The Revelation That Rocked My Theology
When God shows you that Babylon isn't just ancient history
One morning, I received a text from my friend, Melissa Pace, that stopped me in my tracks. She shared that while awakening that morning, she clearly heard "Revelation 17."
Let me tell you about Melissa—she's an incredibly humble, gifted, and godly woman. When she says she heard something from the Lord, I listen carefully.
When she looked up Revelation Chapter 17, she found that this chapter depicts the fall of Babylon the Great—a powerful, corrupt spiritual system often interpreted as representing a false religious system that has perverted true faith and opposed God's people throughout history.
The timing of Melissa's revelation struck me deeply, as we were just wrapping up the production of my book that deals with false religious structures. I'd been contemplating how dominance-based hierarchical structures—particularly those that subjugate women but extend far beyond gender—have infiltrated the Church, replacing Christ's revolutionary model of servant leadership with the world's pyramid-style power systems.
The world transformed the Church rather than the other way around.
Two Kingdoms in Conflict
What I've discovered is that there are essentially two kingdoms operating with completely different rules:
In the world's hierarchical system:
Authority moves in one direction—top to bottom
Power equals dominance
Leaders are meant to be served
Submission indicates lesser worth
Achievement means climbing over others
But in Christ's Kingdom:
Authority moves fluidly in multiple directions
Power equals service to others
Leaders are meant to serve
Submission reflects mutual care
Achievement means elevating the whole community
"When Jesus said, 'My kingdom is not of this world' (John 18:36, NASB), He wasn't just making a statement about geography—He was introducing an entirely different operating system for human relationships."
The Woman Riding the Beast
"In Revelation 17, John describes 'a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names.' This woman, clothed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold and precious stones, holds a golden cup 'full of abominations and the filthiness of her fornication' (Rev. 17:3-4, NKJV)."
Biblical scholars have long interpreted this as representing a religious system that compromises with worldly power—making unholy alliances with empire to maintain control and influence.
Isn't this precisely what happens when the Church adopts dominance-based hierarchies instead of Christ's model of mutual submission? When we replace "one anothering" with chains of command? When we trade washing feet for expecting to be served?
The Blind Spot We've All Missed
One of the most significant revelations I share in BLIND SPOT is how we've completely misunderstood Paul's teachings about submission. When I noticed that Paul always placed instructions about wives submitting alongside instructions about slaves submitting—often in the same breath—I realized something profound:
Paul wasn't endorsing these power structures; he was showing believers how to operate within broken systems while releasing Kingdom transformation into them.
Just as we now understand that Paul wasn't endorsing slavery for all time, we must recognize that he wasn't endorsing male domination either. He was planting seeds of Kingdom reality that would eventually undermine both systems.
We've been filtering Peter and Paul's words through our flawed perceptions, opting for the world's dominance-based hierarchies rather than Jesus' revolutionary model of power through love. We essentially missed the whole point. We erased the original message of how to take dominion of the world through love—not force, through submission and strength.
The Devastating Consequences of Babylon's System
The consequences of embracing dominance-based hierarchy in the Church have been devastating:
Spiritual abuse: When leaders believe they have inherent authority over others rather than a responsibility to serve, abuse of power becomes almost inevitable.
Suppressed gifts: When half the body of Christ is prevented from fully exercising their spiritual gifts, the entire Church suffers from this amputation.
Distorted view of God: When we present God's design for relationships as hierarchical rule and submission, we distort people's understanding of God's true nature. Jesus demonstrated a very different reality.
Damaged witness: Our insistence on hierarchies based on gender, social status, and religious position undermines our testimony of Christ's revolutionary love in a world increasingly aware of power dynamics. We see the abuse and damage all around us, but we fail to see its root cause.
Divided hearts: Countless believers live with the cognitive dissonance of sensing God's heart for equality while feeling bound by what they believe Scripture "clearly teaches." Once the blinders are removed, those same scriptures clearly say something very different than we were taught.
The Coming Fall
"Revelation 17 doesn't just describe Babylon's corruption—it prophesies her fall. The very powers she allied with will eventually 'hate the harlot, make her desolate and naked, eat her flesh and burn her with fire' (Rev. 17:16, NKJV)."
Is it possible that we're witnessing the beginning of this fall now? As more believers recognize the contradictions between Christ's example and dominance-based structures, as more women and men find their voice and speak truth to power, as more communities embrace mutual submission as God's design—are we seeing the first cracks in Babylon's foundation?
I believe we are.
Signs of the Awakening
All around us, I see signs that God is awakening His people to these truths:
Believers are questioning why their churches preach love while practicing control
Women are refusing to be silenced and are stepping into their God-given callings
Men are discovering that true strength serves rather than dominates
Families are experimenting with mutual submission and finding it produces better fruit than hierarchy
Churches are recognizing that power struggles aren't producing the Kingdom
This isn't rebellion against God—it's a return to His original design.
A Call to Kingdom Reality
The good news is that God is awakening His people to these truths. Throughout the world, communities of believers are committing to relationships that truly reflect His nature—built on mutual honor, mutual submission, and mutual empowerment.
As I share in BLIND SPOT:
"The time for bold and courageous action is here. That bold action is simply walking out the truth in love... Welcome to God's Kingdom, where mutual submission reigns and where 'head' has no 'ship' attached. Where 'head' means unity with the body, not control over it. Where power flows through love, not force. Where every relationship reflects the very heart of God and naturally releases the transforming power of Christ."
The Choice Before Us
We stand at a crossroads. We can continue propping up Babylon's system of dominance and control, or we can choose the way of the Kingdom—the way of mutual love, honor, and submission.
The fall of dominance-based hierarchy in the Church isn't something to fear—it's something to celebrate. It signals not the Church's destruction but its purification, making way for the Bride of Christ to emerge in her true beauty: a community that embodies the very nature of God expressed through mutual love, honor, and submission.
What This Means for You
If you've been sensing that something is off about hierarchical church structures, you're not alone. If you've been feeling the Holy Spirit stirring your heart toward equality and mutual honor, pay attention to that stirring.
God is calling His people out of Babylon's system and into Kingdom reality. This isn't about becoming rebellious or divisive—it's about becoming more like Jesus, who came to serve rather than be served.
The question isn't whether you'll choose sides in some culture war. The question is whether you'll choose the Kingdom of God over the kingdoms of this world—even when those worldly kingdoms have infiltrated the Church.
The Renaissance Coming
I believe we're on the cusp of a great renaissance in the Church—a return to the radical equality and mutual love that characterized the earliest Christian communities. But like all renaissance movements, it requires people willing to question, to risk, to step out of comfortable traditions and into God's revolutionary purposes.
The fall of Babylon isn't the end of the story—it's the clearing away of false structures to make room for something infinitely more beautiful.
Welcome to God's Kingdom, where mutual submission reigns and where every relationship reflects the very heart of God. The time for bold and courageous action is here. That bold action is simply walking out the truth in love.
Join the renaissance. Let's help transform the kingdoms of this world into the Kingdom of our King!
Blessings,
Susan 😊