Revelation 15:5-18:24

(6.1) Bowls Of The Wrath Of God Given [15:5-8]

Rev 15:5-8 (5) After these things I looked, and the temple of the tabernacle of testimony in heaven was opened, (6) and the seven angels who had the seven plagues came out of the temple, clothed in linen, clean and bright, and girded around their chests with golden sashes. (7) Then one of the four living creatures gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. (8) And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God and from His power; and no one was able to enter the temple until the seven plagues of the seven angels were finished.

• Description of the 7 angels 15:6
  • clothed in clean bright linen, girded with golden sashes
  • Points of note: these same types of clothing is used in describing the heavenly Jesus as a character of royalty
• Implied causation in 15:7-8
  • Cause: one of 4 living creatures gives the 7 angels 7 bowls of the wrath of God.
  • Effect: temple filled with smoke, no one could enter the temple while this going on.
• What’s significant about this? There is smoke in the temple. Smoke represents god’s glory and power.
• How long does glory fill the temple? until wrath finished. Overwhelming revelation of God’s glory connected with his full wrath being poured out.
• Note the connection between fullness of his wrath and glory.
• Tells us: up to this point, we’ve only tasted a pre-cursor to his wrath.

“The Pouring of the Seven Bowls of Wrath / The First Six Plagues”

(6.2) 1st Bowl: Loathsome & Malignant Sore [16:1-2]

Rev 16:1-2 (1) Then I heard a loud voice from the temple, saying to the seven angels, “Go and pour out on the earth the seven bowls of the wrath of God.” (2) So the first angel went and poured out his bowl on the earth; and it became a loathsome and malignant sore on the people who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his image.

Two causations (implied). The bowl becomes a loathsome and malignant sore.
Loathsome = disgusting, putrid, horrid sore.
Malignant = usually associated with cancer, it is aggressive, on the attack, not passive or self-contained.
This sore is aggressive and consuming, spreading and attacking their whole body. Who gets this? The people who had the mark of the beast and worshipped his image. Implication? Cultural convenience doesn’t pay off in long run.

(6.3) 2nd Bowl: Sea Becomes Blood [16:3]

Rev 16:3 The second angel poured out his bowl into the sea, and it became blood like that of a dead man; and every living thing in the sea died.

Causation: second bowl into the sea  sea becomes like the blood of a dead man, things in the sea die.

What is the blood of a dead man like? Its black, stinky, almost looks like oil, turns rotten; thick goopy black stuff.
Imagine the entire ocean is that… This is when your beach-front property is no longer valuable.

(6.4) 3rd Bowl: Rivers Become Blood [16:4-7]

(6.5) 4th Bowl: Sun Scorches Men With Fire [16:8-9]

Rev 16:8-9 (8) The fourth angel poured out his bowl upon the sun, and it was given to it to scorch men with fire. (9) Men were scorched with fierce heat; and they blasphemed the name of God who has the power over these plagues, and they did not repent so as to give Him glory.

Fourth angel…bowl on sun… causes scorches men with fire. All the global warming stuff you’ve heard about is bogus until this point.

Second causation = blasphemed name of God and don’t repent. Now their judgment is righteous…these people have no intention of repenting. There is no one left to repent at this point. God waited until there is no one left to repent.

 

(6.6) 5th Bowl: Kingdom Darkened [16:10-11]

(16:10) Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became darkened; and they gnawed their tongues because of pain, (11) and they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores; and they did not repent of their deeds.

Fifth angel: bowl on beast’s throne (ref to? his authority, ruling system, political system), his kingdom became darkened…this darkness is pain. Its one we don’t experience. Result? Gnawed their tongues…chewed their own tongue till it was raw. How much pain would you have to be in to chew your tongue into oblivion? Blasphemed God of heaven for this…and did not repent. The cause of their pain = them. It wasn’t God.

Application: It’s God’s Fault?

Like these people who chewed their own tongues into oblivion and then blasphemed and blamed God for their pain, it’s easy for us to blame God for suffering we’ve inflicted upon ourselves. They were the cause of their own pain and suffering. Are there things in your life that you are blaming on God that you really inflicted upon yourself? Are there things you are doing in your life that are causing you to hurt and suffer that you need to stop?

(6.7) 6th Bowl: Euphrates Dried Up [16:12-16]

Rev 16:12-16 (12) The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way would be prepared for the kings from the east.

sixth angel: bowl onto Euphrates. Dried up. For what purpose? So the way would be prepared for kings from east.

(13) And I saw coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs; (14) for they are spirits of demons, performing signs, which go out to the kings of the whole world, to gather them together for the war of the great day of God, the Almighty.

• John saw what? Three unclean spirits like frogs.
• John sees three unclean spirits come out of WHOM? dragon, beast, false prophet. Almost like one comes out of each one. Unclean spirit = a demon.
• What does this tell us about the dragon, beast, & false prophet? They are filled with demons.
• What is the internal substantiation? their purpose? to gather everybody for this war, the kings of this world. Truly going to be a WORLD war like never before… Interesting that its being instigated by the dragon/beast/false prophet. Demons have the ability to persuade kings to start wars (when its given to them by God to do so).

“Behold, I am coming like a thief” (Rev 16:15a)

• In the middle of this discussion of war, who breaks in? Who is coming like a thief? Jesus.
• What does it mean to come like a thief? like a thief = quickly, without warning, unnannouced. Matthew 24:36-44 repeats this same thought Jesus will return like a thief, and studying the passage in Matthew adds the additional insight that you need to be ready, and on the alert. Just like a thief doesn’t announce he’s coming to break into your house, neither will Jesus announce he’s coming back beforehand. There’s not going to be an email or text-message to warn you to get ready, he’ll just show up amidst the every day hustle and bustle. If you aren’t ready for him to show up today, what’s the likelihood you’ll be ready on the day Jesus does show up?

(16:15b) Blessed is the one who stays awake and keeps his clothes, so that he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame.”

Blessed is the one who:

stays awake and  keeps his clothes,

so that:

he will not walk about naked and men will not see his shame

(Rev 16:15b)

Who is the person Jesus says will be blessed?

1. Stays awake
   • Asleep = Unaware of what’s going on in the world around you, in a dream world. Implication is your conscious existence is limited to your own little world, not aware of anyone else, what’s going on anywhere else. All of your time, effort, etc is focused on your little world.
   • Being awake means living with a revelation mindset, a perspective of what’s really going on in the world, where things are really headed.
   • Think about it…are you awake? Do you know anyone that is awake? They’re different aren’t they? They’re more alert, thinking broader, thinking of things beyond just their existence. So often we think we’re awake, but are we really? Or are we in a dream world focused solely on ourselves?
2. Keeps his clothes
   • To keep clothes on means? Clothes = righteousness that comes by faith.
     If you aren’t prepared now, what’s the likelihood? You’re going to be stuck out in the street buck naked, ashamed when Jesus returns. The truth of the revelation of Christ is now, not in the future. Now is the time to re-orient your life. You’re not going to get a years notice to liquidate and start investing in foreign missions. Otherwise you will get caught off guard.

   I think its interesting we are told to *keep* our clothes?

Cause: staying awake and keeping clothes
Effect? not walking around naked (uncovered) and shame will be hidden from view. Clothed in righteousness covers our sin so we can enter heaven. Not getting into a works based thing.

Internal causation: so that…clothing is covering shame (sin). This should change the average Christian’s approach to life.

Application: A Time To Buy

“There is an appointed time for every event under Heaven…” –Ecclesiastes 1:1 When should you buy a house?  When it is a good investment for the kingdom. Your true real estate is in heaven, you don’t need to accumulate real estate here. Don’t buy a house to settle down when you know it’s a bad investment. Don’t buy a house to create your own kingdom. Do buy if, as a pilgrim and sojourner in this world, it will advance God’s kingdom. Should I live off the grid and refuse to get a social security number?  No, Jesus has called us to be in the world but not of the world. Taking measures that extreme might be trying to take yourself out of the world. Have your approach to resources more consistent with where the world is going than what the culture wants to be.

(16) And they gathered them together to the place which in Hebrew is called Har-Magedon.

the place of this war is in Hebrew is called Har-magedon (Armageddon). Its not a deep valley like we think of when we think about “valley”, it looks more like El Cajon. Even to this day its mostly farmland, could easily be a battlefield.

(6.8) 7th Bowl: Planet Leveled [16:17-21]

“The Pouring of the Seventh Bowl of Wrath”

Rev 16:17-21 (17) Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl upon the air, and a loud voice came out of the temple from the throne, saying, “It is done.” (18) And there were flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder; and there was a great earthquake, such as there had not been since man came to be upon the earth, so great an earthquake was it, and so mighty. (19) The great city was split into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. Babylon the great was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of His fierce wrath. (20) And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. (21) And huge hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, *came down from heaven upon men; and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, because its plague *was extremely severe.

What’s the causation in paragraph 8? 7th angel pours out bowl on the air…scatters it…it is done.

• Loud voice. its done
• Flashes of lightening
• peals of thunder
• great earthquake like never before
• great city split in 3
• cities of the nation fell
• Babylon
• …

How great is this earthquake? Levels the geography of the planet. Think of the tsunamis that will come and cover every island. Its going to be what? 100 on the Richter scale?

Hailstones. How big? 100lbs each. How heavy is a 50lb bag of concrete…two of those strapped together, pelting. And its not just one or two…An exclamation point on his wrath.

Internal causation? they blaspheme. Extremely severe = understatement. Bowls filled with wrath of God. What is god wrathful against? The blaspheming of his name, refusal to repent, killing of his saints, saints that were slain (altar??). True and righteous are your judgments. Goes back to the seals.

What else is god wrathful against? Worshipping and following Satan. He’s wrathful against killing of saints, blasphemy of his name, refusal to repent, instruments and systems that Satan uses to lead others astray, and against Babylon the great.

Application: Share God’s Attitudes

What is God is wrathful against? Satan worship Killing of the Saints Blasphemy of His Name Refusal to repent Systems and instruments used to lead people astray Babylon the Great What “systems” does Satan use to lead people astray? Entertainment Media Finances Economics Politics Etc. Is your attitude in line with God’s or the Culture?  Are you wrathful against the following and worship of Satan? Does killing of Christians bother you? What about blasphemy of God’s name? Do systems that lead others astray trouble you? Are you being deceived? It has almost become unacceptable in the church to have a political opinion. A mindset of tolerance has crept in. Nobody’s showing indignation about these things God hates. Why? Social pressure, fear of being labeled an extremist or wacko. When Being Extreme Is Bad  We’re talking about the wrath of God here, not the wrath of John or yourself. Don’t be so extreme that you’re carrying out judgment that belongs to God alone. If you’re burning down abortion clinics, you’ve taken sharing in God’s wrath too far. Let God be God, just don’t get so isolated in your heart that you don’t see things from His perspective.

(6.9) Great Harlot (New Sub-Seg.) [17:1-6]

We get into this really interesting material now.

One of effects of 7th bowl was how Babylon the great was remembered to get the cup of God’s fierce wrath. Now the rest of this segment is going to pull out that one item and expound on it.

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, “Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, (Revelation 17:1)

What are we told about this woman?

• She is a Great Harlot –
  • Harlot = someone who sells herself for money, profit, or personal gain
  • She is not just doing this a little bit either, she is a GREAT Harlot.
• Sits on many waters – Jumping ahead to 17:15 (6.11) this thought is further clarified and implies that “many waters” implies global/worldwide

with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality.” (Revelation 17:2)

Kings of the earth commit immorality with her: She sold herself to them for money. The political leaders are complicit in her immorality. They are in full agreement and participation with her immorality. She has infiltrated into the political system with her immorality.

People of earth drunk with the wine of her immorality: The general population is intoxicated with immorality that was initiated and instated by the political leaders. It’s stemming from the government and this woman, an agenda pushed from the top not the bottom. The immorality of a nation is pushed from the top.

And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness; and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast, full of blasphemous names, having seven heads and ten horns. (Revelation 17:3)

And he carried me away in the Spirit: “John is in the Spirit: Ch 1 he sees Jesus, Ch 4 John is caught up into heaven and sees the things which are shortly going to come to pass” (Kay Arthur)

What else are we told about the woman? Sitting on a scarlet beast. What’s significant about that? She’s riding it, controlling it, but she needs a vehicle to propel her. We’ll look at this vehicle in a minute.

The woman was clothed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, having in her hand a gold cup full of abominations and of the unclean things of her immorality, (Revelation 17:4)

What else? Clothed in purple and scarlet (Colors of kings and wealth) Adorned in pearls, etc. tells us: Wealthy materialistic.
Gold cup of… Celebrating immorality.

and on her forehead a name was written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17:5)

on her forehead a name was written… (Isn’t it interesting everyone in this segment everyone has a name on their forehead?) Fascinating name because it’s also a mystery. Also unknown, that typically gets made known. Mystery = usually someone is trying to solve it.

Her Name? Babylon the great. What do we know about Babylon? It’s a mystery, more than just a geographic city, it represents something much more.

Mother of two things. (1) Harlots. Mother of Harlots: not only is she a great harlot, she encourages it in her own children, the same lifestyle. (2) Also mother of abominations of the earth.

Mystery: Something that is world dominating, produces mindset of selling self for personal gain. And is the source of all the abominations of the earth. Almost like the bride of Satan ;-).

“Satan’s beauty is real but it is DECEPTIVE, a HARLOT, an ABOMINATION OF ALL THE ABOMINATIONS, a BEAST who desires to rule even as Satan desires to rule in your life.” -Kay Arthur

And I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus. When I saw her, I wondered greatly. (Revelation 17:6)

She’s drunk with the blood of the saints. So she’s violent, loves killing Christians. At end of 6.11 told also about her great city: Geographically: a capital, a city that reigns over the kings of the earth, a world capital.

(6.10-11) Mystery of the Scarlet Beast [17:7-14]

And the angel said to me, “Why do you wonder? I will tell you the mystery of the woman and of the beast that carries her, which has the seven heads and the ten horns. (Rev 17:7)

What have we been told about the beast so far? (17:3, 17:7)

Color is Scarlet	What’s significant about this? Red = sin biblically. Text doesn’t say this for certain here though.
Full of blasphemous names	What would be a blasphemous name: calling himself the messiah, the answer, the one, anything that would exalt itself against God.
7 heads, 10 horns	(We’ll get to this in a minute)
carrying the woman	She’s riding, he’s carrying. tells us about the beast? He’s subservient to her and where she wants to take him

John’s reaction when he sees all this? he wonders greatly. He’s very confused by this whole thing. He’s in amazement at this vision. Not a part of his mindset. The angel says to him: why do you wonder? To the angel, he gets it. “I will tell you the mystery…”

“The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to come up out of the abyss and go to destruction And those who dwell on the earth, whose name has not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, will wonder when they see the beast, that he was and is not and will come. (Rev 17:8)

One interpretation: “The wild beast “was” speaks of the past history of the Roman Empire. “Is not” refers to the present condition of the fragmented Empire. The Roman Empire is not dead. It has fallen apart into the nations of Europe today. “Is about to come up out of the abyss” speaks of the reactivation of the Roman Empire by Satan.” -McGee

What is interesting about the names being written in the book of life “from the foundation of the world”? You don’t get into the book of life by works, you started out there.

“Here is the mind which has wisdom The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sits, (Rev 17:9) and they are seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while. (Rev 17:10)

7 heads represent? 7 mountains on which the woman sits. what does this tell us about beast? Geographical marker/component. Also the seven heads are? 7 kings. Has a political component. Geographical. Political.

These 7 kings…5 fallen, 1 is…what scope? Historical. Its not just something that’s coming. Its something that’s been. In fact, the majority of it predated John. 5 kingdoms that predated John. 1 king that was around while John was alive and one more to come. This is now prophetical (one to come) part of the future. Not just historical, but also about future.

(Historist Viewpoint?) “5 have fallen: (1) Egypt, (2) Assyria, (3) Babylon, (4) Medo-Persia, (5) Greece. All of these had fallen at the time John wrote Revelation. ONE IS: ROME, in power at the time John wrote; parallels with the 4th beast and this is BEFORE the BEAST has 10 horns when the statute is simply IRON, not iron mixed with clay. ONE NOT YET COME: We know that there are only 4 kingdoms before the Stone becomes a Mountain and sets up the Kingdom of God (Dan 2) so we know that this has to be ROME again but this time ROME in a different form, this time with 10 HORNS (”Revived Roman Empire”). Then John goes on to describe the BEAST…” -Kay Arthur

“The beast which was and is not, is himself also an eighth and is one of the seven, and he goes to destruction. (Rev 17:11)

Beast himself is also? An 8 th king, yet one of the seven.
How can that be? Take a look at the text for clues. “Was and is not”? Not when John is alive. One of previous five. Going to be the eighth. He goes to destruction.
Should remind you of? In this paragraph? Beast going to destruction. Comes up out of the abyss.
Hints that: he’s demonic. That’s how he could have been one of the five.
One of the kings might have been demon possessed. And demon rules through king. And he’s going to show up and possess the 8 th king = DEMONIC.
historical, prophetical, geographical, political, demonic.

“The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. (Rev 17:12) “These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. (Rev 17:13)

10 horns:10 kings who have not received a kingdom yet.
But what is going to happen? They are going to receive authority with beast for one hour.
Before: historical progression. These 10 horns are not in succession. They are all living at the same time. They’re going to receive power together with the beast for one hour. They’re going to appear on world stage, be contemporaries, a short lived event.

What is their purpose? Its not TO give their power and authority to the beast. Their purpose is to wage war against the lamb and destroy the harlot (see paragraph 11).
What reason has god put it on their hearts to wage war against the lamb? that His words would be fulfilled, their own destruction, so they get destroyed, and they destroy the Harlot as part of her judgment.

Its an interesting scenario isn’t it? A world dominating, materialistic, immoral, violent, domineering woman who is riding on political system that intoxicates the whole planet with immorality but eventually gets eaten up by political system.

You never win with Satan. A kingdom divided against itself can’t stand.

Why is Jesus showing us all of these things? George: Its interesting how in many ways the woman is similar to Islam. I’m not a big speculator. Dave hunt believes it’s the Catholic Church. “Drunk with the blood of the saints”. The Church is not mentioned after third segment anywhere. Taken up? This may all be post rapture, yes. Islam = biggest religion at this point? It may not be JUST Islam but the mother behind that mentality. (Why I don’t like to speculate) Where is Babylon located? Middle East, in Iraq. Where Mohammed and all these guys come out of? Same area. Same philosophy/mentality/world-view comes historically from that kingdom. Go out and conquer at all costs.

God will judge it. Implication for us? We shouldn’t Judge it. God is going to judge this world shaping culture-defining political-influencing woman and beast.

Implication that’s an application for us? Don’t follow the influence of that whole system. Goes back to being awake and having your clothes on . Really adds punch to thoughts like John’s first letter, that if you love the things of the world, you can’t love god. Now we are being shown what is behind this world. It is this woman riding this beast. You can’t be friends of this world and a friend of God. God is going to judge all this. they’re blinded by materialism. that’s our world right now. Unfortunately, it’s the majority of the church. 40-50% of pastors and youth pastors at a conference in Utah watching adult entertainment in their hotel rooms? (research by Tom P) And that’s at the top…

(14) “These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.”;

“The bottom line, the only goal, the one objective of Antichrist is to destroy Jesus. Because Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, Antichrist will be unsuccessful in his attempted coup.” -Jon Courson

wage war – “Πολεμήσουσιν [Polemēsousin], which indicates a protracted engagement rather than a single battle” -Garland

war against the lamb – “speaks of the final physical conflict of the armies of the world as they attempt to thwart the installation of Messiah upon the throne of David in His Millennial Reign” -Garland

the lamb will overcome them – “From the perspective of earth, the Beast is the overcomer (Rev. 6:2). But he only overcomes while he is temporarily given authority to do so (Rev. 13:7). Ultimately, it is the Lamb Who is the true overcomer (Jn. 16:33; 1 Jn. 4:4; Rev. 3:21).” -Garland

king of kings and lord of lords – “He will overcome them because He is Lord over all other lords. He is “the ruler over the kings of the earth” (Rev. 1:5), even though at present most kings do not recognize His rule.” -Garland

called, chosen, and faithful – called and chosen are the same words used in Mt. 22:14, “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

(15) And he *said to me, “The waters which you saw where the harlot sits, are peoples and multitudes and nations and tongues. (16) “And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with fire. (17) “For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God will be fulfilled. (18) “The woman whom you saw is the great city, which reigns over the kings of the earth.”

These verses describe, briefly, the upcoming judgment of the harlot.

The angel interprets two of the symbols for us:
waters = peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues
woman = the great city which reigns over the kings of the earth.
previously, we also were told:
ten horns = ten kings (as told us in verse Rev. 17:12)

peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues – a common designation in Revelation referring to a worldwide population (See Rev. 7:9).

For God put it in their hearts to fulfill his purpose – God’s sovereign control of the affairs of history is a constant theme. “Everything that transpires occurs by His sovereign permission. From the riding forth of the first horsemen who was given a crown, to rising of the Beast from the sea who is given authority to continue forty-two months and who was previously restrained…The next several chapters provide additional detail concerning the fulfillment of God’s words which eventually result in the return of the King and the establishment of the Millennial Kingdom” (TOJC)

that great city – “Although this phrase is also used of Jerusalem (11:8) and of the heavenly Jerusalem (21:10), here it is to be identified with Babylon (14:8; 17:18; 18:10,16,18,21). This is evident from numerous close parallels between what is said of the Harlot in this chapter and the city Babylon in the next chapter.” (TOJC)

no notes on this paragraph

(6.12) Fallen Is Babylon, Come Out, She Will Be Paid Back [18:1-8]

After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory. (Rev 18:1) And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. (Rev 18:2) “For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.” (Rev 18:3) I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues; (Rev 18:4)

Pretty cool angel. Great authority. Cries out…more stuff…

What’s the application? Come out of her my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. We should ask ourselves: have we hooked up with the harlot? Are we participating? Good thing is God is giving us an opportunity to get out. If you’ve hooked up with the harlot, GET OUT.

for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. (Rev 18:5)

Her sins have piled up as high as the heaven, and God has remembered the iniquity: that should put the fear of God in us. We tend to think of sins going away like poop in a toilet when you flush it. But here: piled up and stink.

How do you know that your sins aren’t piled up and God isn’t measuring your iniquity? In this context? You have to come out. If you don’t come out, you’ll suffer the same.

“Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her. (Rev 18:6)

 

“To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’ (Rev 18:7)

glorify herself = make herself in highest position. Lifting yourself to the highest position, the center, focus of your life. Hence God would say humble thyself in the sight of the Lord. Even in the church we teach we need to love ourselves, lifts ourselves up, makes us the focus. If you are the focus of your life, you have glorified yourself, and put yourself in the supreme position.

live sensuously = Living by & gratifying the senses, what appeals, feels good. Second thing she did = lived sensuously. You’d have all these things that are sensory driven, your life would be characterized by sensory input. Things that feel good, taste good. This is why fasting is so good for us. It requires us to die to our sensuality.

Torment and mourning to the same degree: God ain’t messing around. You can’t have feet in both worlds.

She said in her heart I’m a queen, not a widow: A sense of entitlement, she will not allow discomfort to be a part of her world, safeguards self from suffering.

“For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her is strong. (Rev 18:8)

For this reason: cause = living sensuously, glorifying herself, protecting herself from suffering. effect = strong judgment. God doesn’t like self-glorification or living for what feels good, and these things will be punished. Are you living for these things or for God? Do you need to repent?

For this reason in ONE day, her plagues will come – In one day? This is perhaps sudden?

Babylon: Glorified Herself – put herself in the position that should belong to God (living for herself) Lived Sensuously – lived to gratify her senses, whatever feels good or tastes good For these things she will receive: Torment plagues pestilence famine burned up with fire Mourning

(6.13) Kings Of The Earth And Merchants Weep [18:9-24]

Reaction On Earth: Economic Collapse, Fear Of Torment/Judgment

“And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning (Rev 18:9), standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’ (Rev 18:10)

• What is the reaction of the kings of earth? They are weeping and lamenting.
• What is significant about how they lament? They are standing at a distance for fear of torment. Although these kings had no problem partaking in the sin, they want no part of the corresponding judgment.

“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more (Rev 18:11)—cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, (Rev 18:12) and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ (Rev 18:18)

What is the effect of Babylon’s Judgment? No one is buying cargos (precious goods) anymore. Effect is a huge economic collapse.

What drives American economy ? Consumer index reports. Health on American companies is based on how much companies are willing to spend on themselves. Sensuousness drives the American economy.

Keep fulfilling the senses. Keep stimulating the senses. That drives the economy. So when that women is gone, the economy goes in the tank. Cuz she’s no longer riding the politics, riding the policies.

Are you awake. Do you see it? Do you see what this world is all about? Or are you just going along with the system? Buying into the world-view? Goal = to buy a new car every few years? Eat at nicer restaurants? Buy a house? Have a corner office where everyone looks up to you? What’s it all based on? Sensuality, immorality, materialism. Its actually opposed to God and his kids.

“And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ (Rev 18:19)

What does it mean to “throw dust on their heads”? Throwing dust on their heads was a sign of the most sincere grief and mourning.

Reaction In Heaven: Rejoicing

“Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.” (Rev 18:20)

What’s the reaction of heaven? and the saints and the apostles? Rejoice over her. For God has pronounced judgment FOR you FOR her. God is looking out on our behalf. So we should look on the world system how? It’s against us. We live in a hostile environment. if you don’t feel it you’re not living like a saint.

Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. (Rev 18:21)

There’s some closing statements about the finality of that judgment. Disappears in a moment. Something that seems so substantial. It gets consumed by vastness of ocean. Like a millstone dropped in the ocean. Disappear in his wrath.

“And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; (Rev 18:22) and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. (Rev 18:23)

There are at this point no sounds of rejoicing and festivities, such as music being played, or weddings. The image of their being no craftmen and the mill not in operation paints a picture of ruin, decay and decline of the city, the normal activities are not going on. The light not burning again continues to paint the image of desolation, the image of the town empty and abandoned, no signs of life such as light and noise.

sorceries: metaphorically refers to the deceptions and seductions of idolatry (Thayer). This is given as the reason for all this devastation, the nations being deceived by this.

“And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.” (Rev 18:24)

This is another reason given for the destruction. “In her” could, perhaps, imply that this is what was found inside of her (Babylon) at the time of her destruction, her inner/true character—something deadly to the faithful, that kills many throughout the earth.

What do we take away from segment 6?

• How much smaller are the spiritual battles in our own lives.
• Be awake. Be aware this has been around for a long time.
• Come out of it.
• The same woman and beast that existed at time of the apostles…is still around. It’s the same one. All that conflict was not just at the time of the apostles. Its not. There’s this mystery that this cultural and political systems of the world are being controlled by this woman and this beast. I’d lump world religions into culture. You can almost look at woman as cultural driver of the world. And the beast as the political impetus of the world.
• Culture always drives the politics.
• Going against the flow is not easy, especially since you’re swimming upstream in the sewer, you keep running into poop.

Conclusion for Babylon & Bowls? God’s wrath…see what God is wrathful against, and are encouraged to not participate in those things. Ultimately means to be awake. Be awake to that idea. And that he will, obviously, bring everything to final judgment.

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