Is it rude to interrupt someone during their meal, their rest, their sleep, a project they are working on, or some other matter to help that person who is lost to be saved?  I have been told that it is.  I was told that I am inconsiderate and rude because I will purposely interrupt someone’s daily activities to help save them from being lost.  Was Jesus rude when he told one to forsake burying his father so that he may get to the work of preaching immediately (Luke 9:59-60)?

Recently, my persistence in trying to help someone see they were wrong caused me to be rebuked for being rude.  I was told: “You have always seemed wound as tight as a $2 pocket watch, and you know I have told you that, that you need to learn to relax more…”  Should we relax when souls are at stake?  Is it patient to “give it a few days”?  The Lord’s return and immediate judgment will not wait on someone’s dinner or give them time to make up their minds on what they want to do (II Timothy 4:1)!  Why would I wait for someone’s dinner to help them to be saved when that dinner may be the last thing they do before they have to answer the Lord for their sins (Amos 4:12)?  Regardless of whether people will listen or not, we are to warn them about the Lord’s wrath to come (Ezekiel 2:3-7; 3:17-18).

We should be obsessed with saving souls.  We should not rest when we may have an opportunity to bring someone to the Lord.  Notice what the Scriptures say: “For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth…   I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence” (Isaiah 62:1; 6).  The parable of the lost coin teaches us the need to be persistent in finding and restoring those who have fallen away.  Luke records how diligently we are to be: “Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?  And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.  Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:8-10).  Jesus said: “Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest” (John 4:35).

Too many “brethren” are not persistent enough.  They do not obsess over lost souls.  As was said in last week’s article, people cannot obey that which they’ve not heard (Romans 10:14).  Many of those who are offended by persistence are really those who want to avoid being told they’re wrong.  They want left alone.  Some Christians are annoyed by persistence because that shows their lack of work and concern for lost souls.  Do not allow lazy Christians who do no work to cause you to become neglectful in your work of trying to help save the lost!  We need to be always working (I Corinthians 15:58).  Don’t stop because someone says you’re obsessive!  – B.A.Y.

The Imperial City of Rome is the harlot (17:1-2; 17:18).   The harlot is personified in the Emperor (17:9-12).  The harlot is waging a losing battle with the Lord and the Saints (17:14).  During this war the Lord will cause internal division which will be just one of the weapons used to bring about the fall of Rome (17:16-17).  After seeing this, John sees another angel come down from Heaven and from there we begin our study of chapter eighteen.

18:1 “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.”

• Now an angel appears unto John who shines forth as a bright light through his glory.

• This angel declares with a strong voice that Babylon has fallen.  We saw a similar revelation in chapter fourteen (14:8).
• We know from previous chapters that Babylon here is a reference to Rome (16:19 and 17:5).
• Why would the Lord refer to Rome as Babylon?  How about if we consider that Babylon was the capital city of the Babylonian Empire.  The Babylonian Empire was the first of four Empires that would fall in Daniel’s prophesy of the Lord’s kingdom, with Rome being the last (Daniel 2:31-45)?  How about if we consider that Babylonia was a world Empire that too lost sight of her limitations.  Babylon, like the Imperial city of Rome, arose against the Lord and had to be humbled (Isaiah 13:1; 9-11 and Jeremiah 51:1)?  Those things should add clarity to this comparison by the Lord.
• Rome had become the dwelling place of devils, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage to the unclean and hateful bird.  Rome is full of evil.  This best describes the conclusion of verse two.

• The nations of the world have joined Rome and have committed spiritual fornication with her (Revelation 14:8; 17:1-2).  We should even recall that many throughout the world rejoiced when it appeared as though the work of God on earth had ended (Revelation 11:8-11).
• It is also fascinating to note that the merchants of the earth prospered through the wickedness of Rome.  Since the world was overcome with physical wealth and willing to do what it took to have that wealth, those individuals could not serve the Lord (Matthew 6:24).
• We will later note that the love the world had for Rome was based only upon what Rome could offer in way of physical pleasures.

• The call of another voice comes now from Heaven. This voice is calling the saints out from among Rome so they will not face the judgment that is coming to Rome.
• A Christian has no place where sin so greatly abounds (II Corinthians 6:14-18).

• The sins of Rome have mounted up and God has taken notice (Jeremiah 51:9).

• The cup of Rome is full of wickedness (Revelation 17:4).  It is now time to repay Rome her portion due.  God is to balance the scale.  Rome will reap what they have sown (Romans 2:5-11 and Galatians 6:7-8).

• Rome has exalted herself and has lived like a queen without any worries.  We know that Rome did not fall in one day, so the wording must be understood in a like manner of the context – figuratively.  Simply put, the fall of Rome is sure. The day is at God’s choosing.  Her arrogance is unwise, for she stands against the Lord.
• In keeping with the comparison of Rome with Babylon, consider the fall of Nebuchadnezzar was because of his pride (Daniel 5:18-20).

• The rulers of the earth, who enjoyed the benefits they received from Rome, shall cry at her downfall.  It is interesting to note that they did not cry for her sins which brought about her downfall.
• Their sorrow is more for their loss, than the loss of Rome.

• The weeping of the merchants is over the loss of commerce with Rome.  Rome had control over commerce and directed trade only to those who bowed the knee to the emperor (Revelation 13:16-17).
• Everything from gold to slave trade is affected by the fall of Rome.

• We noted earlier that the kings of the earth and the merchants benefited greatly from Rome (18:3).  Now the things they have come to love are gone.

• The merchants of the world cry from afar off.  They dare not get close.  Rome was there for them, so to speak, but they shall not be there for Rome.
• The world economy suffered, jobs were lost, and they are crying about it.  The heart of this people is most certainly upon things of the world.

• The prayer of the martyred has been answered (Revelation 6:10-11).
• This should be a time of rejoicing because God has kept His word and has shown fair judgment.

• A strong angel takes a large stone likened unto a millstone [a cylindrical stone used to crush grain to make flour] and casts it into the sea symbolizing the fall of ancient Rome and the Empire as it stood in her previous days.
• When Jeremiah wrote of the fall of literal Babylon, he penned the following that applies here in comparison: “And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 51:64).
• The destruction that took place included the removal of all that pertained to Rome from the economy of the empire, production, the social structure, even to the establishment of families.

• What’s in the belly of the beast?  Answer: the blood of the prophets, the saints, and others killed at the hand of Rome (Revelation 17:6).

Studies in Revelation Continued in Next Week’s Bulletin...
 

1. All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.
2. Joseph H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, (Reprint by Hendrickson, 2002, original copyright 1896).