A Modern Day Parable: There was a certain father who had several children. He built a lovely house for them with a beautiful big garden. He filled the house with furniture and kept the kitchen stocked with plenty of food. He provided a library and computers and a home entertainment system for his family.
The birth of Jesus Christ was prophesied hundreds of years before he was actually born. However, by the time he arrived, most people had given up expecting him, and the few who were looking for him had their own ideas about what he was supposed to do for them. They rejected Jesus because he didn't conform to their plans.
In our opening story about the babysitter, we were suggesting that an evil influence sneaked into an otherwise happy family and led to its destruction. The family we are talking about is the family of God. In the final book of the Bible (The Revelation), this influence is described as a prostitute (or "whore) named "Babylon".
Artists speak of 'prostituting' their talents by letting money be their motive when they create something. But we were all made to be 'artists' for God, doing whatever we do with our whole heart, and with utmost concern for how it will help others; whether it be sweeping a floor or building a skyscraper.
We have already said quite a bit about the real Hero of The Revelation. While all the empires of the world are described as "beasts", Christ is described as a harmless little Lamb, not just as a Lamb, but as a Lamb which had been killed. How can an animal as meek as a lamb (and a dead one at that) ever conquer all of the other beastly powers of the world?
If you turned to this chapter without reading what preceded it, forget it! You won't find anything here to help you outsmart God. The Bible gives specific time periods that are important to true followers of Christ. But there is no way that you can use them to any selfish ends.