Wednesday, February 11, 2009
The Angel of Babylon
By Ramone - February 8, 2009
I don't completely understand this picture. It came as I was in church last Sunday and was praying, and with much grief in the Spirit. I saw the wing on the right first and strongest, and then the other parts. I didn't want the "wings" to be dark, but that's how I saw them, maybe a bit more grayish. I began to understand it was an angel, some kind of angel, and so I kept trying to understand the meaning... even as I was still getting the picture and could not see the whole thing!
Because I didn't want to draw something "negative", you know? I think one big reason it's taken so long for me to understand this picture is because I really didn't want to draw anything "negative". I want to be joyful in Him, to focus on His love, be at peace in His rest. I believe this picture even came during worship time -- when the church was singing joyful songs.
That's part of it, you know. God wants us to be His friends, but that means that you take the good and the bad. If your friend only wants to be around you when you're joyful, then you don't have a real friend at all: you have a "fair weather friend". Someone who wants you only as long as you're sunny or bring sunshine into their life. It's really selfish, actually. But I do it by instinct, and I think we all do. A lot of us even come to think that when God speaks or prophesies, it will always be "uplifting". The way we use the word "edifying" is even slanted to mean "something positive" and "nothing negative". But the truth is that sometimes the most "edifying" thing for us is a swift kick in the behind, or what God calls "discipline".
And other times, God wants to simply share His heart with us. The apostle Paul wrote, "mourn with those who mourn." Do we ever realize that God might mourn, too? That God might have sadness? Or that He simply might want to tell us something that will bring us grief? We can trust Him that whatever He wants to share is for our ultimate good, even though it may bring weeping for the night. His joy is the end result, but there is a time for understanding and accepting negative things He wants to share with us. Joy will come "in the morning", but it is imperative that we don't try to force the dawn, telling God, "No, I don't want to hear that".
This is a picture of "the angel of Babylon". The name "Babylon" speaks of pride and confusion. And this is a picture of that. I began to understand more when --after finally caving into God and allowing the picture to be "negative-- I realized that I had seen the "right wing" first.
The "right wing"... it's usually used somewhat derogatively to refer to political conservatives. In the United States, this is the "Republicans". The "right" in America is very political and very religious, and has had a lot of power in the last twenty years or so (and is getting used to it, too). The gospel is being lost. A war was started on what was known to be a false basis; national righteousness was touted; dissenting voices were bullied into silence or painted as enemies; and a whole people at home were kept in fear of imminent attack. Patriotism was held high and the name of Christ alongside it so that if one did not support the leaders & their war then one was not being patriotic, American or even Christian.
The great capital and support that the leaders received --their increasing power-- seemed like divine favor. The way in which the 2000 election was decided was hailed by Christian leaders as a result of godly intercession & the power of prayer. But this is not solely about the United States, mind you. This kind of thing happens all over the world. I speak of the USA simply because I am American and in horror watched the whole thing unfold from clearer air across the ocean from my homeland. The creation and military power of the state of Israel would also seem to be "miraculous" and sign of God's favor, but the aims of Zionism are for earthly treasures, not heavenly, and consider land more valuable than lives. When "Babylon" comes forth (in tremors now, or in the end ultimately), "love your neighbor as Christ loved you" is one of the firsts things that is subtly set aside. Agape love grows cold usually in the name of 'righteously' responding to wickedness in the world.
I don't say this to go off in a rant about the rightwing or "the Republican party". It's just that the power-surge among the "right" has been a foretaste of "Babylon", especially as the rightwing seemed to peak in the last decade. It's been a time when agape love has often been sacrificed for the expediency of whatever agenda the leaders have had. The name of God gets trumpeted, but the love of God often gets left behind. Those who do not support are looked at as being unrighteous or as if they supported unrighteousness. White is then called Black, and Black is then called White. It's confusion, and it is pride.
This is not to say that any "party" is "Babylon"! No, get off that. Look at the spirit behind things. This is not about politics or "right" or "left", but it is about what is spiritually happening underneath, and how our sentiments and emotions are being manipulated into either abandoning God's love (on the "right") or abandoning His name (on the "left"). This has only been a tremor before the quake, so to speak. I don't mean to pick only on "the Republican party". The "right" and "left" both have their sins and faults, and both get manipulated by different spirits and at times resort to using manipulation. I mention this example simply because it has been so current, and I and others recognized it in the Spirit. I believe that is why God used it first in this picture -- to help me come to understand the bigger picture of what He's sharing from His heart. (>_<)
"Babylon" will eventually involve both "rightwing" and "leftwing", not only in the USA, but globally.
The wing on the "left" is raised upward, hiding heaven, because I believe this is what the extreme left does --it puts its hand up and refuses to see Heaven. It says that God does not exist, does not move, or does not see. It tries to block the Sun (the Son) in order that its own 'light' may seem brighter. (>_<)
The "left" denies God, and the "right" denies His love to those that He died to give it to. (>_<) That's why the "right wing" is apparently reaching outward, but curved in towards itself. "God's love is for me, for us," it says. "If you are with me, with us, you may have the light and the love; but if you are not with us, if you are against us, then the love and light [of God and of ours] is not for you."
This is the "angel of Babylon". She seems to be "light", there seems to be "light" and "life" behind her, but it is actually barrenness. It is a desert, it is desolation.
The "waters" part for her --she seems to come forth miraculously-- and she says this is a sign of God's approval, His blessedness, and her "place" at the front (in power). The green and brown broken cords are similar to the "parted waters". Apparent "natural hindrances" seem to have been divinely broken. "Behold," she says, "No natural power could hold me back... I have come forth by supernatural blessing."
But God has allowed the "waters" to part only to bring her forward to expose her, and for her destruction.
*****
See also: "The Spirit of Babylon" (at Weeping Jeremiahs)
# posted by Ramone @ 12:35 AM 
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