ZNA-175

940320PM

Revelation 18 Surviving the Nineties Part One [or How To Survive The Coming Financial Meltdown]

To study Revelation 18 we need to turn to Luke 12:13-48. Because Revelation is the Revelation of Jesus Christ then we need to see what He said during His earthly ministry. Lets read this passage together.

The Lord Jesus Christ says two things very clearly:

Watch out for covetousness. Watch for my return.

Jesus warned that an enemy of expectancy of His coming would be things, greed and so on.

In Luke 21:34 He said:
Luke 21:34 “Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. (NIV)

When we come to Revelation 18 we are looking at the fully grown evils of this world. As we saw in our study of Revelation 17, Babylon is at the same time an ancient city, a kingdom of the past, as well as a system of religion and a present economic direction.

Now, to understand this chapter lets look into the background of Babylon, lets look into the life and prophecies of Daniel in his OT writings.

The Image of Daniel’s prophecy in 2:31-45:
• Head of gold Babylon • chest of silver Greece [8:20] • lower body bronze Persia [8:21] • feet and toes iron and clay Rome

Thus we have God describing the rise and fall of the kingdoms of the earth. Will Babylon the City of Daniel’s day be rebuilt? Many Bible Scholars believe it will be. The main reasons are: • When it is destroyed the sun and stars are darkened as in Isaiah 13:1,9,10. • Desolation will follow like that of Sodom and Gomorrah as in Isaiah 13:19; Jer.50:40. Isaiah 13:20 20 It will never be inhabited, Nor will it be settled from generation to generation; Nor will the Arabian pitch tents there, Nor will the shepherds make their sheepfolds there. (NKJV) Jeremiah 50:40 40 As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah along with their neighboring towns,” declares the LORD, “so no one will live there; no man will dwell in it. (NIV) • Babylon will be desolate forever as in Isaiah 13:20; Jer 51:62

MACINTOSH HD:USERS:JOSEPHBARNETT:DOWNLOADS:940320PM.DOC 3/15/12
2
Jeremiah 51:62 62 Then say, `O LORD, you have said you will destroy this place, so that neither man nor animal will live in it; it will be desolate forever.’ (NIV) • All nations of the world be involved in this judgment as in Isaiah 13:11-13; Jeremiah. 51:49. Jeremiah 51:49 49 “Babylon must fall because of Israel’s slain, just as the slain in all the earth have fallen because of Babylon. (NIV) Isaiah 13:11-13 11 I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. 12 I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. 13 Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger. (NIV) • Global peace and rest from God come after this destruction in Isaiah 14:7-8. Isaiah 14:7-8 7 All the lands are at rest and at peace; they break into singing. 8 Even the pine trees and the cedars of Lebanon exult over you and say, “Now that you have been laid low, no woodsman comes to cut us down.” (NIV)

• The destruction of Babylon is seemingly tied to the fall of Satan in Isaiah 14:12-15. Isaiah 14:12-15 12 How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! 13 You said in your heart, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. 14 I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.” 15 But you are brought down to the grave, to the depths of the pit. (NIV) • Babylon’s stones will never be used to build anything again as in Jeremiah. 51:26. Jeremiah 51:26 26 No rock will be taken from you for a cornerstone, nor any stone for a foundation, for you will be desolate forever,” declares the LORD. (NIV)