A Tale of Two Cities: Babylon and Jerusalem

Throughout the Bible, we see an epic tale of two cities unfolding: Babylon and Jerusalem. These two cities aren't merely geographical locations; they symbolize spiritual kingdoms and ways of life in direct opposition to one another. Each city operates from its unique economic, social, and spiritual framework, one built on abundance, truth, and grace—Jerusalem—and the other founded upon scarcity, deception, and control—Babylon.

Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth."

The Rise and Fall of Babylon

Babylon, first notably mentioned in Genesis 11, was built by humanity's attempt to replace God, to reach the heavens through their own might and intellect–opposing God’s Grace. It epitomized self-exaltation, pride, and rebellion against God's sovereign authority. Babylon was founded on the false promise that humanity could thrive apart from God, achieving immortality and wisdom through self-effort and independence.

Genesis 11:4 "They said, 'Come, let us build for ourselves a city, and a tower whose top will reach into heaven, and let us make for ourselves a name…'"

The Bible sharply condemns Babylon as the birthplace of idolatry, moral corruption, and spiritual adultery. Babylon's economy thrived on exploitation, oppression, and violence. It required constant sacrifice—not to God, but to false gods, idols, and ultimately self-interest, self-promotion, and self-preservation. Babylon is built upon fear, control, and manipulation, establishing an economic system of scarcity—always demanding more from its citizens while delivering emptiness and despair.

Revelation 18:2-4 "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! … Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues."

In Revelation, Babylon represents humanity's corrupted systems—economic, religious, and political—that oppose God and persecute His people:

Revelation 14:8 "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who has made all the nations drink of the wine of the passion of her immorality"

Babylon’s ultimate end is judgment and destruction:

Jerusalem: The City of Peace and Grace

In stark contrast, Jerusalem, the city God chose for Himself, represents peace, redemption, and God’s grace. Jerusalem, specifically the New Jerusalem, is described in Revelation 21 as a holy city coming down from heaven, radiantly adorned like a bride for her bridegroom. Unlike Babylon, Jerusalem operates on the economy of grace, abundance, love, and generosity—reflecting the Kingdom of Heaven.

Revelation 21:1-2 "Then he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband."

The Jerusalem economy is marked by self-giving love rather than self-serving ambition. It operates not by fear and control but by freedom and empowerment. The New Jerusalem economy, vividly depicted in Scripture, is built upon abundance, mutual support, radical generosity, and divine love:

Revelation 21:23-24 "And the city has no need of the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God has illumined it... and the nations will walk by its light"

This city doesn’t require scarcity; rather, it flows with unlimited provision directly from God's presence:

Two Economies: Abundance vs. Scarcity

In the spiritual ecosystem of Babylon, human value is measured by performance, possessions, and power. In contrast, the New Jerusalem economy sees human value as intrinsic, rooted in being created in God’s image. In Babylon, resources are scarce and hoarded; in Jerusalem, resources flow freely, generously shared among all, reflecting God’s own limitless generosity and grace.

John 10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

Babylon demands constant striving. Jerusalem offers rest, peace, and fulfillment in Christ's finished work. Babylon rewards manipulation; Jerusalem thrives on humility and servanthood. Babylon’s end is destruction; Jerusalem’s destiny is eternal life and endless prosperity with God Himself.

James 3:16-17 "For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits…"

Lessons from the Seven Churches

Revelation chapters 2 and 3 vividly depict Jesus addressing seven churches, each reflecting various aspects of Babylonian and Jerusalem economies. Christ calls each church to repent from Babylonian attitudes—compromise, lukewarmness, idolatry, pride—and to return to Jerusalem-like devotion, purity, humility, and generosity.

Revelation 3:17 "Because you say, 'I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,' and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked."

For example, the church of Laodicea mirrors the Babylonian model: wealthy, self-sufficient, yet spiritually bankrupt:

Revelation 3:8 "I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name."

Conversely, the church at Philadelphia exemplifies the Jerusalem model, marked by faithfulness, humility, and endurance, rewarded by open doors and divine protection.

Urgent Call to the Great Basin Region

Reflecting on the Great Basin Region, particularly our religious institutions dominated by false religious systems and human pride, we bear uncomfortable resemblance to Babylon rather than Jerusalem. We have allowed idolatry—especially religious idolatry—to dominate our churches, governments, and personal lives. The tragic results are clear: broken families, spiritual oppression, empty rituals, and an economy driven by fear and scarcity.

2 Corinthians 6:17 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you."

The cost of continuing in this Babylonian system is catastrophic:

Revelation 18:4 "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues"

Jesus is calling the Great Basin Region—right now—to immediate repentance. We must abandon Babylon's deceptive practices and embrace the radical, gracious economy of the New Jerusalem.

Immediate Action Required: The Path Forward

God’s remnant is called to action. We cannot wait for the lukewarm hirelings or the compromised leaders entrenched in Babylonian systems. God's remnant—those who hear His voice clearly—must arise boldly and lead the transition from scarcity to abundance, from oppression to freedom, from Babylon to Jerusalem.

Romans 13:11-12 "Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore, let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light."

Jesus, our King, is preparing His Bride, and the hour is late. It is time for boldness, humility, and radical obedience. It is time for believers across the Great Basin Region to demonstrate practically what the New Jerusalem economy looks like. This means practicing radical generosity, authentic community, and full dependence upon Christ’s sufficiency rather than the world's false promises.

In doing so, we not only anticipate the eternal New Jerusalem; we become living examples, right now, of the transformative power of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The decision is urgent. The call is clear. Come out of Babylon, enter fully into Christ’s eternal Kingdom economy, and join the greatest revival humanity has ever seen—the revival of dead bones, now raised to new life in Christ.

This is our strategic plan.
This is our mission.
This is our urgent call to action.

Arise, remnant. Babylon is falling. Jerusalem is coming. Let us choose life and grace today.

The Tale of Two Kings—Jesus Christ vs. Nebuchadnezzar’s Statue

In Daniel Chapter 2, we read of the ancient Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar, who was troubled by a powerful dream—a vision of an immense statue made of various metals:

Daniel 2:32-33 "The head of that statue was made of fine gold, its breast and its arms of silver, its belly and its thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay."

Through Daniel, God interpreted the dream, revealing the statue represented successive worldly kingdoms—Babylon and those following—ultimately destined for destruction by an eternal kingdom established by God Himself.

Daniel 2:34-35 "You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet... and crushed them. Then… the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were crushed all at the same time… and the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth."

This stone is none other than Jesus Christ Himself, whose Kingdom demolishes Babylon and all worldly empires, becoming the everlasting Kingdom of grace and righteousness.

Daniel 2:44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed… it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever."

Comparing the Kings—Babylon vs. King Jesus

Let us deeply compare and contrast these two kingdoms and their kings, to see clearly what makes a "Babylonian King" and what makes Jesus Christ uniquely different.

The Nature of Their Authority

Babylonian Authority Nebuchadnezzar's Statue

Babylonian rule is based on domination, intimidation, and fear. Babylonian kings, from Nebuchadnezzar onward, relied on power, wealth, military might, and human strength. Nebuchadnezzar exemplified prideful arrogance:

Daniel 4:30 "Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built… by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?"

This is typical Babylonian rule—proud, self-centered, arrogant, and driven by self-glory.

King Jesus' Authority: Jesus Christ exercises authority radically differently—through love, grace, humility, and sacrificial service:

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." 

His authority is divine, compassionate, gracious, merciful, and entirely self-giving.

Their Approach to Power and Control

Babylonian Kings

Babylonian rulers oppress, manipulate, and control their subjects. They use fear, threats, and punishment. People under their rule serve out of compulsion and fear:

Daniel 3:6 "But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire." 

King Jesus

Jesus leads by grace and love, not compulsion or force. He empowers and sets people free, never manipulating or oppressing:

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest... My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Their Kingdoms’ Stability and Durability

Babylonian Kingdoms Statue of Mixed Metals

The kingdoms represented by Nebuchadnezzar's statue progressively weaken from gold to clay—unstable, temporary, and eventually crushed:

Daniel 2:41-43 "Just as you saw that the feet and toes were partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom… it will not adhere to one another…"

King Jesus’ Everlasting Kingdom The Stone

Christ’s Kingdom is eternally stable, immovable, and everlasting—one kingdom forever unified in divine love and truth:

Daniel 2:44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed... but it will itself endure forever." 

In contrast, King Jesus' economy operates from abundance and grace, providing freely to everyone who believes:

Operates from unlimited resources—God’s grace, provision, and abundance. Empowers, liberates, and fulfills all who participate.

What Followers Can Expect from Their King

Babylonian Kingdom

Those who follow Babylon can expect fear, bondage, spiritual exhaustion, never-ending guilt, and eternal disappointment. Babylon promises much but delivers emptiness and despair. Ultimately, it will be completely destroyed:

Jeremiah 50:2 "Babylon has been captured… she has been put to shame…" 

King Jesus' Kingdom

Those who follow King Jesus receive freedom, peace, rest, joy, eternal security, and endless grace:

John 10:10 "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

How Foolish Is It to Follow Babylon?

To choose Babylon over Jesus Christ is tragically foolish—beyond measure. It means choosing self-destruction, oppression, and spiritual death over freedom, eternal life, and true fulfillment. The Scripture clearly warns:

Revelation 18:4 "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues…" 

Why follow a person, company, state, or nation that aligns with Babylon's corruption and eventual destruction? It's a decision rooted in spiritual blindness and deception. The reality is stark: Babylon is falling, guaranteed by God's Word.

The Immediate Call to Action

This is the hour to choose the right King—Jesus Christ, the King of kings. Babylon’s days are numbered. Its idols and systems are collapsing even now.

Come out immediately from Babylon’s influence. Renounce its false promises. Choose Jesus Christ, the stone not made by human hands, who destroys every corrupt system and fills the entire earth with His righteous Kingdom.

Today, surrender fully to Jesus:

Repent and confess your participation in Babylonian systems and idolatry.

Ask King Jesus to forgive you, cleanse you, and fill you with the Holy Spirit.

Declare Jesus as your only true King and your eternal hope.

Receive eternal grace, forgiveness, and abundant life that only Jesus Christ can offer:

2 Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

Remnant of the Great Basin Region—Your Time Has Come

Rise boldly, clearly choosing King Jesus. Lead courageously as Ambassadors of His Grace. Let’s bring His Kingdom of abundance, freedom, and righteousness to our Mormon neighbors, friends, and families who still dwell under Babylon’s oppressive shadows.

Babylon will fall.
Jesus Christ will reign forever.
Choose wisely today.

Choose the real King. Choose Jesus Christ.

Exposé—Kingdom Influencers and the Two Cities

I’ve reflected deeply on the powerful influence leaders and influencers wield over God's people. These influencers—whether presidents, priests, prophets, pastors, bishops, or elders—profoundly shape the spiritual and social landscapes of our communities, particularly here in the Great Basin Region.

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

But whom exactly are we following, and where precisely are they leading us? Are our current religious influencers steering us toward the Babylonian system of bondage or toward the Kingdom of Jesus Christ—the city of peace, the New Jerusalem?

Let us explore and examine carefully each influencer, according to the Scriptures.

King Jesus—The True and Faithful King

In direct contrast to all earthly rulers, Jesus Christ exemplifies a completely different Kingdom leadership style. His reign is characterized entirely by humility, love, and self-sacrifice:

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Citizens of Jesus’ Kingdom experience freedom, peace, grace, and rest. Jesus lovingly shepherds His people, providing for every need, gently leading and guiding:

Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest… For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." 

Those who choose Jesus find life abundant, wisdom unlimited, and resources freely provided by grace:

John 10:10 "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."

In Christ’s Kingdom, authority is gentle yet powerful, righteous, yet merciful, loving yet holy. It is the polar opposite of the oppressive systems of Babylon.

Jezebel and King Ahab—Babylon’s Puppet Rulers

Jezebel and Ahab, notorious figures in Scripture, vividly represent Babylonian-style leadership. They ruled through manipulation, threats, and intimidation. Jezebel embodied control, deception, and spiritual adultery, viciously persecuting true prophets of God:

1 Kings 21:25 "Surely there was no one like Ahab who sold himself to do evil… because Jezebel his wife incited him." 

Citizens living under Jezebel and Ahab were exploited, manipulated, and spiritually oppressed. Their rule brought idolatry, moral decay, poverty, and spiritual emptiness—hallmarks of Babylon’s economy:

Revelation 2:20 "I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel… she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray…"

Their oppressive leadership was nearly identical to King Nebuchadnezzar's Babylonian rule—domineering, harsh, ungodly, and destructive.

Carnal Pastors and Elders—The Nicolaitan-Driven Laodicea

Examining the spiritual landscape of the Great Basin Region, we tragically find many modern pastors and church leaders closely resembling Laodicean church leaders rebuked by Jesus in Revelation:

Revelation 3:17 "Because you say, ‘I am rich… and have need of nothing,’ and you do not know that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked…" 

These carnal leaders, described as hirelings rather than true shepherds, often prioritize worldly success, salaries, comfort, popularity, and church growth over radical obedience, humility, repentance, and sacrificial love. Their preaching often appeals to self-help rather than the transformative power of the Gospel. Their lukewarm teaching and compromised lifestyles align tragically closer with Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon than Jesus’ New Jerusalem:

LDS Presidents, Prophets, and Bishops—Babylon’s Religious System

As I lovingly yet boldly evaluate the LDS hierarchy—prophets, presidents, and bishops—I see a direct and troubling alignment with Babylon’s religious-economic system. Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and subsequent LDS prophets constructed a vast religious empire based on enforced religious obligations, tithes, temple rituals, and continuous striving for spiritual worthiness and perfection. These practices resemble Babylon’s oppressive economy of control, scarcity, manipulation, and fear.

The Book of Mormon itself openly teaches salvation dependent upon personal worthiness, obedience to ordinances, and temple ceremonies:

"For we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." 2 Nephi 25:23, Book of Mormon)

This teaching tragically contradicts the biblical doctrine of grace alone:

Ephesians 2:8-9 "For by grace you have been saved through faith… it is the gift of God; not as a result of works…" 

The LDS hierarchy, like Babylon, demands absolute obedience to human authority, dependence on performance, and constant religious striving—offering spiritual insecurity and anxiety, never peace, rest, or genuine freedom in Christ.

The Obvious Contrast

It should now be overwhelmingly clear:

Jesus Christ rules by love, mercy, grace, freedom, and empowerment—aligned fully with Jerusalem.

Jezebel, Ahab, and Nebuchadnezzar represent manipulation, fear, deception, oppression, and spiritual bondage—fully aligned with Babylon.

Carnal Christian pastors and elders often tragically resemble the compromised lukewarmness of Laodicea—aligning more closely with Babylon’s economy than the grace-filled abundance of New Jerusalem.

LDS Presidents, prophets, and bishops directly mirror Babylon’s oppressive religious system, based on human works and striving rather than biblical grace, peace, and abundant life in Christ.

The Cost of Choosing the Wrong Kingdom

Choosing any ruler, leader, or system aligned with Babylon carries a severe spiritual price—emptiness, anxiety, bondage, and ultimately destruction:

Revelation 18:4 "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues…" 

The Urgent Call to Action

This is your hour, precious people of the Great Basin Region. It’s time for an immediate, radical, life-altering decision. You must choose which kingdom and influencer to follow—Jesus Christ and the New Jerusalem or Babylon’s false prophets and hirelings.

Right now, you have an extraordinary opportunity to step fully and forever into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ alone. Repent from following Babylonian influencers.Take back false religious systems, lukewarm churches, and oppressive spiritual bondage.

Declare boldly today:

"King Jesus, I surrender fully to You. Forgive our sins, cleanse our hearts, and fill us with Your Spirit."

"Guide me personally as my only Rabbi, Master, and King. Teach me from Your Word, renew my mind, and lead me into Your everlasting Kingdom."

"I renounce all allegiances to Jezebel, Ahab, carnal pastors, false prophets, and oppressive religious systems."

Let today be your moment of freedom—immediate, eternal, and abundant life in Christ alone.

Final Charge to the Remnant

Rise boldly, Remnant!
Reject Babylon. Embrace Jerusalem.
Follow Jesus Christ—the King of kings, the Lord of lords, the perfect Shepherd.
He alone is worthy. He alone reigns forever.

Choose wisely, and choose immediately.
This is your call.
This is your moment.
Come, enter the eternal Kingdom of Jesus Christ.