Join us as we delve deep into the mysteries of Revelation, uncovering the significance of Babylon as the great city and its symbolic meanings. Through angelic proclamations and divine insights, discover what the fall of Babylon represents and how it resonates with the spiritual landscape of our world today. With references to both ancient cities and potential future events, this episode provides an enlightening perspective on biblical prophecies.
Babylon. It’s going to fall, but what in the world are we talking about? But I notice it’s called the great city in chapter 14, verse 8, chapter 16, verse 19, chapter 18, verse 10 and 21. Babylon is called the great city. Now this presents a problem in Revelation. The great city, that term, is also used of Jerusalem.
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This is Hope for Today. Last time on the broadcast, we began to hear the angelic announcements in Revelation 14, verses 6 to 13, messages that shake the heavens and reach the entire earth. These warnings are like no other. The everlasting gospel proclaimed to every nation, the fall of man’s rebellion declared, and a faithful reminder that God’s judgment cannot be escaped. It’s a passage that speaks of eternal wrath for those who follow the beast, but also of unshakable hope for those who remain faithful to Jesus. Wow. Today we continue in David’s message, The Gospel and God’s Judgment. And just before David dives into the Word, let me quickly say, if you need prayer, reach out to us and we will pray for you. Every need, every struggle, every praise report that comes in, we take it before the Lord. In fact, we do that on a daily basis here at the ministry. And we also ask you to pray for us, by the way, that Hope for Today will stand strong, faithful, and unashamed of the gospel, and that our ministry needs will be met so we can continue this ministry outreach. So carve out some time to write and let us know how God is using the broadcast in your life and how we can pray for you. Our address is Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, it’s Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO, Seven Oaks, Abbotsford, B.C., V2S, 8P1. You can also contact us at 875-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. Bible is 242-53. Well, as promised, here’s David with day two of his message, The Gospel in God’s Judgment, found in Revelation chapter 14, verses 6 through 13.
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And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation and kindred and tongue and people. saying with a loud voice, Fear God and give glory to him, for the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him that made heaven and earth and the sea and the fountains of waters. And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast in his image and receive his mark in his forehead or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. and the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever, and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast in his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints. Here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from henceforth. Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works do follow them. Will you join me, please, in a moment of prayer? Father, we know that these are perilous times. We’re nearing the end of that period you call the last days. We’ve come to the end of what Daniel spoke about. And we’re on the threshold of that period of time known as the Great Tribulation. We look with great anticipation to that day when you will sound the trumpet. The archangel will declare with his voice, and the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout. The dead in Christ will rise first, and we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to be with the Lord indeed. in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. God, we thank you for the blessed hope, the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. Lord, you know that there are folks listening now that aren’t ready. That if Jesus would come now and catch away his bride, we wouldn’t be ready to go. Lord, I pray that you would deal with us as only your Spirit can. You would draw folks to turn to Christ before it’s too late. You told the believers to watch, be alert, to be ready. You told us to be careful about how we live. God, I pray that you’ll use what we say from your word by the precious and powerful Holy Spirit to move our hearts to get right with the Lord. That there might be a glorious anticipation in us and a strong realization of our responsibilities as we wait for your coming. Lord, we thank you for the fellowship we have because of Jesus Christ. Thank you for your wonderful word. And it’s in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen. I looked and I saw. Verse 6, I saw. Verse 14, I looked and behold. what we have here are three sections in Revelation 14. We mentioned this, we just refresh your mind with it. In the last two sections, section 2 is verses 6 to 13, section 3 verses 14 to 20, in each of those there is three angelic proclamations or messages, three of them. Verse 6, I saw another angel. Verse 8, there followed another angel. And verse 9, the third angel. You have the same thing in the last section. Verse 15, another angel. Verse 17, another angel. And verse 18, another angel. So there are three in each, angelic messages or proclamations. In verse 6 and 7, I call this the proclamation of the gospel. God is not done proclaiming the gospel because the church is raptured. In the tribulation period, as we learned back in chapter 7, There will be a great multitude out of every nation, tribe, tongue, and people who will come to know the Lord during the tribulation period. It is the harvest at the end of the age spoken of in the parables of our Lord. It is going to be the biggest influx of people coming to the Savior, I believe, greater than any other comparable period of time in church history. We’re going to see a great multitude that no man can number, the Bible says. Isn’t that great? The second thing we notice, the second… angelic proclamation, is the prediction of the fall of Babylon. Now we got a lot to say about Babylon before we’re done with Revelation. But the prediction of the fall of Babylon is mentioned here to show us what’s going to happen during the tribulation. Number one, the gospel is going to be preached, multitudes will be saved. Number two, Babylon is going to fall. there followed another angel saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen. By the way, that’s a direct quote from Isaiah chapter 21, verse 9. Babylon is fallen, is fallen. It’s a quote from the Old Testament. That great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. We’re going to talk a lot about Babylon when we get to chapter 17 and 18, but we need to say a few things here. First of all, Go to chapter 16 verse 19. Here we are told in chapter 14 verse 8 that Babylon is fallen. What’s going to happen in the tribulation? Whatever is Babylon is going to collapse. In chapter 16, verse 19, it says, And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell. And great Babylon came in remembrance before God to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath. Look at chapter 17, verse 5. And upon her forehead this woman sitting on the beast with seven heads said, Upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Look at chapter 18, verse 2. He cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the Great has fallen, has fallen. Again, a quote of Isaiah 21, verse 9. And has become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. You say, what does that mean? Well, just stick around till we get to chapter 18. Verse 10. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city, for in one hour is thy judgment come. Verse 21. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and it shall be found no more at all. Babylon. It’s going to fall, but what in the world are we talking about? I notice it’s called the great city in chapter 14, verse 8, chapter 16, verse 19, chapter 18, verse 10 and 21. Babylon is called the great city. The great city, that term, is also used of Jerusalem. Turn back to chapter 11, please. Chapter 11, and look at verse 8. Hard to miss that one. So Jerusalem is the great city. Go to chapter 21, verse 10. We have the term the great city also applied to what we describe as heaven, a heavenly city, a new Jerusalem. 2110 says he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. So now I’ve got the great city referring to Jerusalem in a spiritually wicked state. I have it referring to the new Jerusalem, the heavenly city, and I have most of the references referring to Babylon. So that makes it a very difficult subject. But remember this, the devil always counterfeits God’s program and God’s presentations. So if the New Jerusalem is called the great city, you can understand how the devil would have Babylon as the great city. Now there are four major viewpoints. I know some people don’t like me to do this. And I’ll probably get a couple notes or… little words from you to just tell us what you believe and that’s all. Well, I’m sorry. I don’t have that kind of confidence, frankly. I believe that we need to be honest with what good men are saying and with what we know in the Scripture. So I’m going to give you four viewpoints. I am going to eventually tell you what I think. Look at it this way. If the Lord comes before we get to it, who cares? Huh? Okay. Number one, the first viewpoint is that Babylon the Great refers to the city of Jerusalem. I know a lot of people are really scared of that view. And it certainly isn’t a blessing to our Jewish friends. But it’s very evident from chapter 11, verse 8, that that great city, in its negative sense, like Sodom and Egypt, is Jerusalem. It’s the place where our Lord was crucified. So that clue in chapter 11, verse 8, is the very strong argument for those who believe that Babylon the Great is referring to Jerusalem. The Jerusalem that is beneath, not the Jerusalem that is above. It is the satanic counterfeit. It is the Jerusalem that has turned its back on the Lord. That’s the argument. Number two, major viewpoints, is that refers to the city of Babylon itself, the ancient historical city, and it will be rebuilt during tribulation times. Now, you remember when Saddam Hussein, back in 1988 and 89, invited people from all over the world, especially some Hollywood movie people, to try to put it on film. He wanted to show them what he’d been doing in reconstructing ancient Babylon. And he really has quite a project there. As a result of that, there were some books, like the one by Charles Dyer that came out in the Christian bookstore on Babylon being rebuilt. And it is a strong view. A lot of people believe it. Most of those who hold this view say it will be built in the same area as ancient Babylon. Go back to Jeremiah chapter 50 for a moment. Jeremiah in the Old Testament, chapter 50. And I want you to see some verses here. Jeremiah 50, verse 35. It says, Now look down at verse 39. Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the coast shall dwell there, and the owls, some say they’re ostriches, shall dwell in her, and it shall be no more inhabited forever, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation. As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, that’s pretty strong, that last statement of verse 39, isn’t it? As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and their neighbor cities, saith the Lord, so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell in her. Now, I don’t know, that seems quite strong to me. Does it to you? Does God say that Babylon, which is going to be destroyed, Babylon, which took Judah into captivity, it’s going to be destroyed. It was by the Medo-Persian Empire. Does it not say that it will not be inhabited again? And it says forever. That’s pretty strong. But there are men that get around it and say, well… It may not be right over the spot. It’s interesting that Saddam Hussein’s Babylon is not over the ancient site. Some say that he did that in order to avoid anybody connecting it with this passage. I don’t know. I don’t know if that’s true or not. Third view. Number one view, it refers to the city of Jerusalem. Number two, it refers to the city of Babylon, which will be rebuilt. Number three, very popular in the last century and through church history. It refers to the city of Rome. Rome is that great city, Babylon. Turn to chapter 17 of Revelation and look at verse 18. Chapter 17, verse 18. The woman whom thou sawest, that woman sitting on a seven-headed beast, is that great city which reigneth over the kings of the earth. Now look back at chapter 17, verse 2. And speaking of this woman, this harlot, it says, With whom the kings of the earth, plural, not just at one particular time, have committed fornication, the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Again, take another look at verse 5. On her forehead is a name written, Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth. Apparently, ancient Babylon was the beginning of it, but it has continued since that time. Why do they say it’s the city of Rome? Why do they believe that? Look at verse 9. Here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains on which the woman sitteth. And if you have ever been to Rome, you know they talk about the seven hills of Rome. Well, I’d like to clear something up. Those seven hills are not mountains. As a matter of fact, when you’re traveling through Rome, you wouldn’t even know you’re on one of them except the sign that says you’re on Capitolina Hill. I mean, if you don’t even see the sign, you don’t even know you’re on a hill. We’re not talking mountains here, and I don’t believe that’s what the Bible is talking about, about the seven heads being seven mountains, but we’ll talk about that when we get to chapter 17. But there are many, many Bible teachers who argue there is no city like the city of Rome who has influenced all the kings of the earth and has infiltrated them like this passage says. So they believe Babylon the Great’s referring to the city of Rome. You might be interested to know that there are several artworks in the Vatican Museum that express the same idea. That actually the Catholic Church has in its history the belief that Babylon the Great in Revelation 17 is the city of Rome. They also hold that. So that’s kind of interesting. The fourth major viewpoint is that it refers to an unknown city of the tribulation period. And they get this from the word mystery. A mystery, something hidden in the past is now being revealed. So mystery, Babylon the Great, that it is an unknown city that will be in the tribulation period with the new divisions of the new world order and the new setup of the world empire of the end time. And there will be a city. It could be New York. It could be Tokyo. It could be Mexico City. It could be, you know, Paris, London, Egypt. Brussels, something else. But there will be a city of the tribulation period that will sort of capture the international headquarters of that final world empire. And that’s a very powerful view. A lot of people are leaning towards that one more and more.
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Well, that’s Bible teacher David Honking, and this is Hope for Today. David will be back in just a moment or so to close out today’s lesson. Before that, Matt’s here, and we’re going to share a powerful home Bible study resource. This is really going to speak to your heart on the question of hope.
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Matt? This month, Jim, we’re featuring our book, Hope in Difficult Times. And let me just read a few quick lines from it. Yeah, this is good. Go ahead. Hope is attractive. Its very mention can motivate us to take another step, to try again. It helps us to cope with the pain of the moment, always looking to the future and a better time. It is optimistic in a very pessimistic world. It looks for ways to help, to resolve conflict and to heal. It suggests that things do not need to remain as they are. It is a word that anticipates change for the better. Matt, I think of Romans 8, 28 as you read that.
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Again, that’s from your dad’s book. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. And for those times when we’re just struggling to hang on to this truth, when life presses in and casts clouds of doubt in our hearts,
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My dad drafted the book, Hope in Difficult Times. For that purpose. Yeah, yeah. And he named this ministry Hope for Today. That’s it. Because God’s word provides the hope we must have for today and every day. Certainly in these days when evil seems to run rampant. And when you open this book, wow. Hope in Difficult Times, yeah.
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You see and experience godly hope and biblical hope. Hope that certain… Because it counts on the absolute trustworthiness of our God to deliver every time on his promises.
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Yes, hope that is an earnest expectation that God has us securely held in his plan and purpose for our lives.
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We’ll discover the wonders of the Bible’s teaching on hope inside Hope in Difficult Times. Our featured offer for just $20.
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Your purchase will bless you, your family, and friends. And it will help the ministry of hope for today.
SPEAKER 02 :
Amen. To get your copy of Hope in Difficult Times, call 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. You can also order online at davidhawking.org. Let me ask you a quick question. What happens when a voice like this, like Hope for Today, is silenced? There are people right now who depend on hearing God’s Word opened with clarity and without compromise. For some, it’s the only source of biblical truth they can trust. And when you stand with Hope for Today, you’re not simply donating to a broadcast. You’re partnering with us in ministry to get the gospel into homes, to put solid Bible teaching into the hands of new believers, and to encourage pastors and churches and believers around the world who need solid Bible teaching. Every gift you give, every donation goes directly into accomplishing that mission. So pray and give as God might direct. And by the way, prayer, well, we don’t just talk about prayer. We live it. When you reach out to us, we will pray for you. And we ask that you pray for us as well, that this ministry will continue to stand strong until the Lord returns. To get in touch with us, write to Hope for Today, Box 3927, Tustin, California, 927. In Canada, hope for today, Box 15011, RPO 7 Oaks, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 8P1. Or by phone, 1-800-75BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75BIBLE in Canada. And online, davidhawking.org. And again, here’s David.
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Wherein is your hope? The Bible teaches us that we are looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Yeshua HaMashiach, or Jesus Christ our Lord. There is hope for the future if you’re a believer, because that hope centers in the return and glorious appearing of our Messiah, our blessed Lord Yeshua. I don’t know where your heart is, but I know this—hope is resting in the belief that He died for your sins and rose again from the dead. And the Bible gives us a resounding, yes, we do have hope. It’s laid up for us in heaven. And I pray that you will, in your heart, know that hope. Well, friends, I hope you enjoyed our study of Revelation 14. We’re in verses 6 to 13. We’re not done with it yet. But it’s interesting that the angel pronounced the everlasting gospel, apparently going to be preached by the 144,000 Jews. And many people will hear the gospel, and according to the book of Revelation, many people will be coming out of the tribulation, born again by the Spirit of God. If you don’t have any of these messages, they’re available. Give us a call. You can also go to HFT Media and listen to the whole series again. It doesn’t cost you a thing. It’s free. So I pray that you will take the time. to investigate that because there are literally thousands of people watching on HFT media now, and they’re pretty excited about it. So why don’t you join them? Well, thanks for listening. Don’t forget to tune in next time. God bless you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, next time on Hope for Today, David Hawking takes us further into the vision of revelation. The warnings, they grow stronger and the judgments more severe. Yet the hope of the gospel still breaks through. It’s a message you can’t afford to miss. So we’ll see you then right here on Hope for Today.
Join us as we delve deep into the mysteries of Revelation, uncovering the significance of Babylon as the great city and its symbolic meanings. Through angelic proclamations and divine insights, discover what the fall of Babylon represents and how it resonates with the spiritual landscape of our world today. With references to both ancient cities and potential future events, this episode provides an enlightening perspective on biblical prophecies.
