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 Sermon > Official Service |
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Title |
Revelation Lectures(76) |
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Speaker |
Rev. Jaerock Lee |
Bible |
Revelation 18:1-7 |
Date |
2008-09-19 |
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Scripture
Revelation 18:1-7
[1] After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illumined with his glory.
[2] And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
[3] "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality."
[4] I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;
[5] for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
[6] "Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.
[7] "To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
At the end of the 7 Year Great Tribulation, there will be a strict judgment by the justice of God on this earth.
It is the judgment on the forces of the antichrist that have seized the authority over the earth during the 7 Year Great Tribulation.
An angel that is given authority and entrusted with this duty is coming down to this earth from heaven.
Since the authority and glory of this angel is so great, the scripture says, even "the earth was illumined with his glory."
In Revelation 18:2, the angel cries out.
It says, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!"
The angel proclaims that Babylon the great, the unified government that has the authority over the earth, will collapse.
And (the angel) continues, saying, "She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird."
This is the true identity of the unified government.
The unified government is a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit.
It is a den for the unclean spirits that are moved by the evil spirits that stand against God.
It is the place where all kinds of unclean spirits, which confuse the world and lead the world into sin and evil, gather.
Since it is an unclean place in a spiritual sense, there gather unclean and hateful birds.
Among birds are those that eat the flesh of the corpses of dead people and animals.
Likewise, in a place which is spiritually unclean, there gather the people who (spiritual) eat the darkness.
Since the unified government is a spiritually unclean place, all kinds of unclean and detestable people who do evil gather there.
Furthermore, to maintain their system, they do countless untruths and evil, and they even commit acts that no human should ever do.
All of these are unclean and detestable.
You should bear it in mind well that where there is darkness, the darkness gathers.
For example, when an organization or a meeting is spiritually asleep, or affected by evil spirits, there surely appears a form of the flesh.
Those who pursue and follow the lusts of the flesh will gather (where people are spiritually asleep).
On the other hand, an organization or a meeting that is spiritually awake and stays always in the truth will not be stained, even when a man who pursues such things joins them.
Instead of being affected, they have strength to change him.
All of the organizations and the meetings that you belong to and attend should have this kind of strength and authority.
This is the strength that changes the world into the light, and ability to enlarge the kingdom of God.
Revelation 18:3 says, "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality."
The wine of the passion results in the judgment of justice.
The unified government and its followers are those who commit acts of immorality before God.
Since they drink 'the wine of the passion of her immorality,' the judgment of justice will come upon them.
When the unified government collapses by the judgment, the organizations beneath it also collapse.
'The kings of the earth' refer to the countries and their heads that contribute to the unified government.
It refers to those who seize the authority and do evil by following the unified government.
They also pay the price for what they have done.
By the way, not only those who actively help the unified government to stand against God will receive judgment.
"Those who commit the acts of immorality with her" will also receive the judgment.
Here, 'the immorality' refers to the spiritual immorality.
"Spiritual immorality" refers to the denial of God by accepting and believing in the scientific community and the knowledge and wisdom of human beings in the place of acknowledging God.
In a broader sense, however, it also includes having two hearts before God.
For example, when a husband or a wife thinks of someone else other than their spouse, then that is committing acts of immorality of the heart.
The Lord says in Matthew 5:28, "I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart."
Even though they don't commit the act of immorality by action, thinking of someone else itself is the act of immorality in a spiritual sense.
Likewise, if we befriend the world, being apart form the Lord, our Bridegroom, spiritually it is also an act of immorality in the sight of the Lord.
Keeping the world in the heart while professing love for the Lord is spiritual immorality.
Also, having doubt in a corner of heart while professing to have faith in the Lord is also spiritual immorality.
When people experience the works of God, they rejoice and give thanks. But when they encounter trials and afflictions, they forget the grace and begin to doubt.
They even consider the works of God that they previously experienced as a coincidence.
In this way, having doubt and vacillating without faith is also spiritual immorality.
Well, when their faith is weak, they may doubt, or when they lose the fullness of Spirit, they may forget the grace from time to time.
However, if they still have two hearts and doubt even though they saw clear evidences, had experiences, and lived a believing life hearing the word of the truth, then it is the sin of committing the acts of immorality before God.
And you should know it is never a trivial sin.
Now, 'the merchants of the earth' refers to those who unfairly pile up wealth by following the unified government.
It refers to the high authorities who become rich through iniquity and corruption, and to those who make money through unfair bargain by cooperating with them.
The unified government cries out for the restoration of the world peace and order, and for the fair distribution of resources and food, but in reality, they accumulate great fortunes for their own wealth and prosperity.
Those who follow this unified government, seek for their benefit, make money in corruption, and seize advantage unfairly have no other way but to fail along with the collapse of the unified government.
Revelation 18:4 says, "I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. ""
Till the end, God gives a chance to repent and turn back to those who are left on the earth.
Even the Israelis, the God-chosen people, are also given the chances of grace that God gives until the end.
During the 7 Year Great Tribulation, the forces of the antichrist pay great attention to the tremendous wealth that Jews have.
In order to hold the power over the whole world, they must draw the Jews to their side.
For this reason, as I told you before, they bait a hook with something they cannot resist to win the Jews over to their side.
The bait is the promise to construct the Holy Temple that the Jews desire most of all.
The Jews are deceived and cooperate with the antichrist.
However, after taking advantage of the Jews, the antichrist reveals its identity when the time comes.
Then, the Jews realize that they have been deceived, and then many of them finally repent and turn back.
However, since the forces of the antichrist are still strong, there are still Jews who are deceived.
They have expectations that the antichrist will eventually help them do what they desire.
But then, the 7 Year Great Tribulation comes to an end, and the forces of the antichrist faces the crisis of collapse.
And finally the identity of the forces of the antichrist, the unified government, is clearly revealed.
At this time, God's final shout for those who are left in the earth is "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues."
It is the warning message; recover your senses, and repent and turn back even at this point by watching the end of the forces of the antichrist.
Of course, these are the final moments after most of the people have received the mark of the beast, and most of the believers have died as martyrs.
But it is an earnest shout so that, even at this time, they can hold onto the last chance of salvation by any means.
That's because, even among those who are deceived by the forces of the antichrist, there are some who may repent and turn back at the last moment and reach salvation.
But, these words are not for them alone.
These words are just as necessary now as ever.
This is the message that God makes His people shout out before the 7 Year Great Tribulation begins.
He says, "Come out of her (darkness and evil), my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues."
Now, Revelation 18:5 says, "for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities."
The evil that the forces of the antichrist commit is so terrible that it may even reach heaven.
By all means, they stand against God, and they persecute and cruelly kill those who believe in the Lord.
God remembers all the unrighteous acts that they do.
And God repays according to what they do on the Final Judgment Day.
Dear brothers and sisters.
God knows everything you do, without missing anything.
God remembers your acts of goodness and surely repays with blessings and rewards. But He also remembers evil acts and there is repayment for them as well.
Of course, if you repent of them and turn back from them, He doesn't even remember them.
But for the things that you don't repent of, an accounting for them will be given on the Final Judgment Day.
The Lord even says in Matthew 12:36, "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment."
The justice of God who pays according to what has been done is shown concretely from verse 6 onward.
Revelation 18:6 says, "Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her."
Many parts of the Bible record the justice of God who pays according to what has been done.
Revelation 2:23 says, "And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds."
Galatians 6:7-8 says, "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."
John 5:29 says, "and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment."
And Matthew 16:27 says, "For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and WILL THEN REPAY EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS."
Dear brothers and sisters.
God is love.
He wants to forgive even a child who falls into sin, and He wants him to repent and turn back.
However, forgiving and tolerating unconditionally is not always love.
When a trivial sin is tolerated unconditionally, it may result in a greater sin.
If it is repeated to forgive someone who commits a sin again and again, it may result in a situation when he may not control sin by himself.
A person's heart may become dulled concerning sin, and he may not even feel guilt in his conscience after committing sin.
Furthermore, even though a person knows it is a sin, he may commit the sin and have no strength to try to resist it.
Also, because of this one person, others around him may be stained in sin.
That's why 1 Corinthians 5:6 says, "Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough?"
Therefore, when a sin yields another sin, it should be strictly controlled.
This applies to you, as well.
If you tolerate trivial things of the flesh one by one, it may result in greater fleshliness and sin.
You live in critical time when it is necessary to cast off just one more worldly thing from your heart.
If you take the worldly things into your heart at this time, it's like saying, "I don't want to go into spirit."
Dear brothers and sisters.
The God of justice lets you reap what you sow.
2 Corinthians 9:6 says, "Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully."
But, some people think that they don't reap much even though they sow much.
There are possibly various reasons for they don't reap as much as they expect even though they think they sow much.
One of the biggest reasons is that God loves you.
What does it mean?
The biggest blessing that God can give you is the blessing of your 'spirit and soul being prosperous.'
When your spirit and soul prosper, you will stand firm on the truth and live in the hope for heaven; this is the true blessing.
Instead of living for the perishable things of this world, living the life while piling up rewards in eternal heaven is truly worthy blessing.
Therefore, God wants to give you the blessing to the extent your spirit and soul can grow after your spirit and soul prospers so that you can enjoy the true blessing.
If you haven't come into the blessing of your spirit and soul being prosperous so that you can receive financial blessing, He puts a delay on the blessing.
This is true love.
If financial blessing is given before you receive the blessing of your spirit and soul being prosperous, it may result in harm.
When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin. Then, you may take in the world and fall into death.
However, it doesn't mean that you cannot receive blessing until your spirit and soul proper.
According to the natural law, the blessing will come upon those who diligently sow and make an effort.
But, in order to make the blessing a true blessing, you should receive the blessing of your spirit and soul being prosperous, along with the financial blessing.
Only then can you use the God-given blessings for the kingdom of God and for the souls.
Revelation 18:7 says, "To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning."
It is describing what the forces of the antichrist and their followers do.
They glorify themselves and live sensuously enjoying all kinds of wealth and prosperity.
The justice and peace that they put up outwardly is nothing but mere plausible excuse.
Inwardly, they seek for their own glory and benefit
Even today, if someone has true faith, he will never do a foolish thing such as trying to pile up wealth in this earth to gain prosperity.
If he fully enjoys in this earth, he will have nothing to receive in heaven.
Regarding the early church members who were full of hope for heaven, the Bible says, "And the congregation of those who believed was of one heart and soul; and not one of them claimed that anything belonging to him was his own, but all things were common property to them."
Only when you cast off all the greed and desire for material possessions, can you be said to have true hope for heaven.
For their wealth and prosperity, the forces of the antichrist stand against God, and they persecute and kill the people of God.
They give torment and mourning to countless people.
Regarding this, God says that He will give them 'the torment and mourning to the same degree.'
The next verse explains how far the arrogance of the forces of the antichrist who are instigated by Lucifer goes.
Revelation 18:7 says, "for she says in her heart, 'I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'"
When Lucifer stood and rebelled against God, Lucifer became so arrogant as to aspire to become like God.
Isaiah 14:12-14 says, "How you have fallen from heaven, O star of the morning, son of the dawn! You have been cut down to the earth, You who have weakened the nations! But you said in your heart, 'I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, And I will sit on the mount of assembly In the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.'"
The antichrist that is instigated by Lucifer also consecrates itself, and makes people give glory to it.
It considers itself as a queen, and tries to become like God.
'A widow' refers to the one who is in a poor and difficult situation.
Even though the forces of the antichrist are facing collapse and difficult situations, they say they are never like a widow.
They have no intention to repent and turn back even at the last moment.
Even in this situation, they rather raise themselves and stand against God.
What kind of judgment will be made for those who become arrogant and raise themselves before God, and stand against God; we will look into this in the next lecture.
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ.
Proverbs 16:18 says, "Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling."
Even though a man professes that he believes in the Lord, when he becomes arrogant, he cannot but fall.
That's why 1 Corinthians 10:12 gives a warning message, saying, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall."
"I have achieved this much. I'm such and such a person." When he becomes arrogant in his heart, it may become spiritual arrogance.
Arrogance is the attribute of the flesh that Lucifer relishes most.
Chances are that those who are about to stand on the rock of faith and come into spirit may commit sin because of this arrogance.
In a state that they haven't cast off every form of evil, if they take in the world little by little, thinking, "It is OK if I just take in this little bit..." then it will result in giving birth to sin.
Only when they cast off evil that is hidden deep inside their nature can they no longer give birth to sin in any situation.
Those who truly have accomplished spirit and whole spirit are always humble before God.
They make a confession from the depth of their heart; "I'm nothing when God the Father is not with me."
Since they have this heart, in any given situation, they don't insist on their personal needs and desires and opinions.
Since they have accomplished spirit and whole spirit, what they think may be right, but still, they always search where the good and perfect will of God lies.
Then, what about those who haven't come into spirit?
You should realize that measuring judging, and condemning are the results of arrogance.
Therefore, please remember Proverbs 18:12 says, "Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, but humility goes before honor."
I hope that you will always make humility go before honor, in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, I pray!
[Amen] |
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