The Coming Economic Crash

The Coming Economic Crash

By Dr. James O. Davis

There is coming an economic calamity and crash, an economic disaster that is going to make the depression of 1929 and recession of 2008, look like a little blip on the radar screen of time. We don’t know how far we are from it, but we know it will take place.

In Revelation, chapter 18, we read, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”

What on earth is Babylon? In Revelation 17, Babylon is the Bible’s cryptic and descriptive name for the value system of the ungodly age and the kingdom of Antichrist. It is called Babylon because its system, its ideas, its philosophies root all the way back to the Book of Genesis.

There was a man named Nimrod who built the Tower of Babel. It was mankind's first attempt at humanism; for man to establish his independence apart from God. Man was at the center and the circumference of all that was done there. God judged the Tower of Babel. Nimrod was the main leader of that time period. His name means, “rebel.” Three times in the Book of Genesis he is called “a mighty one.” Nimrod was a picture of the coming Antichrist who will rule over the last Babylon. Babylon began with the Tower of Babel and it will end in chapter 18 of the Book of the Revelation.

Is this Babylon described the ancient, actual city, or is this Babylon simply symbolic of a system? Is it a city, a system or both? If it is a city, will Babylon actually be rebuilt on the shores of the River Euphrates? Some think so but no one can be certain. One thing I am certain of is this: Babylon stands for a wicked and vile system. It is the counterpart to the holy city, the New Jerusalem. In Revelation 18, we will see the destruction of commercial Babylon.

THE DEPRAVITY OF THE ECONOMIC SYSTEM

God speaks of the system as a city. First, I want you to notice the depravity of the city (Rev. 18:1-8). This depravity includes the sin of godlessness. This system is actually infested with demon worship. The system of Antichrist, the system of Babylon is a system of Satanism. It is a system of the occult, witchcraft and astrology. The Bible is predicting that in the last days we’re going to see demons have a free rein upon this earth like they’ve never had before. The bottomless pit, the abode of spirits who have been incarcerated there will be released during the Tribulation.

You know, I’ve been amazed at two things. I’ve been amazed, number one, that people will not believe the gospel, but I’ve been perhaps even more amazed at what people will believe – what they will believe when they will not believe the Bible.

Second, I want you to notice not only the godlessness of her sin, but I want you to notice the grossness of her sin (verses 3-4). God speaks of her filthiness. God speaks here of fornication. Fornication is used in the Bible in two major ways: First of all, it means the actual, physical sin of sexual immorality. Secondly, it means the sin of unfaithfulness and spiritual immorality, lusting after other gods and whoring after other gods.

Now that word sorcery comes from the Greek word pharmaka, and it literally means an enchanter with drugs. Pharmaka is the source for the word, “pharmacy.” I believe the Antichrist is going to legalize drugs. I believe that marijuana will be freely sold on the world markets. I believe that cocaine and heroin and all of these drugs will be there. This speaks of the illicit use of drugs, the ability to enchant people’s minds by drugs.

On the heals of her godlessness and grossness, we see the greatness of her sin, for the Bible goes on to say, “For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities and reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.” God is saying that her cup of sin is filled to the brim.

I believe the apostle John here is making a play on words. The Ancient Tower of Babel was being built up to heaven. God is saying there is coming a day, and it may be not far off, that God can tolerate sin no more. It seems at times that God overlooks sin, but I want you to know that the sword of vengeance will not sleep. God says, concerning the greatness of her sin, that her punishment is going to be double the greatness of her sin. She is going to have double trouble.