LEARNING DAILY

Revelation 18:4-5, And I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, My people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive her plagues. For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.”

John was given a vision of what lies ahead. Those who take the time to read The Revelation will see God wins! Jesus Christ returns in triumph to establish His kingdom on earth. Righteousness triumphs and Satan loses. Sickness, pain, death disappear; those who have given their life to Christ and walk on the narrow way have a happy ending! I like that!

Revelation 18 is about the fall of Babylon. The city of Babylon is mentioned throughout the Bible. I believe I have read that Babylon is the second most mentioned city in the Bible – next to Jerusalem. Apparently, God’s people, saved Jews and Gentiles will be living in Babylon during the times The Revelation is talking about. John heard a voice from heaven telling God’s people to get out of Babylon. God did not want His people to be tempted by the cultural and religious life that was there. Babylon is often referred to as a godless world system that makes war with the saints or Believers during the end times. It is the godless spirit of Babylon that is at work in the world today.

How do Believers respond to this? Believers are to separate themselves from this godless spirit in the world today! Read what Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 6:14, “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?” Believers must make a choice every day to walk on the narrow way or to live as they please. Believers must stop living in ways that do not please God; they cannot walk both in the light and in darkness. When Jesus stated that the narrow way was a difficult way, He knew the temptations Believers would face, the challenges of ungodly, unholy attractions of this world. Traps are set every day to bring Believers into the lifestyle found in the godless spirit of Babylon.

For the true Believer, the one doing all he/she can do to walk the narrow way know this, “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Nothing – not the growing economic and government instability of this world, not famines or persecutions of any kind – can separate a Believer from the love and protection of God!

However, the warning is clear for the Believer to separate from the spirit of Babylon in the world today. The world Believers live in today is changing very quickly. Believers continue to live in the world but must be careful not to live as the ungodly world lives even when contact with unbelievers occurs daily. The challenge is to not be pulled in the direction of the unbeliever. The Believer’s security will always be found in Jesus Christ. Believers must keep themselves clean with the help and the power of the Holy Spirit, being diligent in reading and studying God’s Word, and by removing all hint of self-centeredness and pride in their lives. Judgment is coming against the ungodly spiritual Babylon, “For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.” Believers must remember the promises of God never change; hold on to them and walk with Him in faith, trust and obedience.