The title of my message tonight
is Babylon's Woes. In the second chapter of Habakkuk's
prophecy, God's prophet denounces four great woes upon Babylon. Now these woes certainly were
pronounced upon the ancient city of Babylon. And yet a careful,
even a casual reading of Habakkuk chapter 2 makes it obvious that
the mere destruction of that carnal political place called
Babylon, that ancient city, is not what's spoken of here. It reaches beyond ancient Babylon. By the Spirit of God, Habakkuk
prophesied very distinctly of mystical Babylon, and the woes
pronounced against Babylon in this second chapter of Habakkuk
are woes against mystical Babylon, the great whore of the earth. And that mystical Babylon, I
keep trying to repeat emphatically, lest you ever forget, that mystical
Babylon represents all false religion. It represents all false
religion of whatever name exists in the ages of time. Mystical
Babylon represents all free will works religion. And all false
religion is under the curse of God. All false religion is under the
curse of God. That which is of Christ is blessed
of God. That which is anti-Christ and
of anti-Christ is cursed of God. There is no in-between place. All false religion is under the
curse of God. Look at these four woes given
in Habakkuk chapter 2. First, in verses 6 through 8,
the prophet speaking for God pronounces woe to Babylon, woe
to all false religion, woe to all freewill works religion. God's wrath shall destroy you. because you spoil the nations
of the world. Woe to him that increaseth that
which is not his. How long? And to him that ladeth
himself with thick clay. Verse 8, because thou hast spoiled
many nations, all the remnant of the people shall spoil thee. That is all God's elect. shall
spoil thee, because of man's blood, and for the violence of
the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein. Woe be
to Babylon! God shall destroy you, because
you are the destroyer of men. Second, woe to Babylon, to all
false religion, Woe to all freewill works religion. God's wrath shall
destroy you because you make men to swell with pride. Look at verse 9. Woe to him that
coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set
his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of
evil. Back up in verse 4. His soul
is not, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him. Verse five, yea also because
he transgresseth by wine, he's a proud man. He's a proud man. Babylon makes men proud and therefore
God shall destroy Babylon. God who is determined to humble
the pride of man. Here's the third one. Woe to
Babylon. Woe to all false religion. Woe to all will worship. All free will works religion.
God's wrath shall destroy you because you're the universal
destroyer of men's souls. Religion doesn't help men. Religion destroys men. Religion
doesn't help men. Religion destroys men. Religion
without Christ, religion without the knowledge of the living God
is not something that's beneficial to men, it is the destroyer of
men. Look at verse 12. Woe to him
that buildeth a town with blood and establisheth a city by iniquity. Babylon, all free will works
religion. All the religion around us, all
of it, is built upon the blood of immortal souls. It's the destroyer
of men. Now look at verses 16 through
19. Woe to Babylon, to all false religion, to all free will works
religion. God's wrath shall destroy you,
the teacher of lies. Look at verse 18. What? profiteth
the graven image, that the maker thereof hath graven it, the molten
image, and the teacher of lies, that the maker of his work trusteth
therein to make dumb idols. Woe to him that saith to the
wood, Awake, and to the dumb stone, Arise, it shall teach. Woe to those who Make for themselves
a God that's helpless. Make for themselves a God that
can do nothing. Make for themselves an imaginary
deity that they call Jehovah, they call God, they call Jesus,
they call the Spirit of God. But this imaginary deity is like
a piece of wood. like a piece of stone overlaid
with gold and silver, but it's absolutely worthless because
it can do nothing without what men do for their God. Things look bad now. Understand this. We live in days
of darkness. Let that stand as the first thing
to be understood in this message. The spirit of Antichrist in this
generation is so thick you can cut it with a knife. False religion
abounds on every side. Papacy has risen again to the
position of prominence and acceptability throughout the world. Papacy. When I was a boy, even in an
irreligious household, Even among folks who had no fear of God,
papacy was regarded for what it is, sorcery, witchcraft, ungodliness,
and idolatry. No longer. Today, papacy has
risen to a position of prominence and respectability among all
peoples in the world. The idolatrous superstitions
of Rome have become acceptable, pleasing, Even in those churches
which were born in the Reformation under the ministries of men like
Luther and Calvin and Knox, even there, papacy is accepted and
the traditions and the idolatries and the superstitions of papacy
are accepted as pleasant things and embraced readily. This past
week, how many times if you listen to the news or read it, How many
times did you hear folks in the news media referring to the Holy
Week? This is the holiest of all weeks.
As if somehow, because men put Easter on the calendar, folks
call it a Holy Week. Holy Thursday and Holy Friday
and Holy Sunday. What nonsense. That's nothing
but just the influence of papacy in a very, very mild way. The
superstitions and the idolatry of papacy had become accepted
everywhere. The poisonous eras of Pentecostalism. spread throughout the world to
the ruin of millions of unsuspecting souls. The poisonous errors of
Pentecostalism, all this nonsense about apostolic gifts and speaking
in tongues and having visions and gifts of healing and gifts
of prophecy, all that stuff, it is nothing but the poison
of hell duping thousands, millions every day. The doctrines of easy-believe-ism,
decisionism and free will work salvation parading through the
world under nearly every denominational name have spread darkness throughout
the world. And liberalism in its many pompous
forms continues to sway the minds of multitudes who are ready to
embrace anything other than the word of the living God. We were
discussing in the back the folks who have in recent years decided
that there's no such thing as everlasting punishment, no such
thing as hell and eternal damnation. When folks die, they die like
a dog. Those who don't know the Lord, they're annihilated. Other
folks go to heaven. That's nothing on this earth but the embracing
of liberalism that was rampant through Europe and in the United
States in the late 20s, 30s and 40s. The world today takes with
acceptance the ungodly, ungodly heresies of Islam, Judaism, and
mystic religion all over the world. All these things are embraced. Folks, embrace them, accept them,
and dare not raise a voice against them as if somehow by doing so
we might appear to be bigoted and judgmental and harsh. The
world today is more religious than it's ever been. and more
godless than it's ever been. I tried to look this up. I can't
remember exactly who it was. I think it was James Hervey,
who before God saved him, he was an Anglican preacher, and
he said in the village where he lived, he said, I preached
works righteousness until there was hardly a sober man left in
the village. That doesn't make any sense.
Oh, yes, it does. Read the first chapter of Romans.
works religion always produces ungodliness. Tell men that they earn salvation
by something they do. Tell men that God's in their
hands. Tell men that they're the captain of their own souls,
the masters of their own destiny. And watch the godlessness that
erupts from religious people because of their embracing of
the religion of Babylon. It appears to me that we certainly
are living in that day when God's true witnesses, as described
in Revelation 11, lie dead as men on Main Street in the city
of false religion, which is called Sodom and Egypt. The religion
of this world appears to have trodden down the holy city of
our God. It seems that Satan has been
loosed out of his prison for a little season, as the book
of Revelation chapter 20 says he must, that he may deceive
the nations of the world again. The time of apostasy described
in 2 Thessalonians 2 appears to be upon us, but there's no
cause for despair. There is no cause for despair. God still sits on his throne. And even this is ordered of our
God for the saving of his people and the glory of his name. And
bless God, there's a better day coming. The spirit of life from
God will once again enter his church. Maybe we're already seeing
it. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe. His faithful witnesses shall
once again stand forth upon their feet and power from heaven by
the preaching of the gospel will cause fear to fall upon our enemies. Revelation 11, 11 says so. The gates of hell shall not prevail
against the church of God. Truth shall prevail at last. Babylon and all her daughters
shall fall like dominoes before Zion by the mighty arm of the
Lord when the everlasting gospel is preached unto them that dwell
in the earth and to every nation and kindred and tongue. That's
written in the book. That's written in the book. Revelation
chapter 14 verse 6 Babylon and all the daughters of Babylon
shall fall like dominoes before the gospel when the gospel is
preached among all nations as God this very day has caused
it to be. This is the great and marvelous
sight that John saw in heaven. He describes it for us in Revelation
chapter 17, 18, and 19. Turn there if you will. Revelation chapter 18 Revelation 8 17 18 and 19 Give
us the commentary that God the Holy Spirit gives to Habakkuk
chapter 2 Here John describes Babylon's
end Revelation chapter 18 Yes, there is a better day coming
in the end Christ and his church shall triumph gloriously by the
gospel. We shall be victorious. Antichrist
shall not prevail, but the gospel of Christ shall. Here in Revelation
chapter 18, the Holy Spirit tells us of Babylon's end. Satan has
always opposed the Lord Jesus. He has always opposed the triune
God in the beginning, His heart was lifted up with pride. And
he determined that he would set himself in opposition to God
and the accomplishment of his purpose. And he has been attempting
to thwart the purpose of God since the beginning of time.
With the temptation of our father Adam, he thought to thwart God's
purpose, to overturn God's purpose. Little did he know he was but
fulfilling God's purpose. With the encroaching foolishness
and idolatry of Babylon spreading from beginning in Genesis 11
through the building of the Tower of Babel and through the religions
of the world, Satan seeks to overthrow the very purpose of
God. He knows he has but a short time.
And so he's in a rage and he seeks to overthrow God's purpose,
but he's not capable of doing so. He does nothing to hinder,
let alone overthrow the purpose and the work of God Almighty.
His revolt in the beginning was totally unsuccessful, and his
revolt shall yet be totally unsuccessful. His primary means of opposition,
however, has been and is now organized religion opposed to
Christ. That religious system inspired
organized and led by Satan, the religion of Antichrist, is described
in this book as the great harlot patronized by the whole world. A harlot whose book has in it the names
of all whose names are not written in the Book of Life of the Lamb.
A harlot patronized by the kings and the merchants and the seamen
of the world. Patronized by all peoples in
all parts of the world. Babylon represents the whole
world. Especially the religious world,
yes. The world in opposition to Christ. The religion of the
world has many names, but their essential tenets are always the
same. The religion of the world, the
religion of Antichrist, the religion of Babylon is the religion of
free will works religion. It's that religion that makes
salvation ultimately dependent upon and determined by man. The
religion of Babylon, the hell inspired religion of Antichrist,
by which souls are deceived, multitudes are destroyed, always
proclaims that salvation ultimately Depends on you. Now, that's the charge I lay
at the doorstep of every church in Danville, Kentucky, except
this one. You some of you have been here
long enough to recall the first thing I said to you when you
started to think about calling me as your pastor. Merle, I said
to you, man, if you can find a place to worship God. In Danville,
Kentucky or anywhere close by. don't call me, don't go on, go
down there and join up with them. If you call me as your pastor,
you are attesting that there is no place in this town where
a man can worship God. Nothing has changed. Nothing
has changed. The religion of Babylon All false
religion. Call it Baptist, Buddhist, or
Papist. It doesn't matter. Call it Islam,
Judaism, or Catholicism. It doesn't matter. Call it Mormonism,
Methodism, or anything else. It doesn't matter. The religion
of Babylon is that religion that says you make the final decision. You finally determine whether
or not you go to heaven. That's the religion of Babylon.
It sets man up in the house of God and worships man as though
he were God. That's the reason Paul calls
it in Colossians 2 23 will worship free will works. Religion is
satanic. It is anti-Christ and it's damning. damning to the souls of all who
embrace it. Brother Don, how can you be so
dogmatic? Because your souls are at stake,
that's why. Because the glory of God's at
stake, that's why. One of two things is so. Either
all that out there is true, They all preach the same thing, and
it doesn't matter which costume you wear. Doesn't matter whether
you wear a crucifix, or whether you carry some kind of a holy
stick, or whether you wear a religious costume, or whether you dress
in the garb of the Amish folks, or dress in the garb of the Islamic
folks. It doesn't matter. They all believe the same thing.
Either they're all right, and we're all going to hell. God's
revealed the truth to us and we live in a world going to hell
with a hymn on their lips and a prayer on their tongues That
gives us a place of awesome responsibility Yes, the religion of Babylon
is popular Everybody embraces it. It's wealthy the world's
most famous most well-respected religious leaders are the servants
of this great whore and the religion of Babylon is Thoroughly controls
the minds of men So thoroughly controls the minds of men as
you read Revelation 17 18 and 19 You see that it controls the
political the economic the academic and the philosophical powers
of men in this world these Kings John described in Revelation
17 who have power for one hour little Little men, Satan raises
up, gives them power and influence for one hour. That describes
every king in the world. The merchants, the seamen, and
the religious false prophets, all duped by Babylon. The whole
world, by the deception of Satan, cherishes free will, man-centered,
Babylonian religion. But thank God, Babylon shall
fall. All right, let's look at Revelation
18 now. Revelation 18. This solemn chapter opens with
an announcement, an admonition, and a warning. Here, the Lord
God gives a serious call for separation. Here our God and
our Savior calls for all his elect to make a clear distinction. Make a clear distinction, separating
themselves from Babylon. And after these things, I saw
another angel come down from heaven, having great power, and
the earth was lightened with his glory. John saw a great mighty
angel. One of those mighty spirits created
by God to be ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those
who are chosen as God Almighty and the sovereign election chose
them to be heirs of salvation, to be heirs of eternal life.
The angels who are ministering spirits who minister to always
minister to care for and protect God's elect and at last carry
them as they did Elijah up to glory when they die. Yet these
same angels. shall be sent forth by God in
judgment to destroy Babylon. This mighty angel announced the
fall of Babylon as if it had already occurred. Look at verse
two. And he cried mightily with a strong voice saying, Babylon,
the great is fallen, is fallen and is become the habitation
of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every
unclean and hateful bird. for all nations have drunk of
the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the kings of
the earth have committed fornication with her. And the merchants of
the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. That's just exactly what Habakkuk
described in Habakkuk chapter 2 verse 5. Look here. Flip back
to Habakkuk, chapter 2, verse 5. I recall a statement Skip Gladfelter
made to me shortly after they came here, started worshiping
with us. Folks going to church to find
a big church in town, move into a community. He said, he said,
folks, go there because that's a great place to network. Business people can network with
other business people. Get things going works good for
them the Kings and the merchants All right. Look here in Habakkuk
2 verse 5 Yea, also because he transgresseth by wine. He is
a proud man Neither keepeth at home who enlargeth his desire
as hell and as death and cannot be satisfied But gathereth unto
him all Nations and heapeth unto him all people Woe to him that
covetous and evil covetousness. So sure and certain is the fall
of Babylon. So sure and certain is God's
judgment upon all false religion that it's recorded here as a
past event. And notice how the angel describes
Babylon. Again, not as a literal city,
but as a religious system. A religious system that encompasses
and includes every form of religion opposed to God. Every form of religion opposed
to God. Now, I recognize, I understand
religions have their distinctions. Not many papers go around these
days with swords and cut people's heads off like the Islamic terrorists
do. Not many. They used to. They
don't do it today. It's more respectable today.
And not many Baptists do that either. But the religion is exactly
the same. It's exactly the same. The practices,
the ceremonies, the laws, the traditions, the customs, the
costumes, they differ widely. But the religion is exactly the
same. By what you do, you get saved. By what you do, you attain
God's favor. By what you do, you enter into
heaven. Babylon is the idolatrous religion
of the world. Turn to Jeremiah chapter 51. Isaiah said behold here cometh
a chariot of men with a couple of horsemen and he answered and
said Babylon is fallen is fallen all the graven images of her
gods hath broken under the ground in Jeremiah chapter 50 The prophet
says in verse two, declare among the nations and publish and set
up a standard publishing. Conceal not say Babylon is taken. Bale is confounded. Mirabak is
broken in pieces. Her idols are confounded. Her
images are broken in pieces. The gods of Babylon are the dumb
gods of free will works religion. The dumb gods of the religious
world. Look here in Jeremiah 51, verse
7. Babylon hath been a golden cup
in the Lord's hand that made all earth drunken. The nations
have drunken of her wine. Therefore, the nations are mad,
insane. Insane with religion. You can't
reason with them. Drunk with religion. You can't
speak to them with any kind of sense. Babylon is suddenly fallen
and destroyed Howl for her take balm for her pain if so be she
may be healed now watch this We would have healed Babylon We would have healed Babylon
We would have healed if the Lord had let us We'd have kept we'd
have healed her But she's not healed forsake her And let us
go everyone into his own country, for her judgment reacheth unto
heaven and is lifted up even to the skies. The Lord hath brought
forth our righteousness. Come, let us declare in Zion
the work of the Lord our God. Read again very soon, 2 Thessalonians
2. as the Apostle describes Antichrist
in Babylon and the religion of this world, and makes this distinction
between you who believe God and all whose names are not written
in the book of the Lamb. But we're bound to give thanks
all way to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because
God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification
of the spirit and belief of the truth. Yet, even Babylon serves
the purpose of God. We're told in 2 Thessalonians
2, verse 3, that heresies must come. Or 1 Corinthians 11, 19. And then in 2 Thessalonians 2
and verse 3, let no man deceive you by any means. For that day
shall not come except there come a falling away first. that the
man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. And these heresies
must come. They must come by which God makes
manifest who are his and who are not. By the spreading fame
and popularity of free will religion, God's elect approved. These things
are plainly revealed. Babylon will fall suddenly. Her destruction will come from
within. We're told in Revelation 17,
verse 60. Revelation 17, verse 60. And
the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate
the whore and shall make her desolate and naked and shall
eat her flesh and burn her with fire. These from within Babylon. For God, look at this, for God,
not the devil, for God hath put in their hearts to fulfill his
will and to agree and give their kingdom to the beast. How long? Until the words of God shall
be fulfilled. And God's judgment of Babylon
is just and well deserved. The Lord God shall destroy Babylon
because she's made the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath
of her fornication. When the world's religious system
is destroyed, the whole earth will be thrown into chaos and
confusion because it's the religion of the world. It's the religion
that governs the economics. The politics, the philosophy,
the education of the whole world. When Babylon falls, everything
falls. When Babylon falls, everything
falls. Now look at verse 4. John commands
us, Revelation 18, 4. Gives us an admonition from the
mouth of Christ himself. A command from our Redeemer.
This is a command which the Lord God repeatedly issues to his
church. We see it in all ages. He gave
it by the mouth of his prophet Isaiah. He gave it by the mouth
of his prophet Ezekiel. He gave it by the mouth of his
prophet Jeremiah. He gives it by the mouth of his
servant, the apostle Paul. He gives it here by the lips
of Christ himself, the mighty angel of the Lord. It's an urgent
call to separation. Come out of her, my people. Come out of her, my people. Remove out of the midst of Babylon. Go forth of Babylon. Come out
of her, my people, and touch not the unclean thing. That's
the word of God. Come out of her, my people. Deliver
thyself, O Zion, that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon.
Look again at Jeremiah 51. Passage we read just a little
bit ago. Jeremiah 51. Verse 7. Skip down to verse 8. I've got
to hurry. Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed. Howl for her. Take a balm for
her pain. If so be she may be healed. We
would have healed Babylon, but she's not healed. Now listen
to God's word. Forsake her. Forsake her. Forsake her. Look in 2 Corinthians
chapter 5, chapter 6. 2nd Corinthians chapter 6. You get modern commentaries and
read them on this passage here in 2nd Corinthians 6 about separation
and you hear preachers talk about 2nd Corinthians chapter 6 and
separation. Separation from the world. That
means Like the folks down on the other side of Liberty, you
live a simple life and you don't go here or go there. You dress
funny, you talk funny, you don't go to the picture show or you
don't have electricity in your house. If you really like those
things, that's all right, but you don't go to the picture show.
Well, if you like that, that's all right, but you don't go where
they serve wine with a meal. But if you like that, that's
all right. You just do something to separate yourself and make
folks know you're religious. And 2 Corinthians chapter 6 ain't
got one thing on this earth to do with it. Not one thing. Bill
Rodder, this is a call to forsake the religion of the world. Read
it. 2 Corinthians 6, verse 14. Compare it with the references
referred to back in Isaiah, and you'll see this clearly. Be ye
not unequally yoked together with unbelievers? For what fellowship
hath righteousness with unrighteousness? What communion hath light with
darkness? Now this is not saying, and I don't recommend it, if
you're going into business tomorrow, you can't go into business with
a fellow who's lost. Now, that's not real smart in my opinion,
but I'm not a businessman. But this is not a prohibition
to that. Don't have any fellowship with unbelievers. It's not saying
your boy can't be a member of Boy Scouts. That's not what it's
saying. What's he talking about? He's talking about church folk,
religious folks. What fellowship hath righteousness
with unrighteousness? And what communion hath light
with darkness? See that place over yonder with
the red roof? They don't have any windows in there, it's a
good thing. It's all darkness! What fellowship has light with
darkness? None at all. And what concord hath Christ
with Belial? Or what part hath he that believeth
with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple
of God with idols? See what it's talking about?
It's talking about religion. For ye are the temple of the
living God as God has said I will dwell in them and walk in them
I will be their God and they shall be my people Wherefore
come out from among them and be you separate saith the Lord
and touch not the unclean thing And I will receive you And I'll
be a father unto you, and you shall be my sons and daughters,
saith the Lord Almighty. Having therefore these promises,
dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness
of the flesh and spirit. Watch it now. Perfecting holiness
in the fear of God. What's he talking about? Bringing
to completion your separation from all that opposes God. To
remain a part of any church, Our denomination that denies
the gospel of God's free grace, denies the accomplished work
of Christ, denies the effectual work of the Spirit, is to line
up with the Lord's enemies and to court eternal damnation. To come out is to have no fellowship
with her. None. Do nothing to give any
nod of approval to Babylon. Nothing. Nothing. Let no one
imagine that somehow there is some agreement between us and
them. There is none. There is none. You can't worship
at the altar of your will and worship at the throne of grace.
It can't be done. It can't be done. It's interesting. I hear folks all the time, I
get letters and calls Folks come see me on my way preaching somewhere
and they say, well, you know, I go to church down here and
the preacher doesn't preach anything, but they let me teach Sunday
school there and I have a good influence. Not if you taught
anything, you wouldn't. I've been in those places. Now,
just just as soon as you assert something, you're gone. Well,
the scripture doesn't say stay in and reform Babylon. It doesn't
say stay in and save Babylon. This is such a historic denomination. We sure would hate to lose it.
It's going to hell, the sooner the better. It's exactly right. Come out from her. Now, look
at verses five through eight, Revelation 18. Here God's solemn
warning. The God of heaven is a God who
can and must punish sin. And here the Lord himself tells
us five things about his judgment, particularly against Babylon. Number one, God remembers all
the iniquities of his enemies. He's forgotten the sins of his
people because they're thoroughly washed away in the blood of his
son. But he remembers all the iniquities
of his enemies. For her sins have reached unto
heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. He says, I will not remember
thy sins. Sweetest words mortal soul can
ever hear. But for those who will not worship
our Savior, God has remembered her iniquities. Here's the second
thing. Look at verses six and seven.
God will punish sinners. always in exact proportion to
the evil they've done. Judgment is always according
to strict justice. Reward her even as she rewarded
you. And double unto her double according
to her works in the cup which she hath filled to her double. How much she hath glorified herself
and lived deliciously So torment her, and sorrow give her, for
she saith in her heart, I will sit as queen, and am no widow,
and shall see no sorrow. Number three, divine judgment
always comes swiftly, suddenly, without warning. Verse eight,
therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death and mourning,
and famine, and she shall be utterly burned with fire, for
strong is the Lord God who judgeth her. Number four, judgment, God's
judgment is thorough, complete, without mercy, without mercy,
without mercy. She shall be utterly burned with
fire. I don't know what hell is. I
don't know what the fires of hell are. I don't know what the
torments of the damned shall be. But hear me, you who will
not bow to Christ the Lord, hear me, either bow to my Savior our
face utter, utter, utter destruction, but destruction that shall last
forever. And fifth, God is willing to
do it. Yes, God's willing to judge sin. Yes, God is angry with the wicked
every day. The righteous Lord loveth righteousness,
therefore he's angry with the wicked every day. That's the
language of the book. God's not willing that any should
perish. Folks tell us that's talking about God not willing
anybody to go to hell. What nonsense. He's not willing that any of
his elect should perish. If God wasn't willing to send
men to hell, nobody would go to hell. Men don't go to hell
by accident. They go to hell because God throws
them in hell. Look what the book says. for
strong is the Lord who judges her. And then John gives us a
threefold lamentation. Revelation 18, beginning of verse
nine, the kings of the earth and the merchantmen of the earth
and the seamen of the earth that takes in just about everybody.
The kings, the kings who are duped by Babylon's sorceries. The merchantmen, the merchantmen
who find it good business to deal with Babylon, the seamen
who trade from nation to nation across the seas, find it good
business to practice Babylon and be accepted in Babylon. And
all of them promote Babylon until at last all shall omit Babylon. When Babylon's destroyed, they
see everything they've lived for, worked for, and hoped for
utterly destroyed. Everything that Babylon has promised
to give them, enlarging them, enriching them, shall be destroyed. And they shall see their covetousness
brought to nothing, because Babylon through covetousness with feigned
words has made merchandise of the souls of men. Now, look again at Revelation
chapter 18 verse 20. All of this looks, it looks so horrible. so bad, but then with a call for us to
rejoice. You see that? Rejoice over her,
thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets, God hath avenged
you on her Look at again in Habakkuk 2 in verse 8 and you'll see again.
This is exactly what Habakkuk said Babylon's full and the world's
Babylon's fall in the world's destruction is God's just retribution
poured out upon those who despised and persecuted God's elect throughout
history and therefore God calls for us to to rejoice. This is not a matter of vindictiveness. It's not a matter of personal
vengeance. It's a matter of publicly taking sides with God. And we shall in that day stand
shoulder to shoulder with our Redeemer as he cast into hell
all who oppose him and we will say amen. and we will rejoice
for Babylon is fallen. Babylon is fallen. That will cause God's saints
to rejoice. For then our God shall be universally
vindicated. His name universally vindicated. His gospel universally vindicated. His word universally vindicated. His prophets universally vindicated. His people universally vindicated. And we will rejoice in that day. That's the reason Paul spoke
as he did when men spoke as his accusers. He said, I'll wait
for the day when God will make all things plain. We'll see.
We'll see. God will set everything in its
true light and will rejoice. Our God is sovereign. He rules
absolutely. Understand, those who follow
him do not walk in the path of popularity and acceptance with
men. To follow Christ, to worship
God, to serve Him is to walk contrary to the path of men. It is to swim upstream against
the tide all the time. It is to set your face in opposition
to family, friend, and neighbor all the time. Never is there
any relent. Babylon's religion is popular.
It is the universal way of the world. This is the straight and
narrow way. It's called free grace, the just
living by faith in Jesus Christ, the Lord and God's elect will
not be harmed by all the sorceries and shenanigans of Babylon. And in the end. The religion
of this world will prove to be the most frustrating thing men experience for eternity. I try often to picture eternity. Often, eternity in the glory
of heaven with Christ. And sometimes as now, eternity
in hell without Christ. What shall it be when the lost
daughter looks at her lost mother and says, you damned me, and forever, forever gnashes
her teeth against the mother who loved her so on this earth?
When the lost father looks on the lost son and that son shakes
his angry fist in the face of his father and says, Damn you! Damn you! Damn you forever! I'm in this place because of
you. When the lost preacher looks on the lost hearer and hears
them scream his everlasting destruction with vehement anger and hatred
forever and forever. What shall we do in this day? What shall we do tomorrow? The Lord is in his holy temple. Be quiet now. Everything's all
right. God's on his throne. God's on
his throne. Walk before Him in faith and
obedience in the day He's given you, serving the interest of
His kingdom and His glory. God help us to do so. Amen.