The Fall of Babylon the Great
Isaiah 13-14
April 5-6, 2025
Isaiah is a call to revival. This is what we've seen as this theme. What we mean by that is that Israel, at this point, had gone away from God. They had been drawn to the gods of the world around them that appealed to their flesh. That's why they were drawn to it, but God knew that this would weaken them spiritually, nationally, and that it would end in disaster. As we all know, that's true. You pursue the things of the world; it will be disaster. Out of His great love, He sends prophets. First, we read of Isaiah. Later, Jeremiah, and later, Ezekiel, Daniel, and others, and Elijah. He sends these prophets to call them back, back to revival, "Come back."
What's fascinating is that Isaiah alternates between grave warnings of disaster, "Pursue the things of the world, it will end disastrously." He alternates between these warnings of disaster and the visions of glory. He holds out for them. You have no idea what God would do in glory if those-- That's part of revival, "Come back. Come back, and you'll see the glory." You see what God can do in your life. What God will do in the nations. What God will do for Israel.
He even gives visions of glory in the latter days, showing that God's heart and desire is going to be for Israel, even all the way to the end of the age. God is not finished with Israel. God will never be finished with Israel because God has chosen his people, and they are always in the heart of God.
These chapters that we've been studying in Isaiah are amazing. We were recently, at the Wednesday service, looking at chapter 11, where Isaiah gives one of those amazing visions of the glory of God and the heart of God for Israel in the latter days. It's very important because it leads up to, it brings us into these chapters that we're going to study. In chapter 11, He describes that at the end of the age, the Messiah of Israel, who we know his name, Yeshua, Jesus, is the Messiah, who will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.
He will set foot on the Mount of Olives, and He will enter into Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate. Now, what's interesting is that when you go to Israel today, we always go to the Mount of Olives. There, you stand on that Mount, you can see Jerusalem laid out before you, and there is the Eastern Gate, but what's interesting is that today the Eastern Gate is sealed closed. The Arabs sealed it many hundreds of years ago.
Knowing the prophecy of the Scripture saying that the Messiah and the King will come through the Eastern Gate, they sealed it up. Put a cemetery in front of it; an Arab cemetery in front of it, believing that no man of God would come through a cemetery. They thought to thwart the will of God, but I'm here to tell you that the will of God will not be thwarted. He will enter. The mountain will set forth, the mountain will break forth before Him. He will enter through the Eastern Gate, also known as the Golden Gate, also known as the Gate of Mercy, also known as the Beautiful Gate.
He will enter Jerusalem. He will set foot there. He will set up His throne in Jerusalem, and He will rule over the nations of the world for 1,000 years. He will have an earthly kingdom in which He will rule and reign over the nations for 1,000 years, the Millennial Reign of Christ. What's interesting is that the Scriptures describe in several places that during that period of time, even the earth itself will change. Here's what he describes in Isaiah 11, and there are other places as well, but Isaiah 11-- you'll recognize some of these verses.
"The wolf will dwell with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the kid," the kid of a goat, "The calf, the young lion, and the fatling together, and a little boy will lead them," which is really an amazing thing. The earth itself will change. The young lion and the fatling will lie together, and a little boy will lead them. What boy would not love to lead a lion? What a picture of these days, right?
Then he says, and I love this part, "The nursing child will play by the hole of the cobra," because it will be harmless. Then, "The weaned child will put his hand in the viper's den. They will not hurt or destroy in all My Holy Mountain, for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. It will come about in that day that the nations will resort to the root of Jesse," another reference to Jesus, "Who will stand as a signal for the people, and His resting place will be glorious."
What a wonderful, glorious picture of the latter day. The earth itself will have been changed during that thousand-year Millennial Reign of Christ. By the way, whenever I read those verses, particularly about the snakes there, it reminds me of a time growing up. I mentioned this a few Wednesdays ago, that when we were growing up-- many of you heard my story, we were raised on the farm and out in the country, and behind our house was this huge, massive mountain or hill, and right in the middle of it was this huge boulder. As a young boy, my vision and desire was to roll that boulder down the mountain, of course, because that's what boys do.
I took my shovel and my hose, and I would dig, and I would dig and try to get that thing out and try to get some boards to lever it. I finally got it to start moving and shaking, and I kept working and kept working. One day, that boulder came crashing down the mountain, but what was left over was this hole, and then there was this smaller hole where there was a snake. I had never seen a snake like this in my life. It was so huge. It was thick, it was muscular. It was kind of a brownish orange. In Oregon, never seen anything like this.
It looked like a boa constrictor. I thought it was a boa, and so I grabbed a hold of it because I wanted to bring it home.
I wanted people to see that I had a boa, and so I got ahold of it. Of course, it tried to escape, so it started to go down the hole. I got a hold of it, and I'm pulling and I'm pulling. I've never felt a snake like that, so strong. He was thick. It was strong. I'm pulling and pulling and pulling, I could not get it out of that hole. No matter what I did, I could not get it out of the hole. I came running home and I told them, "You won't believe it. I found a boa constrictor on the mountain."
They didn't believe me. They never believed me. I told that story many times, no one ever believed me.
Then, later, I looked it up on the internet because, later, the Internet became a thing, and I saw it. Yes, we do have boas in Oregon. Native to Oregon. It's on the Internet. If it's on the Internet, you know it's true.
In fact, Channel 2 KATU News did a news piece; it's still on the Internet today, where someone had this big rubber boa in a tree, and it was a big, massive boa. We actually have boas native to Oregon here. In fact, someone who was one of my neighbors growing up, goes to our church first service, he said, "There was, one day, three or four of them that came out of our house." What does that have to do with our story?
Nothing, but I love the story. How often do I get to tell that story, right? He's describing, in the latter days, this wonder, this beauty. It's like that Scripture, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard. It's not even entered the heart of man that which God would do for those who love Him." He's setting forth this picture of glory. He wants them to come back to that glory, but the glory of the latter days must be contrasted with the warnings also contained in this book. Here in chapter 13 and 14, he describes the downfall of Babylon the Great and it's symbolic in its meaning, significant in its meaning.
In the days of Isaiah, the world was changing, and the world is changing today. The world is changing before our eyes. The world is being shaken, and there will be more even yet to come. The world was changing in those days. Empires were arising. First, there was Assyria, which we've been reading about, that cruel and terrible nation which God broke in Israel, on that Holy Mountain, but then after them arose Babylon.
Babylon is the one that destroyed Jerusalem. Took many Israelis captive, held them in exile in Babylon for 70 years. In the verses we're studying today when he writes this, Babylon is just beginning to arise as one of the great powers, but he describes and prophesizes that Babylon the Great will fall. What's fascinating is that there will be a near and a far fulfillment, which is often true in Scripture, a near and a far fulfillment.
"In the years following the prophecy of this book, Babylon, ancient Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms as is described, the glory of the Chaldean pride will fall by the moving of the hand of God," but there will be a greater fulfillment described in the Book of Revelation. There is a vision of the latter days.
There will be a city, Babylon the Great. It's a symbolic name. In that vision, it describes Babylon, "The pride of the world, the pride of kingdoms will fall." What could it mean? What impact would it have on world events? What city could it be? What does it represent? How will it be destroyed? The answers are amazing and important for they refer to the events of the latter days of which we should watch, be on the alert to understand the events that will come in the latter days.
There are two cities most mentioned in the Bible. Jerusalem, of course, is most mentioned, more than 800 times. The second most mentioned is Babylon. Almost 300 mentions of Babylon, but these two cities stand as opposites of each other in biblical significance. Jerusalem. In Hebrew, Yerushalayim. I love the way it sounds in Hebrew. Jerusalem is that place of God's own possession. He says, "I put My name there on that city, position of My city there in Jerusalem." There, the glory of God dwells. There, the Tabernacle where God is amongst his people stands above all mountains. It stands above all cities as that place where God's glory will be.
I said before you Yerushalayim, but I also said before you Babylon. Babylon the Great is called the mother of harlots, and that's all you need to know. It represents all that's wrong with humanity. All that's ungodly in the world, that God-rejecting nations are represented in it. Many books have been written as to the meanings and the symbolic significance of Babylon the Great in the latter days, but what I want to show you is that Babylon of the latter days is directly connected to ancient Babylon that we read here in Isaiah.
We begin reading in Isaiah 13:6-- as I mentioned, we'll look at the other verses around this at our Wednesday Verse-by-Verse Service, but we start here, 13:6. "Wail, for the Day of the Lord is near." By the way that phrase, "Day of the Lord," is referencing here a description of the fall of Babylon but is also used to describe the destruction or the wrath of God poured out on an unbelieving, God-rejecting world during the tribulation seven-year period of time that is in the latter days.
"The Day of the Lord is near. It will come as destruction from the Almighty. Therefore, all hands will fall limp out of fear. Every man's heart will melt, and they will be terrified. Pains and anguish will take hold of them. They will writhe like a woman in labor." That is fascinating because Jesus said that in the latter days, the events will be like a woman in child labor. Any woman who has had a child knows that the birth pains grow closer together, greater in intensity as the time of the event draws near. Interesting. Same reference.
"It will be like a woman in labor. They will look at one another in astonishment. Their faces will be aflame. Behold, the Day of the Lord is coming, cruel with fury and with burning anger to make the land a desolation. He will exterminate sinners from it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not flash forth their light because smoke will cover them. The sun will be dark when it rises. The moon will not shed its light." Notice, "I will punish the world." See here, now you see that there is a latter-day greater fulfillment.
"I will punish the world for its evil and the wicked for their iniquity. I will put an end to the arrogance of the proud, and I will abase or bring low the haughtiness of the ruthless. I will make mortal man scarcer than gold. Mankind will be scarcer than the gold of Ophir. Therefore, I will make the heavens tremble, and the earth will be shaken from its place."
Notice that in the latter days, Hebrews describes, "Everything that can be, will be shaken so that those things which cannot be shaken will remain." He references it also here, "The earth will be shaken from its place, the fury of the Lord of hosts and in the day of his burning anger will bring about this."
I. Prophecy Connects to History
Now, we'll look at the other verses here, and then, of course, Wednesday, but starting with this understanding that prophecy connects to history. "Babylon is a mystery," the Scripture says, and, "The latter days," it's symbolic. Ancient Babylon and Babylon of the latter days are connected and have much in common. Starting with this. Notice Revelation 17:3-5, "He carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast."
Now, this is a picture of Babylon. "I saw a woman sitting on a beast full of blasphemous names, having 7 heads and 10 horns." Much depth behind that. "The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having, in her hand, a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality. A cup of which she would drink. On her forehead was a name written, "A mystery, Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots, Abominations of the Earth"."
A. Ancient Babylon was an occultic center
It is a city described in Revelation, symbolic, yes, but connected to the ancient city. Notice this; ancient Babylon was an occultic center. It was the largest city in the known world at the time. A power of the world was centered there. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon were massive. Famously known as one of the Wonders of the World. That was that city that oppressed, destroyed Israel. Took them captive 70 years. Ancient Babylon was the center of occultic religion.
What's interesting is that the mark of the beast referenced to in the book of Revelation, in the latter days, is directly connected to the occultic religion of ancient Babylon. Prophecy is connected to history. In fact, the infamous number 666-- some refer to the mark of the beast as 6-6-6. Not accurate. It's 666, but it's based on a magic square, an amulet, which will be worn on the chest of the high priest, the occultic priest of Babylon. The mark of the beast, the name of the beast is the number of his name, which is 666.
Notice, Revelation 13:16-17, "And he, the antichrist, causes all; the great and the small, the rich and the poor, the free and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark." It is either the name of the beast or the number of his name, 666. Then he says, "Whoever has understanding should calculate the number of the beast." What is that you mean that you would use to calculate the number of his name? You would use "geometria." We get our modern word "geometry" from that Greek word. It means "to calculate."
Geometria is a process of taking names or words, finding the numeric value of those words or names by adding the value of each letter. Now, we use such numbers or letters to represent numbers even today. In the Super Bowl, we always mark it by using Roman letters. The next Super Bowl is Super Bowl 60, that's LX. The letters represent numbers.
The Hebrew and Greek languages also use letters to represent numbers. We could do the same in English. If we said, let's say, A was one, B was two, and C was three, we could do a system, similarly, using geometria. Out of interest, I used that method to calculate the number and the value of my name. Using that method, the number of my name comes out to be 666. No, I'm just kidding. Not really.
It is 966, 300 better. See? There you go. Interestingly, the ancient Babylonian occultic religion was a blend of religion, astrology, and mathematics. Now, here's what I mean. Each of their gods were represented by the constellations. There were 36 constellations in the star sky, each of them representing an occultic god. They would assign a number to these gods of the constellations, 1 to 36.
Then the pagan priest of Babylon wore an amulet, a square called the magic square on which would be 36 numbers, but it would not be in the order 1 to 36. It would be ordered in such a way that if you counted across each row, each row would add up to 111. Then you add up the rows, it adds up to 666. Now, if you added up also the columns, each column would add up to 111, and all of the columns together would add up to 666.
Even the diagonals added up to 111, and, thus, the magic square was worn as an amulet of power. For the number 666, then was the number given to the god that was above all other gods, an occultic god. That was the number, therefore, assigned to the beast. The mark of the beast is directly connected to that god, which is over all other gods of the occultic Babylonian religion. It's the number that represents also the antichrist.
God saw to it that that city, Babylon, would receive what it deserved because of what it did to Israel. Jeremiah 25:12 says, "Then it will be that when 70 years are completed, I will punish the king of Babylon and that nation and that land of the Chaldeans for their iniquity, declares the Lord. I will make it an everlasting desolation." Now, Babylon was overtaken by the Medes, the Persians. The great Persian or we would say Iran today-- the great Persian King Cyrus defeated Babylon.
Interestingly, we read that when Cyrus came into his place of power where he defeated Babylon-- now he's the king of Babylon and Persia, it was shown to him that his name was written in the book of Isaiah all those years before. He saw his name written in the scroll of Isaiah and was absolutely amazed and impressed that his name was there, written before he was even born. Absolutely amazing.
B. Prophetically, Babylon is a symbol
He is the one, therefore, who released the captives. Released the exiles to go back to Jerusalem and rebuild and restore the city and the temple there. Prophetically-- now, again, prophecy is connected to history, prophetically, Babylon is a symbol. It's a symbol of that city that the antichrist will use as headquarters for his position as a world power in the latter days. Now, you might know that the intent of the enemy is to mock and imitate the things of God.
The Scriptures indicate, as we read earlier, that there will be a day when the King of Kings and Lord of the Lord sets foot, and he will rule and reign the nations of the world from His throne set forth in Jerusalem. There will be a one-world government, and it will rest on the shoulders of that great king. The antichrist, empowered by Satan himself, therefore, desires to set up a one-world government of which the antichrist will rule and reign over the nations of the world.
Interestingly, there is an aspect of Islam that teaches today that there will be a 12th imam that arises in the latter days who will rule the nations of the world from Jerusalem for seven years. A fascinating and interesting prophecy, seven years, which interestingly corresponds to the number of years that will take place the Day of the Lord, the great tribulation of the latter days.
Saying that there will be a one-world government, prophetically, it's a symbol. Now, some have suggested that Babylon in the latter days is New York City, for the headquarters of the United Nations is there. It's all speculation, of course, but what we understand is what it represents symbolically. Babylon will become a symbol of spiritual idolatry. Religion will be a very important part of the antichrist's hold of the world in the latter days. In fact, Scripture describes that the antichrist will take Jerusalem, will take the newly rebuilt temple, and will set an image of himself in the Holy of Holies, in the temple, thus offending Israel greatly, which is the point.
"Therefore, he will set up an image of himself in the Holy of Holies." There is no holier place than that on the earth, "And he will set forth there in order to be proclaimed as the one to receive worship as a god." The number 666 then is attributed to him. What an interesting revealing. Jesus said in Matthew 24, "When you see that-- when you see the abomination of desolation referred to in the prophet Daniel, know then that this is near, and, therefore, Israel run to the mountains," for, literally, all hell is going to break loose.
Religion will have a great part of the empire of the antichrist in the latter days. It will be an occultic religion. Spiritual idolatry. False religion. It will also represent the party manifesto. The life; eat, drink, be merry, party it up. It will also be symbolic of economic idolatry. Ancient Babylon was the center of the world's wealth. In the latter days, the kingdoms of the earth will be made rich by Babylon the whore. The system of materialism will be destroyed by the wrath of God in the tribulation. Of course, the lesson, immediately, for us is to be very careful not to hold on to the things which God says are detestable in the sight of God.
This, we read in Luke 6:14-15, "Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at him," Jesus, "And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God"." That is a great verse. Be very careful, then, that you don't hold onto things which are highly esteemed among men but are detestable in the sight of God, which brings us back to Isaiah 13-14.
II. Don’t Waste Your Life in Babylon
The immediate lesson applied to us is don't waste your life in Babylon. Practical application: God gave you your life as a gift to live it for the glory of what He would do in your soul as a wonder. "Don't waste your life," He says, "In Babylon." Don't come to the end-- What a tragedy would be if you came to the end and you look back over your life and thought, "What a waste. I wasted my life."
A. God is against all that Babylon represents
Back in the '60s, when someone would get high on drugs, he would later say, "I was wasted." Truer words should not be said, a waste. That's why God calls us back. That's why God would send His prophets to bring them back like, "Don't waste your life. It will end in disaster for you. I have so much glory for you." That's why he's showing us that God is against all that Babylon represents.
If God is against it, then we must be careful not to be for it. Notice in Isaiah 13:19, "And Babylon, the beauty of kingdoms, the glory of Chaldean pride will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah." God is against it to that degree. Now, we know God is against it because heaven rejoices at the downfall of it. Revelation 19:1-4, "After these things, I heard something like the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, "Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong to our God because His judgments are true and righteous. For He has judged the great-hearted who is corrupting the earth with their immorality, and He's avenged the blood of His bond sermons on her." Then, a second time, they said, "Hallelujah," her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the 24 elders and the 4 living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah"."
What we understand then is that the power behind the immoralities and all that Babylon represents is the serpent of old seeing himself. What's interesting is that the description of the downfall of Babylon in those days is identical to the description of the downfall of Satan described in Scripture.
Notice chapter 14:12. Notice how it is identical to the description, "Oh, how you have fallen from heaven, oh, star of the morning." King James actually says, "Oh, Lucifer." It means "star of the morning." "Oh, how you have fallen from heaven, oh, star of the morning, son of the dawn, you who have been cut down to the earth, you who have weakened nations because you said in your heart, "I will ascend to heaven. I will raise my throne above the stars of God. I will sit on the Mount of the Assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds. I will make myself like the Most-High"."
That was the desire seen from the beginning, to make himself like the Most-High. Thus, he wants to be named and numbered after the Great God over all other gods. He sets it forth and says, "There's a time to choose." "I said before you, Jerusalem, in all of your glory, there where the glory dwells, there where the throne of the Almighty is represented amongst His people. I present to you Yerushalayim."
So important is Jerusalem that our eternal dwelling place will be called the New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven, and prepared like a bride prepared for a bridegroom. "I present to you Yerushalayim, in all her glory," but I also present to you Babylon, mother of harlots. Choose. Choose. It's like what Elijah proclaimed to Israel there on Mount Carmel, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If Baal is God, serve Him, but if Jehovah is God, then serve Him. Do not waver between the two."
"Come out, come out. Choose for yourselves." That's what Joshua said in Joshua 24:15, where he made that great declaration, "Choose for yourselves today." They were beginning to dabble with the gods of the world, and he said, "You must choose. Choose for yourselves today whom you'll serve, but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
If Babylon is a symbol of the world and the world manifesto and all that's wrong with the world, then that's not where we belong. Have you ever been someplace and, right away, you sense, "I don't belong here. I don't feel right. Something's wrong here. I don't belong here."? I remember when I first went to the university, went to Oregon State, and joined a fraternity, which I do not recommend. Got there. Right away, the party started. I remember standing there, watching all of this unfold.
I was raised in the church. I used to lead worship when I was a teenager. I'm standing there watching all of this unfold and something in my heart was like, "I don't belong here. This isn't right. I don't belong here. I don't feel right here. Something's wrong here," but I stayed. Gradually, little by little, I got more comfortable. Little by little, I got so comfortable that, to my everlasting shame, I became president of the fraternity. I'm leading this thing now.
Then, one day-- I remember it so distinctly, it was a Sunday morning. My soul was so disturbed. I got up, walked to go outside on the front porch of the fraternity. I remember walking through the beer bottles and the sticky floor. I stood outside on the porch. It was a beautiful, sunny Sunday morning, and I remember just standing there and saying to God, "I miss you. I can't do this anymore. I miss you." I went to my room to get my Bible, which took way too long, got in my car, and just started driving, "I got to find a church."
I didn't know where a church was, I just started driving until I found a church. I found a church. I came in, the service had already started. I came in and sat in the back, I just sat there, and I started crying, "I'm home now. This is where I belong." That's what He presents. He says, "I set before you life and death, choose you this day."
B. Don’t be part of the party
Notice Revelation 18:3-4, and 5, "All the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality." What a description. "They drink of the wine of her immorality. The kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her. The merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality. Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, My people." "You don't belong there. That's not your home. You don't belong there. You're not at home there. Come out. Come out."
That's why God sends His prophets to show them the glory of what God can do, "Come out of there." "The nations have drunk the wine," it says, "of the passion of her immorality." "Passion" is a very powerful word. Passion is a driving force, what drives you. What you're passionate about is what drives you. Passion is a transforming power. A.W. Tozer wrote, "We are all in the process of becoming, but we are becoming what we love," and what we love most is prophetic of our future. It indicates what we will become.
Passion, what drives you. Careful about being passionate, loving the wrong things. Back in the '60s, Woodstock-- some of you read about Woodstock. I read about it in the history books.
Woodstock was a great example of loving wrong things. Max Yasgur's farm there in 1969 became the expression of a new counterculture; flower power, hippies, they're born as 500,000 hippies gathered at Woodstock to be free. That's what they said. To be free to listen to Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin and so many others.
Jimi Hendrix once said, "Music is my religion, and I'll do what I want. I'll do what I feel. Whatever I feel is what I'll do." Within 14 months of Woodstock, Jimi Hendrix was dead. Janis Joplin was dead. What we love is prophetic. "Come out of her, My people, come out of her and come home. Turn your heart toward home." Where's home? Where do you belong?
C. “Turn your heart toward home”
God has taken us from darkness, brought us into His glorious light. There the glory dwells. There you can delight in the Almighty. There the soul can be made alive. It has everything to do with what you drink. "They drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality."
Jesus said this-- John 7, "If anyone is thirsty, then come to me." You thirsty? The soul is driven by thirst. The soul is searching and longing, driven, thirsty. "You thirsty? Come to me and drink freely."
"He who believes in me," as the Scripture says, "even out of his innermost being will flow rivers of living water." It's not too late, come home. You belong there, where the glory of God dwells beautifully, wonderfully. That's where you belong. God says, "Come. Come to that place of decision, come to that place where you have settled it in your heart, "I know in whom I have believed. I belong there in the glory of God. Only there will my soul be satisfied. Only there will I find my deepest desires. There is where home is. I know my home, I know where I belong, and I know that I will keep walking toward home all the days of my life. I know where home is and I'm walking toward home"."
Lord, thank you for your glory, for the promise of life, for showing us the contrast between the glory of that beautiful city, Yerushalayim, where the glory of God dwells. I said before you Babylon, the great harlot, from which well will you drink, the wine of the passions of her immorality or the living water that satisfies the deepest reaches of the soul? There comes a time to choose. Choose, you, this day.
Church, how many would say to the Lord, "I choose you. I don't belong anywhere else. I'm not at home anywhere else; I choose you. I know in whom I have believed. I have settled this in my heart. I choose for there is no place for me to dwell other than under the shadow of the Almighty. I have made up my mind. I have set my course. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."?
Church, is that your heart and prayer to the Lord? Would you just raise your hand as a way of saying that to the Lord? "God, here's my heart. Here's my desire, I want you to know it. I want to declare it; as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. I've settled it in my heart, only there do I belong. Only there does my soul dwell in beauty."