And after these things I saw another angel come down
from heaven, having great power; and the earth was
lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with
a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is
fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the
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hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean
and hateful bird. (Revelations 18:1–2)
This is not a very rosy picture for the city of seven hills. It will be totally annihilated.
This is the Lord’s vengeance for every martyr down
through history from the early Christians who were fed to the lions, the apostles who were beheaded, crucified, and skinned, down to those who bled red of the inquisition. It seems a bit extreme, but let me ask you how many saints down through
history have begged for mercy from Rome and received none?
Millions have perished at the hands of Rome and who knows
what kind of evil will come from that city in the future.
For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath
of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have
committed fornication with her, and the merchants of
the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her
delicacies. (Revelations 18:3)
This is a continuation of the first two verses of this chapter.
They have filled up their cup with idol worship, declaring
themselves to be gods, sexual immorality, and selling God to the masses when the gift has been free all along.
This is the prostitution of the Church down through
history, God for sale. How many times have we seen preachers in Brooks Brothers suits and Rolex watches asking the faithful for their 10 percent tithe from those who are already taxed to 208 |
death and can barely pay their bills? Just so they can hop into their Lear jets and head off to their fancy mansions.
Some of the most beautiful buildings on this planet are
churches which are surrounded by huts of squalor. I doubt
that is what the Lord had in mind.
The worst part of it all is that the gift of salvation is free!
The debt has been paid by Jesus on the cross at Calvary. There is no need for any guilt from the loyal faithful because they didn’t have the money for their weekly tithe. God doesn’t
charge you for his free gift, so why should the church?
What started out as a wonderful movement by Jesus
and his twelve faithful apostles became corrupt after it
acquired power.
Power and corruption go hand and hand. One look at the
history of the Christian church is your best example of this.
And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come
out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her
sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. For her sins
have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered
her iniquities. (Revelations 18:4–5)
The voice here is telling the faithful to leave this system of adultery. To not partake in her errors.
This false Messiah known as the Antichrist will command
a religious and economic system centered in Rome. Before he
burns the city to the ground, he will corrupt the entire world with her materialistic riches and her counterfeit religion. The
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voice here is telling the saints not to be a part of any of this and leave it before the judgment comes. Sort of like Abraham rescuing Lot from Sodom and Gomorrah before it was burnt
to the ground. This is the saint’s last chance to leave the city.
Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double
unto her double according to her works: in the cup
which she hath filled fill to her double. How much
she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so
much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in
her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall
see no sorrow. (Revelations 18:6–7)
This is the false pride of Rome. She sits a queen among
the nations and is no widow and sees no sorrow. She rules the world with an iron fist and laps of the luxuries of those whom she takes from.
She steals from the poor and gives to the rich. She brands
the people like cattle and demands complete and total
obedience. This city will be the ultimate tyrant in the last days before the end of this age.
As Jesus said, “Pride comes before the fall.”
Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death,
and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly
burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who
judgeth her. (Revelations 18:8)
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Ancient Sodom and Gommorah burnt in one day, Troy
burnt in one day, Ancient Jerusalem burnt in one day, and
so shall great Rome. For over the last 2,500 years, Rome has ruled in one way or the other, in one day, it will be gone.
It will be a horrific sight to see. All those ancient marble buildings and statues gone up in flames. For those of you
reading this who are in Rome during this time period, all I
can tell you is act like Lot did and get out of there as soon as you can.
And the kings of the earth, who have committed
fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail
her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke
of her burning, Standing afar off for the fear of her
torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon,
that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment
come. (Revelations 18:9–10)
It will happen in one hour! A city of millions destroyed
by the torch.
And the merchants of the earth shall weep and
mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise
any more: The merchandise of gold, and silver, and
precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and
purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and
all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels
of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and
marble, And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments,
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and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and
wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots,
and slaves, and souls of men. (Revelations 18:11–13)
An entire chapter of the book of Revelation written for
the destruction of one city, so stupendous is this event in the sight of heaven.
Those here on earth will mourn for her, those who’ve
lost their lives and are now in heaven will be rejoicing over this event.
And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed
from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly
are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no
more at all. The merchants of these things, which were
made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her
torment, weeping and wailing, (Revelations 18:14–15)
Those that cast their lots with Rome will be crushed by
this turn of events. These merchants invested everything they had into this city, and in one hour, their entire fortunes will be gone.
Not in modern history will the destruction of a large city
like this be so total. The cities bombed in Germany during
the Second World War will be of no comparison to the
destruction seen here. It will be just as Jerusalem was in ad 70. Complete and total annihilation. The ten kings putting
this city out of her misery.
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And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed
in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with
gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so
great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster,
and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many
as trade by sea, stood afar off, (Revelations 18:16–17)
As an ex-sailor, I can tell you it’s a beautiful sight to see a city lit up at night while you’re on the deck of a ship. This will be the complete opposite, the flames of Rome reaching
the skies at night so that all the sailors on the ships at sea can only watch with horror.
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning,
saying, What city is like unto this great city! And
they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and
wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were
made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of
her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
(Revelations 18:18–19)
Those ships that were ready to pull into port at the Tiber
River might as well turn around and go home for there is no
one there to buy their goods.
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles
and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And
a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone,
and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence
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shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and
shall be found no more at all. (Revelations 18:20–21)
Babylon, the city of man, code word for Rome by the
ancient Christians, cast down because of what she did to
those Christians. It seems God has long memory.
And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers,
and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee;
and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be
found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone
shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a
candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice
of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no
more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great
men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations
deceived. And in her was found the blood of prophets,
and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
(Revelations 18:22–24)
You get the picture. Rome will be forever desolate after
this event.
During the first stages of the Antichrist, when he sets up
shop in Rome, they will slay many saints and prophets during the tribulation period. It is because of this and all the other saints this city has slain down through history that it will be completely destroyed.
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The marriage supper