The Lamentation of Babylon’s Destruction

Rev. 18:8-19

Introduction:   Imagine a city on the scale of New York, Tokyo, or Los Angeles being completely destroyed.  Such is the case with Babylon which is Rome here.  This is the capital of the Antichrist.  It appears everything in the future will center in Rome.  While Luxembourg and Belgium are financial capitals right now, but it appears the headquarters will be moved to Rome.  The stock market, the styles of the world, the movie industry, the philosophies, the libraries, the mindset of the world will be set up from there.  Nobody would ever dream that this city will ever fall.  The most powerful city in world history built by man and inspired by Satan has fallen.  There are three groups of people who are affected and look at their reactions.

Keep in mind there are basically two kinds of reactions:  sadness and gladness.

I. The politicians vv. 9-10

A. Their character v. 9

1.  The power that this city has given the politicians has come through the road of wickedness.

2. Wickedness has now hit an all-time high in our world and this group of people have lost their influence.

3. They have committed fornication refers to their corrupt lifestyle-they have compromised their ethics and morality to gain their position.

4. Lived deliciously means they lived above all the people of the earth-very extravagant lifestyle.

5. Bewail means a loud lamentation which is selfish in nature-they weep for themselves-they have lost their wealth and luxury because they have lost their followers.

B. Their cry v. 10

1.  They stand afar off-there is no true character in them-when the trials come, they flee like rats in a burning field.

2. They cry out for the loss of their lifestyle as a man who cries out when his house is buring down.

3. There is no love of country or God, only love of self and its attending pleasures.

II. The businessmen vv. 11-16

A. Their market vv. 11-14

1.  God uprooted their business very quickly v. 11-they could not sell their products

2. The customer base was not there and God made them eat their merchandise.

3. Some of the merchandise is which some people think they need-starts with extravagant to realistic needs

4. Notice the shopping list

a. Jewelry department

b. Luxury gift department-all thyine wood and ivory and precious wood

c. Spice and cosmetic department-odors and ointments and spices

d. Liquor department-wine, and oil, fine flour and wheat-barlesy is the food of the poor

e. Meat department-cattle and sheep

5.  God is outlining the total extent of his judgment in the future.

6. The items cover every phase of business to a society accustomed to better things.

7. They are even making merchandise of people-some are bought by their corporations with money-they live to make more money for their corporation.

B. Their mourning vv. 15-16

1.  The mourning is over the losses in their business rather than sin. 

2. The city which had brought the merchants great riches shall sit back and mourn.

3. The luxurious city of power and wealth is no more.

Lessons:  1.  Don’t put your confidence in things.  2. God gives and God takes away.  3.  Pursue Godly things.

 III. The common man vv. 17-19

A. Their cry vv. 17-18

1. All the mariners and those who transport goods for the merchants are affected by the destruction of Babylon.

2. The common man will be affected and noticed he has been enslaved in business of luxury.

3. Corporations feed their people appetites of luxury and then bind them to their appetites.

4. They see the devastation and just as the giant stock market crashes in the past, this will be a huge one in the future.

B. Their concern v. 19

1.  Their wealth will be affected by the judgment.

2. Because their appetites were more for the dollar than for God, their security is destroyed.

3. Luxury has failed them.

Conclusion:  God is showing us that sin will never satisfy and in the future while world may go more and more into sin, it will never satisfy man’s greatest need.  Only Christ can fill that need.