The Revelation of Jesus Christ
“Fall of Babylon” Revelation 17-18
Last week we introduced the last player in the great end time drama.
Babylon. Babylon as a system of thought and government has existed from the time of Noah.
She is pictured as a harlot sitting on many waters and riding on top of the beast with seven heads and ten horns. She is called a mystery. Her name is Babylon the Great, Mother of Harlots and abominations of the earth. There are some clues as to the character of Babylon but the exact identification cannot be certain until it unfolds.
History of Babylon
The original culture was based on god defying self-promotion and materialism. It represented the powerful and wealthy center of human civilization seeking to find meaning and prominence apart from submission to the Creator. It focused on godless materialism, consumerism, sensuality, sexuality and control. Meaning in life is ultimately found in the fleshly apathies and the culture centers on appealing and satisfying those appetites. Babylon came to symbolize humanity’s rebellion against God and is the seed of western philosophy and values.
Characteristics of Babylon from Revelation and prophetic passages
This Babylon is called a “mystery” -- symbolic rather than a literal geographic location or city.
The specific stands for the whole ie Wall Street, White House
Every city operates according to world view or system of values. Materialism, Interaction, activities, entertainment, enforcement, lifestyles determined by values.
This future “Great City” is no different.
• “Harlot” characterized by infidelity, permissiveness, profiteering, seduction, sensuality. Willing to sacrifice morals for money.
• “Sits on many waters” is interpreted later (17:15) as having worldwide influence.
• Source of immorality of the nations of the world.
• Has seduced and spaced out many people with her immoral focus.
• Rides a scarlet beast. Indicates that either she exercises certain control over the kingdoms of antichrist or is supported by the antichrist coalition. At best there is some sort of power relationship between antichrist and this entity called Babylon. This is the same beast we encountered earlier identified as the antichrist.
• Dressed in purple and scarlet adorned with costly jewelry symbolic of luxury and royalty.
• Golden cup full of abominations indicates looks good on the outside but vile on the inside.
• Associated with the abominations of ancient Babylon and perpetuator of current godless perversions.
• Instrumental in the demise of countless of God’s servants through the ages, indicating she has been around for a while.
• Called a “Great City” which reigns over the kings of the earth as opposed to the New Jerusalem which will reign over the earth.
• Drives the world’s economic commercial enterprise with a philosophy of consumerism
The deception perpetuated by the philosophy of Babylon is that meaningful life can be achieved apart from God through the personal godless pursuit of possessions, pleasure and prominence. This is the same philosophy perpetuated by Satan from the beginning. In the last days, there will be a world power that becomes the main perpetrator of this lie. It will have economic, religious and political power to peddle its wares throughout the world. Antichrist and his coalition of kings will use this vehicle to gain influence and power around the world.
Other characteristics of Babylon can be found in Jeremiah 50-51 and Isaiah 47. See notes from November 8.
After listing all the characteristics of final Babylon, it seems clear it represents something beyond a rebuilt Babylon in Iraq. It seems more plausible to me that this power represents a world power that propagates the godless aspects of western thinking and culture focused on humanism, materialism, consumerism, sensuality and sexuality. The idea that the United States and perhaps England and western civilization most closely fit the Biblical characterization of Babylon has pretty strong possibilities. Even though America was founded on godly principles by some very devoted godly men, there was a parallel influence of occult-like entities and organizations as well.
As long as we stood for godly values God saw fit to bless us. The more we have jettisoned our Biblical foundations, the more the satanic influence has flourished and will eventually lead to severe judgment.
Paul outlined the moral demise of the last days.
But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. 6 For among them are those who enter into households and captivate weak women weighed down with sins, led on by various impulses, 7 always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith. 2 Timothy 3:1-8
It could all come down to a final showdown between East and West. Since both will be the fruit of Satan’s influence it will become a kingdom divided against itself that cannot survive.
1. Demise of Babylon
The Antichrist and his coalition of kings who support him and give him power will unsuccessfully intensify their assault against the Lamb and his followers.
Satan’s final surge?
"These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." Revelation 17:14
They will eventually resent the fact that the harlot has so much influence over the peoples of the earth and refuse to share the limelight or power. They will ruthlessly rise up and destroy her.
15 And he said* to me, "The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16 "And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. Revelation 17:15-16
Whoever the Antichrist, he will have no more use (because of his own rise to power) for the world power whose influence permeates the world and will strike (Perhaps a nuclear attack) the principle cities. Perhaps the dollar will become worthless to them or the west becomes oil independent. When it no longer serves his purpose of goes along with the program of world domination, the Antichrist will strike. He will be God’s instrument of judgment on the decadent godless influence of the harlot. He will destroy her because God stirs the desire to destroy her in him.
17 "For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. 18 "The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth." Revelation 17:17-18
The angel interprets the symbolism clearly. This harlot is a “great city” or world power who has worldwide influence both economically and philosophically and is destroyed by Antichrist and company.
2. The angels warning to the faithful 18:1-8
By this time there is rampant demonic control over the population resulting in a further degradation of culture and morality. This fiery destruction may be confined to a representative city of the world power. It will be devastating enough that the effects rock the whole nation or nations. The angel will warn the strong Jewish population dwelling in the principle city of this world power to get out of dodge. God is about to bring final judgment. Her judgment will come quickly and thoroughly. This fits with the warning of Jesus to head for the hills when you see all this coming.
3. The world laments over Babylon’s fall 18:9-19
The nations of the world will have profited and actually bought into the values of Babylon.
John describes her as a strong or powerful city. The one hour judgment can refer to a literal one hour destruction or a destruction that happens in a short period of time. A nuclear attack would certainly bring swift devastation and a halt to life as we know it. The world commercial world will lament for a loss of consumers. People will be more concerned with survival than material pursuits.
Gold, silver, precious stones
Clothing industry
Manufacturing
Cosmetics
Food
Transportation
Labor unions
Cruise industry
Shipping industry
Music and the arts
Craftsmanship
All nations will be deceived by her sorcery. Sorcery is the attempt to control people or things through formula or incantation. All of the things that the world has pursued to feel alive will come to an abrupt end. People all over the world will mourn the demise of “Babylon.”
4. The angels encourage the righteous to rejoice over Babylon’s fall 18:20-24
The angel will call for all of the faithful followers of Christ in heaven and on earth to rejoice at the destruction of the great city. Another “strong” angel (not a cute little cherub) will offer a graphic illustration of the destruction. The city will no longer be a viable place. It will not be reestablished or rebuilt. It will not recover.
5. The Hallelujah chorus 19:1-6
Those in heaven who enjoy God’s perception of the events on earth have a much different reaction than the “people on the earth.”
They praise God for the grand and glorious unfolding of His plan of salvation with great power.
There is praise for God’s true (pure) and righteous (right according to God’s standards) judgments.
They rejoice at the dismantling of centuries of attempts to make life work apart from submission to the Creator.
They praise God for the fact that this will be the final destruction.
They rejoice in the fact that our God reigns FOREVER.
Points to ponder
As we mentioned last week, I can’t help but wonder our reaction to the loss of the things listed in this chapter. We have grown a fondness at times for the things of this world. We have grown up in a culture of consumerism. We are used to choice and diversity of materials available. We have become accustomed to seeking meaning through possessions, pleasure and prominence. People even shop for churches based on what appeals to our desires rather than opportunities for service. We are used to someone catering to our every need. We are used to the full service shopping center. Shopping takes twice as long because there are so many choices to make. Packaging, marketing, branding, advertizing. There is something to address any situation in life. Some product will relieve pain or renew pleasure. Ingest some pill or substance. Buy some product. Engage in some activity or adventure. Consume some delicacy.
When these things become the primary object in pursuit of meaning in life, we have swallowed the Babylonian lie. Our world revolves around this philosophy. Just like the Angel will warn the people of God at the end to come apart, we as Christians should sever any necessary attachment to the things of this world. By that, I mean we need to avoid allowing acquiring possessions, experiencing pleasure and achievement of prominence to be the source of our hope and sense of fulfillment in this life. We exercise great concern to lay up treasures on earth to the neglect of investing in things that secure eternal treasure in heaven. We then wonder why our heart isn’t moved by spiritual things. Because we have minimal investment.
Where you treasure is, there your heart will be also.
We too easily identify with the merchant’s lament over the fall of Babylon and her stuff.
We fail to consider how many lives her philosophy has destroyed.
We don’t consider how many souls have been detoured from God by her seductions.
We seldom consider how her seductions affect even the strongest of saints.
Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:9-11
God will one day completely annihilate the godless and sensual materialistic consumerism of Babylon so prevalent in our world today. The golden cup in Babylon the harlot’s hand will be exposed and be seen for the poison it is. Babylon will fall and all of the kingdoms of earth will lament but all of heaven will rejoice.
"Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; BECAUSE HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and HE HAS AVENGED THE BLOOD OF HIS BOND-SERVANTS ON HER."
"Hallelujah! HER SMOKE RISES UP FOREVER AND EVER."
And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures around the throne will fall down and worship God who sits on the throne saying,
"Amen. Hallelujah!"
And a voice will come from the throne, calling out,
"Give praise to our God, all you His bond-servants, you who fear Him, the small and the great."
Then all of heaven will shout,
"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.
I finish with a section of Psalm 90 that seems appropriate to our discussion today.
As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years, yet their pride is but labor and sorrow; for soon it is gone and we fly away. 11 Who understands the power of Your anger And Your fury, according to the fear that is due You?
12 So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.
13 Do return, O LORD; how long will it be? And be sorry for Your servants.
14 O satisfy us in the morning with Your lovingkindness, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.
15 Make us glad according to the days You have afflicted us, and the years we have seen evil.
16 Let Your work appear to Your servants and Your majesty to their children.
17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; Yes, confirm the work of our hands.
Psalms 90:10-17
