“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning” (Revelation 18:9).
TEXT —Revelation 18:9-20
Message
One incontestable fact of life is the ephemeral nature of everything in this world, including humans. Kingdoms have risen and fallen. For instance, the Roman Empire, at the height of its reign, was one of the most powerful and extensive political entities in history.
Its dominion spanned the Mediterranean basin and much of Europe. It boasted formidable military, political, and social institutions and produced power drunk emperors. But, at last, the empire crumbled; first, the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, and later, the Eastern Roman Empire in 1453.
Today’s text focuses on the fall of Babylon the Great, a name used here symbolically representing this world’s Antichristian, idolatrous, immoral, and abominable system. The original Babylon was the capital city of the ancient Babylonian Empire, which has come to symbolise evil because of its tyranny and corruption. However, today’s Bible passage is not about geographical Babylon but the Antichristian powers and network of corruption that drives the worldly system, even though some have tried to apply it to different present-day countries. This Antichristian force is represented by a great harlot, gorgeously adorned, wielding a corrupting global influence, and drunk with the blood of the saints. The fall of Babylon the Great is mourned here by her patrons and admirers.
Today, the corrupting and abominable influence of this great harlot has permeated every facet of the world’s system, threatening the church of Christ. But in God’s arrangement, the church will triumph over her to the astonishment of all rebellious men. Observe that the mourners here, who shared Babylon’s sensual pleasures and profited from her wealth and trade, were only concerned about their material loss and had no “godly sorrow (that) worketh repentance to salvation.” Unable to rescue her, they were perplexed by the swiftness of God’s judgment upon Babylon. This will mark the end of the abominable, worldly system.
As we watch the events of the last days unfold, every Christian must be more conscious of the delicateness of this hour. We must deepen our devotion to the Lord and commitment to righteous living, and the spread of the gospel.
Thought for the day
Our ultimate security lies in leaving Babylon, not living in Babylon.
Listed among “500 most powerful people on the planet” by the Foreign Policy magazine in 2013, Pastor (Dr.) William F. Kumuyi is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Christian Life Ministry (DCLM) headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria. DCLM started in 1973 as a 15-member Bible study group right in Kumuyi’s apartment at University of Lagos where he was a lecturer. His revolutionary Bible teaching on personal holiness and commitment to evangelism soon gained so much traction and resulted in a widespread revival.
