Revelation - Week 33

Day 1 

Never Heard Again 

READ 

Revelation 18:21-22 

21 Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a huge millstone. He threw it into the ocean and shouted, “Just like this, the great city Babylon will be thrown down with violence and will never be found again. 22 The sound of harps, singers, flutes, and trumpets will never be heard in you again. No craftsmen and no trades 

will ever be found in you again. The sound of the mill will never be heard in you again.” 

The merchants of the world have been grieving over the destruction of the wicked city bringing them phenomenal profits. Now a mighty angel shouted that the city would be thrown down like a huge millstone. The city is to fall down never to be found again. All the sounds that were so welcoming to the merchants and traders are to be no more. 

REFLECT 

What a lesson to learn that someday this world’s goods will be burned. This shows the importance of focusing on that which is eternal rather than on that which is temporal.  

RESPOND 

In contrasting the eternal with the temporal, read 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 and 2 Peter 3:8-13. Talk to a friend about these passages. 

Day 2 

The Deceitful City 

READ 

Revelation 18:23-24 

23 “The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The happy voices of brides and grooms will never be heard in you again. For your merchants were the greatest in the world, and you deceived the nations with your sorceries. 24 In your streets flowed the blood of the prophets and of God’s holy people and the blood of people slaughtered all over the world.” 

The mighty angel continues telling what will occur to the city of Babylon when it is destroyed. The merchants “were the greatest in the world,” but had been deceived by the conduct of this wicked city. The Greek word translated “sorceries” is pharmakeia from which the word “pharmacy” is derived; a word that refers to drugs. This is an indication that the drug culture will be even more prevalent in the end times than it is now. The anti-God policies are seen by the blood of believers shed all over the world. 

REFLECT 

Rejoice that as a believer in Jesus you do not need to yield to the desires of the old nature. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a fellow believer about some of the desires of the old nature. Notice in Galatians 5:19-21 that “sorcery” is mentioned, which refers to drugs. 

Day 3 

He Has Avenged 

READ 

Revelation 19:1-2 

1 After this, I heard what sounded like a vast crowd in heaven shouting, “Praise the Lord! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. 2 His judgments are true and just. He has punished the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality. He has avenged the murder of his servants.” 

There were no chapter divisions when this was originally written. From the destruction of Babylon it immediately goes on to “After this.” The expression “Praise the Lord” is seen in the Hebrew word “hallelujah.” Praise is in the first part of the word and “jah” refers to God. The praise is for God’s “salvation and glory and power.” These verses continue to view Babylon as the “great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality.”  

REFLECT 

Think of the great contrast between the evils of Babylon and the salvation, glory and power of God. 

RESPOND 

The book of Psalms end with what are called the “Hallelujah Psalms.” Read the first verses of Psalms 146-150. The psalmist David was full of praise as he wrote these songs that were set to the accompaniment of stringed instruments. 

Day 4 

Amen 

READ 

Revelation 19:3-4 

3 And again their voices rang out: “Praise the Lord! The smoke from that city ascends forever and ever!” 4 Then the twenty-four elders and the four living beings fell down and worshiped God, who was sitting on the throne. They cried out, “Amen! Praise the Lord!” 

The vast crowd in heaven continued their praise of God. Again the expression “Praise the Lord!” There was rejoicing because the “smoke from the city ascends forever and ever.” The twenty-four elders seem to represent church-age saints (see Revelation 4:1-4). They and the “four living beings fell down and worshiped God.” They cried out “Amen” which means “so be it” or “agreed,” and they also exclaim “Praise the Lord.”  

REFLECT 

When someone else praises the Lord are you able to agree by saying “Amen”?  

RESPOND 

With a friend look at the last couple of verses in Paul’s letters from Romans to Philemon. In some translations he ends each one with “Amen.” 

Day 5 

Praise Our God 

READ 

Revelation 19:5-6 

5 And from the throne came a voice that said, “Praise our God, all his servants, 

all who fear him, from the least to the greatest.” 6 Then I heard again what sounded like the shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.” 

A voice calls out from heaven for all who fear God, from the least to the greatest, to praise God. This reveals it is not just super saints who should praise Him but even those who only have an elementary knowledge of Him. There is hopefully growth in the Christian life, but even those who do not have it but have trusted in Him as Savior should praise Him. The passage ends with the reason to praise Him: because “the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns.” 

REFLECT 

Does this help you realize that no matter where you are in the Christian life you can praise the Lord who is Almighty and reigns over everything? 

RESPOND 

Talk with a Christian friend about being sure to praise God as you think of Him. “Worship” is thinking of God’s “worth.” When you do this you are worshiping Him. This makes it easy to praise Him.