g God's judgment on Babylon, and the call of
his people out of her, "a voice came out of the throne, saying, Praise
our God, all ye his servants, and ye that fear him, both small and
great" (verse 5). God's servants are called upon to rejoice on
account of their deliverance. Those who are at heart image-makers and
beast-worshipers will oppose this truth, and when they witness the
departure of the faithful followers of the Lord, leaving to Babylon
nothing but the godless, graceless professors, they will "weep and
mourn over her" (chap. 18:16) and cry, "Alas, alas that great city"
(verse 16). But the voice of heaven calls on the saints for a song
of thanksgiving, saying, "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy
apostles and prophets" (verse 20). Yea, "praise our God, _all ye his
servants_, and ye that fear him, both small and great" (chap. 19:5).

Are we to expect such a response? Yes. It is true in the prophecy and
will therefore be true in fact before time ends. "And I heard as it
were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters,
and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord
God omnipotent reigneth. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor
to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made
herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in
fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness
of saints" (chap. 19:6-8).

The scriptures just cited complete another line of symbolic truth.
The primitive church was represented as a pure woman, the bride (chap.
12:1). During the reign of the papacy a false, immoral woman reigned
over the kings of the earth, while the true woman, or church,
was hidden 'in the wilderness' (chap. 12: 6). Under the reign of
Protestantism her members were scattered in all parts of the city of
Babylon. But, thank God, they are to be called out of their scattered
condition, and as a company are represented in two forms--first, as a
redeemed host with the Lamb on Mount Zion, bearing the Father's name
only (chap. 14:1-5), and second, _as the bride of Christ_ preparing
herself for the soon coming of the Lord. This is proof positive that
the true church is to be brought out and placed on exhibition _before
the end of time_.

Others of the sacred writers describe this same prophetic movement.
Zechariah predicts it thus: "And it shall come to pass in that day,
that the light shall not be clear, nor dark: