The Good Times Are Over
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week, we mentioned a great deal of Babylon’s history going back to Genesis 10 & 11...
After the judgment of confusing their language to stop the construction of Babel, the city of Babylon was never completely destroyed.
It grew and grew until 500 years before Christ, a king named Nebuchadnezzar built it to its grandest scale ever. Under his rule, the city was an exact square of 15 miles on each side. Interestingly, it is exactly twenty-five times smaller than the New Jerusalem – a city also laid out in a square fashion.
It was another attempt by Satan to mimic Christ by imitating Christ’s coming capital city. This conflict is really at the heart of human history – Babylon versus Jerusalem; the rule of man versus the rule of God. If you break down the spiritual conflict since the dawn of creation, it has always been the rule of man versus the rule of God.
Satan probably thought that Nebuchadnezzar was his antichrist. He had a golden statue and an edict to wipe out the Jews. Babylon was an elaborate city with hanging gardens, brass gates, and gold statues. Into this city one day marched a godly teenager named Daniel and his three friends.
Daniel prophesied the fall of Babylon and it happened at the hands of the Medes and Persians.
The next world conqueror to come along was Alexander the Great. When he arrived in Babylon, he decided to make it his capital city. He dismantled Nebuchadnezzar’s centuries-old palace and planned to rebuild it to its original glory, but died before he was able to finish.
Next came Napolean who actually completed surveys and drew up maps of his plans to rebuild the city he named New Babylon, but he too failed.
Babylon then slipped off the radar until one precious commodity gave nations a reason to fight over it – in a word: oil.
Iraq sits on one of the largest known crude oil reserves in the world.
By the way, the Bible name for the physical location? Babylon…We call it Iraq...
So, along comes a tyrant with visions of rebuilding Babylon and owning the world. Saddam Hussein even declared himself to be the new Nebuchadnezzar. He spent billions rebuilding the palace on the same spot where it once stood. Hussein wanted to kill all Jews and all Iranians because they had descended from the Persians.
We all know that ultimately he failed in his effort. His own people put a noose around his neck and hung him.
Follow me now: Nimrod, Nebuchadnezzar, Alexander the Great, Napolean, Saddam Hussein – Antichrist. Satan is, even now, waiting and watching for another Nimrod – another who will rebuild Babylon.
This all comes together in the Middle East…Even now, America along with other nations of the world are funneling money into a project called the “World Monuments Fund” which is rebuilding the city of Babylon as we speak. As a matter and fact, Ishtar (remember that name from last week?) that’s the name of the main gate to the city which was supposed to be finished this very summer.
Defiance to God began in the Middle East, and defiance to God will end there.
The cradle of civilization will become the grave of civilization.
One-world false religion continues to grow, and the political and economic hold of the Antichrist continues to grow.
Chapter 17 tells of the destruction of all other false religions and in its place antichrist worship.
Chapter 18 speaks of the economic and political end of the system of Babylon.
The Clear Announcement
The Clear Announcement
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, And is become the habitation of devils, And the hold of every foul spirit, And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
The announcement the angel makes is the important factor here. He proclaims publicly Babylon’s downfall. She has come to the day of her accounting. Having been full of everything that God hates, the time of her destruction has arrived.
Notice, verse 2; she “is become the habitation of devils [demons]”
That’s an amazing revelation. A religious system which claims to be Christ’s true church houses demons...
The true Church is the habitation of God through the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:22), but Babylon has become “the hold of every foul spirit”; the “spirit of the world” (1 Corinthians 2:12); “the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2); “the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6); “the spirit of bondage” (Romans 8:15); and “the spirit of man” (1 Corinthians 2:11).
There are many foul spirits contending for the mastery of man’s mind. We need to heed the Words of God, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).
In verse 3, we see the extent of Babylon’s influence. She’s wooed and won the nations by her flirtations.
The Certain Appeal
The Certain Appeal
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, That ye be not partakers of her sins, And that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, And God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, And double unto her double according to her works: In the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, So much torment and sorrow give her: For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, And am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, Death, and mourning, and famine; And she shall be utterly burned with fire: For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
Now, this is the voice of God calling true Christians because He calls them “My people.” I think this is to be viewed as a timeless summons to the people of God everywhere. It is a calling to get out of evil religious systems.
Listen right here, this indicates that there are some genuine believers who are caught up in false religions and errant denominations.
In all ages God’s true people have had to separate themselves from all that is worldly and opposed of God.
God called Abraham, and told him to get out of his country.
God separated the Israelites out of Egypt and told them not to go back.
Today the church is called to separate itself from that which is ungodly.
The Coming Agony
The Coming Agony
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, Shall bewail her, and lament for her, When they shall see the smoke of her burning,
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, Saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; For no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, And precious stones, and of pearls, And fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, And all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, And all manner vessels of most precious wood, And of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, And ointments, and frankincense, And wine, and oil, And fine flour, and wheat, And beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, And slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, And all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, And thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, Shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, Weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, That was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, And sailors, and as many as trade by sea, Stood afar off,
18 And cried When they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, And cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, Wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate.
The next set of verses record for us the extent of the mourning and the scope of the financial ruin brought on by the fall of Babylon. Put simply, this will be the worse stock market crash in the history of man.
Monarchs and merchants and mariners have profited from this city. Business and government are so intertwined during this time that what affects one affects the other.
The word weep in the original Greek means to sob openly. God has brought an end to their life of luxury and wealth. In these verses, John gives an inventory of some of the commodities that has brought wealth to these kings and merchants. Precious, metals leads the list; then costly garments; then imported spices and even slaves, and souls of men.
The point is that all the financial glue that holds the world together burns to the ground in an hour (verse 17).
All the trillions of dollars, all the connections, all the power, all the pomp, all the extravagance – all that seemed to matter – all lost!
When money is god, and God is gone, what is left but godless grief? What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his own soul?
The Combined Applause
The Combined Applause
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, And ye holy apostles and prophets; For God hath avenged you on her.
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, And of all that were slain upon the earth.
Yes, there is going to be rejoicing in Heaven and rightfully so. God promised that He would bring vengeance against all that had wronged His servants.
It will be a total vindication.
He will not only put their lights out, but will also shut down their music.
The judgment and end of Babylon will be absolutely thorough. Life will cease to exist in Babylon. She will reap God’s judgments for her sorceries and slaughter of the saints.
Once Babylon is destroyed, she will never be inhabited again. As we have stated earlier, this has never been fulfilled. The destruction will be so complete that Babylon’s stones will not be used in any other construction projects.
20 It shall never be inhabited, Neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: Neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; Neither shall the shepherds make their fold there.
26 And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, Nor a stone for foundations; But thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the Lord.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This world economic system that has caused so much pain is going to be destroyed one day. My advice to you is to be sure that your treasure is in the right place.
If you place the eggs of your life in the basket of this world, they will all be broken one day!
Are you saved today? If the Lord Jesus were to return for His church this day, would you be taken in the Rapture or would you be left here? If you are left behind, you need to know that you will be left to endure the Tribulation Period. You will suffer hardships like you cannot imagine, and, eventually, you will die and go to Hell. That does not have to be your future. You can be saved and made ready for Heaven right now. If you will come to Jesus, He will save your soul. He died to redeem you and if you will come to Him, He will not turn you away.
If you are too tied to this world and its pursuit of wealth, God can set you free. If there are needs, you mind Him!