DAWN
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Discover the Arts! Each day a different image from the Literary, Performing, or Visual Arts representing a portion of Scripture plus an explanation with links 2017 January 8
The Course of Empire Series: Destruction (1836)
Thomas Cole (1801-1848)
Romanticism Style; Hudson River School
New-York Historical Society, New York, New York, USA
Image Source: Wikimedia
Explanation: In Revelation 18, John saw an angel who came down from heaven with great power, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. He cried out and said that Babylon has fallen and is the habitation of devils, and everything unclean. The nations have drunk the wine of her fornication; kings committed fornication with her; and merchants grew rich by her. This city is the world order under Satan, not a specific city. It is in contrast with God's world order. It is, so to speak, the City of Satan in contrast to the City of God (1-3).
John then heard another voice from heaven calling God's people to come out of her that they may not be partakers of her sins, nor recipients of her plagues. Since this city is a figurative city, the coming out cannot be a physical removal; rather, it must be a spiritual removal, a breaking off of the sins of Babylon and a putting on of righteousness. This must be done because God has taken note of Babylon's sins and iniquities. He calls on his people to reward her as she has rewarded them, with torment and sorrow. They are to reward her "double." This I take to mean the reward of the chief heir. In the Biblical economy, the eldest son got twice as much as the other heirs. So Babylon was the chief heir of judgment, and it got its full due. This also means that the saints will be active in Babylon's judgment, not merely bystanders. They will sit with Christ on his throne and pronounce appropriate judgments on the ungodly. Spiritually, Babylon will receive plagues, death, mourning, famine, and burning from the Lord (4-8).
The kings of the earth will bewail her and lament when they see the smoke of her burning. In fear, they will stand afar off and cry "alas, alas" ("woe, woe") for he swiftness and completeness of her judgment (9-10).
They mourn for the loss of their gains in trade. Gone was the exchange of gold, silver, fine cloth, spices, food, animals, slaves, and the like. All the things that their souls desired were gone. An their cries of "alas, alas" continued. Shipmasters with ships full of trade goods stood afar off and cried out with weeping and wailing because of Babylon's destruction. And the angel told God's people to rejoice because God had avenged them (11-20).
Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast it into the sea. This was a symbol of how Babylon would be thrown down and never rise. The whole course of life and society will cease: no music, no crafts, no food production, no light, no marriage, and no merchants. This is because the blood of the prophets, the saints, and all who were slain on the earth was found in her. These murders and martyrs are worldwide, which is another indication that Babylon is a symbol for the godless word system -- the City of Satan, not the City of God (21-24).
[Sermons: Eric Alexander. Robert S Rayburn. Various. ]
[Illustration: Today's painting is of the destruction of an imaginary city. In the conception of the artist, destruction is a common event in the typical rise and fall of a city. In terms of today's chapter, destruction comes, not so much from a natural development, but as a result of a supernatural visitation of judgment from God. Yet its destruction if "natural" in the sense that God punishes it according to the nature of its sins. ]
RESOURCES
[THEMATICALLY AND CHRONOLOGICALLY RELATED SCRIPTURES: Revelation 18: Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 51:8; Isaiah 13:21; Jeremiah 51:7; Nahum 3:4; Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; Jeremiah 51:6, 9, 45; Jeremiah 50:15, 29; Psalm 137:8; Isaiah 47:7; Jeremiah 50:31; Ezekiel 27:1-36; Isaiah 23:1-18; Isaiah 34:10; Isaiah 44:23; Jeremiah 51:48; Jeremiah 51:63-64; Isaiah 24:8; Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 25:10; Isaiah 23:8; Jeremiah 51:49. ]
[ CHRONOLOGY: GENERAL. Patriarchs (Traditional). Judges # 1. Judges # 2. Kings # 1. Kings # 2. Prophets # 1. Prophets # 2. NT # 1. NT # 2. NT # 3. ]
[ MAPS: Maps # 1. Maps # 2. Maps # 3. Maps # 4. Maps # 5. ]
[ COMMENTARIES, ETC: GENERAL: Bible Study Tools; Bible Hub: Study Light; Blue Letter Bible // PSALMS: Monergism: Precept Austin: The Treasury of David; John Gill; John Calvin - Volumes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
[ MUSIC: GENERAL: The Cyber Hymnal // PSALMS: Genevan Psalter (Instrumental). VARIOUS ARTISTS: Micha'el Ben David. Sons of Korah. Fernando Ortega. Janet Isaac Morrison. Music of the Bible Revealed - Suzanne Haik-Vantoura. Dr. David Erb. Gregorian Chants. ]
*** For Additional word studies use one of the Greek Interlinear Bibles below. ***
Book Outline:
Revelation (Consummation of the Covenant: New Heavens and a New Earth in Which Dwells Righteousness)
1. The Approaching End: The Five Sets of Seven - Evil is Defeated (Revelation 1:1 - Revelation 16:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
2. The End: The Fall of Babylon - Evil is Destroyed (Revelation 17:1 - Revelation 18:24) - 95 A.D. Patmos
3. The New Beginning: The Triumph of Jesus - Holiness Replaces Evil (Revelation 19:1 - Revelation 22:21) - 95 A.D. Patmos
Revelation 18
2. The End: The Fall of Babylon - Evil is Destroyed (Revelation 17:1 - Revelation 18:24) - 95 A.D. Patmos
1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance [power] of her delicacies.
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
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.
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged [judged the judgment of] you on her.
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 shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
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