Babylon 5 Believers Quotes

G'Kar: I believe that when we leave a place, part of it goes with us and part of us remains. Go anywhere in the station when it is quiet, and just listen. After a while, you will hear the echoes of all our conversations, every thought and word we’ve exchanged. Long after we are gone, our voices will linger in these walls for as long as this place remains. But I will admit that the part of me that is going will very much miss the part of you that is staying.

This chapter continues the comparison of Jehovah with the false gods and idols worshiped by so many people in Isaiah’s day. The point is that there is no comparison! Verse 1 introduces us to two prominent false gods in Isaiah’s day. Bel and Nebo were chief gods in Babylon. Ancient cultures such as Babylon believed that each “god” had a territory, and when a city or country was defeated in battle by enemies, it meant that their gods (such as Bel and Nebo) had been defeated by the enemy’s gods. Chapter 46 ties in with chapters 13 and 14 concerning Babylon’s downfall, and with chapters 40–45 concerning Jehovah’s power as compared to the lack of power of idols. 1 Bel boweth down [German: has been defeated], Nebo stoopeth, their idols were upon the beasts, and upon the cattle [the idols are powerless; they can’t move by themselves and have to be transported upon beasts of burden]: your carriages were heavy loaden; they [the idols] are a burden to the weary beast [the message, by implication, is that Bel and Nebo are burdens to those who “created” them, in contrast to the true God of Israel, who lightens the burdens of those He created, who worship Him]. 2 They [Bel and Nebo] stoop, they bow down together [German: they are both defeated]; they could not deliver [German: remove] the burden[they couldn’t do the job],but themselves are gone into captivity [they have failed their worshippers and couldn’t even save themselves]. 3 Hearken unto me, O house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel, which are borne by me [note that I the Lord carry you, help you, am not a burden] from the belly [ from the womb, or from the beginning], which are carried from the womb [I have carried you from the beginning, contrasted to idol worshipers who have to transport their “gods”]: 4 And even to your old age [throughout your entire life] I am he [the true God]; and even to hoar[gray]hairs will I carry you: I have made [German: I want to do it], and I will [German: desire to] bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you [I want to help, support and bless you throughout your entire life; I want to be your Redeemer!]. 5 To whom will ye liken me, and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be like [who among your false gods can compare to Me]? [Same question as in 40:18, 25.]

Jeremiah tells us that the timing of the destruction of the Daughter of Babylon, which he sets forth in great detail in Jeremiah 50 and 51, will be after Israel is back in the land of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4,5), which officially occurred in 1948. From the dispersion of Israel in 132 AD until 1948 there could be no Destruction of the Daughter of Babylon, because there was no nation of Israel.  But not all Jewish people live in Israel. Interestingly, God gives His Jewish people the same warning to flee from the Daughter of Babylon that He gives believers in His Son. Thus, the Daughter of Babylon must have a significant Jewish population.

But I think not. I believe the primary reason for our long run of spiritual and cultural setbacks is something else. It’s sin in the camp. Just as Achan’s high-handed sin led to Ai’s shocking victory over Joshua and the Israelites, our pattern of pick-and-choose morality has led to a series of equally shocking losses for the church in America.5 God loves us too much to let us stray for long. He’ll do whatever it takes to ensure that we bear the fruit of righteousness. If it means pruning, he’ll prune. If it means using his enemies to teach us a lesson, he’ll use his enemies. If it takes letting the “bad guys” win to bring us to our knees, he’ll let the “bad guys” win.

tells us that the timing of the destruction of the Daughter of Babylon, which he sets forth in great detail in Jeremiah 50 and 51, will be after Israel is back in the land of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4,5), which officially occurred in 1948. From the dispersion of Israel in 132 AD until 1948 there could be no destruction of the Daughter of Babylon, because there was no nation of Israel.  But not all Jewish people live in Israel. Interestingly, God gives His Jewish people the same warning to flee from the Daughter of Babylon that He gives believers in His Son. Thus, the Daughter of Babylon must have a significant Jewish population.