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SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 68

TITLE: ECONOMIC BABYLON'S FALL

TEXT: REVELATION 18:1-5

INTRODUCTION: (1) IF YOU BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE IS THE INFALLIBLE WORD OF GOD, THERE IS AN INESCAPABLE REALITY THAT WE MUST FACE AS HUMAN BEINGS.

* AND THAT INESCAPABLE REALITY IS THAT GOD, NOT HUMAN BEINGS, WILL HAVE THE LAST WORD IN HUMAN HISTORY, AND THAT WORD WILL BE A WORD OF JUDGMENT.

** NOW NOWHERE IN SCRIPTURE IS THERE A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF COMING JUDGMENT THAN IN REVELATION 6-18.

** AND SPECIFICALLY THOSE CHAPTERS DESCRIBE THE FUTURE 7 YEAR PERIOD KNOWN AS THE TRIBULATION.

*** AND GOD’S JUDGMENT WILL RAIN DOWN ON THE EARTH IN THE FORM OF 21 JUDGMENTS CALLED THE SEAL, TRUMPET AND BOWL JUDGMENTS.

(2) NOW ALTHOUGH THESE JUDGMENTS WILL BE WORLDWIDE IN EXTENT AND APPLICATION, THEY WILL FOCUS PARTICULARLY ON ANTICHRIST’S WORLD EMPIRE OF BABYLON.

* NOW THAT WORLDWIDE EMPIRE WILL INVOLVE A RELIGIOUS OR ECCLESIASTICAL AND A COMMERCIAL ECONOMIC OR POLITICAL EXTENT.

** SIMPLY SAID IT WILL INVOLVE BOTH A RELIGIOUS AND A COMMERCIAL ASPECT.

*** NOW APPROXIMATELY AT THE MIDPOINT OF THE TRIBULATION, ANTICHRIST CALLED THE BEAST, WILL DESTROY THE FALSE BABYLONIAN RELIGIOUS SYSTEM, WHICH WE STUDIED ABOUT IN REVELATION 17, AS THAT CHAPTER LOOKED BACK TO WHAT ALREADY HAPPENED EARLIER IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, AS A RETROSPECTIVE LOOK.

**** NOW THAT RELIGIOUS SYSTEM WILL BE ABSORBED IN COMMERCIAL OR ECONOMIC BABYLON.

(3) AND THE RELIGIOUS SYSTEM WILL NOT CEASE TO EXIST, BUT WILL BE RESTRICTED AND FOCUSED ON THE WORSHIP OF ANTICHRIST. HE WILL BE TOTALLY IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

* NOW THAT REVIEW AND BACKGROUND LEADS US TO REVELATION CHAPTER 18. FOR THE BABYLON IN VIEW IN REVELATION CHAPTER 18 IS ANTICHRIST’S WORLDWIDE COMMERCIAL EMPIRE, WHICH WILL RULE THE WORLD DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE TRIBULATION.

** AND ANTICHRIST-THE BEAST, WILL BE ABLE TO BUILD THE GREATEST COMMERCIAL EMPIRE THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN IN THE MIDST OF THE DEVASTATING AND DEBILITATING JUDGMENTS OF THE TRIBULATION.

*** WHICH REVEALS HIS INCREDIBLE POWER AND ABILITY AND INTELLECT AS HE IS ENERGIZED AND DIRECTED BY THE DRAGON-SATAN.

**** NOW I’VE SAID ALL THAT I’VE SAID UP TO THIS POINT TO CRYSTALLIZE TO YOU THIS SIMPLE TRUTH:

(4) AND THAT IS: GOD’S DESTRUCTION ON COMMERCIAL ECONOMIC BABYLON IS THE THEME OF REVELATION CHAPTER 18.

* AND THAT’S WHAT WE WILL BE FOCUSING ON IN OUR NEXT 4 TO 5 STUDIES IN REVELATION.

** AND JOHN MACARTHUR IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION CHAPTERS 12-22 GIVES A REAL CLEAR STATEMENT ABOUT THE THEME OF THIS CHAPTER AND ITS CONTEXTUAL SETTING.

*** HE SAID THIS ABOUT REVELATION 18 AND I QUOTE: “IT IS THUS A VERY SOMBER CHAPTER; IT IS A REQUIEM, A DIRGE FOR THE FUNERAL OF HUMANITY. WITH THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SATANIC LAST AND GREATEST HUMAN EMPIRE, THE STAGE IS SET FOR THE TRIUMPHANT RETURN OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.”

**** “THOUGH SOME VIEW IT (REV. 18) AS A SYMBOL FOR ANTICHRIST’S WHOLE GODLESS SYSTEM, THE BABYLON DESCRIBED IN CHAPTER 18 IS MOST LIKELY AN ACTUAL CITY. IT IS CALLED A CITY FIVE TIMES IN THE CHAPTER (VV. 10, 16, 18, 19, 21) AND OTHER FEATURES IN THE TEXT IMPLY THAT A LITERAL CITY IS IN VIEW SINCE THE TEXT PLAINLY DESCRIBES BABYLON AS A CITY, AND THERE IS NOTHING IN THE CONTEXT TO INDICATE OTHERWISE, IT IS SAFEST TO VIEW IT AS A REAL CITY.”

(5) “THE SPECIFIC OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES OF BABYLON’S DESTRUCTION AND PERPETUAL DESOLATION (ISAIAH 13:19-22; 14:22-23; JEREMIAH 50:13, 39; 51:37), AS YET UNFULFILLED, ALSO ARGUE THAT CHAPTER 18 DESCRIBES AN ACTUAL CITY.”

* FINALLY, MACARTHUR SAID: “BUT WHILE BABYLON WILL BE AN ACTUAL CITY, ITS INFLUENCE WILL BE WORLDWIDE. AS ANTICHRIST’S CAPITAL CITY, IT WILL BE THE HUB OF AND REPRESENT HIS COMMERCIAL EMPIRE. THUS, THE JUDGMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON WILL KILL THE HEAD, AND THE REST OF THE BODY OF ANTICHRIST’S WHOLE WORLD EMPIRE WILL FOLLOW IN DEATH.” (END QUOTE)

** NOW THAT QUOTE SETS THE TABLE FOR OUR STUDY OF REVELATION 18. FOR REVELATION 18 RECORDS THE ASPECTS OF JUDGMENT ON ANTICHRIST’S ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL EMPIRE.

*** WE WILL SEE THE FALL AND COLLAPSE OF THE WORLD’S ECONOMY IN THE TRIBULATION IN REVELATION 18.

(6) THUS I’VE TITLED OUR INTRODUCTORY MESSAGE IN REVELATION 18, “ECONOMIC BABYLON’S FALL.”

* AND UNDER THAT THEME AND TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT JUST TWO POINTS IN OUR STUDY OF VERSES 1-5 TODAY.

** NO. 1 THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF AN ANGEL OF THE FALL OF ECONOMIC BABYLON, VV. 1-3; AND NO. 2 THE ADMONITION FROM HEAVEN FOR BELIEVER’S WHO ARE SAVED IN THE TRIBULATION TO COME OUT OF BABYLON, TO SEPARATE THEMSELVES FROM HER, VV. 4&5.

*** SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND ADMONITION UNDER THE TITLE OF ECONOMIC BABYLON’S FALL.

**** AND WITH THAT PATH FOR US TO FOLLOW, LOOK AT V. 1 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE ANNOUNCEMENT. LOOK AT REVELATION 18:1 PLEASE.

I. THE ANNOUNCEMENT, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW TO BEGIN WITH THE PHRASE “AFTER THESE THINGS” USED REPEATEDLY IN REVELATION IS NORMALLY USED TO INTRODUCE A NEW VISION TO JOHN, THE HUMAN AUTHOR OF THIS INSPIRED BOOK, THIS PHRASE INDICATES WHAT COMES NEXT IN THE SEQUENCE OF VISIONS.

* AND HERE WE HAVE A NEW VISION, FOR WE HAVE ANOTHER ANGEL THAT IS INTRODUCED TO US THAT MAKES THE ANNOUNCEMENTS HE MAKES IN VV. 1-3. SO WE HAVE A NEW SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES.

** NOW THIS ANGEL THAT IS SEEN IN JOHN’S VISION COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN HAS GREAT AUTHORITY.

*** AND CLEARLY HE HAS AN IMPORTANT MISSION, FOR HE COMES DIRECTLY FROM HEAVEN WITH DELEGATED AUTHORITY FROM GOD AND OBVIOUSLY IS COMMISSIONED BY GOD.

**** AND SOME SUGGEST THAT BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT AUTHORITY AND BECAUSE IN THE NEXT PHRASE OF V. 1 HE LIGHTS UP THE EARTH WITH HIS GLORY, THAT THIS ANGEL MUST BE JESUS CHRIST.

1. BUT NOT SO. FOR JOHN SAYS I SAW “ANOTHER” ANGEL, AND THE GREEK ADJECTIVE FOR ANOTHER LIT. MEANS ANOTHER OF THE SAME KIND.

* WHICH TAKES US BACK TO REVELATION 17:1 TO THE LAST ANGEL TALKED ABOUT IN SEQUENCE IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION WHERE ONE OF “THE 7 ANGELS WHO HAD THE 7 BOWLS CAME AND SPOKE WITH ME.”

** SO ANOTHER ANGEL IN CONTRAST TO THE ONE TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 17:1 IS REFERRED TO HERE IN REVELATION 18:1, ANOTHER OF THE SAME KIND.

*** AND OF COURSE JESUS CHRIST IS NOT AN ANGEL AND WAS NOT CREATED BUT GOD THE SON.

**** NOW CERTAINLY THIS IS A POWERFUL ANGEL HERE IN REVELATION 18:1 WHO IS ENDOWED WITH GREAT AUTHORITY OR POWER AND LIGHTS UP THE EARTH WITH HIS GLORY AS HE DESCENDS.

2. ROBERT THOMAS IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION 8-22 SAYS AND I QUOTE: “HAVING COME SO RECENTLY FROM THE HEAVENLY PRESENCE, HE REFLECTS A BROAD BELT OF LIGHT OVER A DARKENED EARTH VERY SIMILAR TO THE COUNTENANCE OF MOSES AFTER HE HAD BEEN IN GOD’S PRESENCE.” (END QUOTE)

* SO THIS SPECIAL POWERFUL ANGEL IS SENT DOWN FROM HEAVEN ON A MISSION FROM GOD ALMIGHTY TO MAKE AN ANNOUNCEMENT. AND THE ANNOUNCEMENT BEGINS IN V. 2. LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 2. NOW THIS UNIQUE ANGEL CRIES OUT WITH A POWERFUL MIGHTY STRONG VOICE AS THE EARTH IS COMPELLED TO LISTEN TO HIS MESSAGE FROM ABOVE.

* AND HIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS “FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT!”

** AND MOST LIKELY THE REPETITION OF THE VERB FALLEN IS FOR EMPHASIS AND FINALITY.

*** HER JUDGMENT PROPHESIED IN REVELATION 14:8 IS NOW BEING CARRIED OUT, FOR REVELATION 14:8 SAYS: AND ANOTHER ANGEL, A SECOND ONE, FOLLOWED, SAYING, “FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON THE GREAT, SHE WHO HAS MADE ALL THE NATIONS DRINK OF THE WINE OF THE PASSION OF HER IMMORALITY.”

**** SO WHAT IS PREDICTED COMES TO PASS, THE CERTAINTY OF HER FATE IS EMPHASIZED.

1. NOW IT’S INTERESTING THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE ANNOUNCEMENT MADE IN ISAIAH 21:9 WHICH SAYS: NOW BEHOLD, HERE COMES A TROOP OF RIDERS, HORSEMEN IN PAIRS. AND ONE SAID, “FALLEN, FALLEN IS BABYLON; AND ALL THE IMAGES OF HER GODS ARE SHATTERED ON THE GROUND.”

* NOW ISAIAH 21:9 WAS FULFILLED IN 539 B.C. AS THE PERSIAN CONQUERED HER.

** YET MANY THEOLOGIANS BELIEVE THAT ISAIAH’S PROPHECY LOOKED FORWARD TO THE ULTIMATE FALL OF A REVIVED BABYLON IN THE LAST DAYS, TALKED ABOUT IN REVELATION 14:8 AND IN OUR TEXT IN REVELATION 18:2.

*** AND HERE IN REVELATION 18:2 JOHN IS GIVEN A VISION OF A FUTURE CONSUMMATION AT THE END OF WORLD HISTORY.

**** NOW THE JUDGMENT OF GOD ON BABYLON MAKES IT AS WE MOVE ON IN REVELATION 18:2, “A DWELLING PLACE OF DEMONS” LIT. A HABITATION, AN ABODE, A HOME FOR DEMONS, WHICH ARE FALLEN ANGELS.

2. BUT NOT ONLY A HOME FOR DEMONS IN THE REST OF V. 2, BUT ALSO A PRISON, A HAUNT, A HOLDING PLACE, A CAGE FOR UNCLEAN SPIRITS, A SYNONYM FOR DEMONS.

* AND BASICALLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS GOD GATHERS ALL THE ROTTEN EGGS INTO ONE BASKET IN THE CITY OF BABYLON BEFORE DISPOSING OF THEM, ETERNALLY JUDGING THE DEMONS.

** AND EVEN HATEFUL BIRDS ARE IN THIS BASKET PICTURING BIRDS THAT ARE SCAVENGERS, BIRDS THAT FEED ON DEAD CARCASSES.

*** AND THE PICTURE THAT IS PAINTED IS, DEMONS HOVER OVER BABYLON LIKE SCAVENGER BIRDS WAITING FOR DEAD MEAT, WE HAVE A PICTURE OF A CITY THAT WILL BE JUDGED AND DESTROYED.

**** AND LIKE VULTURES, DEMONS WILL HOVER OVER THIS DOOMED CAPITAL CITY OF COMMERCE, WAITING FOR ITS FALL.

3. WE HAVE A MENTAL IMAGE, A VISIBLE IMAGE OF DESTRUCTION AND JUDGMENT HERE.

* AND V. 3 GIVES US THE REASON, THE CAUSE OF THIS FUTURE DESTRUCTION AND JUDGMENT. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 3. NOW V. 3 BEGINS WITH THE CONJUNCTION “FOR” WHICH LIT. MEANS BECAUSE OR SINCE, WHICH FOCUSES ON THE CAUSE OF BABYLON’S FALL.

* AND THE CAUSE IN THE REST OF THE VERSE IS THREEFOLD AND JOHN RITCHIE IN HIS COMMENTARY ON REVELATION GIVES 3 CONCISE REASONS FOR THIS JUDGMENT.

** “NO. 1 THE MAGNITUDE OF BABYLON’S SIN, NO. 2 THE NATURE OF BABYLON’S SIN AND NO. 3 THE RESULT OF BABYLON’S SIN.”

*** AND I AM GOING TO USE THAT LITTLE OUTLINE TO ATTEMPT TO EXPLAIN THE REST OF V. 3, AS THE CAUSE OF BABYLON’S JUDGMENT.

**** AND NO. 1 THE MAGNITUDE OF HER SIN IS COMMUNICATED BY THE PHRASE IN V. 3, “ALL THE NATIONS HAVE DRUNK OF THE WINE OF THE PASSION OF HER IMMORALITY.”

1. AND BELOVED, “ALL NATIONS” MEASURES THE SCALE OF THE INFLUENCE OF BABYLON.

* AND THE NATIONS-THE WORLD HAS BECOME INEBRIATED, DRUNK, INTOXICATED WITH THE WINE OF THE PASSION OF HER IMMORALITY.

** AND THIS INTOXICATION IS CAUSED BY THE WINE OF MAMMON, MONEY, MATERIALISM, RICHES. THIS WINE WE WILL SEE LEADS TO A MATERIALISTIC STUPOR.

*** WE SEE THE PROSTITUTION BY BABYLON FOR GAIN AND PLEASURE AND MATERIALISM. CERTAINLY THE LOVE OF MONEY IS A ROOT FOR ALL KINDS OF EVIL AND HERE WE SEE THESE TERMS AND WORDS USED TO TALK ABOUT MATERIAL ECONOMIC DRUNKENNESS AND SPIRITUAL IMMORALITY.

**** NEXT, WE SEE THE NATURE OF BABYLON’S SIN IN V. 3, “THE KINGS OF THE EARTH HAVE COMMITTED ACTS OF IMMORALITY WITH HER.”

2. AND HERE POWERFUL POLITICAL LEADERS-KINGS, GET IN BED WITH BABYLON FOR SELFISH POLITICAL PURPOSES AS THEY TRADE THEIR ETHICS, THEIR MORALS, THEIR INTEGRITY FOR POSITION AND POWER UNDER ANTICHRIST.

* AND WHATEVER MORAL COMPASS THEY HAD IS BARTERED IN THE WORSHIP OF MAMMON-MATERIALISM AND MONEY. THIS WAS THEIR POLITICAL POLICY.

** THEN NO. 3 IN THE REST OF V. 3, WE SEE THE RESULT OF BABYLON’S SIN, THE MERCHANTS OF THE EARTH HAVE BECOME RICH BY THE WEALTH OF THE SENSUALITY LIT. HER LUXURIES, HER DELICACIES.

*** AND HAVING THROWN OFF ANY SEMBLANCE OF SELF CONTROL OR SELF RESTRAINT MERCHANTS AND LEADERS WILL INDULGE THEIR MATERIALISTIC APPETITES.

**** AND IN THE MIDST OF WORLD WIDE SHORTAGES, CAUSED BY THE JUDGMENTS OF GOD IN THE TRIBULATION, KINGS AND MERCHANTS OF THE WORLD WILL STILL HAVE THEIR LUXURIES AND DELICACIES WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD IS IN WANT.

3. IN ESSENCE THE RICH WILL GET RICHER AND THE POOR WILL BECOME POORER.

* AND BELOVED THE CONNECTION OF FORNICATION AND LUXURY IN V. 3 INDICATES THAT BABYLON’S FORNICATION HERE CONSISTS OF ECONOMICS, WEALTH AND POWER TO CONTROL AND A PASSION FOR WHATEVER THE APPETITE WANTS FULFILLED IN PHYSICALLY IMMORAL WAYS.

** AND AS WE CONSIDER VV. 1-3, WE SEE CLEARLY THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE JUDGMENT OF ECONOMIC BABYLON AND THE REASON FOR THAT BY THIS STRONG ANGEL.

** BUT THIS ANNOUNCEMENT LEADS US TO A STRONG ADMONITION FOR A REMNANT OF BELIEVERS IN BABYLON AT THIS TIME, WHICH IS OUR 2’D AND FINAL POINT TODAY, THE ADMONITION. LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

II. THE ADMONITION, (READ V. 4)

A. NOW JOHN AT THIS POINT OF HIS VISION HEARS ANOTHER VOICE FROM HEAVEN.

* AND THE QUESTION COMES UP HERE, WHOSE VOICE ARE WE TALKING ABOUT?

** WELL, IT APPEARS THAT IT IS CHRIST’S BECAUSE HE ADDRESSES HIS PEOPLE IN V. 4, LIT. “MY PEOPLE,” HIS FOLLOWERS.

*** SO THIS CALL, THIS STRONG ADMONITION, LIT. THIS COMMAND, FOR THE VERB COME OUT IS IN THE IMPERATIVE MOOD, A COMMAND. AND THIS COMMAND IS ADDRESSED TO “MY PEOPLE.”

**** SO I BELIEVE THIS IS THE VOICE OF CHRIST’S AND NOT GOD THE FATHER WHO IS ADDRESSED IN THE THIRD PERSON IN V. 5, SPEAKING OF GOD “AND GOD HAS REMEMBERED HER INIQUITIES.”

1. SO IT APPEARS THAT CHRIST IS GIVEN THE COMMAND TO HIS FOLLOWERS, A REMNANT IN THIS CAPITAL CITY OF BABYLON AT THIS TIME “TO COME OUT” AND “NOT PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS,” IN BABYLON’S SINS.

* AND SIMPLY PUT, CHRIST IS CALLING FOR HIS PEOPLE TO DISENTANGLE THEMSELVES FROM THE WORLD SYSTEM, TO SHUN THE ENTICEMENTS REPRESENTED BY THE SYSTEM WHICH THE CITY OF BABYLON IS THE EMBODIMENT.

** BELOVED, WE HAVE A CALL FROM CHRIST TO HIS PEOPLE WHO HAVE SURVIVED UP TO THIS POINT NOT TO COMPROMISE WITH THE WORLD, NOT TO SELL OUT, TO LEAVE THE ENTICEMENTS OF THIS SPIRITUAL HARLOT TO PROBABLY SURVIVE.

*** FOR IT PROBABLY WAS A GREAT TEMPTATION TO CAPITULATE, TO GIVE IN, TO COMPROMISE TO BUY AND SELL.

**** IT PROBABLY WAS A TEMPTATION TO RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST TO SURVIVE PHYSICALLY AND ECONOMICALLY.

2. BUT THE ADMONISHMENT HERE IS DON’T DO IT, DON’T GIVE IN, DON’T COMPROMISE, COME OUT!

* AND FAILURE TO SEPARATE FROM ECONOMIC BABYLON WILL INVOLVE THE DISOBEDIENCE IN THE PLAGUES TO FALL ON BABYLON, TO BE JUDGED WITH HER.

** SO COME OUT, DON’T PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS! DON’T TAKE PART IN HER SINS, DON’T BE A PARTAKER WITH HER, DON’T SHARE IN HER SINS.

*** FOR YOU SEE, TO PARTICIPATE IS TO BE DEFILED, YOU HAVE TO COME OUT, AND I WILL ELABORATE ON THAT IN MY CONCLUSION TODAY.

**** AND WE HAVE AN ADDITIONAL REASON IN V. 5 TO COME AND NOT TO PARTICIPATE, LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 5. NOW IF YOU RECALL IN GENESIS 11:4 AT THE ORIGINAL TOWER OF BABEL, THE PEOPLE’S GOAL WAS TO BUILD “A TOWER WHOSE TOP WILL REACH INTO HEAVEN.”

* NOW IN THIS END TIME BABEL, “HER SINS HAVE PILED UP AS HIGH AS HEAVEN.”

** AND BELOVED BABYLON’S SINS WILL PILE UP LIKE A NEW TOWER OF BABEL.

*** AND ITS INTERESTING THAT THE VERB PILED OR HEAPED OR REACHED LIT. MEANS TO GLUE TOGETHER OR TO JOIN, TO CEMENT, TO FASTEN TOGETHER.

**** AND THE IDEA THAT IS COMMUNICATED IS, THEIR SINS WHICH ARE GREAT CLING TO EACH OTHER STEADILY UNTIL THE CUMULATIVE STRUCTURE OF WHICH THEY ARE A PART HAS FINALLY REACHED TO HEAVEN.

1. WE HAVE A TOWER OF SINS WHICH DEMANDS DIVINE ACTION LIKE THE TOWER OF BABEL IN GENESIS 11.

* BUT ONE LAST THING, AND THIS IS A FRIGHTENING REALITY, “GOD HAS REMEMBERED HER INIQUITIES, HER SINS, HER EVIL.”

** AND WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS THE MASSIVE EVIL OF THE ECONOMIC BABYLONIAN SYSTEM HAS INDELIBLY IMPRESSED ITSELF ON THE MEMORY OF A GOD OF JUSTICE.

*** AND HE MUST DO THE RIGHT THING BY PUNISHING BABYLON FOR HER INIQUITIES, SO IT BEHOOVES, IT IS NECESSARY AND PROPER FOR GOD’S PEOPLE TO DISTANCE THEMSELVES FROM THE CITY AS FAR AS THEY CAN. THEY MUST FLEE!

**** THERE IS NO FORGIVENESS AT THIS POINT, ONLY JUDGMENT, ECONOMIC BABYLON’S FALL, AND ALL THOSE WHO YOKE UP WITH HER WILL BE JUDGED.

IN WRAP UP: (1) I WANT TO DRAW TO YOUR ATTENTION A SHORT VERSE FOUND IN LUKE 17:32 THAT I WANT TO USE FOR SOME APPLICATION OF VV. 4&5 OF OUR TEXT TODAY.

* AND THIS SHORT VERSE WHICH IS NOT SHORT ON TRUTH SAYS: “REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE.”

** NOW LOT’S WIFE IS A GOOD ILLUSTRATION FOR WHAT CHRIST’S CALL TO COME OUT AND NOT PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS TRIES TO PRECLUDE OR PREVENT.

*** FOR IF YOUR RECALL IN GENESIS 19 TWO ANGELS CAME TO SODOM TO TELL LOT TO GET HIS FAMILY OUT OF THAT TOWN FOR GOD WAS GOING TO JUDGE THAT CITY FOR THEIR SIN.

**** WELL THE ANGELS TOLD LOT TO “COME OUT.” AND THEY LIT. HAD TO TAKE LOT, HIS WIFE AND TWO DAUGHTERS, THEY HAD TO BRING THEM OUT.

(2) AND THE ANGELS TOLD LOT AND HIS FAMILY TO FLEE AND NOT LOOK BACK.

* BUT LOT’S WIFE DISOBEYED THAT COMMAND AND SHE LOOKED BACK AND BECAME A PILLAR OF SALT!!

*** WELL, LUKE SPEAKS OF CHRIST’S WORDS TO HIS DISCIPLES, “REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE.”

**** AND BELOVED, WHAT IS TO BE REMEMBERED IS LOT’S WIFE WAS ATTACHED TO SODOM. THE ATTACHMENT WAS SO POWERFUL SHE HAD TO LOOK BACK.

(3) AND TO LOOK BACK IN YOUR HEART IS TO GO BACK. IT HAS TO DO WITH DESIRES THAT ARE STRONG THAT ARE LIKE A MAGNET AT TIMES AND PULL US INTO OUR CULTURE AND THIS FALLEN SYSTEM OF OUR WORLD.

* BELOVED LOT’S WIFE IN HER VALUE SYSTEM PLACED EARTH ABOVE HEAVEN AND MATERIAL THINGS ABOVE SPIRITUAL.

** BELOVED THE MAGNET OF WRONG DESIRES THAT PERMEATES OUR WORLD LED TO HER LOOKING BACK. HER HEAD WAS STILL THERE, HER AFFECTIONS WERE NOT SET ON THINGS ABOVE, BUT THINGS OF THE EARTH.

*** THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF THE WORLD SYSTEM WAS SO STRONG IN HER LIFE, IT PULLED HER TO THE PLACE THAT SHE HAD TO LOOK BACK, FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THAT’S WHERE YOUR HEART IS ALSO, MATTHEW 6:21.

**** AND BROTHERS AND SISTERS WE NEED TO REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE TODAY.

(4) FOR THE GRAVITATION PULL OF THIS FALLEN WORLD SYSTEM CAN LEAD TO A WORLDLINESS THAT WILL DEFILE US. WE MUST COME OUT, WE CANNOT PARTICIPATE IN HER SINS, FOR THEY WILL DEFILE US.

* AND THE CALL FOR ANOTHER WORLDLINESS IS OUR CALL TODAY, THE WORLD ABOVE. AND THAT’S WHY IT SAYS IN COLOSSIANS 3:1-4 (READ THEM).

** AND WE ARE COMMANDED TO SEEK THINGS ABOVE AS A PASSIONATE CONSUMING DESIRE FOR THE THINGS BELOW WILL LEAD US ASTRAY.

*** FOR THE ALLUREMENTS, THE ENTICEMENTS, THE PULL OF OUR WORLD’S AMUSEMENTS, DELICACIES, LUXURIES, ADDICTIONS AND SENSUOUS DELIGHTS ARE POWERFUL AND DECEITFUL.

**** AND YOU CAN GET SUCKED IN AND PULLED IN QUICKLY AND BE DECEIVED THAT YOU ARE SUCKED IN IN THE PROCESS.

(5) AND UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE CALLED BY SOME WELL-MEANING PREACHERS AND TALKERS TO CONFORM TO THE CULTURE TODAY TO REACH IT, BUT IN THEIR DESIRE TO REACH THEY HAVE COMPROMISED AND PUT THEMSELVES IN A GREAT PLACE OF TEMPTATION AS THEY HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY THE ADVERSARY.

* FOR THE REALITY IS, WE CANNOT PARTICIPATE WITHOUT BEING INFECTED. THE DRAW IS MAGNETIC, AND THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS WE MUST FLEE FROM!

** BELOVED, WE MUST FLEE FROM LOOKING AT ANY KIND OF PORNOGRAPHY INCLUDING SOFT PORN AND IMAGES OF SENSUALITY. NO ONE CAN HANDLE THESE IMAGES, THEY WILL BRING YOU DOWN AND DEFILE YOU.

*** WE MUST FLEE FROM PLACES OF DARKNESS THAT PROMOTE SIN, DRUNKENNESS, LUST, FLIRTATION AND A LIFESTYLE THAT IS CONTRARY TO GOD’S WORD.

**** AND MY ADVICE IS STAY AWAY FROM THE FIRE SO YOU DON’T GET BURNED OR SCORCHED OR EVEN SINGED BY IT.

(6) AND UNFORTUNATELY CERTAIN HABITS, PLACES AND PRACTICES AND ENTERTAINMENTS CAN PULL US DOWN QUICKLY FOR THEY’RE DESIGNED TO SINGE AND SEAR OUR CONSCIENCES.

* BELOVED, COME OUT! DON’T PARTICIPATE FOR TO PARTICIPATE IS TO BE DEFILED, SINGED AND SEARED.

** AND WE CANNOT CONFORM TO THE CULTURE TO TRY TO REACH IT, WE MUST CONFRONT THE CULTURE.

*** WE MUST PROCLAIM, LIVE AND LOVE THE TRUTH, AND IN THE PROCESS LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR, BUT NOT LUST AFTER OUR NEIGHBORS AND LUST FOR THEIR LIFESTYLE AND HABITS.

**** AND ULTIMATELY AS WE ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT BEING FAITHFUL TO PROCLAIM THE MESSAGE AND LIVE THE MESSAGE, THE LORD WILL REACH AND SAVE PEOPLE (BUT THE REACHING PART IS HIS RESPONSIBILITY, MINE IS THE PROCLAMATION, LIVING AND LOVING PEOPLE, NOT THEIR SINS.)

(7) AND SADLY THE CALL TO HOLINESS AND HOLY LIVING BY SOME TODAY IS BEING CALLED LEGALISM BY SOME.

* BUT IN REALITY THAT CALL TO BE SANCTIFIED AND SET APART, WHICH STARTS ON THE INSIDE AND LEADS TO CHANGE ON THE OUTSIDE, IS BEING IGNORED AND EVEN BELITTLED.

** WHEREVER YOU ARE AT TODAY, I LOVINGLY CALL AND CHALLENGE YOU TO CONSIDER THESE TRUTHS.

*** READ PROVERBS 4:14&15, PROVERBS 13:20, PSALM 1:1, ROMANS 12:2, II CORINTHIANS 6:14-17, JAMES 4:4, I JOHN 2:15-17, II TIMOTHY 2:22, JAMES 1:27 AND I PETER 1:15&16.

**** DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN CHRIST: REMEMBER LOT’S WIFE.

(8) SIN WAS JUDGED ON THE THRESHOLD OF DELIVERANCE. HER ATTACHMENT TO SODOM WAS SO POWERFUL THAT SHE DELAYED AND LOOKED BACK. PLEASE BE CAREFUL. COME OUT AND DON’T PARTICIPATE.