Just before midnight on April 14, 1912 the Titanic struck an iceberg 95 miles south of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. This was one of the worst maritime disasters in history. The British luxury liner was on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York City. The first class rooms were decorated with thick carpets, carved wooden panel on the walls, and marble sinks. The lower decks had a squash court, swimming pool, and a Turkish bath. The gymnasium was equipped with exercise equipment including stationary bicycles and rowing machines. The Grand Staircase was lighted by a huge glass dome. The ship was full with riches and decadence… Those who purchased a first-class suite paid 105,000 pounds, or over $130,000 by today’s prices. This new cruise ship intoxicated the people of the world with all the riches and pleasures it had to offer and they paid dearly for it.

The iceberg amply damaged the Titanic to make it sink in less than three hours with the loss of 1508 lives. This historic event is a good analogy for what’s to come to in Revelation 18. What if you were a passenger on the Titanic? What different choices would you have made if you knew what was going to happen to you? You would get off that ship. You would want to trade a swimming pool, or a Turkish bath for more life – boats. The time will come when a great multitude and leaders of the world will want to get out of Babylon put it will be too late…

I. The Condemnation of Commercial Babylon (18:1-3)

1. During the middle part of the tribulation the false church will be totally destroyed. This “harlot” church will tolerate and accept all teachings except the one truth of the doctrine of Christ. Christianity will not be accepted.

2. There will also come on the scene at the beginning of the tribulation a one world government, ruled by the Antichrist or the “beast”. In chapter 18 the emphasis moves from the judgment upon the religious Babylon to what happens to commercial Babylon. Here Babylon represents this world system of the beast, particularly its economic and political aspects.

3. We can see that while the destruction of religious Babylon was attributed to the beast, the destruction of political and commercial Babylon will come directly from God Himself.
John writes in verse one, and after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. Some believe this is a Christophany because his appearance lightens the whole globe. – John 8:12 / Rev. 21:23
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Then, in verse two he says the angel cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen… The phrase is fallen, is fallen emphasizes the dual judgment on ecclesiastical Babylon and commercial Babylon and enforces the fall is final. And by the way, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great” is a direct quote from Isaiah 21:9, the prophet said it would happen. Whenever Jesus speaks, what He said always came to pass.

This Babylon is described as the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird (18:2)-a vivid, threefold picture of the demonic influences controlling Babylon. The word for bird is used only here and in the nineteenth chapter of Revelation. It is a word that is used to depict evil spirits hovering over the city like birds waiting to eat their prey. The city will become the headquarters of all demonic activity during the tribulation (Rev. 18:2).

This world system will intoxicate the people of the world with all the riches and pleasures it had to offer. What Satan has to offer no Christian should want! Our cities in America are a haven for some of the most wicked and vile activities so much so that our beloved country could very well fit the description and the judgment of this political Babylon. However, we cannot say that with any certainly because we have not entered the Tribulation.

The problem with American today is too many Christians are intoxicate with the world and the riches and allocates so that they have very little salt… This world system of religion, economics and politics will oppose Christ and offer temporal pleasure but its final outcome will be destruction.

5. Verse 3 tells us how extensive this kingdom is. The judgment is pronounced on the whole world, all the nations are connected, all the nations are linked. “They have all drunk the wine of the passion of her immorality.” Again this is very graphic language. They’re all drunk. The whole world is in a materialistic drunken stupor. They’re all swept up indulging in the sins that go along with it. The commercial aspects of Babylon the great had intoxicated the people of the world with riches and pleasure for the merchants of the earth is waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies (luxuries) (18:3).

This should remind us that everything that takes place especially during the time of the tribulation is in the total control of Almighty God. This judgment has come because the Babylonian system has polluted the whole world. The city & it whole system is swarming with demons and demonic evil activities. In 18:4 John hears another voice from heaven that is the voice of…

II. The Exhortation of Separation from Babylon. (4-8)

1. In all ages God’s people have had to separate themselves from all that is worldly and opposed of God. God called Abraham, and told him to get out of his country. God separated the Israelites out of Egypt and told them not to go back. Heb. 11:25-26.

2. John offers 2 reasons for God’s people to separate themselves from this demonic world system. 1) That they would avoid pollution, becoming “partakers of her sins.” 2). God’s people might be spared the terrible plagues He will send on Babylon.

3. Please note verse number 5…God does not remember the sins of His people, but He does remember the sins of those who reject Christ, their sins will be remembered and judged. He says in, Jeremiah 31:34, “I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more.”
Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. — Job 4:8 – Galatians 6:7- Be not…

III The Swiftness of Babylon’s Destruction (8, 10, 17, 19)

1. There is the quickness of Babylon’s destruction. It will happen in one day. Actually verse ten says that the city will be destroyed in one hour, which is referring to immediate and instantaneous destruction. The source of her destruction is God. Whenever Jesus speaks, what He said always came to pass.

a) In one hour’s time the plagues of death, mourning, and famine will sweep through the streets of the city, and then it will happen: the city will be utterly destroyed by fire. The means of her one-hour destruction by fire may be referring to an immediate destruction like what fell upon Sodom and Gomorrah or to something that is as forceful and explosive as an atomic bomb.
Zec. 14:12 And this shall be the plague wherewith the LORD will smite all the people that have fought against Jerusalem; Their flesh shall consume away while they stand upon their feet, and their eyes shall consume away in their holes, and their tongue shall consume away in their mouth.

c) The reasons for her destruction: J. Vernon McGee suggests: “In this day Babylon will dominate and rule the world. The stock market will be read from Babylon; Babylon will set the styles for the world; a play to be successful will have to be a success in Babylon. And everything in the city is in rebellion against Almighty God and centers on Antichrist. No one dreamed that this great city would be judged. Yet by the time the sun went down, Babylon was nothing but smoldering ruins. When the news goes out the world is stunned, and then begins their wail. The whole world will howl when Babylon goes down.

2. Her devilish pride (Rev. 18:7) her gross materialism. This wicked city will import and export twenty-eight principal items of merchandise, beginning with gold and ending with the bodies of men. We examine this in (Rev. 18:12, 13 along with her drug activities (Rev. 18:23 in our next message.

Application:
Look around! Christ is about to come – and where are the saints of God? Caught up in whirlwind of socials, materialism and allocates of this world. These are sinful only because they rob us of all our time! The prayer closets are empty! The church pews are sparse – the zeal for Gods house is vanishing! This is the work of Babylon – seducing God’s people away from the altars – to play with their toys. Getting God’s people preoccupied with ease, prosperity, and pleasure. God is calling all of us to leave this carnal, sensuous, careless way of living – and get back to seeking the Lord with all our heart. When we live by this standard we will be judged by it. James 5:1-6

Conclusion:

The day is coming when Satan is going to take over the whole world system, and he’s going to operate it with his demons, and even as the world collapses around them under the judgment of God.

Don’t get caught up in the love of luxury and the love of material things. Don’t get seduced. It’s all coming down. This world hasn’t seen anything like the final economic crash. Do you believe this? Let me remind you these are the Words of Jesus; look again at chapter 1:1-3.

Whenever Jesus spoke, what He said always came to pass. The blind man in Luke 18:42 discovered that a Word from our Lord Jesus meant his sight was restored. Lepers found that a word from Jesus in Luke 5:13 meant the healing of their diseased bodies. In John 8:11 the adulteress women experienced forgiveness through a Word from Jesus. Jesus spoke the words “Lazarus come forth” and raised him from the dead. Whenever Jesus spoke, what He said always came to pass.

So much so was his fame of speaking and his words come to pass that a Roman centurion servant was sick unto death and Jesus said unto him, “I will come and heal him.” The Roman soldiers answered and said with great faith…but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed.

There was never a time that Jesus spoke that what He said did not happen. So, I proclaim to you that all these revelations will come to pass just as Jesus spoke, and it may be soon. More importantly what happens when Jesus speaks to you? How powerful is a Word from Jesus in to your life!