I am enjoying the posts regarding the activities of home church meetings.
Actually, I am not surprised at what I am hearing because I have often
contemplated these things in my mind trying to discern what role I might take
if I should find myself in a home church setting. But what I am writing about
today deals more with the future of the home church especially in America.

We are reminded to not forsake the assembling of ourselves together,
especially as we see the day approaching.

With that thought in mind I was reminded of our 1st Amendment. What really
caught my eye was the expression "Congress shall make no law... abridging...
the right of the people peaceably to assemble..." This right to assemble
peaceably I have always considered as referring to our right to protest and
demonstrate in the streets as long as it was done peacefully. But what about
our right to assemble in our homes for the peaceful purpose of worshipping
God?

We really need to fight, with pen and voice, to preserve our right to
peaceably assemble. We must not let them take away our freedoms guaranteed by
the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. We have China, India, Russia, and
other countries which do not have these rights as an example of what could
happen in America if we should lose this right and have a religious body
control our government.

Here's a bit to think about. What does a symbolic woman represent in the
Bible? The church, or a church. A pure woman in white? A faithful and pure
church, or the true church. A whore in purple and scarlet bedecked with
jewels? A false church, or an apostate church. Right? Now follow this
carefully. What does a beast represent in the Bible? In Daniel it represented
first Babylon as the lion, Mede-Persia as the bear, Greece as the leopard,
and the Roman Empire as the dreadful beast. These were all notable nations or
world powers, each succeeding the other by overthrowing its predecessor.

Now, take a close look at this verse:

Re 17:3 "... I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast..."

Now let's substitute the words we learned earlier and see what this verse
might be telling us.

Re 17:3 "... I saw [an apostate church] sit upon a scarlet colored [world
power]..."

What pictures does a rider bring to mind? A rider doesn't just sit on a beast
but holds the reigns attached to a bit in the beast's mouth. And by pulling
the strings the rider controls the head of the beast (seat of government) and
thereby controls the body.

Apply what meaning you will to what I have said but to me it clearly gives
the picture of a false church reigning over a notable nation, if not a world
power, or at least a power to be reckoned with.

This is what I see now...

Re 17:3 "... I saw a false church controlling a scarlet colored nation..."

I am not sure how to interpret the "scarlet colored" portion. Does it refer
to a nation that is blood thirsty for the blood of those who belong to the
true church? Or, does it mean that this beast (nation) like the beast in Rev
13:1,2, also gets its power and seat and great authority from the red dragon
(Satan) described in Rev 12:3? Either way, it must eventually refer to being
drunk with the blood of the saints. Don't you think? And, in either case, the
fact that it is scarlet colored surely means it is not pure which is
typically referred to as being white. What I do know is that in Rev 13,
starting at verse 11 we have another beast which arises out of the earth, has
two horns like a lamb, speaks as a dragon, makes an image to the first beast,
give life to the image, and causes all who will not worship the image to be
killed. This much scripture tells us quite plainly.

Now we have...

Re 17:3 "... I saw a false church pulling strings to control the head of a
demonic, powerful nation..."

I find this quite startling.

Well, any way. Don't mean to start another thread and interrupt the thread on
home churches now underway so if you would like to comment on this thread
then please feel free to write me privately. I just wanted to say this while
I was thinking of it.

May we enjoy continued liberty to worship freely according to the dictates of
our own consciences and not under duress. I fully support the freedom to
gather and worship in our homes.

Christian regards,

Jeff Logan

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"Bill of Rights"
Amendment I