Rev. # 61~18:1-8—pt-2 Commercial Babylon Series

Rev. # 61~18:1-8—pt-2 COMMERCIAL BABYLON 7-3-10

Well last time we talked about the financial mess we have here in this country, and its not only here but most of the world is having finance problems as well, but according to the Bible it’s suppose to be this way here in these last days.

Although most people in the world and most here in our country don’t know that the economies are to go down hill, we ought to thank God that He has given us His Word to read and study and now you and I have a better understanding of these things. In one way of looking at it as we see things happening, is that these happenings are telling us that the Lord Jesus could come for His own just any time.

Ø Let me remind all of us that the key verse in the Revelation of Jesus Christ is chapter 1:19 and there the angel tells John;

Write the things which thou hast seen- (1: present tense); —and the things which are- (2:–3-church age); —and the things which shall be here after. - (4:–22-rapture and the rest). –We notice 3 divisions. –So these things that we see today are right where their suppose to be.

And let me say too, that this is the Revelation (singular), not revelations (plural), and it’s the Revelation (singular) of Jesus Christ, that mean that the things that are written down in this book will come to pass just as it says, and it will continue revealing each of the prophecies up and unto Jesus is revealed. Actually the entire Bible is His revelation; He is the center Attraction of the Bible.

LISTEN—He is in the 1st verse-Gen.1:1 in the beginning God—

He is in the middle verse PS.118:8 it is better to trust in the Lord << #8- new beginning--than to put confidence in man.<<#6

He is in the last verse, Rev. 22:21 the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen

He is the reason this old world doesn’t fly apart, or just drift off in space.

Col.1:17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist-

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Well here in chapter 18: we read about commercial Babylon, and it’s to do with how the worlds financial systems are to be in these last days.

Religious Babylon is destroyed in chapter 17: and the commercial system will be destroyed here in 18:, The Harlot church is destroyed about the midway point of the tribulation, and this commercial system, Babylon, will be destroyed at the end of the 7 years.

There are similarities between religious Babylon as described in Revelation 17 and the commercial system of Revelation 18. Both are filled with blasphemy; both are associated with kings in spiritual fornication that is idolatry; and both are under judgment and destroyed, and both hate the saints & shed their blood.

Jesus said in John 15:18-19 of the great hatred that ’the world’ had for Him and His own.

18If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. 19If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. So Babylon, religious and commercial is against Christians and the true things of God.

As we think on it, what is the world comprised of any way? It’s a combination of religion, government and commerce? In other words, Babylon in all its parts stands for that which Christ called ’the world”.

Ø Listen as I read verse 1.

1And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.

The very 1st word {AND} reveals that John connects the 2 chapters together, but not the same in word or deed, neither are they destroyed at the same time.

The opening phrase of chapter 18:1, “after these things,” marks a later time than that given in chapter 17. One is religious Babylon and the other is commercial Babylon, & both are to be destroyed, the great harlot the religious system in 17: will be destroyed about the middle of the 7 year tribulation, the political-commercial system of Babylon at the end of the 7 years.

The words, “another angel” let us know that the angel of chapter 18 is a different angel from that of 17:1.

Although this angel is introduced by the general word another, he is not one connected with the bowls of wrath mentioned in 17:1 as that angel there is.

Though the angel here in 18:1 is described as “having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. This is a literal angel and not a theophany,* {that is, a manifestation of deity} so this is not Jesus Christ in angelic form. In Gen. 18:1 we find Him as one of the 3 men that come to Abraham, Gen,18:1 And the LORD appeared unto him*{Abraham} in the plains of Mamre: and he**{AB.} sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;