* Introduction
- “Hindsight is 20/20” - this is a common sentiment in our world: “If I had known what would happen in the end, I would have acted differently based on that knowledge.”
- The Bible gives us “foreknowledge”...so we can act as if we have “hindsight”.
- Revelation 18 in particular functions this way by giving us a glimpse of what happens to “Babylon” - the world and all of its pleasures that stand in opposition to God, the seductions of worldliness that seek to draw us away from God.
- What is going to happen to the pleasures and pursuits and indulgences of this world? What will it be like for those who loved and treasured those things?
I. The world and all that is in it will pass away because God will judge her (18:1-8,21-24).
- v. 1: Another angel – with great authority and glory – comes down.
- As with many other heavenly creatures in this vision, the angel radiates the heavenly glory.
- v. 2-3: The angel declares that Babylon is fallen.
- Babylon's destruction will be so ferocious and complete that no human will dwell in her – she will become a “haunt”.
- This will happen because the kings have become drunk with her immorality & luxury.
- v. 4-8: Another voice from heaven speaks – explaining further Babylon's judgment.
- God's people are called to come out of Babylon: 1) so that they do not partake in her sins and 2) so that they do not partake in her judgment.
- The angel makes clear that Babylon is going to fall because God will punish her sins: He will “remember” her sins and “pay her back”.
- Because she glorified herself and lived in luxury, the angel calls for God to give her torment and mourning.
- Since she assumed she would never be brought low or humbled to mourning, the angel declares that her judgment – death and mourning and famine – will come “in a single day”.
- She will be burned with fire because God will judge her.
- v. 21-24: Later on, another mighty angel reiterates the promise of Babylon's fall as well as its cause with a graphic illustration.
- A large stone is thrown into the sea as a symbol of the way Babylon will be thrown down – not as a mere “accident” or “happenstance” but “with violence” - intentionally and purposefully.
- All the signs of life will be absent from her.
- Music will cease. Work will be no more. Light will be gone. Celebration will be absent.
- This will happen because she deceived the nations and murdered God's people.
* At the end, God's wrath will finally fall on everything that was raised up in His place by this sinful, rebellious world.
- Nothing – and no one – will rival Him.
- All the seductions and temptations of this world – which were raised up as “competitors” with God – will be gone.
* In light of this, God's people are called to “come out” of Babylon.
- v. 4
- We need to see this world as it truly is – passing away: full of false promises and fleeting pleasures.
- 1 John 2:15-17 - “Do not the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”
- 1 Cor. 7:31 - “For the present form of this world is passing away.”
- We should “come out” and live as those who love something else...something better...something lasting.
- Heb. 11:13-16 - “These [Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah] all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
- Heb. 11:24-26 - “By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.”
- 1 Pet. 1:13-16 - “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'”
II. Those who love the world and the things in it will mourn (18:9-19).
- In a series of “laments”, the various people who participated in the life of Babylon mourn her fall.
- v. 9-10: The kings of the earth weep and wail to see her burning.
- They wail for the great city that has been judged.
- Notice: they “stand far off, in fear of her torment” - they do not rush to her aid...they are simply afraid of such judgment themselves (v. 10).
- Notice: they are astonished that such a great city could be judged “in a single hour”.
- v. 11-17a: The merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her because no one buys their goods anymore.
- They, likewise, stand far off in fear of her torment (v. 15).
- They mourn that Babylon will never again enjoy her fruits and delicacies and splendors again – their primary concern is not her welfare, it is the loss of such a great customer (v. 11,15).
- Notice, again: they are also astonished that such a great city could be “laid waste”...“in a single hour”.
- v. 17b-19: The shipmasters and seamen stand far off and cry out as they see her burn.
- They, likewise, stand far off and cry out that the great city is no more.
- Again, they too lament that those who grew rich from her will no longer do so (v. 19).
- Notice, again: they also are astonished that such a great city could be “laid waste...in a single hour”.
* In the end, those who have invested their time and energy and hope in the world and the things it offers will be sorely grieved and disappointed.
- They will have spent their time and energy on things that were worthless in the end.
- They will have nothing to show for all their time and energy and devotion.
- 1 Cor. 3:11-15 - “For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw – each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.”
III. Those who love God will rejoice, praise God for His perfect justice, and dwell in perfect fellowship with Him (18:20; 19:1-10).
- After the mourning of v. 9-19, the exhortation of v. 20 is rather jarring: the angel exhorts God's people to counter the lamentation over Babylon with rejoicing.
- This call for rejoicing is based on the reality that God has poured out judgment on behalf of His people.
- This judgment of the world and its pleasures and pursuits will be the vindication of God's people.
- After the further description of Babylon's fall in v. 21-24, John immediately hears the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven crying out in praise to God.
- A great multitude praises the Lord for His just judgment of Babylon.
- The twenty-four elders and four living creatures praise God and call His servants to do the same.
- The voice of a great multitude praises the Lord God – proclaiming His place as sovereign King and giving Him glory because the marriage supper of the Lamb has come.
- In stark contrast to the destiny of Babylon the prostitute, the Bride of the Lamb is pictured as beautiful and radiant – clothed in the perfect splendor of her righteous deeds.
- A blessing is pronounced on those who are invited to this marriage supper.
- John is so overwhelmed that he falls down to worship the angel but is stopped by the angel himself and instructed to worship God.
* In the end, those who have put their faith in God and in His Son – the Lion of Judah who is the Lamb who was slain – will rejoice and be clothed in glory and share perfect fellowship with Him.
* Seek that which is above...where Christ is.
* Look to Jesus...who for the joy set before Him endured the cross...and lay aside the sin that clings so closely to you and the other weights that hinder you and run with endurance the race that is set before you.