Sermon Tone Analysis

(1-7)

Read ,

Turn with me please to the Revelation of Jesus Christ, the book of .

In this chapter there is a moving description of the fall of “Mystery Babylon.”.

Babylon had been a sister city of Nineveh, both having been founded by Nimrod according to .

It had become a symbol of secular man united in opposition to God, just as Nineveh had become a symbol of man united in opposition to other men and women.

By the time Revelation was written, earthly Babylon had fallen.

So the Babylon mentioned here is termed “Mystery Babylon” ()

and is a symbolic representation of all cities of all ages of human history that have opposed God in wickedness.

The text says, “Fallen!

Fallen is Babylon the Great!” ().

It is a striking feature of this chapter that Babylon’s fall is marked by three mournful lamentations,

each beginning with the words: “Woe!

Woe!” The kings of the earth express their grief ():

— They will stand far off in fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the mighty city!

For in a single hour your judgment has come.

Then the merchants join in — saying, Woe, woe, the great city, dressed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls; for in a single hour such fabulous wealth was destroyed!

At last, the sea captains, sailors, passengers, and traders exclaim — .... Woe, woe, the great city, where all those who have ships on the sea became rich from her wealth; for in a single hour she was destroyed.

The grief is so distressing than an angel adds his words, commenting that, — The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters will never be heard in you again; no craftsman of any trade will ever be found in you again; the sound of a mill will never be heard in you again;

Then something tremendous happens.

These sounds die away, and the scene shifts to heaven,

where the people of God are singing God’s praises.

Their words are not words of woe, though the fall of Babylon is still on their minds.

Instead, the word that comes to their lips is “Hallelujah!”

A great multitude cries out:

— After this I heard something like the loud voice of a vast multitude in heaven, saying, Hallelujah!

Salvation, glory, and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and righteous, because he has judged the notorious prostitute who corrupted the earth with her sexual immorality; and he has avenged the blood of his servants that was on her hands.

A second time they said, Hallelujah!

Her smoke ascends forever and ever!

Then the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who is seated on the throne, saying, Amen! Hallelujah!

— Then I heard something like the voice of a vast multitude, like the sound of cascading waters, and like the rumbling of loud thunder, saying, Hallelujah, because our Lord God, the Almighty, reigns!

Let us be glad, rejoice, and give him glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his bride has prepared herself.

What is mourned on earth is applauded in heaven.

On earth the fall of Babylon is judged an unmitigated tragedy.

In heaven it is cause for rejoicing before God.

The third chapter of Nahum reminds us of this heavenly perspective as it describes the fate of Nineveh.

Like , it begins with a cry of woe for the city.

It will fall.

Boice, J. M. (2002).

The Minor Prophets: an expositional commentary (p.

381).

Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

Boice, J. M. (2002).

The Minor Prophets: an expositional commentary (p.

381).

Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

The Unmistakable Charge.

(v1,4)

The Unmistakable Charge.

(v1,4,19)

God is going to charge them with their crimes against Him and we’ve seen that neither her numbers or greatness is able to secure her from being charged by God.

— Woe to the city of blood, totally deceitful, full of plunder, never without prey.

It’s a “city of blood”.

Innocent blood shed by the unrighteous in war.

Barbarous murders that were unpunished and about to be brought out into the light and punished by God.

v1 says that it’s a “city of blood”, but also “totally deceitful”.

The truth is banished from them.

They didn’t know to believe or to not believe.

Who do you trust in a city like Nineveh?

Why are lies mentioned?

Probably because lying is one of the characteristics of those who oppose the Lord, the God of truth.

Idols are regarded as false, deceitful and lying.

This is a reminder and a warning to the reader that lying is much more serious than our modern society would acknowledge.

The city is “full of plunder”

The city is “full of plunder”

No one cared about the mischief that was being done nor to whom it’s done to.

They shed blood, told lies, in pursuit of prey, so that they could enrich themselves.

— Because of the continual prostitution of the prostitute...

This is used many times concerning Israel, indicating their infidelity to Yahweh.

But these are spiritual whoredoms, by which Nineveh defiled herself and to which she would seduce neighboring nations.

Or “the attractive mistress of sorcery” and by those sorceries, she also sells families like merchandise.

This Unmistakable Charge leads to...

The Unrelenting Condemnation.

(v1,2,3,5-7).

So the cry goes up in v1, “Woe to the city of blood” Why this “Woe”?

First of all because Nineveh had with her cruelties been a terror and destruction to others,

and therefore destruction and terror shall be brought upon her.

Those that are for overthrowing all that come in their way will, sooner or later, meet their match.

You hear the stirring v2— The crack of the whip and rumble of the wheel, galloping horse and jolting chariot!

Henry, M. (1994).

Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p.

1548).

Peabody: Hendrickson.

This formidable army is coming against Nineveh.

These charging noises are frightful, and all the more so

when hear the force coming with all this speed against them and they they’re not able to get ahead to prevail against it.

You see the slaughter.

v3— Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead.

= — Charging horseman, flashing sword, shining spear; heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead.

Flashing swords drawn for the executions that shall be done.

See the havoc that they’ve been commissioned to slay? “heaps of slain, mounds of corpses, dead bodies without end— they stumble over their dead.”

mounds of corpses,

dead bodies without end—

they stumble over their dead.

For those who won’t take warning by God’s judgments at a distance shall have them come nearer.

Christian Standard Bible.

(2017).

().

Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers.

Nineveh had, with her prostitutions and sorcery drawn others into their shameful wickedness and so God will load her with shame and contempt.

— I am against you.

This is the declaration of the Lord of Armies.

I will lift your skirts over your face and display your nakedness to nations, your shame to kingdoms.

I will throw filth on you and treat you with contempt; I will make a spectacle of you.

Then all who see you will recoil from you, saying, “Nineveh is devastated; who will show sympathy to her?”

Where can I find anyone to comfort you?