Where Is Your Citizenship?

Text: Revelation 18

Introduction

As I grew older, I loved watching superhero shows. Often times there would be the supervillain that would show up. Also, the situation would be catastrophic and despairing because it would seem that there was no weakness of the villain to exploit. However, like any good superhero show, the weakness would be discovered and the villain would be brought to justice.

The story of which we have been reading and diving into tonight has a superhero and a villain. The villain is Satan and his sidekicks. The superhero is none other than Jesus Himself. The difference between superhero shows and this soon coming future event, is there is no disparaging plot of the enemy not being defeated. There is never a thread of, “Oh no! Will the villain be defeated?” God’s narrative of this final redemption is not a nail bitter! God’s narrative brings joy and peace to the mind of His children.

In chapter 18, we are in the grandstands of Heaven watching our Savior dismantle the newly established Babylonian religious system. In particular, Jesus is going to completely destroy the economic wealth the “harlot” has distributed across the globe.

One distinction I don’t want you to miss in this chapter is this: There is a stark contrast between the value system of the world and the values of God’s people. It would be wise to ask yourself, “Do my values and priorities look different than that of the world?”

1) Heaven’s Light Reveals The Ruins Of Darkness

VERSES 1-3

A. A voice of condemning authority

“having great authority” — a high ranking angel.

“his glory (or splendor)” — the earth is brightened.

it makes me think of Heaven flare that illuminates the enemy’s position and status).

The daybreak following a terrible storm and surveying the damage.

Ezekiel 43:2 “2 And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east: and his voice was like a noise of many waters: and the earth shined with his glory.”

Habakkuk 2:14 “14 For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, As the waters cover the sea.”

NOTE THIS…there is no devise of Satan that will prevent that future day of the earth being filled with God’s glory!

“cried mightily with a loud voice”

“Babylon…is fallen, is fallen”

REMINDER — Babylon, founded under Nimrod, became the first center ruled by violence. She was once the world’s capital. It is again to become the central city of the world. False religion was first organized at Babylon, and the city will again become the home of idolatry, occultism, demonism, and false religion. John Phillips, Exploring Revelation: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Re 18:1–19:6.

Speaking of the exactness and and decisiveness of Babylon’s fall.

In other words, there is no redemption from God wrath.

(v2) John was getting a vision of a complete fulfillment of prophecy.

Isaiah 13:9 “9 Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, Cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, To lay the land desolate: And he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.”

This is similar to the judgement on ancient Babylon — Jeremiah 50:1–4 “1 The word that the Lord spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet. 2 Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; Publish, and conceal not: Say, Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; Her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces. 3 For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, Which shall make her land desolate, And none shall dwell therein: They shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast. 4 In those days, and in that time, saith the Lord, The children of Israel shall come, They and the children of Judah together, Going and weeping: they shall go, And seek the Lord their God.”

None of these have yet to be fully fulfilled in our day.

(v2) Notice what Babylon became a home to:

Devils, foul spirits, and unclean and hateful birds

Devils or demon worship — It will become the home for it as it did in Daniel’s day. The Babylon of Daniel’s day was home to magicians, soothsayers, and astrologers. No doubt that all of the satanic cults of our day will gravitate toward the future created Babylon.

Unclean and hated birds — think of pelican, hawks, owls, ravens, ostriches, and all birds of prey. Especially birds who feast themselves of dead carcasses. None of these types of birds will go hungry for quite some time.

(v3) We learn exactly why such destruction has come to this newly created Babylon.

The world nations have become intoxicated with the Babylonian religious system of which catered to their every fleshly desire and lust.

“wrath” = fury, wrath, anger, rage, intense desire; frenzy n. — a state of violent mental agitation.

Jeremiah 51:7 “7 Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord’s hand, That made all the earth drunken: The nations have drunken of her wine; Therefore the nations are mad.”

Illustration: Young elementary kids being addicted to explicit imagery from having access to the internet on a tablet. Would bring it to school, it would be removed, the kid would lose his mind, and then be sent to a mental institution to detox his brain that is yet to even be able to process such things.

Hence the emphasis is not placed on the mere accumulation of wealth but on an obsession with wealth and with “excessive luxuries.” Paige Patterson, Revelation, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 39, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H, 2012), 331.

2) A Voice From Heaven Calling For Separation

VERSES 4-8

Q — How many of you believe the truth claim of John 3:16 “16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”?

Then you read in Ephesians 5:1 “1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”

Then you read in 2 Corinthians 6:17 “17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,”

It almost seems like a contradiction???

Q — How does one balance “compassion” and “separation?”

Every believer is to have compassion toward those who remain in the darkness of sin. However, compassion should never step into “condescension.”

You must exercise compassion from a position of holiness and separation to God. You and I reach the world God’s way and with His purposes in mind.

God’s people in all ages were called to separate themselves from the anti-God culture:

Examples: Abraham, Jews from Egypt, the church of today.

Romans 16:17–18 “17 Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. 18 For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

What were the sins of this world wide Babylonian system?

Idolatry, pride, worship of pleasures and luxury.

(v4) “share in her sins” = Associate with, share with, be connected with.

Connection will form the longer you associate with them.

It would be moving a step beyond friendship and two or three steps beyond acquaintance.

Illustration: (Bluey episode) It takes Bandit (Bluey’s dad) taking her three or four play dates at the park before he claims her new found friend’s dad as his friend. The episode ends with him inviting them over for breakfast.

(v5) It gives the idea that not only have the sins of Babylon have reached to heaven, they share a connection to one another.

Illustration: It is like someone addicted to food, sugar, or narcotics. What got them to the point of their current health crises is the relationship of previous decisions.

(v6-7) This is not some kind of injustice from God that is greater than her crime. Simply, the judgement coming to her will be at the same level of the her self-glory and luxury she has favored herself with.

(v7) Notice her arrogance!

The historic Babylon started out this way — At the zenith of his pride and power, Nebuchadnezzar the Great looked out over the magnificent city of Babylon with its massive walls, its hanging garden, its broad boulevards, its beauty and its strength, and he cried. “Is not this great Babylon which I have built?” John Phillips, Exploring Revelation: An Expository Commentary, The John Phillips Commentary Series (Kregel; WORDsearch Corp., 2009), Re 18:1–19:6.

Notice the confidence within her vain declarations!

I don’t care what concoction of sin I have brewed, I won’t face any difficult hardship as a result.

LISTEN…as Bro. Barry Wilson said, “You don’t get to chose the results, but you do get to chose.”

It is the same world view as we see growing today; “There is no absolute truth.”

3) Voices From Earth Lamenting Their Loss

VERSES 9-19

You have to ask, “What happened to that strong and arrogant confidence?”

Understand this, it doesn’t matter how confident you are, when it is misguided away from God, judgment is coming!

The so-called great european religious harlot will leave them all wanting and without hope.

(v9-10)First there is sorrow and then there is terror.

(v11-14) What you are witnessing here is God bringing an end to the Antichrist’s global economic system. Notice the different categories of commodities:

Items that women considered a luxury.

Items that could be used on construction projects.

Items used for clothing

Costly woods, ivory, bronze, iron, and marble.

Spices and incense used in incense and and perfume.

Food products.

Livestock

These merchants trafficked in bodies and souls of men. (In john’s day, it was not unusual for 10,000 people to be auctioned off in one day in the slave market of the Empire. There were probably over 60 million slaves throughout the Empire)

(v15-19) O, the great provision they thought they had!

The best Babylon can offer them now is for them to stand at a great distance and watch her burn to the ground.

“What is like this great city?”

REMEMBER, how the world was enticed to take the mark of the beast.

They were promised great provision, wealth, freedom, etc.

He used the people appetites to enslave them.

Illustration: Drug cartels getting youth and women hooked on cheaper drugs, to then enslave them to sell for them in order to get their next fix.

4) Voices From Heaven In Celebration

VERSES 20-24

What a contrast from lamenting to celebrating.

A. See the world through God’s view point

When you read passages like Revelation 17:6 “6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.” it might seem like God doesn’t care.

Quote: It will seem that God does not care; but at the right time, the Lord will vindicate His people and destroy both “the harlot” and the great city. God is patient with His enemies; but when He does begin to work, He acts suddenly and thoroughly. Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 616.

This call to celebration is NOT to celebrate the damnation of sinner, but that complete righteous judgment of God has been carried out.

LISTEN…there is coming a day when all of Satan’s political, economic, and religious systems will be destroyed forever!

Conclusion

Ask yourself this question, “Am I a citizen of Babylon or a citizen of heaven?”

If you can’t rejoice because your name is written in heaven, it is time for you to turn your back of “Babylon” and turn to Jesus Christ!