Truth Matters - Weekend, 14

This is Sam from the Masking Journey Podcast, and our goal with the podcast has helped you to try to find your way in this difficult world. Your chosen Truth Network Podcast is starting in just seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening and choosing the Truth Podcast Network. This is the Truth Network. Welcome to the weekend edition of Truth Matters with Dr. Cheryl Davis, heard daily on this station at 8 20 a.m. and 5 20 p.m. Truth Matters is a ministry of the Truth Project whose mission is to empower men and women in the Christian faith to teach biblical truth in the culture and marketplace of ideas, using the Bible as a sacred trust of truth and sharing the message of Jesus. Learn more about the ministry of the Truth Project at www.projecttruthmatters.com. Coming up, the rise, final judgment and fall of Babylon. Let's join this week's extended edition of Truth Matters.

Hello, I'm Dr. Cheryl Davis and you are listening to Truth Matters. Today, we're beginning in chapter 18 as we get into the collapse of the world market. Last time we were together, we talked about a great deal about Babylon. This time is not going to be any different. If you remember on these chapters, 17 and 18 are parenthetical pauses after chapter 16, which are the last events of the tribulation and chapter 19, which is the second coming of Christ. So in 16, we ended with the bold judgment, 17 and 18, we're talking about Babylon and 19, we will pick back up with the second coming of Christ. Chapter 17 was mainly about the religious system that will arise in the end times that is sanctioned by the antichrist.

If you remember in the end of chapter 17, he turns his back on her and destroys her. Chapter 18 focuses on the economic and commercial aspects of the end times world system. Babylon is mentioned in the Bible really more than 260 times. It is most frequently mentioned city in the Bibles beyond Jerusalem. Babylon is always presented as a place which functions in opposition to God. This was the original purpose of the Tower of Babel in which Babylon gets its origins in Genesis to prove man's independence from the controlling influence of God. But why is Babylon so important?

I just want to say it's going to be the third city in which the antichrist will rule from during the tribulation. First, Rome is his political base, Jerusalem will be his religious base, but Babylon will be the commercial and financial base. But I want you to know that Babylon is a spirit and we know that, you know, we talked about there are two types of Babylon, where Babylon was the ancient city that we learn about in Daniel, but we know that Babylon can be spiritual as well and I want to read that in Daniel chapter 4 verse 30. The king spoke, is this not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling of my majesty, my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?

Here King Nebuchadnezzar sums it up perfectly, it is not the great Babylon that I have built for a royal dwelling for my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty. But really today we don't call this spirit Babylon, we call it humanism. Humanism is a non-theistic view that is centered on human agency and relies on science and reason rather than revelation from a supernatural source to understand the world. Humanists tend to advocate for human rights, free speech, progressive policies and democracy. They maintain that religion is not a precondition of morality and object to religious involvement in education and state apparatus. Humans according to humanness can shape their own values and live good and meaningful lives. American humanistic association's motto is good without God.

You know and in reading all this I thought this was very interesting and I'd like to consult the Bible as to what it says about good without God and we find that in Romans chapter 3 verse 10 through 18. And it is written, there is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands, there's none who seeks after God.

They all have turned aside, they have together become unprofitable. Their throat is an open tomb with their tongues that have practiced deceit. The poison of asp is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood, destruction and misery are in their ways and the way of peace they have not known. There's no fear of God before their eyes.

This is how man is without God. And in Romans 3 23 and we know this verse it's famous for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. The spirit of Babylon will be pervasive in the last days and it is pervasive today if man thinks that he can live without God. So let's get into Revelation chapter 18 and we'll read where Babylon will be judged in the first two verses. After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven having great authority and the earth was illuminated with his glory and he cried mightily with a loud voice saying Babylon the great is fallen is fallen and have become a dwelling place of demons a prison for every foul spirit in a cage for every unclean and hated bird we saw this judgment pronounced in chapter 17 religiously but in chapter 18 we see judgment pronounced commercially see in verse 2 is fallen is repeated twice this is an example of the two-fold judgment fallen means to fall instantaneously the destruction of babylon will happen quickly actually in one hour as we are told in verse 8 in chapter 18 verse 19 there are four reasons for the destruction of babylon so babylon is judged because of her iniquity verse 5 for her sins have reached to heaven and God has remembered her iniquities the verb reach kalaya means to glue or hold together meaning that babylon's sins have been stacked one upon another much like building blocks until they have reached heaven babylon is the epitome of man's depravity in the last days babylon is also judged because of her influence let's read verse 3 for all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury verse 3 describes the city that not only is wicked and evil herself but has influenced others to follow her way of life the kings of the earth have been seduced by babylon's riches and have sold out themselves to her charms the nations of the earth will come under the allure of babylon's social political cultural and commercial life wanting to gain those same riches for themselves they will drink the wine and fall into the trap of her worldview materialism and humanism will be the hallmarks of this system commercial advantage and gain will be the god of the nations as they come under babylon's sway and if you remember the verses that we read in jeremiah whenever he tries to get them from sacrificing to the queen of heaven they said we have all of what we need we have financial security when we sacrifice to the queen of heaven when you told us to stop the sword and the famine struck us so again this is not new way back in the days of jeremiah where it is today we also see that babylon will be judged because of her infidelity verse seven in the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously in the same measure give her torment and sorrow for she says in her heart i sit as queen and am no widow and will not see sorrow babylon's words really indicate that she considers herself immortal and invincible she lives in iniquity and boasts about it having no fear of anyone who might hold her accountable it really reminds us of when satan boasts about himself in isaiah chapter 14 verse 14 he says i will ascend above the heights of the clouds i will be like the most high these i will statements again we see in babylon when we're talking about her judgments i is at the center of the babylonian spirit and lastly babylon will be judged because of her inhumanity so let's read verses 12 through 13 of chapter 18 merchandise of gold and silver precious stones and pearls fine linen and purple silk and scarlet every kind of citron wood object of ivory every kind of object of most precious wood bronze iron and marble and cinnamon and incense fragrant oil and frankincense wine and oil fine flour and wheat cattle and sheep horses and chariots and bodies and souls of men 28 articles of merchandise are mentioned babylon is characterized by the pursuit of luxury but last in the list are bodies of souls and men indicating that mankind will become nothing more than a commodity in the last days in the antichrist economic system human beings will be dehumanized when god is rejected the image of god has no point of reference in the world and we really already see that now with abortion when humans are not valued the political system legalizes abortion therefore women can have choice so a woman's choice is higher than the life of a baby and then also we can push people not to procreate put the importance of the environment over the need for life so we see a lot of humanism we see a lot of materialism we see the spirit of babylonianism alive and well today even in our own society we just don't call it babylon let's move on to the reality of the judgment of babylon and we find this in verses 21 through 23 then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea saying thus with violence the great city babylon shall be thrown down and shall not be found anymore the sound of harpist musicians flutists and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore no craftsmen of any crafts shall be found in you anymore the light of a lamp shall not shine in you and the voice of the bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore for your merchants were the great men of the earth but by your sorcery all the nations were deceived notice the word anymore this is really the strongest way the greek language could say not at all in one hour the sounds of worldly humanism will be silenced and because of this judgment because of the finality of judgment there's going to be a great reaction to the judgments of babylon and it goes through that in the middle of the chapter so let's go back to verses 9 through 10 the kings of the earth who committed fornication and live luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her when they see the smoke of her burning standing at a distance for fear of her torment saying alas alas that great city babylon that mighty city for in one hour your judgment has come the city and the world view they thought was their salvation will be destroyed and with it their hopes of continued indulgence and prosperity goes up in flames so here even the monarchs mourn next we see where the merchants of the earth in verses 11 through 17 and the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her for no one buys their merchandise anymore merchandise of gold silver precious stones and pearls fine linen and purple silk and scarlet every kind of citron wood every kind of object of ivory every kind of most precious wood bronze iron and marble horses and chariots and bodies and souls of men this contain lists of all kinds of merchandise which will no longer be bought and sold around the world the banks and stock exchanges around the world will fail therefore not only will the monarchs mourn the merchants will mourn in verses 17 through 19 we see that the mariners will mourn for in one hour such great riches came to nothing sailors and as many as trade on the sea stood at a distance and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning saying what is like this great city when the goods of the world are no longer bought and sold those who deliver the goods across the seas will mourn their own doom because they will have nothing to ship so the mariners will mourn but there will be rejoicing over the judgment of babylon rejoice over her oh heaven in verse 20 and you holy apostles and prophets for god has avenged you on her that's a very key verse three classes of men who mourn the destruction of babylon kings merchants and mariners but in heaven three other classes of people are going to rejoice the saints the apostles and the prophets verse 21 reminds me of matthew 18 6 where then a mining angel took a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea it is a warning jesus gave in matthew is carried out on babylon the city which calls so many to stumble has a figurative millstone placed around her neck and cast into the sea of god's judgment the prosperity gospel in the intermingling of materialism is in the church and this is what we see the judgment of that it seems like we are marginalized in society today when we don't subscribe to humanism materialism for it seems like we're further marginalized in society and it talks about this in verses four through seven of chapter 18 for i heard another voice from heaven saying come out of her my people lest you share in her sins unless you receive of her plagues for her sins have reached to heaven god has remembered her iniquities render to her just as she rendered to you repay her double according to her works and the cup which she has mixed mixed double for her in the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously in the same measure give her torment and sorrow for she says in her i sit as a queen and am no widow and will not see sorrow the command for the people of god to separate themselves from the world is a frequent one in scripture one of the best known exhortations is given by paul in second corinthians chapter 6 verses 14 through 18 do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers for what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness what communion has light with darkness and what accord has christ with blau and what part has a believer with an unbeliever for you are the temple of the living god as god has said i will dwell in them and walk among them i will be their god and they shall be my people therefore come out from among them and be separate says the lord do not touch what is unclean and i will receive you i will be a father to you and you shall be my sons and daughters says the lord almighty there are two reasons for fleeing from babylon one is to be separate from the sins of babylon judgment is coming upon the world system of satan and if we separate ourselves from the world we will escape judgment that is the first reason and the second reason is the flee to escape the plagues and judgments that are coming upon the antichrist and those who follow him just don't think that because the literal babylon is in ruins today that the spirit of babylon is not alive and well because it is really to be honest that is the biggest struggle of the church today is the intermingling of the world with the church and we're losing our identity so i implore you that if you're leading a church or if you're a leader in a church is to pray where the lord would open your eyes to where the world has taken up residence in your church and it has polluted the people it has polluted the work and that he would open your eyes to come out and to cut out those parts of your church much like a surgeon's scalpel with precise precision and to open your eyes to who that is and to work that is that needs to come out from the world so we finished chapter 18 and we will see that the blood of the saints has been avenged again on the economic system i thank you for listening and next time we'll get into chapter 19 of the marriage supper of the lamb i'm dr cheryl davis you've been listening to the weekend edition of truth matters with dr cheryl davis truth matters is a ministry of the truth project a north carolina based ministry dedicated to teaching biblical truth and sound theology to those inside and outside of the church if you'd like to listen to these messages on demand go to project truthmatters.com and click on the podcast link dr davis is also available to speak to your ministry group or church function she can be reached by email at cheryldavis at project truthmatters.com or if you'd like to send a letter the address is project truth matters post office box 159 st paul's north carolina 28384 you can hear truth matters devotionals on weekdays at 8 20 a.m and 5 20 p.m until next time let's all work together to teach a biblical truth to assist equip edify and encourage one another and bring the gospel to the world because truth matters this is the truth network