A lot of people waited three years, from 2001 till 2003, to watch the entire Lord of The Rings trilogy. And it wasn't because they did not know how the story would end. Since the Tolkien classic was published in 1954, virtually every self-respecting fantasy freak would have pored through the book a couple times. And by now, almost every home that has a dvd player would have a copy of the movie.
Having said that, everyone loves a good ending. By good, I mean where evil is done away with, and all that is "good and green" as Samwise Gamgee quoted - will remain.
The book of Revelation reads unlike any other high fantasy genre. That is probably because we are not used to it. It is a manuscript from another era. It does however, have an element of universal appeal, the triumph of good over evil. Everyone - formula-loathing moviegoers included - loves a good ending. And in Revelation, it doesn't get any better than that.
Chapters 18 - 19 see a rapid dissipation of the powers of evil. This defeat of evil is described in the fall of Babylon, the fall of the false prophet, the Antichrist and finally, Satan himself.
Observations
Chapter 18
John the writer describes the judgment on Babylon in vivid imagery. To grasp the fullness of John's words, we ought to look at the judgment as the summary of all prophetic oracles on the doom of all unrighteous peoples - through all ages. Although John alluded Babylon to the Roman empire in the 1st century, he was not thinking of the fall of one city or empire when he wrote Revelation. He was referring to the final, ultimate collapse of all civilisations. Final judgment means the end of all who oppose God.
An angel with great authority came down to earth. This angel has a mighty voice and filled the earth with its bright splendour. "Fallen is Babylon the great!" The reason for the city's fall is her sin in corrupting others. Kings and merchants have become wealthy through trading with the city. Self- indulgence and arrogance are rife and celebrated.
Persecuted and hunted, the people of God must have been tempted to come to terms with the values of the city. Then their suffering will cease, and they may even become comfortable and rich. It is therefore important that they see things as they really are - and have nothing to do with unclean things. They are called by God to come out of the city and its systems and values. Compromise with worldliness is fatal. God's people must, while engaging themselves in community, refrain from being worldly-minded.
The call to God's people to 'come out of the city' is supremely important. In fact, John's emphasis in the entire chapter is not to gloat at the downfall of Babylon, but to appeal to Christians who were ready to compromise with the vices of the city. Christians need to see the reality and urgency of the situation, and act accordingly. Christians who do not share in Babylon's sins will not receive her plagues.
Earth's rulers gaze from afar and lament as the city burns. They stand from a distance lest they be caught up in her torment. In one hour: Babylon's judgment is swift and sure. The businessmen join in the wailing. Their reason? No-one buys their cargoes anymore. Financial losses, and not esteem for the city, prompts their distress.
It is widely-believed that the excesses of the Roman empire had led to its decline. Rome was the trading centre of the world in the 1st century, and its extravagance and excesses were unparalleled. Documents have described senseless waste practised in the city. For example, Emperor Vitellius, who reigned less than a year, cranked up a 7 million pounds sterling food bill. (This estimation was calculated based on the rate in 1959). Even so, with inflation factored in, 7 million worth of food consumed in less than a year is still an exhorbitant amount by today's standards. (Barclay)
All the people who had secured their livelihood from the city lamented her fall. These are, in today's terms, the politicians, businessmen and those whose existence depend on the economic wellbeing of the city. Which in a broad sense included everyone who ever had to use the currency.
v 20 - 24. The call to rejoice over the destruction of the city does not make Christians some kind of demented sadists. In fact, it is a call to rejoice over the justice that is done, rather than some vindictive outcry. Justice, not vengeance was to be applauded. Surely then, that must mean that there is suffering here and now. There is persecution and Christians are despised. But there is a victory at the end. And it is sure.
Observations
Chapter 19
The attention now shifts to heaven. A great multitude, including the 24 elders and four living creatures (see previous Lesson 2, Part 1) and all God's servants rejoiced at the overthrow of evil. That was the end of the great harlot Babylon who corrupted the earth with her adulteries. Finally she is judged.
We must bear in mind in this all our constant readiness to be corrupted. "The world likes a complacent, reasonable religion, and so it is always ready to revere some pale Galilean image of Jesus, some meagre anaemic Messiah, and give him moderate, rational homage.... The truth is that we have often committed adultery with alien ideologies, confounded the gospel with the religions of nature, and imbibed the wines of pagan doctrines and false principles and deceitful practices. We have sought to bend the will of God to serve the ends of man, to alter the Gospel and shape the church to conform to the fashion of the times." (Torrance)
v 6 Once again Hallelujah is shouted. Here, we see that the reason for this shout of praise is not so much that Babylon the harlot is defeated, but due to the fact the our Lord God Almighty reigns! A positive note is struck.
v 7, 8 These verses beckon us to the future - the marriage supper of the Lamb. The bride (community of believers) has made herself ready, and was given clothes of fine linen. Here the "righteous robes" were given to the saints, not a result of their own efforts, but purely based on the result of washing 'in the blood of the Lamb' (7:9, 14).
v 9 John was commanded to write. And there is a double emphasis on what he is to write...these are the true words of God. So the message here is important. "Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb". In the troubled days of persecution, the Bible's view is that the persecuted saints were blessed, not their persecutors.
v 10 John prostrated to worship the angel. He must have thought that the angel was divine. John was immediately stopped. There is no place in Christianity for the worship of any but God. The angel links himself to John by referring to himself as a fellow servant of God. Worship is only offered to God alone.
Thoughts
As with all the great epics and stories we hear, the victory is more precious when gained over great adversity. When it is over for the forces of evil, the marriage festivities for the people of God will begin. It will usher in an age of unparalleled peace, bliss, love and harmony of all things. Most important of all, the Lord God Almighty will be close to us in a way we cannot dream imaginable. At that time, like John Piper says... we will behold Him face to face, in a way we do not need a photograph portrait when we are looking at the real person.
Amen. Come Lord Jesus!
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