THE BOOK OF REVELATION A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST

Transcription

1 THE BOOK OF REVELATION A REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST REVELATION CHAPTER 18:1-24 MEDIA REFERENCE NUMBER SM-558 FEBRUARY 27, 2005 THE TITLE OF THE MESSAGE: Enroute to Babylon mankind's final stand SUBJECT TOPICALLY REFERENCED UNDER: Commercial Babylon, Global Economies, 666, The Mark INTRODUCTION to the text Revelation 18:1-24 Revelation 18:1-8 Part 1 After these things I saw another angel (another angel, not being one of the seven) coming down from heaven, having great authority and the earth was illuminated with his glory. :2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen and (Babylon) has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! :3 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. :4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, (collectively) lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. :5 For her sins have reached to heaven, (a ziggurat) and God has remembered her iniquities. (since the tower of Babel, I've been watching and waiting) :6 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. :7 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. :8 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. A Couple of Years Ago, I had Told You That While I was Walking to the gate to Catch my Flight Home From Frankfurt Germany, There was a Poster hanging that Depicted The Tower of Babel, at the Top of the Tower was The 12 Stars That Today Make up the National Flag of the European Union. But Perhaps The Most Interesting Part was What That Poster Said at The Bottom. It Had Just Two Words "Never Again" (building global communication - ATT) The Significance, Concept, The Idea of What Babylon stood for is really no secret to us in our modern age! The Name "Babylon" Appears or is Alluded to 290 times in the Bible, and is second only to Jerusalem 1

2 -A Key To Understanding What Babylon Is- "We Know From Our Reading and Studying of the Bible, that "Babylon" In General, Represents The Overall Spirit of a Satanically Driven, Worldwide System, Focused On Life Without God." 1 John 4:1-3 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. :2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, :3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. - Its Foundation "Babylon" has Several Meanings. Historical System Babylon is The Region Known Today as Iraq Headquartered in Babylon, Babylon "Babylon will Have 3 Main Offices Roma, Jerusalem, New Babylon" #1 In Chronological Order Will Be The Looking for, of a Global Political System to be Based in Rome The Babylonian Political System Will Have its World Headquarters in Rome, Italy #2 In Chronological Order Will Be The Looking for, a Global Religious System to be Based in Jerusalem The Babylonian Religious System Will Have Its World Headquarters in Jerusalem, Israel #3 In Chronological Order Will Be The Looking for, a Global Commercial System Based in Babylon The Babylonian Global Trade System Will Have Its World Headquarters in New Babylon, Iraq Bible Scholars for Years Have Come to Believe that Babylon, - - Is That Geographical Babylon in Iraq Which will be Rebuilt in the Last Days and Years Ago Dr. Henry Morris Wrote "That which is today modern Iraq, will by some method or mode be brought to a place of dramatic change. the world community, headed up by west and the powers of the antichrist, will make this now barren place, an International Headquarters for Global Commerce." 2

3 There's Talk That Iraq will Be Converting to Either the U.S. Dollar or the European Euro as a Currency! - the Bloomberg Report The Bible Assumes, Takes for Granted, That Babylon Will Be Rebuilt Because Here in Revelation 18, It Describes its Destruction (You Can t Destroy something That doesn't Exist) Since We Know That Ancient Babylon is Today Modern Iraq, We Have Some Questions to Ask. 1 - Is Babylon/Iraq in the Bible - yes! 2 - Is Babylon/Iraq to Be a Topic in the Last Days - yes! 3 - Is Babylon/Iraq in the News Today - yes! 4 - Is Babylon/Iraq to Be Rebuilt - yes! So Then, When Will Babylon Be Rebuilt? - I Know The Answer! It Must Be Rebuilt Prior to it Being Destroyed, And We Know That It Will Be Destroyed at the End of the Great Tribulation Period. The Timing Then is Very Important to Us as Christians! According To The Bible There Must: First; Come The Reunification of a Jewish State Called Israel Secondly; There Must be a Reunification of The Old Roman Empire, a European Reunification, Daniel 7:23 Thus he said: Daniel, The fourth beast that you saw shall be A fourth kingdom on earth, Which shall be different from all other kingdoms, Third: There will Come a Peace Treaty between Israel and Her Neighbors Daniel 9:27 Then he (antichrist) shall confirm a covenant with them for one week or 7 years; But in the middle of it - He shall bring an end to it... Fourth: There Will be a Reconstructed, Jewish Temple in Jerusalem 2 Thessalonians 2:4 This Man, The Antichrist is He - - who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. 3

4 Fifth: There Will Arise Ten Political Rulers (Kings) Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed; and the kingdom shall not be left to other people; it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever. Daniel 7:23b-24 And this final kingdom shall devour the whole earth, Trample it and break it in to pieces. :24 The ten horns of this kingdom, are ten kings Who shall arise out of the fourth kingdom. And another king shall rise after them; He shall be different from the ten... Revelation 17:12 The ten horns which you saw are ten kings According to the Bible; sin is behind the Wheel and It's driving this world Straight toward It s end, and that end is a great cliff The Bible Has Made It Very Clear, James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. :15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. 1 John 2:15-17 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man loves the things of the world, the love of the Father is not in him. :16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. :17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. Sin is The One Behind the Wheel and It's The One Driving in The Lives of Those Who Do Not Know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior! Enroute to Babylon mankind's final stand 1.) What Babylon will come to know - the end is near v.1-3 Revelation 18:1-3 After these things I saw another angel (another angel, not being one of the seven) coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. :2a And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen and (Babylon) has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! :3 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 What Babylon will come to know - the end is near a.) Because Babylon lives in darkness v.1 After these things I saw another angel (another angel, not being one of the seven) coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 4

5 What Will Be Of Babylon? we know for sure that it is certainly a system of spiritual doctrine and influence (Revelation 17) We're Talking About a Global System a Babylonian Political Power = Roma a Babylonian Religious Headquarters, = Jerusalem a Physical Babylonian City, = New babylon, Iraq In Totality - - It is The Babylonian System! an all encompassing, global attempt by man to create a utopia on earth A World Without God - for everything is God. the trees are god and the fish are god and the earth is god... and man is god. >>>> Its Doctrine is Humanistic <<<< The Deification of Mankind; it's called "Humanism" This World is Currently Enroute to Babylon and it will be mankind's final stand What Babylon will come to know - the end is near b.) Because Babylon lives in sinful practices v.2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen and (Babylon) has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! There is Now a New Messenger, of the Utmost Importance and Rank! His Message is/has Been Reserved for Last Days of the Great Tribulation Period. It's That Angel that was Heard from Back in Rev. 14:8 And another angel followed, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, Isaiah 21:9 And look, here comes a chariot of men with a pair of horsemen! Then he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen! And all the carved images of her gods He has broken to the ground. And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen... "First Off" by the grace of God he took away from me my stuttering. 5

6 He's Announcing The End to the Two Players The Religious Woman in Chapter 17 was The Religious Babylonian System And The Political Beast of Chapter 18 is the Commercial Babylonian System Prep. To Show The Slide of the Greek Euro "These Two Babylons in Concert" are like a single coin with two faces The Woman, The Beast, The European Union, And The Currency of a New Roman Empire The Babylons Have Fallen The Woman Who Rode Upon the Beast - a False Church System The Beast Who Carried Her - a False Political System A Yet Future Event for Sure... Isaiah 13:19 And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, The beauty of the Chaldeans pride, Will be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. :20 It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; What Babylon will come to know - the end is near c.) Because Babylon lives in idolatry v.3 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. Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. James 5:1-3 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you! :2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. :3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. 1 Timothy 6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. In The End Iraq/Babylon will be the Commerce Capitol of the World, When The Worlds Capitol Flows Into It. 6

7 Enroute to Babylon mankind's final stand 2.) What Babylon will come to know - is that God is just v.4-7 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, (collectively) lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. :5 For her sins have reached to heaven, (a ziggurat) and God has remembered her iniquities. (since the tower of Babel, I've been watching and waiting) :6 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. :7 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. What Babylon will come to know - is that God is just a.) He's just to the believer - they'll have His appeal v.4-5 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, (collectively) lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. :5 For her sins have reached to heaven, (a ziggurat) and God has remembered her iniquities. (since the tower of Babel, I've been watching and waiting This Voice We Have Not Heard From in Awhile, It's a Welcomed Voice to Us and to All Who Have Believed... It's Christ Jesus Speaking; Come out of her, my people, This Has Been His Word to All His Children, Throughout All The Ages 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? :15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? :16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people. :17 Therefore Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you. :18 I will be a Father to you, And you shall be My sons and daughters, Says the LORD Almighty. Matthew 5:14-16 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. :15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. :16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues. Isaiah 26:19-21 Your dead shall live; Together with my dead body they shall arise. Awake and sing, you who dwell in dust; For your dew is like the dew of herbs, And the earth shall cast out the dead. :20 Come, my people, enter your chambers, And shut your doors behind you; Hide yourself, as it were, for a little moment, Until the indignation is past. :21 For behold, the LORD comes out of His place To punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; The earth will also disclose her blood, And will no more cover her slain. 7

8 Verse 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. This is a Most Remarkable Verse and speaks of something ancient, something current, something futuristic - an amazing verse Jeremiah 51:8-9 Babylon has suddenly fallen and been destroyed. Wail for her! Take balm for her pain; Perhaps she may be healed. :9 We would have healed Babylon, But she is not healed. Forsake her, and let us go everyone to his own country; For her judgment reaches to heaven and is lifted up to the skies. "The Meter's Been Running" Nimrod was The First Recorded Organizer of a Collective Rebellion Against The Lord God of Heaven and Earth Genesis 10:32 These were the families of the sons of Noah, according to their generations, in their nations; and from these the nations were divided on the earth after the flood. Genesis 10:8-10 Cush begot Nimrod; he began to be a mighty one on the earth. :9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD; therefore it is said, Like Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. :10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, Erech, Accad, and Calneh, in the land of "Shinar" = Babylon. Genesis 11:1-9 Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. :2 And it came to pass, as they journeyed from the east, that they found a plain in the land of Shinar (Babylon), and they dwelt there. :3 Then they said to one another, Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. :4 And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be scattered abroad over the face of the whole earth. :5 But the LORD came down to see the city and the tower which the sons of men had built. :6 And the LORD said, Indeed the people are one and they all have one language, and this is what they begin to do; now nothing that they propose to do will be withheld from them. :7 Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, that they may not understand one another s speech. :8 So the LORD scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they ceased building the city. :9 Therefore its name is called Babel, because there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered man abroad over the face of the entire earth. That Babylonian System Is The Mother to Our Humanistic Philosophy Today existentialism (I AM NUMBER ONE, I AM THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO ME) The Foundational Belief of The New Age Movement 8

9 . :5 For her sins have reached to heaven, (a ziggurat) and God has remembered her iniquities. (since the tower of Babel, I've been watching and waiting) "reached" her sins have been laid one upon another until a great tower has been made. Genesis 11:3-4 Come, let us make bricks and bake them thoroughly. They had brick for stone, and they had asphalt for mortar. :4 And they said, Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower whose top is in the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves Verse 2 You Have Built Yourself a Tower, A Tower of Sin! what was her sin? (Babylon) has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird! Verse 3 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. Verse 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. They Worshipped and Trusted In: Nations, People, Money, Energy, Materialism, Powers, will be dedicated to the Babylonian system Rather than the God of Heaven and Earth What Babylon will come to know -is that God is just b.) He's just to the unbeliever - they'll have their reward v.6 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. 9

10 What Babylon will come to know -is that God is just c.) He's just to the Babylonian system - they will reap v.7a In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow... Enroute to Babylon mankind's final stand 3.) What Babylon will come to know - is destruction v.7b-8...for she says in her heart, I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow. (the worship of semiramis in Jeremiah s day promised prosperity - see jer.44) :8 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. What Babylon will come to know - is destruction a.) Destroyed because it will be a system without God v.7b...for she says in her heart, I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow. (remember - the worship of nimrod, semiramis and tammuz in Jeremiah's day promised prosperity - see jer.44) But The Lord Says, No! Isaiah 47:1,5,7-9 Come down and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon; Sit on the ground without a throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans! For you shall no more be called Tender and delicate. :5 Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; For you shall no longer be called The Lady of Kingdoms. Isaiah 47:7-9 And you said, I shall be a lady forever, So that you did not take these things to heart, Nor remember the latter end of them. :8 Therefore hear this now, you who are given to pleasures, Who dwell securely, Who say in your heart, I am, and there is no one else besides me; I shall not sit as a widow, Nor shall I know the loss of children ; :9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments. This Woman, Babylon, She's Going to Have Another Son, The Antichrist... 2 Thessalonians 2:4 He demonic son, antichrist will be the one... who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. :5 Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things? Matthew 24:15 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (whoever reads, let him understand), 10

11 Matthew 4:8-9 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. :9 And he said to Him, All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me. What Babylon will come to know - is destruction b.) Destroyed because she has led the world astray v.8a Therefore her plagues will come in one day death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, Isaiah 47:9 :9 But these two things shall come to you In a moment, in one day: The loss of children, and widowhood. They shall come upon you in their fullness Because of the multitude of your sorceries, For the great abundance of your enchantments. What Babylon will come to know - is destruction c.) Destroyed because The Lord is God v.8b for strong is the Lord God who judges her. Enroute to Babylon mankind's final stand Which Road are You On Today? Matthew 7:13-14 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. :14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Luke 6:39 And He spoke a parable to them: Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? That Is Exactly What You're Doing; If You Do Not Listen to The Lord John 14:6 Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. John 3:3,5 Jesus answered and said to him, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. - - :5 Jesus answered, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. end 11