“Come Out!”
“...Come out of her (i.e. Babylon) my people, that you may not participate in her sins and that you may not receive her plagues; for her sins have piled up as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities” (Revelation 18:4,5)
“Flee from the midst of Babylon, and each of you save his life! Do not be destroyed in her punishment.” (Jeremiah 51:6)... “Forsake her and let us each go to his own country (Jeremiah 51:9)... “Come forth from her midst, My people...” (Jeremiah 51:45)
In the restoration of God’s people to the land of promise one of the first things dealt with after
they came back from Babylon was their marriages. Even before the walls were completed
Ezra
- the teacher - spoke a word from the Lord as to what was right and proper in regard to
the marriages of God’s Holy people (Ezra 9:1-10:44).
Brethren, in the current restoration, there is way, way to much relativity in regard to this very same subject. Just as in the days of Ezra, almost anything in the church goes and what’s worse today is that it’s somehow justified out of the Scriptures. This was not done in the days of Ezra.
Brethren, there are at least 3 different covenants given to man in the word (i.e. Adam’s, Moses and the New Covenant given by Jesus), and there are 3 different natures of man to deal with in which these covenants were addressed (Before the fall, after the fall, and after the New Creation). Some things concerning divorce and remarriage in the word are just relevant to a particular covenant. However some truths transcend all covenants.
Brethren, all these things (i.e. the different natures of man), and all the scriptures associated with these covenants, particularly the truths that transcend all covenants need to be factored into our views of what the Bible says about divorce and remarriage before we can make a decision as to what is right and proper in a particular case.
Brethren, the Babylonian Outcalling in the Old Testament was a calling out from the
influence of the Babylonian Empire (i.e. Babylonia). The policy of Babylon in regards to
the peoples they took into captivity was a continuation of the other captivity nations. (i.e.
mix up the captives with other peoples in order to take away their identity and strength as
- separate nations - thus making them one with the captive empire). Brethren we -as
Christians - are a separate nation, “...A chosen race, a royal priesthood, a Holy
Nation...” (1 Peter 2:9)
This truth of our separation from the ungodly is a truth that’s true in ALL
covenants.
Brethren, in the current restoration, there is way, way to much relativity in regard to this very same subject. Just as in the days of Ezra, almost anything in the church goes and what’s worse today is that it’s somehow justified out of the Scriptures. This was not done in the days of Ezra.
Brethren, there are at least 3 different covenants given to man in the word (i.e. Adam’s, Moses and the New Covenant given by Jesus), and there are 3 different natures of man to deal with in which these covenants were addressed (Before the fall, after the fall, and after the New Creation). Some things concerning divorce and remarriage in the word are just relevant to a particular covenant. However some truths transcend all covenants.
Brethren, all these things (i.e. the different natures of man), and all the scriptures associated with these covenants, particularly the truths that transcend all covenants need to be factored into our views of what the Bible says about divorce and remarriage before we can make a decision as to what is right and proper in a particular case.
The Babylonian Outcalling in our times is, just like in the days of Ezra, a calling out from the influence of wrong worldly teaching regarding
marriage and divorce. In our age these wrong teachings come from
mostly long established Protestant churches, and also the Church of Rome. The latter
church, while on the surface seems to support a correct biblical teaching on remarriage
(i.e. no reamrriage for believers divorce from it’s members), does in fact allow it’s
adherents to have their marriages annulled for twenty different reasons
. Most of which are ridiculous.
Other churches are just as bad (i.e. the Greek Orthodox Church allowing no more than 2 divorces and 3 remarriages because 3 is the number of the Trinity and so on)
Edwin Long's Babylonian Marriage Market (1875), inspired by Herodoctus
Other churches are just as bad (i.e. the Greek Orthodox Church allowing no more than 2 divorces and 3 remarriages because 3 is the number of the Trinity and so on)
Edwin Long's Babylonian Marriage Market (1875), inspired by Herodoctus
Brethren, since God is restoring His church to her former glory we need to ask ourselves are there any standards in regards to the marriage of God’s people today? or does anything truly go? Is everybody marriage material? or is there criteria and Godly principles to follow in selecting a spouse?
Also we need to ask ourselves is there such a thing as illegitimate marriages in the church of God? and if so what can be done about them?
Brethren, there are many objects lessons on can bring forth from the Old Testament into the New, and what went on in the days of Ezra (and Nehemiah) is one of them.
We need to restore the idea that we are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation separated from the peoples of the world. We also need to see that there are standards for such a people too.
In regards to marriage, the Babylonian Outcalling has a two-fold purpose
1). The calling out from ALL false marriage covenants.
2). The restoration of all previous, legitimately made (in the eyes of God), marriage covenants
as a result of all this, the Babylonian Outcalling will restore to the church the concept and nature of what is a true and proper marriage in
the eyes of God.
____________
I have identified in this current restoration (i.e. believers who are coming to, or back to the truth) some cases where believers who have married may need to reevaluate their marriages...
1)
Believers who Knowingly or Unknowingly married an unbeliever (e.g.
Ezra’s
, Nehemiah’s
even Hagar’s and Joshua’s Cases).
(Click Here)
(Also you may want to Click Here for a general understanding of unbelievers and covenants.)
2) Believers who were unbelievers when they married each other, and now their unsaved spouse has given them one of the 3 grounds listed below for divorce. Note: the believer CANNOT leave and remarry unless one of the three grounds listed above have been met, however these are legitimate grounds for divorce.
The
Grounds
(Also you may want to Click Here for a general understanding of unbelievers and covenants.)
2) Believers who were unbelievers when they married each other, and now their unsaved spouse has given them one of the 3 grounds listed below for divorce. Note: the believer CANNOT leave and remarry unless one of the three grounds listed above have been met, however these are legitimate grounds for divorce.
A) The believer is physically abused by an unbeliever in a major way (Click Here )
B) The believer is neglected by the unbeliever in a three-fold way (Click Here )
C) The believer is left by an unbeliever, i.e. really deserted (Click Here )
And finally, probably the ultimate case where believers who are coming back to the truth who have married need to reevaluate their marriages, and that is...
3) Believers who have married believers divorced from other believers on ANY grounds. (Click Here)
Brethren, just as in the days of old the priests (i.e.pastor - teachers) and the prophetic which dealt with theses issues need to deal with them again. God is in the process of restoring His church and just like in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah the standards of what is an acceptable spouse in the eyes of God are very lax. Especially because many believers today see life as just a contrast between what is Law and what is Grace. There is a lot of truth in that contrast brethren, but even the Apostle John - sixty years after the death and resurrection of Jesus - spoke of keeping the Lord’s commandments (1 John 2:4). So even though we are “under grace” today there is still the aspect of “commandment” to deal with (i.e. Jesus’s commandments or teachings especially in regards to marriage. Read 1 John, and Click Here to see what Jesus says about the subject of divorce).
Brethren, this Web Page is a Cover Page that when completed I will request should be e-mailed to relevant friends and family alike. It will be an explanation of what “The Outcalling” is as well as an introduction to the rest of this site. This site is still under construction and rewrite. When I got to question 37 on this site I realized that - while close - I missed the mark in regards to some issue’s (i.e. the confusion of an engagement covenant with the marriage covenant in the Bible) so I need to re-write portions of it. Please - until I complete it - feel free to browse around. The table of contents is here (Click Here ). Just consider this entire site - as of now - my rough draft of what is to come. If you have any questions you can write me personally [E-Mail Steven M. Ryan] or address them publicly in the Discussion Forum by Clicking Here.
The Tower of Babel
and how today’s “Outcalling” relates to it
Click Here
She who is in Babylon... sends you greetings (1 Peter 5:13)
and how today’s “Outcalling” today relates to it
Click Here
“...Come out of her (i.e. Spiritual Babylon) my people,
that you may not participate in her sins...” (Revelation 18:4)
and how the “Outcalling” today relates to them
Click Here
Brethren, if you followed the above sites and read all the relevant links you will see that God is doing something “new” today, and even though this Babylonian Outcalling may be new to many of you, please realize that from the days of old God has always wanted His people to remain a separate and distinct people from the peoples of the earth.
Babylon has always stood for unity (Genesis 11:6), in defiance of God’s command to fill the earth (Genesis 9:1). Therefore the Lord was forced to confuse their language and as a result “scatter them abroad over the face of the earth” (Genesis 11:8). The Lord wanted the people of the earth to separate and disunite from each other... and - as in the days of old - He still wants His people to “come out” from them and remain a distinct people from all the other peoples of the earth.
But Brethren please remember that in the New Testament, while the principle of “coming out” still remains true, we are told specifically not to remain separate to the point of withdrawing from the peoples of the earth (verse), our heritage is still one of separation (i.e. in regards to evil; wrong marriage covenant’s etc.) but not to the point of becoming a hermit.
Brethren... believers are told specifically not to marry (i.e. covenant with) an unbeliever (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) , in the Bible. They were and always will be a royal priesthood and a holy nation. Everything about the Old Testament is moved up a notch and spiritualized in the New so that the physical-ness of God’s people (i.e. physical Hebrews), is now associated with those who believe, and likewise the opposite (there is no racial-ness in the Kingdom of God) . However the principle of the Lord still wanting His people (i.e. believers) to remain a separate people from the peoples of the earth (i.e. the ways of unbelievers) is still very much in effect - especially in regards to covenanting with them in regards to marriage.
“Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what harmony has Christ with Belial?, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God has said... Therefore, come out from their midst and separate, says the Lord... And I will welcome you...(2 Corinthians 6:14-18)
Brethren, it was as the Lord’s people separated themselves from the ways of the world that they were able to become a blessing to the world. God’s purpose’s remain the same in all His covenants with man. There was a Godly line in the Old Testament and it was threatened by unity (i.e. Babel), therefore He scattered the peoples. The same holds true in the New Testament. Godly people can become corrupted by covenanting with the peoples of the earth (Joshua 23:11-13) , and if by chance they make such a covenant (through disobedience), it is not necessarily a permanent thing. There are ways out of it.
The Babylonian Outcalling in the Old Testament during Ezra’s and Nehemiahs time was a calling out from the captivity of Babylon and an Outcalling from the world (Babylonia) (i.e. being bound together with unbelievers). They had been in Babylon for 70 years (for the Lord had put His People under Babylon’s authority) and it was time for them to leave (i.e. the city), the Empire of Babylonia (i.e. the peoples of it’s conquered nations) AND the peoples of those conquered nations which God’s people had made covenants with in regards to marriage (i.e. “the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Jesusites, the Ammonites, the Moabites, the Egyptians, and the Amorites...” Ezra 9:1,2 “Ashdod, Ammon and Moab” Nehemiah 13:23)).
They were to put these people away from their midst and they were to return to the land and all it stood for.
This is the purpose of the Babylonian Outcalling and the purpose of this page. To point
out the separate and distinct nature of God’s people in regards to the marriage covenant
and to present them with options (i.e. through the prophetic as well as the teaching of the
word) for dealing with illegitimate marriage covenants made between believers (who
have remarried believers divorced from other believers) as well as options for dealing
with marriage covenants that have been violated by an unbelieving spouse.
Again, these same principles of the separateness of God’s people in the Old Testament hold true in the New Testament. God’s people are still a royal priesthood and a Holy Nation and if they have found themselves in a covenant with a “non-marriage material” spouse there are options - in the Word - that can be used in such cases even up to calling for the prophetic for “a ruling” (as in a questionable case). You can’t rule out the prophetic brethren.
What I am attempting to do here on this site is to teach God’s people what the Word says on such matters as well as to prepare God’s people for the prophetic. God’s people always have options, even if the prophetic does not speak in their church, they have options.
The prophetic as well as the teaching of these options / rights make up the substance of the Babylonian Outcalling.
____________
Again, these same principles of the separateness of God’s people in the Old Testament hold true in the New Testament. God’s people are still a royal priesthood and a Holy Nation and if they have found themselves in a covenant with a “non-marriage material” spouse there are options - in the Word - that can be used in such cases even up to calling for the prophetic for “a ruling” (as in a questionable case). You can’t rule out the prophetic brethren.
What I am attempting to do here on this site is to teach God’s people what the Word says on such matters as well as to prepare God’s people for the prophetic. God’s people always have options, even if the prophetic does not speak in their church, they have options.
The prophetic as well as the teaching of these options / rights make up the substance of the Babylonian Outcalling.
Brethren... God does not want His people linked with unbeliever forever. They are a royal
priesthood (compare Ezra 9:1 with 1 Peter 2:9) and a Holy Nation... and if they find
themselves in covenant with an unbeliever, just as in the days of old there is a remedy
Brethren, to sum it up. There is such a thing as an illegal marriage within the Kingdom of God (i.e. David’s wife given over to someone else, 1 Corinthians 5, Ezra’s foreign women etc.). There is also such a thing as adultery, and living in a state of adultery (i.e. living in sin). People do die and are not welcomed in heaven because of such a sin if they don’t repent (verse), therefore brethren be careful of the “Babylonian Teaching” that man is one and the other false teachings associated with it - particularly on regards to marriage. [i.e. which in the book of Revelation Babylon equates any unfaithful church systems false teachings - which can be broad - but include things contradicted by the Word (e.g.“everybody is marriage material, particularly Christians who have been divorced from other Christians”)]. Brethren it has gotten to the point where Christians cannot even define what adultery is anymore (in regards to the remarriage of Christians divorced from other Christians). The definition of the word has become so watered down, as to become almost meaningless in regard to unbiblical remarriages. (i.e. it’s OK, nobody’s hurt by this, leave well enough alone, God is an all forgiving God etc.)
Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump
of dough? (1 Corinthians 5:6; look at the context of this verse)
We Need ...
And again (and this will probably be a major issue to deal with at the beginning of this move), if believers find themselves in an illegal covenant with a believer (i.e. who was married and divorced from another believer) ....it COULD NOT get more clearer. If the prophetic is needed in such a case... so be it. One can draw a parallel between the people of God coming out of their agreement to serve Babylon (such as did [Daniel], Ezra, Nehemiah etc.) recognizing that God had put them (the people) under Babylon’s authority for disobedience. One could draw a parallel between that and the coming out of a false marriage covenant. (i.e. made with a believer or unbeliever). Or one can just draw the parallel that since they were to put the foreign wives away BUT... However you want to explain it, THERE IS SUCH A THING AS FALSE MARRIAGE COVENANTS that need to be repented over! (i.e. to “come out” from!). However you want to interpret things it does not neglect the fact that there are such things as false marriage covenants that need to be repented over (Ezra), especially if they have grounds.
Brethren, to sum it up. There is such a thing as an illegal marriage within the Kingdom of God (i.e. David’s wife given over to someone else, 1 Corinthians 5, Ezra’s foreign women etc.). There is also such a thing as adultery, and living in a state of adultery (i.e. living in sin). People do die and are not welcomed in heaven because of such a sin if they don’t repent (verse), therefore brethren be careful of the “Babylonian Teaching” that man is one and the other false teachings associated with it - particularly on regards to marriage. [i.e. which in the book of Revelation Babylon equates any unfaithful church systems false teachings - which can be broad - but include things contradicted by the Word (e.g.“everybody is marriage material, particularly Christians who have been divorced from other Christians”)]. Brethren it has gotten to the point where Christians cannot even define what adultery is anymore (in regards to the remarriage of Christians divorced from other Christians). The definition of the word has become so watered down, as to become almost meaningless in regard to unbiblical remarriages. (i.e. it’s OK, nobody’s hurt by this, leave well enough alone, God is an all forgiving God etc.)
churches today that will issue decrees against illegitimate
Christian marriages (that is: Christians married to Christians who are divorced from other
Christians), and issue it on paper and read it before the whole
church.
We also need churches today that will grant Christians annulments on paper from marriages that the churches decide are illegitimate.
We also need boards appointed by churches that will investigate and deal with as well as help Christians that are wrestling with all these areas.
Most of all we need Nehemiah’s today who know where to draw the line (click here ).
Brethren, the issuing of decree on paper (or a “writ”) by a church is a legal document. Some Christians may have need of it in their discussions to back up their claim (s) (or at the very least may need the ‘writ’ for a sense of personal encouragement).
Brethren, there are many trials ahead for our brothers and sisters who fall into these categories and they may need that encouragement,
and what I mean by that is that they will KNOW for certain that THE CHURCH IS standing behind them and with them through all they will be going through)
Which church(es) will be the first to “step up to the plate” and issue a writ?
To which churches will the continuing reformation of the church come?
“Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem” Lord (Psalm 51)
Brethren, don’t let the mockers stop you. Draw those lines! Rebuild the wall.
You might want to check out Bethany Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey
Click Here for a review
We also need churches today that will grant Christians annulments on paper from marriages that the churches decide are illegitimate.
We also need boards appointed by churches that will investigate and deal with as well as help Christians that are wrestling with all these areas.
Most of all we need Nehemiah’s today who know where to draw the line (click here ).
Brethren, the issuing of decree on paper (or a “writ”) by a church is a legal document. Some Christians may have need of it in their discussions to back up their claim (s) (or at the very least may need the ‘writ’ for a sense of personal encouragement).
Brethren, there are many trials ahead for our brothers and sisters who fall into these categories and they may need that encouragement,
and what I mean by that is that they will KNOW for certain that THE CHURCH IS standing behind them and with them through all they will be going through)
Which church(es) will be the first to “step up to the plate” and issue a writ?
To which churches will the continuing reformation of the church come?
“Rebuild the Walls of Jerusalem” Lord (Psalm 51)
Brethren, don’t let the mockers stop you. Draw those lines! Rebuild the wall.
You might want to check out Bethany Church in Wyckoff, New Jersey
Click Here for a review
This is an open source web-site. In
other words you can freely copy its pages and put them any server you wish. [If
you’re not sure what I’m talking about... just right click your mouse (if you have
Microsoft Windows) and
click on “View Source” and you will see the HTML code that underlies the particular
page you are viewing. If you ‘cut and paste’ what you see into a word processor you will
then be able to ‘save it’ and then ‘cut and paste’ (or upload) that particular page on any
server which
supports HTML (just about all of them). The pictures themselves can also be
copied by right clicking your mouse and using the “Save Picture As...” feature].
Thus you can have your own web site [Angelfire (Lycos ) offers free web pages as well as many other sites Click here and ask around].
Periodically I will update the links on these pages. Below you will find the dates of the ‘last update’ of a particular page. If you wish you can use the below “updates” as a guide to update your own pages or you can update your own at you own discretion.
Feel free to improve on any of the pages you copy.
Also, feel free to use this entire sites content (Music, Theology, Divorce and Remarriage etc.) in any way you wish (for example: if you wish to publish a page in whole or in part in another medium (let’s say in tract or book form), you have my permission to do so (and you don’t have to inform me or put my name on the work).
You can also sell the work at a profit if you wish, just having these works circulating in the world is reward enough for me).
Again, this is an open source web site. The code (as well as content) is free to all. Feel free to tinker, dabble and fiddle around with both code and content. God is a very creative Spirit. Who knows what kind of page(s) you will develop. Also, who knows what kind of influential tracts or books you may write. (If you want you can change the sentence structures around and put this sites content in your own words. Then put your name on the book or tract and shop it around to some publishers. Most of this sites content is desperately in need of rewrite so putting your name on a rewritten work is probably a good idea, actually a very good idea).
May God bless you in your efforts.
P.S. If you copy these pages to a server make sure you place your own e-mail address on the pages so people will know whom to write if they have any questions (you can also leave my e-mail address on them if you wish (i.e. StevenMRyan@cs.com), but as of now I don’t have the time to answer everyone’s questions so I think your e-mail address would be a better idea).
Thus you can have your own web site [Angelfire (Lycos ) offers free web pages as well as many other sites Click here and ask around].
Periodically I will update the links on these pages. Below you will find the dates of the ‘last update’ of a particular page. If you wish you can use the below “updates” as a guide to update your own pages or you can update your own at you own discretion.
Feel free to improve on any of the pages you copy.
Also, feel free to use this entire sites content (Music, Theology, Divorce and Remarriage etc.) in any way you wish (for example: if you wish to publish a page in whole or in part in another medium (let’s say in tract or book form), you have my permission to do so (and you don’t have to inform me or put my name on the work).
You can also sell the work at a profit if you wish, just having these works circulating in the world is reward enough for me).
Again, this is an open source web site. The code (as well as content) is free to all. Feel free to tinker, dabble and fiddle around with both code and content. God is a very creative Spirit. Who knows what kind of page(s) you will develop. Also, who knows what kind of influential tracts or books you may write. (If you want you can change the sentence structures around and put this sites content in your own words. Then put your name on the book or tract and shop it around to some publishers. Most of this sites content is desperately in need of rewrite so putting your name on a rewritten work is probably a good idea, actually a very good idea).
May God bless you in your efforts.
P.S. If you copy these pages to a server make sure you place your own e-mail address on the pages so people will know whom to write if they have any questions (you can also leave my e-mail address on them if you wish (i.e. StevenMRyan@cs.com), but as of now I don’t have the time to answer everyone’s questions so I think your e-mail address would be a better idea).
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