# #22: The Church in Babylon: Refusing to Bow

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955/22-the-church-in-babylon-refusing-to-bow
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955/22-the-church-in-babylon-refusing-to-bow.md
Podcast: [Jesus Alone is God](https://stenobird.com/podcast/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955)
Published: 2023-08-26T19:52:29+00:00
Episode link: https://rss.com/podcasts/onlyjesus/1090984
Audio file: https://content.rss.com/episodes/202102/1090984/onlyjesus/2023_08_26_19_49_21_cd1180da-ca49-40ef-bbdc-92b82747c6c7.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955/episodes/22-the-church-in-babylon-refusing-to-bow
Duration seconds: 4959

## Resource

<ul><li> Email: hpaulsilas@hotmail.com </li><li> https://apostolicinternational.com/ </li><li> Statement of beliefs: https://apostolicinternational.com/statement-of-beliefs </li><li> The sermon: https://apostolicinternational.com/sermons/THE_CHURCH_IN_BABYLON_REFUSING_TO_BOW.pdf </li><li> The story of Mordecai in the biblical book of Esther is used as a metaphor to illustrate the Church's position in a worldly and hostile environment, symbolized by Babylon. Like Mordecai in Persia, the Church must stand firm and not bow down to the pressures of this world.Haman, an Agagite and an enemy of the Jews, demanded reverence from all. Everyone bowed to him except Mordecai. This refusal stemmed from Mordecai's understanding of God's decree to fight against Amalek, a symbol of sin. The message is clear: the Church must not compromise with sin, as it brings destruction. Paul's dedication to daily dying to sin is cited as an example.Babylon represents the contemporary world with its idols and sinful allure. Paul's warnings about the last days' idols are referenced, emphasizing the need to turn away from godless influences. The Church, though present in Babylon, must not adopt its values. Mordecai's watchfulness near the palace serves as a metaphor for the Church's role as spiritual guardians and reminders of God's covenant.Esther's situation, being Jewish in a foreign land, mirrors the Church's predicament. Just as Esther became queen to a pagan king, the Church, though orphaned in Babylon, is favored by Christ. The promise that God would be a "little sanctuary" for His people, even in foreign lands, is invoked.The return of the Jewish generation to Jerusalem after 70 years of Babylonian captivity parallels the Church's e…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955/episodes/22-the-church-in-babylon-refusing-to-bow/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/jesus-alone-is-god-6289955/22-the-church-in-babylon-refusing-to-bow.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.