BURNED UP

BURNED UP
Jesus taught mostly by parables. When I was younger I thought of them as mere stories to illustrate a Spiritual Truth. Now I see that most, if not all, were prophetic. By that I mean that there is what we might call a "sub surface meaning"-- one which can only be seen as the Spirit illuminates it to us. The "surface meaning" can be quite readily understood by the human mind, but not so with the other.
Jesus gave such a parable in Matthew 22:1-7 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.
When the word "City" is used in prophetic scripture, it refers to a group of people living under a common rulership. They do not live in the same geographic location.
Jesus was speaking of a definite group of people in His parable. A definite "city". I believe it can be positively identified. It is in the world today, masked in such a way as to be undetected by those who do not really want to know. I am amazed at the number of people who prefer to have their heads in the sand, so to speak.
For identification, let me direct you to Revelation 18. I will draw out some pertinent phrases.
And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven,-- saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
It is a world wide group, recognized and given honor by every nation on earth. It is a political and economic power.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
It is also a very strong religious power. We know this from the words "commited fornication with her". Fornication, in prophetic scripture, means a division of allegiance between Almighty God and secular things, such as government, commerce, etc..
You and I may get by with an admixture of allegiance for the time being, but the day of reckoning is approaching rapidly.
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 her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. Reward her even as she rewarded you,-- the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.--. Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire:--. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,-- saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and-- souls of men.-- And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning,-- saying,-- , Alas, alas, that great city, -- for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. -- And the light of a candle (why the light of a candle?) shall shine no more--. And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Do I need to elaborate further? Where would we look to find a mighty Economic, Political and Religious power in the earth today?