‘Come out of her my people,’2 so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues Thus the main themes are clear. The church and state are on a collision course of some magnitude over who runs the universe, and John fully recognizes that power and victory presently appear to belong to the state. But because of Rome’s arrogance and oppression, God will bring her to ruin. Thus (still in ch. 18): 6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she
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