Sermon Tone Analysis

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)

B. The Angel's Announcement (Rev.

18:2-3)

1.

The Corruption of Babylon (Rev.

18:2)

2. The Contamination of Babylon (Rev.

18:3)

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)

2. And You'll Not Receive of Her Plagues (Rev.

18:5)

B. The Cause for Separation - Looming Judgment (Rev.

18:6-8)

1.

Her Display of Prideful Arrogance (Rev.

18:6-7)

2. Her Day of Plagues Approaches (Rev.

18:8)

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)

b.

Their Woeful Chorus (Rev.

18:10)

2. The Wailing of the Merchants (Rev.

18:11-17a)

a. Their Heartbroken Lament (Rev.

18:11-14)

b.

Their Woeful Chorus (Rev.

18:15-17a)