Hallelujah!

 

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for phis judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.” (Revelation 19:1-2 ESV).

 

Just the other day Mary said, “I’ll be glad when you’re finished with the devotionals in Revelation.” I simply asked, “Why?” She said, “They’re scary.” Well, they are, at least until we reach this point in our reading and study. With the beginning of the 19^th chapter, we see the chorus of praise erupting in heaven singing “Hallelujah!” Interestingly the English language isn’t enough to capture what we want to say. Thus, we often import words from other languages — Italian words like alfresco, Spanish words like taco, even French words and phrases like bon voyage, rendezvous, or faux pas. But some of the words we’d like to import use letters that look very strange in English, so in those cases we try to preserve the sound of the original word while using English letters. It’s called transliteration. An example would be a Greek word like metropolis. The word hallelujah is a transliteration of two Hebrew words: hallelu and ah. When you write down those two Hebrew words using the closest equivalent letters we have in English, you end up with that strange and beautiful word hallelujah.

 

The first Hebrew word hallelu means “let us praise.” And the second word is Yah, which is the short form of Yahweh, the very specific, personal name of the God of Israel. Yahweh has its origin in the name God revealed to distinguish Himself from all other gods. When God speaks to Moses for the first time and calls him to bring His people out of slavery in Egypt, Moses says, “If the Israelites ask me Your name, what should I say?” And God responds, “I AM WHO I AM.” (Genesis 3). The name Yahweh is built out of the Hebrew word for “I AM.” So, it’s a name that is intended to make us marvel at the self-sustaining, eternally existing, utterly transcendent nature of this God, the true and living God who is quite unlike any other pretender to the throne. When the name Yahweh appears in the Old Testament, it’s often translated “LORD” in capital letters in our English translations, to mark it out from the more generic word “God.” So, hallelujah means “Let us praise Yah.” Let us join in worshiping and praising this God—Yahweh—and no other.

 

In the Old Testament, the word hallelujah is used twenty-four times, all of them in the book of Psalms. If you look at the climactic final psalm, Psalm 150, the word hallelujah bookends the whole psalm, appearing as it does right at the beginning and right at the end. In some translations, you might see the phrase “Praise the LORD” instead of “Hallelujah,” but it’s there in the original. In the New Testament, the word is used four times, all in the book of Revelation, and all in chapter 19. The word is cried out by a vast crowd in heaven, and interestingly, the initial cause of this praise for Yahweh is His avenging judgment. We don’t often think of saying hallelujah for the judgment that Yahweh will pour out on those who’ve rebelled against Him—certainly not when we’re breezily whistling along to Handel’s “Hallelujah Chorus,” which is based on this passage of Scripture—but there it is. As the word hallelujah reminds us, Yahweh is our God. We are His people. He identifies so personally with us that when we are downtrodden or persecuted because of Him, Yahweh takes it very personally. And He makes it right! That is cause for celebration!

 

The Fall of Babylon

 

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, “So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be heard in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the great ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of mall who have been slain on earth.” (Revelation 18:21-24 ESV).

 

Various nations turn on Babylon, that is, Rome, when her end finally comes because it represents the end of their subjugation to her. However, not every person celebrates once Babylon falls. In fact, for many people, the collapse of Rome as a great cultural and economic power is a cause for lament, as we see in our reading today. Rome’s fall is a great economic calamity, and that is the reason for the lamenting. The loss of Roman dominance means a loss of trade in all manner of goods and services. With the imperial government no longer functioning, safe travel becomes impossible. Merchants and traders can no longer move as freely as they once did, and economic collapse destroys the market for luxuries and other things. Bede, an early medieval church father comments that “they bemoan the loss of all the spectacles of the world and those things that are pleasant to the senses of the body and that are suitable for external use.”

 

The prophesied fall of Rome, then, matches what the other visions in Revelation have shown us about what happens when judgment falls on those who are committed to wickedness. Instead of repenting and returning to the Lord, they bemoan the loss of worldly comforts (cf. 9:20–21; 16:8–11). Of course, we do not want to minimize the real problems of economic calamity, poor health, and the other things brought on by the divine judgments in Revelation. The point is that these problems are not ultimate. Those who lament the loss of earthly goods while their hearts are far from the Lord are missing the point of suffering as God’s wake-up call to the impenitent.

 

When Rome falls, however, there is rejoicing on the part of those whom she has persecuted. Believers are exhorted to rejoice, for Rome receives the destruction that she has inflicted on others (v. 20). Rome will be destroyed as surely as Babylon, the earlier “Rome” that persecuted old covenant saints, fell. Jeremiah told another official, Seraiah, to record the prophecies of judgment against ancient Babylon in a book, tie it to a rock, and cast it into the Euphrates River as a sign that Babylon would likewise fall (cf. Jeremiah 51:63–64). Our reading borrows this imagery, likening the Babylon of the first century—Rome—to a millstone that will be cast into the sea. Just as ancient Babylon’s sure fall happened in history, so would Rome fall, ending its threat to believers. This vision of John ought to encourage every believer today. The victory over evil has already been written. God will bring it to pass!

 

A Call to Come Out

 

Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her bin the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, ‘I sit as a queen, I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.’ For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her.” (Revelation 18:4-8 ESV).

 

The symbolic language used in the Revelation is very fluid. I believe it is helpful for us to step back at this point in our study and review what some of the key symbols represent. Going back to Revelation 13, we see that one of the chief strategies of the devil in his war against God and His people is to make use of a beast who deceives nations into worshiping him. Ancient Rome and its demand for emperor worship is one manifestation of this beast, but in a broader sense it can also stand for any empire opposed to the Lord. By the time we get to Revelation 17, however, the beast is no longer ancient Rome but comes to signify an ultimate evil that Rome, represented by the prostitute Babylon riding the beast, thinks is under her control. The ten horns on the beast are ten kings, probably representing various nations Rome has conquered. Rome believes that she has tamed this beast and these nations, having brought them under her dominion. However, this rule will not last long, for the beast and other kingdoms will turn on her when God brings Rome to an end (vv. 15–18).

 

The chapter we being today (Revelation 18) declares the surety of Rome’s fall, echoing language from prophets about the end of pagan powers (cf. Isaiah 34). Such destruction will finally fall on the Roman Empire and only detestable beasts will reside there. When the city of Rome fell a few centuries after John wrote the Revelation, the population drastically shrank. Some estimate that in the first century, about one million people lived in Rome, but when the city fell to the barbarians in the fifth century, fewer than thirty thousand people remained.

 

Our reading takes the announcement of Rome’s coming fall as a warning to believers. In language reminiscent of some Old Testament texts (cf. Isaiah 48:20; Jeremiah 50:8), believers are exhorted to flee Rome lest they share in her destruction. Recall that earlier in Revelation, congregations such as those at Thyatira and Laodicea were condemned for the willingness of many of their members to profit by engaging in the pagan rituals associated with trading guilds (cf. Revelation 2:18–29; 3:14–21). The coming fall of Rome would be a disaster for anyone dependent on Rome, and they would be destroyed as well. All who engage in practices of empires that God forbids will fall just like those empires. In a personal way, the call is to every individual to come out of those practices of blind loyalty to obviously wicked people. Doing something good cannot be our litmus test for loyalty.

 

Behold the Lamb!

 

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” (Revelation 17:14 ESV).

 

News of war in foreign lands appears on our television screens every night. Online, we are informed of the latest political scandal and the opposition’s jockeying to take advantage of it. In the newspapers, the headlines warn of impending economic doom or the spread of some deadly disease. Our fallen world can be a scary place, and there seems to be no end to the bad news headed our way. Our current climate of events prompts us to hope for one who can address the root causes of these issues, defeat our enemies, and protect us from every danger. The Bible tells us of such a king—Jesus the Messiah… Behold the Lamb!

 

In revealing to us the person and work of Christ, Scripture tells us that Jesus is not only our Prophet and High Priest but also our King. As we see in today’s passage, Christ is “Lord of lords and King of kings,” and He will defeat all His foes. This is such an important truth for us to remember as we live in this fallen world. So often, we experience seeming defeat in our battle against the world, the flesh, and the devil. But the good news of the gospel tells us that these defeats are only temporary, for Christ has ascended to the right hand of God the Father and has been given the name above all names (cf. Acts 2:33; Phil. 2:5–11). He is the omnipotent ruler of His people, and He cannot fail to bring us the final victory. Hope for the Christian is never lost, for we serve One who “must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (1 Cor. 15:25), and He will not fail to conquer them all.

 

Christ, indeed, is King of His people. But His authority is not only over His servants in the church. Because He is “King of kings”, He also sits enthroned over all rulers, which means that their subjects must ultimately bow to Him. As those who have been commissioned to preach the gospel of the kingdom (cf. Matthew 24:14), our job is to announce the reality of Christ’s present reign and to call people to bow down to Jesus as the sovereign over all. And all people will bow down—some willingly, because He has given them new hearts, and some by force as He compels them to bend the knee before sending them to eternal judgment (cf. Psalm 2).

 

This is the Lamb that was slain for all who have been called to the be the children of God. This is the eternal nature of our future. This is the truth that provides the foundation of hope regardless of our circumstances. We are blessed forever in Him!

 

Be Watchful!

 

And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because pit was and is not and is to come. (Revelation 17:1-8 ESV).

 

Babylon is a symbol of all that’s wrong in the world. It’s the system, the way things are in a sinful creation. Babylon is worldliness. In our study thus far we can see three things about “Babylon, the Mother of Evil.” First, she is attractive. She has royal clothes, purple and scarlet. She glitters with gold and is decked out in pearls and precious stones. She’s both alluring and seductive. Second, the influence of Babylon is pervasive. She sits on many waters, which are peoples, multitudes, nations, and languages (v. 5). Water here is a metaphor for influence. Babylon is connected and powerful. She is not one kingdom in one place at one time but the pervasive worldliness that reigns in every country, every culture, and every government. Third, Babylon is impressive. John was astonished at her influence, her power, and her hold on the inhabitants of the earth. The ways of the world always seem more impressive than the way of a crucified Savior.

 

You have heard the admonition to “be strong and watchful” many times. The question becomes “how?” The first step is to admit we live in Babylon. Everyone does. We are all tempted to drink from the golden cup filled with abominable things (v. 4). Every culture has its “isms” to tempt us to idolatry. In Africa, the test of faithfulness may involve animism and polygamy. In South America, it might be syncretistic versions of Catholicism. In Asia, it might be ancestor worship. In America, the “isms” are a little different, though they are still ever-present.

 

Second, we must not hide in a holy huddle in some Christian conclave. The problem with the Christian culture isn’t that it’s too otherworldly but that it is almost always too worldly. Sure, some of the movies and music have changed, but the way of thinking is still the same. We have always chased the latest and greatest of experientialism and entertainment to draw people to Christ. We have forgotten that the message of Jesus is living by a different story. It’s being shaped by a different set of assumptions. It demonstrates a different ethic. It’s being supremely relevant to a dying world by smashing the idol of common wisdom. If you want to always be relevant, you must deal with the things that touch eternity, and if you are dealing with eternal things.

 

We’re foolish if we think that we are not surrounded by Babylon. Everyone is. Worldliness in this country will ruin far more spiritual lives than Islam and new age spiritualities. Beware of all the subtle ways the world wants to squeeze you into its mold.

 

Babylon, the Mother of Evil

 

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand ja golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel? I will tell you the mystery of the woman, and of the beast with seven heads and ten horns that carries her. The beast that you saw was, and is not, and is about to rise from the bottomless pit and go to destruction. And the dwellers on earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the foundation of the world will marvel to see the beast, because pit was and is not and is to come. (Revelation 17:1-8 ESV).

 

The Apostle Paul makes it clear that “the wages of sin is death” (cf. Romans 6:23). The Bible warns us repeatedly that transgressing the law of God brings only despair and destruction. Despite those warnings, however, people still engage in sin. In fact, even believers find the allure of sin so enticing that they cannot resist it. Certainly, part of the reason that people sin even though they know better has to do with moral blindness that results from the fall. Yet it must also be said that sin presents itself as pleasurable and that it can feel good—temporarily—to do what is wrong. Of course, this is not to endorse sin. Ultimately, a life of impenitence produces suffering and regret, especially in the world to come. Nevertheless, sin can bring some worldly pleasures and grant a kind of temporary success in the worldly system.

 

That seems to be one of the points of John’s description of Babylon in today’s reading. Having given us a brief picture of the end in the previous chapter, John gives a closer look as Babylon is set up for the fall that has already been prophesied for her. Babylon is pictured as “the great prostitute who is seated on many waters” (v,1). The ancient city of Babylon did stand on the Euphrates River and had many canals, and it was also known for the sexual immorality of the cult of Baal and other ancient Near Eastern gods. But as we have seen, Babylon in the book of Revelation does not refer to the ancient Babylon that took Judah into captivity. Instead, Babylon is a code for the Roman Empire, which was the chief persecutor of Christians in John’s day, and ultimately it can refer to any worldly power that exercises dominance and threatens the people of God.

 

This woman Babylon, as a prostitute, presents the temptation of sexual immorality, which is also a figure for idolatry. Worshiping false gods is enticing to fallen people because they often present themselves as deities that can be controlled with the right rituals and with secret knowledge. This is particularly true of the gods associated with pagan religions, though these gods are finally nothing better than lifeless statues (cf. Isaiah 44:9–20). Babylon is also dressed in purple and scarlet, the colors of royalty, and adorned with precious metals and jewels (v. 4). She tempts people by promising great power and wealth to those who serve her. Satan is cunning, and he often makes sin look enticing in order to ensnare people in it. People serve wicked empires and attack the church and believers because it gives them temporary pleasure. Likewise, sin may provide us with temporary pleasure. When we are tempted to break God’s law, let us remember that the pleasures of sin are fleeting and that following them will lead to destruction.

 

Fearless by Faith

The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds. The sixth angel poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up, to prepare the way for the kings from the east. And I saw, coming out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet, three unclean spirits like frogs. For they are demonic spirits, performing signs, who go abroad to the kings of the whole world, to assemble them for battle on the great day of God the Almighty. (“Behold, I am coming like a thief! Blessed is the one who stays awake, keeping his garments on, that he may not go about naked and be seen exposed!”) And they assembled them at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon. (Revelation 16:8-16 ESV).

 

For God’s people, the Lord’s judgment is not something to fear. Instead, it is something for which we long for. Because His judgment is rooted in His perfect righteousness, His judgment reveals His wisdom and the true justice that we pray for. Thus, when the bowls of God’s final wrath are poured out on the earth, heaven rejoices and praises the Lord (vv. 1–7).

 

The final outpouring of God’s wrath in our reading today is described in terms of the plagues that fell on Egypt at the time of the exodus (cf. Exodus 7:1–12:32). This tells us that the enemies of God in every era share the same wicked disposition as Pharaoh, who falsely believed that he could defeat the Lord. These judgments’ recalling the plagues on Egypt also encourages believers. At the time of the exodus, plagues fell selectively on the Egyptians only; the Israelites, who were living in the land of Egypt at the time, were spared. Those who trust in Christ alone have nothing to fear when God pours out His final wrath on creation, for like the ancient Israelites, we will be preserved from destruction. Only those who have the mark of the beast and worship his image will suffer the wrath of God.

 

The wise response to the wrath of God would be to repent; however, as we see in today’s reading, the servants of the beast do not turn from their sin. They share in the hard-heartedness of Pharaoh, whose rejection of the Lord grew stronger the more the plagues caused him and his nation to suffer. Sin is manifestly irrational, which is why it takes more than just suffering to get people to turn to the Lord. Their hearts must also be changed by the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:1–8). Those who serve the beast respond not only with greater hatred toward God as His wrath is poured out but also with greater hatred of His people. When the Euphrates is dried up so that enemies from the east can gather, the forces opposed to God assemble “at the place that in Hebrew is called Armageddon.” In Hebrew, “Armageddon” means “Mount of Megiddo,” but Megiddo is actually a plain located northeast of Jerusalem where some important Old Testament battles took place and where many Jews expected the final war between God and the forces of evil to occur. John well knows that Megiddo is not a mountain; he is using language symbolically not to tell us where the last battle will take place but to give a picture of the conflict to come at the end of time. This accentuates to destruction. However, with faith, there is nothing to fear! This is the time of final victory for all the children of God.