What Do You Do With Wealth?
Babylon Revelation 18
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Do you ever get tired of the evil and greed in the world? It seems as though the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those who exploit others and children for their gain, sadly seem to profit as well. What does God think about this? Revelation 18 gives us a glimpse of what kind of judgment awaits those who have been ruled by luxury and greed. The metaphor is that they will be repaid in God's wrath two times as they have done.
Babylon is symbolic for Israel's former foe in the 6th century, and also a code word for the Roman Empire who lorded their power over their subjects, including persecuting Christians in them first century. It is also symbolic for a world that has been in opposition to God all throughout history. We see it just as much in our society today in all of its forms. It is the inherent power fueling everything that is bad in our world. While Christians are called to live life set apart from the world, we often dabble in the things of the world.
John warns the early believers about how bad of an idea this is. It is easy for Christians to get caught up in the materialism of the world. The problem with that is that we can't take our wealth with us, and it also could be taken from us in a heartbeat. The only thing we take with us is our faith and relationship with God, and our family and friends who we will spend eternity as they trust God in faith.
Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 619-21
So the question today is, how much do the pleasures and riches of the world have a hold on your heart? How much do you sub it to its incessant demands? And conversely are you investing your treasure in things that will go with you when God calls you home.
After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. 2 With a mighty voice he shouted:
“‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great!’
She has become a dwelling for demons
and a haunt for every impure spirit,
a haunt for every unclean bird,
a haunt for every unclean and detestable animal.
3 For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
Do you ever get tired of the evil and greed in the world? It seems as though the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Those who exploit others and children for their gain, sadly seem to profit as well. What does God think about this? Revelation 18 gives us a glimpse of what kind of judgment awaits those who have been ruled by luxury and greed. The metaphor is that they will be repaid in God's wrath two times as they have done.
Babylon is symbolic for Israel's former foe in the 6th century, and also a code word for the Roman Empire who lorded their power over their subjects, including persecuting Christians in them first century. It is also symbolic for a world that has been in opposition to God all throughout history. We see it just as much in our society today in all of its forms. It is the inherent power fueling everything that is bad in our world. While Christians are called to live life set apart from the world, we often dabble in the things of the world.
John warns the early believers about how bad of an idea this is. It is easy for Christians to get caught up in the materialism of the world. The problem with that is that we can't take our wealth with us, and it also could be taken from us in a heartbeat. The only thing we take with us is our faith and relationship with God, and our family and friends who we will spend eternity as they trust God in faith.
Jesus teaches in the Sermon on the Mount,
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Matthew 619-21
So the question today is, how much do the pleasures and riches of the world have a hold on your heart? How much do you sub it to its incessant demands? And conversely are you investing your treasure in things that will go with you when God calls you home.
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