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Friday
March 29th, 2024
L&T Opinions Page

gary damronMY PERSPECTIVE, Gary Damron

 

The visions that the apostle John recounted in the Book of Revelation came from Jesus, with whom he’d spent three years in his younger days. The two chapters today present a direct contrast to the Lord’s teachings on the kingdom of heaven. Saint Augustine wrote the classic, “The City of God.” Here, John tells of the “city of man”, depicted as Babylon, as it faces doom and destruction. 

The passage begins with an angel who carries John away in the Spirit saying, “‘Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who sits on many waters’”. On her forehead was written, “‘Babylon the great, the mother of prostitutes and of the abominations of the earth’” (Revelation 17:1, 5). To the early readers of John’s book, Rome with its emperor gods would fit the description; yet using the code word for the city Babylon kept the writings from being evidence of treason. 

Other references to cities in the Bible remind of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9), Lot and his family escaping Sodom (Genesis chapter 19), and Jonah preaching to Nineveh (Jonah chapters 1 through 3). Humans are by nature sociable, and a city full of people symbolizes their strength and ingenuity. Yet inside any great megalopolis, fabulously rich residents live alongside teeming masses of poor and homeless. 

The use of language referring to sexual sin is common in both the Old and New Testament. Blasphemy and idolatry are referred to as fornication or adultery; in addition, the prostitute here is “‘…drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus’” (Revelation 17:6). 

The angel carrying John gives an explanation of the scene in verses 7-18: the harlot is the epitome of political lust and power, self-worth and exploitation. She rides a scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns. Comparison and contrast can be made of Christ and the vision. The beast is one who was and now is not; Christ was slain and lives forever. The beast comes from Sheol and returns to it; Christ returns from glory for his followers. The beast’s followers believe he will live again, but they are deceived, and their names are not written in the book of life. 

The city of Rome is located on seven mountains; however, it’s difficult to match verses 10 and 11 with Roman history. Through the ages, many Babylon’s have risen and fallen. Questions remain concerning the “‘…seven kings; five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; and when he comes, he must remain a little while’” (verse 10). It’s also not certain who are the ten kings who “‘…give their power and authority to the beast’” (verses 12 and 13). But those who lived in Roman times and read John’s account understood the significance and the message: Any “city of man” conspires against God - seeking to counterfeit the gospel, proclaiming its leaders as saviors, demanding worship – and it makes war against the Lamb, Jesus. 

In verses 15 through 18, “‘The waters which you saw where the prostitute sits are peoples and multitudes, and nations and languages’”, and they and the kings will turn on the city to devour it. They and Satan are jealous of the power she possesses, and we see in chapter 18 the doom of Babylon. 

The allures of the city are intoxicating – she offers temptations that capture the mind, and makes things which are sham appear real; values of those attracted to her are narrowed to the immediate. The voice from heaven cries, “‘Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive any of her plagues’” (Revelation 18:4). We needn’t assume literally that we’re all to leave a city, though for our children’s sakes that might be advisable. At the minimum we are to flee the thinking, aspirations, values and sins of the city if we’re to serve as ambassadors to it.

In Revelation 18: 9-19, the kings and merchants mourn over the fate of the great city. Soon the angel has had enough, and the 18th chapter ends with a final song of sorrow (verses 20-24). Our charge is to leave behind secular humanism (belief in morality and self-fulfillment without God), and to reject the exploitation of human and natural resources. To prevent being found among those standing and grieving, we need to willingly offer up our possessions and accomplishments, and leave our outcomes in God’s hands. 

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told his followers, “‘…store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also’” (Matthew 6:20-21). Missionary Jim Elliot, who lost his life in Ecuador, said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” Lessons from Babylon are that the great city will be thrown down with great violence. God will avenge those who have been ill-used. The heavens will rejoice that the city has received her due reward, and the God of truth and justice will keep his promises. 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR, Reita Isaacs, Liberal

 

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