One more event before He comes . . .

When letters were more common than email or texting. I’d often put a parenthesis in the telling of a story. I’d write, “Oh, that reminds me...” and then add a section before going back to the story. This seems to be what Revelation 17 and 18 are doing. Chapter 17 tells of Babylon with indication that this is a religious system identified as a woman. Her schemes have affected the entire world and she is under the wrath of God just before Christ returns. At the end, there is an introduction to the next chapter that indicates Babylon is a city as well as a false belief system.

“And the woman that you saw is the great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth.” (Revelation 17:18)

The next chapter says more about this ‘city’ and its influence over world leaders. Understanding is helped by remembering sexual immorality is often used in the Bible as a euphemism for idolatry:

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.” (Revelation 18:1–3)

Then John is given another revelation that says even during this time there will be people of faith who have survived the horrors of judgment. For Babylon this judgment is because this ‘city’ or person or system has led people astray from God and murdered His prophets and His people.

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities." (Revelation 18:4–5)

A few verses later tell how the world mourns the destruction of Babylon yet the saints of God are told to rejoice:

"Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” (Revelation 18:20)

These two chapters give additional insight into major religious and political movements during the time of the end and set the stage for the climax of the Book of Revelation — the second coming of Christ.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, I didn’t plan this, but Your Spirit has led me to read about this great event while we celebrate Your first coming to our world. I’m excited about Christmas because it fulfills God’s promise to send You and verifies to me that Your promise to return will also happen. I’m not excited about the wrath that unbelievers will experience even though this is the option many will choose, but I do rejoice that even now You are showing me that in those days, You will still be calling people to Yourself. For that, I am in awe and worship You.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- joy in God’s saving power and mercy.

- a lovely visit with our neighbor who is so easy to talk with.

- the wild rabbit that lives under our window and totally ignores our movements.

- raspberries and vanilla sauce.

- long conversations with family and friends.

- that Jesus is my best friend.

And the winner is . . .

Throughout the Bible, Babylon is associated with many pagan religions. This record begins with the building of the tower of Babel where humanity decides to reach the heavens apart from faith in God and the result is confusion of languages and separation. Later, the teachers of the Babylonian mystery religions went to Rome and were influential in paganizing Christianity. They were the source of many so-called religious rites which have crept into ritualistic churches.

Babylon could also be a symbol in Revelation 17 and 18 standing for humanistic religion, and then for materialistic human society. One commentary says that all human achievements, strivings and ambitions in this world are summed up in that one word, Babylon.

As Babylon became the symbol of apostasy and the substitution of idol-worship for the worship of God, John is given a revelation of how Babylon is finally judged. It happens when the apostate church attempts to kill all those who follow the true faith. The description does not tell when or how this chapter fits into the time of the end and is difficult to interpret, but one thing is clear; Babylon is a false religious system that is destroyed.

Chapter 18 describes it also as a political power with these two descriptions of a power involving both religion and government. They unite to give power to kings who in turn give their power to the beast (probably Satan) who go to war against Jesus Christ and those who have faith in Him There is an interesting verse in Jeremiah that connects the ideals of Babylon with the death of God’s people. It says,

Babylon must fall for the slain of Israel, just as for Babylon have fallen the slain of all the earth. (Jeremiah 51:49)

And fall it does. This apostate and pagan system is defeated by the Lamb of God who is also the Lord of lords and King of kings:

And the ten horns that you saw are ten kings who have not yet received royal power, but they are to receive authority as kings for one hour, together with the beast. These are of one mind, and they hand over their power and authority to the beast. They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:12–14)

Again I notice that Jesus is the winner and His defeat came as the Lamb who was slain. His death conquered the power of evil. Even in this time of judgment and war, there will be some with the Lamb, chosen and faithful believers. This is practical for me in that I must always remember I am chosen by God, a humbling truth. In that humility, I must also remain faithful. I cannot do that without trusting Jesus concerning all that goes on in my life and outside of my life. He alone is worthy.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I can see even now that this human and sinful system the Bible calls Babylon, with its worldly hopes and worldly ways, with its focus on wealth and power, with its pride in human achievement, is responsible for so much spiritual deadness in history, and now, and in the future. No matter. I may not be able to figure out the details of Your return or the sequence of all these events, but along with God’s people I understand one important truth — in the end, Jesus wins.

Today’s thankful list . . .

- a wonderful day of worship.

- God’s joy.

- having brunch (actually a full turkey dinner) with a few hundred brothers and sisters in Christ.

- giving gifts.

- eating goodies.

- finishing a long overdue project.