Congregation Book Study, Week of November 8-14, 2021, Chapter 15, Paragraphs 18-23, Answers

Congregation Book Study, Nov 8-14, 2021, Chapter 15, Paragraphs 18-23, Answers.

Congregation Bible Study (30 min.): Rr ch. 15 paras. 18-23.

"She will never be seen again"

18, 19. How are the prostitutes in the book of Ezekiel similar to the prostitutes in Revelation?

It is normal that there are so many similarities between his messages of condemnation against prostitutes in the book of Ezekiel and the future that awaits “the great prostitute” of Revelation. Because they are both condemned in almost the same way. The prostitutes of the book of Ezekiel; they were condemned by the very nations with which the unfaithful servants of God had had immoral relationships, they ended up destroying it. In the same way, it will happen with the prostitute of Apocalypse, it will be condemned for having immoral relationships, the political authorities are the ones who “will hate the prostitute and will leave her in ruins and naked. God will be the one who puts it in their hearts to carry out this thought.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

The two prostitutes are very similar, more than anything their similarity in the sentence. For example, it was not Jehovah directly who punished the prostitutes of Ezekiel's prophecies; It was the same nations with which the unfaithful servants of God had had immoral relationships in a spiritual sense, it was they who ended up destroying Ezekiel's prostitutes. Similarly, now the bible tells us that "the great prostitute" of Revelation has been condemned for having immoral relationships with "the kings of the earth." And who will punish this prostitute? it is those political authorities who “will hate the prostitute and leave her in ruins and naked.

In that Jehovah is not the one who performs the action of judgment, but rather that punishment comes from the nations with whom he has committed spiritual immorality. In paragraph 19, we can see that directly those who punished these prostitutes were the same nations with which the unfaithful servants of God had had immoral relationships in a spiritual sense. And in the case of the empire of false religion, which has to do with the Apocalypse, the political authorities will hate it, they will leave it in ruins and naked. In several verses of chapter 17 it indicates that her meat will be eaten in a figurative sense and she will be completely burned with fire. Why this sudden change of governments? Well, fulfilling the book of Revelation 17, it is indicated that this thought is put by Jehovah in the hearts of those politicians,so they suddenly change their mind, attack and destroy her.

It was not Jehovah directly who punished the prostitutes of Ezekiel's prophecies; They were the same nations with which the unfaithful servants of God had had immoral relationships in a spiritual sense. Similarly, the world empire of false religion has been condemned for having immoral relations with "The kings of the earth."

And who will punish this prostitute? The Bible says that it is those political authorities who will “hate the prostitute and leave her in ruins and naked. They will eat her flesh and burn her completely with fire. ' Why this sudden change of governments? Because it will be God who puts "In their hearts, carry out the thought of him."

20. What indicates that the judgment of Babylon will be final?

Because Jehovah will use the nations of this world to execute his sentence against false religion. So Babylon "will never be seen again." This sentence will last for all eternity. Never again will false religion be allowed to arise and contaminate pure worship.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

It will be a final sentence; you will not be forgiven or given any opportunity to change. The angels of God will be glad that he is gone and exclaim, “Praise Jah! The smoke from it will continue to rise forever and ever. " This sentence will last for all eternity. This is how Jehovah indicates how he will use the nations of this world to execute his sentence against false religion and thus definitely Babylon will never return.

Well in chapters 18 and 19 of Revelation it says that Babylon will never be seen again, therefore her sentence is final. It is described that in the heavens, the angels will rejoice that it has disappeared and the smoke of its destruction will continue to rise forever. In other words, never again will a false religion be allowed to arise and contaminate pure worship. And in the description that we see here, in the image, well, there you can see that this prostitute was before. In other words, false religion was about this wild beast directing it, managing it, however the roles are changed. Now this beast attacks false religion, the prostitute and as it says there in the note under the photo of the drawing. The nations that Babylon the Great has seduced and manipulated for so long will turn against her. They will destroy it,So remembering this beast represents the political authorities, who attack Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion.

It will be a final sentence; you will not be forgiven or given any opportunity to change. Revelation: says that Babylon "will never be seen again." The angels of God will be glad that he is gone and exclaim, “Praise Jah! The smoke from it will continue to rise forever and ever. This damned will last for all eternity. Never again will false religion be allowed to arise and contaminate pure worship. The fiery punishment and destruction of Babylon will leave a symbolic plume of smoke that will never disappear.

ILLUSTRATION

The scarlet red wild beast with seven heads and ten horns attacking the great prostitute.

The nations that Babylon the Great has seduced and manipulated for so long will turn against her and destroy her. (See paragraphs 19-20).

21. What period will begin with the destruction of Babylon the Great?

At the end of the destruction of Babylon the Great, they will also actually be executing a sentence from God. It will be a great event that will contribute to the fulfillment of Jehovah's purpose. Which will begin the great tribulation, a period of chaos like never before seen.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

When Babylon the Great is destroyed and false religion is eliminated. At last we can begin Jehovah's purpose. At last the great tribulation can begin. This will be the most harrowing period mankind has ever experienced.

This is a very interesting question. To answer them, one should see Matthew 24:21, which speaks of a great tribulation, when Babylon is destroyed the great part of the political governments that great tribulation begins there. It also said that at the end of that period it will conclude with what is called Armageddon, so it begins with the destruction of false religions and ends in Armageddon. All of that includes the great tribulation, which will never be seen again and Armageddon is part of that great tribulation, but the final part is Jehovah's war against this wicked world.

This will usher in the Apocalypse, a period of chaos the likes of which has never been seen. The climax of the great tribulation will be Armageddon, Jehovah's war against this wicked world.

And what will happen at the end of that period?

When the great tribulation ends, the time of Armageddon will come, which is also called "the war of the great day of God the Almighty." This war is Jehovah's against this wicked world.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

In the Bible it says, that at the end of the tribulation. Armageddon begins, also known as the "day of Jehovah." Those who have been condemned by Christ will be eliminated in this war. Furthermore, the world political system, represented in the Bible by a wild beast with seven heads, will be destroyed.

ILLUSTRATION

Interior of a church that has suffered vandalism. Furniture is smashed, windows and lamps are broken, and there is graffiti on the walls.

When governments turn against Babylon the Great, they will be executing a sentence from God. (See paragraph 21)

22, 23. What effect should all that we have seen about symbolic prostitutes have on our worship of Jehovah?

We must remember that Jehovah does not tolerate us being unfaithful and worshiping another god. So we have to make sure that we are as far away from false religion as possible and have no contact with anything that God deems impure.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

From what we have seen about prostitutes, we saw that Jehovah does not like false worship. So we must demonstrate our loyalty by being neutral in the face of political conflicts and revolts in this highly divided world. And let's avoid nationalism altogether because we see it as another kind of false religion that the Devil promotes.

It teaches us that we must be careful not to be unfaithful, nor to start worshiping another God. We want to be neutral on political issues and riots or protests in this world, which are seen with increasing emphasis. We want to avoid nationalism entirely because we see it as another kind of false religion that the Devil promotes. We also want to value our worship of Jehovah in his clean and pure spiritual temple and consider it a privilege.

Satan takes pleasure in corrupting those who practice pure worship. He would love the opportunity to turn us away from Jehovah's worship to do the same as the prostitutes described in Ezekiel. But we must remember that Jehovah does not tolerate us being unfaithful and worshiping another God.

We make sure we are as far away from false religion as possible and have no contact that God deems impure. For the same reasons, we demonstrate our loyalty by being neutral in the face of political conflicts and upheavals in this deeply divided world.

And we completely avoid nationalism because we see it as another kind of false religion that the Devil promotes. So we value the privilege of being part of a clean people - Jehovah's people.

PURE WORSHIP AND YOU

Why does it make sense to compare false religion to a prostitute?

Everyone wonders why Jehovah compares false religion with a prostitute, this is because in his eyes, both were something detestable. In the end both lead to sin and abandonment of pure worship.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

It is very similar. For example, false religion could be to claim that the true God is worshiped when in reality worship and affection are given to other gods. In the same way, there are prostitutes who are prostitutes because they want to. It doesn't seem humiliating to them; they believe it is an opportunity to have power. They are looking forward to having a lot of money and being influential. And what is worse, imagine that you are married to a good and faithful man, and she cheekily betrays him to prostitute herself. Jehovah God uses the image of a prostitute over and over again to help us understand how he feels about false religion.

Because someone who prostitutes is because they want to have power, money and be influential. And false religion is what you want to do. That is why she is compared to a prostitute, because she wants to manage political governments, direct them and be the center of attention, which is why she is very well compared to false religion.

We saw that there are those who have fallen into prostitution due to unfortunate circumstances, but there are cases in which it is pleasant for the person to practice prostitution. It doesn't seem humiliating to her; it grows that it is an opportunity to have power. You are looking forward to having a lot of money and being influential. And what is worse, imagine that you are married to a good and faithful man, and she cheekily betrays him to prostitute herself. Precisely because of the reaction that this story causes us. Jehovah God uses the image of a prostitute over and over again to help us understand how he feels about false religion.

What does Ezekiel 16 and 23's description of symbolic prostitutes teach us about Jehovah's feelings toward false religion?

In these chapters we learn that Satan takes pleasure in corrupting those who practice pure worship. He likes to turn us away from worshiping Jehovah so that we will do the same as the prostitutes described in Ezekiel. But we must remember that Jehovah does not tolerate us being unfaithful and worshiping another god.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

Ezekiel's description of symbolic prostitutes should teach us that Jehovah does not like false religion. We must ensure that we are as far away from false religion as possible and have no contact with anything that God deems impure.

We see that Jehovah teaches us about his righteous standards and his sense of justice and his great mercy. That is why as Christians we must take very seriously God's clear messages about the spiritual prostitution of his people. He has restored pure worship and will no longer allow it to become defiled.

Jehovah does not change. From the beginnings of the great prostitute until now, he has felt the same about false religion. Therefore, it is normal that there are so many similarities between his messages of condemnation against prostitutes in the book of Ezekiel and the future that awaits "The Great Whore" of Revelation.

What awaits false religion? And what measures should we take?

Jehovah will use the nations of this world to execute his sentence against false religion, including all the religions of Christendom. It will be a final sentence; you will not be forgiven or given any opportunity to change. Never again will false religion be allowed to arise and contaminate pure worship.

ADDITIONAL COMMENT

The nations of this world will be used for Jehovah to execute the sentence against false religion. It is those political authorities who “will hate the prostitute and leave her in ruins and naked. This sentence will last for all eternity. Never again will false religion be allowed to arise and contaminate pure worship. The fiery punishment and destruction of Babylon will leave a symbolic plume of smoke that will never disappear.

The kings of the earth will hate her and leave her in ruins and naked. They will eat your meat and burn it completely with fire. In other words, it will be destroyed forever from these, Jehovah will take care of it by putting in the hearts of politicians who carry out his thought of ending it. That is why we must be careful not to be unfaithful, avoid having contact with anything that God considers impure. We want to be neutral in political conflicts and avoid nationalism.

When governments turn against Babylon the Great, they are actually executing a sentence from God. It will be a great event that will contribute to the fulfillment of Jehovah's purpose. This will usher in the Apocalypse, a period of chaos the likes of which has never been seen.

We make sure we are as far away from false religion as possible and have no contact with anything that God deems impure. For the same reasons, we demonstrate our loyalty by being neutral in the face of political conflicts and upheavals in this deeply divided world. And we completely avoid nationalism because we see it as another kind of false religion that the Devil promotes.