Streamside Unity - Blog

How Grace SHALL Reign – I, Jesus!

3/9/2022

ve(Revelation 22:16-21; ESV)
Having clearly identified, first, the saved who will choose perfect unity with Jesus, and who will live forever in the New Jerusalem; and second, those who will ignore the warnings and choose eternal disunity from God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and who will be left outside the walls of the beautiful city – Jesus makes a final statement to conclude John’s vision:
“’I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star’” (Rev 22:16).
This summarizes the entire Bible, from Adam and David to Jesus.
With finality, John’s vision concludes with invitation and warning:

“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’
“And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’
“And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Rev 22:17).
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” (Rev 22:18-19).
“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming soon.’ Amen. Come, Lord Jesus” (Rev 22:20)!
“The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen” (Rev 22:21).

THIS IS HOW GRACE SHALL REIGN!

As this eight-year study of Perfect Unity through every verse of the Bible ends, we would love to hear from you, especially if you feel that Perfect Unity with the Godhead and the folks next door have become more important to you.

Drop us a note at [email protected]

And hurry back here to see what is next for Streamside Unity LLC.

How Grace Shall Reign – The Streamside of Life – Part 2

3/7/2022

(Revelation 22:8-15; ESV)

Part 1 concluded with Jesus revealing what must soon take place. Jesus appears to speak directly and personally to John, telling him that the one who keeps the words of Revelation is blessed by God. John affirms:

“I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed them to me, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets, and with those who keep the words of this book. Worship God’” (Rev 22:8-9).

The ultimate role of those who have taken the good fork in the road to perfect unity with Jesus is keeping the words of the prophecy of the Book of Revelation until all unfolds. Those who do this are fellow servants with the angels, with whom we will all worship God together!

“And he said to me, ‘Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, for the time is near. Let the evildoer still do evil, and the filthy still be filthy, and the righteous still do right, and the holy still be holy’” (Rev 22:10-11).

Our job is not to hide the prophecy of John, but to keep it close at hand, because the time is near. This is not a ticking clock. It refers to the dominance of the evildoer and the morally filthy to levels never seen before. For example, would the launch of a nuclear war fit this description? John then quotes Jesus:

“’Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end’” (Rev 22:112-13).

To Jesus’ words, John adds his understanding of the responsibility of the redeemed church of Jesus Christ to maintain access to the New Jerusalem:

“Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life and that they may enter the city by the gates. Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices falsehood” (Rev 22:14-15).
John’s final words are chilling, as they surround the characteristics of those on the good fork in the road to perfect unity with God, Jesus, the Spirit, and each other:

Everything begins with the commands of God and Jesus;
We encounter temptation;
We fall into disobedience;
We are graciously given warnings
We encounter a fork in the road;
We choose the good fork in the road through repentance;
We experience God’s never-ending love;
We receive forgiveness and restoration
And at last we are in perfect unity with God!

This is what John means by washing our robes to receive the tree of eternal life and to have access to the gates of the New Jerusalem.

Unfortunately for those who choose the bad fork in the road to perfect unity, they begin with the same flawed humanity as we have, but when they receive warnings from God, they shut out God’s voice entirely, which leads to:

Disunity from God;
Judgment by God; and
The Dead End with no escape unless there is repentance.

Here John has captured the Cycle of Perfect Unity and Disunity.

Choose wisely. It is not too late to repent and retreat back to the fork in the road and make the good decision to travel the good fork in the road away from disunity.

And do not forget that unity and disunity are not just about our relationship with Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, but also with our families, friends, churches, and also those standing outside waiting for you to share how they too can be saved beside the Streamside of Life before Jesus’ return, before it becomes too late!

Hurry back for Part 3 and the end of the beginning of perfect unity.

How Grace Shall Reign – The Streamside of Life – Part 1

3/4/2022

(Revelation 22:1-22; ESV)

We come now to the final three blogs in this series called “How Grace Shall Reign” which I began in 2014. I started back then with a hypothesis, to see if the word of God would validate it:

If Jesus prayed for perfect unity among his disciples in John 17:20-23, just before he sacrificed himself to evil men in order to save us, perhaps the entire Bible metaphorically has a pulsing current like a rushing mountain stream, gathering power and beauty as it tumbles down the mountain to people like you and me. Such a rushing stream is always attractive to hikers passing by, and total strangers gather for a while to rest and refresh.

The metaphor is called Streamside, drawing people from everywhere to experience the freshness of answering Jesus’ parting wish for perfect unity among all believers. The Cycle of Perfect Unity (the “Cycle”) emerges quickly in the earliest pages of Genesis and continues all the way through the Bible to these final pages in Revelation. Little did I realize during my long journey through every verse of the Bible, knowing that the journey would be complete when we would reach the end of the Book of Revelation, that my hypothesis of a streamside metaphor would come into focus with Jesus’ own “River of the Water of Life,” thus confirming the validity of my hypothesis:

“Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him. They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever” (Rev 22:1-5).

The river of the water of life, according to John’s vision, irrigates the tree of life, yielding fruit for those whose names have been recorded in the Jesus’ Book of Life, while the leaves of the tree of life are for the healing of the nations. John, of course, represents all people who choose the good fork in the road to perfect unity with Jesus, and are now citizens of the New Jerusalem, safe and sound for all eternity. So this final chapter in the Bible presents what perfect unity, that which Jesus prayed for in John 17:20-23, will look like. The angel continues advising John:

“And he said to me, ‘These words are trustworthy and true. And the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, has sent his angel to show his servants what must soon take place’. ‘And behold, I am coming soon. Blessed is the one who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book’” (Rev 21:6-7).

As I write this, the world sits on the brink of a possible World War III. Yes, the nations badly need healing!

Hurry back for Part 2, as the angel continues showing his servants what is coming!

How Grace Shall Reign – A Very Tall Angel and The Bride of the Lamb

3/2/2022

(Revelation 21:9-27; ESV)

John’s vision comes at last to the New Jerusalem:

“Then came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues and spoke to me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb.’ And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great, high mountain, and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal. It had a great, high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates names twelve angels, and on the gates the names of the twelve tribes of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel were inscribed – on the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb” (Rev 21:9-14).

This vision given to John underscores that in heaven, perfect unity with God, the Lamb, and the Spirit is born of the number twelve, as in the twelve tribes of Israel; but the New Jerusalem, the Holy City, the church of Jesus, is the bride of the Lamb, to which the twelve tribes of Israel will be drawn and welcomed as family.

“And the one who spoke with me had a measuring rod of gold to measure the city and its gates and walls. The city lies foursquare, its length the same as its width. And he measured the city with his rod, 12,000 stadia. Its length and width and height are equal’” (Rev 21:15-16).

A “stadion” was equivalent to about 600 feet, so the New Jerusalem is about 1,363 mils square!
“He also measured its wall, 144 cubits by human measurement, which is also an angel’s measurement” (Rev 21:17).

A cubit is about 1.5 feet, so the wall is 216 feet high. And an angel is also 216 feet tall!

“The wall was built of jasper, while the city was pure gold, like clear glass. The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every kind of jewel. The first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh Chrysolite, the eight beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls, each of the gates made of a single pearl, and the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass” (Rev 21:18-21).

The foundations of the church of the Lamb, the twelve apostles, are represented as jewels of unspeakable beauty. Note that this number includes the disciple Judas, who perhaps has repented at some point after he betrayed Jesus. Has even Judas chosen the good fork in the road, experienced the never-ending love of God, and forgiven and restored in perfect unity with the Godhead?

“And I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. By its light will the nations walk, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it, and its gates will never be shut by day – and there will be no night there. They will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. But nothing unclean will ever enter it, nor anyone who does what is detestable or false, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life” (Rev 21:22-27).

As I write this on a day where evil is flourishing against bravery in battle half a world away, I think of those who have stepped into the line of fire to save their families and their liberty. May they – and we – be clearly written in the Lamb’s book of life.

May perfect unity germinate, bud out, and blossom as never before within the temple of God and the Lamb!

Hurry back for the River of Life!

How Grace Shall Reign – New Heaven, New Earth

2/28/2022

(Revelation 21:1-8; ESV)

With Death and Hades banished to the lake of fire, John’s vision enters its final stage:

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away’” (Rev 21:1-4).

New heaven; new earth, no sea, new Jerusalem coming down from heaven, where God himself will live among his people, healing all wounds – physical and emotional.

Nothing but joy – the old things are gone.

“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’” Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’ And he said to me, ‘It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son’” (Rev 21:5-7).

We can honestly say that those who choose and remain faithfully on the good fork in the road to perfect unity – that is, those who conquer evil – will have a heritage of the water of life and inheritance of God as our personal father, for all eternity!

But the news is not so good for those who take the bad fork in the road of life:

“’But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death’” (Rev 21:8).

In one way or another, every human being deserves the lake of fire based on past sins. But the choice we are given by a loving God and his Son, is to repent at the fork in the road, choose the good fork, and enter into the loving arms of God, thanks to the sacrifice made by his Son Jesus. This choice will nestle us into the arms of God’s never-ending love, God’s complete forgiveness, and perfect unity with God and Jesus forever and ever!

Ah, “the water of life without payment!”

Hurry back for a full view of the New Jerusalem!

How Grace Shall Reign – Eternal Life or Perpetual Torment?

2/25/2022

(Revelation 20:1-15; ESV)

After the marriage supper of the Lamb and the judgment of those with the mark of the beast by the rider on the white horse, John’s vision yields a period of one thousand years in which Satan is to be bound:

“Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while” (Rev 20:1-3).

Once Satan has been bound and locked up, John sees in his vision something quite amazing, almost unimaginable to those of us watching scary world events all around us:

“Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years” (Rev 20:4-6).

John’s vision continues:

“And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Rev 20:7-10).

So much for Satan. He cannot and will not win out. Forever is a long time!

“Then I saw a great white throne and him who was sitting on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Rev 20:11-15).

What book has your name written in it? Accept Jesus and your name will be written in the book of life. Reject Jesus and spend eternity burning without being consumed. The judge on the great white throne seeks only your repentance from sin as defined in the Bible and you have nothing to fear.

Do you wonder if you will share in the first resurrection? Do you feel that some sin might be standing in your way, yet you believe passionately in Jesus your Savior? If so, you have just discovered that you missed a sign along the road to perfect unity with Jesus, and you have been stuck at the fork in the road and did not realize it. If so, bow down right now and confess to God what you have been holding back. In this act of repentance, you will choose the good fork in the road and truly encounter the never-ending love of Christ and his full restoration and forgiveness, which have been prepared for you for a long time.

Grasp the words of the song “Amazing Grace” right now and forever:

“And like a flood, his mercy reigns; unending love; amazing grace.”

Be ready for the first resurrection. Share in it. Do not risk watching it from afar. Enjoy the thousand years – and all eternity – with Jesus.

Hurry back to see what this looks like!

How Grace Shall Reign – Two Very Different Suppers

2/23/2022

(Revelation 19:11-21; ESV)

After John’s amazing invitation to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and the angel’s declaration that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy, we see that this supper is for all believers in Jesus who have traveled the good fork in the road to perfect unity with Jesus and with each other. All those in attendance at this first supper chose repentance of their sins and received forgiveness and restoration from Jesus along with eternal life.

Then, “Once again the scene was changed” by the angel for John’s witness:

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God” (Rev 19:11-13).

The Word of God is based on truth and righteousness and is used for judgment of those who ignore God’s warnings and choose the bad fork on the road to disunity from God.

And the Word of God has plenty of help:

“And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of Kings and Lord of lords” (Rev 19:14-16).

Jesus stands ready for judgment of those who persecuted his children. This is the second supper:

“Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and with a loud voice he called to all the birds that fly directly overhead, ‘Come, gather for the great supper of God, to eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all men, both free and slave, both small and great’” (Rev 19:17-18).

John also sees:

“And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth with their armies gathered to make war against him who was sitting on the horse and against his army. And the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who in its presence had done the signs by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped its image. These two were thrown alive into the lake of fire that burns with sulfur. And the rest were slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh” (Revelation 19:19-21).

Two suppers: one which feeds on the Word of God, and a second that feeds on total destruction of the beast-devil-Satan and those who received the mark of the beast.

Look around. Every person in the world is on his or her own journey to one of these two suppers.

The choice could not be easier, and yet the choice could hardly be more difficult, as we endure the temptations of life.

It is not too late to choose the first supper over the second by acknowledging God’s warnings, repenting of our sins quickly, and obeying God’s commandments for the rest of our lives on earth, and arriving at God’s never-ending love, restoration, and forgiveness.

This is the Cycle of Perfect Unity with the Trinity.

How Grace Shall Reign – The Culmination of Perfect Unity

2/22/2022

(Revelation 19:1-10; ESV)

While the smoke from God’s judgment in total destruction of the great prostitute and the great city Babylon was still rising, visible from far away, a celebration begins in heaven as witnessed by John in his vision.

We saw in the last chapter how Babylon’s destruction looked on earth to the merchants who became rich selling to the lurid sinfulness of Babylon, and how they all mourned over what they had lost.
Contrast now how all of this looks to God’s kingdom of saints in heaven:

“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.’ Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up forever and ever.’” (Rev 19:1-3).

Ah, the celebration in heaven has only just begun!

“And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, ‘Amen. Hallelujah!’ And from the throne came a voice saying, ‘Praise our God, all you servants, you who fear him, small and great’” (Rev 19:4-5).

Instantly the praises begin in heaven:

“Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of many peals of thunder, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure’ – for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints” (Rev 19:6-8).

This is no flash mob. This is nothing less than the marriage of Jesus and his church of believers! The angel showing all of this to John in his vision interjects for clarity:

“And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’ And he said to me, ‘These are the true words of God.’ Then I fell down at his feet to worship him, but he said to me, ‘You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.’ For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy” (Rev 19:9-10):

Grasp tightly the testimony of Jesus;
Worship God;
Claim Jesus as the true source of prophecy;
Get invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.

This is perfect unity with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit!

Hurry back for the contrast of this beautiful wedding to the actions of the white horse that follow.

How Grace Shall Reign – Alas For the Great City – Part 2

2/18/2022

(Revelation 18:11-24; ESV)

In the previous blog, we saw through John’s vision that Babylon was doomed by the judgment of God; that God’s people who resided there were warned to get out quickly because the day of destruction had arrived; and that the kings of the earth who were complicit in her horrid sins were smart enough to watch from a great distance. The kings were not alone:

“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. (Rev 18:11-13).

The elites in Babylon had controlled the entire world market and traded on the backs of slaves, who were treated more like animals than human souls.

“The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again” (Rev 18:14).

Babylon had chosen the wrong fruit for their souls and was about to pay God’s price for judgment:

“The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud, ‘Alas, alas for the great city that was clothed in fine linen, in purple and scarlet, adorned with gold, with jewels and with pearls! For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste.” And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning. ‘What city was like the great city’” (Rev 18:15-18)?

The observers had nowhere to turn and could hardly comprehend what they saw:

“And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, ‘Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her’” (Rev 18:19-20).

The merchants were not necessarily as evil as Babylon itself. This is a surprise – in their mourning they realize who has benefited from the destruction of the great city. As if to stamp approval on God’s judgment:

“Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, ‘So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence, and will be found no more; and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters, will be hear in you no more, and a craftsman of any craft will be found in you no more, and the sound of the mill will be heard in you no more, and the light of a lamp will shine in you no more, and the voice of bridegroom and bride will be heard in you no more, for your merchants were the greatest ones of the earth, and all nations were deceived by your sorcery. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints, and of all who have been slain on earth’” (Rev 18:21-24).

We might infer here that the “supply chain” of evil has been cut forever! The merchants will have to work much harder elsewhere to make a profit and stay in business. Alas, alas. God’s judgment has been sated.

Now at last comes his blessing for those who have endured by faith! That is, those who know Jesus as Lord and Savior!

How Grace Shall Reign – Alas For the Great City – Part 1

2/16/2022

(Revelation 18:1-10; ESV)

Once the metaphorical woman of Chapter 17 has been identified as Babylon, John’s vision in Chapter 18 addresses her disunity from God and the resulting judgment of God against “the great city”:

“After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, ‘Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living’” (Rev 18:1-3).

Can a “great city” guilty of uncontrollable sexual immorality be a metaphorical reference to total of disunity from God? Could Babylon in our day represent the beyond-wealthy oligarchs of the world. An oligarchy is a form of government in which supreme power is vested in a small exclusive class. Today, they manipulate the world’s financial empires to their own benefit, and the Jeffrey Epstein’s and Ghislaine Maxwell’s of the world operate in the dark on private islands and unsecured borders by brutalizing young girls in sex trafficking, luring in influential people, condemning them to judgment by God.

This comparison makes some sense, as John now hears a plea to God’s people who are caught in Babylon:

“Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues; for her sins are heaped high as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. Pay her back as she herself has paid back others, and repay her double for her deeds; mix a double portion for her in the cup she mixed. As she glorified herself and lived in luxury, so give her a like measure of torment and mourning, since in her heart she says, “I sit as a queen, and I am no widow, and mourning I shall never see.” For this reason her plagues will come in a single day, death and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; for mighty is the Lord God who has judged her’” (Rev 18:4-8).

Come out of her!

This is a warning from God, suggesting that some of God’s people are in Babylon intentionally, not just captives: get out while you still can, because the end will come very quickly. These children of God in Babylon now must make a choice between taking the good fork in the road to perfect unity with God or the bad fork that leads to judgment by God.

“And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they seek the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say, ‘Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon! For in a single hour your judgment has come’” (Rev 18:9-10).

Having grasped the evil of those in disunity from God within Babylon, the kings of the earth are wise enough to observe the catastrophe from a large distance away. And they are not the only ones.
Hurry back for Part 2 as the merchants from all over the earth mourn their loss of exorbitant profits – a global economic pandemic?