The spiritual aspect of ‘Babel’ is prostitution; it is having no restraint, doing what everyone else does, being available to do whatever anyone wants. And all the ‘kings of the earth’ behaved in this way. And if the leaders show how to behave by their example, the people follow without thinking. Many people think that what is seen and heard on the radio and television and in illustrated in magazines must certainly be normal, so they have no restrictions or bad conscience in behaving in the same way. Conscience is dulled, carnal lusts are stimulated and ecstasy of senses is sought after, without restraint. Anything that can give ‘satisfaction’ is okay: through pornography and prostitution, drug use and alcohol. The argument is that everyone has a right to their own kinds of ‘freedom’, if it does not create problems for the ‘freedom’ of somebody else. If the ‘church’ promotes ’homosexuality’ as being just as normal as heterosexuality, and sexual intercourse outside marriage is just as normal as within marriage, the flock will follow suit. Just be careful, they say, use condoms or other contraceptives in order to prevent unwanted pregnancies, but make love as much as you like, and with whoever you want, they say. Just relax and enjoy the new ‘freedom’ in all aspects of life. As the spiritual leadership, so the flock. As the ‘priest’, so the ‘government’, so the ‘people’. This begins with a change in mind-set. Have not new ‘modern’, ‘liberal’ ideas in broad sections of the ‘church’ been leading the way in preparing the revolutionary climate of thought and behaviour in ethics in which we are today? To the credit of John Paul II, the Polish Pope, it has to be said that ‘Rome’ has long opposed the revolutionary developments in ethics and human behaviour such as unbridled sexual behaviour, abortion and euthanasia. Rome has long opposed these in strong terms. What will it do in the future however? Yet, preaching solid, good, Christian and Biblical doctrines and principles can be far removed from daily practice and overall reality. So if the majority of people think otherwise, then the national laws will be adjusted, in a democratic way. Then national laws will be changed to conform to what has become the new norms of society. It is said that laws need to have a broad support base in society. There must be a democratic majority in support of these new laws so at the end of the day, the people decide. Power to the people. Not God, or the Ten Commandments, or the Church or whatever other ‘authority’ decides about right or wrong, but ‘we’ ‘the people’ do. Sure, they say, it is true that minorities need to be respected as well, and we will see to that in a democratic way, they say. But when even the ‘religious power’ have paved the way and have ‘messaged’ the hearts and have ‘moulded’ the minds of the people into the new way of thinking, then the ‘political powers’ can do what they like. As long as it happens ‘democratically’. Next, in no time, individual freedoms are finished by new political powers, new dictators who come along. And they can do whatever they like, because the ‘whore’ rides the ‘beast’. No resistance anymore by traditional, religious forces. ‘Church’ and ‘State’ walking hand in hand. George Orwell’s book 1984 is a ‘prophetic’ example of this, even though the year 1984 has long passed!
The ‘kings’ and their ‘subjects’, their citizens, have become intoxicated by the ‘wine’ the ‘whore’ gave them to drink – the ‘lure of pleasure’, the ‘seduction’ to throw off all restraints and traditional values.
The Spirit now brings John into the wilderness/desert. This always signals the start of a great new vision1 in the ‘spirit’. The wilderness/desert is often a symbol of judgment.2 There sits the ‘woman/whore’. Judgment is approaching, but she is totally unconscious of the fact. She says: ‘I am forever—the eternal queen!’3 Wholly oblivious of how it all will end.
• God’s ‘woman’ flees into the ‘wilderness/desert’, and finds a place there prepared by God, where she is looked after, out of the serpent’s reach.4 That is also the wilderness. The Lord will look after His own, as He looked after Israel 40 years during their journey through the desert.
• However, the wilderness in the midst of which the ‘whore’ finds herself, points to the absolute absence of God, and to the approaching judgment.
• It says just: ‘wilderness’ – there is no definite article; it is an ‘emptiness’, abandoned, left to its fate.5
Bible References:
1.C.f. Revelation 1:10, 4:2, 21:10; Ezekiel 2:2, 3:12–15, 8:3, 11:24 2.Isaiah 13:19–22; Jeremiah 25:12, 50:26, 39–40 3.Isaiah 47:7 4.Revelation 12:14 5.Romans 1:24, 26, 28
