Revelation 18

The Coming Economic Earthquake

9-11-2001 1930

Economic Center of the World

will be destroyed - Rev. 18

The Economic Center of the

World will be Destroyed

Rev. 18:1 After these things I

saw another angel, who

possessed great authority,

coming down out of heaven, and

the earth was lit up by his

radiance.

The Economic Center of the

World will be Destroyed

Rev. 18:2 He shouted with a

powerful voice: “Fallen, fallen, is

Babylon the great! She has

become a lair for demons, a

haunt for every unclean spirit, a

haunt for every unclean bird, a

haunt for every unclean and

detested beast.

A Reason the Economic Center

of the World will be Destroyed

Rev.18:3 For all the nations

have fallen from the wine of her

immoral passion, and the kings

of the earth have committed

sexual immorality with her, and

the merchants of the earth have

gotten rich from the power of her

sensual behavior.”

A Plea for God’s People to Flee

Rev. 18:4-5 Then I heard another

voice from heaven saying, “Come

out of her, my people, so you will

not take part in her sins and so

you will not receive her plagues,

because her sins have piled up all

the way to heaven and God has

remembered her crimes.

God Judges Babylon

because of her wicked deeds

Rev. 18:6 Repay her the same

way she repaid others; pay her

back double corresponding to her

deeds. In the cup she mixed, mix

double the amount for her.

God Judges Babylon because of

her wicked deeds

Rev. 18:7 As much as she

exalted herself and lived in

sensual luxury, to this extent give

her torment and grief because she

said to herself, ‘I rule as queen

and am no widow; I will never

experience grief!’ (Isaiah 47:8-11)

God Judges Babylon because of

her wicked deeds

Rev. 18:8 For this reason, she will

experience her plagues in a single

day: disease, mourning, and

famine, and she will be burned

down with fire, because the Lord

God who judges her is powerful!”

Kings, Merchants and sea

Captains Lament the

destruction of Babylon

Rev. 18:9-19

Kings lament Babylon’s destruction

Rev. 18:9 Then the kings of the

earth who committed immoral

acts with her and lived in sensual

luxury with her will weep and

wail for her when they see the

smoke from the fire that burns

her up.

Kings lament Babylon’s destruction

Rev. 18:10 They will stand a

long way off because they are

afraid of her torment, and will

say, “Woe, woe, O great city,

Babylon the powerful city! For in

a single hour your doom has

come!”

Merchants lament Her Destruction

Rev. 18:11-12a Then the

merchants of the earth will weep

and mourn for her because no one

buys their cargo any longer- cargo

such as gold, silver, precious

stones, pearls, fine linen, purple

cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all sorts of

things made of citron wood, all

sorts of objects made of ivory…

Merchants lament Her Destruction

Rev. 18:12-13 …all sorts of things made of expensive wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, perfumed ointment, frankincense, wine, olive oil and costly flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and four-wheeled carriages, slaves and human lives.

Merchants lament Her Destruction

Rev. 18:14-15a (The ripe fruit you greatly desired has gone from you, and all your luxury and splendor have gone from you— they will never ever be found again!) The merchants who sold these things, who got rich from her, will stand a long way off because they are afraid of her torment.

Merchants lament Her Destruction

Rev. 18:15b-17a They will weep

and mourn, saying, “Woe, woe, O

great city— dressed in fine linen,

purple and scarlet clothing, and

adorned with gold, precious

stones, and pearls— because in a

single hour such great wealth has

been destroyed!”

Sea captain’s lament her Doom

Rev. 18:17b-18 And every ship’s captain, and all who sail along the coast—seamen, and all who make their living from the sea, stood a long way off and began to shout when they saw the smoke from the fire that burned her up, “Who is like the great city?”

Sea captain’s lament her Doom

Rev. 18:19 And they threw dust on their heads and were shouting with weeping and mourning, “Woe, Woe, O great city— in which all those who had ships on the sea got rich from her wealth— because in a single hour she has been destroyed!”

Heaven will Rejoice when

Babylon is Judged

Rev. 18:20 (Rejoice over her, O

heaven, and you saints and

apostles and prophets, for God

has pronounced judgment

against her on your behalf!)

Promise of Babylon’s Destruction

Rev. 18:21-22a Then one powerful

angel picked up a stone like a huge

millstone, threw it into the sea, and

said, “With this kind of sudden violent

force Babylon the great city will be

thrown down and it will never be

found again! And the sound of the

harpists, musicians, flute players, and

trumpeters will never be heard in you

again…

Promise of Babylon’s Destruction

Rev. 18:22b-23 No craftsman who practices any trade will ever be found in you again; the noise of a mill will never be heard in you again. Even the light from a lamp will never shine in you again! The voices of the bridegroom and his bride will never be heard in you again.

Reason’s for Babylon’s Doom

Rev. 18:23b-24 For your merchants were the tycoons of the world, because all the nations were deceived by your magic spells! The blood of the saints and prophets was found in her, along with the blood of all those who had been killed on the earth.”

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

1. The Prosperity of the

Wicked will come to a

sudden & violent End

cf. Psalm 73

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

1. The Prosperity of the Wicked

will come to a sudden &

violent End - cf. Psalm 73

2. Greed is idolatry - Col. 3:5;

Matt. 6:24; 16:26; 19:24

Idols demand to be served

Matt 6:24 No one can serve two

masters; for either he will hate

the one and love the other, or he

will be devoted to one and

despise the other. You cannot

serve God and wealth.

Idols are after your very life

Mt. 16:26 For what will it profit

a man if he gains the whole

world and forfeits his soul? Or

what will a man give in

exchange for his soul?

Idols keep people from trusting

in the true God

Matt 19:24 Again I tell you, it is

easier for a camel to go through

the eye of a needle than for a

rich person to enter the kingdom

of God.”

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

1. The Prosperity of the Wicked

will come to a sudden &

violent End - cf. Psalm 73

2. Greed is idolatry - Col. 3:5;

Matt. 6:24; 16:26; 19:24

3. Idolatry is punished -

Job 31:25-28

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

4. Materialism is displayed in

our pursuits and

possessions- Luke 12:15-21

Lk.12:15 Then He said to them,

“Beware, and be on your guard

against every form of greed; for

not even when one has an

abundance does his life consist

of his possessions.”

Luke 12:16-21 - a foolish pursuit

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

4. Materialism is displayed in

our pursuits and possessions

Luke 12:15-21

5. Materialism is cruel and will

be Judged - James 5:1-6

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

4. Materialism is displayed in

our pursuits and possessions

Luke 12:15-21

5. Materialism is cruel and will

be Judged - James 5:1-6

6. Materialism is Deceitful -

1 Tim. 6:9-10

1 Tim 6:9 But those who

want to get rich fall into

temptation and a snare and

many foolish and harmful

desires which plunge men

into ruin and destruction…

1 Tim 6:10… For the love of

money is a root of all sorts of

evil, and some by longing for

it have wandered away from

the faith and pierced

themselves with many griefs.

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

7. Layaway treasure in

Heaven - Matt. 6:19-21

Matt 6:19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

“He is no fool who gives

what he can not keep to

gain what he can not

loose” - Jim Elliot

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

7. Layaway treasure in Heaven -

Matt. 6:19-21

8. Trust God and be generous

1Tim. 6:17-19; 2 Cor. 9:6-8

1 Tim 6:17 Instruct those who

are rich in this present world not

to be conceited or to fix their

hope on the uncertainty of

riches, but on God, who richly

supplies us with all things to

enjoy…

1 Tim 6:18-19 …Instruct them to

do good, to be rich in good

works, to be generous and ready

to share, storing up for

themselves the treasure of a

good foundation for the future,

Life Lessons from God’s Judgment

on the World’s Economic Center

7. Layaway treasure in Heaven -

Matt. 6:19-21

8. Trust God and be generous -

1Tim. 6:17-19; 2 Cor. 9:6-8

9. Be Content - Heb. 13:5;

Matt. 6:33

Hebrews 13:5 Keep your life

free from love of money, and

be content with what you have,

for he has said, “I will never

leave you nor forsake you.”

“Christians express such love

for money, possessions and

other material objects that

their Christianity cannot be

said to rule their hearts.”

- George Barna