Revelation 18-Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

Babylon is Fallen

1After this I saw another angel descending from heaven with great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his glory. 2And he cried out in a mighty voice:

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

She has become a lair of demons.

She is a haunt for every unclean spirit,

a hideout for every unclean bird,

and a hold for every detestable beast.

3All the nations have drunkc

the wine of the passion of her immorality.

The kings of the earth were immoral with her,

and the merchants of the earth have grown wealthy

through the extravagance of her luxury.”

4Then I heard another voice from heaven say:

“Come out of her, my people,d

so that you will not share in her sins

or contract any of her plagues.

5For her sins are piled up to heaven,

and God has remembered her iniquities.

6Give back to her as she has done to others;

pay her back double for what she has done;

mix her a double portion in her own cup.

7To the degree that she has glorified herself and lived in luxury,

inflict on her that much torment and misery.

In her heart she says, ‘I sit as queen;

I am not a widow and will never see mourning.’

8Therefore her plagues will come in one day,

death and misery and famine;

and she will be consumed by fire,

for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

In Revelation 17 we saw the destruction of the “religious “ Babylon and in Revelation 18 we see the destruction of the “economic” Babylon.

The angel just left the presence of God, and earth was illuminated with his glory. When Moses was in the presence of God His face glowed. 

Exodus 34:29

The angel proclaims;

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

She has become a lair of demons.

She is a haunt for every unclean spirit, a hideout for every unclean bird, and a hold for every detestable beast.”

“Come out of her, my people,d

so that you will not share in her sins

or contract any of her plagues.”

As in Genesis 19, Lot was instructed to leave the city before God destroyed Sodom.

 “5For her sins are piled up to heaven,”

This is the same reference in Genesis 19 as why God was going to destroy Sodom.

“pay her back double for what she has done”. In the Old Testament restoration required to pay back double. The same concept here.

Because of their sins, because of pride God is going to destroy Babylon with plagues, misery, famine and fire!

“for mighty is the Lord God who judges her.”

Blessings, David 

Conscience Conviction. Genesis 42:18-26 NLT

The United States government has something called the Federal Conscience Fund, which collects money people send in because they know they cheated the government in some way. People have sent in money because they took army blankets for souvenirs, for cheating on postage, or on income tax. But our consciences are notoriously weak or corrupt. One man wrote the IRS and said, “I cheated on my taxes and can’t sleep at night. Here is a check for $100. If I still can’t sleep, I’ll send the rest I owe.” From David Guzik Enduring Word

The conscience is a funny thing. It can make us feel guilty for some sins and not others. Why is that? I think of the conscience as the Holy Spirit convicting us when we are about to or do wrong. Maybe the reason we aren't convicted of some things over others is because God is working on what he believes are the more important issues in our lives and will come back to the others at the appropriate time. 

Genesis 42:18-26  NLT 

18 On the third day Joseph said to them, “I am a God-fearing man. If you do as I say, you will live.  19 If you really are honest men, choose one of your brothers to remain in prison. The rest of you may go home with grain for your starving families.  20 But you must bring your youngest brother back to me. This will prove that you are telling the truth, and you will not die.” To this they agreed. 

21 Speaking among themselves, they said, “Clearly we are being punished because of what we did to Joseph long ago. We saw his anguish when he pleaded for his life, but we wouldn’t listen. That’s why we’re in this trouble.” 

22 “Didn’t I tell you not to sin against the boy?” Reuben asked. “But you wouldn’t listen. And now we have to answer for his blood!” 

23 Of course, they didn’t know that Joseph understood them, for he had been speaking to them through an interpreter.  24 Now he turned away from them and began to weep. When he regained his composure, he spoke to them again. Then he chose Simeon from among them and had him tied up right before their eyes. 

25 Joseph then ordered his servants to fill the men’s sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother’s payment at the top of his sack. He also gave them supplies for their journey home.  26 So the brothers loaded their donkeys with the grain and headed for home. 

Blessings, Cecilia

Revelation 17-God Wins!

The Victory of the Lamb

14They will make war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will triumph over them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

15Then the angel said to me, “The waters where you saw the prostitute seated are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. 16And the ten horns and the beast that you saw will hate the prostitute. They will leave her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. 17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled. 18And the woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” 

Fast forward, “Lord of lords and King of kings” WINS!

But look who accompanies Him! “He will be accompanied by His called and chosen and faithful ones.”

Are you one of the called, chosen and faithful ones?

If you have accepted His gift of salvation, yes!

About midway through the tribulation the beast turns on the prostitute. The beast declares himself to be god and no longer needs the worldwide religion.

Notice verse 17, absorb it!

“17For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by uniting to give their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God are fulfilled.”

God has control of their hearts and turns them as He wishes!

Are you a citizen of the better city of Jerusalem above or of the worlds city (Babylon)?

Blessings, David 

Repentance and Restoration. Genesis 42:7-17 NLT

If you had a chance to get back at your siblings for all the grief they caused you as a kid, would you take that opportunity to toy with them? What about all the grief you caused them? Aren't you glad grace covers our sins? Aren't you glad because of grace, we don't always get what we deserve? 

Although it looks like Joseph is toying with his brother's, I believe God is providing the path to repentance and restoration. The brother's are given a "time out" to reflect on what they have done. I bet Joseph really wanted to run and hug them when he first saw them but remained restrained because of God's instruction. 

Sometimes repentance can look like a "time out" in prison. God loves us so much He won't leave us where we are at. He'll do what ever it takes to get our attention and bring us to restoration with Him. 

Genesis 42:7-17 NLT

7 Joseph recognized his brothers instantly, but he pretended to be a stranger and spoke harshly to them. “Where are you from?” he demanded. 

“From the land of Canaan,” they replied. “We have come to buy food.” 

8 Although Joseph recognized his brothers, they didn’t recognize him.  9 And he remembered the dreams he’d had about them many years before. He said to them, “You are spies! You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.” 

10 “No, my lord!” they exclaimed. “Your servants have simply come to buy food.  11 We are all brothers—members of the same family. We are honest men, sir! We are not spies!” 

12 “Yes, you are!” Joseph insisted. “You have come to see how vulnerable our land has become.” 

13 “Sir,” they said, “there are actually twelve of us. We, your servants, are all brothers, sons of a man living in the land of Canaan. Our youngest brother is back there with our father right now, and one of our brothers is no longer with us.” 

14 But Joseph insisted, “As I said, you are spies!  15 This is how I will test your story. I swear by the life of Pharaoh that you will never leave Egypt unless your youngest brother comes here! 16 One of you must go and get your brother. I’ll keep the rest of you here in prison. Then we’ll find out whether or not your story is true. By the life of Pharaoh, if it turns out that you don’t have a younger brother, then I’ll know you are spies.” 

17 So Joseph put them all in prison for three days. 

Blessings, Cecilia

Humbling. Genesis 42:6 NLT

What humbles you? Was there a specific experience or is it something that happens periodically, like when you see the beautiful sunset or hold a sleeping child. 

What must Joseph have thought when his brother's bowed down before him. The instantaneous flashback to the dream he had in his youth. God had brought everything full circle. Joseph's purpose was revealed. What a humbling experience that must have been. 

Genesis 42:6 NLT 

6 Since Joseph was governor of all Egypt and in charge of selling grain to all the people, it was to him that his brothers came. When they arrived, they bowed before him with their faces to the ground.  

Blessings, Cecilia

Revelation 17-The mystery explained is still a mystery!

The Mystery Explained

6I could see that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints and of the witnesses for Jesus. And I was greatly astonished at the sight of her.

7“Why are you astonished?” said the angel. “I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and ten horns.

8The beast that you saw was, and now is no more, but is about to come up out of the abyss and go to its destruction. And those who dwell on the earth whose names were not 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 yet will be.

9This calls for a mind that has wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits. 10There are also seven kings. Five are fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for only a little while.

11The beast that was, and now is not, is himself an eighth king. He belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction. 12The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but will receive one hour of authority as kings, along with the beast. 13These kings have one purpose: to yield their power and authority to the beast.

These passages in Revelation has the most speculation as to its meaning.

The correct explanation would be, we just don’t know!

“10There are also seven kings. Five are fallen, one is, and the other has not yet come;”

I tend to agree with David Guzik’s explanation of this verse.

Five are fallen; was before John’s time. Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, Medo-Persia, and Greece.

One is; during John’s time was Rome.

the other has not yet come; a revival of a one world government like Rome.

“11The beast that was, and now is not, is himself an eighth king. He belongs to the other seven and is going into destruction”.

In other versions “destruction” is translated as perdition. 

Perdition; a state of eternal punishment and damnation into which a sinful and unpenitent person passes after death.

The beast will be destroyed, God wins!

The tens horns are ten kingdoms that form a federation, a union to join the antichrist and wage war on Christ.

I like Alford’s explanation;

“They are ten kingdoms which shall arise out of the fourth great kingdom there: ten European powers, which in the last time, in concert with and subjugation to the antichristian power, shall make war against Christ. In the precise number and form here indicated, they have not yet arisen . . . What changes in Europe may bring them into the required tale and form, it is not for us to say.” (Alford, 1866)

Could it be the EU (European Union)?

Blessings, David 

Revelation 17-Copycat of the true religion!

The Woman on the Beast

1Then one of the seven angels with the seven bowls came and told me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. 2The kings of the earth were sexually immoral with her, and those who dwell on the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her immorality.”

3And the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, where I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. 4And the woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. She held in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. 5On her forehead a mysterious name was written:

BABYLON THE GREAT,

THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES

AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

Babylon was an actual city that had open hostility towards God. 

Remember the tower of Babel? Genesis 11:1-10

Babylon was later the capital of the empire that cruelly conquered Judah.

Babylon became known for a false religious system founded by the wife of Nimrod (a great-grandson of Noah).

In his vision John is carried away into the wilderness where he see’s the same beast with seven heads and ten horns from Revelation 13:1 the antichrist and his dictatorship.

“Her association with blasphemy and the dragon’s beast are clearly seen from God’s perspective. But to the people of the earth she will look quite religious, and have the “faith” everybody wants.” (Guzik)

“These two Women, thus related, and set over one against the other as opposites and rivals, must necessarily be interpreted in the same way. As Antichrist corresponds to Christ as a rival and antagonist of Christ, so Great Babylon corresponds to the Woman that bears the Man-child, as her rival and antagonist.” (Seiss)

Do you understand what Satan is setting up with the woman? A false religion, in essence a copycat of the true religion. He is using what he does best....deception!

But what eventually happens to her?

Stay tuned for the rest of the story!

Blessings, David