Two Cities. One Choice.
When walking in the way of Jesus, we are faced with a choice between two cities.
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Then I heard another voice from heaven say:
“‘Come out of her, my people,’
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes.
Revelation 18:1-5
There were those who resisted accepting the book of Revelation into the canon of Scripture. The arguments varied and touched on multiple issues, but some did express concern that the letter would, given its unusual and metaphorical visions, cause confusion and lead to unhealthy, speculative interpretations and predictions. Others, like Augustine, supported the canonicity of Revelation, yet also warned against treating it like a speculator’s map to the end of the world. In view of that history, it’s pretty clear some of the church failed to heed the warnings, becoming more preoccupied with being left behind than what Revelation calls us to be as the people of God. And this speculative obsession with solving puzzles and timelines distracts us from what the Spirit might be saying to the church in this moment.
The book of Revelation is a letter to the followers of Jesus, one that speaks to the present, real-world question of what it means to live faithfully in response to the principalities and powers around us. In its apocalyptic way, it pulls back the curtain to reveal the genuine reality that exists beyond what we see on the surface. Yes, it points us toward the final outcome, one in which the reign of God comes in its fullness, where the light of the Lamb shines eternally and the river of redemption flows in healing to all of creation. The point, however, is not to provide clues or signs as to when the kingdom will come, but rather how we are to live in light of its coming. The confident hope in God’s victory calls us to faithfully walk the path of the Lamb who was slain regardless of current circumstances or our inability to presently see the outcome. Sacrificial love is the nature and character of the kingdom that has come and is coming. It is also to be the hallmark of its citizens.
What Revelation reveals is a conflict between two cities, Babylon and the city of God. For those to whom the letter was written, Babylon represented Rome in all of its empiric power, wealth, corruption, and violence. It was the manifestation of worldly principalities, a twisted usurper of power that stood in opposition to the kingdom of God and the Lamb who overcame by the way of the cross. But like the voice Jesus heard in the wilderness, empires also bring whispers of temptation, promising us security, safety, affluence, comfort, and power. We can be tempted to find an uneasy alliance with the ways of the empire, choosing to compromise kingdom of God values when our survival feels threatened. But in unveiling the powers behind this struggle, the book of Revelation calls Christ-followers to faithfulness, reminding them no compromise can exist between Babylon and God’s city. Empires might co-opt the symbol of the cross for their own agendas, but they can never follow the way of the cross. Revelation unmasks the empire, revealing it as spiritually corrupt, empty, weak, and temporary. In God’s judgment, Babylon will ultimately fall into nothingness. So, what are the people of God to do? Come out from Babylon. Renounce her ways, refuse to share in her sins, and walk faithfully in the cruciform way of Jesus.
Rome was not the first to grasp the power of empire, nor the last. The tale of two cities exposed in the book of Revelation goes beyond any one city, nation, time, or place. It is an ongoing spiritual conflict and source of temptation. As the followers of Jesus, even now, we all live in Babylon because every earthly nation is an expression of Babylon. We can argue that some versions of Babylon might be less corrupt or less unjust than others, but that does not make them righteous. They might occasionally provide aid or care for citizens in a way that is compatible with Christian love, but that does not make them Christian. At the end of the day, nations of this world are just that - nations of this world. Consumed by the values of empire, and driven by self-interest, wealth, power, and control, they are willing to do whatever is necessary to obtain what they want. Greed, dishonesty, and violence are utilized for the greater good of Babylon, all while claiming the cause to be righteous regardless of who might be crushed in the process. As Revelation brings to light, there is the way of God’s kingdom and the way of the worldly kingdom, and the two are never the same.
The book of Revelation, as strange and unusual as we might find it, is a necessary word to the church. It reminds us of our citizenship, where our loyalty lies, and what it means to be faithful to the way of Jesus. We can easily be lulled into a sense of compromise with the spirit of Babylon, particularly when our security feels threatened and the lies of scarcity fill us with fear. Rather than trusting the cross-shaped way of Jesus, we look to the power, wealth, and sword of the empire for our protection and wellbeing. After a while, compromise becomes embrace. We lose our prophetic vision and imagination for something better, for a different way of being and living in the world, and we settle into the roles of chaplain and cheerleader for our particular expression of empire. When the empire acts in ways completely contrary to the way of Jesus, we raise no question and offer no alternative, choosing instead to excuse it with our silence or justify it in open support. While claiming citizenship and trust in the kingdom of God, we look to the power of Babylon as the guide for our lives here and now.
Of course, some will immediately respond with arguments about the realities of a fallen world and the lesser of evils. However true these might be, they do not change who we are called to be in the world. The character and teachings of Jesus cannot be picked up and set aside as circumstances change. Others might choose to argue about different spheres of authority, giving to Caesar, and working for the good of Babylon. But again, we can only understand these relationships through the lens of our citizenship in God’s kingdom. Caesar will do what Caesar is going to do. Our clear and consistent vocation in the world is to embody the way of Jesus and call all things into submission to his reign. Yes, we are glad for the times when our nation works for peace, compassion, and the good of the world, and we gladly share in that work. Those moments, however, do not provide a free pass for actions contrary to the character of Jesus. We must name the things that break the heart of God for what they are and cast a vision for a better way. It might be costly; the way of the cross always is. But this is the way of God’s kingdom, where our citizenship resides. And the way of the cross, ultimately, will expose the empire for what it is - bankrupt, empty, and temporary.
Revelation is the unveiling of two cities, different in character and nature. One follows the way of wealth, power, and the sword. The other follows the Lamb who was slain, overcoming by the way of sacrificial love. There exists no hybrid version of these cities and there is no compromise between the two. We cannot carry a cross when we hold the sword of empire in our hands. We cannot pick up the towel of the servant when we cling to our own security and self-interest. While there are many false dichotomies we can fall into, there are also paths so radically different we must choose one or the other. Ultimately, our allegiance cannot be divided, and we cannot have more than one master. When it comes to Babylon and the city of God, we must decide where our loyalty lies. I realize some might see that stark choice as a false dichotomy. I think the book of Revelation would disagree.