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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
After this I saw another angel coming down from Heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Revelation 18:1-3
This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
The seventeenth chapter of the Book of Revelation is focused on two figures defined by their wickedness. First, there was the powerful, monstrous scarlet beast which emerged from the sea (the antichrist), and worked on behalf of Satan to blaspheme to the Lord while gaining the adoration and devotion of the people of earth who rejected belief in God and His Son Jesus. Riding upon the beast was a woman figure who was identified as the Mother of Prostitutes by way of the name appearing on her forehead. In her hand was a wine glass which was full of evil abominable things as well as the “filth of her adulteries (17:1-5). We further are told that she was drunk on the blood she helped shed from those who had “bore testimony” and placed their faith in Christ (v.6).
When we get to the end of the chapter, it’s revealed that the beast, along with ten kings who will be aligned with him, really hated “the prostitute” and that hate led to them bringing “her to ruin”. The scriptures tell us that they left “her naked” before eating “her flesh” and burning “her with fire”, an act that was initiated by none other than God Himself (Vv. 16-17).
And with that, the elimination of the malevolent Mother of Prostitutes, we turn the page to chapter 18 and immediately see Heaven’s response to what had happened. Look again at these opening three verses:
After this I saw another angel coming down from Heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted:
"‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Here we find a rejoicing in Heaven as John sees “another angel coming down” from there. We read where the angel “had great authority” and such was his majesty that “the earth was illuminated by his splendor”. There was no question that this would have drawn the attention of everyone in the world. To them, the angel “shouted” the following “with a mighty voice”:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Indeed, the elimination of someone so horrifically evil, someone who was an absolutely unapologetic enemy of God, warranted a special and glorious announcement from Heaven. For Babylon the Great, another name the prostitute bore, had “fallen” and eliminated from creation. With her went the atrocities she committed which our passage tells us included:
1. The dwelling place for demons.
2. A haunt (or place frequently visited) for every impure spirit and unclean, detestable animal.
3. The “maddening wine of her adulteries” which had made “all the nations” drunk.
4. Her excessive luxuries which she used to seduce the merchants with riches.
Just as we find Heaven celebrating the death of a wicked entity here, we can rest assured that this same joy is present anytime good triumphs over evil on the earth today. Thankfully, we Christians get the opportunity to play a part in this, to make sure that God’s will is done here on earth and that includes ensuring His justice is carried out while seeking every day to overcome evil with good.
In tomorrow’s message, we see that there is more to be said from Heaven after the falling of the Mother of Prostitutes and how her demise is used in a way to try and get the people of the earth to change their hearts and turn to the Lord so to not risk the same terrible end. I hope you’ll join me again as we continue to study from Revelation 18.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to TheChristianWalkPrayers@gmail.com.
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