Big City Flattened

697. "Big City Flattened"
Revelation 18-Part 20
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.  Revelation 18:20

LET IT GLOW

Have you ever visited a big city? This country gal has only visited a few downtown. Mostly, I have seen them from the air as we were landing in an airplane. But there a few, like Memphis, Kansas City, St. Louis, Louisville, Providence, Las Vagas, San Palo, Brazil, that I have marveled at the sky rises and busy traffic on so many lanes of highway.
When I was a kid, Mom and I went to the big city of Joplin, Missouri to shop. I realize that it is not a "big" city to some, but back then, it was the only one close to us. (The only reason you are familiar with Joplin is because of the tornado that hit it a few years ago.) It is hared to imagine everything flattened and no activity, silence, in a city. That is what will happen to the Babylon in Revelation.

Babylon the great is fallen. Have you seen the devistation of a city hit by a tornado? Nothing stands. It is all down on the ground flat. And that is how I should be when God is before me-down on the ground, worshiping and praying to my God.

Just as the flattened city is astonishing, so it will be to the people of Babylon when God flattens it.
Imagine a busy, noisy city that suddenly has no more music, no industry, no luxuries, no preparing of food, no more power for light, no more weddings because God will destroy the deceivers and deceived. Life is totally disrupted and the end is near.

So what is the encouraging thing that I could find from this event?
The religious and commercial/political systems embodied in Babylon will commit unspeakable atrocities against God's people and He will avenge that slaughter of His people. (verse 2) The political leaders of the world will weep because the loss of their capital city will signal the doom of the Antichrist's empire, and with it, the source of their power. (MacArthur)


LET IT GROW

Rejoice amidsts the devastation?
In verse 20, the angel will exhort the tribulation martyrs (6:9-11) to rejoice, not over the deaths of those doomed to eternal hell, but because God's rightousness and justice will have prevailed. (MacArthur)

Do some feel that God's complete destruction of the world system is too extreme or unjust or simply uncalled for? The angel reminds us that Babylon had to go. Judgment was needed because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth. (verses 23-24 NAS)

Only god is to be worshiped. He plainly told that way back in the Ten Commandments. Also, Jesus said that was the most important of the ten. He is a jealous God. (Ex.20:5, 34:14; Deut. 4:24, 5:9, 6:15) Israel, throughout their years, always had a problem with this.

Am I loving the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind, and all my strength?

LET IT GO

Don't be devastated if my town is devastated by an event.

Trust in Jesus, not things.

Rejoice in God's justice.