The Coming Judgment by the Worthy Judge

Introduction:

Imagine the news breaking right now that New York City—Manhattan, Wall Street, the Ports of New Jersey—has vanished. Not through slow decline, but in one hour...

What would happen? NYC is the financial capital of the world. It is home to the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, the two largest stock markets in the world, managing trillions of dollars. Its metropolitan area alone generates a Gross Metro Product of over $2.2 trillion, a figure larger than the entire GDP of many nations.

The Global Shock: If NYC disappeared, the global economy wouldn't just slow down; it would seize up. Trillions of dollars in investment, debt, and trade would instantly vaporize. The banks that finance the world's shipping, the insurance firms that underwrite the world's risks, the media companies that drive global culture—all gone.

The Chinese manufacturers, the Swiss bankers, the Saudi oil brokers, the global shipping lines—all would be weeping because the very engine of their wealth, the source of their luxury, has turned to a pillar of smoke.

This financial cataclysm is precisely the scale of destruction John describes for Babylon. It is the end of every system and security that has been built without God.

But then, from the smoking ruins, a second voice rings out—a voice not of despair, but of urgent, loving command. It is God calling to His people, not saying, "Look what I have done," but "Come out!"

Today, we look at Revelation 18:1–8 and ask one critical question: In a world that is built to burn, are you standing on the foundation of Babylon, or are you following the voice of God?

A Warning in Judgment (18:1-8)

Revelation 18:1–8 NKJV

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.” And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her. In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, ‘I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.’ Therefore her plagues will come in one day—death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

As John’s vision continues, and attention is continued to be given to Babylon at this point, there are two principles that I want you to notice from this vision that will not only be true at the time of the fulfillment of this prophecy, but are applicable to every one of us right here and right now. Notice again

Revelation 18:4 NKJV

And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

Come Out (v. 4)

There is the command and call to “come out” of Babylon. That command is given by God’s messenger to God’s people. But this is not anything new. Notice what the Apostle Paul challenged the Corinthians with in 2 Corinthians 6:14

2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV

Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

We are IN the world, but we are not OF the world. We have a role to play in society by being “salt and light.” We are to be INSULATED from the world, without being ISOLATED from the world.

We do not want to be CONTAMINATED by the world, but as salt we want to INFILTRATE the world, without allowing the world to infiltrate us.

Believers are kind of like a boat in the water. It’s ok for the boat to be in the water, but it’s dangerous when the water gets in the boat.

Another principle you see in this section is...

A Reminder of Sowing and Reaping (vv. 6-7)

You reap WHAT you sow.

Babylon's pride and self-glorification (v. 7a, "I sit as queen, and am no widow") reaps humiliation and sudden devastation (v. 8).

You reap MORE than you sow.

The accumulated measure of her sins (v. 5) receives a judgment doubled (v. 6) or greater in intensity than her actions warranted. The measure is full.

You reap LATER than you sow.

The “spirit” of Babylon has been sowing seeds of rebellion, seduction, etc. since the beginning of time. Now it’s time for her to eternally reap the devastation that she has caused humanity and will suffer eternally for doing so.

Not only do we have a “warning in judgment” but we also see...

The Worthlessness that Judgment Reveals: False Security

God’s judgment will reveal all kinds of “false securities.”

Notice first the false securities of...

The Kings and the Political Leaders (18:9-10)

Revelation 18:9–10 NKJV

“The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

Their hope, their future, their security was in Babylon, and the Babylonian mentality, and now all that’s left is an ash heap.

Notice...

The Merchants (vv. 11-17a)

Revelation 18:11–17 NKJV

“And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore: merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble; and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men. The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all. The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls! For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

The merchants were focused on the financial gain that Babylon and the Babylonian mentality brought to them and now the hope of their financial gains were lost.

Finally we see...

The Mariners (vv. 17b-19)

Revelation 18:17–19 NKJV

For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.’ Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What is like this great city?’ “They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’

Finally, those who made profits through the ports of Babylon had their hopes cut off

The sad truth is that their are many in our world and society, and maybe even some sitting right here today, who hope, and meaning, and life is all wrapped up in things that will one day turn to ashes!

This reminds me of the Parable of the Rich Fool in Luke 12:15-21

Luke 12:15–21 NKJV

And He said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” Then He spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.” ’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

In Chapter 18 there is a lot of weeping, and wailing because of Babylon, but in Chapter 19 there is a lot of worship because of Christ. Here we see...

The Worthiness of the Judge (19:1-10)

He is Worshipped Because of His Justice (vv. 1-3)

Revelation 19:1–3 NKJV

After these things I heard a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Alleluia! Salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the Lord our God! For true and righteous are His judgments, because He has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her fornication; and He has avenged on her the blood of His servants shed by her.” Again they said, “Alleluia! Her smoke rises up forever and ever!”

He is Worshipped by All of Heaven (vv. 4-6)

Revelation 19:4–6 NKJV

And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!” Then a voice came from the throne, saying, “Praise our God, all you His servants and those who fear Him, both small and great!” And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, “Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!

The Worship Breaks out into a Wedding (vv. 7-10)

Revelation 19:7–10 NKJV

Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.” And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!’ ” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.” And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”

Will You Weep Over an Empty Future?

Will You Worship Over the Excitement of a Coming Wedding?

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