Page 19 - The Road from Babylon to Zion

Chapter 2 - Coming Out

There is no doubt that the majority of saints today began their Christian experience
in Babylon. This does not imply that all these saints were Babylon, nor walking
according to Babylonish principles, for Yahweh has always had a people of faith. But
for a season it seemed good to Yahweh to allow His people to dwell in Babylon, and
in this place they were to seek to prosper in spirit, soul, and body and to seek the
welfare of those they dwelt among.

Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7
Now these are the words of the letter which Jeremiah the prophet sent
from Jerusalem to the rest of the elders of the exile, the priests, the
prophets and all the people whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile
from Jerusalem to Babylon... "Thus says Yahweh of hosts, the God of
Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to
Babylon, Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their
produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and
take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they
may bear sons and daughters; and multiply there and do not decrease.
Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to
Yahweh on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare.'”

In the same way, many of the citizens of Zion today have been dwelling in Babylon,
and the Spirit of God has led them to walk in integrity and faithfulness while there.
They have been instructed to seek the welfare of the people they have dwelt among,
and this they have done. In whatever task was assigned to them they have sought to
perform their duty with great faithfulness that they might please the One who called
them. During this time, Babylon has benefitted greatly from the presence of the
Overcomers who dwelt in her midst.

But the time has come when Yahweh has determined that His people should come out
of Babylon that He might establish a pure and holy people, and that He might judge
the sins of Babylon. For these two reasons His Spirit cries out:

Revelation 18:4-5
Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins
and receive of her plagues; for her sins have piled up as high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.

When one hears the call to come out of Babylon, it would be a serious mistake to
choose to delay or neglect the call. However, not all come out of Babylon at the same
time. There were actually a number of pilgrimages from Babylon to Zion recorded in
scripture. One such pilgrimage was attended by Nehemiah and Zerubbabel and the