Sunday, April 22nd, 2018 - AM - Leaving Babylon Behind, Part One (Rev. 18:1-8)

Introduction

Jer. 50:6-8, 13-15, 24-25, 31-32, 40; 51:5-8, 13, 24-26, 29, 44-50, 53.

“My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace. All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers. Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.” (Jeremiah 50:6–8, AV)

“Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues. Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD. Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.” (Jeremiah 50:13–15, AV)

“I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD. The LORD hath opened his armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of his indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.” (Jeremiah 50:24–25, AV)

“Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud, saith the Lord GOD of hosts: for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee. And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.” (Jeremiah 50:31–32, AV)

“As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD; so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.” (Jeremiah 50:40, AV)

“For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel. Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’S vengeance; he will render unto her a recompence. 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. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.” (Jeremiah 51:5–8, AV)

“O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.” (Jeremiah 51:13, AV)

“And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the LORD. Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain, saith the LORD, which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain. And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:24–26, AV)

“And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.” (Jeremiah 51:29, AV)

“And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall. My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD. And lest your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler. Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her. Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north, saith the LORD. As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth. Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.” (Jeremiah 51:44–50, AV)

“Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from me shall spoilers come unto her, saith the LORD.” (Jeremiah 51:53, AV)

Main Thought:

Separation is FROM the world, UNTO God; to stay in Babylon is to both FORFEIT God's blessings and FACE the loss of its ultimate destruction; God's Word invites you today: "Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."

Sub-Introduction:

Babylon, the mother of all wicked centers of power, is guilty of moral degradation, prideful arrogance, self-indulgence, economic oppression, and the persecution of God’s people.

God’s coming judgment of Babylon is certain.

God calls his people to separate from Babylon....

[ J. Scott Duvall, Revelation, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 233.]

I. The Angel's Signal for Babylon's Destruction (Rev. 18:1-3)

A. The Angel's Appearance (Rev. 18:1)

Revelation 18:1 KJV 1900

And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

B. The Angel's Announcement (Rev. 18:2-3)

1. The Corruption of Babylon (Rev. 18:2)

Revelation 18:2 KJV 1900

And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, And is become the habitation of devils, And the hold of every foul spirit, And a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

2. The Contamination of Babylon (Rev. 18:3)

Revelation 18:3 KJV 1900

For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, And the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, And the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Application:

Describe the principle of contamination. Things holy cannot make clean unholy things; rather unholy things defile the holy.

Transition: The Signal has sounded Babylon's doom, now let's look at:

II. The Angel's Song Over Babylon's Destruction (Rev. 18:4-20)

A. The Call for Separation (Rev. 18:4-5)

1. Don't Partake of Her Sins (Rev. 18:4)

Revelation 18:4 KJV 1900

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, That ye be not partakers of her sins, And that ye receive not of her plagues.

2. And You'll Not Receive of Her Plagues (Rev. 18:5)

Revelation 18:5 KJV 1900

For her sins have reached unto heaven, And God hath remembered her iniquities.

B. The Cause for Separation - Looming Judgment (Rev. 18:6-8)

1. Her Display of Prideful Arrogance (Rev. 18:6-7)

Revelation 18:6–7 KJV 1900

Reward her even as she rewarded you, And double unto her double according to her works: In the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, So much torment and sorrow give her: For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, And am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.

2. Her Day of Plagues Approaches (Rev. 18:8)

Revelation 18:8 KJV 1900

Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, Death, and mourning, and famine; And she shall be utterly burned with fire: For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Application:

This passage offers two primary teaching points for believers, one negative and the other positive, but both related to how we understand and live out authentic holiness.

1. Holiness means being separated to God. The exhortation in 18:4 is direct and hard to miss: “Come out of her, my people.” It’s easy to hear the command and miss the identification: “my people.” But God calls his people to be just that—his people, set apart to him. Holiness is as much about belonging to God as it is about withdrawing from wickedness. Since the time God chose a people, he wanted them to imitate him precisely because they belong to him: [“And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the LORD am holy, and have severed you from other people, that ye should be mine.” (Leviticus 20:26, AV)] (Lev. 20:26; cf. Deut. 7:6; Exod. 19:5–6). Holiness certainly means separation from the world..., but wholehearted devotion to the Lord lies at the heart of holiness....

2. Holiness means being separated from the world. Of course, the first part of 18:4 is “come out of her,” a call to refuse to embrace Babylon-like attitudes, such as arrogance, self-sufficiency, sensuous idolatry, and aggressive materialism. Leaving the city is a metaphor for spiritual transformation rather than geographical relocation. As the context indicates, such change is needed especially in the area of economic stewardship. Rome, the first-century manifestation of Babylon, conquered and controlled the world not only through its military but also, and many would say chiefly, through its economic machinery (i.e., taxes, merchants, shipping industry, etc.). The selfish, God-denying greed of this consumer city is alive and well today (e.g., notice how much money our society pays sports and entertainment celebrities compared to our public servants). The pursuit of prosperity remains one of the most powerful temptations faced by contemporary Christians in the West. This passage, along with the rest of chapter 18, offers [us guidance] in how to steward material possessions in a way that pleases the Lord, .... [J. Scott Duvall, Revelation, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 235–237.]

C. The Cries Over Babylon's Judgment (Rev. 18:9-20)

1. The Wailing of the Monarchs (or Kings of the Earth) (Rev. 18:9-10)

a. Their Horrified Lament (Rev. 18:9)

Revelation 18:9 KJV 1900

And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, Shall bewail her, and lament for her, When they shall see the smoke of her burning,

b. Their Woeful Chorus (Rev. 18:10)

Revelation 18:10 KJV 1900

Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, Saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come.

2. The Wailing of the Merchants (Rev. 18:11-17a)

a. Their Heartbroken Lament (Rev. 18:11-14)

Revelation 18:11–14 KJV 1900

And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; For no man buyeth their merchandise any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, And precious stones, and of pearls, And fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, And all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, And all manner vessels of most precious wood, And of brass, and iron, and marble, And cinnamon, and odours, And ointments, and frankincense, And wine, and oil, And fine flour, and wheat, And beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, And slaves, and souls of men. And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, And all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, And thou shalt find them no more at all.

b. Their Woeful Chorus (Rev. 18:15-17a)

Revelation 18:15–17 KJV 1900

The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, Shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, Weeping and wailing, And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, That was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, And decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, And sailors, and as many as trade by sea, Stood afar off,

3. The Wailing of the Mariners (Rev. 18:17b-19)

a. Their Helpless Lament (Rev. 18:17b-18)

Revelation 18:17–18 KJV 1900

For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, And sailors, and as many as trade by sea, Stood afar off, And cried When they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!

b. Their Woeful Chorus (Rev. 18:19)

Revelation 18:19 KJV 1900

And they cast dust on their heads, And cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, Wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate.

4. The Worship of God's Martyrs (Rev. 18:20)

Revelation 18:20 KJV 1900

Rejoice over her, thou heaven, And ye holy apostles and prophets; For God hath avenged you on her.

Application:

God is able to bring judgment upon worldly power centers suddenly and decisively.

Those who participate with evil, including putting their hope and trust in worldly treasures, will not only be deeply disappointed but will suffer great personal loss.

In the end, sin brings destruction and hardship. [ J. Scott Duvall, Revelation, ed. Mark L. Strauss and John H. Walton, Teach the Text Commentary Series (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2014), 239.]

Transition: The Signal has Sounded Babylon's Doom; the Song of the World's Lament has been heard alongside the celebration of God's people over His Justice; let's see now:

III. The Angel's Stone for Babylon's Destruction (Rev. 18:21-24)

A. The Stone of God's Judgment Is Cast Upon Babylon (Rev. 18:21)

Revelation 18:21 KJV 1900

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Jeremiah 51:59–64 KJV 1900

The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince. So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon. And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words; Then shalt thou say, O Lord, thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever. And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates: And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah.

B. The Stone of God's Judgment Crushes Babylon (Rev. 18:22-24)

1. God Silences the Violence of Sin-City (Rev. 18:22-23a)

Revelation 18:22–23 KJV 1900

And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; And no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; And the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

2. God's Saints' Blood Is Finally Avenged (Rev. 18:23b-24)

a. She Can No Longer Seduce the World to Sin (Rev. 18:23b)

Revelation 18:23 KJV 1900

And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; And the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; For by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

b. Her Streets Are Stained with Innocent Blood (Rev. 18:24)

Revelation 18:24 KJV 1900

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, And of all that were slain upon the earth.

Application: Revelation 17-19 is the New Testament equivalent of the prophecy of Jeremiah. As sure as the Medes and Persians destroyed Nebuchadnezzar's vast Babylonian Empire, so shall Jesus Christ, the Stone cut without hands, the Stone which the builders rejected, shall dash in pieces those that align themselves with this world's corrupt and idolatrous practices.

Conclusion

Have you been lured through the seduction of this world's dainties, and lulled to sleep through the Devil's deceptions?

Hear the alarm! The Signal has sounded! Run for your life! Get out while you can! Because one day, sooner than later, it's all going up in smoke, and the world will weep and wail as everything comes crashing down.

Once Sin-city is leveled, then the Lord will bring down His beautiful City, and make all things new, but this time without sin unto salvation!