Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Rejoicing Over Her Annihilation

 When ancient Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and the Persians, Jeremiah prophetically said: ""And over Babylon the heavens and the earth cry out joyfully." (Jeremiah 51:48) When Babylon the Great is destroyed, the voice out of heaven climaxes its message, saying of Babylon the Great: "Be glad over her, O heaven, also you holy ones and you apostles and you prophets, because God has judicially exacted punishment for You from her!" (Revelation18:20) Jehovah and the angels will be delighted to see the annihilation of God's ancient enemy, as well as the apostles and early Christian prophets, who by now are resurrected and have taken their position in the 24-elders arrangement. - Compare PSALM 97:8-12.

Indeed, all the "holy ones"-whether resurrected to heaven or still surviving on earth-will cry out for joy, as will the associated big crowd of other sheep. In time, all the faithful men of old will be resurrected into the new system of things, and they too will join in the rejoicing. God's people have not tried to avenge themselves on their religious persecutors. They have remembered Jehovah's words: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay, says Jehovah." (Romans 12:19; Deuteronomy 32:35, 41-43) Well, Jehovah has now repaid. All the blood spilled by Babylon the Great will have been avenged. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End -Hurling a Millstone

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End -Merchants Weep and Mourn - Conclusion

 The account goes on: "And every ship captain and every man that voyages anywhere, and sailors and all those making a living by the sea, stood at a distance and cried out as they looked at the smoke from the burning of her and said, 'What city is like the great city?' And they threw dust upon their heads and cried out weeping and mourning, and said, 'Too bad, too bad-the great city, in which all those having boats at sea became rich by reason of her costliness, because in one hour she has been devastated!'" -  REVELATION 18:17b-19) Ancient Babylon was a commercial city and had a great fleet of ships. Similarly, Babylon the Great does much business by the "many waters" of her people. This provides employment for many of her religious subjects. What an economic blow the destruction of Babylon the Great will be for these! There will never be another source of livelihood like her. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Rejoicing Over Her Annihilation

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn -Continue

 The voice out of heaven says further: "The traveling merchants of these things, who became rich from her, and will stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and will weep and mourn, saying, 'Too bad, too bad-the great city, clothed with fine linen and purple and scarlet, and richly adorned with gold ornament and precious stone and pearl, because in one hour such great riches have been devastated!' " (Revelation 18:15-17) With the destruction of Babylon the Great the "merchants" mourn at the loss of that commercial partner. Truly. it is "too bad, too bad for them. Notice, though, that their reasons for morning are entirely selfish and that they-like the kings-"stand at a distance." They do not get close enough to be of any help to Babylon the Great. 

Next time:  Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn - Conclusion 

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End -Merchants Weep and Mourn - Continue

 Yes, Babylon the Great was a close friend and a good customer of wealthy merchants. For example, the monasteries, nunneries, and churches in Christendom have over the centuries acquired huge amounts of gold, silver precious stones, valuable woods and other forms of material wealth. Further, religion's blessing has been bestowed on the lavish buying sprees and drunken orgies that accompany the celebration of Christ-dishonoring Christmas and other so-called holy days. Christendom missionaries have penetrated distant lands opening up new markets for the "traveling merchants" of this world. In the 17th century Japan, Catholicism, which had come with the traders, even became involved in feudal warfare. Reporting on a decisive battle under the wall of Osaka castle, The Encyclopedia Britannica states: "The Tokugawa troops found themselves fight against foe whose banners were emblazoned with the cross and with images of the Saviour and St. James the patron saint of Spain." The victorious fiction persecuted and practically wiped-out Catholicism in that land. The churches participation in worldly affairs today will likewise bring her no blessing.  

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn - Continue

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn

 The kings of the earth are not the only ones to regret the passing of Babylon the Great. "Also, the traveling merchants of the earth are weeping and mourning over her, because there is no one to buy their full stock anymore, a full stock of gold and silver and precious stone and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet; and everything in scented wood and every sort of ivory object out of most precious wood and of copper and of iron and of marble; also cinnamon and Indian spice and incense and perfumed oil and frankincense and wine  and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and horses and coaches and slaves and human souls. Yes, the fine fruit that your soul desired has departed from you [Babylon the Great], and all the dainty things and the gorgeous things have perished from you, and never again will people find them." - REVELATION 18:11-14.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn - Continue 

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

 The nations' reaction may seem surprising in view of the fact that Babylon was destroyed by the symbolic ten horns of the scarlet-colored wild beast. (Revelation 17:16) But when Babylon is gone, "the kings of the earth" will evidently realize how useful she was to them in keeping the people pacified and in subjection. The clergy have declared wars to be sacred, acted as recruiting agents, and preached the youth into battle lines. Religion has provided a screen of holiness behind which corrupt ruler have operated in oppressing the common people. (Compare Jeremiah 5:3o, 31; Matthew23:27, 28.) Notice, however, that these grief-stricken kings now stand at a distance from the doomed city. They do not get close enough to come to her aid. They are sad to see her go but not sad enough  to take risks in her half. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End - Merchants Weep and Mourn

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Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End

 Babylon's end is good news for Jehovah's people, but how do the nations view it? John tells us: "And the kings of the earth who committed fornication with her and lived in shameless luxury will weep and beat themselves in grief over her, when they look at the smoke from the burning of her, while they stand at a distance because of their fear of her torment and say, too bad, too bad, you great city, because in one hour your judgment has arrived!' " - REVELATION 18:9, 10.

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing at Babylon's End 

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Chapter Thirty-Six/The Great City Devastated -"Get Out of Her, My People" - Conclusion

 Under the Mosaic Law, if an Israelite stole from his fellow countrymen, he had to pay back at least double in compensation. (Exodus 22:1, 4, 7, 9) In the coming destruction of Babylon the Great, Jehovah will apply a comparable standard of justice. She is to receive twice as much as she gave out. There will be no mercy to temper this justice because Babylon the Great has shown no mercy to her victims. She fed parasitically on the peoples of the earth to keep herself in "shameless luxury." Now she will experience suffering and mourning. Ancient Babylon felt that she was in an absolutely secure position, boasting: "I shall not sit as a widow, and I shall not know loss of children." (Isaiah 47:8, 9, 11) Babylon the Great also feels secure. But her destruction, decreed by Jehovah who "is strong," will happen quickly, as if "in one day"!

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Seven/Mourning and Rejoicing At Babylon's End

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Chapter Thirty-Six/The Great City Devastated - "Get Out of Her, My Children"

 The apostle Paul quoted Isaiah's words in his letter to the Corinthians, saying: "Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship; do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? . . . 'Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,' says Jehovah, 'and quit touching the unclean thing,' " The Corithian Christians did not have to leave Corinth in order to obey that command. They did, however, physically have to avoid the unclean temples of false religion, as well as spiritually separate themselves from the unclean acts of those idol worshipers. In 1919 God's people began to flee Babylon the Great in this way, cleansing themselves of any residual unclean teachings and practices. Thus, they were able to serve him as purified people.  - 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-17; 1 JOHN 3:3. 

Ancient Babylon's fall and eventual desolation was a punishment for her sins. "For clear to the heavens her judgment has reached." (Jeremiah 51:9) Similarly, the sins of Babylon the Great have "massed together clear up to heaven," so as to come to the attention of Jehovah himself. She is guilty of injustice, immorality, oppression, robbery, and murder. Ancient Babylon's fall was, in part, vengeance for what she had done to Jehovah's temple and his true worshipers. (Jeremiah 50:8, 14; 51:11, 35, 36) The fall of Babylon the Great and her eventual destruction are likewise expressions of vengeance for what she has done to true worshipers over the centuries. Indeed, her final destruction is the beginning of vengeance on the part of our God." - ISAIAH 34:8-10;61:2; JEREMIAH 50:28. 

Next time: Chapter Thirty-Six/The Great City Devastated - "Get Out of Her, My People" - Conclusion

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Chapter Thirty-Six/The Great City Devastated - "Get Out of Her, My Children"

 How, though, do God's people get out of Babylon the Great? In the case of ancient Babylon, the Jews had to make a physical journey from the city of Babylon all the way back to the Promised Land. But more was involved than that. Isaiah prophetically told the Israelites: "Turn away, turn away, get out of there, touching nothing unclean; get out from the midst of her, keep yourselves clean, who are carrying the utensils of Jehovah." (Isaiah 52:11) Yes, they had to abandon all unclean practices of Babylonish religion that might tarnish their worship of Jehovah. 

Next time: Chapter Thiry-Six/The Great City Devastated -"Get Out of Her, My Children" 

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