Babylon Has Fallen

Introduction

Text: Revelation 19:11-21 Theme: Christ’s Ultimate Victory Key Wesleyan Accent: The hope of final redemption

Main Idea: Jesus, the Faithful and True, will return to judge and reign. His victory is assured, and His kingdom will come in fullness.

Application: Live with hope and confidence, knowing Christ will ultimately defeat evil and establish His eternal reign.

Sermon Outline: The Fall of Babylon – A Call to Holy Living

Text: Revelation 18:4-5 – "Then I heard another voice from heaven say: 'Come out of her, my people,' so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.'"

Introduction:

To which life will you cleave?

In A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens opens with a striking paradox:

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times… it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness…”

This contrast captures the tension of the world we live in—a world caught between righteousness and rebellion, between the Kingdom of God and the kingdoms of men. This struggle is at the heart of Revelation 18

Babylon is a symbol of worldly corruption, idolatry, and rebellion—a city that represents all human systems that exalt power, greed, and oppression. We first are exposed to Babylon in Genesis when the people gathered to build a great tower unto themselves that would exalt themselves to God’s realm. God then confuses their language and scatters them, showing Babylon as the first archetype of human pride and defiance against God. This sets the pattern Babylon will display throughout Scripture— Worldly power seeking autonomy from God.

Babylon was also a historical political power that became the enemy of Israel. Babylon was known for its military might, wealth, idolatry and was uniquely in opposition to the people of God. Babylon conquered Israel and Judah, and twice deported Israelites from their motherland (Daniel and Ezekiel were among the diaspora) Babylon destroyed the Temple, and the city of Jerusalem as well.

The historical Babylon’s destruction came about from its literal devouring of itself that allowed Persia to rise up and conquer it. Literally Cyrus of Persia conquered Babylon without a battle. Daniel writes in Dan. 5 with the hand writing on the wall. God will throw her down because of her blasphemy.

Just as Babylon fell under its own corruption, history has repeatedly shown how godless systems devour themselves. The French Revolution is a striking example of this cycle written about by Charles Dickens In A Tale of Two Cities, Paris (France) under the Reign of Terror becomes a city of bloodshed, a world where power is sustained through death, much like Babylon. The French Revolution (1789-98?) was Godless, the people set out to get rid of irrationality, things including and especially religion. The Rationalists sought to undo everything that was hinged on the religious and political influence, including creating a new calendar with a ten day work week because the seven day calendar was considered foolishness for its connection to religiosity. It was the rise of enlightenment on steroids taking place. While not every revolution looks like Babylon, the French had a myriad of issues leading up to this event. The French Revolution is unique in having parallels to our sermon text. Those who sought justice used the very means that Babylon exalted.

Revelation 17–18 describes God’s judgment on this oppressive system. Just as the French Revolution devoured itself, so too will Babylon’s corruption lead to its own destruction. Each of the beasts mentioned in Revelation (The dragon, the beast from the sea, the beast from the land (and the whore) ties into to religious-socio-political landscape of the day in John’s time. Sex, money, power, and authority are the ultimate ideals of the world. It is a selfishness that is viscerally evil. God sits on the throne of glory and allows the world to descend int entropy— He gives the sinful over to their sin. The corrupted over to their corruption.

Thus trumpet rings— an announcement to the people of God.

Connection to Wesleyan Holiness: We are called to live differently, not to partake in the sins of Babylon but to embrace holiness and the way of the Lamb.

I. The Corruption of Babylon (Revelation 17:1-6; 18:2-3)

Key Point: Babylon represents spiritual adultery, economic greed, and moral decay.

Let’s go back to chapter 13.

Rev. 13-- The dragon comes to stand on the seashore. The first beast arises from the water. The ocean was where monsters resided, they were the home of the leviathan, chaos, and death. The ocean was “out of order”

The dragon waits for the monster of the deep to make an appearance. The dragon becomes the puppet master and is no longer acting alone. Conceding a limited amount of power to see the work done.

Imagery of Daniel 7 has been condensed by John into a single creature that is the thing of nightmares. Rome herself is the single greatest calamity of the church. It is a pagan empire that blasphemes God and persecutes the church.

The Beast that crawls out of the pit is given space to war against the faithful.

The dragon gives the beast power and authority to rule and crush the people of God. Pergamum was a center of imperial rule and cult. The emperor elevated his status to being “divine” but the source of power from the emperor comes from the dragon or Satan himself.

Roman coins show the rapid succession of emperors over a short time span after the assassination of Julius Caesar. This picture risked the empire to collapse under the weight of itself until Nero ascends as emperor in 69 AD. The Emperor god arrives and allows smaller lesser gods to be worshipped but Nero is held to be supreme.

Revelation 17:1-6 portrays Babylon as a prostitute riding the beast, representing an unholy alliance between political power and spiritual deception.

Revelation 18:2-3 describes Babylon’s corruption—her wealth is built on oppression, her influence spreads immorality, and she seduces the nations.

Why does this matter? Because it is easy to pick sides and sympathize with the little guy. We look to the conflict between opposing parties and say “They had it coming” without giving any thought to what motivates the activity. The elite lived at the expense of the poor but the poor rose up without a heart for justice, mercy, and compassion. The elite lived without God and the poor rejected God.

Habakkuk 2:12–14 ““Alas for you who build a town by bloodshed, and found a city on iniquity!” Is it not from the Lord of hosts that peoples labor only to feed the flames, and nations weary themselves for nothing? But the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”

Without a heart for the justice of God we can only be given our destruction.

Illustration: The Tale of Two Cities

In A Tale of Two Cities, the French aristocracy represents Babylon’s corruption—living in luxury at the expense of the poor, blind to their coming judgment.

The Beast from the Sea (Political Power) and the Beast from the Land (Religious Deception) thrive on control, much like the French elite and revolutionary tribunals. You see church, both sides were not concerned with the holy authority of God and the justice that God demands be practiced in this world. They saw themselves as the only judge, thus they continued to build Babylon.

But judgment is coming—Babylon cannot last.

Wesleyan Application:

Christians cannot support evil with a lesser evil. Social injustice can’t be tolerated by the church. It is a check of the heart. What is inside the Christian comes out in activity.

John Wesley opposed the slave trade, recognizing it as a systemic evil—a modern-day Babylon.

Just as Babylon’s merchants grew rich through exploitation, Wesley called for righteous action, urging believers to stand against sin in both personal and societal ways.

The church is God’s voice crying out to the world and revealing the unethical, oppressive, hateful schemes of power of principalities and powers that entice the faithful to dangerous waters.

Reflection: Are we entangled in the sins of Babylon? Are we seduced by materialism, power, or self-indulgence? Who are we destroying in order to live?

II. The Judgment of Babylon (Revelation 18:9-19)

Key Point: God will judge corrupt principalities and powers.

The greatest trick the devil pulled on the world was getting the world to believe he does not exist. But Ephesians 6:12 “For our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”

The kings, merchants, and sailors mourn Babylon’s fall—not because of its evil, but because they profited from it. They must pivot to a new revenue stream. You see church, people allow oppression and injustice when it will cost them personally. But Christ says “deny yourself take up your cross and follow me”. Come stand at the cross of Jesus where he battles victoriously over the ultimate injustices of this world.

Micah 2:1–2 “Alas for those who devise wickedness and evil deeds on their beds! When the morning dawns, they perform it, because it is in their power. They covet fields, and seize them; houses, and take them away; they oppress householder and house, people and their inheritance.”

Revelation 18 shows that God’s justice will ultimately triumph over oppression.

Illustration: The Guillotine and the Fall of Paris

The Reign of Terror, once fueled by rage against injustice, became a beast that devoured its own people—judging even those who supported it. The poor who were being destroyed became the destroyer.

Much like Babylon, its fall was swift and shocking.

Revelation warns us: Any system that thrives on oppression will collapse under its own weight. When the pivot point comes the thrashing begins, the fight or flight kicks in.

Contrast: The Beast vs. the Lamb

The Beast thrives on bloodshed, killing others to maintain power. Oppressing others to keep the status quo, and demanding it be worshipped so to become a god.

The Lamb (Jesus) lays down His life to save others. Jesus didn’t come to be worshipped alone but to also be God in service to the created. (though it is right to do so) but to service. Jesus gave up his power and authority to offer himself to his created. He did not kill but sacrificed his life so that we may have life. Jesus was not concerned with the status quo but sought to bring freedom to all who would believe.

This contrast is seen in A Tale of Two Cities, where the guillotine represents Babylon’s system of death—but Sydney Carton chooses the way of the Lamb. ““It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way—in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”

Wesleyan Application:

Wesley emphasized stewardship and social holiness—how we live reflects whether we stand with Babylon or with the Lamb.

Christians are called to be countercultural, standing for righteousness even when the world mourns the loss of sin’s prosperity.

Reflection: Do we mourn with the world when corruption is exposed, or do we rejoice in God’s justice? Blessed are those who mourn, do you mourn sin, injustice, and oppression?

III. The Call to Come Out (Revelation 18:4-5, 20-24)

Key Point: God's people must separate from Babylon’s ways.

Revelation 18:4-5—God calls His people out of Babylon to avoid her sins and judgment.

Holiness in the Wesleyan tradition means both personal piety and social holiness—we are to live differently than the world around us.

Revelation 18:20-24—The fall of Babylon brings rejoicing in heaven, for God’s justice is complete.

Illustration: Sydney Carton’s Redemption

Sydney Carton begins as a man entangled in Babylon’s ways—a wasted life, full of self-indulgence.

But in the end, he chooses the way of the Lamb, sacrificing himself so that Charles Darnay may live.

His final words, "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done", echo Christ’s declaration on the cross: "It is finished."

In contrast to Babylon, where power is built on taking lives, Carton mirrors Christ—giving his life freely for another.

This is the call of Revelation 18: Come out of Babylon, reject its corruption, and embrace the self-giving love of Christ.

Matthew 5:14–16 ““You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

Application:

Are we entangled in Babylon—through compromise, materialism, or injustice?

How can we pursue entire sanctification and live as a holy people, distinct from the world?

Will we follow the way of the Beast, taking life to maintain our power?

Or will we follow the way of the Lamb, laying down our lives in faith and love?

Conclusion:

Babylon will fall, but God’s kingdom stands forever.

A Tale of Two Cities reminds us of this great contrast:

Paris under the guillotine reflects the Beast's system—power sustained through violence.

Sydney Carton’s sacrifice reflects the Lamb—victory through love and selflessness.

Wesley’s call to holy living is not just about personal morality, but about being a prophetic voice against corruption.

Revelation challenges us: Matthew 7:13–14 ““Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”

Will we remain in Babylon, profiting from sin?

Or will we live as citizens of the New Jerusalem, embracing holiness and preparing for Christ’s return?

Final Exhortation:

"Come out of her, my people." Just as Carton rejected his former self for a greater purpose, we are called to leave behind the corruption of Babylon and live as citizens of the New Jerusalem.

May we reject Babylon’s ways and embrace the way of the Lamb.

May we live in holiness, standing for truth and righteousness.

May we remember that Christ’s sacrifice is our true victory—not the power of this world, but the power of the cross. Rev. 18 is a Divine call to holiness of heart and life. How we live impacts the world and bears witness to what we believe.