After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, saying, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God; because His judgments are true and righteous; for He has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and He has avenged the blood of His bond-servants on her.” And a second time they said, “Hallelujah! Her smoke rises up forever and ever.” Revelation 19:1-3 The quarrel God has with Babylon and all false religion is that she glorifies herself in the name of God. She teaches in the name of Christ, mingling truth with error. God’s saints are called to separate themselves from that root error: The error of hunger for earthly glory and position obtained by religious devotion. Whenever a church seeks influence by impressing people with outward splendor, you have the seeds of Babylon present. Whenever individual Christians try to appear pious and devout while their heart runs after material gain or status, there is the false allurement of Babylon.
In the New Testament, the occasion where this begins in the church is the judgment that came upon Ananias and Sapphira in the book of Acts. That couple seemed to be godly and devout, but what they were after was not the glory of God but self-glory. They were using an apparent act of devotion on their part in selling their land, and giving only a part of the proceeds to the apostles to gain a false status in the midst of the church.
We should ask ourselves; Why does God show us all these things in Revelation? All through Revelation we are seeing the end of things that are present with us now. We are shown this because if we see how things will end, we can turn away from them now. That is the reason this book is sent to the seven churches of Asia — that they might learn, from the judgments God will bring on Babylon. That they might learn what is wrong with the false practices they see happening around them. These same practices you and I see happening around us, as we live our lives throughout the church age.
God is giving man opportunity to turn from evil and come to Him. He gives us all warning found in His Word. In Isaiah 46 He says, “Remember this, and be assured; Recall it to mind, you transgressors. “Remember the former things long past, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things which have not been done, Saying, ‘My purpose will be established, And I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; Praise Him today for His word, His warning and His love.
Pastor Clay
