Good day yesterday. A few small errands, lectionary, and lunch at McCoys. The food was great, and I highly recommend their lunch menu! Good conversation and lots of chatter outweighed the dark gray rainy day we had!
This chapter announces the fall of Babylon. Is it the same Babylon as in chapter 17- some people say yes, some people say no. Some people say that the chapter 17 Babylon is a "religious" center, some say that the chapter 18 Babylon is a "commercial" center. I don't think it matters and maybe the two are somehow connected. This is a long chapter, but not much to comment on since it all seems quite logical!
The angel coming down is filled with the glory of God as seen in the shining of the angel and the angel announces (twice) that Babylon has fallen. The angel then briefly announces the faults of Babylon (idolatry, pride, greed, drunkenness to name a few!). The second angel comes and calls for the good people to depart from the ruins (see also the story of Lot in Genesis 19). There are several stories that call people away from unrighteous cities.
 |
| One artist's rendition of the Fall |
God will give to Babylon exactly what Babylon has given to God (vv 6+). The Hebrew texts frequently reference double paybacks- so God will double the vengeance to Babylon. The angel brings up Babylon's self-indulgence, pride, and avoidance of suffering. The end of Babylon will be quick and powerful because of all the evil there.
Neighboring kingdoms will see evidence of the destruction (and they are probably just as guilty!). The fire will be so great that neighboring kingdoms will feel the heat. There are a few accounts of the fall of Rome (by fire), that the fire was so intense that it could be felt a few miles away. The merchants (of unnecessary and overly luxurious items) will mourn at the loss of their income. The people that would buy these items are all burned a destroyed anyway!. The ships that used to harbor at Babylon are all mourning at the loss of their port (but they also participated in the lusts of the city).
Rejoice says the angel (v 20). Should we rejoice at the judgement of others that is happening?
The angel then picks up a big millstone (see Matthew 18:6), announcing that this commercial, luxurious, sinful city will fall as quickly as the millstone did to the ocean bottom, There will be desolation- no music, no people, no power structures- nothing.
 |
| Throwing the millstone in the seas (Thomas Griffin) |
The angel ends with an even more "real" reason for the fall of Babylon- the city aided in the shedding of blood of the prophets and martyrs. God is personally offended when God's people are harmed.
That's it! Babylon is gone. The next chapter begins the praise in heaven and the return of Jesus. We are almost done!
Have a great rest of the day!
Shalom+
Pastor Paul
This chapter seems so extreme. Can't people have nice things, even luxurious things, and not be bad people? When I was reading about how far away the fires could be felt, I thought about the fires out west last summer and how we could actually detect the scent of smoke in the air. Such a long way for the smoke to travel.
ReplyDeleteSo many in our country are suffering from weather. Can you imagine living through all these tornados? In 2011 we didn't have power for 5 or 6 days but it was September so it was fairly warm. I pray that God will heal our country, not just the strong opinions on things like masks, but our environment and weather as well.
People can have nice things- but it is the excess that causes the issues, I think. It is good to have nice things, but when we have 50 pairs of nice shoes or four or five BMW cars or three swimming pools- that's when the "problem" of greed becomes the focus.
DeleteI thought the same thing about the wildfires this summer! For several days we were impacted by those fires! The environment is a disaster- and it may be too late to correct the problem. Our younger daughter Morgan lived in Alaska for a year (about three years ago) and she said that many of the Inuit people are unable to survive because of the lack of sea ice that prevents them from hunting seals for food. Plus, the winter she was there was "mild"- the temperature never went below minus 25!
What are we going to do?
Babylon has fallen announces the angel. God's judgement complete. I think this means that all the riches etc are done away with by those of the city as they put all this before God. Thus it was a evil city and was destroyed the first commandment thou shall have no other gods before me and this was clearly many things before God thus the fall Is this the meaningog this?? Evil is destroyed.
ReplyDeleteRight, God becomes upset when our goods and treasures become our idols and we worship them more than God! Will we learn?
DeleteThe ultimate goal of God is for all evil to be destroyed.
Thanks
This chapter is rather self explanatory. All of the sins of the City of Babylon (or, I imagine, any city) will be judged! I agree with you, Clara, it is not having nice things that is wrong, it's putting them before God and how God wants us to live that I think is the problem. But, mostly, I think God is avenging His people - the prophets and the saints that Babylon (and today lots of places/people) destroyed/destroys in some way. I know that in the three beast in previous chapters there is one that is thought to represent the antichrist - but is Babylon as well? In my translation it says - in vs. 23 - "For thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived" - by the sorceries of the merchants? So Babylon, once great and good, became evil and all the other nations still traded with "her" and bought her products and took part in "her" sins - so all who do so will be punished? Except those who heeded God's call to leave? So then we will be judged by not only what we do but what we allow to be done?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that after listing all of the things that Babylon had to offer that nations were buying and enjoying that slaves and the souls of men are listed last. Rejoicing over the suffering of others seems harsh, but, it is kindof nice to know that God does "have our back" - so to speak!
Jack, I hope all went well with you yesterday at the drs.
Clara, I am so very sorry.
Yes, this chapter is a somewhat easy read as we can see many examples in our daily life!
ReplyDeleteBabylon is representative of the evil cities- I guess it could also represent the Antichrist and all that is wrong.
If we know someone is doing bad (a person or a country or whatever)_ and we still continue to do business with them- we are just as guilty. That's how I interpreted the verses you mention. That may be looked at as imposing sanctions on a country or switching from doing business with one company to another. But, do we always know?
Thanks