THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS

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Aubrey Townsend
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In Chapter 17 we have witnessed the destruction of religious Babylon. In Chapter 18, we will witness the destruction of commercial Babylon. This will be the Antichrist s economic headquarters. I. ANOTHER ANGEL IS SEEN (REVELATION 18:1) A.

1 THINGS WHICH MUST SHORTLY COME TO PASS A STUDY OF REVELATION PART 29 Once again, the subject is Babylon. She has been around since Nimrod built it. She will be rebuilt again, but Revelation is silent as to when this even will happen. Revelation is primarily concerned with her fall. In Revelation 14:8, the destruction of Babylon was announced. In Chapter 17 we have witnessed the destruction of religious Babylon. In Chapter 18, we will witness the destruction of commercial Babylon. This will be the Antichrist s economic headquarters. I. ANOTHER ANGEL IS SEEN (REVELATION 18:1) A. Angels are mentioned at least 75 times in Revelation. B. This was a powerful Angel. (18:1) C. This was a glowing Angel. (18:1) 1. This Angel came down from Heaven. 18:1 2. This Angel had been in the presence of God 18:1 3. Like Moses of old this Angel had the glow of God upon His countenance. 4. He illuminated the earth. 18:1 D. This was a loud Angel. 18:2 1. He had a strong voice 18:2 2. His voice was not only strong but mighty. 18:2 II. THE MESSAGE OF THE ANGEL IS SEEN (REVELATION 18:2) A. It is a double message. (18:2) 1. Is fallen, representing religious Babylon in Chapter Is fallen, representing commercial Babylon in Chapter Chapter 18:6 states the same truth: Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works. B. It will be a word of woe for the Antichrist and his followers. C. Emphasis is places on the fact that the city is fallen. (Revelation 18:2) 1. At this point, the city has not yet fallen. 2. However, God sees the city fallen as an already established fact. III. HISTORIC AND PROPHETIC BABYLON ARE FILLED WITH THE SAME SINS A. Historic Babylon was the home of: (Book of Daniel) 1. Magicians 2. Soothsayers 3. Spiritists 4. Fortune tellers 5. Astrologers B. Prophetic Babylon will be a recapitulation of the same. (Revelation 18:2) 1. It is a Habitation of devils. (Revelation 18:2)

2 2. Habitation, Hold, and Cage is a reference to prison. (Revelation 18:2) 3. Foul spirit and unclean and hateful bird references demons. (Revelation 18:2) C. A parallel is seen. 1. The church is the habitation of God. (Ephesians 2:22) 2. Babylon is the habitation of Satan. (Revelation 18:2) IV. BABYLON WILL SEDUCE THE WORLD (REVELATION 18:3) A. The system intoxicated the people of the world. (Revelation 18:3) 1. She used riches. (Revelation 18:3) 2. She used pleasure. (Revelation 18:3) 3. They became lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. (II Timothy 3:4) 4. Like people taking sips of wine then finding themselves drinking deeply and wanting more without satisfaction. B. Note those seduced: (Revelation 18:3) 1. All Nations (Revelation 18:3) 2. The kings of the earth (Revelation 18:3) 3. Merchants of the earth (Revelation 18:3) C. Note the results of her seduction: 1. Kings of the earth have committed fornication with her (Revelation 18:3) 2. The merchants are waxed rich (Revelation 18:3) D. Again, note her impact upon the entire world. (Revelation 18:23) V. THE MESSAGE OF SEPARATION IS HEARD! (REVELATION 18:4) A. God says to His people Come out of her. (Revelation 18:4) B. The power of influence of this wicked city has potential calamities. 1. Materialistic Babylon will allure believers to participate in her sins. (Revelation 18:9) 2. This city could make them rich but it is earthly riches, therefore temporal. (Revelation 18:3) C. The message of separation is not a new message. 1. God told Abraham to separate. 2. God separated the Jews from Egypt 3. God commanded the Jews to be separate from the nations 4. God commands the Christian to separate from the world. (I John 2:15) D. A threefold reason God demands separation. (Revelation 18:4) 1. That they Be not partakers of her sins. (Revelation 18:4) a. The word partakers means joint fellowship or partnership. b. They were to avoid the pollution of the lost demonic world. 2. That they might not experience the coming plagues on Babylon. (Revelation 18:4)

3 a. The time had come for God s wrath to be poured out on the city. b. Like Lot of old they must flee the city if they survive. 3. The sins of Babylon had reached the Presence of God in Heaven. (Revelation 18:5) a. Nimrod s Babylon thought they were building a tower whose reach included Heaven. b. The wicked sins of prophetic Babylon had reached into Heaven. (Revelation 18:5) c. God s patience has been exhausted. d. The word reached means: (Revelation 18:5) i. Piled one upon another ii. Like Nimrods false bricks, so their sins had stacked themselves up for judgment. E. There comes a time when the repugnant stench from the sins of a nation reaches God and cries aloud for Him to act. VI. PAYDAY SOMEDAY (REVELATION 18:6-8) A. An awesome reminder is seen in these verses: 1. Sooner or later, God catches up with the individual. 2. No one gets away Scott free. 3. No one can outwit the Lord. B. Their judgment was according to their works. (Revelation 18:6) 1. The law of retribution is seen 2. They are given according to what they gave. a. As she rewarded you (Revelation 18:6) b. Double unto her double (Revelation 18:6) c. The undiluted anger of God will be manifested against her. C. Two sins call for Babylon s judgment: 1. She is proud. (Revelation 18:7) a. How much she hath glorified herself. (Revelation 18:7) b. She sits as A queen. (Revelation 18:7) c. She was convinced that her throne would remain. (Revelation 18:7) 2. She lived luxuriously. (Revelation 18:7) D. When payday comes: 1. It comes suddenly: Her plagues come in one day a. One hour b. One hour (Revelation 18:17) c. One hour (Revelation 18:19) 2. It comes completely: She shall be utterly burned with fire a. Death comes. b. Mourning comes.

4 c. Famine comes. d. She shall be utterly burned with fire. E. Payday came because: Strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. VII. THE RESULTS OF BABYLON S FALL IS SEEN (REVELATION 18:9) A. The world economic system depended on her. (Revelation 18:9-11) 1. The movers and shakers of the world. 2. The royalty of the world. (Revelation 18:9 Kings ) a. This group includes the ten kings ruling under the Antichrist. (Revelation 17:12) b. It also includes the rest of the world s leaders under them. 3. The high and the mighty of the world. B. At the destruction of Babylon, they: 1. Bewail her. (Revelation 18:9) a. To weep. b. To weep aloud. 2. Lament for her. (Revelation 18:9) a. To beat the chest. b. Like those who mourn at the passing of a loved one. C. Panic grips the world. 1. Kings, dictators, and politicians will shake in fear. 2. They stand afar off lest they likewise be consumed. 3. They were convinced that Babylon was an eternal city. a. They called it that great city. b. They called it Babylon that mighty city 4. Babylon will fall rapidly. a. Her doom comes in one hour. b. World leaders watching from a distance will have no time to prepare. c. Like 9/11, suddenly, without any warning, God destroys the economic capital of the world. 5. The entire world is affected. (Revelation 18:11) a. Previously, the political elites were affected. b. Now we learn that the merchants are affected. 18:11 c. Big business is no longer big d. Note what the Kings and Merchants are not weeping over: i. They are not weeping over the vast loss of life.

5 ii. iii. iv. They are not weeping over the loss of souls to Hell. They are not weeping over their sins. They are weeping over the loss of customers. a. Because Babylon is destroyed, no one buys their merchandise. (Rev. 18:11) b. Previously, the Mark of the Beast was required to buy and sell. c. Now the Antichrist is losing his power since the Supreme Power has come on board. VIII. TWO TRUTHS TO ACKNOWLEDGE A. The lost world finds itself in a hopeless condition of weeping and lamenting. (Revelation 18:9) B. Heaven finds itself rejoicing because: 1. God Reigns. (Revelation 18:20) 2. The Lord God has judged the evil in the world. 3. The blood of the martyrs of Christ has now been avenged! Revelation 19:2: For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

Mystery Babylon. 2. Revelation 21 is a figurative picture of the new Jerusalem and all the redeemed, both Jew and Gentile.

Mystery Babylon. 2. Revelation 21 is a figurative picture of the new Jerusalem and all the redeemed, both Jew and Gentile. Mystery Babylon Near the end of Revelation are two chapters about two cities, Babylon and the new Jerusalem, two sides of a single story. They are about the concluding events of the Christian era and the