 I'll begin reading here in Revelation 18 at verse 1, and I'll read to verse 4 and get into our study. Revelation chapter 18 beginning at verse 1, after these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. She cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a habitation of demons, a prison for every foul spirit and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. The kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. Now after these things, when he begins here in verse 18 and says after these things, that indicates that this is a later revelation than the one that we went through in chapter 17. Remember with me in chapter 17 we took a look at what was referred to there as mystery Babylon, the great harlot. Now I was sharing with you when we were in chapter 17, mystery Babylon speaks of a system that will dominate the world during a period that is called the tribulation. It is the economic, political, and the religious system that will be established by this one who is called in Scripture, Antichrist. And so I mentioned to you that chapter 17 refers to the religious aspect of mystery Babylon and that chapter 18 refers to the commercial quality of mystery Babylon. And so as we look at verse 1, notice as we begin the statement, another angel differentiates this angel from the one that was mentioned in chapter 17. Now when you look at this in verse 1 and notice what it says, after these things they saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. When you look at those things, some would view this angel, and I'm just giving to you what some would say, some would view this angel as Jesus Christ. And the reason they would view this angel as Jesus is because notice he comes down from heaven, he has authority, and he illuminates with his glory. And so there are those who would say this must be a reference to Jesus Christ. But this isn't a reference to Jesus. So you say, why did you bring that up then and confuse me? Because I like that, that's my job. I want you to see this as definitely an angel because he is described as another angel, another angel. Now in Greek you will see Greek words that are translated by the single English word, another. There is a Greek word, it's spelled A-L-L-O-S, a loss. And there's a second Greek word that is heteros. And the word that is used here is a word that speaks of one of the same kind. Heteros speaks of that which is of a different kind. We know the word heteros because we say heterosexual, speaking of one of a different kind. Male-female, female is a different kind in scripture than male. But A-L-L-O-S speaks of one of the same kind. And so what you have here is one of the same kind as another angel. And so this tells us very plainly that this is an angel and this is not the Lord Jesus Christ. This is not His return or this is not a picture of a rapture that takes place during the tribulation or anything like this. This may be the one that is found in chapter 14, that angel that cried out Babylon is fallen. Now what we do have here is a picture of a very powerful angel. And this is an angel who will do a great work for the Lord. That is made clear by the statement of the illumination notice, the illumination of the earth by its glory. Now that ought to remind us of something in scripture. It would be found in Luke chapter 2 verses 8 through 10, illumination by glory. Listen in Luke 2, 8 through 10, there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby keeping watch over their flocks that night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them and they were terrified. The angel said to them, do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy. That will be for all people. So this illumination of the earth by its glory reminds us of when the Lord Jesus Christ was born and the glory of God that was present at that time. This is a glory that is illuminating and this is an angel that is one who is very mighty. And it says in verse 2, he cried mightily with a loud voice and notice what he says, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen. Now when it is cried out, is fallen, is fallen. That would speak of a sudden and a complete action. The event is complete and yet we know that it's still for us reserved for the future. Now it's repeated which could speak of two separate parts or stages of the fall, the fall of Babylon. It could reveal two aspects of Babylon, a system of false worship which was chapter 17 and secondly verse 18, its commercial system. Now the question is asked, when do the events of chapter 18 take place? The answer would be during the last half of the seven year period of this time called the tribulation. It would seem that the first three and a half years will be consummated at the destruction, at the destruction or with the destruction of mystery Babylon. Let me look at this for a minute and develop something with you. The destruction of mystery Babylon. In the midpoint of the tribulation, Antichrist is going to destroy the false Babylonian religious system. It will no longer, and this is important, I'm going to develop this with you, I'm just laying a foundation. It will no longer be presented as a religiously tolerant belief system. Mystery Babylon at the beginning is going to be an inclusive religious system. People will fall under the banner of mystery Babylon. I was sharing with you last time that the spirit of this mystery Babylon goes all the way back to the book of Genesis, all the way back to the tower of Babel and the influence of Babylonian worship which rejects God is all the way back at the very beginning of our scriptures. All through from that point to now, there has been, though there are certain religious groups that are very opposed in any way to any kind of unification of religious systems including Islam and Christianity, we are opposed to a unification of religious systems under one banner yet when the Antichrist takes position of power, mystery Babylon, the influence of this mentality that we can all get along is actually going to come to its greatest fruition. Remember with me how I was sharing with you how that there is going to be a treaty that is going to be signed between Antichrist and the nation of Israel and that within the confines of this treaty will be an agreement that Israel can rebuild their temple. Now we know even as we're alive here at this time that the temple is not rebuilt and there is a spirit of antagonism to any idea that that could even take place. But the Antichrist is going to be able to put things together in such a way that a treaty will be signed and that temple will be rebuilt. You see up until the middle of the tribulation there is going to be an aura of religious tolerance. Antichrist is going to let religions dwell in harmony with the exception by the way of those who come to faith in Christ during that time. Christianity will not be accepted. As mentioned he's going to broker a treaty between Muslims and Jews. He'll allow the temple to be rebuilt and it will be in the middle of the tribulation when the beast actually is going to break that covenant. The Bible tells us that he's going to declare himself to be God. If you take notes 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 verse 4, he will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped so that he sets himself up in God's temple proclaiming himself to be God. Revelation 13 we saw this at verse 12 says that the false prophet causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast. So the beast is going to be worshiped. That as mentioned will occur in the middle of this seven-year period called the tribulation. That's when he's going to break the treaty that he's established with Israel and that's when he declares himself God. You see when you look in the Old Testament book of Daniel in chapter 9 verse 27 speaking of Antichrist Daniel 9 27 says he will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. In the middle of the seven he will put an end to sacrifice and offering and on a wing of the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation until the end that is decreed is poured out on him. So in the middle of the tribulation in the three and a half year period Antichrist who has established a treaty with Israel will break that covenant. The temple has been rebuilt and an image will be placed in that temple which is referred to as an abomination. In Matthew 24 15 and 16 Jesus said when you see standing in the holy place the abomination that causes desolation spoken of through the prophet Daniel let the reader understand then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains that takes place in the middle of the tribulation. Now when that happens mystery Babylon the religious system is no longer necessary. In chapter 17 we saw at verse 16 the beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin leave her naked they will eat her flesh burn her with fire. In other words the world church will be destroyed in favor of world honor to a political dictator the Antichrist. Now in chapter 16 verse 19 that scripture reads that the great city split into three parts and the cities of the nations collapsed. God remember Babylon the great and gave her the cup filled with the wine of the fury of his wrath. So at the end of the first three and a half years of the tribulation mystery Babylon is dealt with. Here the second half of the tribulation political commercial Babylon is being dealt with. Now notice with me in chapter 18 verse 2 how it says he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and has become a habitation of demons a prison for every foul spirit and a cage for every unclean and hated bird. And so when Babylon falls she will become a habitation a prison a cage for demons and they're referred to here as hated birds. Isaiah 14 22 and 23 says I will rise up against them declares the Lord Almighty I will cut off from Babylon her name and survivors her offspring and descendants declares the Lord I will turn her into a place for owls and into swamp land I will sweep her with the broom of destruction declares the Lord Almighty. 4 verse 3 all the nations have junk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. So the judgment comes on Babylon because of the total wickedness of her inhabitants in her political dealings with the world she has polluted all the nations and and we'll look at this in just a moment in some detail they have become rich. She became the merchandising capital of the world it was filled with greedy exploiters. See there's going to be something called and I have to be careful that I don't go back to chapter 17 because I actually understand that chapter the spirit of anti-Christ. I mentioned to you and I'll have to be careful not to stay here but I'm going to I'm going to stop for a moment here the gospel of Jesus Christ is a very basic and simple message never forget that and don't try and make it too too complicated. God loves the world that the world is filled with sinners sinners who don't know God end up being judged by him but because God loves the world God has done something to breach the gulf that exists between man and himself God is holy man is unholy and if you have a picture will say God man and in between a gulf that no one can cross this separation and that gulf is sin it's sin the Bible says sin makes separation between God and man so you have a holy God but you also have a loving God you have a righteous God but you have a compassionate God God who loves the world so much how does this God of love reach sinful man when there's a gulf between them and the answer we know is Jesus Christ Jesus comes if you will in the center of that gulf and with one hand he holds the hand of a sinner who comes to faith in him and with the other hand will say he holds the hand of his father and through the cross a bridge is formed for a man who is sinful to cross through him to relationship with God that's a very simple message but unfortunately we have complicated it well yeah God is righteous and all but you really got to try your hardest and we complicate the message of grace that falls into the plans of the antichrist who who wants all religious systems to exist in a sense as long as it's all works righteousness all your efforts so you can call it anything you want but if it's not through Christ it's error i've had conversations with people how many religions are there in the world question asks is asked how many religions and my answer is always the same two you're crazy man there's buddhism daoism there's hinduism that you know islam you're great no there's two gods and satans truth lie there's only two there's only two the truth is the lord the lie has different forms evil has a beauty to it but it is always seducing you to your own efforts to get right with god god says you can't there's nothing you can do you're unrighteous your righteousness is like filthy rags there's none righteous god says no not one i'll have sin fall short of the glory of god that's it wages of sin he says death it's appointed into men to die once after this judgment that's what the scripture teaches but god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son the whosoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life that's gospel very very very saint he who hears my word and believes on him who sent me has everlasting life has passed from condemnation into life he will not suffer condemnation he passes into life john 524 that's what the word of god teaches you see so the enemy has a religious system and it takes various forms that wears various masks but it's all basically the same it's rejecting christ mystery Babylon the great horror why is she called the great horror because horrors seduce harlots are seductive they bring you in and they trap you and destroy you that's mystery Babylon and the enemy uses mystery Babylon for his purposes the middle of the tribulation he doesn't need that system anymore he puts himself in the temple he declares himself to be god and if you do not fall to worship him you're going to die he has a false prophet he has a mark if you don't take that mark you can't buy and you can't sell but the bible we already saw says if you do take that mark there's no way that you're going to enter into the kingdom of god and so the enemy has a system that he's setting up and as all of this is taking place Babylon as the merchandising as commercial Babylon now it's coming to the forefront she becomes the merchandising capital of the entire world and and and look at what it has to say it says again in verse three all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury so materialism greedy materialism becomes something that is overwhelming the wealth accumulated is now taken over by the political system proverbs 23 verses four and five says this don't worry yourself trying to get rich why waste your time for riches can disappear as though they had wings of a bird anybody here off the top of your head know who the richest man alive today is all of us do right this name bill gates how much does he have who knows 81 billion dollars give or take a few hundred million right 81 billion is that a lot is that a lot oh yeah would you like that in your bank account tonight okay it's a lot the richest man who ever lived Rockefeller John D Rockefeller right my brother used to say my name is Rosalis not Rockefeller you know how much he had 340 billion dollars that's huge just telling you that because I find that interesting he was a Christian Rockefeller said I owe all of my wealth to the god I serve and there were times that Rockefeller used to dress up as a janitor and he did the janitorial work at his church taught Sunday school loved the Lord and God gave him a lot of resources and he used him for the glory of God he had 340 plus billion dollars of resources that the Lord gave to him interesting isn't it well today greed is very common greed is very common and and I was sharing just recently and I'll say this briefly a lot of people you know at one time there was something we all know it happened within the last couple of years where there was so much anger towards what was being referred to as the one percenters and I was sharing just recently at a at another place how that and greed is a sin but so is jealousy so is jealousy and so my nobility comes by my being jealous of somebody who's done well I don't think so they're both sins they're both sins because the one who has much from him much is required and so if the Lord should give to you great wealth from he from you he expects great things that's how it works in the kingdom of God but see during this time interesting it reveals the genius of antichrist in the midst of all the tribulation and all that's happening there is still an accumulation of funds people are still getting a lot of money now as this is taking place verse 4 he says I heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people lest you share in her sins unless you receive of her plagues so interestingly enough the tribulation will actually be a time when the world has incredible revival notice how it says come out of her my people we remember as we've been going through revelation that there are the hundred and forty four thousand witnesses we know that there are the two witnesses we know that there's an angel that is preaching the everlasting gospel and they will impact the world but many of the converts will be martyred because they refuse the mark of the beast there will be others who are tempted to take it because their family and their friends are going to be concerned for them and because of economic pressures and so there's a warning come out of her have nothing to do with her it's the warning is to flee and the purpose of fleeing is basically twofold one as he's calling them to come out and to flee from this one by being separate from her they will not partake in her sins in 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 verse 17 we read therefore come out from them and be separate sayeth the Lord touch no unclean thing and I will receive you leave one thing so that I might receive you come out of that and come to me is what God is saying and so by being separated from this system they're in the position of being received by God and they're not going to partake in her sins and 2nd when they flee they will not receive her punishment the punishment that's coming through the bowl judgments God wants us to flee and not to be part of the judgment that's coming so God in the book of Genesis you have a man by the name of lot and lot has a wife and children and angels come in order to deliver them from the judgment that is coming we all know the story well enough for me to be able to just give it to you in in brief and so as they leave only a couple daughters go with them and the wife and the angel says you have to get out of here because we can't destroy this place until you're far from it so they leave but the Bible says very simply and you know the you know the scripture lots wife turned around and looked and was caught in the judgment which is interesting because remember Jesus said remember lots wife she may have left Sodom physically but Sodom never left her when she turned around to look the word in the Hebrew when she says and she looked carries the connotation of looking with longing her body was gone but her heart remained behind and that's how she got caught in the judgment when you come to faith in Christ you leave it all behind Jesus did not call us to part time discipleship guys to have hearted commitment when Jesus bids man come he bids him come and die he calls us to follow him and leave it all behind and and so the question we always ask ourselves is what do I have right now that is worth going to hell for what do I have right now that's worth going to hell for when Rockfeller died the question was asked how much did he leave behind and the answer came quickly everything everything how many herces have you seen pulling a U-Haul you leave everything everything the only thing you have is what you store ahead that's all you have is what you send ahead because you don't take it with you it's waiting for you it's what you've sent ahead but you have on earth rust and crowed and mouth can destroy Jesus said but in heaven that doesn't happen so your treasures you said should be in heaven well when you leave that system you leave it all behind now in verse five continuing and you're saying my goodness you have 24 verses are you going to be able to finish this in three minutes we'll see her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities it says her sins have reached that word reached means to be piled up it's like piling up bricks her sins have reached to heaven and God remembered so God remembers he hasn't forgotten her sins and God is judging them in Jonah chapter one verse two God had said arise go to Nineveh Nineveh that great city and cry against it for their wickedness has come up before me so God sees this and he's about to deal with them verse six render to her just as she rendered to you repay her double according to her works in the cup which she has mixed mixed for her double in the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously in the same measure give her torment and sorrow for she says in her heart I sit as queen and am no widow and will not see sorrow therefore her plagues will come in one day death and mourning and famine she will be utterly burned with fire for strong is the Lord God who judges her and so render render to her repay her double according to her works pay off that word render means to pay off a debt it speaks of giving back that which is due she considered herself invulnerable and because she thought she was untouchable this is what it's saying here because she thought she was untouchable may her judgment be swift and may it be severe her sin he's saying has been incredible her sin deserves incredible judgment and so according to the law of retribution she must be paid back and the degree of judgment is in keeping with her incredible sin her arrogance will be dealt with and so verse 9 the kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning standing at a distance for fear of her torment saying alas alas that great city babbling that mighty city for in one hour your judgment has come they they see this this the city destroyed and they don't know what to do it san francisco los angeles new york city imagine if in a heartbeat they were wiped off the face of the earth and all that's left is smoke and debris and that's kind of a picture of what we have in here they're seeing this and their destruction even though it's coming from god but they're crying now the time that this happens is at the end of the tribulation you're actually going to see this will take place at the second coming of christ now when you look at this and it speaks concerning babalon in the new testament babalon doesn't always refer to the literal city of babalon in iraq beaters seems to have used the name as a code reference for the city of roam when you look at first peter five thirteen for example it says she who was in babalon chosen together with you sends you her greetings and so there are those who would say that babalon when you see babalon being spoken of there are those who would say well this is is basically a code word it could be a general term it could even be a specific city and perhaps they have gone so far to say this could even represent the city of roam there are other commentators who believe that this is a rebuilt city of babalon they're saying this will be a city babalon in existence during the tribulation and the question would be asked could this literally be babalon rebuilt and the answer is yes scripture seems to indicate that you see isaac prophesied that babalon was to be destroyed and never again inhabited in isaac thirteen nineteen three twenty two it says babalon the jewel of kingdoms the glory of the babalonians pride will be overthrown by god like saddam and gamora she will never be inhabited or lived in through all generations no arab will pitch his tent there no shepherd will rest his flocks there but desert creatures will lie there jackals will fill their houses there the owls will dwell there the wild goats will leap about hyenas will howl in her strongholds jackals in her luxurious palaces her time is at hand her days will not be prolonged and so there's a there's a statement that she will be destroyed forever and yet when the meadow persians took babalon it was not completely destroyed as a matter of fact when alexander the the greek took the city the city was destroyed but it wasn't completely destroyed forever even now it's in the process of being rebuilt we know that i was reading something on the blog of a brother in the lord named joel rozenberg and joel rozenberg writes skeptics and cynics abound to be sure but the fact is babalon is being rebuilt right now in part with us taxpayer funds iraqi leaders hope that eventually millions of tourists will come to visit and real progress is being made he said consider the june 2009 edition of stars and stripes a us military publication they had a fascinating story headlined us iraqi experts developing plan to preserve babalon to build local tourism industry and so that's one of the reasons why bible commentators believe that this is speaking of the literal city of babalon you see the destruction of babalon is prophesied to occur during the day of the lord the day of the lord is this tribulation period that we're looking at isaia 136 through 7 says well for the day of the lord is near it comes like destruction from the almighty because of this all hands will go limp every man's heart will melt and so there are those who teach and believe that babalon will be the actual center of the commercial empire of antichrist others would say well babalon could be the commercial center perhaps roam could be the spiritual capital capital it's possible that roam may be the seat of government the first half and babalon the seat of government the second we really don't know but we do know this the burning of the city symbolizes the fall of its political and economic might in verse 11 the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her no one buys their merchandise anymore merchandise of gold and silver listen to this precious stones and pearls fine linen and purple silk and scarlet every kind of citron wood every kind of object of ivory every kind of object of most precious wood bronze iron and marble cinnamon and incense fragrant oil frankincense wine and oil fine flour wheat cattle sheep horses chariots and bodies and souls of men what a picture that is bodies and souls of men how many of you have ever heard the term i'm curious just bear with me have heard the term syntax how interesting syntax syntax is that is a term that is used that is still used to this day in reference to when you when you go buy cigarettes or when you go and buy alcohol that is referred to as syntax in the society it's something that a lot of you youngsters haven't heard so now you have and it's interesting and let me say this very quickly here as if that's possible i want you to notice the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her no one buys the merchandise anymore their god well really it was materialism and its cost what is the cost of materialism the souls of men you're yielding your soul over to your greed and lust your materialism they prostituted themselves for materialism with greed that drove them on they wanted to have commercial success billions of dollars are made from the sale of alcohol but also from prostitution gambling pornography illegal drugs they were making billions through these kinds of things profiting from the bodies and the souls of human beings jesus asked a question in matthew 1626 what good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world yet forfeits his soul what can a man give in exchange for his soul some 497 and 8 says no man could redeem the life of another or give to god a ransom for him the ransom for a life is costly no payment is ever enough how valuable is your soul valuable enough for the blood of christ to be poured out for its redemption that's how valuable so valuable that god gave a son to purchase you these others sold their soul for nothing for the pleasures that they have right now when you're 20 years old and you've got millions of dollars oh my you can stay up all night do all the drugs you want do whatever it is you like when you're 30 you're not doing so much of it anymore when you're 50 not that much anymore when you're 80 you're trying to remember what you used to do when you were 20 you don't stay young forever and if you don't prepare now you may not be prepared then materialism will destroy you it's a perfect picture contrasting the world's reward versus the things that god has for you that's why jesus said in matthew 6 19 through 21 lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust does corrupt thieves break through steel lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven where neither moth nor rust does corrupt where thieves does not do not break through nor steal where your treasure is there your heart will be also and finally it says in verse 20 rejoice over her oh heaven you holy apostles and prophets god has avenged you on her a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone threw it into the sea saying thus with violence the great city babbling shall be thrown down shall not be found anymore the sound of harpist musicians flutus and trumpeter shall not be heard in you anymore no craftsmen of any craft shall be found in you anymore and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore and the light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore and the voice of a bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore for your sir 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 prophets and saints and of all who were slain on the earth and what you have simply here is rejoicing the believers in heaven are encouraged to rejoice god has judged those who martyred you and the chapter closes with the picture of the violent downfall of Babylon commercial Babylon will be destroyed