SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR
10/10/2005
My Worship Time Focus: Commercial Babylon
Bible Reading &
Meditation Reference: Revelation 18:1
Message of the verse: “1. After this I saw another angel coming
down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his
splendour.”
The book of
Revelation has the mention of angels in it many times and at the beginning of
this chapter John writes about another angel who when he came to earth to
deliver his message he would be illuminated by his splendour. John Macarthur said in his commentary on this
verse that because of the darkness of the fifth vial judgment this angel would
be seen by many people on the earth because of his brightness. When the women came to the grace of Jesus on
resurrection morning they say an angel who was bright in appearance so this is
not the first time this has been mentioned in the Scriptures.
This verse
also mentions that this angel has great authority, and I believe that the
Scriptures mention that there are certain ranks within the realm of angels, and
this one must have a high ranking.
It is also
good to remember that in the scope of all of these prophecies that are in this
book that Babylon
would have been destroyed already happened as seen in Revelation 14:8. Again from John Macarthur’s commentary he
states that “The Greek text views the results of this as if it had already
taken place.”
The Bible
has a great deal to say about Babylon
in both the Old Testament and also much is written about it in this book of the
Revelation. Just as Jerusalem
is the city of God so Babylon is the city of the devil, for it was
first written about in the 10th and 11th chapter of
Genesis where it is described as man rebelling against God and the beginning of
this false religion that has opposed God and still does. This 18th chapter will describe
the commercial aspect of Babylon
and this speaks of the world system that all true believers are supposed to
avoid. John wrote about this briefly in
1 John 2:15-7. Both the religious and
the commercial systems have been around for a very long time and both of them
have opposed God and both are sinful and both of them will reach their zenith
in this tribulation period with Satan and his Antichrist along with the false
prophet and then God will destroy all of it forever.
Spiritual meaning for my life today: I believe that it is much easier for me to
get involved with the commercial aspect of this than the religious side of it,
for this world system is tempting with all of it’s false riches and at times it
is hard for me to understand how many things that I should have, but I think
that God will give me direction on this if I ask Him and also if my possessions
do not own me and I keep my devotion unto the Lord then things will work out
well.
The Word of God has brought conviction to my heart as I read
and studied it this morning.
My Steps of Faith
Today: Continue to trust that the
Lord will grow me to be more like Him as I go through all of the trials that He
has me going through at this time.
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