 it. Okay, good morning and welcome everybody to the course BC 308, Revelation and Daniel. We are right now in the book of Revelation chapter 18 is where we're going to start off today and we'll see how far we can go today starting with chapter 18, Revelation. Let's pray and then we will get started. May I request somebody to pray with us today and we will get started please. Kiran, can you pray? Yes, sir. Father, we come before your throne once again and we want to say thank you Father God for all thank you Father God for your goodness and your faithfulness and your mercy in grace thank you Father God, submitting to your hand Father God every student give you wisdom and knowledge and understanding Father God that we can understand the subject Father God reveal more things to your kingdom work Father God thank you rest of the time submitting to your hand take care of every side Almighty teacher's name we pray amen. Amen. Amen. Great thank you good morning everyone so we have been journeying through the book of Revelation as we see the unfolding of God's plan of what what the Lord Jesus revealed to the Apostle John so Revelation chapters one two and three but things that were concerning what John saw and the things that were that means that were there during John's time the first three chapters chapters four and five described to us a scene in heaven beginning with what the Lord said things that are going to come so four and five are in the future John sees what's happening in heaven chapter six we see what's beginning to happen here or not so we are journeying from chapter six we went through all the way to chapter 17 in the book of Revelation we see we saw the seven seals the seven trumpets and the seven bowls have been poured out and during along that journey we have seen the midpoint of the tribulation which is Revelation chapter 11 where that there are these two witnesses Revelation 12 Satan comes with great vengeance he knows this time is short Revelation 13 the Antichrist and the false prophet what they do how they try to control globally and Revelation 14 is the 144,000 Jews up in heaven and then the other five angels making proclamations Revelation 15 and 16 are the seven the second the last war which is the seven bowls bowls of judgment and then Revelation 17 which we saw last week so so basically what happens is when we come to Revelation 16 towards the end of the seven bowls the sixth bowl is the preparation for the battle of Armageddon the river Euphrates is dried up demons are released now this is Revelation chapter 16 verses 13 and 14 demons are released to go when in an instigator mobilize the kings of the earth to come together together for the battle of Armageddon that's the sixth bowl or judgment and then so basically the the battle of Armageddon has you know mobilization for that has already started so we're really close to the end of the seven year tribulation and then Revelation 17 and 18 are telling us two major calamities that happened before the battle of Armageddon Revelation 17 we saw last week this this this religion this great harlot to this mystery Babylon collapses she is destroyed basically what happens is in Revelation 17 we saw that these these these 10 leaders who had supported the Antichrist and the false prophet who was supported by the Antichrist these 10 leaders they would draw their support and they turn against this great harlot which is this one world religion or that's been put in place and so that whole thing collapses so we covered till that that is till the end of Revelation 17 we are starting today with Revelation chapter 18 so Revelation 18 once again I'll just give a quick overview and then we will read it Revelation 18 talks about the great city Babylon it's not talking about mystery Babylon but the great city Babylon the name is similar Babylon Babylon referring to anything that would go against God or try to replace God the great the mystery of the great harlot Babylon the mystery Babylon Revelation 17 was talking about the religious system the great city Babylon which we will read about in Revelation 18 is talking about the financial system the economic system you see so the Antichrist had brought in this economic system nobody can buy or sell unless they have the mark of the beast on their hand or on the forehead only then they can buy and sell only then they can you know be part of the economic system and so a lot of the peoples of the earth they became part of that financial system but what we read in Revelation 18 is that everything collapses within one hour within one hour the whole financial system collapses people lose their wealth people lose their money everything they have put in just disappears so that's what we're going to read and let's read in portion by portion let's go Revelation chapter 18 and we'll read verses one through eight to start off Revelation chapter 18 verses one through eight please somebody could read that for us after this I saw another angel coming down out of heaven he had great authority and his planter pride in it the whole earth he cried out in a loud voice she has fallen great Babylon has fallen she is now hunted by demons and unclean spirit spirits all kind of filthy and hateful birds live in her for all the nations have drunk her wine the strong wine of her immoral lust the kings of the earth practice sexual immorality with her and the and the merchants of the world grew rich from her unrestrained lust then I heard another voice from heaven saying come out my people come out from her you must not take part excuse me in her scenes and scenes you must not share in her uh banishment for her scene are are billy up as high as heaven and god remember her wicked way treat her exactly as she has treated you be her beg double for all she has done feel her gap with a trunk her drink twice as strong as the drink as the drink she prepared for you give her as much suffering and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself for she keeps telling herself I sit a queen I am no widow I will never known grief because of this in one day she will be she will be struck with black diseases grief and famine and she will be burned with fire because the lord god who judge her is mighty okay thank you so revelation 18 so this angel is coming and he's announcing revelation 18 verse 2 Babylon the great is fallen and it has become a place where all these unclean spirits are inhabiting so um you see uh uh the the the declaration the fall of this great Babylon now we'll see what is this Babylon what is the seat what is it announcing um what I want to point out is that whatever this Babylon is it's become a place where the morning powers are operating so really when we see we will see that this Babylon is a place of like we said it's the financial system the global economic system the reason we can see it is in verse 3 he talks about the merchants of the earth merchants of the earth meaning the people who do business uh the people who buy and sell the people who you know transact so he's talking about an economic system a financial system but this financial system has become so corrupt that instead of god being a part of it um it's the demons that are that are just you know in this system and just a side note you know look it talks about there was two talks about every unclean and hated bird every unclean and hated bird so um uh when we see you know the the prophetic image birds birds could be used for the example the dove is a symbol of the holy spirit the eagle is often used as a believer and they shall mount over things like eagles so birds are prophetic images in some some ways they're used to represent you know good things but birds are also used to represent bad things and here it talks about every unclean and hated bird so you can imagine you know uh some birds that that are unclean that are not clean those are prophetic images of evil spirits demonic powers whereas dove or and the eagle is used to symbolize good things right just just for you to not to keep a side note as on how prophetic prophetic images in the bible coming back to what revelation 18 is talking about he's talking to us about uh this this economic system verse three says you know the nations are kings meaning people of power and influence of all participated uh in this in this system and of course you know notice the language he's talking using uh a language like immorality uncleanness why is that that's telling us that uh participating uh or engaging in this kind of thing is really not only is it a natural thing the sense of yeah they're buying and selling but there's also this departure from god they're engaged they're engaging in something that's not from god and so this language here is very strong and then he tells us you know that god has remembered the sins i mean he's seen seen this wickedness now you will see in verse seven it says in the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously she says i sit as a queen and um uh uh no widow and will not see sorrow that means it's talking about the the pride the you know the the the wrong attitude the pride of life being expressed here you know that this this whole system is uh personified as a queen who is so proud of her achievements proud of her luxuries proud of her wealth right so this this system is personified like that and uh she sits as a queen and and and boasting all these things but verse eight in one day all of this would be burned with fire for god is going to judge this whole great city of Babylon right so as you read further it becomes very clear that this great city of Babylon is an economic system let's read verses nine through 16 please if somebody could read that verses nine through 16 and you observe very carefully the way it's described you'll realize that yeah this is an economic system or a financial system revolution 18 nine through 16 please the beings of the earth who committed fornication and live well lived luxuriously with her will weave and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning standing at the distance for fear of her torment saying Allah Allah Allah that great city Babylon the mighty city for in one hour your judgment has come and the emergence of the earth will be and mourn over her for no one buys their merchandise anymore merchandise for gold and silver precious stones and pears fine lenient and purple silk and scarlet scarlet every kind of citron would every kind of object of equal ivory ivory every kind of subject every kind of object of most precious wood bronze iron and marble and cinnamon cinnamon and incense fragrant oil and frame king senses fine and oil fine floor and wheat cattle and sheep horses and char char lids and bodies and souls of men the fruit has the fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you and all the things which are rich and splitting have gone from you and you shall find them no more at all the merchants of these things who became rich by her will stand at a distance for fear of her torment weeping and veiling and saying Allah Allah that great city that was clothed in fine lint purple and scarlet and a dawn with gold and precious stones and pears okay so thank you revolution 1892 uh 16 so here we're getting a description of what this great city or what this queen or this um this you know this this the 12th personified as a queen um uh what this is so he's very clearly mentioning here you know he says you know the kings or the leaders of the earth they all were participating in this and they were enjoying the luxury of it but yet they were going they will see all of us go up its smoke it's all just going to be burnt it's going to be destroyed and the great city was then the great city Babylon in one hour in one hour it's going to be destroyed right so this great city Babylon so this whole economic system is represented or is described by this a great city or by this by personified as a queen living in luxury but what exactly is it when you read verses 11 through 11 through 15 you find that he's talking really about merchandise and people buying and selling all kinds of things gold and silver precious stones purples clothing and precious metals and spices and food and even you know livestock cattle and even he says bodies and souls of men that's worse that even people are bought and sold in this you know so this is like a system big system where all these transactions are taking place basically it's a you know so we would say in uh in uh in uh in in in our in our modern language you would say this was um an economic system a financial system but things are bought and sold and people are you know engaging in this and all of this is going to be judged in one hour it's going to collapse so let's see what happens as we read read on in this chapter verses 17 to 24 please somebody could read it so we understand very clearly from these verses verses 11 12 13 14 it's really talking about a system that is buying and selling in an economic system and of course he's using the language of his day you know he's talking all about you know clothing and precious stones and all of those kinds of things but it's describing to us an economic system verses 17 to 24 we will see what more will happen to this great city Babylon could somebody read that please verses 17 to 24 okay Thomas revelation 18 17 to 24 please so pastor i will read it 24 21 to 24 right pastor 17 to 24 please okay um for in one ha one ha such a great riches came to nothing every ship master all who travel by ship sailor and as many as the trade on the sea stood at a distance and cried out when they saw the smoke of the hurt burning saying what is this like this great city they threw dust on their heads and cried out weeping and willing and saying alas alas the great city in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by their wealth for in one hour she is made desolate rejoice over her oh heaven and you and you holy apostles and prophets for god has avenged you on her then a mighty angel took a stone like a great milestone and threw it into the sea saying thus with the violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down and shall not be found anymore the sound of heart harpises musicians fluterists and trump trumpeters shall not be heard in your in you anymore no craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore and the sound of the milestone shall not be heard in in you anymore the light of the lamp shall not shine you in anymore the voice of the bright doom and the bright shall not be heard in you anymore for your merchants were the great men of the earth for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived and in her was found the blood of the prophets and the saints and all who were slain on the earth so thank thank you so verses 17 to 24 once again is giving us more indication on what is this great city Babylon and what is he talking about in verse 17 he says in one hour such great riches came to nothing so basically this everything collapsed in one hour and what's he talking about such great riches he talks about sailors and others merchants on ships who were trading on this you know from from across distances so he says in verse 19 these people had ships on the sea and they became rich by her wealth again is talking about commerce about business those kinds of things and he says once again he says in one hour she's made desolate that's verse 19 and then he's he's you know so I'll just touch on the other points here verse 21 he talks about this great city Babylon in verse 22 he talks about craftsmen and millstone that is the grinding stone you know in which flower and all is made talks about merchants in verse 23 so basically it's very clear to us and I'm just highlighting this that he's talking about commerce a commercial system an economic system so this global economic system which was brought in by the antichrist causing people to buy and sell only by receiving the mark of the beast when he was controlling this everything collapses and people of the earth participated in it kings of the earth leaders of the great people participated in it everything collapses now now other things just want to point out is he says in verse 20 and once again verse 24 he talks about the blood of the apostles the prophets and the saints being avenged that means this system this global economic system impacted the people of god resulting in their death how would that have happened well god's people apostles and prophets and saints refused to partake of this this system because they refused the mark of the beast they refused to receive the mark on their hands or the foreheads they didn't say we're not going to participate in this thing right and so they were they were killed the apostles the prophets the saints were killed and so here god is avenging their death by the collapse of this economic system the other thing we see here is he says you know what this great city when you collapse there'll be no more music heard in you or no more celebration nothing meaning it's going to be desolate it's going to be barren this collapse is going to be so you know it's it's it's the the finality of it it's it's over the global economic system that all the leaders of the earth and and influential people they all participated in it it says in one hour all their riches are gone it came to nothing right so revelation chapter 17 is mystery Babylon or the great harlot revelation 18 is the great city Babylon or the queen or the luxurious queen they're just both just you know pictures of one is a religious system one is a economic system both these things collapse during the time of the build-up to the battle of Armageddon and it's very interesting you know what we are seeing happen in the world today you know you know what what's happening the world today with you know Russia Ukraine the battle and how Russia you know had invaded has invaded Ukraine and all of that and then how all the many nations many other nations have responded to european not american nations so on they responded and and i have mentioned this before and we have we've seen that in it within you know a day or a few days the economy of the Russian nation was impacted so greatly you know so in this in this whole war there's been an economic impact and of course other other nations are also feeling the results of a lot of sanctions and so on but you can you can kind of get a sense how in this great build-up of the battle of Armageddon the nations are going to be mobilized towards israel as that is happening as they're all moving in two things collapse the religious system collapses the economic system collapses so now we come to revelation chapter 19 in revelation chapter 19 we get a glimpse of what is happening in a heaven while on earth there is a preparation for the battle of Armageddon happening so on earth revelation 16 13 through 14 the nations are being mobilized to towards the battle of Armageddon the global economic system collapses the religious system collapses global religious system collapses that's happening here on earth revelation 19 what's happening in heaven around the same time right so that's what we're going to see everybody's with me so far any questions okay everything's clear okay i see you go comments so what's happening in heaven during this time revelation chapter 19 let's please read verses one to ten revelation 19 one to ten somebody could read it for us please prince after these things i heard a loud voice of great multitude in heaven saying allaya salvation and glory and honor and power belong to the lord our god for true and righteous are his judgment because he has he has judged the great harlot who corrupted the earth with her punishment and he has a avenged on her plot of his servant said by her again this again they said hallelujah hallelujah her smoke rise up forever and ever and the 24 elders and the four living creatures fall down and worship god who said on the throne saying amen hallelujah then a voice came from the throne saying praise our god all you his servants and those who fear him both small and great and i heard as its were it was the voice of a great multitude is the sound of many workers and is the sound of mighty things saying hallelujah for the lord god omnipotent reason let us be glad and the choice and keeping glory for the marriage of the lamb has come and his wife has made us ready and to her eat was granted to be arranged in fine learning clan and pride for the fine learning is the righteous act of the saints then he say and then he said to me right place of those who are called to the marriage circle of the lamb and he said to me these are the true saying of god and i for at his feet to worship him but he said to me see that you do not do that i am your flow servant and of your brother in who have the testimony of Jesus worship god for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy man thank you so revelation 19 versus on through 10 so John is loose having this vision of heaven and what's happening first there is a great celebration in heaven at the collapse of what's of Babylon here on earth so this great harlot Babylon that's the religious system has collapsed the great city Babylon has collapsed the Babylon itself this this whole system this whole system or systems that man had put their trust in which took the place of God which resulted in the destruction of the lives of many of the saints and the apostles and the prophets of God has collapsed and so in heaven there's that shout of triumph alleluia praise our God this is in a goddess avenged his people and then well there's the sound of worship and praise uh john hears this he says you know here is the announcement being made the marriage of the lamb has come so what is happening in heaven towards the end of the seven years of tribulation the final thing happening in heaven is the marriage of the lamb remember we are in on as far as the earth's calendar is concerned we are in the seven years of tribulation right as far as the earth time is concerned and we've come to the end of the seven years of tribulation at that time what we are seeing happening in heaven is the marriage of the lamb and so there's this announcement being made you know worst seven uh enjoy speak glad give glory to god by the marriage of the lamb has come and his wife has made herself ready now when it says his wife we keep in mind that God's people the body of Christ is also referred to in as referred to with with this feminine term the bride of Christ or the you know uh uh the saints the people of God are pictured that way right as the bride of Christ so um this you know based on Ephesians 5 we see that that Christ gave himself for her the church so the church meaning that the people of God so here Revelation 19 verse 7 the and talks about the bride of the lamb it's basically the saints of God God's people all the old and the new testament says all of them together who are now in heaven they have made themselves ready and they are clothed and fine linen in righteousness they're clothed and by unrighteousness and which nine the marriage supper of the lamb has come and so you know uh let me say this we know Jesus said this when he sat with his disciples at the last supper he sat with them and he said you know uh as he ate the bread and and the wine and you know and he and he instituted the Lord supper he said I will not drink it with you until I drink it with you in the kingdom of heaven in the kingdom in the presence of the father you know so this is it we are saying that he was referencing or referring to the uh marriage supper where the the the bride is going to meet the bride groom now you know we just have to imagine we don't know all the details but generally what you would see is okay there's a big table people are sitting and eating you know you you think about a marriage supper like that but it's really talking about a time of celebration a time of great union a time of rejoicing meaning this is something God has been working towards he's been getting the people ready and this is that climax this is the coming together of everything God has been working towards so the marriage supper of the lamb so on earth is getting ready for the battle of armageddon on earth in heaven sorry there is this great celebration of God saying look this is something I've been preparing the saints for God's people for and this is that celebration once this marriage supper of the lamb has taken place in heaven what happens next we see the Lord coming forth out of heaven to the earth so we see revelation chapter 19 verses 11 through 16 can somebody read that for us revelation 19 11 through 16 conan if your mic is okay you can read it they I'm not sure it's about your mic so I don't want to trouble you but conan if your mic is fine read it please read revelation 19 11 to 16 okay I will read 11 to 16 right now I saw heaven opened and behold a white horse and he who sat on him was called faithful and true and in righteousness he judges and makes war his eyes were like flame of fire and on his head were many grounds he had a name written that no one knew except himself he was clothed with the robe dipped in blood and his name is called the word of God and the armies in heaven closer in the infine linen white and clean followed him on white horses now out of his mouth goes a sharp sword that with it he should strike the nations and he himself will rule them with the rod of iron he himself spreads the wine press of the friends and wrath of almighty god and he has on his robe and his a name written king of kings and lord of lords thank you so revelation 19 11 through 16 so john sees the heaven opened and he sees jesus coming so this is the lord jesus returning or coming to the earth in this this magnificent glory right now daniel spoke about this he said i Daniel chapter 7 verse 13 14 daniel said i saw the son of man coming in the clouds of glory many times on his earthly ministry jesus said you will see the son of man coming in the clouds in his glory and here it is revelation 19 11 being fulfilled he comes and and and john is describing he comes with you know like this mighty warrior riding on a white horse his eyes are like flame of fire and his head has many crowns meaning he is king of kings he's he's he's the symbolizes in great authority and dominion and he's the one you know who was crucified he has his robe dipped in blood and he's called the word of god and then he's saying the armies of heaven so the armies of heaven would include the angelic hosts and the saints you know in jude chapter 1 verses 14 and 15 uh jude records you know the inox said i saw the lord coming with 10 000s of his saints jude chapter 1 verses 14 and 15 and 15 so that's being fulfilled right here when the lord comes with the armies of heaven that means the saints of god and the angelic hosts we are coming with him and what happens he judges the nation he strikes the nations so here on earth the nations have gathered together against jerusalem against israel against jerusalem they're coming against them now there may be those who are supporting or for israel and they are those who are against israel and like we saw from a sickle 38 and 39 you know it gives us a list of some of the nations and how they're aligned and they're coming to get them against israel and the lord himself comes and he judges the nations because he is king of kings and a lot of lots so the bible talks about you know gives details in other places like in sakharaya chapter 14 it talks about how this battle is going to unfold and i think also in yeah sakharaya chapter 14 he talks about you know that his feet will come on the mount of olives sakharaya 14 4 the mountain will be split in two and then verse verse 12 the lord will distract the people of the earth and you know the sakharaya 14 they they will be just destroyed right so god himself comes and he fights for jerusalem for israel and he destroys these nations who have gathered against israel against jerusalem so that's this passage your revelation 19 11 to 16 and he is going to take care of or he's going to judge the the antichrist the false prophet and that's that will happen at this time the end of the battle of armageddon so let's read that those last few verses revelation 19 verses 17 to 21 just to see the you know what what happens in the battle of armageddon revelation chapter 19 17 to 21 please somebody could read that for us then i saw an angel standing in the sun and he cried with loud voice saying to all the birds that fly in the midst of the heaven come and gather together for the supper of the great god that you may eat the flesh of kings the flesh of captains the place of mighty men the place of horses and and of those who sit on them and the place of all people free and slave both small and great and i saw the waist the kings of the earth and their enemies gathered together to make war against him against him who sat on the horse and against his army that the beast was captured and with him the false prophet who works science in his presence by which deceived those who received and the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image these two were cursed live into the lack of fire burning with brain stone and the and the wrist were killed with the sword which processed proceed from the mouth of him who sat on the horse and all the birds were filled with the flesh okay so this this this passage here says describing to us this battle of armageddon here on earth just by the word of his mouth the lord is going to you know destroy all those who had come against israel and the kings the armies of the earth all those who have gathered against israel they're going to be destroyed and it says the beast and the false prophet so the antichrist and the false prophet are going and those you know those who worship them they're going to be cast into the lake of fire so this sent away into the lake of fire and the rest were killed the others so that means the other armies the earth people who who came against israel tourists they were killed and the birds of the came to eat up the flesh meaning you can imagine hundreds of thousands of people killed we saw earlier in revelation 14 where uh when the angel it announced in revelation 14 that revelation 14 20 that blood will flow up to the horses bridle for about 180 or 200 miles this is that destruction the the devastation people are killed blood is going to flow like that like a river outside of Jerusalem so or outside not too far from the city of Jerusalem so this you know this the lord himself will defend Jerusalem and his people is around and this is the kind of destruction that's going to take place the the antichrist and the false prophet are removed they are put into the lake of fire so this brings us to the end of the seven years of tribulation it ends with a battle of Armageddon and Christ has come to set up his kingdom here on earth now when we read Daniel chapter 12 the end of Daniel Daniel mentioned you know he he gives this gap period of about 45 days or so when the the the the the we talked refer to it as a fourth temple as equal chapter 40 onwards 42 48 I think you know before the the worship of the temple can be restored and so on temple cleansed and so on so it seems to us at this period of time this gap period of about 45 days or so is a time that is used probably used to just clean up all the devastation destruction that comes at the end of the battle of Armageddon but Christ has come to set up his physical kingdom on the earth and he is going to rule physically literally out of Jerusalem as had been spoken through the prophets okay so we'll take a break and we'll come back we'll continue with chapter 20 to see what follows what happens after the battle of Armageddon you know so Revelation chapter 20 we'll start that after the break okay so let's take a quick 10 minute break and we'll see again thank you