Tucson Mountain Baptist Church

They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. Then they said, ‘Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves and not be scattered over the face of the whole earth.’ But the LORD came down to see the tower that the men were building. The LORD said, ‘If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other.” Genesis 11:3-7

Setting themselves up as a God. As the supreme authority in the universe.

1. Babylon is more than a place; it’s an Attitude.

There's three avenues or paths of how evil comes into our world today: The Devil – Satan –temps us. We can’t just say the devil made me do it. The Flesh what’s inside of us. Our own sinful nature. We make our own choices. Babylon is the epitome of The World System that we live in today.

“One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries.” 17:1-2

“Then the angel carried me away in the spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries.” vs.3-4

It is important to understand Satan is only the Source of sin. The fact that I choose to sin isn’t the devil’s fault. It’s my choice.

2. In this world’s system, its focus is on Materialism.

“Babylon was a gold cup in the Lord’s hand; she made the whole earth drunk. The nations drank her wine; therefore they have now gone mad.” Jeremiah 51:7

3. Babylon’s character is Immorality.

4. “This title was written on her forehead: Mystery. Babylon the Great. The mother of Prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth.” V. 5 What an image! Babylon’s business is defined as Prostitution.

“But you trusted in your beauty and you used your fame to become a prostitute. You lavished your favors on anyone who passed by and your beauty became his.” Ezekiel 16:15

A. In prostitution, the relationship is strictly business. B. Prostitution is taking what God made to be good, right and perfect and perverting it to be something evil.

It's a difference of Values. God looks at us as Christians having incredible value but the world doesn’t.

5. She’s drunk with the blood of the saints. Its Anti-God. It’s Atheistic.

“I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished. Then the angel said to me, ‘Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits. They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction.” vs.6-11

God’s point about Babylon: She represents every civilization that has ever existed. He’s revealing what we face today in our world’s system.

“The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast. They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and with Him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.” vs.12-14

“Then the angel said to me, “The waters you saw, where the prostitute sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations and languages. The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish His purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God’s words are fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth.” vs.15-18

The beast will ruin Babylon. A. harlot is destroyed by the beast, evil inevitably eventually consumes itself. B. God puts it into all Evils hearts to accomplish His purpose. God is in Control even in Satan’s last attempt to ruin mankind.

The first voice is of Condemnation. “After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted “Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the great!...” Rev. 18 vs. 1-2a

The second voice is of Separation. “n I heard another voice from heaven say, “Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.” . Rev. 18:4.

Flee from Babylon! Run for your lives! Do not be destroyed because of her sins. It is time for the LORD’s vengeance; he will pay her what she deserves.” . Jeremiah 51:6

How do you live in Babylon (because we do) and yet come out of her? One way is to realize that Jesus is here with us in Babylon.

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15.

The more you love Christ, the less you’ll love with this world.

The third voice is of Lamentation. “When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry: “Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!” Rev. 18: 9-10

“In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!” v. 17

Finally there’s the voice of Celebration. “Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.” v. 20

God’s perspective is certain: Justice will be done.

“Then a mighty angel picked up a bolder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said, ‘With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again.” v. 21