Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  Day 306

November 2;   Revelation 18:2;      256/260(IV);      ‘Babylon is Fallen’

Revelation 18:2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

Verse 1 of chapter 18 tells us of a might angel, with great authority coming down from heaven, declaring that Babylon is fallen.  What exactly is Babylon.  Babylon in the New Testament is symbolic of humanity without God.  It represents the capacity for self delusion, ambition, sinful pride and demonic depravity.  Babylon is contrasted with the Church as a society that persecutes the people of God and inevitably will be destroyed.  Babylon also represents the satanic world system of industry, economy and godless commercialism.  The church will rejoice that this system that has always persecuted, denied and mocked the Lord is destroyed.  Many lost, but powerful business men and women, deceived by the riches the devil has used to lure them into the system will weep as their source of income and pleasure is gone.  Hebrews 11:25 teaches that sin is a pleasure.  It would have to be to lure people in.  That verse tells us that sin is a passing pleasure, meaning satan offers something people desire, that draws them in.  Then the devil uses the very thing that drew the deceived people in to hurt them.  Making money, satisfying lust, becoming powerful in your field are all offered and are nothing more than a means to greatly hinder those from pursuing or knowing the Lord Jesus.  Careers, hobbies, following sports are not evil in and of themselves if they do not consume someone, leaving them no time for the things of the Lord.  During the tribulation, the Lord will utterly destroy the system that has destroyed so many lives.