Sunday: “The Wine of Her Wrath”
Read Revelation 14:8; Rev. 16:19; Rev. 17:5; Rev. 18:2, Rev. 18:10, Rev. 18:21, the six references to Babylon in the book of Revelation. Keeping in mind the story of Babylon as it appeared in the Old Testament, what do these texts teach us about Babylon as it appears in the context of last-day events?
Image © Classic Bible Art Goodsalt.com
It has been said that the Bible is a tale of two cities, Jerusalem and Babylon. While Jerusalem stood for the city of God and His covenant people all through the Bible (Ps. 102:21, Isa. 52:9, Isa. 65:19, Rev. 3:12), Babylon has stood for oppression, violence, false religion, and outright rebellion against God.
Think, for instance, of the tower of Babel (Gen. 11:9). The Hebrew word for “Babel” is the same word for the kingdom of “Babylon”. In 1 Peter 5:13, Peter sends greetings from the church in “Babylon”, which is generally understood to mean, not from the ruins of the old kingdom located in today’s Iraq, but from Rome itself, soon to be the church’s oppressor. This is an interesting appellation in light of the book of Revelation and the role of Rome as presented in it.
Read Revelation 14:8 and Rev. 18:3. What do these texts reveal about the malevolent influence of Babylon on the world and on God’s people?
There is no question that the power that Babylon represents, as depicted in the book of Revelation, is greatly corrupt with this corruptive influence extending across the whole world, to some degree or another. The phrase “the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev. 14:8) is clearly a reference to false doctrine, false teaching, and corrupt practices and the end results that come from them. Babylon is a force for evil that has spread to “all nations” (Rev. 18:3). Hence, everyone needs to take heed lest they be corrupted, as well.
| Look around at the world today: the corruption, the confusion, the oppression. What should this teach us about our need to be anchored in Jesus and in His Word? |
(49)
Wine intoxicates and causes someone to lose control of their behavior.
King Belshazzar in his drunkenness profanes the holy vessels of God.
God, you shall surely die.
Satan, you shall not surely die
God, Abraham I promise you son
Abraham, I can do it on my own
We are paying for the effects of these sin.
Now the harlot says it does not matter as long as you are good, God will accept you.
Thus the people living in the last days will chose to fornicate knowing the word but disregarding it saying who can overcome the beast?
Jesus said,
9 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. (do not fornicate) 10 If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
Ten Commandments are not multiple choice
Can someone clearly spell out one after the other these intoxicating wine from the Babylon?
I think the lesson itself spells these out clearly: corruption, confusion, and oppression.
Simeon, the wine of Babylon is the supplanting of God's word with human reasoning contrary to the character of Christ and will of God. Trampling upon God's law and teaching others to do the same, and offering "salvation" for money that is not salvation, but rather, the wages of sin which is death. All this while calling it's leader the vicar of God's Son. It is Satan's grand deception in the name of Christ that leads souls to eternal ruin. And in all of this, tortured and put to death millions of God's faithful people for centuries, branding the servants of God as heretics without mercy.
The Vatican or the papacy is Babylon ,the harlot the beast the antichrist. As God's loving children we should not be afraid to say who is making the world drunk with it wine of fornication .
There is no doubt that the Papacy fulfilled the role of Babylon through much of the Christian era. However, rather than focussing on an individual power, we should be aware that any group or organization that seeks to control other Christians through corruption, confusion, and oppression, also fulfills that role. In today's conditions, the influence of evil is often far more subtle than the coercive ways of the past and if we are focussed too much on the historical interpretation we can sometimes miss the subtle gentle corruption, confusion, and oppression that exists today. To give you an example, we are often persuaded by influential channels such as Facebook, Twitter and so on. Few of us fully understand how the media controls our mind. If we are to avoid being influenced by the antichrist of today, we must guard the avenues of the mind carefully.
Is Babylon the 1st beast? or is Babylon an amalgamation of the dragon, the 1st beast and the 2nd beast(false prophet)?
Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of his wrath.
Can you help me to understand this verse on Rev 18: 9-10 on sunday lesson on June 17th please.
Hi Felix
What is it specifically in this verse that you are wondering about?
This document states "The phrase “the wine of the wrath of her fornication” (Rev. 14:8) is clearly a reference to false doctrine, false teaching, and corrupt practices and the end results that come from them." I have searched the Bible and challenged to find a clear Bible verse or verses that say "the wine of the wrath of her fornication is false doctrine or teaching..."
Isaiah 28 refers to wine and error and going out of the way and then ask who shall teach and to make to understand doctrine. Is there any other Bible verses that can substantiate "“the wine of the wrath of her fornication” being false doctrine?