100421w Babylon Returns
Tim Franklin
Introduction:
· Psalms 137:1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept When we remembered Zion.
NKJV
· Where Noah and the tower of Babel (gateway of the gods) end another journey begins.
o This could be a key as to why Abram left his home looking for another city.
o Hebrews 11:10 for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. NKJV He was not looking for something man made!
· Zerubbabel was the governor of Judah when the Jews returned to rebuild the temple. His name means ‘stranger in Babylon’. When the Jews had built homes in Babylon and did not return with the 50k to rebuild the temple their excuse was, “Why leave such a fine city? We have everything here.”
· Babylon is threaded throughout scripture.
o It appears in 18 different books of the Bible.
o The longest OT passage on it is in Jeremiah 50-51, telling of Babylon’s fall.
o The longest NT passage is Rev 17-18, John’s vision of the great harlot.
· Rev 9:21 murders, thefts, sexual immorality, and sorceries.
1. Eight Characteristics of Babylon. These have always been prevalent every time this spirit has arose in history. Babel, Babylon, Rome, Berlin, Babylon the Great. It is a demonically inspired phenomena that is backed by Satan’s will to power. At the core stand the lust for power. The first stones were laid in Adam and Eve’s hearts and those stones are still being laid in the hearts of men today.
A. Babylon is the originator and progenitor (forefather) of false religions
i. Revelation 17:5 And on her forehead a name was written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. NKJV
ii. This prostitution is not fornication but spiritual harlotry so often denounced in the OT. Gross immorality is a primary outgrowth of spiritual harlotry.
B. Babylon is enthroned upon the nations
i. Revelation 17:15 Then he said to me, "The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues. NKJV
C. Babylon is the center of global commerce
i. Revelation 18:3b the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury." NKJV
D. Babylon is the ultimate symbol of human rebellion against God.
i. Revelation 18:7 In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.' NKJV
E. She intoxicates the nation with her sexual immorality.
i. Revelation 17:2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication." NKJV
F. Babylon becomes obsessed with persecuting the Saints
i. Revelation 17:6 I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. And when I saw her, I marveled with great amazement. NKJV
G. She is empowered by and paves the way for the Antichrist.
i. Rev 17:3 describes her as riding on the back of the Antichrist but this relationship is reversed in 17:16 when the Antichrist destroys the great city.
H. Babylon’s destruction come quickly and completely
i. Revelation 18:10 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.' NKJV
2. The Enslavement of the ages
A. Free societies do not welcome tyranny but given the right influence, they will succumb to it. As a society departs from the values that made it free, it grows ever closer to enslaving itself to a tyrant.
B. In other words the human heart must be conditioned over time before welcoming an antichrist leader. That is why we see Babylon arise. And that is why we see it arise to only be struck down by the antichrist. Rev 18:10.
C. Our culture makes it easy to underestimate the sinful power of human rebellion. On the surface, rebellion appears to be nothing more than a way to express individualism. The reality is that behind rebellion is an allegiance with Satan himself. Ie. Satan was the first rebel and those who chose to resist God join his cause.
D. Lawless humans will worship antichrist leaders because they have already willingly joined themselves with Satan at the heart level. “It is when people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.” Patrick Henry
E. The judgment of Babel is meant to cause us to take pause and meditate on the supremacy of God!
Conclusion:
· The study of Babylon can give us great insight to the spirit of the end of the age.
· It is really worth looking at.
| 
