Monday, October 29, 2018

What Can An Hour Bring? - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my heart and mind in Revelation 18:10,

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!"

The account of the destruction of this "Babylon", a great economic powerhouse that had led many astray from God, is marked by several things I see here. Among them, the first is the rapidness with which her judgment is completed (an hour!),  the second, the visceral impact her destruction had on those who profited from commerce with her, also, the ferocity of the judgment God brought on her. It is the first two that capture my attention this morning.

Whether the "hour" or "day" is a literal hour or day or not, what we read certainly provides an account of a very rapid destruction of this city by heaven:

"Therefore in one day her plagues will overtake her: death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire, for mighty is the Lord God who judges her." Verse 8.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, you mighty city of Babylon! In one hour your doom has come!" Verse 10.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, dressed in fine linen, purple and scarlet, and glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls! In one hour such great wealth has been brought to ruin!" Verses 16-17.

"Woe! Woe to you, great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!" Verse 19.

I can't help but notice the impact of her destruction upon all who profited from her:

"When the kings of the earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxury see the smoke of her burning, they will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment, they will stand far off and cry..." Verses 9-10.

"The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore—" Verse 11.

"The merchants who sold these things and gained their wealth from her will stand far off, terrified at her torment. They will weep and mourn and cry out..." Verses 15-16.

"When they see the smoke of her burning, they will exclaim, 'Was there ever a city like this great city?' They will throw dust on their heads, and with weeping and mourning cry out..." Verses 18-19.

It is a chilling account of what happens when you trifle with God...

A blog with my ruminations over the years can be found here: http://worshipfortoday.blogspot.com/

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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