GETTING THE MESSAGE/The assaults of the devil and true joy
C.S. Lewis once said that joy is the serious business of heaven. Joy is not a mere happiness, but a profound, piercing longing that is beyond the world and found in God alone. Joy is not found in things themselves, but in the desire for joy they stir up in us. Creaturely things point us to the Creator. If we enjoy God, we will enjoy all his works too, but in a way that honors God.
In Revelation chapter 18, Babylon represents a world led astray by demonic power to elevate creaturely things above the Creator. When Nebuchadnezzar was the king of Babylon, people worshipped him, but the Lord reduced him to the nature of a beast to reflect his vanity and blindness to God. And this is where sin leads to: making a god out of ourselves.
Christ came into the world to restore man to God. He does this by representing us before God, taking our sin upon himself and paying the debt of it with his own death. He puts his Spirit in us and gives us new life that seeks to glorify God and enjoy him. Those who don’t come to Christ necessarily remain among those estranged to God, and will lose all that which they entrusted the happiness of their souls to.
Revelation 19:1-5 celebrates the end of a world that is at enmity with God. In verse one, John hears “a great multitude in heaven, crying out, ‘Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.’” Hallelujah is a Hebrew word that means, “Praise the Lord.”
God is praised in heaven for removing all that is corrupt, and the destruction of all those who sought salvation and glory and power in the immorality of the world. God is glorified, for his “judgments are true and just” (verse 2).
Babylon, the great prostitute, is judged for “corrupting the earth with her immorality,” and for the “blood of the servants” of God. Those who belong to Christ have the favor of God, and he takes special note of those who harm his people in this world.
In the Scriptures, God tells us that he is long-suffering, patient with sinners, not willing that any should perish, but that they would turn to Christ for salvation. Jesus said that any who were willing to come to him would receive the salvation of their souls. He is full of love and compassion, but men undo themselves by rejecting Christ in his gracious offers.
The world, with its corruption, has an end. In chapter 18, we saw that the end came suddenly. We also saw that it came during a time of prosperity. The list of merchandise indicates an abundance, whose loss caused great grief among those on earth. Nothing is sinful in prosperity itself, but it is invariably connected to little fear of God.
Riches are not the only cause of a lack of fear of the Lord. Men can be full in other ways. Babylon is depicted as having a cup full of abominations. The worst of these is pride. William Gurnall said, “It is hard to starve pride, because there is almost nothing it can’t live on.” It is vanity that makes men insensible of God’s judgment, though the conscience and God’s word testify to it continually. Men tend to seek a cure for everything but their souls.
In Revelation 19:3 we read, “Once more they cried out, ‘Hallelujah! The smoke of her goes up forever and ever.’” God’s people celebrate the permanent end of Babylon, not only for the demonstration of God’s justice, but for the joy of knowing there is an end to sinful opposition against God and the promise of a world without evil.
However, for the remaining time in this world, Christians have to battle the assaults of the devil, their own sinful hearts, and the magnetic pull of Babylon toward immorality, pride, and idolatry. We are taught to pray for grace that is opposite our sinful nature so that we might honor Christ with our lives. Babylon’s judgment is a warning to be humble and watchful over our souls.
In verse 5, “From the throne came a voice saying, “Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, small and great.” It is a blessed thing to be called a servant of God, and a gracious thing to know the fear of God. If God is our God we can rejoice in all situations.