Revelation - Week 31

Day 1

God's Word Fulfilled

READ

Revelation 17:17-18

17 “For God has put a plan into their minds, a plan that will carry out his purposes. They will agree to give their authority to the scarlet beast, and so the words of God will be fulfilled. 18 And this woman you saw in your vision represents the great city that rules over the kings of the world.”

The angel continues to tell John about the ten kings serving with the scarlet beast. Scholars differ in their opinion about the identify of “the great city that rules over the kings of the world.” Is it Babylon on the Euphrates river with the woman whose headquarters are in Rome? Revelation 18 simply identifies the city as Babylon.

REFLECT

The world religion of the Antichrist will be even worse than the apostate church and its world religion.

RESPOND

Satan has always wanted to be worshiped instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. Satan’s main person, the Antichrist, will carry out his desire. Read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 to see what the Antichrist will do during the Tribulation.

Day 2

The Great City Is Fallen

READ

Revelation 18:1-2

1 After all this I saw another angel come down from heaven with great authority, and the earth grew bright with his splendor. 2 He gave a mighty shout: “Babylon is fallen—that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a hideout for every foul spirit, a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal.”

The brilliant appearance of this angel lightens up the earth, which must have been a startling sight. His mighty shout declared that “Babylon is fallen.” The great city will be known as a home for demons and unclean spirits and detestable animals. This is the center of the political and commercial world during the last half of the Tribulation. Revelation 17 reveals judgment on religious Babylon; Revelation 18 is the judgment on political and commercial Babylon.

REFLECT

For those who think they will escape judgment, Revelation 17 and 18 show otherwise.

RESPOND

Read Romans 1:18-20 to see that God’s judgment falls on those who reject Him. Pray for friends to trust in Him as Savior now.

Day 3

Come Away from Her

READ

Revelation 18:3-4

3 “For all the nations have fallen because of the wine of her passionate immorality.

The kings of the world have committed adultery with her. Because of her desires for extravagant luxury, the merchants of the world have grown rich.” Then I heard another voice calling from heaven, “Come away from her, my people. Do not take part in her sins, or you will be punished with her.”

This passage reveals the world has become rich through its relationship with Babylon and all the immorality associated with it. Those relative few who love the Lord are called out of Babylon and are not to take part in her sins. Throughout time, God has urged believers to live apart from the sins of unbelievers.

REFLECT

Each person lives surrounded by immorality. Do you have the desire to live completely apart from any of that contamination?

RESPOND

Read 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 to see God’s appeal for believers to be separate from the immoral lives of unbelievers.

Day 4

God Remembers

READ

Revelation 18:5-6

5 “For her sins are piled as high as heaven, and God remembers her evil deeds. 6 Do to her as she has done to others. Double her penalty for all her evil deeds. She brewed a cup of terror for others, so brew twice as much for her.”

The voice from heaven continues calling out. The evaluation of Babylon is that God remembers all of her evil deeds. The voice calls out for God to double her penalty for all she has done. Because the city has been guilty of what she has done to others; the voice calls out for God to do twice as much to her.

REFLECT

No one can hide their sins from God. He knows all that is going on and remembers the evil thoughts and actions of those who reject His Son as Savior.

RESPOND

With a fellow believer talk about how God has removed sin from those who believe in Jesus as Savior. Read Psalm 103:10-12 to see that sins are removed from believers as far as the east is from the west. One can go so far north that he will begin going south, but he can never go so far east that he begins going west. That’s how far God has removed sins from the believer.

Day 5

Overtaken by Plagues

READ

Revelation 18:7-8

7 “She glorified herself and lived in luxury, so match it now with torment and sorrow. She boasted in her heart, ‘I am queen on my throne. I am no helpless widow, and I have no reason to mourn.’ 8 Therefore, these plagues will overtake her in a single day—death and mourning and famine. She will be completely consumed by fire, for the Lord God who judges her is mighty.”

The voice from heaven continues to tell about Babylon and the way the city lived in luxury and the nations profited from her. Those in the city lived as if they would never have to face judgment, but now it will come in one day. The city will experience death, mourning and famine. The Lord will consume the city by fire.

REFLECT

The events now being read about in Revelation 18 will be associated with the return of the Lord Jesus to earth.

RESPOND

The wicked will have their part in the lake of fire, called the “second death” in Revelation 2:11; 20:6, 20:14; 21:8. Those who have trusted in Jesus for salvation will never experience the awful consequences of this death.