.” He called out with a mighty voice, `Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! It has become a dwelling place of demons, a haunt of every foul Spirit, a haunt of every foul bird, a haunt of every foul and hateful beast.’ Revelation 18:2
John the writer of the Revelation, or the Unveiling, is speaking of Rome here. Babylon has been defeated long ago. Rome was persecuting Chrsitians at the time of the writing of this letter/book. The church needed to know that the troubles would end, and Jesus would return. John’s dream/vision was to help them make it through to the End of the Age, when ‘ Babylon’ would fall in a mighty crash.
The early church was under tremendous pressure and suffering. Although in some areas of the Empire it was better. As a member of the church, I am not suffering, and have not really suffered at all in my life. How can I identify with what was going on as the birth of the church was happening ? Should Christians suffer ?
I take pictures with my phone and camera. I am realizing that I take pictures of only nice things, flowers, clouds, sunrises, water, and the people I love. I do not take photos of the people dealing with homelessness, or addictions. I do not take pictures of war or earthquake destruction. There are many things to be sad about in our world. Where are my photos of those things ? Do I live in a dream world ? Am I too privileged ? Yes I am that ! I should see both sides of the world, its glories and as well its horrors.
The book of Revelation invites us to see both. There is much about worship in the last book of the Bible. There is also a vision of the terrible Empire falling away, and the horrors of this world stopping.
Come Lord Jesus, come quickly. Lord, Help us to be agents of justice and peace in our world. Amen.
Fred Chaos in the winds Scattering my troubled thoughts to land on soft clouds Monika Pieper Landoni 2022
