We now see another viewpoint in this destruction of Babylon, and it is very different. We are told that there is a lot of rejoicing coming from the occupants of Heaven. Let’s start with verse 20. 

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v. 20- Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.

 

The saints prayed for it, the prophets of the Old Testament and apostles of the New Testament predicted it. Now it has come so let the celebration begin. By the way, for those who believe that the rapture will come at the end of the tribulation, this is proof that, at this point, it has already occurred.

 

v. 21 then a mighty Angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea and said quote with such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down never to be found again.

 

    John sees a mighty Angel hurl of boulder the size of a large millstone into the sea. Why? To symbolize the violent destruction of this city.

   

    When Jesus was on earth, he said it was better for a man to have a millstone tide around his neck and be thrown into the sea than to offend one of God's little children. this word “Offend” is too weak a word to describe what Mystery Babylon will do. Babylon will be thrown into the abyss of judgment.

 

What happens when we toss a stone into the water? It makes a splash then disappears. This is Babylon’s end.

 

V. 22 the music of harpist and musicians, flute players and trumpeters will never be heard in you again. No workmen of any trade will ever be

found in you again. The sound of the millstone will never be heard in you again.

v.23 the light of the lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of the bridegroom and the bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great man. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.

   

    It looks like rock music will go out of style, goodnight just but not only will rock music, jazz, and even classical music as well, will be silenced. The factories will close down, the lights of Babylon’s Broadway will go out. But the saddest of all is that there will be no more rejoicing over a marriage, the happiest time in a person's life. Social life and family life will end. All that will be over. satanic worship and the worship of demons will take the place of wholesome celebrations. More and more we are seeing sorcery, magic, and demonism in our world today. Satanism will increase.

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V. 24 in her was found the blood of prophets and of the Saints and of all who have been killed on the earth.

 

    If you study the decline of the great civilizations of the world, there are certain things that they all have in common. Things that brought on the decline of a great empire. In the book “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire”, written in 1788, the author gave five reasons for the decline of a great civilization. See if you can see America in these things.

1. The undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home.

2. Higher and higher taxes.

3. The mad craze for pleasure

4. The decay of individual responsibility.

5. The decay of religion.

 

    If you will remember back in verse 4 we find this quote “come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins.” God's people will not be in Babylon at the time of this destruction. But we will become involved in the sins of the Babylon of our present life on earth if we are not careful. Fleeing from Babylon is the route to take from the judgments of Babylon. That's not easy in the society in which we lived today.

 

 

 

This brings us to the close of the great and awful tribulation period. In the next chapter we see the glorious return of the Lord Jesus Christ. What a magnificent chapter it is. Notice as we prepare for chapter 19 that the chapter begins with Hallelujah’s. We'll be on shouting ground next week

Praise the LORD. See you next time or meet you in the Rapture, whichever comes first!

God bless you all. Maggie