While Heaven celebrates the fall of Babylon, it is time for God’s children to be called home. This devotional reading looks at Who calls and Who picks up the children.
Nuggets
- Heaven is filled with angels, waiting to do God’s bidding.
- To celebrate, the angel made a pronouncement regarding the fate – and wickedness – of the earth.
- God’s people are called home.
This is what we’ve all been waiting for – God’s Word telling us that God wwas calling His children home.
What does God’s Word actually say? Have we had it right all along?
Let's Put It into Context
To read devotions in the On the Day of the Lord theme, click the button below.
Devotions in the Homecoming series
Let's Put It into Context #2
Revelation 17 saw an angel being tour guide for John. The angel explained who the great prostitute and the beast were. He began describing their judgment.
Chapter 18 beings with the words “After this …” (Rev. 18: 1 ESV).
Another Angel?
“After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory” (Rev. 18: 1 ESV)
Heaven is filled with angels, waiting to do God’s bidding.
God had a mission for yet another angel. We have seen several angels throughout our journey in Revelation, One even being Jesus.
Each angel performed their mission flawlessly.
This angel was a special angel. He was given great authority. Conway called him righteous, blessed, and divine.
Resource
Sounds like the angel from Revelation 10, doesn’t it? “Then I saw another mighty angel coming down from heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow over his head, and his face was like the sun, and his legs like pillars of fire” (Rev. 10: 1 ESV).
Green thought that angel was Jesus. Righteous, blessed, and divine is a good description of Him.
Resource
This does kind of sound like Ezekiel’s prophesy. “And behold, the glory of the God of Israel was coming from the east. And the sound of his coming was like the sound of many waters, and the earth shone with his glory” (Ezek. 43: 2 ESV).
That sounds like Jesus, too.
Celebrating the Fall of Babylon
“And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living’” (Rev. 18: 2-3 ESV)
To celebrate, the angel made a pronouncement regarding the fate – and wickedness – of the earth.
We talked in the last chapter about the earth being called Babylon. “Another angel, a second, followed, saying, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality” (Rev. 14: 8 ESV).
Armageddon has been fought, and Satan and his world has fallen – just as it was prophesied.
The description the angel gives of this world is accurate. There is an important thing we must remember – we are living in the world described now.
- Demons live among us.
- Unclean spirits and animals live among us.
- The world is filled with sexual immorality, and many – even kings – have succumbed to its lure.
- Wealth can be derived from sinful practices.
In other words, everything that disciples are told that from which to distance ourselves.
Yes, we are living among sin. Good men can live among the wicked.
Does it give us the willies that there are demons on earth? That Satan’s henchmen live among us?
They would feel comfortable in a place that is so anti-God. This world has become so unregenerated, it is exactly a place where they would be comfortable.
This is where the be-in-the-world-but-not-of-it comes into effect (Jn. 15: 19 ESV).
What is described here is the opposite of Who God is and what He wants from us.
This is why they are called false and unclean. Their corrupt character go against God’s truth and purity.
This is why their ruin is prophesied. Thomas wrote of that. He said, “The ruin comes, not as a casual event, nor as a positive infliction, but as the result of the eternal law of retribution: a law silent in its operation, resistless in its force, and inevitable in its issues (Galatians 6:7).”
Resource
What does the verse in Galatians say? “Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap” (Gal. 6: 7 ESV).
The worldview wants us to think atheism is the way to go. But they are deceiving themselves.
God will not be mocked. He will not be disobeyed forever. He will be victorious in the end.
But hold the phones. This is a description of the world after Armageddon?
Benson said that – after Armageddon – after the fall – there would be desolation. It will be like Sodom and Gomorrah after the sulfur and fire rainfall (Gen. 19: 24).
Resource
Okay, let’s process this. Armageddon begins. Jesus and Satan are fighting. Jesus wins. Mankind is still on earth.
Being Called Out
“Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, “I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.” For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her’” (Rev. 18: 4-8 ESV)
God’s people are called home.
Ooo, baby. How have I missed this all my life?
Then means that these verses come after verses 2-3. Come out comes after Babylon has fallen.
If the “… angel coming down from heaven …” (Rev. 18: 1 ESV) is Jesus, then “… another voice from heaven …” (Rev. 18: 4 ESV) is God.
But how many times do we try to keep God out of Revelation? It is all about Jesus’ coming, getting us, and claiming us so we don’t get judged.
In my opinion, that is one way the Church is missing Jesus. We are trying to – at a minimum – make Him the equal of God or – at a maximum – ignoring God all the way around.
Is this when the rapture is going to take place? Read it again.
“Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues” (Rev. 18: 4 ESV).
Armageddon is over. After the exodus, all is done but reward and judgment.
The Church is not going to miss the tribulation.
So, we have to be careful. We don’t want to follow the sinful nature of this world because Babylon is going to receive a double portion of punishment for her sins.
Hmmm. Isn’t that part of the problem with society today – people wanting more than they’ve earned. Well, they are going to get it in the end.
No, the worldview people won’t like getting double punishment for their sins.
Those thinking we can gain Heaven by being a good person will receive double punishment if they haven’t ABCDed. That will be the same punishment for those who say there is no God or that we are gods.
I like about two-thirds of what the Homilist said. In The Rule of Retribution, it was written, “Throughout the whole Scripture record it is taught that sinners, after they have passed through their probationary period, will be dealt with according to the mercies they have abused, the opportunities they have neglected, and the advantages they have wasted.”
Resource
I have two problems with what was written. The first is there is no probationary period. That is may not be scriptural. “Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (II Cor. 5: 8 ESV).
The second thing is that all will be judged on their actions. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (II Cor. 5: 10 ESV).
The deal is that worldview people take pride in themselves. They do not glorify God.
And they will pay the price for that.
Milligan applied this to the Church as well. He called out those who compromise with the worldview and live for this life. He is talking to those not waiting and watching for the Second Coming.
Resource
To me, it sounds like Milligan was talking about the goats masquerading as sheep.
So, what happened to the city of Babylon? Talmage told us the opposing army led by General Cyrus redirected the river over one night so they could mark in on the riverbed. They gained access to the greatest city at that time in one night.
Resource
The voice from Heaven – who I think is God – says the fall of earth will happen just as quickly.
The commentaries I read took “… her plagues will come in a single day …” (Rev. 18: 8 ESV) as meaning punishment will come on the last day of God’s patience without warning.
Nothing addressed the fact that the 21 judgments – the seals, trumpets, and bowls – were called plagues.
But then again, we have the timing issue. Are we talking about our timing (24 hours) or God’s timing (1,000 years)?
Burr said it best until we get to Revelation 20. He wrote, “We have the best authority for saying that the time will come when the human race will disappear in a body from the earth, and the planet itself and all things therein be burned up.”
Resource
We just don’t know when that will be.
Making the Connections #1
M’Kay had a great observation about the danger mankind is in. He wrote,
“For all are only too prone to put faith in the things of sense, and to forget the things that are unseen and eternal. The Babylonian spirit is not dead. Every man to some extent is a little Babel. We have faith in the powers of nature. We have faith in the sun, in the moon, in the star, in the coal, and in the seed that we cast into the ground. Do we believe also in God? Have we a real and lasting faith in Him? Have we such a faith in love, truth, virtue, and righteousness, as in the things that we see with the eye of our body and touch with our hands?”
Resource
We think the only thing real is what we see – that is what the Babylonian spirit is. We think God isn’t real because we can’t see Him – wrong.
What is that about Babel? M’Kay was talking about the Tower of Babel (Gen. 11: 1-9).
The people of the land of Shinar wanted to make a name for themselves (Gen. 11: 4). God said that “… nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them” (Gen. 11: 6 ESV).
I’ve always thought that was interesting. Sinful man would have been able to do the impossible.
The moral of this story is that we put faith in everything but God. That puts us in danger of God’s wrath.
Making the Connections #2
Worldview people think the worldview is so wonderful and prosperous. They are going to find out differently when the fall comes.
Rowe explained it this way. He wrote, “The whole fabric of the world’s commerce is shattered by its fall; for all human industries and traffic and all the markets of the world had come to be diverted from the service of God, and directed and controlled by the corrupt principles and unhallowed delights of the vast apostasy.”
Resource
I know. Some will argue that the city of Babylon has already fallen, and the world has spun on anyway. How do we explain that?
We don’t have to explain it. God wants us to take things on faith.
The key point should be Rowe’s comment of “… directed and controlled by the corrupt principles and unhallowed delights of the vast apostasy.” This world runs on sinful principles.
Our spiritual condition should always be our focus.
How Do We Apply This?
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
Father God. We can’t wait until You call us home. We don’t when that will be. You’ve only given us a glimpse at how it will be. We have faith that You will come for us so that we may be with You. Come soon. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.