Pick Sides

696."Pick Sides"
February 20, 2013
Revelation 17-Part 19
These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings; and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.
Revelation 17:14

LET IT GLOW
 
I don't like it, but sometimes you have to pick sides. I'm sure you have had situations, like me, where you try to avoid it as long as possible, but the inevitable comes and you have to decide who you are for and who you are against. Right must preveail against the wrong. The people during the Tribulation will have to decide which side they are on-Bablyon and the devil or the Savior, Jesus Christ. That's what it will come do to towards the end.

Babylon will  loose again. Victorious is our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords and His believers.

The war is a reference to the battle of Armageddon (16:14-16), where the Lamb will utterly destroy the king (19:17-21).

He (Jesus) has both by nature and by office, supreme dominion and power over all things; all the powers of earth and hell are subject to His check and control. His followers are called out by commission to this warfare; they are chosen and fitted for it, and will be faithful in it. (Matthew Henry)

The issue is never in doubt; it is victory for the Lamb and His redeemed (not angels) in heaven. (Falwell)

Am I on the side of the Lamb, Lord, and King? Am I a called, chosen, and faithful follower of Jesus?


LET IT GROW

Chapters 17 and 18 focus on one aspect of those bowl  judgments, the judgment of Babylon. (MacArthur)

Since there is no timetable for the events of the seven bowls of God's wrath, we are peeking into some details in between.

Charles Swindoll tells us that Babylon refers to the Antichrist's end-time religious/political/economic empire. It is not a specific city or country, but represents a final godless, humanistic, and worldwide religious system. The foundation of this man-made false religion is:
*rejection of God's promises-faithlessness,
*rebellion against God's commands-disobedience,
*refusal of God's grace-legalism.

Do you remember the story of the tower of Babel in Genesis 11? The descendants of Noah worked together on a tower that would reach to heaven, to make a great name for themselves. They refused God's order to scatter on the earth, until He confused them with various languages and work could not continue. Evidently, those people refused to believe God when He told them He would never flood the earth again, so they made their waterproof tower to keep from drowning. They thought they could get to heaven by their own works.
This is where Babylon in Daniel's day was located and Satan's empire will be located. (Swindoll believes it is modern day Iraq.)

God's grace and mercy is what we need so we don't fall into that trap. It is God's unmerited grace that saves us and is the same grace that keeps us.

Which side will you choose to be on?

LET IT GO

Stay true to the Lamb of God.

Don't trust in a system for my needs, but trust in the King of kings.

Make Jesus Lord of my life daily.

Pick the side I am on and stay true to the end-Jesus' side.