[:en]SCRIPTURE: REVELATION 18
“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plague; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes” (Revelation 18:4-5)
“Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you” (Revelation 18:20)
THE FALL OF BABYLON (vs. 1-24)
Babylon had been a “great city”, the center of the world economic system. It has become a house of demon, a haunt for every evil spirit and uncleaned detestable bird. (v. 2). In the Parable of the Sower, the birds that came to eat the seeds represent the evil one (Mat. 13:19). She influenced the nations like wine infiltrating the drunkards. The nations associated with her had become rich.
Then a voice form heaven came calling people to come out and separate themselves from the world to the Lord. Babylon was to pay back her sins and crimes. Plagues, death, mourning and famine will overtake her. She will be consumed by fire and totally be destroyed.
The kings of the earth will lament the fall of Babylon because they have abandoned God and collaborated with Babylon for wealth. All their fruits of labor will be gone and brought to nothing in smoke of fire. Shipping industries will be destroyed as God judgment is at hand.
The saints and apostles and prophets were rejoicing because God had avenged their blood. God has finally destroyed the Beast’s economic and religious empire.
SUMMARY:
Babylon has been identified as godless world system, full of sin which will be destroyed by God. True believers should separate from them and concern about spiritual and eternal things rather than the physical and temporary. Those who belong to Christ will live in heavenly home with the Lord eternally.
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