Babylon has Fallen
The Revelation of King Jesus • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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· 1 viewHBI - The world will try to lead us astray with the allure of power and wealth but we are caleld rather to follow Jesus and not share in the sins of the world, but to be a part of the glory of God.
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
II remember hearing of a lady named Imelda Romuáldez Marcos she is a Filipino politician who was First Lady of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986, wielding significant political power after her husband Ferdinand Marcos placed the country under martial law in September 1972. During her husband's 21-year rule, Imelda Marcos ordered the construction of many grandiose architectural projects, using public funds and "in impossibly short order" – a propaganda practice, which eventually came to be known as her "edifice complex".She and her husband stole billions of pesos from the Filipino people, amassing a personal fortune estimated to have been worth US$5 billion to US$10 billion by the time they were deposed in 1986; by 2018, about $3.6 billion of this had been recovered by the Philippine government, either through compromise deals or sequestration cases.
Marcos and her family gained notoriety for living a lavish lifestyle during a period of economic crisis and civil unrest in the country. She spent much of her time abroad on state visits, extravagant parties, and shopping sprees, and spent much of the State's money on her personal art, jewelry and shoe collections – amassing 3,000 pairs of shoes. The subject of dozens of court cases around the world,she was eventually convicted of corruption charges in 2018 for her activities during her term as governor of Metro Manila; the case is under appeal. She and her husband hold the Guinness World Record for the "Greatest Robbery of a Government", putting Suharto of neighboring Indonesia at second.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imelda_Marcos)
Immorality in the world is running rampant even now, but we are called to look to Jesus instead of the allure of the world.
Like this woman, Revelation 17-18 speaks of a woman, an immoral one. This woman though represents more than just a literal figure; she symbolizes the allure of worldly power and the seduction of false worship. She entices the nations with promises of wealth and prosperity, leading them astray from the true path of righteousness.
But as John observes this scene, we remember another figure—a Lamb standing victorious over the forces of darkness. Despite the apparent strength of the prostitute and her allies, the Lamb is ultimately the one who triumphs, bringing judgment upon the wicked and establishing his kingdom of righteousness and peace.
In our world today, we see echoes of this vision playing out before our very eyes. We see the allure of materialism and the pursuit of power corrupting hearts and minds, leading many astray from the truth. Yet, even in the midst of darkness, we hold fast to the promise of Revelation 17—that ultimately, it is the Lamb who reigns supreme, and it is in him alone that we find true salvation and hope.
As we navigate the complexities of our world, let us fix our eyes on the Lamb who was slain, the one who has overcome the world. Let us resist the temptations of false worship and instead devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the service of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For in him alone do we find true freedom, true joy, and true fulfillment.
HBI - The world will try to lead us astray with the allure of power and wealth but we are called rather to follow Jesus and not share in the sins of the world, but to be a part of the glory of God.
The woman and the beast
The woman and the beast
verses 1-6
We again start out with some pretty intense imagery.
1 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me: “Come, I will show you the judgment of the notorious prostitute who is seated on many waters.
First of all, the reference to the angel and the bowl links it to the previous judgments talked about in the last chapters. but the first question that comes to my mind is who is the prostitute and why is she notorious?
The judgement of the prostitute
Other versions use the term great harlot. Essentially what this is saying is this. The word notorious is fairly straight forward. It just means on a grand scale.
The word Prostitute or Harlot comes from the word Porne which is used as a metaphor for someone that is Idolatrous.
2 The kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and those who live on the earth became drunk on the wine of her sexual immorality.” 3 Then he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns.
The image of the prostitute is commonly used to refer to religious apostasy. People who go away from the one true God. With that being said, who does the great harlot represent here?
Israel in the OT is referred to as someone who played the harlot, giving herself over to evil practice, worshiping of Idols. Here people reference the harlot stands for some final and great expression of worldly power.
Is it Rome? people say that this is in reference to Rome, even though it is later called Babylon in Verse 5. We will get into this in a but, but the reference is more a metaphor then anything I do believe. People say that Rome personified this harlot called Babylon. Rome led people to worship the emperor, to worship idols to worship anything and anyone but the one true God. This is one of the confusing things about prophecy in the scriptures. We see some things like Rome for example, that is a type or a foreshadow of something that is to come. We see the great Rome during the time of the great persecution as an example of a great world power that will lead people to prostitute themselves out to the worship of idols, of anything but the one true God. She is the mother of all the past ones that led up to this.
What are the many waters?
for this we have to go to Rev 17:15
15 He also said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute was seated, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages.
The great harlot will have great significance, great influence over the people of the world that are around at the time.
Next we get into the Blasphemous names.
3 Then he carried me away in the Spirit to a wilderness. I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4 The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, jewels, and pearls. She had a golden cup in her hand filled with everything detestable and with the impurities of her prostitution.
5 On her forehead was written a name, a mystery: Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and of the Detestable Things of the Earth. 6 Then I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the witnesses to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished.
Now John sees the woman sitting on a beast. What I want to focus on here is first the names. She represents a pagan empire that is to come at a future time for one. One that is going to try to abolish the saints of the Lord God. We have gone over this a lot so far.
But the reason she is called a harlot is again because we see here that she is going to lead people to worship her. The blasphemous names are taken to represent blasphemous claims to diety. Like the roman emperors of old who used titles like divine, and savior and Lord.
Verses 7-18
We have the meaning behind this. Next. That is what Verses 7-18 give us. We will skim over this as we have gone through some of this already. Rev 17:8
8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up from the abyss and go to destruction. Those who live on the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast that was, and is not, and is to come.
The beast that is mentioned is the same as the beast in Daniel 7, the one foreshadowed by Nero and Rome. The anti-Christ who will be thrown one day into the lake of fire.
The horns that represent the hills are in reference to Rome again. But also more to it than that. It also represents a future power that is going to arise in the form of a great kingdom.
There aRE KINGS REPRESENTED THAT ARE GOING TO ARISE TO POWETR THAT WILL POINT PEOPLE TO this false messiah. Rev 17:9
9 This calls for a mind that has wisdom. “The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman is seated. They are also seven kings:
We are not to sure about this, but it could be symbolic for the power of this future empire and it’s leaders.
What matters though is this idea. The longer the world goes on the more we realize that we are headed to bad times. The future empire at the time of the tribulation is going to consist of the anti messiah, His false prophet and a great empire that is going to lead many to blaspheme the name of the messiah.
Verse 16 - the world’s allegiances are self-interested, hence temporary. They will turn against each other for they will only be interested in their own gain. The self interested power of the evil regime are also self destroying. there wickedness gives way to jealously and hatred. It will only be temporary. but what we need to remember is Rev 17:14
14 These will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will conquer them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings. Those with him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
But as John observes this scene, we remember another figure—a Lamb standing victorious over the forces of darkness. Despite the apparent strength of the prostitute and her allies, the Lamb is ultimately the one who triumphs, bringing judgment upon the wicked and establishing his kingdom of righteousness and peace.
In our world today, we see echoes of this vision playing out before our very eyes. We see the allure of materialism and the pursuit of power corrupting hearts and minds, leading many astray from the truth. Yet, even in the midst of darkness, we hold fast to the promise of Revelation 17—that ultimately, it is the Lamb who reigns supreme, and it is in him alone that we find true salvation and hope.
As we navigate the complexities of our world, let us fix our eyes on the Lamb who was slain, the one who has overcome the world. Let us resist the temptations of false worship and instead devote ourselves wholeheartedly to the service of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. For in him alone do we find true freedom, true joy, and true fulfillment.
We live in an immoral world that tries to point us towards immorality. They baseless accuse because they see us and miscontrue our actions as false and condem us. But we look to the lamb that was slain and run away from the immorality of the world.
The Fall of Babylon
The Fall of Babylon
Lastly we go through some of the main aspects of Chapter 18 as the two chapters go together.
2 He called out in a mighty voice: It has fallen, Babylon the Great has fallen! She has become a home for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, and a haunt for every unclean and despicable beast.
3 For all the nations have drunk the wine of her sexual immorality, which brings wrath. The kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy from her sensuality and excess.
Do not trust in the ways of the world! Do not trust in the way of the false teachers that would try to lead us astray. This false empire, this great kingdom that will lead people to blaspheme the Lord God will fall. Those that have fallen to their lies will fall with them as well. We are given a warning along with this.
4 Then I heard another voice from heaven: Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins or receive any of her plagues. 5 For her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.
The phrase “come out” is an imperative which means that it is a command. It is a command and a warning that if we do not leave the ways of the world, if we do not turn our lives to Jesus we will share in the result of the sins of the world.
it goes on to say that as much as the evil empire has dished out to the saints of God, she will receive double from God. Grief and torment they are promised.
Why does this all have to take place anyways?
24 In her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all those slaughtered on the earth.
Because of the evil the empire and all that it has done, they will be judged. We believe in the one true God and His son Jesus who died for our sin so that we might have freedom. And rest assured we have all sinned and done wrong against God. We all deserve punishment for what we have done. But there will come a time when we will be held accountable for our sins. Or we will be rewarded for How we have lived for God while on this earth.
And we are given the warning. come out of her my people. Flee the ways of the world and run to God. You only have so long before the son of God comes and then it will be to lot. Flee the ways of the world that gives no hope and turn to Jesus.
So What?
So What?
We live in a world that is becoming increasingly immoral. The world is running farther and farther away from God. I may be a pessimast at some points but the truth remains. The world is immoral and is seeking to drag the children of God down in immorality. This is no new thing.
In an immoral world we must choose Jesus
In an immoral world we must choose Jesus
In all the talk of the end times it must always point to Jesus and the message of the gospel or we are failing.
The world is immoral.
Revelation Contemporary Significance
By the age of sixteen the average child raised in the United States has witnessed “26,000 overt sex acts and as many as 400,000 sexual references and innuendos, as well as 200,000 portrayals of violence, including 33,000 murders, on television and in movies.”64 One horror filmmaker admits that “often the murders are filmed from the point of view of the murderer,” but then amazingly protests that this does not lead horror fans to identify “with the psychopathic killers”!65 Statistical evidence is now clear that such entertainment media violence desensitizes us to real violence, helping to produce violence among a generation raised on it.66
One may object that the American church is not responsible for the behavior of its culture, but when buying and television viewing habits of Christians differ little from that of our secular neighbors, can we deny responsibility for supporting an industry that is killing the world?
We May live in an immoral world but that does not mean we need to follow along with their immorality. We need to strive to be better. We need to turn our lives to Jesus, the one slain for our sin and seek Him instead of our own pleasure and immorality. That is the only way things will ever change.
We must flee immorality.
We must flee immorality.
God wants us to come out of Babylon. To flee the sins of the world. What this is, is a call to holiness. This is a call to be sepearte from the world. On one hand to be in the world and a part of it. To meet people where they are at but on the other hand separate from the ways of the world.
As followers of Jesus we must flee immorality and pursue Jesus. Our faith should inform everything that we do at all times. Pursue Jesus we are told, pursue the klamb that was slain for our sin. Seek to live your life for Him before it is to late.