Rev. ch 17 Fall of Babylon.

in Ch.14;8 we saaw the angel preaching the gospel around the world and then heard the announcement “Babylon is fallen”. Now, after the wrath of God poured out, we see an “Action replay” of the fall of B.

Note the figurative language the Bible uses.

17; 1-3. the completion of the Divine work of reclaiming back earth for God.  The judgment of Babylon. Probably symbolic here for the entire Godless system from AD1 to now — and then!

But recall what Babylon stands for; “Babel” (Gen10-11).  They were trying to reach Heaven (God) their own way.  Religion always has this aim, whether Hindu, Buddhist, Islam etc – even ‘Christian’.   Real Christianity acknowledges that “God sent His Son to be the saviour of the world”.  So God hates religion, typified here by Babylon.  Cp last time. God wants us to love Him.

Religion you have to earn your way to Heaven.  Eg Islam – prayers 5? Times a day. J.W. do door to door work. Christian – go to church, mass, confession, all sorts of rules.  But see Phil 3;9

This was one of the ‘bowl’ angels — Indicates this ch related to them.  Probably the 7th Angel.

Prostitution and adultery were used in Bible to describe worship of other gods. The Jews were accused of this when they left God. see Hosea.1 ;2 And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.

So we are looking at false worship (religion) here. In passing, compare the woman here in Rev 17  with Rev 21;9-22;5 The harlot v the bride. Harlot destroyed, bride cherished by Lord.

Rev 17 vv3-6 her clothing symbolic of the wealth and luxury of civilization. Purple & scarlet; rare and costly. Wealth, her rewards. v 4 cup- her effect on nations v 5: Her name. Babylon goes back to Gen 11;l-9 Babel. They had set themselves against God even then. Nebuchadnezzar 1st great monarch of Babylon’s empire had same rebellious tendency. (recall Dan 3 – the image of gold and Shadrach Meshach & Abednigo)  Hanging gardens of Babylon were one of the 7 wonders of the world: yet not remembered by God for that; but her wickedness. .  Beauty false, prosperity hollow, character abominable.

Now B seen as a city, the commercial centre of the earth.  Possibly a literal city or a type of civilisation.    Antichrist will have a centre from which he rules.

Isa 13;19-20 states Babylon never to be rebuilt. Still today covered by sand  All that remains of the original ancient famed city of Babylon today is a mound, or tell, of broken mud-brick buildings and debris. Arabs will not camp there.  So must be some other city.  In any case it is interesting that world events are today centring in the middle east where B was.   Recall that Saddam Hussein started to rebuild Babylon.  Didn’t!
Probably a type of evil. Satan is behind wicked systems and nations.

John wondered.   Admiration = astonishment. That such abandoned evil could exist.

The angelic explanation…..

To John, this was Rome on 7 mountains. Luxury, idolatry, but Mountains in Word can mean kingdoms: cp Isa 2;2.  And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the LORD’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.

7 kings mentioned here, so probably mans kingdoms.

7 kingdoms? Well, Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Persia; Greece, Rome was at that time. The 8th yet to come. Antichrist’s kingdom.

V 12 – 10 kings: cp 10 toes in Daniels image.   Notice they are rulers, not kings. Cp we saw earlier, rulers today who are not kings but rule countries; eg   USA ,   USSR.  China , India , Israel , Egypt , Arabs , Africa , Europe , Far East.

V13 subject to him.  V 14  against Christ.   The world is gradually moving against Christianity. Our own government is strongly anti Christian.

Cp 17;1 & 15 The waters = the peoples, the nations: cp last week – democracy.
Shows again the religious and aesthetic aspect of godless civilisation, which has debased faith into superstition, worship into idolatry, deity into demonism.

v 16 hatred of the woman seems strange?  A decadent religion is despised by those who worship at its altars, In Russia the dominating dead church had no life, was deserted by believers and atheists alike. Even the world hates dead religion! This harlot represents a faith debased and prostituted — so valueless that after it has served its purpose, the kings reject it. Also the beast (satan) demands all worship. After the ‘harlot’ has served her purpose, he destroys her.

The lesson to learn: Like rousing sleepers in a burning house, Believers are to abandon the city. Christians cannot afford to involve deeply in the present world system. cp I Jn 2,15-17 Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16For everything in the world—the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does—comes not from the Father but from the world. 17The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.  We are in the world but not of it.

We must live IN the world but not be OF it. We can be influenced by it. Radio, TV, newspapers all join. Insidiously world values are heaped on us. Lot an e.g. Lived in Sodom, but kept righteous. But yet got tainted. Can you think of a way in which you may be living by world’s standards, instead of Gods?

Rev. 18;4-8  Separation – don’t get caught up in her!   LOVE NOT THE WORLD.

Rev 18; 9-14 Her destruction by fire. If literal, is easy to understand.  Earthquakes would release the vast supplies of oil buried in that region.  The lightnings attending the judgement of God ignite them – what a holocaust!  Remember the waters are dried up.  Euphrates gone.  In one day all reduced to ruin.  Alternatively a nuclear explosion would have much the same effect.

Rev 18;15-19. The merchants lament.  Nb;  All luxury goods.. Commerce is not wrong, but when it becomes an end in itself and selfish enrichment the merchant’s chief goal, then the system is condemned.   The spirit of the age; cp Ads today.  What is the main attraction in everything?  One up on the Joneses, or ‘gracious living’ or sociability, distinction etc.  How big is it, how new, how much, will it add to my comfort?  Not much difference between Babylon and modern day society.

Rev 18;20  Rejoicing in heaven over the vindication of those who have been martyred.

18;21-24.  Disappearance of B as a millstone in sea.  Everything for which she was known to be great, destroyed.  These things became the only goals in life.  Complete materialism.  Heaven rejoices because she can no longer trap souls.

B, whether a city or culture is the sum of materialism and luxury typifying the last days.

God has something better to offer.

Revelation 19

THE GRAND CLIMAX.

1-6   Hallelujah!  The great multitude sing this.   The rejoicing in Hvn over the wailing and weeping on earth (He who laughs last??) Worship of God at the fall of Babylon. We must always be sure we worship God for everything. The call to real worship! Cp Jesus; John 4;23-4 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.  Note the words of the multitude 19;1&5 The elders: 19;4 the great multitude: 19;6.  Recall ch16 once again God’s righteousness emphasised.

Evil has been finally put down.  Something to rejoice about.

7. Church called the Bride of Christ; His wife. ie. Something supremely precious to Him. see Eph. 5 ;25-7 Christ’s love for the church surpasses that of husband and wife. Even when cold or disloyal He still loves them. The Church today may be asleep instead of actively serving God, but He still loves them. (Gods revelation of the church as   asleep – not dead!) We can’t reject other Christians, They are His- many of them anyway. His wife hath made herself ready. There is something for us to do. He won’t do it all! We are clothed with the righteousness of God in Christ. cp Rom: 3; 22 – 24. With Matt 22;11  Were sinners , now saints.     cp Rev 3;4- 5.

Now see v 8 – See ANT. “She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white–for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God’s holy people).” White raiment (lit bright , clean fine linen) . refer back to Rev. 18 ;4 I then heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out from her, my people, so that you may not share in her sins, neither participate in her plagues We are to prepare ourselves for Him , as a bride prepares for her groom.  The fine linen is the ‘ righteous deeds ‘ of saints.   ( lit Gk) . We tend to ignore this ‘ doing ‘ part of the gospel – but at our peril. There is a place f or good deeds not as earning our R. but as fruits emanating from it.

Consequence of Baptism is you get wet. Baptism  in HS – speak in Tongues. Consequence of  Righteousness is that you do good. The Bride of Christ.

Rom 6 : speaks of R. : vl3 instruments of R. ( lit tools/weapons)  v16 ; obedience unto R. v18 servants  of R. v19 servants to R unto holiness  cp Eph. 6 ; 14   We receive Christ’s R. see 2 Cor. 5;21 ie. as we trust Christ we become in Him all that God requires a man to be. (Vine) eg. God looks at us, but sees Jesus.

We receive this R. by faith. see Rom.4;4-5

Rev 19;9  Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, [b]to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God.

. Note  last phrase of v 10..  Jesus Spirit of prophecy – through the word, they speak of Christ.   Heart of prophet and person of Christ.

Vv11-16.  White horse.  Usually ridden by victorious general.   “Faithful and True”.   “The Word of God”  cp John 1;1  “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God” Cp Satan the deceiver.

The HOLY army.  V14.  White and clean.

The description fits in with Christ’s person and work.

Vv17-21.  Not a war, a massacre.  Who can stand against God?  The beast and false prophet shown for the powerless ones they really are.

Cast into lake of fire.   Where?   Universe plenty big enough! Astronomers can’t find the end.  Literal?  If figurative what is meant?  Far easier to take literal meaning.

Rev 20. Satan not destroyed but bound and then released after 1000 years (20;10)  No mercy for them.  No repentance, they are utterly evil.

Cast into the ‘abyss’.  Cp Rev 9;1  demonic hosts turned loose to torment the world.  See too Jude 6.

Some say 1000 years beginning today, but it is after Rev19;20 so not even revealed yet.

Rev 20;4-6 Judgement by saints.  (1 cor 6;2 Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters?)

But here’s something to think about! 1 Cor 6;3 Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life?

Rebellion will be contained and without the supernatural help of Satan and co, men will be kept in check.   How much of today’s evil is supernaturally instigated?

See Isa 11;9  Period of peace – even animals

Isa 11;11-12  Israel fully restored to her land.

Rev 20; 7-15.  How can people rebel after millennium?  Cp When Jesus was on earth.  What possible reason could there have been for crucifying Him?   When men’s hearts are evil, nothing will move them.   Unless they Repent, they can’t change.   Why some who are only SORRY appear to be saved, but fall away.

“Unless you repent, all likewise perish”.  It is important that we preach repentance. Without it no salvation. (repentance = turning round).

So;   Why release Satan?  To deceive the nations?  Why allow him in the first place?   God could have annihilated him there and then!

Holiness to be of value must be tested.

Throughout the millennium, men will be chafing at Christ’s rule.   Some hate righteousness.

The Revolt;   Gog and Magog;  Ezek 38-39.  Northern Armies…. This time no extended struggle.  God has had enough.

Wickedness judged.

V11.  Great White Throne.  Cp ch 4; Rainbows – speak of God’s mercy. Here His purity.  Even the slightest sin will show up against it.

V12.  Books;  Astronomers claim to have discovered “messages” from space that have taken 1000s of years to get here…   eg Stars that would see life on earth as it was 500 years ago.  Some stars 1000s of light years away – So if we were far enough away with a super telescope we could see Adam and Eve!  If we can – how much more God?   Every deed/thought will be accounted for.  No wonder Psalmist says “blessed is the man whose sin is covered”.

V15. Book of life the final authority.  Cp Heb 12;23   Death, Hades (abode of spirits), cast into lake of fire.  Earth and heaven passed away.  Cp 2 Pet 3;12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?  13Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

Rev 21.

Glory of new city is not architecture, but God.

Three pronouncements. ;All things new.   Alpha and Omega.  Give water of life.

God doesn’t patch things up, he makes new.

What He began is able to finish.

History is not aimless but ‘His Story’. God has it all in control.

Rev 22

Here John describes the new heaven and new earth.  Notice again, the angel emphasizes this is true! V 6

Then Jesus takes over again.  “Behold I come quickly….”

V 13 “I am Alpha & Omega..”  recall ch 1.

V 12.  “I come quickly”…  Let us be ready.  Note; Hosea 6;2  After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight. Here is an  interesting thought.  Israel were in exile around the world for 2000 years.   1000 years with the Lord as a day – remember?  ‘In the third day, He will raise us up’.  Yet another sign we are in the End Times.

Are you ready?