By Dr. Stephen Phinney
WHO WILL GRIEVE FOR THIS SYSTEM?
"And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.' And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more--cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives" (Rev. 18:9-13).
The only people grieving the burning of Babylon will be the existing kings of the seven continents and those who made money from her immorality. But even those leaders stand from afar, watching her burn and fearing her torment saying, "Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come" (vs. 10). They don't realize that they, too, will suffer burning for willfully following her. But it will last much longer than an hour; it will be for eternity.
"The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!' And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What city is like the great city?'" (Rev.18:14-18).
So why exactly are these merchants grieving? Is it for... read more here
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The Fall of Babylon (part two).Copyright � 2014 IOM America. Permission to reproduce for educational purposes. Please keep author's name intact.
All Scriptures, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, � Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.
