Chapter 18 portrays three dramatic laments from those who profited from Babylon's corruption. Again and again, they have been called to repentance, but now it's all burning. The rulers mourn, merchants weep and ship captains are moored. If all that wasn't enough, Babylon is symbolically cast into the sea, never to rise again. And then all is quiet...

In ch. 17, John introduces another beast (are we surprised?) and a prostitute whom he describes as a woman dressed in purple and scarlet, holding a cup of filth. Translated, she might look good on the outside, but offers nothing but destruction. A battle ensues and, well, she is dispatched. Despite the overwhelming corruption described in the text, the core message of the chapter concludes in vs. 14 with the absolute sovereignty of God: "They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of lords and King of kings."

A few things come into focus as John's recounting of his visions continues: God's absolute justice - He takes sin seriously and will judge unrighteousness; The hardness of the human heart - people can be unyielding in their sin; The triumph of God -all the evil world systems will ultimately fall. That is good news for those whose eternity is secure in Jesus!

We are picking back up in the book of Revelation to revisit where we've been and anticipate where we're going in John's account of the end times. What a ride its been! Even still, we can only watch and wait for the day of Christ's return when every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is LORD! Hallelujah! 

We are coming to the end of "The Great Conflict" section of Revelation in chapters 12-14. Chapter 14 offers a panoramic preview of the ultimate redemption and final judgment. Still heavy with fantastical imagery, all of it again serves to comfort faithful believers and warn the ungodly.