Babylon Falls
Comments for Study 12
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I. Babylon Described (17:1-18)
>1. What do you know about Babylon and why is it compared to a prostitute? (1-3, 5)
* Revelation 17:1-3 "One of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, "Come, I will show you the punishment of the great prostitute, who sits on many waters. With her the kings of the earth committed adultery and the inhabitants of the earth were intoxicated with the wine of her adulteries." Then the angel carried me away in the Spirit into a desert. There I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was covered with blasphemous names and had seven heads and ten horns."
* Revelation 17:5 "This title was written on her forehead: MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF PROSTITUTES AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH."
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>Was there a city called Babylon when this book was written?
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>What did this prostitute seem to gain from her lifestyle? (4)
* Revelation 17:4 "The woman was dressed in purple and scarlet, and was glittering with gold, precious stones and pearls. She held a golden cup in her hand, filled with abominable things and the filth of her adulteries."
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>What does Babylon think of and do to Jesus' followers? (6)
* Revelation 17:6 "I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of those who bore testimony to Jesus. When I saw her, I was greatly astonished."
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>2. What is going to happen that will astonish people who do not believe in Jesus? (7-8)
* Revelation 17:7-8 "Then the angel said to me: "Why are you astonished? I will explain to you the mystery of the woman and of the beast she rides, which has the seven heads and ten horns. The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come."
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>Who is the source of wisdom and thus the understanding of the beast? (9)
* Revelation 17:9 "This calls for a mind with wisdom. The seven heads are seven hills on which the woman sits."
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* The drawing is called "The Armies of Heaven Doom the Beast". It was in the "September 1522 Luther Bible", the first Bible translated into German. Luther's New Testament was published in September of 1522, with a second edition coming out in December of the same year both adorned with woodcut illustrations by Lucas Cranach.
>What two kings are to come? (10-11)
* Revelation 17:10-11 "They are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is, the other has not yet come; but when he does come, he must remain for a little while. The beast who once was, and now is not, is an eighth king. He belongs to the seven and is going to his destruction."
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>What does the horns represent? (12)
* Revelation 17:12-13 "The ten horns you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but who for one hour will receive authority as kings along with the beast. They have one purpose and will give their power and authority to the beast."
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>3. Who are these kings against? (14)
* Revelation 17:14 "They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers."
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>How are Jesus' people described here?
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>What is revealed about the identity of character and end of the prostitute? (16-18)
* Revelation 17:16-18 "The beast and the ten horns you saw will hate the prostitute. They will bring her to ruin and leave her naked; they will eat her flesh and burn her with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to accomplish his purpose by agreeing to give the beast their power to rule, until God's words are fulfilled. The woman you saw is the great city that rules over the kings of the earth."
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>What can be learn from this chapter?
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II. Babylon Falls (18:1-24)
* The drawing is called "The Destruction of Babylon". It was in the "September 1522 Luther Bible", the first Bible translated into German. Luther's New Testament was published in September of 1522, with a second edition coming out in December of the same year both adorned with woodcut illustrations by Lucas Cranach.
>4. What did the luminous angel proclaim about Babylon? (1-2)
* Revelation 18:1-2 "After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven. He had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor. With a mighty voice he shouted: "Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great! She has become a home for demons and a haunt for every evil spirit, a haunt for every unclean and detestable bird."
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>What has and continued to madden nations? (3)
* Revelation 18:3 "For all the nations have drunk the maddening wine of her adulteries. The kings of the earth committed adultery with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries."
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>What does it mean to come out of her and why? (4-5)
* Revelation 18:4-5 "Then I heard another voice from heaven say: "Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues; for her sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes."
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>What self deception does riches give? (6-7)
* Revelation 18:6-7 "Give back to her as she has given; pay her back double for what she has done. Mix her a double portion from her own cup. Give her as much torture and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself. In her heart she boasts, 'I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn.'"
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>5. How will the prostitute end? (8)
* Revelation 18:8 "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."
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>What will the leaders of the world do when they see her end? (9-10)
* Revelation 18:9-10 "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: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, O Babylon, city of power! In one hour your doom has come!'"
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>Why? (11-13)
* Revelation 18:11-13 "The merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes any more--" cargoes of gold, silver, precious stones and pearls; fine linen, purple, silk and scarlet cloth; every sort of citron wood, and articles of every kind made of ivory, costly wood, bronze, iron and marble; cargoes of cinnamon and spice, of incense, myrrh and frankincense, of wine and olive oil, of fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and bodies and souls of men."
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>What was their lament? (14)
* Revelation 18:14 "They will say, 'The fruit you longed for is gone from you. All your riches and splendor have vanished, never to be recovered.'"
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>6. Will the merchants be able to help her? (15)
* Revelation 18:15 "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"
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>What will be their lament? (16-17a)
* Revelation 18:16-17a "and cry out: "'Woe! Woe, O 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!'""
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>While the shipping trades be able to help her? (17b)
* Revelation 18:17b "Every sea captain, and all who travel by ship, the sailors, and all who earn their living from the sea, will stand far off."
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>What will be their lament? (18-19)
* Revelation 18:18-19 "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: "'Woe! Woe, O great city, where all who had ships on the sea became rich through her wealth! In one hour she has been brought to ruin!"
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>7. Why was the prostitute judged? (20)
* Revelation 18:20 "Rejoice over her, O heaven! Rejoice, saints and apostles and prophets! God has judged her for the way she treated you.'"
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>Will Babylon ever rise again after it is judged? (21; Dan. 2:35)
* Revelation 18:21 "Then a mighty angel picked up a boulder the size of a large millstone and threw it into the sea, and said: "With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again."
* Daniel 2:35 "Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were broken to pieces at the same time and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth."
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>What was the magic spell used to deceive? (22-23)
* Revelation 18:22-23 "The music of harpists and musicians, flute players and trumpeters, will never be heard in you again. No workman of any trade will ever be found in you again. The sound of a millstone will never be heard in you again. The light of a lamp will never shine in you again. The voice of bridegroom and bride will never be heard in you again. Your merchants were the world's great men. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray."
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>What truth lie behind this kind of self indulgence? (24)
* Revelation 18:24 "In her was found the blood of prophets and of the saints, and of all who have been killed on the earth."
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>What can be learned from this chapter?
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III. Praise for Babylon's Fall (19:1-5)
>8. With what attitude did the great multitude shout? (1)
* Revelation 19:1 "After this I heard what sounded like the roar of a great multitude in heaven shouting: "Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,"
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>What three things are good to shout?
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>Why? (2)
* Revelation 19:2 "for true and just are his judgments. He has condemned the great prostitute who corrupted the earth by her adulteries. He has avenged on her the blood of his servants."
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>9. What else did the great multitude shout about? (3)
* Revelation 19:3 "And again they shouted: "Hallelujah! The smoke from her goes up for ever and ever."
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>Who is the center of this praise? (4)
* Revelation 19:4 "The twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who was seated on the throne. And they cried: "Amen, Hallelujah!"
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>10. Who was the great multitude? (5)
* Revelation 19:5 "Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!""
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>What is a characteristic of their relationship to God?
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