"WE CAN'T STAY" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 10/20/26

“And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues...Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.” (Revelation 18:4, 10b)

The book of Revelation is a complex, seemingly mysterious work, but when you peel back the metaphor and intense imagery and come to terms with the fact that it’s technically a first-hand account of a second-hand account of a first-hand account full of practical advice for all believers. In keeping with this theme of necessary advice clothed in metaphor and severity, chapter 18 deals with the destruction of Babylon. As a dwelling place for demons and the source of corrupt commercialism, it will be treated accordingly: God is ready to punish Babylon for its extensive wickedness. He promises to burn the city with fire. A mighty angel announces Babylon's doom and desolation. The city that once included renowned merchants deceived the nations, and martyred believers is now shattered into silence and desolation, like what happened to the corrupt cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

It is not simply a brief temporal judgment or shaking, or a quick calamity that will answer for the extreme picture being set before us, but rather, the utter fall of all that is Babylonian, whether religious or secular. Babylon is a synonym for the world. It is all that is contrary and hostile toward the authority of God. Every nation, city, and temporal activity of this present evil age is being taken down at the same time. The world has never seen such destruction and utter ruin, but this chapter depicts it. These horrors are reserved for the end of time, of life as we know it on this planet, just as it was prophesied. It is reserved until that day when God will overthrow the entire system of the earth. This Babylon represents everything outside Christ and the kingdom of God, everything we call the world.

When we consider this Babylon, we should first think: What is it? Understanding the problem is an important first step toward a solution. It is the habitation of demons and the sphere of their activity. It is the realm where the devil is having his way. It is that realm where people are under the sway of evil spirits. It is the prison and stronghold of anti-Christian powers and forces. This Babylon is a universal place: where all nations are infected with its ideas and values. It is a place where people live impure and unwholesome lives, and drink down false doctrines. It is an entirely materialistic place: the realm of human life that focuses on temporal, visible prosperity and worldly pleasures. In this city, citizens focus only on things. It's a place where things are to be gotten. It is a place where people covet, love, and possess things at all costs. Material things are lawful, good, and necessary in their rightful place, but they can easily become idols. It is a worldview that is against Christ and His followers, which can be found anywhere and everywhere.

As we consider this Babylon, we should think about what is to become of it. We should consider not only the city itself, but all those who love it: What will happen to them? It is on a roll now. People seem to be living well, making money, enjoying prosperity, and living easy without a care or fear of ever being disturbed. Its collapse will only take an hour. That once seemingly mighty city will fall without a drop of sweat from God.

Babylon will be sorely judged, never to rise again, never to exist again; that once great city is going to be thrown down in the end. This represents the end of the world as we know it now. It is the end of the present dispensation, the end of false and phony religions, and the end of all material possessions and natural life with all its pleasures. Commercial enterprise, industry, and government cease; all forms of entertainment and moneymaking halt, and all physical activity stops abruptly. It is impossible to hide from this judgment; there is nowhere to run. They must now face the consequence of their bad beliefs and evil, carnal lifestyles. God is saying before that dreadful day to all lost sinners and those who are worldly-minded, "Your world is coming to an awful, sudden, and frightful end."

What a heart-wrenching thought for those who only have eyes for Babylon. They live only to fulfill their own lusts, and suddenly all objects and activities of that life will be removed. They will be confined to an eternal vacuum, having nothing but the burning appetites and addictions they’ve fed and cultivated while in this world and nothing to satisfy them. Everything arbitrarily lived for, lusted after, and pursued - gone in the blink of an eye. Don’t think that only the amoral city will crumble. If Babylon (the world) falls, all citizens (those who love and embrace the world/sin) fall as well.

If you would be spared at last, you had better heed the advice from Christ, which is really quite simple: "Come out of her, My people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." We must leave, move away, and get out from under the principle of sin, carnality, and materialism that grips the whole world. We must choose to be different from everyone else. We must consciously separate ourselves and adopt a totally different attitude and perspective on everything. Another world must be loved above this one. Another way of thinking must rule our minds, and another spirit must move our hearts. To come out of Babylon, God must cause you to hear the call. It involves a high degree of help and enablement beyond oneself. It requires God's work: a new birth. The true believer can’t afford to stay; we need to get out before it’s too late. You must part with the practice of any sin and desire victory and freedom from all sin. You must move away from your love and focus on material and sensual things and turn your affections to the main thing.