Revelation 18- Driving your desires in the right direction (HM)

So we saw the other day that Babylon does have its attractions to some people in this world. But Revelation is showing it under it's final judgement....and in Chapters 18-20, God destroys all evil with his final judgement, before launching his new world in chapters 21-22.
v1-8-
1 After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor. 2 He gave a mighty shout:   “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen!
      She has become a home for demons.
   She is a hideout for every foul spirit,
      a hideout for every foul vulture
      and every foul and dreadful animal.
 3 For all the nations have fallen
      because of the wine of her passionate immorality.
   The kings of the world
      have committed adultery with her.
   Because of her desires for extravagant luxury,
      the merchants of the world have grown rich.”
 4 Then I heard another voice calling from heaven,
   “Come away from her, my people.
      Do not take part in her sins,
      or you will be punished with her.
 5 For her sins are piled as high as heaven,
      and God remembers her evil deeds.
 6 Do to her as she has done to others.
      Double her penalty for all her evil deeds.
   She brewed a cup of terror for others,
      so brew twice as much for her.
 7 She glorified herself and lived in luxury,
      so match it now with torment and sorrow.
   She boasted in her heart,
      ‘I am queen on my throne.
   I am no helpless widow,
      and I have no reason to mourn.’
 8 Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—
      death and mourning and famine.
   She will be completely consumed by fire,
      for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”
There are so many temptations in this world- Sex, money, alcohol are just some of the biggest ones. And it's easy to think that as Christians, just because giving into these temptations is defying God and moving you away from him, it doesn't mean we're 'immune' from them and can't notice that sometimes they might already be seducing us. We are to stick with God and not let anything come between our relationship with him.
We are told to avoid Babylon's sins. Don't become complacent by the fact you might be self-sufficient. Perhaps you could even use your own resources to help others.
v9-24-
9 And the kings of the world who committed adultery with her and enjoyed her great luxury will mourn for her as they see the smoke rising from her charred remains. 10 They will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will cry out,
   “How terrible, how terrible for you,
      O Babylon, you great city!
   In a single moment
      God’s judgment came on you.”
 11 The merchants of the world will weep and mourn for her, for there is no one left to buy their goods. 12 She bought great quantities of gold, silver, jewels, and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet cloth; things made of fragrant thyine wood, ivory goods, and objects made of expensive wood; and bronze, iron, and marble. 13 She also bought cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, olive oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, sheep, horses, chariots, and bodies—that is, human slaves.
 14 “The fancy things you loved so much
      are gone,” they cry.
   “All your luxuries and splendor
      are gone forever,
      never to be yours again.”
 15 The merchants who became wealthy by selling her these things will stand at a distance, terrified by her great torment. They will weep and cry out,
 16 “How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
      She was clothed in finest purple and scarlet linens,
      decked out with gold and precious stones and pearls!
 17 In a single moment
      all the wealth of the city is gone!”
   And all the captains of the merchant ships and their passengers and sailors and crews will stand at a distance. 18 They will cry out as they watch the smoke ascend, and they will say, “Where is there another city as great as this?” 19 And they will weep and throw dust on their heads to show their grief. And they will cry out,
   “How terrible, how terrible for that great city!
      The shipowners became wealthy
      by transporting her great wealth on the seas.
   In a single moment it is all gone.”
 20 Rejoice over her fate, O heaven
      and people of God and apostles and prophets!
   For at last God has judged her
      for your sakes.
 21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted,
   “Just like this, the great city Babylon
      will be thrown down with violence
      and will never be found again.
 22 The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpets
      will never be heard in you again.
   No craftsmen and no trades
      will ever be found in you again.
   The sound of the mill
      will never be heard in you again.
 23 The light of a lamp
      will never shine in you again.
   The happy voices of brides and grooms
      will never be heard in you again.
   For your merchants were the greatest in the world,
      and you deceived the nations with your sorceries.
 24 In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people
      and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.”
 Those people who chose to go their own way will loose everything when God's judgement comes. Everything they have worked a lifetime for will be taken away from them "in a single moment". So, what can we take with us into our eternal life? Our faith, our character, our relationship with other Christians...these are all more important things than money power and pleasure.
How can we steer clear from this evil, immoral things then? Well, here's some suggestions...
1. Always put people first, not worldly goods.
2. Stay clear from pride
3. Remember that God will and word are final...follow it and don't just read and know it
4. Do what is right, no matter what the cost
5. If you're gonna be involved in any business, try being involved in one that provides worthwhile things and services- not just things like worldly goods.
The voice from heaven (v4) is continuing to say all the things Babylon USED TO provide. Only a few of these things were actually necessities, most of them were luxuries. We are so lucky and fortunate to live in a place where we have luxuries...even luxuries like toilet roll!! But we too, are in danger of being taken over by our possessions and pleasure. Make sure your desires...your birthday/christmas list...or I wish I could have....lead you in the right direction. Keep your main desire to serving God.

Revelation 17- Beware (HM)

The message of Revelation 17 is BEWARE! Be very, very aware. The Godless lifestyle of this world can be very tempting and seductive.....but it doesn't give you exactly what it offers and is useless.

v1-6-

1 One of the seven angels who had poured out the seven bowls came over and spoke to me. “Come with me,” he said, “and I will show you the judgment that is going to come on the great prostitute, who rules over many waters. 2 The kings of the world have committed adultery with her, and the people who belong to this world have been made drunk by the wine of her immorality.” 3 So the angel took me in the Spirit into the wilderness. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that had seven heads and ten horns, and blasphemies against God were written all over it. 4 The woman wore purple and scarlet clothing and beautiful jewelry made of gold and precious gems and pearls. In her hand she held a gold goblet full of obscenities and the impurities of her immorality. 5 A mysterious name was written on her forehead: “Babylon the Great, Mother of All Prostitutes and Obscenities in the World.” 6 I could see that she was drunk—drunk with the blood of God’s holy people who were witnesses for Jesus. I stared at her in complete amazement.

This prostitute represents the seductiveness of the world we live in that uses immoral things to gain its own pleasure. The many waters represent the many people she rules over.

The angel took John into the wilderness, away from him life, to see the prostitute in her true reality. Sometimes, we can only get a true view of reality when we take a step back from our own lives to sin the sin and evil around us. Take some time to look at your life, its directions and activities. 

So, throughout history, many people have been killed for their faith, by government, and non-believers. The woman's drunken state shows her pleasure in her accomplishments . But think, every believer who has died from their persecution has only served to strengthen the church. Persecution is by no means anything from the past. No way ho-say! But we mustn't forget that although we, ourselves might not be being persecuted, there are others who are, so pray for those in difficult parts of the world.

v7-14-

7 “Why are you so amazed?” the angel asked. “I will tell you the mystery of this woman and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns on which she sits. 8 The beast you saw was once alive but isn’t now. And yet he will soon come up out of the bottomless pit and go to eternal destruction. And the people who belong to this world, whose names were not written in the Book of Life before the world was made, will be amazed at the reappearance of this beast who had died.

 9 “This calls for a mind with understanding: The seven heads of the beast represent the seven hills where the woman rules. They also represent seven kings. 10 Five kings have already fallen, the sixth now reigns, and the seventh is yet to come, but his reign will be brief.

 11 “The scarlet beast that was, but is no longer, is the eighth king. He is like the other seven, and he, too, is headed for destruction. 12 The ten horns of the beast are ten kings who have not yet risen to power. They will be appointed to their kingdoms for one brief moment to reign with the beast. 13 They will all agree to give him their power and authority. 14 Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.”

We've met this beast before (in Chapter 12 and 13)- he represents cruel rulers. Non-Christians are impressed by this sort of ruler since he has power.. But all of these evil powers will eventually be destroyed by Christ.

Apparently, the city of Rome is known for its seven hills, so here, John is referring to Rome. Whatever view is taken on these seven hills and kings, their evil power is limited, and its destruction is just over the horizon. Lets face it, we've all had that one person we would love to be like...whether it be a movie star, sportsman/woman, singer or Kate Middleton. But if you are indulged in the fact that you want to be them so much, you are an easy target for Satan. Worlds power is Satan's trap, and the desire for it can turn us away from God. Worship only God and make your only desire to serve him.

v15-18-

15 Then the angel said to me, “The waters where the prostitute is ruling represent masses of people of every nation and language. 16 The scarlet beast and his ten horns all hate the prostitute. They will strip her naked, eat her flesh, and burn her remains with fire. 17 For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled. 18 And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”

Wow, well I didn't see that one coming! The prostitutes followers, suddenly turn on her and destroy her!

No matter what happens though, we must trust that God is in charge, his plans will happen in the end just as he says. He might even use the people against him as tools. 

He might allow evil to be in this world we live now, but the new earth won't even know sin! :D

Revelation 15 v5- 16v21- Hang on in there (HM)

So last week, I mentioned about the plagues. Today we look at them more and the focus is on destruction and God's final judgement, and it's a long one....

Ch15 v5- Ch16 v7

5 Then I looked and saw that the Temple in heaven, God’s Tabernacle, was thrown wide open. 6 The seven angels who were holding the seven plagues came out of the Temple. They were clothed in spotless white linen with gold sashes across their chests. 7 Then one of the four living beings handed each of the seven angels a gold bowl filled with the wrath of God, who lives forever and ever. 8 The Temple was filled with smoke from God’s glory and power. No one could enter the Temple until the seven angels had completed pouring out the seven plagues.

So the angels are holding the seven plagues (it's that magic number 7 again). They are clothed in white linen, and just as I was looking at in the previous chapters, the white clothes symbolizes purity and that they have been made clean through the blood of Christ. Their clothes are similar to that of what Priests would have worn, they are free form corruption and injustice.

The smoke that fills the temple was God's glory and power. Once there is smoke, there is smoke, it doesn't disappear until it has spread out so far to evaporate. God's glory and power will not just fill the temple with his wrath, but also the world outside.

Our reign with Christ won't begin until all evil is destroyed by his judgement. But we must WAIT and be patient for it to come...even if that means just a little bit more suffering and persecution, or suffering for the rest of your lives. Put your trust in him, and you will be kept safe during your time of suffering, earning  eternal glory with Christ.

1 Then I heard a mighty voice from the Temple say to the seven angels, “Go your ways and pour out on the earth the seven bowls containing God’s wrath.”

 2 So the first angel left the Temple and poured out his bowl on the earth,and horrible, malignant sores broke out on everyone who had the mark of the beast and who worshiped his statue.

 3 Then the second angel poured out his bowl on the sea, and it became like the blood of a corpse. And everything in the sea died.

 4 Then the third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs, and they became blood. 5 And I heard the angel who had authority over all water saying,

   “You are just, O Holy One, who is and who always was,

      because you have sent these judgments.

 6 Since they shed the blood

      of your holy people and your prophets,

   you have given them blood to drink.

      It is their just reward.”

 7 And I heard a voice from the altar, saying,

   “Yes, O Lord God, the Almighty,

      your judgments are true and just.”

If any of you remember the trumpet judgments I looked at in Chapters 8-11, there are three main differences between those judgments and these bowl judgments....

1. These judgments are complete and the trumpet ones were partial
2. The trumpet judgments still gave unbelievers a chance to turn back and repent, these don't
3. People were differently effected by the trumpet judgments, but punished directly by the bowl judgments

The main targets of God's fair judgement and wrath are those who rejected Jesus and are on the beasts (Satan's) side since they have his mark on their foreheads.

The sea is turned into blood and everything in it dies. I remember when we used to walk to primary school and we walked past a pond every day. It's one of those ponds were you have a look at the fish and sometimes there's ducks...and ducklings! (the joys of primary school). But we were walking past one day and we say a fish just lying at the top of the water, the next day a few more and so on. It wasn't very nice to see and it made headlines in the local paper (not much happens in our area :P) But God is making a statement here by punishing all of those who shed the blood of believers, through persecuting them and making them suffer. He sets his own standard of justice and uses his power according to his own moral perfection. Whatever he does is fair....now this doesn't mean that we can go round causing those who have persecuted and made fun of us..it means that God's has overall judgement and revenge...(Romans 12v19)

Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say,

   “I will take revenge;

      I will pay them back,”

      says the Lord.

Ch16 v8-16-

 8 Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, causing it to scorch everyone with its fire. 9 Everyone was burned by this blast of heat, and they cursed the name of God, who had control over all these plagues. They did not repent of their sins and turn to God and give him glory. 10 Then the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom was plunged into darkness. His subjects ground their teeth in anguish, 11 and they cursed the God of heaven for their pains and sores. But they did not repent of their evil deeds and turn to God.

 12 Then the sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great Euphrates River, and it dried up so that the kings from the east could march their armies toward the west without hindrance.13 And I saw three evil spirits that looked like frogs leap from the mouths of the dragon, the beast, and the false prophet. 14 They are demonic spirits who work miracles and go out to all the rulers of the world to gather them for battle against the Lord on that great judgment day of God the Almighty.

 15 “Look, I will come as unexpectedly as a thief! Blessed are all who are watching for me, who keep their clothing ready so they will not have to walk around naked and ashamed.” 16 And the demonic spirits gathered all the rulers and their armies to a place with the Hebrew name Armageddon.

We know that the people know these judgments are coming from God since they are cursing him for sending them. But they still refuse to repent and a recognise God's authority. 

In the face of all these events, our response should be to stay awake and alert, neither giving up or becoming complacent even in the face of what is happening in the world right now.

Remember that this is only a vision, so don't go expecting some massive full on battle. This is a spiritual battle....and Christ has already won!!

v17-21-

17 Then the seventh angel poured out his bowl into the air. And a mighty shout came from the throne in the Temple, saying, “It is finished!” 18 Then the thunder crashed and rolled, and lightning flashed. And a great earthquake struck—the worst since people were placed on the earth. 19 The great city of Babylon split into three sections, and the cities of many nations fell into heaps of rubble. So God remembered all of Babylon’s sins, and he made her drink the cup that was filled with the wine of his fierce wrath. 20 And every island disappeared, and all the mountains were leveled. 21 There was a terrible hailstorm, and hailstones weighing seventy-five pounds fell from the sky onto the people below. They cursed God because of the terrible plague of the hailstorm.

Instead of describing the massive battle, the scene switches to God's final judgement. It's horrific, I mean, the world wouldn't really be a pretty happy place to live after all this had happened to it! Yet people are still cursing God and are still unrepentant. 

Revelation 14 v14 - Chapter 15 v4- God's delivery (HM)

Morning everyone...so, the holidays are nearly over and it's the dreaded thought of the approaching exams....but today in Revelation, something else is approaching...

Ch 14 v14-20-

14 Then I saw a white cloud, and seated on the cloud was someone like the Son of Man. He had a gold crown on his head and a sharp sickle in his hand. 15 Then another angel came from the Temple and shouted to the one sitting on the cloud, “Swing the sickle, for the time of harvest has come; the crop on earth is ripe.” 16 So the one sitting on the cloud swung his sickle over the earth, and the whole earth was harvested.
 17 After that, another angel came from the Temple in heaven, and he also had a sharp sickle. 18 Then another angel, who had power to destroy with fire, came from the altar. He shouted to the angel with the sharp sickle, “Swing your sickle now to gather the clusters of grapes from the vines of the earth, for they are ripe for judgment.” 19 So the angel swung his sickle over the earth and loaded the grapes into the great winepress of God’s wrath. 20The grapes were trampled in the winepress outside the city, and blood flowed from the winepress in a stream about 180 miles long and as high as a horse’s bridle.

This is an image of judgement. Just like a farmer harvests their crops, Christ is separating the faithful from the unfaithful. This is a time of joy for all believers who have been persecuted and faced temptation in their journey of faith- they will receive their long awaited reward of eternal life. Us as Christians shouldn't fear this final judgement for Jesus said...(John 5:24)

 "I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life."

Those who have rejected Christ and ignored God's warnings will be punished :( This is quite disturbing. For God's wrath on these people is like pressing grapes that were once ripe into wine. The depth and length of the blood is a symbol of the immensity of God's judgement. 

Those who know God's wrath well enough, or know what is coming, should know to desire his grace...do you desire His grace? 

Ch 15 v1-4

1 Then I saw in heaven another marvelous event of great significance. Seven angels were holding the seven last plagues, which would bring God’s wrath to completion. 2 I saw before me what seemed to be a glass sea mixed with fire. And on it stood all the people who had been victorious over the beast and his statue and the number representing his name. They were all holding harps that God had given them. 3 And they were singing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb:   “Great and marvelous are your works,      O Lord God, the Almighty.   Just and true are your ways,      O King of the nations. 4 Who will not fear you, Lord,      and glorify your name?      For you alone are holy.   All nations will come and worship before you,      for your righteous deeds have been revealed.”

So, seven plagues are on their way to bring the final judgement on these people....you would have thought by now after the wine press, the beasts, the dragon (things people usually would not go anywhere near), they would have seen sense and repented, but nope, so God is now sending his final judgement in the form of seven plagues. Unlike the previous plagues in Revelation, these are universal, not partial. 

The song of Moses in Exodus 15 celebrated Israel's deliverance from Egypt.  This song of the lamb is celebrating the ultimate deliverance of God's people from the power of Satan!! WOOO :D

Tune in tomorrow for more on the seven plagues...