FAITH BIBLE CHURCH - www.faithbiblechurch.net

SERIES: THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, WEEK 71

TITLE: SILENCE!

TEXT: REVELATION 18:21-24

INTRODUCTION: (1) IN 1964, A VOCAL GROUP, CALLED THE 4 SEASONS RECORDED A SONG TITLED “SILENCE IS GOLDEN.”

* IT WAS ACTUALLY ON THE B SIDE OF THEIR NO. 1 HIT “RAGDOLL.”

* WELL, 3 YEARS LATER, AN ENGLISH BAND CALLED TREMELOES ALSO RECORDED THAT SONG, SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

** NOW IN THIS SONG WE HAVE THE REPETITION OF THE PHRASE: SILENCE IS GOLDEN, BUT MY EYES STILL SEE, SILENCE IS GOLDEN, BUT MY EYES STILL SEE.

*** AND THE CONTEXT OF THE PHRASE USED 6 TIMES IN THE SONG IS, TALK IS CHEAP, LYING, FALLING FOR A LINE OF SOMEONE’S LIES AND HURT OVER WORDS AND ACTIONS CAUSED BY DECEPTION BY A GUY WITH A GIRL – SO SILENCE IS GOLDEN, BUT MY EYES STILL SEE THE ACTIONS.

**** NOW THAT PHRASE “SILENCE IS GOLDEN” APPEARS TO HAVE IT’S HISTORY FROM A SWISS INSCRIPTION WRITTEN IN GERMAN AND BEST KNOWN IN THE ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY THOMAS CARLYLE:

(2) MEANING: SPEECH IS SILVER, SILENCE IS GOLDEN, AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO SILENCE.

* FOR GOLD HAS MORE VALUE THAN SILVER, AND SILENCE AT TIMES IS BETTER THAN SPEECH OR WORDS.

** THUS, SILENCE IS GOLDEN.

** WELL, IN THE CLOSING VERSES OF REVELATION 18 AS JUDGMENT ON ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL BABYLON IS WROUGHT, SILENCE WILL COME.

*** AND THAT SILENCE WILL NOT BE GOLDEN, IT WILL BE DEAFENING, FOR THAT SILENCE WILL REFLECT THE HOLY FURY AND JUDGMENT ON A SINFUL FUTURE CITY THAT WILL BE THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL AND HUB OF THE BEAST’S-ANTICHRIST’S KINGDOM.

**** THE BABYLON IN REVELATION 18 IS THE WALL STREET OF THE WORLD, THE CROWN JEWEL OF ANTICHRIST’S ECONOMIC NETWORK.

(3) BUT THAT CITY WILL BE JUDGED, IT’S ECONOMIC ENGINE WILL BE SILENCED, IN FACT IN THE TERRIBLE SILENCE WE WILL SEE IN OUR STUDY IS A DEATH KNELL.

* FOR THE SOUNDS OF THE CITY WILL BE SILENCED.

** NO MORE MUSIC, NO MORE CRAFTSMEN WORKING, THE SOUND OF THE MILL WILL NOT BE HEARD ANY LONGER AND THE VOICE, THE REJOICING OF A BRIDE AND BRIDEGROOM WILL NO LONGER BE HEARD.

*** LIFE THAT WAS NORMAL IS NOW GONE FOR GOD WILL HAVE JUDGED THIS WICKED CITY.

**** AND IN OUR TEXT TODAY, WE WILL SEE THE FINALITY OF BABYLON’S FALL AND JUDGMENT, AS OUR HOLY GOD WILL SILENCE THIS CITY FOREVER.

(4) THUS I’VE TITLED MY MESSAGE, SILENCE!

* AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 3 THINGS.

** NO. 1 THE STONE THAT IS THROWN INTO THE SEA BY A MIGHTY ANGEL THAT COMMUNICATES FINAL JUDGMENT TO BABYLON, V. 21.

*** NO. 2 THE SILENCE OF BABYLON AS A RESULT OF GOD’S JUDGMENT, VV. 22&23.

**** AND NO. 3 THE SLAIN, SPEAKING OF THE MARTYRS KILLED BY BABYLON, V. 24.

(5) SO WE’LL LOOK AT THE STONE, THE SILENCE AND THE SLAIN AS WE SEE THE FINALITY OF BABYLON’S FALL IN OUR TEXT TODAY.

* AND WITH THAT OUTLINE AS OUR ROAD MAP, LOOK AT V. 21 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR FIRST POINT, THE STONE. LOOK AT REVELATION 18:21 PLEASE.

I. THE STONE, (READ V. 21)

A. NOW AT THIS POINT OF JOHN’S VISION, THE HUMAN AUTHOR OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION, HE SEES A STRONG OR MIGHTY ANGEL.

* AND THIS IS THE THIRD REFERENCE TO A STRONG ANGEL IN THE BOOK OF REVELATION, THE FIRST TWO BEING FOUND IN REVELATION 5:2 AND REVELATION 10:1.

** AND STRONG SIMPLY MEANS MIGHTY OR POWERFUL. AND THOSE ADJECTIVES EMPHASIZE THE MIGHT OF THIS REPRESENTATIVE OF HEAVEN. POWER IS EMPHASIZED.

*** NOW OUTSIDE OF THAT NOTHING ELSE IS SAID ABOUT HIM WITH NO NAME, JUST THAT HE IS STRONG AND HAS THIS SPECIAL FUNCTION HERE IN REVELATION 18.

**** AND HIS FUNCTION FOR GOD ALMIGHTY IN THIS CONTEXT IS TO TAKE A GREAT MILLSTONE AND THROW IT INTO THE SEA SAYING, “SO WILL BABYLON, THE GREAT CITY, BE THROWN DOWN WITH VIOLENCE, AND WILL NOT BE FOUND ANY LONGER.”

1. NOW FIRST OF ALL TO EXPLAIN THIS ACTION, THE GREEK WORD FOR MILLSTONE HERE MAKES REFERENCE TO A MEGA MILLSTONE FOR THE WORD GREAT IS THE GREEK WORD MEGAS.

* AND THIS STONE WAS NOT A SMALL MILLSTONE TURNED BY WOMEN IN THAT DAY TO GRIND GRAIN INTO FLOUR FOR BREAD, FEED AND OTHER USES.

** THE MILLSTONE MENTIONED HERE IN V. 21 WAS A LARGE MILLSTONE TURNED BY A DONKEY, FOUR TO FIVE FEET IN DIAMETER AND 12 INCHES THICK WEIGHING THOUSANDS OF POUNDS.

*** NOW THE STONE THAT THIS STRONG ANGEL THROWS INTO THE SEA, POSSIBLY THE PERSIAN GULF INTO WHICH IF THIS NOW REVIVED BABYLON IS IN IRAQ, ALONG THE EUPHRATES RIVER, EMPTIES INTO THE PERSIAN GULF, IF IT IS IN THE OLD LOCATION OF BABYLON.

**** BUT REGARDLESS, THE STONE THROWN INTO WHATEVER SEA HERE WAS LIKE A MILLSTONE, HUGE, A BIG ONE.

2. NOW THE QUESTION COMES UP AT THIS POINT, WHAT DOES THIS ACTION COMMUNICATE OR REPRESENT?

* WELL, THE REST OF V. 21 TELLS US. BABYLON WILL BE THROWN DOWN WITH VIOLENCE AND WILL NOT BE FOUND ANY LONGER.

** AND WITH THESE WORDS WE HAVE THE PICTURE OF THE COMPLETE AND VIOLENT DESTRUCTION OF BABYLON.

*** IN ONE MOMENT, AS THAT STONE DISAPPEARED INTO THE SEA, BABYLON WILL DISAPPEAR.

**** BELOVED, THE GREAT FINAL CITY OF ANTICHRIST WILL SINK INTO OBLIVION AS SURELY AS THE GREAT QUOTE UNSINKABLE TITANIC MANY YEARS AGO SUNK.

3. THE DIFFERENCE BEING, THE RUINS OF THE TITANIC WERE FOUND, BUT BABYLON WILL NEVER BE FOUND AGAIN.

* HER JUDGMENT WILL BE SWIFT, FULL AND FINAL, AS THE BOW OF GOD’S WRATH IS DRAWN.

** AGAIN THE PICTURE IS A VIOLENT DOWNFALL, A TOTAL VANISHING AS WHEN A LARGE STONE SINKS BENEATH THE WATER’S SURFACE, NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN.

*** AND THIS VIVID IMAGERY REMINDS US THAT GOD’S JUDGMENT CAN COME VERY QUICKLY AND WHEN IT COMES THERE IS NO HOPE. IT IS SWIFT AND HEAVY.

**** AND WE LIVE IN A GENERATION THAT WHEN THIS KIND OF WRATH IS COMMUNICATED, AND WHEN THIS KIND OF JUSTICE AND JUDGMENT IS PREACHED, PEOPLE STAND UP AND REBEL AND CALL GOD UNJUST AND PREACHERS HARSH.

4. BUT UNDERSTAND TODAY, THIS IS THE GOD OF THE BIBLE, A HOLY, JUST, VENGEFUL, JEALOUS GOD WHOSE ANGER BURNS AGAINST SIN AND IT IS ONLY IS GREAT PATIENCE AND KINDNESS THAT LEADS HIM TO NOT GIVE EVERYONE WHAT THEY DESERVE.

* BELOVED, IT WAS THROUGH GOD’S GRACE, LOVE AND MERCY THAT WE WERE RESCUED FROM OUR SINS THROUGH CHRIST AND THAT SEPARATES US FROM HELL.

** BUT UNDERSTANDING HIS HOLY ANGER BURNS AGAINST SIN AND PEOPLE AND CITIES AND NATIONS THAT HAVE TURNED TO IDOLS RATHER THAN TURNING TO HIM.

*** AND BECAUSE THERE IS A GREAT IGNORANCE OF GOD IN OUR LAND TODAY THROUGH NOT UNDERSTANDING SCRIPTURE, AND WHAT GOD SAYS, PEOPLE THINK THE BOOK OF REVELATION UNDERSTOOD PROPERLY IS WACKY AND WILD AND CERTAINLY GOD WILL NOT POUR HIS WRATH ON THE WORLD THE WAY HE DOES HERE.

**** BUT HE WILL, BECAUSE HE SAID SO, AND BECAUSE THOSE ON THE EARTH DESERVE IT.

5. AND HERE IN REVELATION 18:21 BABYLON WILL DISAPPEAR AND THE PICTURE HERE IS SWIFT AND VIOLENT AS BABYLON IS THROWN DOWN WITH VIOLENCE AND NOT FOUND ANY LONGER.

* SO THE PICTURE OF A STRONG ANGEL THROWING A LARGE STONE INTO THE SEA IS VERY VIVID SHOWING WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN RESPECT TO THE TRUTHS WE’VE ALREADY STUDIED IN REVELATION 18.

** AND HERE IN V. 21, THE STONE SHOWS JUDGMENT, WHICH LEADS US TO VV. 22&23 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE SILENCE. AND SILENCE SHOWS JUDGMENT. LOOK AT V. 22 PLEASE.

II. THE SILENCE, (READ V. 22)

A. NOW AS I SAID IN MY INTRODUCTION THIS MORNING, THE SILENCE HERE IS NOT GOLDEN, IT IS A DEATH KNELL.

* FOR NO. 1 MUSIC WILL NO LONGER BE HEARD IN BABYLON, THE EXACT WORDING IN THE NAS IS, “WILL NOT BE HEARD IN YOU ANY LONGER.”

** AND THIS PHRASE EMPHASIZES THE COMPLETE AND PERMANENT DISAPPEARANCE OF ALL TYPES OF MUSIC FROM BABYLON. THERE IS FINALITY HERE.

*** AND MUSIC WHICH IS SUCH A BIG PART OF MANY PEOPLE’S LIVES FROM PLAYING IT, SINGING TO IT AND LISTENING TO IT WILL BE GONE TO BE HEARD NO MORE. GOOD MUSIC AND BAD MUSIC ARE BOTH ELIMINATED.

**** BUT NOT ONLY SILENCE TO MUSIC, BUT SILENCE TO CRAFTSMEN. NO MORE POUNDING NAILS, NO MORE CIRCULAR SAW SOUNDS, NO MORE BUILDING, CRAFTING, NO SPRAY SOUNDS, NO SOUNDS FROM PEOPLE WORKING AT THEIR CRAFTS.

1. NEXT, THE DEAFENING SILENCE COMES FROM THE SOUND OF A MILL NO LONGER FUNCTIONING.

** AND HERE IT APPEARS THAT THE SOUND OF FOOD PREPARATION IS GONE AS MILLSTONES WILL NO LONGER BE GRINDING GRAIN FOR FLOUR.

*** AND THINK OF ALL THE INDUSTRY RELATED TO FOOD, FROM GROWING IT, PROCESSING IT, AND TRANSPORTING IT, EVEN THE SOUND OF A SHOPPING CART ROLLING TO BUY IT, ALL WILL BE SILENCED.

**** BUT OTHER THINGS WILL CEASE, LOOK AT V. 23 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 23. NOW THE NEXT RESULT OF GOD’S JUDGMENT ON BABYLON INTRODUCED TO US EARLIER IN CHAPTER 18, BUT NOW FULFILLED AND REALIZED IS DARKNESS OVER THE CITY. BABYLON WILL GO DARK.

* FOR THE LIGHT OF LAMPS WILL NO LONGER SHINE IN BABYLON. AND THE WORD LIGHT CAN BE TRANSLATED CANDLE AS IT IS IN THE KJV, AND BOTTOM LINE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ARTIFICIAL LIGHT WHETHER PRODUCED BY A TORCH OR CANDLE OR OIL LAMP IN THAT DAY TO OUR DAY LED ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

** THERE WILL BE A COMPLETE BLACK OUT IN BABYLON AS A RESULT OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.

*** BUT NOT ONLY A BLACKOUT, BUT SILENCE WHEN IT COMES TO HAPPY FAMILY OCCASIONS, WEDDINGS.

**** FOR THE VOICE OF THE BRIDEGROOM WILL NO LONGER BE HEARD, IT WILL BE COMPLETELY SILENCED.

1. NO MORE BEEPING HORNS, NO MORE “YOU MAY KISS THE BRIDE NOW,” NO MORE “I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU HUSBAND AND WIFE,” NO MORE RECEPTIONS, NO MORE HONEYMOONS, NO MORE MARRYING AND GIVING IN MARRIAGE.

* AND THE POINT FROM ALL THESE ILLUSTRATIONS IN VERSES 22&23 DECLARE THAT NONE OF THE NORMAL ACTIVITIES OF HUMAN LIFE WILL TAKE PLACE.

** AND THE DEAFENING SILENCE IN THE CITY COMMUNICATED THE DEATH KNELL OF THIS CITY.

*** BIT BY BIT JOHN IS PICTURING THE STILLING OF ALL THE LIFE OF THE GREAT CITY.

**** AND AGAIN, THE VERY SILENCE OF BABYLON IS A TESTIMONY TO GOD’S DEVASTATING JUDGMENT.

2. NOW IN THE REST OF V. 23 AND IN V. 24, 3 FINAL REASONS ARE GIVEN FOR THIS CITY’S QUICK AND VIOLENT JUDGMENT.

* NO. 1 HER PRIDE. FOR THE NEXT STATEMENT IN V. 23 SAYS: “FOR YOUR MERCHANTS WERE THE GREAT MEN OF THE EARTH.”

** THE TRUTH BEING PRIDE IN THE MIGHT OF THE CITY WAS ALWAYS CHARACTERISTIC OF BABYLON.

*** BABYLON WAS PROUD OF HER MERCHANTS WHO BECAME THE GREAT MEN OF THE EARTH.

**** IN OTHER WORDS, THESE MEN THROUGH COMMERCE AND TRADE ENABLED BABYLON TO DOMINATE THE EARTH ECONOMICALLY.

3. BABYLON THROUGH HER TRADE AND COMMERCE FUELED BY POWERFUL BUSINESSMEN BECAME A POWER, AND THESE MEN WOULD DISPLACE POLITICIANS AND PRINCES TO BECOME “THE GREAT MEN OF THE EARTH.”

* AND THERE WAS PROFIT AND PRIDE BY AND FOR THIS CITY AS A RESULT OF THESE MEN.

** AND THE ILLUSTRATION I CAN THINK IN ONE AREA WOULD HAVE BEEN YEARS AGO HOW THROUGH BOSS HOOVER AND HENRY TIMKEN.

*** WHEN THOUSANDS OF JOBS WERE CREATED THROUGH THEIR PLANTS AND WEALTH AND INDUSTRY COMING HERE YEARS AGO.

**** AND AT ONE TIME MANY YEARS AGO THERE WAS A PRIDE THAT CAME FROM THAT IN THE COMMUNITY AS JOBS AT ONE TIME WERE PLENTIFUL. (SO IN TRIBUTE WE HAVE HOOVER HIGH SCHOOL, TIMKEN HIGH SCHOOL – TIMKEN MERCY HOSPITAL, ETC.)

4. WELL, BABYLON WOULD HAVE TAKEN THAT TO THE NEXT STEP TO SIN IN CONFIDENCE IN THESE MEN, NOT GOD, TO TAKE CARE OF THEM AND BE THE CONDUIT FOR WEALTH.

* SO PRIDE IS THE FIRST REASON FOR JUDGMENT.

** NO. 2 THE NEXT REASON FOR JUDGMENT IS POWER, THE END OF V. 23, “BECAUSE ALL THE NATIONS WERE DECEIVED BY YOUR SORCERY.”

*** NOW SORCERY WAS USED BY BABYLON TO GAIN POWER THROUGH DECEIVING THE NATIONS.

**** AND UNDERSTAND BABYLON BECAME POWERFUL THROUGH FALSE RELIGION, THROUGH FINANCIAL MEANS AND THROUGH SORCERY.

5. WITH THAT SAID, WHAT IS SORCERY HERE?

* WELL, THE WORD SORCERY IS THE GREEK WORD FAR-MA-KAY-AH, THE ROOT WORD OF THE ENGLISH WORDS PHARMACY AND PHARMACEUTICALS.

** AND IN GALATIANS 5:20 THIS GREEK WORD IS TRANSLATED WITCHCRAFT OR SORCERY DEPENDING ON WHICH TRANSLATION YOU USE AND IN REVELATION 9:21 THE NOUN IS TRANSLATED SORCERIES OR MAGIC ARTS.

*** SO THIS WORD IS USED IN THE N.T. TO REFER TO MAGIC AND OCCULT PRACTICES.

**** AND CONNECTED TO THESE OCCULT PRACTICES ARE DRUGS, FAR-MA-KAY-AH – DRUGS, MEDICINE, POTIONS.

6. AND IT APPEARS TO ME THAT BABYLON USED THE COMBINATION OF DRUGS AND OCCULT POWERS TO DECEIVE PEOPLE INTO FALSE RELIGION.

* FOR ANTICHRIST WILL USE RELIGION AND MONEY TO GET HIS POWER AND INFLUENCE THE WORLD. THAT WILL BE HIS POWER BASE, FOR HIS ULTIMATE WORSHIP AND ASCENDANCY TO THE DICTATOR OF THE WORLD, OBVIOUSLY ENERGIZED BY SATAN.

** SO SORCERY, WITCHCRAFTS, OCCULT PRACTICES AND DECEPTION THROUGH SEDUCTION THROUGH DRUGS WILL BRING ABOUT BABYLON’S POWER UNDER ANTICHRIST.

*** SO SHE IS JUDGED FOR HER PRIDE, HER POWER AND LAST OF ALL IN V. 24, HER PERSECUTIONS. LOOK AT V. 24 PLEASE WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR LAST POINT TODAY, THE SLAIN.

III. THE SLAIN, (READ V. 24)

A. NOW BABYLON IS THE SOURCE, IS BEHIND THE PERSECUTIONS OF THE TRIBULATION WHERE THE BLOOD OF CHRISTIANS THAT ARE SAVED DURING THIS TIME IS SHED.

* AND THE SWEEP OF V. 24 IN MY UNDERSTANDING WOULD BE THE CONTEXT, THE SETTING OF THE TRIBULATION.

** TO PUT IT ANOTHER WAY, THE PERSECUTION AND MARTYRDOM OF SLAIN PROPHETS AND SAINTS FIND IT’S SOURCE FROM BABYLON ENERGIZED OBVIOUSLY BY ANTICHRIST.

*** FOR YOU SEE, THE SAINTS AND PROPHETS GET IN THE WAY OF THE AGENDA OF ECONOMIC AND RELIGIOUS BABYLON, SO THESE OBSTACLES MUST BE ELIMINATED.

**** BELOVED, THE BLOOD THAT HAS STAINED THE EARTH IS TRACEABLE TO THE PLOTTINGS OF THIS GOD-OPPOSED BABYLONIAN SYSTEM.

1. BABYLON IS THUS CULPABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PERSECUTIONS IN KILLING CHRISTIANS AND IS THE THIRD AND FINAL REASON GIVEN HERE IN THIS PASSAGE FOR HER JUDGMENT.

* AND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION AND THE TRIBULATION PROPHETS MAY REFER TO THE TWO PROPHETS, THE TWO SPECIAL WITNESSES MARTYRED IN REVELATION 11 AND POSSIBLY OTHER PREACHERS DURING THIS TIME AND THE SAINTS WOULD REFER TO THOSE WHO DID NOT RECEIVE THE MARK OF THE BEAST THAT HAVE BEEN SAVED DURING THE TRIBULATION IN REVELATION 7, A GREAT MULTITUDE WHICH NO ONE CAN NUMBER.

** AND THE ALL FOLLOWING IN V. 24 AFTER THE BLOOD OF PROPHETS AND OF SAINTS AND OF ALL WHO HAVE BEEN SLAIN ON THE EARTH DURING THIS TIME WOULD BE A SUMMARY STATEMENT OF ALL BELIEVERS INCLUDING THE PROPHETS.

*** THE BOTTOM LINE POINT BEING, BABYLON WAS THE MOTHER OF PERSECUTION OF ALL CHRISTIANS WHO DIED DURING THIS TIME. IT ALL FALLS ON HER SHOULDERS.

*** SO WHY WAS BABYLON JUDGED IN OUR TEXT TODAY?

2. BECAUSE OF HER PRIDE, HER POWER AND HER PERSECUTION.

IN WRAP UP: (1) THE VIVID LANGUAGE DESCRIBING GOD’S HOLY JUDGMENT AND HOT WRATH BEING POURED OUT ON A SINFUL CITY REMINDS ME AND TAKES ME TO JONATHAN EDWARDS FAMOUS SERMON DELIVERED ON JULY 8TH, 1741 IN ENFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

** I’VE LISTEN TO THIS SERMON TWICE OVER THE LAST MONTH OR SO AND IT’S VIVID IMAGERY AND CLARITY ABOUT GOD’S HOLY WRATH IS STUNNING. IT IS AMAZING, IT IS SHOCKING, IT IS OVERWHELMING.

*** THE REASON BEING, GOD’S WRATH IS EITHER WATERED DOWN, NOT PREACHED OR NOT BELIEVED BY A VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE IN AND OUT OF PROFESSING CHRISTENDOM TODAY.

**** BUT EDWARDS, THE GREAT SCHOLAR AND THEOLOGIAN PASTOR WAS BURDENED FOR THOSE IN CHURCH WHO WERE POSER, PRETENDERS OR DECEIVED INTO THINKING THEY WERE BELIEVERS WHEN THEY WERE NOT.

(2) AND GOD’S HOT ANGER IS EMPHASIZED AND SWIFT JUDGMENT WHEN THE DAY OF WRATH COMES IS DECLARED.

* THUS IT REMINDS ME OF REVELATION 18 AS WE CLOSE THIS GREAT CHAPTER.

** BECAUSE OF THAT I WILL TAKE SOME TIME HERE TO READ A PART OF THIS SERMON TO BE A CALL TO REPENTANCE FOR YOU THAT ARE POSERS AND NOT CHRISTIANS. AND FOR CHRISTIANS TO REJOICE IN GOD’S LOVE AND MERCY TODAY.

*** EDWARDS PREACHING TO LOST PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH SAID AND I QUOTE:

**** YOUR WICKEDNESS MAKES YOU AS IT WERE HEAVY AS LEAD, AND TO TEND DOWNWARDS WITH GREAT WEIGHT AND PRESSURE TOWARDS HELL; AND IF GOD SHOULD LET YOU GO, YOU WOULD IMMEDIATELY SINK AND SWIFTLY DESCEND AND PLUNGE INTO THE BOTTOMLESS GULF, AND YOUR HEALTHY CONSTITUTION, AND YOUR OWN CARE AND PRUDENCE, AND BEST CONTRIVANCE, AND ALL YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS, WOULD HAVE NO MORE INFLUENCE TO UPHOLD YOU AND KEEP YOU OUT OF HELL, THAN A SPIDER'S WEB WOULD HAVE TO STOP A FALLING ROCK.

**** WERE IT NOT FOR THE SOVEREIGN PLEASURE OF GOD, THE EARTH WOULD NOT BEAR YOU ONE MOMENT; FOR YOU ARE A BURDEN TO IT; THE CREATION GROANS WITH YOU; THE CREATURE IS MADE SUBJECT TO THE BONDAGE OF YOUR CORRUPTION, NOT WILLINGLY; THE SUN DOES NOT WILLINGLY SHINE UPON YOU TO GIVE YOU LIGHT TO SERVE SIN AND SATAN; THE EARTH DOES NOT WILLINGLY YIELD HER INCREASE TO SATISFY YOUR LUSTS; NOR IS IT WILLINGLY A STAGE FOR YOUR WICKEDNESS TO BE ACTED UPON; THE AIR DOES NOT WILLINGLY SERVE YOU FOR BREATH TO MAINTAIN THE FLAME OF LIFE IN YOUR VITALS, WHILE YOU SPEND YOUR LIFE IN THE SERVICE OF GOD'S ENEMIES.

(3) THE WRATH OF GOD IS LIKE GREAT WATERS THAT ARE DAMMED FOR THE PRESENT; THEY INCREASE MORE AND MORE, AND RISE HIGHER AND HIGHER, TILL AN OUTLET IS GIVEN; AND THE LONGER THE STREAM IS STOPPED, THE MORE RAPID AND MIGHTY IS ITS COURSE, WHEN ONCE IT IS LET LOOSE.

* IT IS TRUE, THAT JUDGMENT AGAINST YOUR EVIL WORKS HAS NOT BEEN EXECUTED HITHERTO; THE FLOODS OF GOD'S VENGEANCE HAVE BEEN WITHHELD; BUT YOUR GUILT IN THE MEAN TIME IS CONSTANTLY INCREASING, AND YOU ARE EVERY DAY TREASURING UP MORE WRATH; THE WATERS ARE CONSTANTLY RISING, AND WAXING MORE AND MORE MIGHTY; AND THERE IS NOTHING BUT THE MERE PLEASURE OF GOD, THAT HOLDS THE WATERS BACK, THAT ARE UNWILLING TO BE STOPPED, AND PRESS HARD TO GO FORWARD.

**IF GOD SHOULD ONLY WITHDRAW HIS HAND FROM THE FLOOD-GATE, IT WOULD IMMEDIATELY FLY OPEN, AND THE FIERY FLOODS OF THE FIERCENESS AND WRATH OF GOD, WOULD RUSH FORTH WITH INCONCEIVABLE FURY, AND WOULD COME UPON YOU WITH OMNIPOTENT POWER; AND IF YOUR STRENGTH WERE TEN THOUSAND TIMES GREATER THAN IT IS, YEA, TEN THOUSAND TIMES GREATER THAN THE STRENGTH OF THE STOUTEST, STURDIEST DEVIL IN HELL, IT WOULD BE NOTHING TO WITHSTAND OR ENDURE IT.

*** THE BOW OF GOD'S WRATH IS BENT, AND THE ARROW MADE READY ON THE STRING, AND JUSTICE BENDS THE ARROW AT YOUR HEART, AND STRAINS THE BOW, AND IT IS NOTHING BUT THE MERE PLEASURE OF GOD, AND THAT OF AN ANGRY GOD, WITHOUT ANY PROMISE OR OBLIGATION AT ALL, THAT KEEPS THE ARROW ONE MOMENT FROM BEING MADE DRUNK WITH YOUR BLOOD.

**** THUS ALL YOU THAT NEVER PASSED UNDER A GREAT CHANGE OF HEART, BY THE MIGHTY POWER OF THE SPIRIT OF GOD UPON YOUR SOULS; ALL YOU THAT WERE NEVER BORN AGAIN, AND MADE NEW CREATURES, AND RAISED FROM BEING DEAD IN SIN, TO A STATE OF NEW, AND BEFORE ALTOGETHER UNEXPERIENCED LIGHT AND LIFE, ARE IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD.

(4) HOWEVER YOU MAY HAVE REFORMED YOUR LIFE IN MANY THINGS, AND MAY HAVE HAD RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS, AND MAY KEEP UP A FORM OF RELIGION IN YOUR FAMILIES AND CLOSETS, AND IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, IT IS NOTHING BUT HIS MERE PLEASURE THAT KEEPS YOU FROM BEING THIS MOMENT SWALLOWED UP IN EVERLASTING DESTRUCTION.

* HOWEVER UNCONVINCED YOU MAY NOW BE OF THE TRUTH OF WHAT YOU HEAR, BY AND BY YOU WILL BE FULLY CONVINCED OF IT. THOSE THAT ARE GONE FROM BEING IN THE LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES WITH YOU, SEE THAT IT WAS SO WITH THEM; FOR DESTRUCTION CAME SUDDENLY UPON MOST OF THEM; WHEN THEY EXPECTED NOTHING OF IT, AND WHILE THEY WERE SAYING, PEACE AND SAFETY: NOW THEY SEE, THAT THOSE THINGS ON WHICH THEY DEPENDED FOR PEACE AND SAFETY, WERE NOTHING BUT THIN AIR AND EMPTY SHADOWS.

** THE GOD THAT HOLDS YOU OVER THE PIT OF HELL, MUCH AS ONE HOLDS A SPIDER, OR SOME LOATHSOME INSECT OVER THE FIRE, ABHORS YOU, AND IS DREADFULLY PROVOKED: HIS WRATH TOWARDS YOU BURNS LIKE FIRE; HE LOOKS UPON YOU AS WORTHY OF NOTHING ELSE, BUT TO BE CAST INTO THE FIRE; HE IS OF PURER EYES THAN TO BEAR TO HAVE YOU IN HIS SIGHT; YOU ARE TEN THOUSAND TIMES MORE ABOMINABLE IN HIS EYES, THAN THE MOST HATEFUL VENOMOUS SERPENT IS IN OURS.

*** YOU HAVE OFFENDED HIM INFINITELY MORE THAN EVER A STUBBORN REBEL DID HIS PRINCE; AND YET IT IS NOTHING BUT HIS HAND THAT HOLDS YOU FROM FALLING INTO THE FIRE EVERY MOMENT. IT IS TO BE ASCRIBED TO NOTHING ELSE, THAT YOU DID NOT GO TO HELL THE LAST NIGHT; THAT YOU WAS SUFFERED TO AWAKE AGAIN IN THIS WORLD, AFTER YOU CLOSED YOUR EYES TO SLEEP.

**** AND THERE IS NO OTHER REASON TO BE GIVEN, WHY YOU HAVE NOT DROPPED INTO HELL SINCE YOU AROSE IN THE MORNING, BUT THAT GOD'S HAND HAS HELD YOU UP. THERE IS NO OTHER REASON TO BE GIVEN WHY YOU HAVE NOT GONE TO HELL, SINCE YOU HAVE SAT HERE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, PROVOKING HIS PURE EYES BY YOUR SINFUL WICKED MANNER OF ATTENDING HIS SOLEMN WORSHIP. YEA, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE THAT IS TO BE GIVEN AS A REASON WHY YOU DO NOT THIS VERY MOMENT DROP DOWN INTO HELL.

(5) O SINNER! CONSIDER THE FEARFUL DANGER YOU ARE IN: IT IS A GREAT FURNACE OF WRATH, A WIDE AND BOTTOMLESS PIT, FULL OF THE FIRE OF WRATH, THAT YOU ARE HELD OVER IN THE HAND OF THAT GOD, WHOSE WRATH IS PROVOKED AND INCENSED AS MUCH AGAINST YOU, AS AGAINST MANY OF THE DAMNED IN HELL.

*YOU HANG BY A SLENDER THREAD, WITH THE FLAMES OF DIVINE WRATH FLASHING ABOUT IT, AND READY EVERY MOMENT TO SINGE IT, AND BURN IT ASUNDER; AND YOU HAVE NO INTEREST IN ANY MEDIATOR, AND NOTHING TO LAY HOLD OF TO SAVE YOURSELF, NOTHING TO KEEP OFF THE FLAMES OF WRATH, NOTHING OF YOUR OWN, NOTHING THAT YOU EVER HAVE DONE, NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO, TO INDUCE GOD TO SPARE YOU ONE MOMENT.

** AND CONSIDER HERE MORE PARTICULARLY WHOSE WRATH IT IS: IT IS THE WRATH OF THE INFINITE GOD.

*** IN THE END OF MY MESSAGE, I CALL EVERYONE HERE TODAY TO REPENT OR REJOICE. TO REPENT OF YOUR SINS AND TURN TO CHRIST IF YOU ARE NOT A TRUE FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. FOR THERE WILL BE NO SILENCE IN HELL, BUT WEEPING AND WAILING AND GNASHING OF TEETH.

**** REPENT OR PERISH.

**** BELIEVER, REJOICE IN GOD’S MERCY IN RESCUING YOU FROM HIS WRATH, PRAISE HIM FOR HIS PATIENCE AND GRACE MANIFEST TO YOU.

(6) AS WE CONSIDER LIFE AND DEATH–FOR YOU THAT HAVE LIFE REJOICE AND PRAISE. FOR YOU IN DEATH REPENT AND PROSTRATE YOURSELF BEFORE AN ANGRY GOD.