Babylon is
the city and power, spiritually, militarily and politically, spoken against in
the Bible. Its history as recorded details a concerted attempt to oppose the
Yahweh and His purposes. Genesis 10:8-12 and 11:1-9. This city became the
foundation and the fountain-head of the occult. Isaiah and Jeremiah have strong
word to say about and against Nimrod’s creation. The book of Revelation lays
plain Yahweh’s wrath and judgement stored up for a coming day.
Why is
the Lord so implacable towards Babylon? It is more than its opposition to the
person of Yahweh, for such can be forgiven. The issue is expressed through
personalising the city’s boast. Such inflammatory words became a declaration of
war. Isaiah 47:8 ‘Now then, listen, you wanton creature, lounging in your
security and saying to yourself, “I AM, and there is none beside me…” (Nineveh
had same spirit ‘she said to herself, “I AM, and there is none besides me”’
Zephaniah 2:15). To use the words ‘I am’ in such a way is to claim the
untouchable Name. It is to challenge the legitimacy of the Lord God’s right to
be God alone.
We become
aware of God’s unique, untouchable Name in His call to Moses at the burning
bush. ‘God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM:” and he said, “Thus shall you say unto
the children of Israel I AM has sent me to you.”’ Exodus 3:14. Here also is His
framework for the Covenant the Almighty made with Israel, for it is bound up in
His Name. In giving to the Nation (and through them to us) the Ten Commandments
God stresses ‘You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain; for the
Lord will not hold him guiltless that takes his name in vain.’ Exodus 20:7.
Mystery
Babylon (Revelation 17:5) not only takes Yahweh’s Name in vain, it wants to,
plans to, and will fight to claim it. That is why the Scriptures are so loud in
their call for people to get out of this city. Its defeat and doom is spelt out
in Yahweh’s word. To ignore such a call is to share in the consequences of the
judgement.
The
Eternal’s defence of His untouchable Name has implications for Jesus. It is
recorded, especially in the Gospel by John that the Man of Galilee lay claim to
being ‘I AM’. His use of such terms as ‘I am the Bread of Life’ or ‘I am the
Good Shepherd’ may seem unthreatening, however, there is no getting away from
John 8:58. ‘Jesus said to them, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham
was, I AM.”’ To His disciples in John 13:19 He makes a similar claim. In the
Greek it reads “From now I tell you before it happens, that you may believe
when it happens I AM.” Then in Gethsemane when Judas and soldiers came to
capture Jesus He twice mentioned that He was ‘I AM’. On the second occasion the
soldiers fell backwards and tumbled over.
Now how
do we as followers of Jesus Christ know he isn’t on the same trajectory of
judgement as Babylon? Have we sure and certain evidence that His claim is
valid? Here is where the battle ground of faith is fought. The Bethlehem Baby,
the Calvary Christ, is He the Son of God and the ‘I AM’? If so how do we know? By
His resurrection from the dead! His claim is vindicated as well as His mission
of redemption. Once again we are confronted by the words of Thomas in the upper
room when he said “My Lord and My God.”
The
untouchable Name will have no rivals. Nor will it allow those who take it in
vain or pollute its holiness escape discipline and loss of reward. I AM is the
unique revelation of our eternal God and the wonderful, wonderful and amazing
fact is, by faith in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God, our Saviour, we
honour that Name (Philippians 2:10-11). In it we are baptized according to
Matthew 28:19; Go...teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the
Father, Son and Holy Spirit…’
©Ray
Hawkins 27th July 2015
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