REVELATION 18

Babylon’s defeat is certain. That world system of deceit, consisting of political corruption, religious falsehood, that safe haven of false ideology and anti-God way-of-life, has met its Judge. She was sensuous, appealing, and many fell into her trap, doomed forever.

Even here, at the time John foresees, God calls His people to come out of her, to leave her, as God is judging her, and no follower of God is to be among her. The kings of the earth, those world rulers, have chosen poorly. And John uses the familiar funereal cry of “Woe, woe”, to emphasize the plight the world finds itself in.

Commerce will have dried up, the world’s business will have come to a standstill. People realize who Babylon is, what she has done, and that the judging is by God’s hand, and it is too late.

Symbolizing how God feels about this Babylon, a strong angel throws a large, heavy stone, that which looks like a millstone (think of Matt. 18:6, Luke 17:2), into the sea. That stone has the world’s deceit attached, and by causing God’s “little ones” to sin, it deserves to be thrown into the depths of the sea.

Indeed, the nations were deceived, and as a result, the blood of the saints, those believers following Christ, is on their hands. God does not take lightly to such treatment of His own.

SO WHAT…?

So, as irritated as I might become at the antics of corrupt world leaders, or false religion, God has shown me clearly that He will ultimately deal with them. I recall in Jude that I am still to contend for the faith, and so I must press on, while leaving righteous indignation to God.

So, each and every day I must choose whom I will follow. My own desires and the world’s alluring offers, or the path that Christ has paved before me.