number of things that appear in the news that I hope you're alert to that fit with our study of biblical prophecy. I clipped out a couple of articles from the newspaper. Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin asked Pope John Paul II Thursday to use his moral influence to get the peace process back on track. I find that significant in light of what we've talked about in Revelation chapter 17. The place that the apostate church, comprised of Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, will play in the rise, the power of the Antichrist and his rule and reign in the 70th week of Daniel. Here you see the Pope asked to become involved in influencing the peace process there. A peace that will ultimately be realized when the Antichrist himself signs an agreement with Israel according to Daniel chapter 9. So we know that he will be involved in this peace process and the religious leaders will as well. Also an article that came out of yesterday's paper on the Roman Catholic Church, Vatican paper criticizes fundamentalism A new Vatican document on how to interpret the Bible condemns the fundamentalist approach as distorting, dangerous, and possibly leading to racism. The 130-page document presented Friday is the Roman Catholic Church's latest commentary on trends in biblical study. Some of its language is unusually harsh, reflecting the challenge that fundamentalism poses to the Church. I think it's interesting to note, the Roman Catholic Church is encompassing and includes all kinds and all varieties of beliefs, from Spiritism and on around. But the one group that does not fit, that they recognize as a thorn in their side, is biblical fundamentalists. Now, some professing Christians don't understand this. And hopefully they'll read this Roman Catholic doctrine. Because at the same time, some Christians are proposing agreement with Roman Catholicism, the Roman Catholic Church sees it as it is. Biblical fundamentalism is diametrically opposed to the teaching of the Roman Church. They are incompatible. That's of interest to me in light of our study on biblical prophecy also, because it would be characteristic of the apostate church in the 70th week of Daniel, particularly during the first three and a half years, that it will be involved in the persecution of true believers. That has always been characteristic of the apostate church. It has been antagonized, resentful, and opposed to true believers. The expression of that is simply a reflection of reality. In our study of biblical prophecy, we're not just satisfying curiosity, we're not just learning points of interest about things that may take place on this earth, but we're really dealing with material that is essential for us in living our lives day by day. I realize that there is always a danger as we move through an extended study of prophecy, such as the study of the book of Revelation is, that we can sometimes wonder, is this really pertinent and applicable to my life today? You know, I'm struggling at times with seeming overwhelming pressures and difficulties. Does it really make any difference to me what's going to happen to Israel in the 70th week of Daniel? If the church is going to be raptured before the 70th week of Daniel, can't we just let those events in God's hands and deal with things that might help us be more effective in serving Christ today, in dealing with sin today? Well, we must remember that the study of prophecy is a provision of God to equip us, fit us, and enable us to handle the pressures of life day by day. Remember, 2 Timothy 3, verses 16 and 17 says all Scripture is inspired by God. God breathed, and so it's profitable to bring us to maturity and completeness in Christ. And that all Scripture would include the 25% of it that was prophecy when it was written. The prophetic portions of Scripture are part of what brings maturity to our lives. Everything I learn about God enables me to serve Him better, to love Him more. It provides the foundation for all of my actions and my decisions and my behavior. 2 Peter 2, verse 2, calls the Word of God food as newborn babies long for the pure milk of the Word that you might grow with respect to your salvation. Sometimes we as Christians, don't appreciate fully. And I haven't been getting any complaints. Just a reminder to us all of the part that biblical prophecy does play. But we can't be like children. They just don't understand why they have to eat this. I like this. Why don't I just eat that? You say, well, you have to eat a more balanced diet. What we have with Scripture is we get a balanced diet of the Word as we move through it in all of its dimensions. We want to understand our God as He is. We often know people in a one-dimensional way. We know one facet about them. We get a distorted picture of what they're really like because we project that into everything and fail to appreciate them as they really are. That happens with public figures. And it's hard for us to see them in another setting. With our God, the scripture unfolds the various aspects of his character and the way that he works, the different ways that he is functioning in the world, and it gives us a better appreciation and understanding of our God and who he is, how we can love and serve him more effectively. We study the subject of biblical prophecy. You can't help but be impressed with the sovereignty of God. He is absolutely and totally sovereign. He is the God over all. And if you come to the study of the 70th week of Daniel, which is the subject of chapter 6 to 19, you are impressed with God's sovereignty in justice and judgment. And that aspect of his character is very key. I was reading in a theological journal this week from a number of years ago. The man was making a reference to Joseph Bailey. In one of his final columns, Joseph Bailey reviewed some of the things his generation handed down to those who will carry the torch after them. And he writes, we inherited doctrinal, expository preaching with a heavy emphasis on prophecy. We bequeath relational preaching with a heavy emphasis on success here and now. I think it's of utmost importance that we as adult believers today be modeling in our homes and in our families and in the way we function as a church to our children and young people the absolute, overwhelming importance of the Word of God in all of its facets. The Word of God is of overwhelming importance and significance to your life because it is truth, not because it seems relevant to some particular problem you're dealing with today. This is truth, and we want to impress, both by our teaching and our action on the generation coming up, that you must be committed to truth. I encourage you, even as parents, in the way that you talk about the study of the Word, in the way you model your commitment to it and involvement in taking every opportunity for it, that you are communicating to your children, the coming generation, that the Word of God is of overwhelming importance and significance. You want to take in as much of it as you can and absorb it into your life. We're in Revelation chapter 18 in our study of prophecy. Revelation chapter 6 to 19 are a unit. Because in Revelation 6-19, we're talking about what is called the 70th week of Daniel. The seven year period that will be climaxed in chapter 19 with the return of Christ to earth to establish His kingdom. If we come to chapters 17 and 18, we come with chapters that deal with God's judgment on the satanic system of this world. That satanic system will come to be focused in a city, evidently the city of Babylon, which will be rebuilt. And it will become the center of wickedness in the world. We've looked on a number of occasions at Zechariah chapter 5. In Zechariah chapter 5, we're told that wickedness will be centered in Babylon. A house will be built for wickedness in Babylon in the last days. So the capital of the world, as the Antichrist rules it, will be Babylon rebuilt. That city will spread its influence throughout the world, corrupting the world. What you have is the plan and program of Satan down through history, now being focused and centered in a city over which his Christ, the Antichrist, is ruling and reigning. When we come to chapter 18, God is going to bring destruction on that city, which marks an end to the satanic rule and reign over the world. The destruction of that city will be followed by the return of Christ to earth in chapter 19, and the casting into the bottomless pit for a thousand years of Satan, and also the casting into hell of the beast and the false prophet. Revelation chapter 18 verses 1 to 8 announce the destruction coming on this city of Babylon. A city, according to verse 3, that has spread its corruption through all the earth. Verse 4, there is a call to the people of God to come out of this city, to flee from the coming destruction of the city of Babylon. because the time is ripe for judgment. Verse 5, her sins have piled up to heaven. Now God will intervene in just judgment. We all wonder why God delays judgment. Why does it seem the wicked continue to prosper? Why does it seem the righteous continue to struggle? The wicked take that as a comfort and assurance that they do not have to fear coming judgment. And so Babylon has that view of itself. And Babylon is personified at the end of verse seven is saying, I sit as a queen. I am not a widow. I will never see morning. Babylon is fully convinced and all that Babylon represents that it is permanent and enduring. And has no worries or fears about the future, but verse eight, for this reason, In one day her plagues will come, pestilence, mourning, famine, and she'll be burned with fire. For the Lord God who judges her is strong." Babylon is great. Babylon is strong. Babylon is no match for the living God. The message of this chapter is wickedness will come under the judgment of God. Even though it is stretched down through the millenniums of time, God will judge wickedness. It will be judged visibly and openly as this world system is brought to a conclusion in Revelation chapter 18. Attention is now going to be turned to the response to the destruction of Babylon. In verses 9 to 19, We'll see the response of the various peoples of the world, unbelievers, as they stand in terror and awe of the collapse of that which they thought would be enduring and unending. They see their world crumble before their eyes. Then in verse 20 we'll see the response of true believers to the destruction of the Babylonian system. Then the finality of that destruction in the closing verses of the chapter. We're going to see three groups in the world responding to the fall of Babylon. The kings, the rulers. Secondly, the merchants of the earth. And thirdly, in particular, the seafarers, those who have made wealth by shipping and commerce with this city. First comes the rulers of the earth in verses 9 and 10. The kings of the earth who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her of this city, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city! Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come." The rulers of the earth who have been involved with this city and the paganism of this city and the corruption of the riches of this city As people pursue wealth in involvement with this world system, now they see the city, which is the capital of the world and the center of all that is taking place in the world, the center of their power as well as the center of wealth. The smoke is ascending from the city and they stand there in awe, fear and grief. You'll note, At the end of verse 9, they will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of their torment. So in this weeping and lamenting is mixed fear, and they keep their distance. Perhaps they're watching on television news. Perhaps some in the region, the smoke will be seen ascending. But they want to keep a distance because they recognize something awful and terrible and terrifying has taken place. They are afraid for what that means for them and where this will all lead because, you see, they're looking at a city they thought was indestructible. You'll note verse 10, they say, whoa, whoa, the great city, Babylon, the strong city. This is unbelievable. This city we thought was enduring. It's a great city. It was a strong city. It's gone. How could this happen? The picture of this smoke ascending is a reminder of the picture that was seen when the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed. In Genesis 19, verse 28, when Abraham looked out over the plains of Sodom and Gomorrah, he looked down toward Sodom and Gomorrah, and he saw, and behold, the smoke of the land ascended like the smoke of a furnace." Remember, we saw in the prophesied destruction of Babylon that its smoke would ascend and its destruction would be like Sodom and Gomorrah. It's going to be complete, total, and overwhelming. That's the picture here. Now the rulers of the earth stand. Note the end of verse 10 of Revelation 18. For in one hour your judgment has come. In one hour. We're told in verse 8, in one day. Now we narrow it down, this one hour, which is a way of emphasizing how quickly and suddenly this has happened. That will be mentioned again in verse 17. For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste. At the end of verse 19, for in one hour she has been laid waste. All the people of the world have this clear impression. How could this happen so quickly? How could this happen so suddenly? How could this happen so completely? A little bit later, we'll take some time and go back to Ezekiel. The description is going to unfold here. is taken from a description of the destruction of the city of Tyre in Ezekiel chapters 26 and 27, where that great earthly capital, commercial center, is totally overthrown by God. That is a preview of the final overthrow of the satanic city and capital, Babylon. The fact that these enemies of God, the kings of the earth, in verse 10, are standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, indicates this event of the destruction of Babylon is not the end of the world. There is another step, the return of Christ to earth at Armageddon. They are observing the destruction of Babylon, which will be followed by the return of Christ at Armageddon. But there is at least a brief period of time here for this destruction to impact them and make an impression on them. We see no repentance taking place. We move from the kings of the earth to the merchants of the earth. They are going to join with the same kind of laments and overwhelming grief over the destruction of a city that everyone thought would last forever. Remember, this is the capital of the Antichrist. where wickedness centers. And according to Revelation chapter 13, verse 4, the people of the world have a claim concerning the Antichrist. Who is like the Antichrist? Who can make war with the beast? He's indestructible. Remember, he has undergone, evidently, death and resurrection. All the world has joined in worshiping him. According to chapter 13 and verse 7, even the righteous were given into His hands. Now with the destruction of Babylon, the people who were worshipping Him as their God are in panic. What is taking place? What has happened? The merchants of the earth, in verse 11, are going to mourn over Babylon because no one buys their cargoes anymore. There is a total lack of sensitivity or awareness about the issue of sin. Only concern here is personal loss. What does it mean to the rulers of the earth whose power centers in Babylon because of their involvement with the Antichrist? What about the wealth of the earth that centers in Babylon as the capital of the world? What are we going to do? We've lost everything. Not so different than what we saw when we had a recent earthquake on the West Coast. I don't know what we'll do if insurance doesn't pay for this. There's the mixture of grief and terror and fear and what? Material concern. You can see very many people on the news on their knees, weeping before God, crying out for mercy because this just reminded them of coming judgment. And that's the way it is going to be with Babylon. Basically the same responses. Terror over what has happened. Grief and sorrow. And I wonder, my, what will we do now for money? They mourn because no one buys their cargoes anymore. That is going to happen. The purveyors of gloom and doom are right. They're at least seven years away from being right. But they're right. It's all going to collapse. The whole commercial system centered in Babylon is going to come down. With that, political power will be totally smashed. We as Christians don't need to be wringing our hands because that's not our destiny. But we have to be careful we don't become so involved with the Babylonian system that we are just as overwhelmed with grief over any loss materially as the unbeliever is. But you realize before this occurs, we're going to glory. Call it escapism if you will, but I'm going. There are some things to be glad you're going to escape. Sometimes I get the idea that Christians are trying to warn Christians about the coming tribulation. Well, tell Christians about the coming rapture. And as I read about the coming tribulation, it just causes joy in my heart to realize I'll be gone. So, here are the merchants of the earth. No one buys their cargoes anymore. We've had a complete financial collapse. You just can't prepare for this supernatural disaster. Then you have the things that they have prospered in, mentioned in verses 12, 13, 14. This is a picture drawn from Ezekiel 27 with the destruction of Tyre and all the wealth, material goods that these people had prospered in came to an end with the destruction of that city. That's the picture here with Babylon. Verse 14, the fruit you long for has gone from you. All the things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you. Men will no longer find them. It's gone. Material wealth has collapsed. We see that in little mini-segments in parts of the world where they're torn by war and so on. Possessions just have no value. Everything they have is on their back. There's just been a total collapse. That's what's going to happen here. All this prosperity, all that you're living for, you cannot serve God and mammon. Those who chose mammon now pay the price. Those riches are gone. The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, Whoa, whoa, the great city! She who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste. They lament as made by the kings of the earth. Whoa, whoa, the great city. They're standing at a distance, the end of verse 15, because of the fear of her torment. Same thing as verse 10. I mean, people are petrified about what has happened here. They're dumbfounded. They're amazed. They're frightened. They're overwhelmed with grief. And they're impressed with how quickly and suddenly this has happened in one hour, verse 17. Such great wealth. has been laid waste. Isn't it amazing? What men invest their lives to build as an empire, in one hour it is gone. Unbelievable that that could happen. That's their response here. Unbelievable that that has happened. But it has. Now he's going to talk about the sailors and the merchants in verses 17 to 19. Those who made their wealth by the sea and the commerce of the sea. And this would fit Babylon built on the Euphrates. From the mouth of the Euphrates, 500 miles up the Euphrates. It was navigable by sailing vessel. Shipping was an element of its prosperity and that's represented here. Prosperity of those who have had this kind of commercial involvement with Babylon. Every shipmaster, verse 17, every passenger, every sailor, as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, what city is like the great city? I mean, there's nothing to compare with this, humanly speaking. You and I have a hard time to come to grips with what this city will be like. But keep in mind, this will be the satanic masterpiece, the greatest city ever built on the earth. It will more completely and fully dominate and control the world in all of its facets, religiously, politically, and commercially, than any city ever has or will until Christ reigns in Jerusalem. This is the great city. There's been nothing like this. It's the capital of the great ruler, the Antichrist, the God that we worship. They threw dust on their heads, were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste." Isn't that amazing? That which the world does, that which men do. They see themselves as so powerful, so mighty, so invincible. In one hour, it's gone. Wiped out. Annihilated. Doesn't exist anymore. You realize how puny and insignificant man is compared to the infinite God. Man spends his life building something that God can wipe out like that. Back up to Ezekiel chapter 37. See the picture that Ezekiel gave in a prophecy. This is Ezekiel 26 and 27. Ezekiel 26 talks about the judgment coming on Tyre, and then chapter 27 is a lament over the city of Tyre. For example, chapter 26, verse 17, And they will take up a lamentation over you, and say to you, How have you perished, O inhabited one, from the seas, O renowned city, which was mighty on the sea, and her inhabitants, who imposed terror on all her inhabitants? Now the coastlands will tremble on the day of your fall. Yes, the coastlands which are by the sea will be terrified at your passing." That impact that the destruction of the city of Tyre will have on people. Three figures, the ultimate destruction of the satanic city Babylon. You come down into chapter 27, and the end of verse 3, "'O Tyre, you have said, I am perfect in beauty. Now I'm on to talk about the beauty and splendor of Tyre. But you see, all these great cities down through history were just manifestations of Satan's attempt to solidify his rule and reign and presence in the world. But he has been kept from full liberty in accomplishing that, and will be until particularly the last half of the 70th week of Daniel when he's cast from heaven. and has greater freedom and liberty on the earth than he has ever had before. Then you come down to the destruction of the city, and beginning with verse 12 of chapter 27, you see the description of the destruction of Tyre and its impact on the merchants and so on. It lists the different merchants of the world. Verse 12, Tarshish was your customer because of the abundance of all kind of wealth. Silver, iron, tin, lead, they paid for your wares. the more of those who traded with them and more down through all of these verses indicating the wealth of Tyre and its splendor in the trading that went on. Come down to verse 29. The sailors are mentioned as they respond to destruction there. Verse 30, they will make their voice heard over you, will cry bitterly, they will cast dust on their heads, They will wallow in ashes, a sign of overwhelming grief. We saw this in Revelation 18, where they cast dust on their heads, the sailors of the earth. They've drawn it here from the picture of Tyre. You see, God has reminded mankind again and again and again of the ultimate end of this world system. And it comes to be focused in little mini-centers down through history, cities like Tyre, and historic Babylon and Rome and so on. It will come to be centered in Babylon itself in the 70th week of Daniel. But we've had pictures of what is going to take place down through history as God has reminded mankind of how it all will end. But man doesn't learn his lessons. Why? Every generation thinks they're unique. This city is going to be different. Like a Hitler who was what? Going to build a city and an empire that would last a thousand years. Well, didn't you ever read history? Of course, but he's different. Still in Ezekiel 27, verse 32, and moreover in their wailing, they'll take up a lamentation for you, a lament over you. Who is like Tyre? It sounds like, whoa, whoa, the great city, Babylon. Oh, you know, it's just repeating back in history. Whoa, whoa, Tyre. Nothing's changed. Just the magnitude of it is greater as we come to Revelation chapter 18. And the wares that went out, the many people that had prospered from the city. Verse 35, all the inhabitants of the coastlands are appalled at you. Their kings are horribly afraid. They are troubled in countenance. Then the merchants, see the same people, the sailors, the merchants, the kings, all terrified. grieved. If you go into chapter 28, you talk about the fall of the King of Tyre himself, which I take in the ultimate picture would prefigure the fall of the Antichrist himself. And in the middle of that chapter, picking up with verse 11, we'll have Satan himself brought into the picture, who is the power behind the King of Tyre. This whole picture here, drawn from the Old Testament, is a reminder that if we study history, And what has happened in these occasions, we have prefigured for us in detail as a mini-picture of what is going to take place in Revelation chapter 17 and chapter 18. Remember, there was no worldwide revival as the people of the world fell on their knees in repentance and turn to the living God for salvation as a result of the destruction of Tyre. They're too busy going on figuring out how they're going to recover to gain more material possessions and maybe fill the power vacuum. Man relentlessly continues on. Why? Because he's driven by serving his father, the devil, who is relentless in his pursuit of replacing the eternal God. When you come back to Revelation chapter 18, We've seen in verses 9 to 19, grief, terror, amazement, concern over the loss of wealth, no repentance. No repentance. Amazing how stubborn in sin man is. And that was the picture at the end of verse 21 of chapter 16, that in the judgment of God, men are cursing God, not repenting before God. We're all aware today, if you try to present the truth of Jesus Christ, you try to tell them of coming judgment, you try to warn them of the penalty for sin, you try to tell them of the justice of God, it's nothing they want to hear about. They've learned nothing from the lessons of history. They refuse to believe the message of God. Well, there's another group of people mentioned here. They just get one verse. But what a contrast to the people of the world. Look at verse 20 of Revelation 18. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her." Awesome scene. Judgment has come down. The verdict has been implemented. God has passed judgment on Babylon in favor of His faithful. Now, we know that's true. We know it today, but it has not been realized yet today. The Babylonian system dominates and rules. And it will rule and dominate this world until its destruction in Revelation chapter 18 and the return of Christ in chapter 19. Now, I want to be careful in our practice we don't deny our theology. The Babylonian system will rule and dominate. and even seem to be more powerful than Christianity in these days. And down into the Tribulation, Revelation 13, verse 7 says, in the Tribulation, the Antichrist and his forces will be able to overwhelm and overpower the saints where the God of this world, small g, is dominant within the sovereign plan of God. But now, judgment, comes forth from Almighty God. Now the Babylonian system is judged and it has come to be centered in the city of Babylon. So, this which has ridden the empires of the world, according to chapter 17, the Babylonian system of Satan, now centered in the earthly city of Babylon, is crushed. Rejoice, O heaven! Rejoice, apostles! Rejoice, prophets! Rejoice, saints! God has judged them on your behalf. Cause of great rejoicing and great celebration in heaven. Heaven will respond to this in chapter 19, verse 1. After these things I heard as it were a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, Hallelujah! Salvation, glory and power belong to our God because His judgments are true and righteous because He has judged the great harlot. When the call comes for heaven to rejoice, heaven rejoices. The cause of rejoicing is the downfall of Babylon. That's the cause of rejoicing because wickedness is judged and because that paves the way for the return of Christ for the final crushing of all His enemies and the establishing of His kingdom. Focal point here is on the saints in heaven and that's who responds in chapter 19. But that does not mean that the saints on earth won't be rejoicing over this, because those who have become believers during the 70th week of Daniel, after the rapture of the church, who have survived martyrdom until this point, as they are studying the book of Revelation, they are going to know what is happening. They will join heaven in the celebration in Jeremiah, chapter 51, regarding the fall of historic Babylon in anticipation of the fall of prophetic Babylon. Jeremiah 51, verse 48. In this context here, we've seen a number of these verses in chapter 18, like verse 45, Come forth from her midst, my people, save each of you yourselves from the fierce anger of the Lord. We saw that in Revelation 18.4. Then you come down to verse 48, then heaven and earth and all that is in them will shout for joy over Babylon. Indeed, verse 49, Babylon is the fall for the slain of Israel. So particularly the Jews are in view and they will be the ones who have been particularly bearing the brunt of the persecution. of the 70th week of Daniel. They are particularly the people that have adorned the brunt of the persecution of the Babylonian system down through history. Before the church began, back to the empires of Egypt and Assyria and Babylon and Medo-Persia and Greece and Rome, who was the object of the persecution of this Babylonian system? The people of God in the person of the Israelites. And they will be the object of it again in the revived Roman Empire. And since the churches began, obviously the Babylonian system of this world under the God of this world has opposed the true church of Jesus Christ and the people of God. And it sometimes seems like, wow, we are those empowered by the living God, and yet it seems at times we are powerless, but only within the plan of God. His purposes are always being accomplished. Back to Revelation 18. We pull this chapter together with verses 21 to 24. Do you see the finality of the end of Babylon and the justice of God judging Babylon? Verse 21, A strong angel took up a stone like a millstone, a great millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying, Thus will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence and will not be found any longer. Jeremiah 51, the end of that chapter, verse 63. After the scroll which Jeremiah had instructed to be written is read concerning God's judgment on Babylon, then here's what you're to do with the scroll that contains this message about Babylon, verse 63. It will come about, as soon as you finish reading this scroll, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates. and say, just so shall Babylon sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her. That's the background for what you see in Revelation 18.21. So, the angel takes a great millstone and throws it into the sea and says, that's the way Babylon will sink down and not rise again. See, he's picked up the prophecy of Jeremiah and shown that his ultimate fulfillment is to prophetic Babylon. It'll just be like a huge stone thrown into the sea. It doesn't float for a while. It doesn't linger. It goes down. And we say what? It sank like a rock. It hits the water and straight to the bottom. In one hour, her great destruction has come. Just like a large millstone. They had two basic sizes. The small millstone that the ladies used for grinding daily. than the large millstone that was pulled around by an animal that's weighing several thousand pounds. It's a large millstone he has in view here in verse 21 of Revelation 18. Just like a huge rock. That's what happened to Babylon. It won't be found any longer. I was reading this past week some more material on the history of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. How it continued to prosper after it was overthrown by the Medes and the Persians in 539 B.C. Even Alexander the Great died there as he was rebuilding some of the city. Babylon did not become a wasteland until 200 years after Christ. So it continued on for some 700 years, the historic Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar. This Babylon is going down suddenly, quickly, one hour, one day, it's gone. The whole world will stand there in amazement. Historic Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, they say, even became more prosperous as a result of the Medes and Persians taking it over and became the center of rule and reign. Clearly, those prophecies ultimately fulfilled here. Verses 22 and 23 just drive home the point. There will be no sound of musicians, no sound of craftsmen, no daily activity. No joy or happiness, no bridegroom and bride in verse 23. That's used in Old Testament prophecy and again in the New Testament to depict the total loss of joy. No matter what a person's situation, the marriage ceremony becomes an occasion of festivity where sorrow and grief and troubles are put aside for a time. There won't be any sound of brides and bridegrooms. Nobody's getting married. Why? The city's destroyed. Interesting parallel. But in Jeremiah chapter 25 verses 10 and 11, God says when Babylon comes and destroys Jerusalem, He'll put an end to the sound of the bride and the bridegroom in Jerusalem. Then in chapter 33 of Jeremiah, God says, Someday I'll restore Jerusalem. And then they will have in the streets and in the city the sound of the bride and the bridegroom. But here the destruction of Babylon is final. There will be no restoration, no joy in this destroyed city. Interesting, in verses 21, 22 and 23, there is a double negative used six times in these three verses. So you read these negatives, they're really double negatives. In other words, you put two no's together to stress, no, not in any way will anything be left. No, not in any way, not of any kind. Will there be this or that? Six times this pair of double negatives is used in these three verses. When God talks about the Babylonian city and all that it represents is done, it's done. And it will never rise again. It's over. Christ is returning. He's going to reign now in an eternal kingdom. After a thousand years, there will be a revolt that will go nowhere because the Babylonian system cannot be revived. That will be crushed with a final blow. The destruction of Babylon here is the final end of the Babylonian system. There will never be a resurrection of it again in history. Verse 24 draws us to a conclusion. And in her was found the blood of prophets, of saints, of all who have been slain on the earth. The city that prospered according to the end of verse 23 had great merchants, because they had been involved in the deception of Babylon. Sorcery and deceived by her sorcery. Some take drugs as being of prime significance in this because the word sorcery, we get the word pharmacy or pharmacology from this word. Pharmacy or pharmacology is a Greek word. Or it just refers to the fact that they often use drugs in the magical arts. and the false religious activity becomes the mean sorcery and that kind of activity. The point here is that deception will be going on. All kinds of deception. The Antichrist, according to chapter 13, will have an ongoing program of deception under the leadership of the false prophet to maintain the worship of the world directed to himself. The people of the world have joined in this deception. And with that, Babylon is guilty of the death of the people of God. They have been guilty of bloodshed. And that focuses in this 70th week of Daniel. Remember, when Satan's cast out of heaven in chapter 12, he'll begin a persecution of the Jews like never seen before. We saw perhaps six million who die in the Holocaust, but the worst Holocaust is yet to come. Then you add to that believers from other tribes, peoples, tongues and nations that are shown to have been martyred through the 70th week of Daniel. This will be the time of greatest martyrdom the world has ever seen. And of course, this city, Babylon, is just the culmination of what has been the program of Satan and Babylonianism from the beginning. It is responsible and accountable for the death of the people of God. In Jeremiah 51, 24, one more time, Babylon is identified as a city of bloodshed. But I will repay Babylon and all the inhabitants of Chaldea for all their evil that they have done in Zion before your eyes. Behold, I am against you, O destroying mountain, who destroy the whole earth, declares the Lord. The end of verse 25, I will make you a burnt out mountain. That's not what happened to Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon. There was no destruction to the city. That became a center of empire after empire, not necessarily the capital, but a major center. You see here, Babylon is going to be destroyed. It's a destroying mountain, kingdom, because it's a capital that represents a kingdom, just like Babylon in Revelation 18 represents the kingdom of the beast. Come down to verse 35. May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, the inhabitants of Zion will say. May my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea. You see, Babylon is held accountable. The people of God, particularly the Jews, cry out. May Babylon be held accountable. Down to verse 49. Indeed, Babylon is to fall for the slaying of Israel. As also for Babylon, the slain of all the earth have fallen. You shall not escape the sword." That picture here, Babylon is the bloody city. The Jews will cry out as we get to this climax. They turn to the living God and believe in Christ as their Messiah. And according to Romans 11, all Israel will be saved. They cry out for justice and God to intervene and destroy Babylon. And He does and makes it a burnout mountain. The smoke of the capital of that mountain, that kingdom. A mountain symbolizes a kingdom. And its capital city pours forth smoke, depicts that kingdom has been crushed. And the answers of the prayers of the people of God on earth and in heaven have been answered. Because remember in Revelation chapter 6, verses 9 to 11, the martyrs in heaven have been slain because they maintained their testimony for Christ. cried out in Revelation 6.10, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? He says, Wait a while. There are more to be martyred. But now rejoice, O heaven. Why? God has announced judgment for you. How long will you refrain from judging? Now is the time to rejoice. God has announced judgment. So, because this city and all that it represents has been guilty of the blood of the saints, the servants of God, because this city and the system it represents has been representing the God of this world, its ongoing relentless persecution and attempt to overthrow God and the people of God, it now comes to catastrophic and final judgment. Just a couple of things to wrap this up. A couple of points that I want you to remember. Number one, the world is moving toward judgment. Believer, don't let that escape from your mind. The world is moving toward judgment. Make no mistake, it's going to get far worse before it would get any better. We're moving toward the rapture, which will remove all believers from the earth. Can you imagine a world without one single believer? to be salt and light in the world, there will be at least a portion of time following the rapture when there will be no believers on the earth. By the grace of God, then some will be drawn to Himself. This world is moving toward judgment. Number two, when judgment comes, it will be swift and complete. When judgment comes, it will be swift and complete. You and I, as the people of God, ought to be patient. Lord, why so long? God is patient. Long-suffering, not willing that any should perish, but all should come to a knowledge of the truth. Why doesn't God bring judgment now? Because He's patient. When judgment comes, it'll be swift, complete, quick. You and I, as believers, ought to be appreciative of God that there is a window of opportunity for the proclamation of truth in these days. This is a day of grace, a day of opportunity. Number three. The people of the world focus on material loss in the destruction of Babylon. The people of the world focus on material loss in the destruction of Babylon. They're insensitive to the fact that they themselves are on the brink of judgment. Let's not have any more of Christians being all caught up in, oh my, where's the world going? Oh my, the world is too materialistic, as though this was some shocking thing. You cannot serve God and mammon. If you don't serve God, you serve mammon. We as Christians ought to be there with our mouth hanging open and say, oh, my, can you believe how materialistic the world is? What kind of theology do you have? Of course, the world is materialistic. Because if you don't serve God, you serve mammon riches. And we're not here to try to get the world to be less materialistic. We are here to call the world to repentance and salvation by faith. in the Savior that the living God has provided. Number four, God's people will be vindicated. God's people will be vindicated. And we must await that time. Number five, the world's joy and happiness will suddenly end. The world's joy and happiness will suddenly end. In one hour, destruction comes. And lastly, God will avenge the bloodshed of His servants. God will avenge the bloodshed of His servants. You know, it seems like a terrible defeat. If by some turn of events, suddenly people would show up here and cart off family members, children to be executed for worshipping God, it would seem like, why doesn't God do something? God, if you're there, why don't you intervene? That could happen someday. Be reminded, God's servants will be vindicated. He will avenge their bloodshed, but He will do it on His timetable. Not your timetable, not my timetable, His timetable. 2 Corinthians chapter 6 as we close. Remember the call to the people of God to come out of Babylon in those closing days of the 70th week of Daniel. Remember, God's intention for His people today is that we might not become entangled with the Babylonianism of this world. So he says in writing to the church at Corinth in 2 Corinthians 6, 14, Do not be bound together with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God. Just as God said, I will dwell among them, walk among them, I will be their God and they shall be my people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord, and do not touch what is unclean. And I will welcome you, I will be a father to you, you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty. Having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. Holiness is to be the absorption of the people of God in these days. We want no part of the Babylonian system, no part of the treasures that it offers, that it lures us with, its wealth, its pleasures, its power, its position. We are a people called out from the world to be holy and separate to our God. and to proclaim to the world there is salvation. You are moving toward judgment. You cannot avoid or escape the reality that judgment is the only end of this road. Your only hope is to get off this road. And the only way you do that is turn to the living God and He rescues you by His grace. When you repent of your sin and believe that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, died to be your Savior, by paying the penalty in full for your sin. You're cleansed. You're washed. You're brought into the family of God. Your destiny is glory, not judgment. What a hope. What a message that the church of Jesus Christ has to offer in the midst of a world on its way to judgment. May we be faithful in the doing of it. Let's pray together. Thank you, Father, for your faithfulness. Thank you for the greatness of your grace. Lord, we're honored and privileged to serve you in these days. We sometimes find ourselves wringing our hands, despairing and lamenting over the evilness of the world, over its wickedness, its vileness, its materialism. And yet, Lord, we're reminded we are living in the midst of a world that is rapidly approaching judgment. Which means we are living in a day when the Church of Jesus Christ is rapidly approaching its redemption. Lord, how motivated and challenged we ought to be to live in holiness and godliness of life. Lord, these are days for us as your people not to despair, but to rejoice. Not to be intimidated, but boldly go forth and proclaim with courage. Judgment is coming. God is just. But in love and mercy, this is a day of grace. Repent, believe, and be saved. Use this church and each person in it as a testimony to your grace. Until Christ comes, we pray in Christ's name. Amen.