Revelation #56

Continuing on in Chapter 18:



Revelation 18:4-8



4Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,



"Come out of her, my people,

lest you take part in her sins,

lest you share in her plagues; 5for her sins are heaped high as heaven,

and God has remembered her iniquities.

6 Pay her back as she herself has paid back others,

and repay her double for her deeds;

mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed.

7 As she glorified herself and lived in luxury,

so give her a like measure of torment and mourning,

since in her heart she says,

'I sit as a queen,

I am no widow,

and mourning I shall never see.'

8For this reason her plagues will come in a single day,

death and mourning and famine,

and she will be burned up with fire;

for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her."



In verse 4 we are told that John heard another voice from heaven....that voice is giving a warning! The voice is God. God is telling His people to get away from Babylon(Rome). Don't take part in her sins! This is similar to the warning he gave to Sodom and Gomorrah. If the people stay in Babylon and follow her sins they will share in the plagues God is about to send !Verse 5 tells us that Babylons sins are piled high and God remembers her sins! This is a good time to remind those who are saved that God forgets the sins of those who have trusted His Son!



Psalm 103:12

12as far as the east is from the west,

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.



In verse 6 we see Babylons penalty. She will be paid back as she treated others only doubled! Verse 7 tells us as she was living in luxury and lifting herself up she will receive torment and mourning. In her heart she never thought of impending judgement just that she was queen and nothing would bring her down to mourning! Oh how wrong she will be! 1 John 2:16 has given us warning of a heart in the condition of Babylon:



1 John 2:16

16For all that is in the world— the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world.



Verse 8 tells us for her desire for sin and turning from God plagues will come in a single day! Death. mourning, and fire will be upon Babylon. For God is the judge!!!! As we will see in the rest of the chapter both religious (although false) and commercial Babylon will fall!



Tom