The Bible describes a war between two cities, Babylon and the New Jerusalem, with Babylon representing mankind united in opposition to God. The New Jerusalem is God's city, founded on love of God, even to the contempt of self. The Christian life requires endurance, delayed gratification, and a deep conviction that the things we can't see yet are real. The Antichrist and the false prophet use religion as a tool to control people, but God's wrath is against sin, not against love. The primary metaphor for the Antichrist and the false prophet is prostitution, representing humanity's unfaithfulness to God. Christians should live in Babylon, deeply integrated into life here, but distinct from her sins and her man-centered ways.
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