in isolation from the complete testimony of Scripture.
For that reason, Revelation 17 and 18 are not the beginning of this study—they are its great unveiling. By the time we arrive at John’s vision, we will have traced the recurring witnesses that prepare us to recognize Mystery Babylon within the larger framework of God’s eternal purpose.
The goal of this study is not merely to identify prophetic symbols, but to compare Scripture with Scripture, discern recurring biblical patterns, and behold the unity of God’s redemptive plan from Genesis to Revelation.
Table of Contents
Part One — The Foundation
Chapter 1 — Before the Foundation of the World
The Eternal Purpose of God
Chapter 2 — The Two Representative Men
The First Man and the Second Man
Chapter 3 — The Two Orders
The Foundation for Understanding Mystery Babylon
Part Two — The Witnesses of the Old Order
Chapter 4 — Adam
The Beginning of the Old Order
Chapter 5 — Babel and Babylon
The Growth of the Old Order
Chapter 6 — Egypt, Pharaoh, and the Kingdoms of Men
The Administration of the Old Order
Chapter 7 — The Great Image
Daniel’s Vision of Corporate Man
Chapter 8 — The Mystery of Iniquity
The Man of Sin and the Son of Perdition
Chapter 9 — The Carnal Mind
The Old Man Revealed
Part Three — The Great Unveiling
Chapter 10 — Mystery Babylon the Great
The Woman, the Beast, and the Many Waters
Chapter 11 — The Fall of Babylon
The Judgment of the Great City
Part Four — God’s Eternal Purpose Fulfilled
Chapter 12 — The Second Man
Christ and the New Creation
Chapter 13 — The New Jerusalem
The Bride of Christ
Chapter 14 — God All in All
The Consummation of God’s Eternal Purpose
CHAPTER ONE
BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD
The Eternal Purpose of God
“According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
— Ephesians 3:11
Throughout the Scriptures, God never begins with man’s failure.
He always begins with His own eternal purpose.
Before there was creation, there was purpose.
Before there was Adam, there was Christ.
Before there was sin, there was redemption.
Before there was Babylon, there was the Kingdom of God.
The Bible is not the record of God reacting to history.
It is the revelation of God unfolding what He purposed before the foundation of the world.
Every covenant.
Every promise.
Every prophecy.
Every priesthood.
Every kingdom.
Every judgment.
Every manifestation.
Every revelation.
All move toward one eternal purpose established in God Himself before time began.
If we fail to begin with God’s purpose, we will eventually misunderstand God’s works.
If we begin with man’s fall, Babylon becomes the center of the story.
If we begin with God’s purpose, Christ remains the center of the story.
For this reason, the study of Mystery Babylon cannot begin in Revelation 17.
It must begin before the foundation of the world.
Only then can every symbol be understood within the framework of God’s eternal purpose.
GOD PURPOSED ALL THINGS IN HIMSELF
Ephesians 1:9–11
“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:
In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.”
Teaching
The Scriptures reveal a God who works according to purpose.
Nothing in history catches Him by surprise.
Nothing forces Him to devise another plan.
His purpose was established in Himself before the ages began.
Paul declares that God is working all things after the counsel of His own will.
Not some things.
All things.
The rise of kingdoms.
The giving of the Law.
The coming of Christ.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
The revelation of the Kingdom.
Even the prophetic symbols recorded in the Book of Revelation find their place within God’s eternal purpose.
The goal has always been the same:
To gather all things together in Christ.
This is the foundation upon which every chapter of this book rests.
GOD CALLED US ACCORDING TO HIS PURPOSE
2 Timothy 1:9
“Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.”
Teaching
God’s calling did not begin when we believed.
It began in His purpose.
Grace did not begin at Calvary.
Grace was given in Christ before the world began.
Our salvation is not the invention of a later moment in history.
It is the unfolding of what God had already purposed.
The believer who understands this foundation no longer sees redemption as an emergency response to sin.
He begins to see redemption as part of the eternal purpose of God.
Throughout Scripture, purpose always precedes manifestation.
God purposes.
Then God reveals.
Then God fulfills.
GOD’S PROMISE PRECEDED HISTORY
Titus 1:2
“In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”
Teaching
God’s promises are anchored in His own character.
He cannot lie.
Because His promises originated before time, they are not governed by the uncertainty of time.
History unfolds.
Generations rise and fall.
Empires come and go.
Yet God’s promise remains.
His eternal purpose moves steadily forward.
Everything recorded in Scripture unfolds within that promise.
THE LAMB WAS CENTRAL TO GOD’S PURPOSE
Revelation 13:8
“…the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”
Teaching
Long before man understood the cross, God had already revealed the Lamb within His own purpose.
The sacrifice of Christ was not an afterthought.
It was not God’s response to an unforeseen crisis.
The Lamb stands at the center of God’s eternal purpose.
Because Christ is central, every opposing order is temporary.
Every kingdom of men has an appointed end.
Every system opposed to God’s purpose has an appointed conclusion.
Mystery Babylon is not the center of Scripture.
The Lamb is.
Babylon is revealed because Christ is revealing His Kingdom.
Light exposes darkness.
Truth exposes error.
Christ exposes every order that stands contrary to the purpose of God.
GOD’S PURPOSE ENDS IN COMPLETE FULFILLMENT
1 Corinthians 15:24–28
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father…
For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet…
And when all things shall be subdued unto him… that God may be all in all.”
Teaching
Paul reveals the conclusion of God’s eternal purpose.
Christ reigns.
His reign is purposeful.
It continues until every enemy has been brought into subjection.
The Scriptures do not end with conflict.
They end with fulfillment.
They do not end with Babylon.
They end with God dwelling with His people.
They do not end with death.
They end with life.
The purpose that began before the foundation of the world concludes with God being all in all.
This is the horizon against which every prophetic symbol must be interpreted.
Without God’s purpose, Revelation becomes a book of mysteries.
With God’s purpose, Revelation becomes the unveiling of God’s completed work.
THE ETERNAL PURPOSE GOVERNS THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD
From Genesis to Revelation, one truth remains constant.
God is revealing His purpose.
Adam did not overthrow it.
Cain did not prevent it.
Babel did not frustrate it.
Egypt did not hinder it.
Babylon did not defeat it.
The kingdoms of men could not stop it.
The mystery of iniquity cannot overturn it.
The beast cannot prevail against it.
Everything unfolds within the sovereign purpose of God until His eternal counsel stands complete.
This is why the study of Mystery Babylon must begin here.
If we begin with Babylon, we may magnify the problem.
If we begin with God, we behold His purpose.
The first question of Scripture is not:
“What is Babylon?”
The first question is:
“What has God purposed?”
When that question is answered, every symbol begins to find its proper place within the whole counsel of God.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Before the foundation of the world, God established His eternal purpose in Christ.
Everything recorded throughout the Scriptures unfolds according to that purpose.
Creation.
Redemption.
The Kingdom.
The revelation of Jesus Christ.
The exposure of every opposing order.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon.
The manifestation of the New Jerusalem.
All serve the same eternal design.
As we begin this study, we do not start with Babylon.
We begin where God begins.
With His eternal purpose.
Only then can the symbols that follow be understood in their proper order and within the full counsel of God revealed from Genesis to Revelation.
CHAPTER TWO
THE TWO REPRESENTATIVE MEN
The First Man and the Second Man
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:47
Throughout the Scriptures, God reveals humanity through two representative men.
The first man is Adam.
The second man is Jesus Christ.
These two men stand as the foundation for understanding the entire biblical story.
Every promise.
Every covenant.
Every kingdom.
Every priesthood.
Every city.
Every prophetic symbol.
Every administration revealed throughout the Scriptures ultimately belongs to one of these two representative orders.
The first man reveals the old creation.
The second man reveals the new creation.
The first man is earthly.
The second man is heavenly.
The first man introduces death.
The second man brings life.
Until this distinction is seen, many of the Bible’s symbols remain disconnected.
Once it is understood, the unity of God’s purpose begins to unfold from Genesis to Revelation.
THE FIRST MAN
Genesis 2:7
“And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
Teaching
Adam was created by God.
He was not an accident.
He was not outside God’s purpose.
He stood as the head of the first creation and became the representative man through whom the history of the old order would unfold.
The Scriptures begin with Adam because he introduces the first representative order.
Everything connected with that order bears his image.
THROUGH ONE MAN
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men…”
Teaching
Paul does not merely recount history.
He reveals representation.
What entered through one representative man extended throughout humanity.
The effects of Adam’s fall were not confined to Adam alone.
The first man became the head of an order marked by mortality, corruption, and death.
The Scriptures trace that order through many witnesses.
Adam.
Cain.
Babel.
Egypt.
Babylon.
The kingdoms of men.
The mystery of iniquity.
Each reveals another expression of the same order.
THE LAST ADAM
1 Corinthians 15:45
“The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.”
Teaching
The answer to the first man is not a better first man.
The answer is the last Adam.
Jesus Christ did not come merely to improve the old creation.
He came to bring forth a new creation.
As Adam became the representative head of one order, Christ became the representative head of another.
The contrast is complete.
One brings death.
The other brings life.
One is earthly.
The other is heavenly.
One is natural.
The other is spiritual.
THE FIRST MAN AND THE SECOND MAN
1 Corinthians 15:47–49
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.
As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.
And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Teaching
Paul gives us one of the greatest interpretive keys in all of Scripture.
He places two representative men before us.
The first man.
The second man.
From this point forward, the reader can begin asking an important question whenever encountering a biblical symbol:
To which representative man does this belong?
This question becomes a key to understanding the whole counsel of God.
The first man’s order is revealed through many symbols.
The second man’s order is likewise revealed through many symbols.
The Scriptures progressively unveil both until they reach their climactic revelation in the Book of Revelation.
TWO MEN—TWO ORDERS
Throughout the Bible, these two representative men are revealed through many witnesses.
The first man is seen in the old creation, the kingdoms of men, Babylon, the beast, the old man, and the carnal mind.
The second man is revealed in Christ, the new creation, the Kingdom of God, the Bride, the New Jerusalem, and the heavenly order.
Different symbols.
One consistent pattern.
The Scriptures are not telling many unrelated stories.
They are revealing two representative orders moving toward the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose in Christ.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The Scriptures reveal two representative men.
The first man is Adam, the head of the old creation.
The second man is Jesus Christ, the head of the new creation.
From Genesis to Revelation, the biblical narrative unfolds through these two representative orders.
This distinction becomes one of the master keys for understanding the prophetic symbols that follow.
As we continue our study, we will discover that Mystery Babylon belongs to the order of the first man, while the New Jerusalem reveals the completed work of the second man.
Before we examine those witnesses, we must first understand the two orders that flow from these two representative heads.
CHAPTER THREE
THE TWO ORDERS
The Foundation for Understanding Mystery Babylon
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
— Romans 8:6
The Scriptures reveal more than two representative men.
They reveal two representative orders.
From Genesis to Revelation, these two orders stand in contrast with one another.
One is earthly.
One is heavenly.
One belongs to the first man.
One belongs to the second man.
One is governed by the flesh.
One is governed by the Spirit.
One culminates in Mystery Babylon.
One culminates in the New Jerusalem.
These are not merely two religions.
They are not merely two systems of theology.
They are two completely different orders revealed throughout the whole counsel of God.
Until this distinction is understood, the prophetic symbols of Scripture often appear disconnected.
Once it is seen, the Bible begins to unfold as one unified revelation of God’s eternal purpose.
THE FIRST ORDER IS EARTHLY
1 Corinthians 15:47–48
“The first man is of the earth, earthy… As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy.”
Teaching
The first order derives its character from the first man.
It is the order of the old creation.
It is marked by mortality.
It is governed by the natural man.
Throughout the Scriptures, this order appears under many witnesses.
Adam.
Cain.
Babel.
Egypt.
Babylon.
The kingdoms of men.
The beast.
The mystery of iniquity.
The old man.
The carnal mind.
Different symbols.
One order.
The names change.
The characteristics remain remarkably consistent.
THE SECOND ORDER IS HEAVENLY
1 Corinthians 15:48–49
“…as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Teaching
The second order derives its character from Christ.
It belongs to the new creation.
Its source is heavenly.
Its life is Christ.
Its purpose is the fulfillment of God’s eternal counsel.
This order is likewise revealed through many witnesses.
The Kingdom of God.
The new creation.
The Bride.
The New Jerusalem.
The Tree of Life.
The Lamb.
The sons brought to maturity.
Different symbols.
One order.
As the first order reveals the image of the earthy, the second reveals the image of the heavenly.
THE MIND REVEALS THE ORDER
Romans 8:5–6
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
Teaching
Paul moves beyond outward actions to reveal the governing principle.
Every order possesses a governing mind.
The first order is characterized by the carnal mind.
The second order is characterized by the mind of the Spirit.
The conflict is not merely external.
It reaches into the very way man thinks, perceives, and lives.
The prophetic symbols of Scripture reveal these two governing realities again and again.
THE TWO ORDERS PRODUCE DIFFERENT FRUIT
Galatians 5:19–23
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest…”
“…But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace…”
Teaching
Every order produces according to its nature.
The old order manifests the works of the flesh.
The new order bears the fruit of the Spirit.
Fruit does not create the tree.
Fruit reveals the tree.
Likewise, the manifestations recorded throughout Scripture reveal the order from which they proceed.
The reader is therefore invited to ask:
What order is being revealed here?
That question becomes one of the great interpretive keys of this study.
TWO CITIES—ONE CONTRAST
Hebrews 12:22
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem…”
Teaching
As the Scriptures unfold, these two orders become increasingly visible through contrasting symbols.
One is ultimately revealed as Mystery Babylon.
The other is revealed as the New Jerusalem.
One is the culmination of the old order.
The other is the consummation of God’s eternal purpose in Christ.
Revelation does not introduce these two cities.
It unveils the mature expression of two orders that have been witnessed throughout the entire canon of Scripture.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE TWO ORDERS
The Bible is not a collection of disconnected stories.
It is one unfolding revelation.
Every covenant.
Every kingdom.
Every priesthood.
Every city.
Every prophetic vision.
Every symbol.
Every administration.
Each bears witness to one of these two representative orders.
For this reason, Mystery Babylon cannot be understood by studying Revelation alone.
Her characteristics have been progressively revealed from Genesis onward.
Likewise, the New Jerusalem is not merely a closing vision.
She is the consummation of God’s purpose revealed throughout the Scriptures.
Only when the whole counsel of God is allowed to speak do these two orders become fully discernible.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The Scriptures reveal two representative orders flowing from two representative men.
The first order belongs to the first man and is witnessed through many symbols, culminating in Mystery Babylon.
The second order belongs to the second man and is witnessed through many symbols, culminating in the New Jerusalem.
This distinction provides the foundation for understanding the prophetic symbols that follow.
As we continue, we will begin tracing the witnesses of the old order, starting where the Scriptures begin—with Adam, the first representative head of the earthly order.
CHAPTER FOUR
ADAM
The Beginning of the Old Order
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men…”
— Romans 5:12
The study of Mystery Babylon does not begin in the Book of Revelation.
It begins in the Garden.
Before there was Babel.
Before there was Babylon.
Before there was the beast.
Before there was the mystery of iniquity.
There was Adam.
The first man stands as the beginning of the first representative order.
Every witness that follows in the Scriptures builds upon what first appeared in him.
The Bible does not present Adam as merely an individual.
It presents him as the representative head of an order.
As Adam goes, so goes the order that bears his image.
To understand the mature expression of Mystery Babylon, we must first understand the beginning of the old order.
GOD CREATED MAN IN HIS IMAGE
Genesis 1:26–27
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness… So God created man in his own image…”
Teaching
The Scriptures begin with God’s perfect work.
Man was created in the image of God.
His life originated in God.
His purpose originated in God.
His dominion originated in God.
Everything about Adam’s beginning declared the goodness of his Creator.
The first chapters of Genesis reveal God’s intention for humanity before the entrance of sin and death.
The story does not begin with corruption.
It begins with purpose.
Only when we understand God’s original intention can we appreciate the significance of what follows.
THE FALL OF THE FIRST MAN
Genesis 3:6–7
“And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food… she took of the fruit thereof… and he did eat.”
Teaching
Genesis records one of the great turning points of Scripture.
The first representative man departed from God’s command.
The consequences reached far beyond one moment in history.
The fall introduced a new condition into the human experience.
Alienation.
Corruption.
Mortality.
The order that had been created to express the life of God now bore the marks of death.
From this point forward, the Scriptures begin tracing the effects of that condition through individuals, families, nations, kingdoms, and prophetic symbols.
The seed of the old order had begun its course.
THROUGH ONE MAN
Romans 5:12
“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin…”
Teaching
Paul reveals Adam as more than the first human being.
He reveals him as a representative head.
Through one man, sin entered.
Through one man, death entered.
The effects extended beyond Adam himself.
The old order spread throughout humanity.
As we continue through the Scriptures, we will discover this same order appearing under many different witnesses.
Cain reveals it.
Babel reveals it.
Egypt reveals it.
Babylon reveals it.
The kingdoms of men reveal it.
The mystery of iniquity reveals it.
Mystery Babylon reveals its mature expression.
The symbols change.
The order remains the same.
ADAM BECAME A TYPE
Romans 5:14
“…Adam… is the figure of him that was to come.”
Teaching
Paul calls Adam a “figure” or type.
Scripture immediately begins presenting history through representative men.
Adam points beyond himself.
Christ points beyond Himself as the head of a new humanity.
The first man introduces one order.
The second man introduces another.
Everything that follows in Scripture develops this contrast.
This is why Adam belongs at the beginning of our study.
He establishes the first witness of the old order.
THE IMAGE OF THE EARTHY
1 Corinthians 15:47–49
“The first man is of the earth, earthy… And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly.”
Teaching
Paul returns to Adam and contrasts him with Christ.
The first man is earthy.
The second man is heavenly.
The first order bears the image of the earthy.
The second order bears the image of the heavenly.
This distinction becomes one of the master keys for understanding the Scriptures.
The old order does not disappear after Genesis.
It continues to manifest itself throughout the biblical narrative.
The reader should now begin asking a simple question whenever encountering a biblical symbol:
Which order is being revealed?
That question will guide us through every witness that follows.
ADAM BECOMES THE FIRST WITNESS
The Scriptures do not leave Adam isolated in Genesis.
His influence is seen throughout the entire biblical record.
The old order first witnessed in Adam appears again in Cain.
It appears in Babel.
It appears in Pharaoh.
It appears in Babylon.
It appears in the kingdoms of men.
It appears in the mystery of iniquity.
Finally, it reaches its prophetic unveiling in Mystery Babylon the Great.
The Book of Revelation does not introduce this order.
It unveils its mature expression.
That is why our journey begins here.
Before there was Babylon, there was Adam.
Before there was the harlot, there was the first representative man.
Before there was the beast, there was the beginning of the old order.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Adam stands as the first representative head of the old order.
Through him, the Scriptures introduce the condition that will be witnessed throughout the biblical narrative.
From Genesis forward, the old order appears under many names and many symbols, yet it remains one consistent witness.
Understanding Adam prepares us to recognize that the later symbols of Babel, Babylon, the kingdoms of men, the mystery of iniquity, and Mystery Babylon are not disconnected themes.
They are progressive witnesses to the same representative order.
In the next chapter, we will follow that order beyond the Garden and observe its growth through Babel and Babylon as it develops from an individual beginning into a corporate expression.
CHAPTER FIVE
BABEL AND BABYLON
The Growth of the Old Order
“Therefore is the name of it called Babel; because the LORD did there confound the language of all the earth…”
— Genesis 11:9
The old order did not end with Adam.
It continued to grow.
What began in one representative man eventually manifested itself in families, cities, kingdoms, and nations.
Genesis introduces Adam.
A few chapters later, it introduces Babel.
The movement is significant.
The old order progresses from the individual to the corporate.
Babel is not presented merely as the construction of a city.
It becomes a witness to humanity organized apart from God’s purpose.
From this point forward, Babylon becomes one of the great prophetic symbols throughout the Scriptures.
Genesis introduces its beginning.
The prophets reveal its character.
Revelation unveils its mature expression.
To understand Mystery Babylon, we must first understand Babel.
THE TOWER OF BABEL
Genesis 11:1–9
“And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name…”
Teaching
Babel represents mankind united around its own purpose.
The emphasis is striking.
“Let us build.”
“Let us make us a name.”
The focus turns inward.
Humanity seeks its own greatness.
Its own security.
Its own identity.
Rather than receiving from God, it seeks to establish itself.
The Lord intervenes, confounding their language and scattering them abroad.
The city becomes known as Babel because confusion marked its outcome.
Throughout Scripture, Babel stands as the beginning of Babylon’s prophetic witness.
BABYLON BECOMES A KINGDOM
Daniel 2:37–38
“Thou, O king, art a king of kings… Thou art this head of gold.”
Teaching
Centuries later, Babylon emerges as a world empire.
The city has become a kingdom.
The kingdom is represented through one great image.
Daniel’s vision reveals something remarkable.
God portrays successive kingdoms through the image of one man.
The image is corporate.
Many kingdoms.
One image.
This prepares the reader for later prophetic symbols.
Scripture often reveals corporate realities through representative figures.
The old order continues to mature before our eyes.
THE PRIDE OF BABYLON
Isaiah 14:12–15
“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer… For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend…”
Teaching
Isaiah exposes the spirit of self-exaltation associated with the king of Babylon.
Five times the declaration is heard:
“I will…”
The emphasis is not upon humble dependence.
It is upon self-exaltation.
The desire to ascend by one’s own strength.
The desire to establish one’s own throne.
The desire to rule apart from God’s order.
The prophets consistently expose these characteristics before Revelation ever mentions Mystery Babylon.
The symbols are developing.
The pattern is becoming clearer.
BABYLON OPPOSES GOD’S PEOPLE
Jeremiah 50:1–5
“The word that the LORD spake against Babylon…”
Teaching
Jeremiah announces God’s judgment against Babylon.
The prophets repeatedly declare that Babylon’s dominion is temporary.
God appoints its rise.
God appoints its fall.
No earthly kingdom stands forever.
The judgment of Babylon in the prophets prepares the reader for the greater unveiling in Revelation.
History becomes prophecy.
Prophecy points toward fulfillment.
BABEL TO MYSTERY BABYLON
Revelation 17:5
“MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT…”
Teaching
John does not invent a new symbol.
He gathers together a witness that has been unfolding throughout the Scriptures.
The Babel of Genesis.
The Babylon of the prophets.
The Babylon of Daniel.
Now reaches its prophetic unveiling.
The symbol has matured.
The witness has expanded.
The mystery is unveiled.
The reader who has followed the biblical story recognizes the continuity.
Revelation is not introducing Babylon.
It is unveiling the full significance of a witness that has been developing from Genesis onward.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE PATTERN
The Scriptures progressively reveal the growth of the old order.
It begins in Adam.
It expands at Babel.
It matures in Babylon.
The prophets expose it.
Daniel portrays it.
John unveils it.
The witnesses are many.
The order is one.
This is why Revelation cannot be interpreted apart from the whole counsel of God.
Every earlier witness prepares us to recognize what John finally beholds.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The old order did not remain hidden in the Garden.
It grew.
It developed.
It organized itself.
Babel became the first great corporate witness.
Babylon became its historic and prophetic expression.
The prophets exposed its pride, its self-exaltation, and its opposition to God’s purpose.
The Book of Revelation gathers these witnesses together and unveils Mystery Babylon the Great as the mature prophetic expression of an order that has been developing since Genesis.
In the next chapter, we will follow this same order into Egypt, Pharaoh, and the kingdoms of men, observing how it expresses itself through earthly dominion and administration.
CHAPTER SIX
EGYPT, PHARAOH, AND THE KINGDOMS OF MEN
The Administration of the Old Order
“And the LORD said unto Moses, See, I have made thee a god to Pharaoh…”
— Exodus 7:1
The old order did not merely manifest itself in individuals and cities.
It established administrations.
As the Scriptures unfold, the old order begins governing nations, directing kingdoms, and exercising authority through earthly systems.
After Babel, the next great witness is Egypt.
Egypt is more than a geographical location in the biblical narrative.
It becomes a recurring witness of bondage.
Pharaoh becomes more than a historical ruler.
He becomes the representative head of an earthly administration that opposes the unfolding purpose of God.
Throughout the Scriptures, Egypt, Pharaoh, and the kingdoms of men reveal what happens when earthly power governs apart from the Kingdom of God.
They become another witness preparing us for the unveiling of Mystery Babylon.
EGYPT BECOMES A HOUSE OF BONDAGE
Exodus 20:2
“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.”
Teaching
The Lord continually reminded Israel where He had brought them from.
Egypt was remembered as the house of bondage.
God’s purpose was never simply to remove His people from a place.
His purpose was to bring them into covenant with Himself.
Throughout the Old Testament, Egypt becomes a recurring witness of humanity held in bondage, awaiting God’s deliverance.
The Exodus reveals more than Israel’s history.
It reveals God’s determination to redeem a people unto Himself.
PHARAOH RESISTS THE PURPOSE OF GOD
Exodus 5:1–2
“And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness.
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice…?”
Teaching
Pharaoh stands as the visible head of Egypt’s administration.
When God called for His people to be released, Pharaoh resisted.
His concern was not God’s purpose.
His concern was maintaining his own dominion.
Throughout Scripture, the old order continually seeks to preserve itself.
Yet every administration that opposes God’s purpose eventually encounters the judgment of God.
The issue is never whether God’s purpose will prevail.
The issue is how long earthly dominion will resist before yielding to His sovereign will.
GOD REVEALS HIS POWER OVER THE KINGDOMS OF MEN
Exodus 14:30–31
“Thus the LORD saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians…”
Teaching
The crossing of the Red Sea became one of Scripture’s greatest demonstrations of God’s sovereignty.
Israel did not overthrow Pharaoh by its own strength.
God acted.
God delivered.
God judged.
Throughout the Scriptures, this pattern remains constant.
God reveals.
God separates.
God delivers.
God judges.
Human power cannot frustrate the eternal purpose of God.
Every earthly administration ultimately gives way to His Kingdom.
THE MOST HIGH RULES IN THE KINGDOMS OF MEN
Daniel 4:17
“…to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men…”
Teaching
Daniel enlarges the vision.
God’s sovereignty extends beyond Israel.
He rules over every kingdom.
Kings rise.
Kings fall.
Empires expand.
Empires collapse.
Yet above them all stands the Most High.
The kingdoms of men are temporary.
The Kingdom of God is everlasting.
This distinction prepares us to understand why Revelation presents earthly powers as passing away while the Kingdom of Christ remains forever.
THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD
Revelation 11:15
“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”
Teaching
John brings the prophetic witness to its glorious conclusion.
The kingdoms of this world are not the final chapter of history.
God’s Kingdom is.
The administrations of the old order are temporary.
The reign of Christ is eternal.
This is the hope that runs throughout the whole counsel of God.
The purpose of Scripture is not merely to expose the kingdoms of men.
It is to reveal the everlasting Kingdom of God.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE OLD ORDER
Adam introduced the old order.
Babel revealed its corporate growth.
Egypt reveals its administration.
Pharaoh reveals its governing authority.
The kingdoms of men reveal its influence upon the nations.
Each witness enlarges the picture.
The old order is no longer seen merely in an individual.
It is seen governing civilizations.
Yet every witness also declares the same truth.
God remains sovereign.
His purpose advances.
His Kingdom endures.
No earthly administration can ultimately prevent the fulfillment of His eternal purpose.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The Scriptures progressively reveal the old order through individuals, cities, and kingdoms.
Egypt became the great witness of bondage.
Pharaoh became the representative head of an earthly administration opposing God’s purpose.
The kingdoms of men demonstrated the temporary nature of human dominion.
Throughout every generation, God revealed Himself as the One who rules over the affairs of nations and faithfully accomplishes His eternal purpose.
These witnesses prepare us for the greater unveiling of earthly dominion found later in Daniel’s great image, where the kingdoms of men are portrayed as one corporate man awaiting the coming of the stone cut without hands.
CHAPTER SEVEN
THE GREAT IMAGE
Daniel’s Vision of Corporate Man
“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet…”
— Daniel 2:34
The Scriptures often reveal great spiritual realities through representative figures.
Adam was one man representing an order.
Christ is one Man representing a new creation.
Daniel now introduces another remarkable witness.
A great image.
At first glance, it appears to be one man.
Yet as Daniel unfolds the vision, we discover that this image represents successive kingdoms that span the course of history.
Many kingdoms.
One image.
Many administrations.
One corporate man.
This vision becomes one of the great prophetic foundations for understanding the kingdoms of men and their relationship to the Kingdom of God.
It also prepares us to recognize that the Book of Revelation continues to reveal corporate realities through symbolic figures.
THE GREAT IMAGE
Daniel 2:31–35
“Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image… whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible.”
Teaching
Nebuchadnezzar saw a single image.
It possessed one head.
One body.
One appearance.
Yet the image was composed of different materials.
Gold.
Silver.
Brass.
Iron.
Iron mixed with clay.
The vision immediately teaches an important principle.
God can reveal many historical administrations through one representative figure.
The image is larger than any single kingdom.
It represents the unfolding course of earthly dominion.
THE HEAD OF GOLD
Daniel 2:37–38
“Thou art this head of gold.”
Teaching
Daniel begins with Babylon.
Babylon is not the entire image.
It is only the head.
Other kingdoms follow.
Each contributes to the complete picture.
This reminds us that the old order unfolds progressively throughout history.
No single kingdom exhausts the witness.
Each becomes another expression of the same earthly order.
THE SUCCESSION OF KINGDOMS
Daniel 2:39–43
“And after thee shall arise another kingdom inferior to thee…”
Teaching
Daniel reveals that earthly dominion is temporary.
Kingdom succeeds kingdom.
Empire follows empire.
Power shifts from one administration to another.
Yet the image remains one image.
The materials change.
The image remains.
The rulers change.
The order continues.
History moves forward, but the earthly order continues to manifest itself through successive kingdoms.
This prepares the reader to understand why Scripture repeatedly uses different symbols to reveal the same underlying order.
THE STONE CUT WITHOUT HANDS
Daniel 2:34–35
“Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands…”
Teaching
The answer to the image is not another earthly kingdom.
It is the stone.
The stone is not fashioned by human hands.
Its origin is God.
It strikes the image.
The image collapses.
The gold.
The silver.
The brass.
The iron.
The clay.
All are broken together.
The wind carries them away.
The stone grows into a great mountain and fills the whole earth.
The vision is not merely about the fall of kingdoms.
It is about the triumph of God’s Kingdom.
The old order gives way to the Kingdom that cannot be shaken.
AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM
Daniel 2:44
“And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed…”
Teaching
Daniel now reveals the destination of history.
God’s Kingdom is not one kingdom among many.
It is the everlasting Kingdom.
Every earthly administration has an appointed beginning.
Every earthly administration has an appointed end.
Only the Kingdom of God endures forever.
This truth runs throughout the whole counsel of God.
The Scriptures consistently contrast what is temporary with what is eternal.
The kingdoms of men pass away.
The Kingdom of Christ remains.
THE GREAT IMAGE AND THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD
Daniel’s vision becomes another witness to the two representative orders.
The great image reveals the corporate development of the kingdoms of men.
The stone reveals the Kingdom of God.
The image is earthly.
The stone is heavenly.
The image is temporary.
The stone is everlasting.
The image grows weaker as history unfolds.
The stone grows greater until it fills the whole earth.
When Revelation later reveals the beast and Mystery Babylon, it is not introducing new ideas.
It is unveiling additional witnesses that belong to the same earthly order already revealed through Daniel’s image.
The whole counsel of God speaks with one voice.
Many symbols.
One pattern.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Daniel’s vision of the great image reveals that God often portrays many kingdoms through one corporate man.
The image represents the continuing administration of the kingdoms of men throughout history.
The stone cut without hands reveals God’s everlasting Kingdom, which ultimately replaces every earthly dominion.
This vision prepares us to understand that later prophetic symbols, including the beast and Mystery Babylon, belong to the same unfolding witness of the old order.
In the next chapter, we will examine the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, and the son of perdition, discovering how the New Testament continues to unveil the same representative order.
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE MYSTERY OF INIQUITY
The Man of Sin and the Son of Perdition
“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
— 2 Thessalonians 2:7
Throughout the Scriptures, God progressively unveils the old order.
Genesis introduces Adam.
Babel reveals its corporate development.
Egypt reveals its administration.
Daniel reveals its corporate image.
Now the Apostle Paul unveils another witness.
He calls it the mystery of iniquity.
Paul is not introducing an entirely new subject.
He is revealing that the same order witnessed throughout the Scriptures was already at work in his own day.
The old order had not disappeared.
It had matured.
It was operating beneath the surface.
It was working as a mystery until God would fully expose it.
This prepares us for the final unveiling recorded in the Book of Revelation.
THE MYSTERY WAS ALREADY WORKING
2 Thessalonians 2:1–7
“For the mystery of iniquity doth already work…”
Teaching
Paul does not speak of something that would suddenly appear thousands of years later.
He says it was already working.
A mystery is something hidden until God chooses to reveal it.
The old order had always been present.
Now the Holy Spirit was beginning to uncover it.
Throughout history it had appeared under many witnesses.
Adam.
Cain.
Babel.
Egypt.
Babylon.
The kingdoms of men.
Paul now gathers those witnesses under one remarkable expression:
The mystery of iniquity.
The hidden order was already operating.
The unveiling had begun.
THE MAN OF SIN
2 Thessalonians 2:3–4
“That man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition…”
Teaching
Paul introduces another representative figure.
The man of sin.
Throughout this study we have repeatedly observed that Scripture often presents corporate realities through representative men.
Adam.
The great image.
Now the man of sin.
The emphasis is not merely upon an individual.
It is upon the unveiling of an order characterized by lawlessness and self-exaltation.
Just as the first man represented the old creation, the man of sin reveals the mature expression of that same order standing in opposition to God’s purpose.
The symbols continue to develop.
The pattern remains consistent.
THE SON OF PERDITION
2 Thessalonians 2:3
“…the son of perdition.”
Teaching
Paul’s language reveals both character and destiny.
The old order possesses an appointed end.
Its destiny is not everlasting dominion.
Its destiny is judgment.
Throughout the Scriptures, every witness of the old order ultimately gives way before the Kingdom of God.
Cain passed.
Babel passed.
Egypt passed.
Babylon passed.
The kingdoms of men pass.
The son of perdition likewise belongs to an order whose end has already been determined within the eternal purpose of God.
God reveals the end from the beginning.
THE LORD SHALL CONSUME HIM
2 Thessalonians 2:8
“And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming.”
Teaching
The old order does not remove itself.
The Lord exposes it.
The Lord reveals it.
The Lord judges it.
Throughout Scripture this divine pattern appears repeatedly.
Light exposes darkness.
Truth exposes deception.
Christ exposes every opposing order.
God’s purpose is not merely to reveal what is contrary to His Kingdom.
His purpose is to bring that order to its appointed end.
The revelation of Christ always brings exposure.
The exposure prepares the way for judgment.
The judgment clears the way for the manifestation of God’s Kingdom.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE SAME ORDER
Paul’s language is not isolated from the rest of Scripture.
It agrees with the entire biblical witness.
Adam introduced the old order.
Babel organized it.
Egypt administered it.
Daniel portrayed it as one great corporate image.
Paul now unveils it as the mystery of iniquity.
Different witnesses.
One order.
The Scriptures continue building toward the great unveiling recorded in Revelation.
THE MYSTERY PREPARES US FOR MYSTERY BABYLON
When John later beholds Mystery Babylon the Great, he is not witnessing an unrelated revelation.
He is seeing the mature unveiling of an order that has been progressively revealed throughout the Scriptures.
The mystery of iniquity.
The man of sin.
The son of perdition.
The beast.
Mystery Babylon.
These are not disconnected themes.
They are successive witnesses revealing the same representative order from different perspectives.
The Holy Spirit is teaching us to recognize the pattern before revealing its fullest expression.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Paul reveals that the mystery of iniquity was already at work.
The old order had not disappeared.
It had matured beneath the surface, awaiting God’s appointed time of unveiling.
The man of sin and the son of perdition become additional witnesses to the same representative order first introduced in Adam and progressively revealed throughout the Scriptures.
As we move forward, we are drawing nearer to the climactic unveiling of that order in Revelation 17.
Before we arrive there, one final witness remains.
We must examine the carnal mind—the inward condition from which the old order continually expresses itself in the life of man.
CHAPTER NINE
THE CARNAL MIND
The Old Man Revealed
“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.”
— Romans 8:6
Throughout this study we have followed the progressive witnesses of the old order.
We began with Adam.
We followed the growth of that order through Babel and Babylon.
We observed its administration through Egypt and Pharaoh.
We watched Daniel reveal the kingdoms of men through one great corporate image.
We listened as Paul unveiled the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, and the son of perdition.
Now the Holy Spirit brings the study much closer.
He brings it into the human heart.
The Scriptures reveal that every outward manifestation begins with an inward condition.
Before there is an earthly kingdom, there is a way of thinking.
Before there is an outward system, there is an inward government.
Before there is Mystery Babylon revealed outwardly, the Scriptures expose the condition that gives expression to that order.
Paul calls it the carnal mind.
To understand Mystery Babylon, we must not only study prophetic symbols.
We must also understand the inward condition from which those symbols are expressed.
THE CARNAL MIND
Romans 8:5–8
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God…”
Teaching
Paul moves beyond outward behavior and reveals the governing principle.
The issue is not merely what a person does.
The issue is the mind that governs the person.
The carnal mind does not simply produce wrong actions.
It produces an entire order of life that stands in contrast to the life of the Spirit.
Throughout this book we have discovered that Scripture progressively reveals this old order through many witnesses.
Here Paul reveals its inward source.
If Mystery Babylon is the mature prophetic unveiling of the old order, then the carnal mind reveals the inward condition from which that order continually expresses itself.
The outward witnesses become understandable when the inward condition is revealed.
THE OLD MAN
Ephesians 4:22–24
“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man…
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;
And that ye put on the new man…”
Teaching
Paul contrasts two men.
The old man.
The new man.
The old man belongs to the first representative order.
The new man belongs to Christ.
Notice where the transformation begins.
It begins with the renewing of the mind.
The change is not merely external.
It reaches the inward government of life.
This distinction helps us understand Mystery Babylon more clearly.
The Scriptures reveal that the old order is not merely witnessed through cities, kingdoms, or prophetic symbols.
It also manifests itself wherever the old man governs.
The outward witnesses and the inward condition agree with one another.
THE WORKS OF THE FLESH
Galatians 5:19–21
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest…”
Teaching
Paul now reveals what the old order produces.
The works of the flesh are manifestations.
They reveal the nature from which they proceed.
Fruit never creates the tree.
Fruit reveals the tree.
Likewise, the manifestations of the flesh reveal the governing order.
Throughout the Scriptures the same principle remains constant.
The outward witness reveals the inward condition.
The prophets exposed kingdoms.
Paul exposes the heart.
John later unveils Mystery Babylon through prophetic symbolism.
Each witness contributes another layer to the same biblical pattern.
THE MIND OF CHRIST
1 Corinthians 2:16
“…But we have the mind of Christ.”
Teaching
God’s answer to the carnal mind is not improved carnality.
His answer is Christ.
The contrast is complete.
The carnal mind produces death.
The mind of Christ produces life.
The old order yields the works of the flesh.
The new order bears the fruit of the Spirit.
The first man reveals one mind.
The second Man reveals another.
The Scriptures continually place these two orders before us.
One ultimately reaches its prophetic unveiling in Mystery Babylon.
The other reaches its glorious consummation in the New Jerusalem.
DISCERNING MYSTERY BABYLON
The study of Mystery Babylon is not merely the study of an outward prophetic symbol.
It is also the study of spiritual discernment.
The Holy Spirit teaches believers to recognize the characteristics of the old order wherever they are manifested.
First within themselves.
Then within relationships.
Then within corporate life.
Then within the kingdoms and systems of the world.
The purpose of discernment is not merely to identify.
It is to bring what is hidden into the light.
God exposes before He judges.
He reveals before He removes.
Throughout the Scriptures, light always precedes separation.
Truth always precedes judgment.
As the light of Christ shines, Mystery Babylon is exposed for what it is, and the people of God are called to walk in the mind of Christ.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS ONE CONSISTENT PATTERN
Adam introduced the old order.
Babel revealed its growth.
Egypt revealed its administration.
Daniel revealed its corporate image.
Paul revealed its inward government through the carnal mind.
John will soon unveil Mystery Babylon as the mature prophetic witness of that same representative order.
The whole counsel of God speaks with remarkable unity.
Different writers.
Different generations.
Different symbols.
One consistent testimony.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The carnal mind reveals the inward government of the old order.
The old man, the works of the flesh, and the carnal mind all bear witness to the same representative order first introduced through Adam and progressively revealed throughout the Scriptures.
Understanding this inward condition prepares the reader to recognize Mystery Babylon not merely as an outward prophetic symbol, but as the mature unveiling of an order whose characteristics have been witnessed from Genesis to Revelation.
The foundation has now been laid.
The witnesses have spoken.
The pattern has been established.
We are now prepared to come to Revelation 17, where the Holy Spirit unveils Mystery Babylon the Great in all of its prophetic significance.
CHAPTER TEN
MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT
The Woman, the Beast, and the Many Waters
“Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters.”
— Revelation 17:1
The Holy Spirit now brings us to the great unveiling.
From Genesis onward, we have followed the witnesses.
Adam introduced the first representative order.
Babel revealed its corporate growth.
Egypt revealed its administration.
Daniel portrayed the kingdoms of men through one great image.
Paul unveiled the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, and the son of perdition.
The carnal mind revealed the inward government of the old order.
Now the veil is lifted.
John does not introduce a new subject.
He unveils Mystery Babylon the Great.
Everything we have studied now converges in one prophetic vision.
This is why Mystery Babylon cannot be understood apart from the whole counsel of God.
The Holy Spirit has patiently prepared the reader to recognize the pattern before revealing its fullest prophetic expression.
THE MYSTERY IS UNVEILED
Revelation 17:1–2
“Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.”
Teaching
The angel does not first reveal the woman.
He first announces her judgment.
God exposes before He judges.
Light precedes separation.
Truth precedes judgment.
Throughout the Scriptures this has been God’s way.
The purpose of Revelation is not merely to reveal Mystery Babylon.
It is to unveil her so that God’s righteous judgment may be understood within His eternal purpose.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon is not an isolated event.
It belongs to the unfolding purpose of God revealed from Genesis to Revelation.
THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST
Revelation 17:3
“So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast…”
Teaching
John is carried into the wilderness.
From that vantage point he sees what could not be discerned from an earthly perspective.
The woman.
The beast.
The relationship between them.
Throughout this study we have learned that Scripture often presents corporate realities through symbolic figures.
The woman is symbolic.
The beast is symbolic.
The vision unveils a mature prophetic picture.
The same representative order previously witnessed through Adam, Babel, Babylon, the great image, and the mystery of iniquity now appears under another symbolic witness.
Mystery Babylon is not introduced.
She is unveiled.
MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT
Revelation 17:5
“And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT…”
Teaching
The Holy Spirit now gives the name.
Mystery Babylon the Great.
A mystery is something hidden until God reveals it.
John is not merely reading a title.
He is witnessing an unveiling.
Everything previously revealed now gathers under one prophetic name.
Adam.
Babel.
Babylon.
The kingdoms of men.
The mystery of iniquity.
The man of sin.
The carnal mind.
Each has been another witness to the same representative order.
Now the Holy Spirit places one name upon that prophetic witness:
Mystery Babylon the Great.
The name does not erase the earlier witnesses.
It gathers them together.
SHE SITS UPON MANY WATERS
Revelation 17:15
“The waters which thou sawest… are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.”
Teaching
The angel interprets the symbol.
The many waters represent peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.
The vision reveals the breadth of Mystery Babylon’s influence.
The symbol is not confined to one location.
Its witness extends broadly among humanity.
Throughout the Scriptures the old order has manifested itself in individuals, cities, kingdoms, and nations.
Now John beholds that order in its widest prophetic scope.
The vision reaches across peoples and nations.
The unveiling is comprehensive.
THE WOMAN IS DRUNK
Revelation 17:6
“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus…”
Teaching
John is astonished by what he sees.
The vision reveals a deep conflict between the old order and the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Throughout biblical history, God’s people have encountered opposition from the kingdoms of men.
Cain opposed Abel.
Pharaoh opposed Israel.
Babylon carried Judah into captivity.
The prophets suffered persecution.
Christ was rejected.
His apostles endured affliction.
Revelation gathers these witnesses into one prophetic picture.
The conflict is not introduced here.
It is unveiled here.
THE LAMB OVERCOMES
Revelation 17:14
“These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings…”
Teaching
The chapter does not end with Mystery Babylon.
It points to the triumph of the Lamb.
This has been God’s purpose from the beginning.
The Lamb remains central.
The old order is exposed.
The Lamb overcomes.
The kingdoms of men pass away.
The Kingdom of God endures forever.
The unveiling of Mystery Babylon magnifies the victory of Christ rather than the power of the old order.
The story has always belonged to the Lamb.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS MYSTERY BABYLON
Revelation 17 stands as the great unveiling.
It does not stand alone.
It gathers the testimony of the entire Scriptures.
The first man.
The old order.
Babel.
Babylon.
Egypt.
The kingdoms of men.
The great image.
The mystery of iniquity.
The man of sin.
The carnal mind.
Each witness prepares the reader to recognize Mystery Babylon.
The Holy Spirit has spoken with one voice.
Many symbols.
One representative order.
One eternal purpose.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Revelation 17 unveils Mystery Babylon the Great as the mature prophetic witness of the old representative order.
The woman, the beast, and the many waters gather together the testimony that has been progressively revealed throughout the whole counsel of God.
The unveiling is not given merely to satisfy curiosity.
It is given so that God’s people may discern, distinguish, and understand the order that stands in contrast to His eternal purpose in Christ.
The Lamb remains the center of the vision.
The exposure of Mystery Babylon prepares the way for her judgment and for the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
THE FALL OF BABYLON
The Judgment of the Great City
“Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…”
— Revelation 18:2
The unveiling of Mystery Babylon prepares the way for her judgment.
God never judges what He has not first revealed.
Throughout the Scriptures, this pattern remains constant.
God reveals.
God exposes.
God separates.
God judges.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon is not an isolated event at the end of the Bible.
It is the culmination of a testimony that has unfolded from Genesis to Revelation.
Adam introduced the old order.
Babel revealed its corporate development.
Babylon revealed its historic power.
The prophets announced its downfall.
Paul exposed the mystery of iniquity.
John unveiled Mystery Babylon the Great.
Now Revelation 18 proclaims her fall.
The old order has reached its appointed conclusion within the eternal purpose of God.
BABYLON IS FALLEN
Revelation 18:1–3
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven… And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen…”
Teaching
The proclamation is clear.
Mystery Babylon has fallen.
The emphasis is not upon uncertainty.
It is upon divine certainty.
The judgment proceeds from heaven.
God announces what He has determined.
Throughout the Scriptures, earthly kingdoms have risen and fallen.
Empires have appeared and disappeared.
Now the Holy Spirit gathers every previous witness into one final declaration.
The old representative order does not endure forever.
God has appointed its end.
The fall of Mystery Babylon declares that every order opposed to God’s eternal purpose must ultimately give way to the Kingdom of Christ.
COME OUT OF HER, MY PEOPLE
Revelation 18:4
“Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins…”
Teaching
God’s call has always been a call to separation.
Abraham was called to leave his country.
Israel was called out of Egypt.
The remnant was called out of Babylon.
Now the heavenly voice calls God’s people to come out of Mystery Babylon.
The invitation is not merely geographical.
It is spiritual.
God continually calls His people away from the old order and into the life of His Son.
Throughout the Scriptures, separation always precedes a new manifestation of God’s purpose.
The Lord reveals.
The Lord calls.
The Lord gathers a people unto Himself.
HER SINS HAVE REACHED UNTO HEAVEN
Revelation 18:5–8
“For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.”
Teaching
God’s judgment is never arbitrary.
It is righteous.
He remembers.
He weighs.
He judges according to truth.
Throughout the prophets, Babylon became a symbol of pride, oppression, and self-exaltation.
Revelation gathers those prophetic witnesses together.
The sins of Mystery Babylon have reached their fullness.
The time of divine judgment has arrived.
God’s purpose is not merely to punish.
His purpose is to remove everything that stands contrary to His eternal Kingdom.
THE MERCHANTS OF THE EARTH
Revelation 18:9–19
“The merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her…”
Teaching
John now reveals the far-reaching influence of Mystery Babylon.
Kings mourn.
Merchants mourn.
Shipmasters mourn.
The vision portrays an order whose influence extended throughout the nations.
Its fall affects every sphere connected to it.
Throughout this study we have observed that the old order manifested itself in individuals, cities, kingdoms, and administrations.
Now Revelation reveals the breadth of its influence before announcing its complete collapse.
The greatness of Mystery Babylon is not her destiny.
Her judgment is.
HEAVEN REJOICES
Revelation 18:20
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven…”
Teaching
What causes mourning on earth produces rejoicing in heaven.
Why?
Because God’s righteous purpose is advancing.
The removal of the old order prepares the way for the full manifestation of His Kingdom.
Throughout the Scriptures, God’s judgments clear the way for His redemptive purpose.
The flood prepared for a new beginning.
Egypt’s judgment prepared for Israel’s deliverance.
Babylon’s fall prepared for restoration.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon prepares for the unveiling of the Bride and the New Jerusalem.
The story is moving toward fulfillment.
BABYLON SHALL BE FOUND NO MORE
Revelation 18:21–24
“Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.”
Teaching
The finality of the language is unmistakable.
The old order does not continue forever.
God appoints its conclusion.
The sounds of commerce cease.
The voice of celebration ceases.
The light of the lamp ceases.
The old order passes from the biblical scene.
The Scriptures consistently testify that everything opposed to God’s eternal purpose is temporary.
Only Christ remains.
Only His Kingdom endures.
Only His purpose stands forever.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD DECLARES THE END OF THE OLD ORDER
The judgment of Mystery Babylon is not merely the end of one prophetic symbol.
It is the conclusion of a witness that has stretched from Genesis onward.
Adam introduced the old order.
Babel organized it.
Egypt administered it.
Babylon displayed it.
The kingdoms of men expanded it.
The mystery of iniquity exposed it.
Mystery Babylon unveiled it.
Now God judges it.
The whole counsel of God speaks with remarkable unity.
The old order has an appointed beginning.
The old order has an appointed end.
The Kingdom of God alone is everlasting.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Revelation 18 proclaims the fall of Mystery Babylon and the judgment of the great city.
The judgment fulfills the testimony that has unfolded throughout the whole counsel of God from Genesis to Revelation.
God first revealed the old order.
God exposed the old order.
God called His people to separate from the old order.
Finally, God brought the old order into judgment according to His eternal purpose.
The fall of Mystery Babylon is not the end of the biblical story.
It prepares the way for the unveiling of the second representative order, the Bride of Christ, the New Jerusalem, and the consummation of God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ.
CHAPTER TWELVE
THE SECOND MAN
Christ and the New Creation
“The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:47
Throughout this book we have followed the progressive witnesses of the old representative order.
We began before the foundation of the world with God’s eternal purpose.
We observed the first representative man.
We followed the growth of the old order through Adam, Babel, Babylon, Egypt, Pharaoh, the kingdoms of men, the great image, the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, the carnal mind, and finally Mystery Babylon the Great.
We witnessed the judgment of Mystery Babylon and the passing of the old order.
Now the Scriptures turn our attention to God’s answer.
God never exposes darkness without revealing the Light.
He never reveals the first man without revealing the Second Man.
He never unveils Mystery Babylon without unveiling Jesus Christ.
The story has always belonged to Him.
The purpose established before the foundation of the world was never centered upon Adam.
It was centered upon Christ.
The Second Man is not merely the answer to man’s failure.
He is the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.
THE SECOND MAN
1 Corinthians 15:45–47
“The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit… The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven.”
Teaching
Paul places two representative heads before us.
The first man.
The Second Man.
The first introduced the old order.
The Second Man introduces the new creation.
Throughout this study, every witness belonging to the first order has pointed us toward this glorious contrast.
The answer to Adam is Christ.
The answer to Babel is the Kingdom of God.
The answer to Babylon is the New Jerusalem.
The answer to Mystery Babylon is not another earthly kingdom.
The answer is the Second Man.
Everything in God’s eternal purpose moves toward Him.
IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST
2 Corinthians 5:17–19
“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature…”
Teaching
Paul now declares the glorious reality of the new creation.
Christ does not merely repair the old order.
He brings forth something entirely new.
The old passes away.
The new appears.
This has been God’s purpose from the beginning.
Throughout the Scriptures, the Lord has been preparing His people for this transition.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon clears the way for the full manifestation of the new creation.
The old order passes.
The new order appears.
CHRIST IS THE IMAGE OF GOD
Colossians 1:15–18
“Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature…”
Teaching
Adam was created in the image of God.
Christ perfectly reveals the image of God.
Everything lost through the first representative man is revealed in fullness through the Second Man.
The Scriptures consistently direct our attention toward Christ.
He is the Head.
He is the Beginning.
He is preeminent in all things.
The purpose of exposing Mystery Babylon is never to magnify Babylon.
It is to magnify Christ.
The greater the unveiling of the old order, the greater the glory of the One who fulfills the Father’s eternal purpose.
ALL THINGS ARE GATHERED IN CHRIST
Ephesians 1:9–10
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…”
Teaching
The Second Man is the center of God’s eternal purpose.
Before the foundation of the world, the Father purposed to gather all things together in Christ.
The Scriptures have never moved away from that purpose.
Every covenant.
Every promise.
Every prophecy.
Every priesthood.
Every kingdom.
Every judgment.
Every revelation.
Every unveiling of Mystery Babylon ultimately serves the purpose of exalting Christ.
He is not one chapter within the story.
He is the story.
CHRIST MUST REIGN
1 Corinthians 15:24–28
“For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet.”
Teaching
The reign of Christ is purposeful.
He reigns until every opposing order has been brought into subjection.
The first representative order gives way to the second.
The kingdoms of men give way to the Kingdom of God.
Mystery Babylon gives way to the New Jerusalem.
Death gives way to life.
The old creation gives way to the new.
The purpose established before the foundation of the world reaches its glorious fulfillment in Christ.
The Scriptures never leave the reader standing among the ruins of Babylon.
They lead us to the throne of the Lamb.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE SECOND MAN
The Bible speaks with remarkable unity.
Adam introduced the first representative order.
Christ introduced the second.
The first man revealed mortality.
The Second Man reveals life.
The first order culminated in Mystery Babylon.
The second order culminates in the Kingdom of God.
The whole counsel of God continually directs our eyes toward Christ.
Every prophetic witness.
Every apostolic revelation.
Every symbol.
Every promise.
All testify of Him.
The purpose of the Scriptures is not merely to expose the old.
It is to reveal the New.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
Jesus Christ is the Second Man, the Last Adam, and the Head of the new creation.
Everything revealed throughout the Scriptures moves toward His preeminence and the fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.
The unveiling and judgment of Mystery Babylon prepare the way for the manifestation of Christ’s Kingdom.
The first representative order passes away.
The Second Man remains forever.
As we move into the next chapter, the Scriptures will reveal the corporate expression of this new order through the Bride of Christ and the glorious vision of the New Jerusalem.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
THE NEW JERUSALEM
The Bride of Christ
“Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
— Revelation 21:9
The Scriptures conclude with two great visions.
One is Mystery Babylon the Great.
The other is the New Jerusalem.
One is called a harlot.
The other is called the Bride.
One represents the consummation of the old representative order.
The other reveals the fullness of the new creation in Jesus Christ.
These two women stand in complete contrast.
Throughout this book we have traced the progressive development of the old order until it reached its mature unveiling in Mystery Babylon.
Now the Holy Spirit unveils the glorious fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.
The New Jerusalem.
This vision has been God’s purpose from before the foundation of the world.
The Bible does not end with the judgment of Mystery Babylon.
It ends with the revelation of Christ and His Bride.
COME, I WILL SHOW YOU THE BRIDE
Revelation 21:9–10
“Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife.
And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem…”
Teaching
Notice the remarkable contrast.
In Revelation 17 John is carried into the wilderness to behold Mystery Babylon.
In Revelation 21 he is carried to a great and high mountain to behold the Bride.
The location changes because the vision changes.
The wilderness revealed the old order.
The mountain reveals God’s eternal purpose.
The first vision exposed.
The second vision glorifies.
The Holy Spirit intentionally places these two visions side by side.
The contrast could not be clearer.
Mystery Babylon and the New Jerusalem reveal two representative orders standing in complete opposition to one another.
THE HOLY CITY
Revelation 21:2
“And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven…”
Teaching
The New Jerusalem does not ascend from the earth.
She comes down from God.
Her origin is heavenly.
Just as the Second Man is from heaven, so the Bride bears the character of heaven.
Throughout the Scriptures, God’s purpose has never been to perfect the old order.
His purpose has always been to reveal the new.
The New Jerusalem is not the improvement of Mystery Babylon.
She is an entirely different order.
The old order is earthly.
The new order is heavenly.
The old order is temporary.
The new order is eternal.
THE TABERNACLE OF GOD
Revelation 21:3–4
“Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men…”
Teaching
Now God’s eternal purpose shines in its fullness.
From Genesis onward, the Lord desired to dwell with His people.
The tabernacle.
The temple.
The covenants.
The priesthood.
Every shadow pointed toward this reality.
God dwelling with humanity.
The New Jerusalem reveals the fulfillment of that purpose.
Notice what is absent.
Death.
Sorrow.
Crying.
Pain.
Everything associated with the old representative order has passed away.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon prepared the way for this glorious manifestation.
ALL THINGS NEW
Revelation 21:5
“Behold, I make all things new.”
Teaching
This declaration summarizes the entire biblical story.
God is not merely repairing what Adam lost.
He is making all things new.
The first representative order passes away.
The Second Man brings forth the new creation.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon is not the conclusion.
The new creation is.
Everything throughout the Scriptures has moved toward this declaration.
The Father’s eternal purpose reaches its visible fulfillment.
THE BRIDE HAS NO NEED OF THE SUN
Revelation 21:22–23
“And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon… for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.”
Teaching
The center of the New Jerusalem is not architecture.
It is the Lamb.
The glory of God illuminates the city.
Christ is the everlasting light.
The purpose of Scripture has always been Christ.
The purpose of exposing Mystery Babylon has always been to reveal the surpassing glory of Jesus Christ.
The Lamb who overcame in Revelation 17 now fills the New Jerusalem with His glory.
Everything points to Him.
TWO WOMEN — TWO CITIES — TWO ORDERS
Throughout the whole counsel of God, the Holy Spirit has revealed two representative orders.
Adam and Christ.
The old man and the new man.
The carnal mind and the mind of Christ.
Babylon and Jerusalem.
The harlot and the Bride.
The beast and the Lamb.
The kingdoms of men and the Kingdom of God.
Mystery Babylon and the New Jerusalem.
The Scriptures consistently present these two realities.
One belongs to the first representative man.
The other belongs to the Second Man.
One passes away.
The other remains forever.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD REVEALS THE BRIDE
The New Jerusalem is not merely the final vision of Revelation.
She is the fulfillment of the eternal purpose revealed before the foundation of the world.
Every promise.
Every covenant.
Every sacrifice.
Every priesthood.
Every prophecy.
Every unveiling.
Every judgment.
Every victory over Mystery Babylon moves toward this glorious conclusion.
The Bride is the corporate expression of Christ’s completed work.
She reveals the fullness of God’s purpose in His Son.
CHAPTER SUMMARY
The New Jerusalem is the Bride of Christ and the corporate expression of the new creation.
She stands in complete contrast to Mystery Babylon the Great.
The Holy Spirit closes the Scriptures with two women, two cities, and two representative orders.
The harlot passes away.
The Bride remains forever.
The old order ends in judgment.
The new creation abides in everlasting glory.
The unveiling of the New Jerusalem reveals the glorious fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose in Jesus Christ and prepares us for the final chapter, where all things are gathered together in Christ and God becomes all in all.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
GOD ALL IN ALL
The Consummation of God’s Eternal Purpose
“That God may be all in all.”
— 1 Corinthians 15:28
The Scriptures began with God’s eternal purpose before the foundation of the world.
They conclude with the fulfillment of that purpose.
This book has followed one continuous thread through the whole counsel of God.
We began before creation.
We watched the introduction of the first representative man.
We traced the rise of the old representative order through Adam, Babel, Babylon, Egypt, Pharaoh, the kingdoms of men, the great image, the mystery of iniquity, the man of sin, the carnal mind, and Mystery Babylon the Great.
We witnessed the judgment of Mystery Babylon.
We beheld the Second Man.
We rejoiced in the revelation of the New Jerusalem, the Bride of Christ.
Now the Holy Spirit brings every prophetic witness, every promise, every symbol, and every revelation into one glorious conclusion.
God’s eternal purpose is fulfilled.
Everything has always moved toward this moment.
CHRIST MUST REIGN
1 Corinthians 15:24–28
“Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father… For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet… that God may be all in all.”
Teaching
Paul reveals the consummation of God’s purpose.
Christ reigns until every opposing authority has been brought into subjection.
The last enemy is destroyed.
The Kingdom is fully established.
The purpose determined before the foundation of the world reaches its glorious fulfillment.
The story is not about the triumph of Mystery Babylon.
It is about the triumph of Christ.
The unveiling of Mystery Babylon magnifies the certainty of Christ’s victory.
The old order passes away.
The Kingdom remains forever.
THE RESTORATION OF ALL THINGS
Acts 3:20–21
“…whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets…”
Teaching
Peter declares that God’s purpose is restoration.
The prophets consistently pointed toward this glorious hope.
God is not moving history toward perpetual division.
He is moving history toward the fulfillment of His eternal purpose in Christ.
Every covenant.
Every promise.
Every prophecy.
Every unveiling.
Every judgment—including the judgment of Mystery Babylon—serves this one divine objective.
The Scriptures speak with one voice.
God finishes what He purposed before the world began.
ALL THINGS GATHERED IN CHRIST
Ephesians 1:9–10
“That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ…”
Teaching
This passage has quietly stood behind every chapter of this book.
Before the foundation of the world, the Father purposed to gather all things together in His Son.
Nothing has altered that purpose.
Adam did not.
Babel did not.
Egypt did not.
Babylon did not.
The kingdoms of men did not.
The mystery of iniquity did not.
Mystery Babylon did not.
Everything that appeared to oppose God’s purpose ultimately became another witness to the greatness of His purpose.
Christ remains the center of the Father’s plan.
The beginning and the end meet in Him.
THE LAMB UPON THE THRONE
Revelation 22:1–5
“And there shall be no more curse… and they shall see his face…”
Teaching
The final vision of Scripture is not centered upon judgment.
It is centered upon the throne.
The river of life flows freely.
The tree of life bears fruit continually.
The curse is removed.
The servants of God reign with Him.
The Lamb remains at the center of everything.
The Scriptures end exactly where they have always pointed—to the reign of Christ.
The judgment of Mystery Babylon clears the stage.
The throne of God fills the vision.
THE WHOLE COUNSEL OF GOD SPEAKS WITH ONE VOICE
The Holy Spirit has spoken consistently from Genesis to Revelation.
Before the foundation of the world, God established His eternal purpose.
The first representative man introduced the old order.
The Second Man fulfilled the Father’s will.
The old order matured into Mystery Babylon.
Mystery Babylon was unveiled.
Mystery Babylon was judged.
The New Jerusalem appeared.
The Bride was revealed.
The Kingdom was established.
God became all in all.
The Bible is not a collection of disconnected stories.
It is one revelation of Jesus Christ.
Every symbol.
Every covenant.
Every prophecy.
Every priesthood.
Every kingdom.
Every promise.
Every judgment.
Every victory.
Every unveiling of Mystery Babylon ultimately magnifies the glory of God’s eternal purpose in His Son.
CONCLUSION
The purpose of this book has never been merely to identify Mystery Babylon.
Its purpose has been to reconcile every witness concerning Mystery Babylon with the whole counsel of God.
When the Scriptures are viewed as one harmonious revelation, the prophetic symbols cease to compete with one another.
They begin to agree.
Adam.
Babel.
Egypt.
Babylon.
The great image.
The mystery of iniquity.
The man of sin.
The carnal mind.
Mystery Babylon.
The Second Man.
The New Jerusalem.
Each witness contributes to one unfolding revelation.
Jesus Christ.
He is the Seed promised before the foundation of the world.
He is the Second Man.
He is the Lamb.
He is the King.
He is the Bridegroom.
He is the fulfillment of every promise.
He is the center of every prophecy.
He is the One in whom all things are gathered together.
He is the One through whom God’s eternal purpose is accomplished.
From Genesis to Revelation, the testimony is the same.
The old order passes away.
Christ remains.
His Kingdom endures forever.
And in the fullness of His purpose, God is all in all.
