I’ve been sharing some thoughts concerning the last message of warning given to a dying planet – Revelation 14:6-12. This message is for “those who dwell on the earth,” people who hate God and hate those who love God. It’s a message based in God’s great love because he desires to woo all people to his heart; the source of love and life.
In the second angel’s message we are introduced to a new character Babylon (new in this letter but actually a literal and symbolic enemy of God and those who love God). The book of Revelation reveals that Babylon seems to have almost godlike powers. She will have everyone “eating out of the palm of her hand” – all the kings of the earth and merchants commit “adultery” with her. She seems to have all the cards, control all the roads, have all the keys to all the doors. When the time comes, she will be able to inflict capital punishment upon those who rebel against her system.
As this comes into it’s fullness, all will seem lost. The night will grow very, very dark. We have seen and are now seeing what this looks like on smaller scales – genocides, atrocities, all the horrors that humanity inflicts upon itself and the word. If you can get the magnitude of this situation, if you can see just how serious this is, then perhaps you can see that the second angel’s message is one of hope.
Revelation 14:8 says: “Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city,”
The important part of this message is not Babylon. What is it? Is fallen, is fallen. The technical detail is that these words are repeated for emphasis and are what is called the prophetic perfect. Huh? What does that mean? Prophetic perfect means that this is a future event described in the past tense.
In other words, it means certainty; the end of Babylon is as sure as the air you are breathing, the earth spinning on it’s axis, that you are alive at this very moment.
For those who dwell on the earth, this is part of the urgent call to worship God before time runs out. See, some think that they are choosing between two equally viable options – God or whatever else they have given their heart to. NO! This message is loud and clear: the choice is between God and all other options that are collapsing under the weight of sin, depravity, and selfishness. Babylon is a sinkhole from which there is no escape once it begins to go down.
For those of us that know God and are known by God; you’ve put your life into his hands – what does this message say to you? As the darkness closes in; as the sword begins to fall; as the martyrs give their lives, the second Angel’s message is our God telling us is….”Hey _______, you have nothing to fear; Babylon’s fate is sealed; it’s destruction is sure; it’s something you can count on.”
God is shouting into all our hearts, “No matter how bad it gets, stick with me and I’ll get you home.”