This mornings readings are in part about martyrdom, in part about rulers, and in part about what to do when the times are unjust. For at times we will have to witness unto death. At times persecution will come. We pray that instead we live in a time of rest and growth, but we cannot choose the time we live in. And the signs at the moment are as bleak as they have been in 20 years: in my youth we worried about the Marxist Leninist armies invading europe and south-east asia. But that did not happen. Instead the Marxists got elected to the committees of this world, (don’t forget that feminism is Marxism in a dress) and we are witnessing the destruction they have caused.

Revelation 14:1-13

¹Then I looked, and there was the Lamb, standing on Mount Zion! And with him were one hundred forty-four thousand who had his name and his Father’s name written on their foreheads. ²And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; the voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, ³and they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the one hundred forty-four thousand who have been redeemed from the earth. ⁴It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins; these follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They have been redeemed from humankind as first fruits for God and the Lamb, ⁵and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless.

⁶Then I saw another angel flying in midheaven, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth — to every nation and tribe and language and people. ⁷He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, for the hour of his judgment has come; and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water.”

⁸Then another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.”

⁹Then another angel, a third, followed them, crying with a loud voice, “Those who worship the beast and its image, and receive a mark on their foreheads or on their hands, ¹⁰they will also drink the wine of God”s wrath, poured unmixed into the cup of his anger, and they will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. ¹¹And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image and for anyone who receives the mark of its name.”

¹²Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and hold fast to the faith of Jesus.

¹³And I heard a voice from heaven saying, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who from now on die in the Lord.” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them.”

Gospel Reading Matthew 14:1-12

¹At that time Herod the ruler heard reports about Jesus; ²and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist; he has been raised from the dead, and for this reason these powers are at work in him.” ³For Herod had arrested John, bound him, and put him in prison on account of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, ⁴because John had been telling him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” ⁵Though Herod wanted to put him to death, he feared the crowd, because they regarded him as a prophet. ⁶But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company, and she pleased Herod ⁷so much that he promised on oath to grant her whatever she might ask. ⁸Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” ⁹The king was grieved, yet out of regard for his oaths and for the guests, he commanded it to be given; ¹⁰he sent and had John beheaded in the prison. ¹¹The head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, who brought it to her mother. ¹²His disciples came and took the body and buried it; then they went and told Jesus.

Revelations is one of the hardest books to understand. But we can discern the qualities of Babylon. For it is rich. It requires that all worship it’s ideology, and it’s Gods. It is corrupt, and sexually perverse, and has policies that promote any sexual activity but that which produces a loving marriage.

The fact the 144 000 (12 000 from each tribe of Israel) are virgins is a witness against the corruption of this age and that age. they also act as a slap in the face to the churchian feminists; for women are not within their group.

It’s also worth noting that the gospel by then has been proclaimed to every nation and language: and why we are there it’s worth noting that the very committee men who poison the world have moved the language of this text to gender-neutrality.

But Babylon falls. As if in one day. Like the Soviet system, when it becomes unsustainable it collapses. I can see this happening in the west with the current sex positive feminist ideology (that relies on being rich enough to have a welfare state). When the President of the USA campaigns on expanding the welfare state and entitlements by bringing in new, swingeing taxes in a depression (Yes I am talking about Obamacare) despite owing the entire GDP of his nation to the bankers you know the time is close.

Of Christ’s return, perhaps. But the death of the Marxist (feminist) project… definitely.

And as I have said many times, this is when those of Christ are at risk. For the prudent will be called hoarders, the righteous wreckers, and those who disagree with the anointed soviet traitors. Pray that the collapse will be more akin to the Peronist one to that of Cambodia.

And pray for the endurance of the saints, for the time of test is upon us.