[0:00] I want to thank you all for being here for our October class of the Revelation, and today we will be considering chapter 18. The game plan was to wrap this up by the end of the year, but I'm not sure that we'll be able to do so.
[0:19] Next month, our intention is to take chapter 19, which of course deals with the second coming of Christ. And then for December, we may be able to encapsulate the last couple of chapters into one, and if not, we'll just wait until January, because that might be a good time to begin all things new with a new heaven and a new earth at the beginning of a new year.
[0:42] So maybe it'll work out that way, I don't know. But at any rate, today we are in chapter 18 of Revelation, and we want to point out to you that prior to this time, we were discussing the religious Babylon that permeated the entire world system that is described in chapter 17.
[1:03] And that was reflected in the woman who rides the beast. The beast, of course, is the Antichrist. And as you move on through chapter 17, you will recall that the Antichrist, who had been operating in subjection to the religious domination, turns on the religious factor and literally destroys it and takes complete charge of the earth system itself.
[1:30] So religious Babylon has come to an end as chapter 17 ends. But now what chapter 18 is dealing with is about the only thing that is left in the world system, and that is the economic commercial aspects of Babylon.
[1:47] It too is pervasive throughout the whole world, and it has corrupted through its influence every facet of commerce and industry worldwide.
[1:58] The corruption is just systemic to everything, and it is going to be under divine judgment. That will be exacted upon it, and we will see that as the chapter 18 continues to unfold.
[2:13] So if you will, in looking at your notes, please, we open with chapter 1. And again, I want to remind you that the bold print that you see at each of these verses is a translation from the King James.
[2:32] And then other translations are offered as they would shed some light on it. In verse 1, John says, Revelation is no question about it, a book of the angels.
[2:51] We find more angelic activity in the Revelation than we do in virtually all of the other books of the Bible combined. And we want to remind you that this whole time period, which is principally synonymous with the 70th week of Daniel, is shot through and through with the supernatural, with the miraculous.
[3:18] We see it surfacing in a way that it had not surfaced since the earthly ministry of Christ, when miracles were commonplace because he was behind them and he was performing them.
[3:30] In the church age, the age of grace, we walk by faith and not by sight. That simply means this is not the age of the supernatural or the miraculous.
[3:44] And I'm not saying that there is nothing supernatural or miraculous that takes place in our church age. I certainly wouldn't go that far. But I would say that the church age is not characterized by the supernatural and the miraculous like the time of Israel is.
[4:04] And this is the time of Israel. We are told in 1 Corinthians that the Jews seek after a sign. And they do so because God had conditioned them previously to be accustomed to his working miracles on their behalf.
[4:22] They were a nation that was born in a miracle with the deliverance from Egypt, the plagues, the crossing of the Red Sea, all of that. So Israel has become accustomed to God doing miraculous things on their behalf.
[4:36] And he will do that during the time of Jacob's trouble, the seven-year period of tribulation. Once the church is gone, the body of Christ has been raptured out.
[4:49] Then the program reverts to a focus on Israel. And that will once again be accommodated with all kinds of miraculous manifestations that we see brought out in the book of the Revelation.
[5:04] Particularly at the hands of angelic beings. I get the impression that these created beings are spirit beings.
[5:16] And whatever their present assignment is, we do not fully understand. But they are going to be called into service big time during this time of the Revelation.
[5:29] So it ought not to surprise us to see another instance of John saying, After these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power, great authority.
[5:42] And we learn that the earth was lightened with his glory. One of the things that characterizes the being and nature of God is light.
[5:53] And we're told in 1 John that God is light. And in him is no darkness at all. And part of his revelation is in the shekinah, the glory of God, the brightness that filled the temple when Solomon dedicated the temple.
[6:17] The shekinah or the brightness, the effulgence that characterized Christ. In the transfiguration, when everything about him, his garment, his face, everything was just a brilliant flashing white that was virtually indescribable.
[6:34] Moses experienced that. When he went into the mount and came down and the reflection of God's glory was still on his face. He wasn't aware of it. But they could see that his face was shining with a luminescence that was supernatural.
[6:49] This is the light and the glory of God. And this angel here has obviously some of that. And the earth is lightened with his glory.
[7:01] You can imagine the outflowing of this brilliant light, this supernatural light. It isn't sunlight. It isn't candlelight. It's just a light of glory that God himself is able to produce.
[7:17] And this angel is accompanied with that. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon, the great is fallen, is fallen.
[7:32] This is a double emphasis here. And the idea is to really emphasize the fallenness of Babylon. And the big question is going to be, throughout this chapter, is precisely what or who is this Babylon?
[7:53] We saw the mystery of Babylon, mother of harlots, in chapter 17. That was the religious Babylon worldwide.
[8:03] But this Babylon, I cannot put a handle on as much as I would like. And here's where the difficulty lies.
[8:18] Babylon is mentioned a lot in the scriptures. In fact, the only city that is mentioned more times in all of the Bible than Babylon is Jerusalem.
[8:34] And Babylon runs second. In fact, in the prophecy of Jeremiah alone, Babylon is mentioned some 100 times.
[8:46] So it plays a very, very prominent role. And when we talk about Babylon, of course, we're talking about modern-day Iraq or southern Iraq. This is the land from which Abraham came in Chaldees, Ur of the Chaldees.
[9:02] The Chaldean land is the land of Babylon, and it is present-day Iraq. And as far as we can determine, it is the cradle of civilization. The Tower of Babel was there.
[9:13] It's entirely possible that the Garden of Eden was there originally in Babylon. So this is a very, very prominent place. And it is in Babylon that the first insurrection, the first organized rebellion against the Almighty surfaced under the leadership of Nimrod and his wife Samarimus.
[9:34] And we saw that in early chapters of Genesis. So Babylon, and all it stands for, has been a negative plague upon humanity from time immemorial.
[9:48] It still is to this day. The religious Babylon is connected with the worldwide idolatry in which much of the world is steeped today, and has been from the beginning.
[10:02] And now we are going to see how commercial Babylon, economic Babylon, is the flip side of that coin. The religious Babylon is on one side, the economic, and commercial is on the other.
[10:16] And when you talk about the religious and the economic, you've summed up just about everything. Because the religious has to do with that which is spiritual.
[10:29] The economic has to do with that which is material. What do you have left? Everything comes under the category of material or immaterial, spiritual or physical.
[10:42] And this is going to deal with the physical aspects. Chapter 17 and the religious Babylon, the harlotry, dealt with the spiritual aspects.
[10:54] So here is the problem that I see. And I want you to pay particularly close attention to this problem as we work our way through chapter 18. Because I'd like to know what your estimation is of this as well.
[11:07] And I've, of course, consulted many authorities and many prophecy experts and commentaries. And, of course, they're divided on this. And which position do I take?
[11:20] Well, at the expense of sounding Charlie Brown wishy-washy, I've been on both sides of this issue. And I still don't know exactly where. And here's the problem. Is this Babylon, spoken of here by John in 18, is it an actual city?
[11:42] A geographical metropolis located somewhere on this planet. And if it is, what city is that?
[11:52] Because much of the language that we will be looking at seems to indicate and describe a city. A specific city.
[12:05] However, in keeping with the plot that is developed in chapter 17 about religious Babylon, there it is apparent that the religious Babylon is not a city, but it is a worldwide influence that permeates the whole globe.
[12:27] It seems to me, from the standpoint of consistency, that this commercial Babylon would also be a worldwide entity that saturates and touches everything.
[12:41] That would make it consistent with chapter 17. But, some of the language that is used, as we will see a little later on, seems to indicate that it is a specific city.
[12:57] A specific, large town. So, let's move on through the text and we'll see which way this thing is going to point. Or which way you think it points.
[13:07] Babylon, the great is fallen, is fallen. I think it is, however you interpret that, whether it is a city or whether it is worldwide, John is indicating that this is the center, the crux, the core of commercial economic activity.
[13:35] And, it comes crashing down. It meets its demise. She has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
[13:57] Here, he is using the descriptions of different kinds of animals that would befoul and besmirch the premises. And, he is saying, that is what this has been reduced to.
[14:09] It is just a place of uncleanness in every respect. And, then in verse 3, For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her.
[14:33] This means that the heads of state, kings of the earth, the heads of state and their governments, are part and parcel of the corruption that characterizes this woman.
[14:49] They are in traffic with her. They are in bed with her. Just as all nations and idolatrous entities were in bed with the harlot, the mother of harlotry, in chapter 17, we've got the same kind of thing here, only it is a commercial economic thing.
[15:09] And, all of the nations have, in some way, benefited from the corruption that is produced by this woman. And, she's characterized as a she, but she, of course, is, like I said, the economic entity.
[15:28] And, the merchants of the earth. These are those who drive the economic engines.
[15:39] These are the shakers and movers economically. The merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
[15:52] And, 20th century New Testament renders that. This is TCNT renders that. They have grown rich through the excess of her luxury.
[16:03] Now, exactly how all of these commercial entities have benefited from this, I don't know. I don't understand that much about economics. But, the point that John is making here is that worldwide entities have benefited from the economic corruption and the economic engine that this woman, personified as a woman, has created.
[16:36] And, what's going to happen is, they're going to lose it all. The bottom is going to fall out. They have been bathing in the luxury and the largesse of this entity, benefiting from it financially, and salting themselves with it, if you will.
[16:57] Well, accumulation of great wealth and great riches, and it is all going to be lost. And, I heard another voice, verse 4, from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people.
[17:12] Well, who are God's people who are still here? This has to, in my estimation, has to have reference to tribulation saints who are alive, going through this time, those who have not received the mark of the beast, those who were not believers when the rapture took place, but have since come to Christ during this tribulation period, as a result of the efforts of the 144,000, who are going to be proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom throughout the earth.
[17:49] Many, many people are going to be saved. Many people are going to be regenerated. And, they are going to have a bullseye on their back, because they will be the objects of great persecution during this time.
[18:04] And, it will be very, very difficult just to survive. They are those of whom I think John is speaking here, or when he says that he hears this voice, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins.
[18:21] And, the sins, of course, go back to verse 3 of this same chapter, of the abomination, and the corruption, the fornication, etc. And, that you receive not of her plagues.
[18:32] In other words, you don't want to be identified, and be a partaker of anything that this economic entity has to offer, because dire punishment and judgment is coming upon them.
[18:46] And, if you are involved in it, you are going to be a recipient of that also. So, that you receive not her plagues, for her sins have reached unto heaven.
[18:58] This is a curious literary expression, which goes so far as to say, this entity, this fornication, this economic Babylon, has really gotten God's attention.
[19:22] Not that he is unmindful of anything, but there are certain things that really ring God's bell. And, this is one of them.
[19:35] We see this kind of attitude reflected again in Genesis, I believe it's 18 or 19, over the destruction of Sodom. And, God calls the Sodom activities an abomination.
[19:50] Well, all sins are an abomination to God. But, there are certain things that God places apparently higher on the scale or the meter of sinful activity.
[20:06] And, the only conclusion that I can come to, by which God judges that or evaluates that, is that God seems to be most concerned and most likely to exact punishment upon those sinful activities that impact other people's lives.
[20:30] It is one thing to be in a self-destructive mode and sinful activity that concerns primarily oneself. But, these activities, both the religious Babylon in chapter 17 and the commercial Babylon here in chapter 18, are going to have such an enormous, egregious impact upon all of humanity that God is going to move upon it in a very, very special and definite way.
[21:04] Her sins have reached unto heaven and God has remembered her iniquities. This is not going to be a pretty picture.
[21:19] Reward her, even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works. In the cup which she has filled, filled to her double.
[21:36] In other words, her activity and her sinful, corrupt behavior has inordinately impacted humanity and the judgment that is going to be pronounced upon her is going to meet that.
[21:51] It is going to equal that. How much she has glorified herself and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her.
[22:09] And this is nothing more than the punishment fitting the crime. For she, that is, this economic engine, this worldwide thing, she said in her heart, I sit as a queen and am no widow and shall see no sorrow.
[22:27] In other words, what she is saying is, I am fully outfitted and equipped. There is no lack or deficiency in me. It is a boastful, prideful claim.
[22:41] I can do anything I want because I can pay the price. Money talks and I've got it. Wealth talks and I've got it. There isn't anything I can't do.
[22:53] I am impregnable. I am, well, she isn't. Therefore, verse 8, shall her plagues, and you know God hates pride like he hates nothing else, and this is nothing but consummate boastfulness and pride, and because of that, shall her plagues come in one day.
[23:22] Now, this is a curious expression. One day. Could it be a literal 24-hour day that is spoken of here?
[23:37] You better believe it, and I think that is exactly what it is. I don't think it is a time period. I don't think it is even a short time period.
[23:48] I think, and this is a Wiseman opinion, of course, subject to suspicion, but I think it is a very literal day. We all know how much difference one day can make worldwide.
[24:06] December 7, 1941 took place in only a few hours, but it was described as a day that will live in infamy, and it changed the whole world, and so did 9-11 in New York City, and how long did that take?
[24:32] Minutes, mere minutes, and the same could be said with earthquake activity and other things that can alter thousands, even millions of lives in a very short period of time, and John is going to use this expression later, only he isn't going to use it of a day, he's going to reduce it to an hour.
[25:02] this is a catastrophic stroke delivered from heaven that will have cataclysmic results in a very short period of time.
[25:17] Her plagues will come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.
[25:35] And the kings of the earth, and I don't think this necessarily means monarchs or is limited to monarchs, although we do have a few kings and queens out there, but I guess I would just refer to them as heads of state.
[25:49] They will be kings and queens, and they will be presidents and premiers and prime ministers, but they will be heads of state, and they who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her shall bewail her and lament for her, not out of sympathy for her, but out of sympathy for themselves, because the cash cow is dead, and that from which they had so greatly profited and benefited is pulled right out from under them, and that's the basis for all of their wailing and lamenting.
[26:39] When they shall see the smoke of her burning, and I cannot, I don't know how to take this.
[26:50] If it is not literal, pray tell me, what is it? What does it refer to? I suspect that it is the smoke of her burning because it's going up in flames.
[27:06] Now, I suppose it is possible that this could refer to a worldwide economic engine that is engrossed with worldwide fire.
[27:22] fire. Maybe nuclear activity, maybe something else, I don't know. I suppose that's a possibility. But as these verses come on, it still seems more and more to appear as if he's talking about a given city.
[27:41] And there are those in a position to witness this. So let's read on and see how the text develops. They are standing afar off, verse 10, they are standing afar off for the fear of her torment.
[28:01] And this means, lest it reach them. In other words, they are witnessing this, but they want to remain a safe distance from it. Remember when, of course you remember, when the Twin Towers came down and all the carnage and the wreckage and the smoke and how it rolled and how people were running for their lives to get away from that.
[28:26] It was like a huge fireball, smoke ball that was mushrooming and billowing out and people were running and screaming in all kinds of directions trying to distance themselves from the point of danger.
[28:42] And one gets the impression that these are standing afar off literally witnessing this and they are saying alas that great city Babylon that mighty city for in one hour one day in verse 8 now it is in one hour but of course an hour is in a day and could be characterized either way for in one hour is thy judgment come.
[29:21] And some scholars some reputable scholars whom I respect believe this refers to the literal city of Babylon that today is not really in existence by name although the geography is there but by name it's called Iraq and Babylon was located between the Tigris and Euphrates river the ancient city of Babylon and it was the headquarters of course of Nebuchadnezzar and it was to Babylon that the children of Israel were taken as captives made to walk all the way from Israel to the land of Babylon in Iraq this is where the famous hanging gardens were and this is where many believe that the Tower Babel was built probably was and that this city this area this geographical area in southern Iraq is going to undergo a huge rebuilding project and it is going to become the economic engine of the whole planet now for me that is too much of a stretch
[30:33] I just on the other hand we don't know when these things are going to occur if this is going to take place a hundred years from now or even 50 years from now well yes this region of the country could come back the United States of America that is such an economic powerhouse now along with Japan along with burgeoning China they could all be history they could all be history economically in another 50 years who would have thought that we would be on the horns of a dilemma that we are economically 20 30 years ago so these things can change I suppose it is possible this could be the actual literal geographical Babylon one mentioned the one mentioned in Genesis the one mentioned by Jeremiah over a hundred times maybe it will turn out to be the world power on the other hand if we are talking about these things occurring perhaps within the next few years it doesn't seem all that likely but who are we to say one hour is thy judgment come and the merchants of the earth these are the economic engineers the shakers and movers these are the exporters and importers these are the millionaires and the billionaires merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her for no man buys their merchandise anymore no more profit no more benefit no more gain it's gone the merchandise of gold silver precious stones hey gold is getting a lot of play today isn't it when
[32:30] I was just a kid back before the earth's crust hardened I remember a standing thing that everybody knew and that was gold was $35 an ounce and it seemed like it was forever $35 an ounce and everybody knew that was the price didn't have any but I knew if you had an ounce of gold that's what it was worth $35 well you all know what it's worth now you see these commercials that are urging you to go to your jewelry chest and see if you don't have some old jewelry and take it down and $1,600 something like that $1,700 an ounce now they're talking about a doubling of course those who talk about a doubling are those who are selling it and want you to buy it you ever get really tired of all the gold commercials on television it's aggravating doesn't it maybe it's just because
[33:34] I don't have any but I do I am into gold I am into do you remember Frank Partica I remember Frank Partica called me over to him one time one Sunday one Sunday morning at church and he says I got something I want to give you and I said okay what's that he reached in his pocket and pulled out this shiny gold coin I said what do you got there and he said it's a Krugerrand I said what he says it's a Krugerrand it's a gold coin one ounce of pure gold mended by the government of South Africa Krugerrand and this was when gold was a whole lot less than it is now and he says I want you to have it and I says really you want me to have this and he says yeah I want you to have it and he says not only that he said I've got a gold Canadian maple leaf at home and he said I couldn't find it right away but I think
[34:35] I know where it is now and I want you to have that too and I said no kidding he said yeah I just want you to have them and I said well I really appreciate that thing and of course I've still got them and I've got them tucked away in a safe place but that's the extent of my investment in gold one Krugerrand and one maple leaf but they are beautiful coins and they are going to be this verse 12 this merchandise of gold and silver exquisite exclusive kind of garments and things that are just absolutely beautiful when we were in we were in Turkey when I went with the family on the cruise in August and we were near the ancient site of Ephesus and our guide took us to this place where they made Turkish carpets and I never heard of
[35:38] Turkish carpets I heard of Persian carpets but I never heard of Turkish carpets these were absolutely exquisite and the women who made them were employed there young women middle-aged women and elderly women and they were working the looms and they had all of the material there and of course they took us there for lunch because they wanted to sell us these carpets you know and they had a spiel all set up and they brought these carpets out and they rolled them out and there were small ones and there were runners and there were 9x12s and there were smaller ones and the kind you put under a coffee table and they were just absolutely gorgeous just gorgeous and had price tags on them maybe one would be 3x5 $7,000 and they were just exquisite and some of them you looked at this carpet and it was just beautiful to look at and they would pick it up and flip it and they were obviously used to doing this they would flip it completely around just a flip of the wrist flip that carpet around so it was facing the other anything changed color just because of the way the light was shining on it the angle of the light absolutely beautiful just gorgeous and hey ladies
[37:02] I am not into carpets but these were the most exquisites and each one they would bring out the women in our group would just ooh and all the men were reaching for their wallet and make sure it was still where they left it you know the credit card but this is the world the world has got some absolutely exquisite delicacies out there that are just beautiful beyond imagination the creativity is just wonderful and all of these things are involved all manner vessels of ivory and all manner vessels of most precious wood I saw some of the most gorgeous inlay stuff as a woodworker and this stuff was so far beyond my skill level it almost made me embarrassed to stand there and look at it you just marvel at the ability and the craftsmanship of these people to inlay delicately inlay wood upon wood and it just just so beautiful it almost makes you stand there and weep for the beauty of it it's just exquisite and all of these things are involved and sheep and horses and chariots and slaves and souls of men well there aren't any slaves today yes there are you have any idea how many young girls are pressed into the sex slave traffic throughout the world tens of thousands of them and they have no way out particularly in the east and southeast asia and in many other areas throughout the world they are just treated horribly and souls of men and the fruits that thy soul lusteth after are departed from you yes question souls of men what is that are we selling ourselves trying to sell
[39:31] I mean what does that refer to I wish I could give you a better answer I really don't know I tend to think of and I don't know if this is accurate or not but I see the soul the biblical expression of the soul as the totality of the individual in other words I think the easiest way to say this is that we do not have a soul we are a soul and as a soul we have a body and a spirit and the totality of our personhood is the soul so if that be the case this is talking about the totality of one's person this would include not only your body but your mind your thinking your attitude everything the mindset as a slave we know what a slave is so if you can't basically sell the soul in other words some people are if some people are sold their soul like you say their body their whole being yeah the
[40:47] Faustan the Faustan Mephistopheles thing where they sell their soul to the devil if you will yeah so we're really owned by something although we're not a slave yeah yeah that could it's I just cannot define it more so would that mean in these verses that really nothing is basically worth anything because they're not they can't I mean they're not being sold because you know it says no man buys their merchandise anymore so I mean everybody's concerned about something else so they're not yeah well the idea is no one no one buys their merchandise anymore because it doesn't exist the reason they don't buy it is because it's not available it's destroyed it's brought to ruin and they are lamenting the loss because they can't have these things anymore they're taken from them they're not available they're gone and the fruits that thy soul lusteth after verse 14 says are departed from thee they're gone all gone up in smoke and these people are going to acknowledge the great personal loss they have these are these are these are people who are accustomed to really making money from these things but they're not going to anymore because they're not going to be there so the fruits that your soul lusteth after the things that you've got to have the things that you demand are departed from thee and then if we go over to the next page their 20th century new testament says they are no longer within your reach and all things which were dainty and godly that is exquisite and goodly exquisite and rare very rare things we all know that the more rare something is the more it tends to drive the price of it up
[42:47] I mean how many Mona Lisas are there around so the one that we've got is pretty valuable all things which were exquisite or dainty and goodly sumptuous are departed from you and you shall find them no more at all the merchants of these things which were made rich by her shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment weeping and wailing and the reason they're standing afar off is because they don't want to get too close it's dangerous to be too close and saying alas alas that great city now this does sound like a metropolis doesn't it a town a large community what one would it be that was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and deck in other words he is characterizing this city like a woman personifying the city as a woman that is decked out to the nines in every expensive garment and fabric and accessory that she could possibly wear she is the ultimate in her attire and everything and he's characterizing and personifying a city like this for in one hour verse 17 so great riches is come to naught and every shipmaster and all the company and ships and sailors and as many as trade by sea stood afar off it's hard not to picture people on the deck of ships in a large harbor witnessing this from afar and seeing everything they're looking at incinerated it's just going up in smoke everything that is there and everything that that city represented by way of wealth and luxury and finery it is all going up right before their very eyes and they cried when they saw the smoke of her burning saying what city is like unto this great city and they cast dust on their heads and cried this is an eastern mid eastern expression of mourning they throw dust in the air and they wear sackcloth this is extreme mourning weeping and wailing alas alas that great city wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness for in one hour is she made desolate you ever seen these container vessels these ships that are they call them container ships and all they are ships with massive decks that hold hundreds and hundreds of shipping containers that are loaded and unloaded from these ships with huge cranes that are situated there in these great harbors and all the harbors have them throughout the world
[46:38] Asia Asia and Europe and the United States and we've got all of these and they just bring these things in and these huge cranes pick up these containers and move them away and put them on trucks and they haul them away inland and they well these things are you know you can go to any port and see these and it's just this is part of the security concerns because they say it is absolutely impossible to inspect all of these containers that come into the country there are thousands that come in in New Orleans in New York San Francisco all over the country they come in by the thousands and how easy would it be to plant a nuclear device in one of these why it'd be a simple thing it's just incredible and who knows maybe that's part of what's going on here maybe there will be nuclear activity delivered from the sea and send some of these cities up in smoke in one hour she is made desolate rejoice over her well now how could anybody do that well it depends on where you're coming from and those who will be rejoicing over her demise will be the opposite of the kind of people who were crying and lamenting it and they will be those of heaven the apostles and the prophets and the reason you are to rejoice is because
[48:09] God hath avenged you on her this is nothing more than a simple case of divine justice and where God pours out his justice there is always a cause for rejoicing on behalf of the righteous and lamenting on behalf of the unrighteous and a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea saying thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down and shall be found no more at all and the voice of harpers and musicians and of pipers and trumpeters shall be heard no more at all in thee and no craftsman or whatsoever craft he be shall be found any more in thee and the sound of the millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee what this is saying is everything is shut down everything everything is brought to naught all the manufacturing all the selling all the buying all the trading all the everything comes to a screeching halt in an hour for thy merchants were the great men of the earth for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived and
[50:02] I think that this is talking about materialistic sorceries and the intoxication that people experience over material things can become drunk with possessions with materiality and all of that is going to come crashing down and in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all that were slain upon the earth and now it is coming to an end it has come to an end in an hour so have you questions or comments that you'd like to share I'd appreciate that anybody Marvis I don't know any other questions a millstone a millstone is a large round stone usually about well it depends they come in all different sizes but a typical millstone would be maybe 8 or 10 inches thick and maybe 4 or 5 feet in diameter just a big slab of stone with a hole in the middle that would fit through that an axle would fit through and usually around a trough would be made and this stone would roll in this trough around and around and around and as the stone turned it would grind the grain that you put in the bottom and that was a mill it was like a grist mill a millstone and sometimes they would rig these up with an animal like an oxen or a mule and harness it to it and it would walk around in circles all day turning that stone and the owners would put in more mill grain and then they would mash it down and after a while they would scoop that out and use that of course for flour for baking bread and this is a huge millstone
[52:54] I don't know how big huge is we're not told but it was significant suffice it to say it was a powerful angel with a big millstone and I'm sure it made a real big splash yeah a lot of graphic things described here Steven Spielberg would have fun with these wouldn't he they could probably make them look pretty real too with the special effects they have today it would be amazing only these will not be Hollywood special effects these will be the real thing could be the real thing other comments or questions yes Kim I think so yes okay well let see here I'm looking at the wrong wrong sheet you're talking about verse yeah okay in the cup which she has filled filled to her double reward her even as she rewarded you
[54:15] I think it is I think it is simply talking about an intensity the intensity of persecution that they poured out upon the saints will be visited upon them in judgment in like manner I think that's what it means anybody having thinking or feelings about this being a worldwide thing because it's certainly going to have worldwide impact as opposed to a particular city any thoughts along the language is used could indicate either but it does seem to be a city yeah oh yeah yeah he was well underway and had spent a huge amount of money and they did accomplish a number of things they rebuilt the gates of Ishtar which are quite beautiful to behold and they were original and the thinking he intended to make it a place of worldwide tourism that was his goal you know to make it into a mecca if you will yeah yeah and these are big rivers mighty big rivers yep and
[55:54] I don't want to be a prophet of doom but I'll tell you Islam may succeed in taking over the world especially with our help because we seem to be intent on helping them we keep finding new and novel ways to help our enemies destroy us yeah it goes right to what you're saying this economist is who has predicted the fall of a lot of the different phenomenon in the way about fanny bang and all that he is predicting that within a year that the united states currency is no longer going to be the currency of the world and it will be devalued to the point where it is not going to have any value towards what it is kind of a long thing
[57:00] I did check that out I saw some of it and they gave you a warning they said some of this may be offensive to some people and they were right it was yeah yeah so many Americans including our own government really has their head in the sand when it comes to Islam they they just don't have any idea that the threat is as great as it really is but it is and probably even greater yeah anyone else other questions I'd prefer some answers I'll take questions if you don't have any answers also you hear people trying to Kate because we've heard of some groups that trying to hold back things like cash or 20s or 5s or whatever that really won't amount to much if the currency is gone right that's true so it would really be the currency today could be food
[58:18] I think that will be that that will certainly be the coin of the realm during the tribulation period it will be food and water water that can be drunk that will be the coin of the realm and all the gold and stuff like that will do precious little good when that time comes anybody else yes marvis oh yeah yeah yeah there's a company I know it's called sam andy's that has canned large large sized cans dehydrated food that's supposed to be good for like 40 50 years you know and it can be reconstituted with water etc but yeah yeah yeah well that's that's another very good question life will be very cheap and life life would not be and and my guess is
[59:32] I don't I don't know this but I would not be a bit surprised during this time if there would not be a massive amount of suicides there would be a lot of people that just will not be able to cope and will not want to cope any longer and Marvis did you have a comment I was wondering you were asking if this was a city or a worldwide thing I wonder if it could actually be both with Babylon itself being the big city that ends up getting the story that everybody looks on but that may be that may be an actual geographical location a city with worldwide impact and influence that that may be the best solution that's right that's right yeah and and
[60:37] Babylon could be that and I'll tell you this if Islam does succeed in worldwide domination which in my estimation is not out of the question I think it'd be a terrible terrible thing but it's not out of the question then this could very easily be centered there in Babylon the ancient and in in some respects it make a lot of sense yeah yeah well that that is that is that is yeah absolutely well you know my answer we're closer than anybody has ever been Carolyn yeah yeah yeah that's very true very true and also back to the to the legends you know from
[61:52] Esau and yeah yep all the way back yep it all kind of comes together doesn't it really does and the new heaven and new earth is it like okay you messed it all up I fixed it so let's start all over again and so God starts from where he was and so if he has to take us back to where he was it all looks like what he goes right back to Babylon well it does seem it does seem very fitting for it does seem very fitting for the end to be where the beginning was yeah come full circle well let's pray father how grateful we are that we have a God who is sovereign none of these things escape you and you have made a determination regarding your will and what you're going to bring upon this earth and it is precisely what justice requires but how grateful we are that you've made a way to escape your justice through the grace that is extended to us through our
[63:13] Lord Jesus Christ and how grateful we are for that revelation so we pray that we may continue to investigate these things and yet in the midst of it all we can revel and rejoice in the peace and security that is provided us knowing that terrible things are coming upon the earth but because we are in Christ there is security that the world knows nothing of and we bless you and thank you for it in his name amen