Revelation 18

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Revelation 18:10, Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry:

“‘Woe! Woe to you, great city,
    you mighty city of Babylon!
In one hour your doom has come!’

In this chapter, we see the fall of Babylon.  This sprawling, affluent civilization, which lived hedonistically, rejecting the things of God and oppressing God’s people, has been brought to its knees.  What took many years to develop is destroyed in one hour.  In one single hour God takes down Babylon! 

Chapters 17 and 18 which describe the fall of Babylon are some of the most disputed in all of Revelation.  Scholars disagree as to their meaning and there are vastly divergent interpretations out there.  I don’t think it’s helpful to get too bogged down in the interpretation.  I do, however, think there are some things we must reflect on:

1.     What could Babylon represent? 

2.     How does our current nation and culture resemble Babylon? How is it different?

3.     How might God’s people be called to live and behave within a modern Babylon?

4.     What does this Scripture suggest about God’s ultimate plans for the Babylons of this world? 

Let’s pray…Lord Jesus, We need you. Our world is a mess.  It’s broken and we are broken.  Give us wisdom and courage to live as your people within a world that rejects you.  Help us point people to you.  Help us, Jesus.  More of you and less of me.  Amen.