Revelation part 33…Revelation chapter 18 verses 1-8…April 28th 2013.
Chapter 18 of Revelation is a continuation from chapter 16.
In chapter 16 we read about seven angels with seven bowls that was filled with seven plagues that were poured out on
the earth.
We saw where the people who had received the mark of the beast had continuous pain…
Water and food is scarce as a result of the plagues on the sea and fresh water.
The heat of the sun is scorching the earth destroying crops and livestock.
We also saw where the people on the earth instead of running to God…
Run farther away from God and even blasphemed His name because of the wrath.
We have read where satan, the antichrist and the false prophet will gather the armies of the east and the world Jerusalem
to wage war on God.
As those armies get near Jerusalem a great earthquake will hit the world and then a hailstone with hail weighing over 100
pounds each pounds the earth.
What the armies fail to see is as they are preparing their entry to Jerusalem…
God is preparing the armies of heaven for their entry into the earth…
And God’s judgment is about to begin.
In chapter 17 we saw where God judged the religious system in the world.
The world religious system is portrayed as a harlot.
The reason for the portrayal as a harlot is because the religious system or satan uses, abuses and abandons it.
Just like a man uses, abuses and abandons a harlot.
Today we will start with chapter 18 and cover the first 8 verses.
Babylon was not only an ancient city and powerful empire…
Babylon was also the symbol of mankind’s rebellion against God.
Babylon represents all world government and religious systems under satan.
In chapter 18 Babylon represents the world system in the economic and political aspects.
Both of them God is going to judge.
To better understand this chapter you can read prophecies given about Babylon in Jeremiah 50 and 51 and Isaiah 14.
Verse 1 says…After these things.
This means after John had just witnessed the destruction of the religious system.
After these things John saw another angel coming down from heaven.
The words another angel takes us back to chapter 14 where a series of 6 angels are mentioned.
All of which are called another angel.
But this angel is different from the one that took John into the wilderness to witness the destruction of the religious
system.
This angel is described as having great authority.
Authority speaks of jurisdiction, liberty, power, right and strength.
John also tells us…The earth was illuminated with his glory.
We have to remember when we get to this part of Revelation the earth has experienced darkness and pain from
the fifth bowl judgment.
But when the angel came to the earth it lit up with his glory.
Remember where the angel came from…heaven or the presence of God.
This means this angel has been in close association with the Light of the world.
What we see is the powerful light of Jesus even though second hand through the angel still lights the earth with
the glory of God.
The angel came from the presence of the glory of God and it made a difference on the earth.
This ought to encourage us as a child of God to get into the presence of God…
In His presence there is power and illumination not only for us but for the world around us.
One reason the world is so dark is due to Christians not getting into the presence of God and spending time with
God.
We may not realize it but coming out of the presence of God others can sense it and see the power of God from us.
How many people’s world have you illuminated this week with God’s glory?
This means when the angel came…despite satans devises and the opposition of men it was like Hab. 2:14 says…
The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.
Verse 2…And he cried mightily with a loud voice Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen.
The angel is literally saying that the administration of satan has been judged by God and has fallen.
Fallen, fallen speaks of a dual judgment…
The first judgment is on the religious system and the other is the economic and political system.
It is important to understand…The Greek text views this as if it had already taken place.
But the seventh bowl is being referred to here, and it is yet to come to pass.
That means this is prophetic.
But it also means…
When God says something is going to happen you can speak about it as though it has already happened.
The reason is if God says something is going to happen it is going to happen.
In God’s plan and program when He speaks it into your life it is going to become a reality.
The moment it is spoken as far as God is concerned it is done.
There might be a time span for us to realize it but it is a reality to God.
One example is David being anointed as king…
He was anointed before he was appointed but the kingdom was his that day in God’s eyes.
Verse 2 goes on to say…
Babylon has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit and a cage for every unclean and hated
bird.
When the judgment comes, devastation and annihilation will take place leaving the place to demons.
John said the city would be a cage of every unclean and hated bird.
In the parable of the sower Jesus referred to satan as a bird that steals the seed.
Verse 3…For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.
Where religious Babylon of chapter 17 was guilty of luring nations into spiritual drunkenness and fornication
with false gods…
Commercial Babylon seduces the unbelieving world into a materialistic stupor.
Verse 3 says the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
The kings are personal representatives of the nations and they will be seduced by the demonic forces into union with the
beast.
And the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.
The merchants refer to the movers and the shakers of the world who were seduced by the great wealth of world trade
offered by the beast.
They chose wealth and luxury over God.
All this means the Babylonian commercial system intoxicated people of the world with all the riches and pleasures
it had to offer.
It catered to those who were lovers of pleasure more than the lovers of God.
Please do not misunderstand me God is not a God that gets upset if his people are wealthy or live in luxury.
God takes pleasure in His people who work hard and have nice things…
God loves to bless those who bless Him.
It is when pleasure and nice things take the place of God that bothers Him.
The love of pleasures and possessions can easily become a god.
They can cause people to reject the Lord
In order to get more and it will lead many to follow the beast.
But pleasures and possessions never last and never bring permanent satisfaction.
Verse 4…And I heard another voice from heaven saying…
Come out of her my people lest you share in her sins and lest you receive her plagues.
This is the voice of the Lord Jesus Christ and it is a call of separation to those who become believers during the
tribulation.
It is a call that literally says “stay away from Babylon”.
God is calling His people out of Babylon before the judgment comes.
It speaks of a physical separation.
Get away from the bad influence do not indulge in the old nature.
It is a call for the people of God to disentangle themselves from the world system.
Abandon the system because it is going to be destroyed!
What is the system? It is a society that lives in a sinful, arrogant self indulgent way.
Just as God told Abraham to leave his country or sinful ungodly influences…
God calls us today to do the same.
God calls His people out for two reasons here in verse 4…
One: So they will not share in the sins committed.
Two: So they will be spared from the terrible judgment.
Verse 5…For her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities.
Babylon has a long history of accumulated sins.
This verse says Babylon’s sin will pile up like a new tower of Babel.
The old tower of Babel was intended to reach heaven but didn’t make it.
But her sins pile up higher and do reach heaven.
The angel continues on to say that God has remembered her sins meaning God has taken note of all the sin just like He
took note of the tower they built.
Verse 6…Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she
has mixed, mix double for her.
Simply put Babylon will reap what she sowed.
That is always the way it is going to be…we reap what we sow.
What we plant comes up.
Repay her double according to her works means Babylon is about to receive twice the wrath and destruction ever
perpetrated by her.
At times it may seem others are getting away with what they do and that God does nothing about it…
But that is only for a short time God’s judgment is coming.
This means payback is coming for those who persecuted the people of God.
The punishment will fit the crime.
The judgment of God may be delayed but it is sure.
Verse 7…In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and
sorrow, for she says in her heart I sit as a queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.
This is describing 3 sins she is guilty of:
She has glorified herself...speaks of pride.
She lived luxuriously…means she pursued self gratification.
She says she has sit as a queen and is no widow…means she was not only proud but boastful.
It says I am neither impoverished nor in need of anything.
The words… I will not see sorrow means…I have all I need and no one will take it from me.
Verse 8…Therefore her plagues will come in one day- death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned
with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
In one day means judgment takes place in a brief period of time.
It also means that the destruction will not be progressive but instantly destroyed.
The words death, mourning and famine are three horsemen that ride roughshod over Babylon.
Utterly burned with fire means the city will be incinerated when God judges her.
This means the destruction is total and final.
God says to her you claim to be a queen and you see no sorrow but I look at you differently…
And you are going to be judged thoroughly.
For the Lord is strong means no one can stop Him from accomplishing what He has purposed to do.