The Fall of Babylon

Intro

Its Christmas shopping season!

Can’t say its my favourite time… we get pretty specific as a family

*Share about our Christmas lists and online shopping*

In 2021, the overall holiday spending in the US reached $886.7 billion.

Average holiday spending by Canadians was $1,420 per person

Why does this matter?

It has everything to do with the visions John received and recorded in Revelation 17 and 18

Pray

The Great Prostitute and the Beast (Rev. 17)

Vision takes place during the seven bowls of God’s judgement

Things seen are NOT chronological

Babylon is depicted as a great prostitute

And the kings and nations are guilty of committing sexual immorality with her

Not actually talking about literal sexual immorality (as bad as that is); symbolic of something else that will become clear

Description of the the woman:

Arrayed in purple and scarlet; adorned with gold and jewels and pearls

Appearance of great beauty, wealth and luxury… but appearances can be deceiving

Holding a golden cup full of abominations and impurities of her immorality

Even drunk with the blood of the saints

She looks beautiful, but this beauty is in reality evil, gross, impure and disgusting

Her name is written on her forehead: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations”

Contrasted with the name of Jesus as the rider on the white horse in Rev. 19.

Even moreso, there is LOTS of intentional contrast between Babylon (the great city) and the New Jerusalem (holy city)

Prostitute vs. Bride of Christ

The woman is seated on the beast

Scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names with seven heads and ten horns

Same beast we were introduced to in Rev. 13.

John reminds us of the counterfeit nature of the beast by calling it the one who “was, and is NOT, and is to come”

As opposed to the slain Lamb, who was and is and is to come

For John and his initial readers, the beast clearly represents Rome

Seven heads = seven mountains = Rome was built on seven hills

Seven kings… don’t speculate too much (not helpful)

Ten horns = Ten kings = those who commit immorality with the woman

Join the beast to make war against the Lamb

Envisioned in bowl 6 (Armageddon), completed in Rev. 19 (Jesus conquers just by showing up)

But will eventually turn on her (verse 16)

Evil destroys evil, and God works it all out in His sovereign plan

But “Babylon” has long been biblical code for any time people try to make their own way without God

Tower of Babel (Gen. 11); Babel = root of Babylon

Babylon is the “mother of prostitutes”… many other Babylons have come and gone; it is about Babylonness

Rome for John and the early church, but we also wake up in Babylon today

The Fall of Babylon (Rev. 18)

Speech one: “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!” (v. 1 - 3)

Echoes the announcement of the angel in Rev. 14:8.

Reveals what is truly meant by “sexual immorality:”

The temptation to grow rich from power and luxurious living (v. 3b)

Babylon has never been more alive than today

Talk about materialism and consumerism; buying what we do not need

*Share example of hockey advertising*

*Show VW commercial and The Source slogan*

Speech two: “Come out of her, my people” (v. 4 - 8)

Babylon is doomed, and the angel is calling God’s people to have no part of the sin or the destruction

*Talk about Jesus’ significant warnings about money*

Cf. Luke 16:13.

Speech three: The kings’ lament (v. 9 - 10)

“For in a single hour your judgment has come” (v. 10)

The power of luxury may seem indefatiguable, but in the end, it’s end will come swiftly (one hour = symbol, not statistic)

NOT the place to find your hope… what would happen if our economy collapsed?

Speech four: The merchants’ lament (v. 11 - 17)

Merchants are all those who made themselves wealthy selling luxury items (listed in verse 12); lamenting because no one is shopping

Even selling human souls! Babylon is evil not just for luxury, but luxury at the expense of others

*Talk about economic inequality*

“Some 10 percent of the world’s population owns 76 percent of the wealth, takes in 52 percent of income, and account for 48 percent of global emissions” (Andrew Stanley, International Monetary Fund)

This equality perpetuates oppression… on the same level as “dealing in human souls”

Speech five: The sailors’s lament (v. 18 - 19)

Sailors would have been like our truckers: If no one is buying there is nothing to sell and then nothing to ship

Speech six: God’s people rejoice (v. 20)

God’s people rejoice when others lament, because we are NOT to be a part of Babylon

Would we rejoice if our economy ground to a sudden halt?

Speech seven: Babylon will never be rebuilt (v. 21 - 24)

Seven is completion; this is the complete destruction of all Babylons; of all Babylonness

Come Out of Babylon

Babylon is alive and well today

Our entire economy is driven by consumerism, materialism, luxury and buying what we don’t neeed

We are also experiencing extreme economic disparity; the rich get richer and the poor get poorer

Is it even possible to “come out” of Babylon? How do we live in the truth of Rev. 17 & 18 as the wealthy in our world?

Let’s bring in Paul, who gives us a wonderful companion text in 1 Timothy 6:17 - 19 (read text)

“Do not be haughty” = proud; In other words, be humble

Fight against any notion of material wealth being a sign of superiority (social status, blessed by God, etc.)

Maybe even consider shopping second hand!

Be hopeful (in God alone)

Paul mentions the uncertainty of riches; John describes how Babylon was undone in “one hour”

Be rich (in good works)

How much money you have does NOT matter; real wealth is found in how much good you do to others

*Hours shopping vs. hours serving*

Be generous

Wealth is NOT evil in and of itself (God richly provides us with everything to enjoy)

But the most sure fire sign that you are not caught up in Babylon is found in your willingness to give it all away

EXACTLY what Jesus tasked the rich young ruler to do (which he could not)

Generosity is ongoing proof that you are content, that you are following Christ, and that you are focused on the hope of His eternal kingdom

Conclusion

According to John and Paul, where do we end up when we follow the command of Christ to “come out of Babylon?”

“Those with [the Lamb] are called chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17:14)

“We may take hold of that which is truly life” (1 Tim. 6:19)

How we use our wealth matters. How we prioritize our wealth matters. How we give to the least of these matters. Amen