Who's Afraid Of Big Bad Wolf

WHO’S AFRAID OF BIG, BAD BABYLON? (REVELATION 18:1-10)

One of the longest-running daytime TV show in USA is “Judge Judy,” who presided over real-life small-claims disputes within a simulated courtroom set. Prior to the proceedings, all involved parties signed arbitration contracts agreeing to Judge Judy’s ruling. The series also won three Emmy Awards.

When Judge Judy made her entrance, the courtroom audience was brought to order and instructed to rise. The judge typically began each case by summarizing the disputed matters brought before her. This was followed by preliminary questioning of the parties as to dates, times, locations, and other facts. During the proceedings, the feisty judge coerced the parties to adhere to her strict management: participants were not allowed to tuck hands in pockets, drink water (unless they ask first), fold arms, chew gum, dress revealingly or casually, speak out of turn, hesitate in answering questions.

As is standard practice in small claims court, Judge Judy proceedings operated in the form of a bench trial, where litigants had to represent themselves without jury or lawyers. After expressing her views of the circumstances and behaviors of the litigants with regards to their testimonies, Judge Judy would render her judgment and end with a closing exclamation, such as "That's all," "We're done," or "Goodbye!". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Judy

The noun “judgment” (Rev 17:1) debuts in the last chapter with the judgment of the prostitute, or great whore (17:1 KJV) – the religious representative, followed by Babylon in this chapter (Rev 18:2) – the economic figurehead. Whether viewed as a revived city, a royal rule or a regional powerhouse, Babylon is a cruel, consolidated and carnal regime that will imperil and indulge God's people in idolatry, harlotry and zealotry against God’s people. Babylon could be in the form of a place, person or a power, but definitely not a policy, paradigm or philosophy.

What will take place at the end times? What are the signs? Do you feel helpless or hopeful? What must we do to avoid the free fall and its full force?

News To the Impostor: Flee the Fury

1 After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted: “ ‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’ She has become a dwelling for demons and a haunt for every impure spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal. 3 For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.” 4 Then I heard another voice from heaven say: “ ‘Come out of her, my people,’ so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; 5 for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes. 6 Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Pour her a double portion from her own cup. 7 Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen. I am not a widow; I will never mourn.’ (Rev 18:1-7)

Today we talk about plagues (vv 4, 8), pandemics and pestilence.

SARS-CoV-2 has officially claimed 5 million lives, but credible estimates place the pandemic's true death toll closer to 17 million. It has been a nightmare for most families with older parents. My 87-year old mother did not fare much better because she had dementia and was paralyzed by Covid in November 2023. Previously, she could walk with the help of her maid. She was fitted with gloves to prevent her from scratching her itches until her body was bleeding. I went home to visit her before the Chinese New Year and at the end of March.

The first time, she could not distinguish me from my brother and me. I asked her, “Am I the older or younger brother?” She got it wrong. “Older,” she said. The second time, she could only talk in the morning after her breakfast. Visitations after lunch and dinner were not good for her. She was soundly asleep.

There is no greater and more “cry” in the Bible than the fall of Babylon, occurring four times in the episode (Rev 18:2, 18, 19, 19:17). “Fallen, fallen” means completely, comprehensively and convincingly routed, ruined, and ripped. Why? There no godliness in Babylon, neither is there goodness in her or grace for her, but grief and gore.

Babylon is not merely a place of evil, but evils (v 1, plural), unclean and hateful. Unclean is to be dirty in form, and hateful is to be detestable in feeling. Babylon will be at an unbearable, unlivable and unmerciful place, a place of wickedness, wretchedness and woe, where people are insufferable, irredeemable and inconsolable being at the mercy of God’s wrath in KJV (v 3). Plagues (v 4, plege) are mentioned 22 times in the Bible, with 16 of it found in Revelation, and twice in this chapter (vv 4, 8).