Revelation 18:4
“And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.’”
As John begins to describe the fall of Babylon the Great, he hears a cry from heaven calling the people of God to come out, and no longer share in its sins. Babylon here is referring to more than a city in modern Iraq, it refers to the world system that is opposed to the ways of God. The call then is for the people of God to leave the ways of the world, to live in step with the ways of God. This is not a one time call, but is repeated time and again within the pages of your Bible. We were saved, not to continue in a destructive lifestyle, practicing the things that Jesus died to free us from, but to live a new life on a higher plain, where we seek in every area of life to bring pleasure to God.
Galatians 1:3-4 “Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, . . .”
Christ died, not only to forgive sin, but to provide deliverance for all who come to Him. When we put faith in Christ, the chains that once bound us to a life of sin have been broken. We no longer have to be like shrub in the desert, barely surviving in life, but we can be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, bearing fruit in its season.
Have you come to Christ? Have you asked Him to wash you of your sin and give you new life? That is the first step; the second is to come out of the world and stop partaking in practices that do not please Him. Don’t wait another moment,
“Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”
Pastor Jim
Questions for Revelation 18
Although there was an actual city known as Babylon, metaphorically throughout the bible Babylon represents the “world system” that is aligned against God and against His anointed King, Jesus. At the pouring out of the seventh and final bowl judgment that fall of Babylon begins. In the last chapter we saw the fall of spiritual Babylon; the collective religious system that man commits himself to rather than to God. In this chapter we see the fall of financial Babylon, or all of the ways that man looks to the wealth and provision of this world for his joy and satisfaction, instead of looking to Jesus.
1. Read verse 3. Are there any nations that are innocent of “going to bed” with Babylon? Notice the imagery: intoxication, adultery, and self-indulgent pleasure.
2. In verse 4, we see God’s instruction for His people in the midst of this world. Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18, Exodus 33:16, 1 Corinthians 5:9-12, and Matthew 5:13-16. What is our heart attitude to be toward this world? What is our heart attitude to be toward the people of this world?
3. Read verses 5-8. Does this world feel that it will ever be judged? Will God forget to judge her? Look up Galatians 6:7 and 2 Peter 3:1-10.
4. In verses 9-10 we see how those who do not know God relate to the world. Would you say that they have a casual relationship with the world or an intimate one? Are they emotionally invested in this world system?
5. Verses 11-19 point to the complete financial collapse of the world’s economic system. Note the end of verse 13. In this world even people’s souls have a price. Look up Matthew 16:26.
6. Look at verse 14, 17 and 19. What does the pursuit of this world’s riches and pleasure come to?
7. Notice verses 20 and 24. God will not ignore the wrongs this world has committed against His people. God will judge this world. Since we know how it ends, take inventory in your own life. Have you given your heart to any of these things that are passing away? If you have, ask God to forgive you and give you a new heart concerning the things of His Kingdom which will never pass away
Old Testament:
Ezekiel 47- River Of Life
Ezekiel 48- Your Land
Jim Gallagher 