Page 12 - The Road from Babylon to Zion

Matthew 7:21-23
"Not everyone who says to Me, "Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of
heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will
enter. Many will say to Me on that day, "Lord, Lord, did we not
prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your
name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, "I never
knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE
LAWLESSNESS.'”

In this scripture we see a people who confess Yahshua as Lord and they are doing the
very same activities that He did. Yahshua prophesied and so did they. Yahshua cast
out demons and so did they. Yahshua performed miracles and so did they. Yet we
have Yahshua’s very pointed pronouncement, “Depart from Me, you who practice
lawlessness.”

It is not enough to conform to Christ in form, or even in action. We must have an
internal conformity. Yahshua lived to do the will of the Father, and so must we.
Yahshua never performed any of the activities mentioned of His own initiative. He
only did what the Father commanded Him to do. Yahshua never walked in
lawlessness, He was every moment surrendered to the governmental will of His
Father in heaven.

There are many home churches today that are doing much of their own initiative.
There are many fellowships that eschew pagan practices and that name the name of
Yahweh and Yahshua, yet they are full of their own plans and ambitions. There are
many local bodies of believers that have five-fold ministers and who seek to pattern
themselves after New Testament forms, but they are still living out of the soul of man
and making decisions apart from the Spirit of God.

Leaving Babylon requires much more than simply changing forms and practices that
are outwardly observable. Undoubtedly, the people of Zion will stand out from the
citizens of Babylon in numerous external ways, but the real difference is inward. To
leave Babylon one must be circumcised in the heart. Babylon must be removed from
one’s desires and passions before one can journey out from Babylon.

Babylon and Zion have actually existed side by side throughout the entire history of
the Scriptures. We see Babylon and Zion in the two brothers Cain and Abel. Both
men brought an offering to Yahweh. Cain brought of the fruit of the earth, while Abel
brought forth of the firstlings of his flock with their fat portions. We are told that God
had regard for Abel’s offering, but not for Cain’s.

What was the difference between Cain’s offering and Abel’s that God would regard
one and not the other? I have heard many vain things preached regarding this story,