The light of a lamp will not shine in you anymore, the voice of a bridegroom and a bride will not be heard in you anymore, because your merchants were the great men of the earth, because with your sorcery all nations were deceived. In her was found the blood of prophets and saints and of all who were slaughtered upon the earth. Rev. 18:23, 24.
The injustices of Babylon are many (Rev. 18:1-7) and her doom, therefore is sure. But an even greater tragedy lurks in all of this. Those who identify with Babylon in any way perish with her (verse 4). Many, like the kings, merchants, and sailors of this chapter, are not committed to Babylon's agenda in their hearts. They cooperate with her simply because they hope to better their own short lives on this earth (verses 9-19).
The choice is foolish but understandable. We simply want what is best for ourselves and our families. Yet the consequences of even casual participation in "Babylon" are catastrophic. How does God expect us to respond to the injustices of today's Babylons? Is it enough to live quiet and simple lives? Or do we need to "come out of Babylon" in more significant ways?
At its height the West Indies slave trade employed 5,500 sailors and 160 ships. It was a massive and socially accepted practice. But William Wilberforce and his allies, acting out of Christian conviction, fought in the British Parliament until slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire. In America the voices of abolitionists gave legitimacy to efforts to free slaves in the South.
While our ability to transform our nation's behavior is often limited, that is not true of our capacity to change our own behavior. Jesus told His disciples not to value possessions. As Christians we should be ever ready to give them up (Luke 14:33). James tells us that failure to care for fellow Christians in need may indicate a lack of saving faith (James 2:14-17). Paul's central mission was preaching the gospel, but he did not forget the needs of the poor (2 Cor. 8:13-15; Gal. 2:10).
Sometimes our hearts are hard until we have firsthand exposure to human need. Tony Liston, a young pastor from Oklahoma, spent two days in a private hospital room in the Philippines at a cost of $47. As he entered the hospital he barely noticed a beggar woman near the outside entrance. When he left two day later, he saw her naked corpse stuffed into a nearby dumpster. She had died of the same affliction for which he had just received treatment. "She had no money," the nurse replied in a matter-of-fact tone. The experience so shook Tony that he has never been the same since.
Lord, help me prioritize my resources according to what matters most to Your heart.
The injustices of Babylon are many (Rev. 18:1-7) and her doom, therefore is sure. But an even greater tragedy lurks in all of this. Those who identify with Babylon in any way perish with her (verse 4). Many, like the kings, merchants, and sailors of this chapter, are not committed to Babylon's agenda in their hearts. They cooperate with her simply because they hope to better their own short lives on this earth (verses 9-19).
The choice is foolish but understandable. We simply want what is best for ourselves and our families. Yet the consequences of even casual participation in "Babylon" are catastrophic. How does God expect us to respond to the injustices of today's Babylons? Is it enough to live quiet and simple lives? Or do we need to "come out of Babylon" in more significant ways?
At its height the West Indies slave trade employed 5,500 sailors and 160 ships. It was a massive and socially accepted practice. But William Wilberforce and his allies, acting out of Christian conviction, fought in the British Parliament until slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire. In America the voices of abolitionists gave legitimacy to efforts to free slaves in the South.
While our ability to transform our nation's behavior is often limited, that is not true of our capacity to change our own behavior. Jesus told His disciples not to value possessions. As Christians we should be ever ready to give them up (Luke 14:33). James tells us that failure to care for fellow Christians in need may indicate a lack of saving faith (James 2:14-17). Paul's central mission was preaching the gospel, but he did not forget the needs of the poor (2 Cor. 8:13-15; Gal. 2:10).
Sometimes our hearts are hard until we have firsthand exposure to human need. Tony Liston, a young pastor from Oklahoma, spent two days in a private hospital room in the Philippines at a cost of $47. As he entered the hospital he barely noticed a beggar woman near the outside entrance. When he left two day later, he saw her naked corpse stuffed into a nearby dumpster. She had died of the same affliction for which he had just received treatment. "She had no money," the nurse replied in a matter-of-fact tone. The experience so shook Tony that he has never been the same since.
Lord, help me prioritize my resources according to what matters most to Your heart.
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