We saw in the last chapter how Babylon is identified with human lusts as expressed through the market place. It is identified with the urban setting, cultural sophistication, and highly specialized labor and goods. This Harlot builds commerce through the marketing of every human desire, regardless how abominable.
There is so much of this in our world today, it is hard to know where to begin. Even selecting the more egregious moral degradations leaves us with a very wide selection. The sex trade, from every angle, is an obvious element. The related pornography business is equally obvious, especially the various perversions which are so popular. Gaming, chemical substances, acts of violence, and just about everything we call "entertainment" today falls under this heading. But we could say the same for the brisk trade in loans, speculations, most forms of stock and other securities, all of which lend themselves to a form of slavery. In every case, the action itself is degrading enough. However, John points out the underlying theme is spiritual adultery, AKA idolatry. For each of these vices, and many more commercial activities which typically avoid that label with some squeaky clean veneer, the underlying error is worshiping something -- anything -- rather than God.
In a thousand ways we all find something so important to us we have to sacrifice some piece of our spirituality, some element of holiness in order to keep that thing. We note adamantly it is less the activity itself and more the cause within our souls. Each of them is an expression of human appetite which can be righteously fulfilled, but mankind insists on flavoring it up by dodging the requirements God put forth so clearly in His Word. Babylon the Harlot feeds on this. As we saw in the previous chapter, the Beast also feeds on this. Frankly, both would be powerless if no one was buying. But there is always a buyer and a seller, and these bear the Mark of the Beast.
So we hear the refrain already echoing across the text since we began this study: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen!" This is true in one sense from the very beginning, for it requires a fallen soul to be trapped by her seductions. Thus, the angel coming aglow from the presence of God Almighty announces yet again Babylon has fallen. By no means are we surprised to see she is the haunt of evil beings, for thus has it ever been. Yet here, the point is made: This is both her life and her doom. In the end, there will be nothing left, for she will consume all her customers. Thus, we note she will crumble not merely under the hand of rapine taxation of her beau, the Beast, as we saw in the previous chapter. She will fall eventually because the market in sin carries the seeds of its own destruction. Sated lust only grows a bigger appetite, and at some point there is nothing left which offers a new thrill. In the end, the market for her flesh will collapse under its own weight.The believers who carry the Mark of God are called to get away from her. This call echoes down through the ages in the Old Testament. In Jeremiah 51, Babylon is the target of prophetic warnings. The prophet repeatedly calls God's people to come out (vv. 6, 9, 45 & 50). It is echoed by Isaiah (48:20; 52:11) and similar sentiments are scattered throughout the prophets. The warning is clear not to give oneself over to such commerce, to become independent of the fallen economy of the world. Not that we should cease all buying and selling, but to cease being enslaved by it. Of all people on this earth, among Christians advertising should utterly fail.
The angel calls for a full cup of vengeance against the Harlot. We note the merchants who depended on her for their livelihood will join the governments of the world, weeping from a safe distance as she is destroyed. At some point, all economic activity will suffer a catastrophic failure. As it reaches the peak of power, it will last but a short time by human standards. All the luxuries of human existence will be forgotten, and bare survival will be the order of the day.
John provides one last stark image to jolt his readers awake: "And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all those who were slain on the earth" (v. 24). Allowing yourself to become wrapped up in such concerns will kill you, spiritually if not literally. You cannot afford to ever come to the place you regard human commerce as essential to your life. If you can't walk away from your place in it on short notice, you serve the Harlot -- Babylon is your god. Christians must maintain but a light grip on all the things of this world.
Return to Index
[<-- Previous Lesson]
[Next Lesson -->]
Ed Hurst
17 October 2007
COPYRIGHT NOTICE: People of honor need no copyright laws; they are only too happy to give credit where credit is due. Others will ignore copyright laws whenever they please. If you are of the latter, please note what Moses said about dishonorable behavior -- "be sure your sin will find you out" (Numbers 32:23)