IW-jEsy1ABw

Well, good morning. Please stand for the reading of God's Word. I'm going to be reading from Psalm 113. Psalm 113. Praise the Lord. Praise, O servants of the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord. Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forever. From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord is high above all nations. His glory is above the heavens. Who is like the Lord our God? Who is enthroned on high? Who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven and on the earth? He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap, to make them sit with princes, with the princes of his people.

He makes the barren woman abide in the house as a joyful mother of children. Praise the Lord. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we come before you today, we have many reasons to worship and to give thanks to you. Father, to you belongs salvation, our salvation. Salvation belongs to you.

And we thank you as we turn our hearts now toward this Advent season. And we are Thinking upon your Christ and your gift to us, Father, and to the world. Father, that the government would be upon his shoulders and righteousness would be pervasive throughout all the earth and for all eternity because of his shepherd kingship.

Father, we thank you. Father, we bless your name. We thank you in advance for all that is to come. We thank you for all that you've done in our lives. We thank you for the one that you are the one to be praised and honored and glorified. We thank you, Father, for gathering us here today.

Father, we thank you that we can put our sins behind us because you have separated them from us according to your great mercy. Father, you have given us life that we might look forward and go forward with real purpose and real meaning, glorifying your name and walking in your ways.

We thank you that you are high above all the nations and that your glory exceeds all that of human thinking and wisdom and power. Father, we thank you that you've humbled yourself. Father, even the fact that you're considering our prayers now and have chosen to meet with us here is a testament to your Humility, willing to condescend to us.

Father, not only just to us, but to the cross, to take upon human flesh, to walk among us, to love us, and to be attentive to even the faintest cries and the smallest details of our lives. Father, in all of this, we stand in awe, and in all of this we have occasion to rejoice, and that is exactly why we've gathered to come before you, rejoicing, thanking you, and giving glory to you.

For it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Once again, good morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 18. We'll pick up where I left off. Revelation chapter 18. Begin in verse 21. Revelation chapter 18, verse 21. And I'll be reading to Revelation 19, verse 5. Verse 18, or chapter 18, verse 21.

Then a strong angel took up a stone, like a great millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence and will not be found any longer. And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute players and trumpets. Trumpeteers will not be heard in you any longer, and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer.

And the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer, and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer, and the voice of the bridegroom and the bride will not be heard in you any longer. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all nations were deceived by your sorcery, and in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.

After these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, Hallelujah. Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great harlot, who was corrupting the earth with her immorality. And he has avenged the blood of his bondservants on her.

And a second time they said, Hallelujah, her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne, saying, Amen, hallelujah. And a voice came from the throne saying, Give praise to our God, all you his bondservants, you who fear him, the small.

The Great. Well, this is the sixth message in this series of describing the fall of Babylon. If you'll remember, in chapter 16, the seven bowls bring an end to Babylon the Great. But it's chapters 17, 18, and 19 that go into a greater detail of the fall of Babylon.

Chapter 17 is about Babylon's religious fall. Its religious influence falls. Then in chapter 18, we have a depiction of the fall of Babylon from an economic perspective. It falls from its worldwide prominence. And then much of chapter 18 describes the mourning that follows. The morning that follows Babylon's fall.

And mainly they're not, the mourning is because it's a selfish morning. They are the one that once provided them the many good things that they sought after is gone. And so they mourn. They mourn their loss, not so much her. But as we looked at verse 20 of chapter 18 last time, there is a command to rejoice.

Rejoice over her. O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her. The case is settled. God has judged the case. He has judged the harlot and has in favor of the saints. And so, in contrast, in stark contrast to all the mourning, there is going to be rejoicing in heaven and rejoicing upon the earth.

And so, what you have at this juncture in Revelation is the change of an era, the end of an era on planet Earth and the beginning of anew. And what a great place to start the Christmas season. Not only is there rejoicing in heaven, but you and I are summoned to rejoice in the very things that we read.

There is rejoicing in heaven, the leadership in heaven rejoices and summons all of us here today, even today, to rejoice. And so we're going to look at these reasons. Obviously, if there's a call to rejoice, there are reasons to rejoice. And so we'll. Be looking at those reasons here in just a moment.

But first, before we jump into the reasons that start at the beginning of chapter 19, there is one last depiction of Babylon's fall of 18. And so, first, we're going to look at this destruction, this destruction explained at the end of chapter 18, and then we'll come to these reasons to rejoice.

Reasons to rejoice. So, let's jump right in there in verse 21. Notice that how Babylon's destruction is explained. First, it's explained by a very graphic and vivid image. Look at verse 21. Then a strong angel took up a stone, like a great millstone, and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence.

It will not be found any longer. Have you ever thrown a big rock into a lake or a river? What happens to it? You throw it in, one big motion, hits the water, splash. What happens? It sinks. And do you ever see that rock again? You really don't, do you?

Well, that's the image. You have this mighty angel in one, he takes up this big. Millstone, something like a great millstone, which those were large, so they were probably about five feet in diameter, about 12 inches thick. So, this is a very big stone, the kind of stone that would be pulled by a donkey or an ox or something to crush in the milling process.

And so, this angel takes this up in one big motion and he throws it into the sea and it sinks. And he makes this comparison: so will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence and will not be found any longer. It will quickly be thrown down.

So, there's two elements here: there's this quickness, there is this completeness, it's gone forever. You remember when Michael and the angels threw Satan out of heaven, chapter 12, war in heaven, how quickly and how decisively that event took place, to where it's even described that when Satan kind of gathered, he was on the earth.

Wow, what just happened? And that's the same kind of language that's describing the fall of Babylon. You keep in mind that what's happening is in chapter 12, you have the great dragon, he gets kicked out of heaven, and so he's going to make his last stand on earth.

And so, the rise of Babylon the Great, the world. Empire is going to come to prominence. But just as he was quickly defeated in heaven, so you have this same kind of language, he will be quickly defeated on earth and gone forever. Then notice, so that's the graphic image of Babylon's destruction.

But then you hear, there's an explanation to this in verse 22. And the sound of harpists, musicians, flute players, trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer. No craftsmen of any craft will be found in you any longer. And the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer.

And the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer. And the voice of the bridegroom and the bride will not be heard in you any longer. You get the picture? This whole city and all that, all its activities goes down with it to be heard no longer.

Never again. It's emphatic. You see it over. The harpists and the musicians, the flute players, the harpists like the strings, musicians, flute players and trumpeters, the winds, these aren't going to be heard anymore. And it's never again shall it be heard in you. In no way will these things ever be heard.

And in no way, Way will there be any more craftsmen of any craft. Word for craftsman, any kind of artisan, any kind of designer, any kind of technology. It involves the idea that there will not be any skill, nor trade, nor technology of any kind in you ever again.

That's the language. The sound of a mill, that mill, that daily life, there will not be any more sounds of daily activity in this city ever again. The light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer. Think about that. Light. They did have street lamps. But the light of a lamp of any kind will in no way ever shine in you again.

It's going to be a place of darkness. This is how thorough this destruction is. And the voice of the bridegroom and the bride will not be heard in you any longer. There will be no more festive occasions. There will be no more weddings or any kind of festive occasions.

It's done. That's the explanation. And he goes on to. Give several reasons. Look at verse 23. There are several kind of people that this worldly system created. This Babylon the Great, which becomes the epitome of worldly philosophy reaching its matured state. And look at what it says at the end of verse 23.

For your merchants were the great men of the earth. So that's the first category of people this worldly system made. Wealth and pride. The merchants, the great exchangers, movers of merchandise, the very rich, wealthy, powerful, and prideful. Notice another category of people. Because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

So there's another component to this city. Deception, magic arts, wrong thinking. And it's, these are the ones you keep in mind, remember the nations were deceived. They drunk in, they took in her madness, and especially madness against the saints. And that's going to be one of the elements.

You remember in chapter 6 and verse 10, the The martyrs crying out before the altar, how long are you going to allow this gross injustice happen on earth against your people? How long is this going to go on? So there are these merchants, wealth, and pride, the deception, false religion, and magical arts.

But then there's, we'll come to the third in just a minute, but point being: this is a complete destruction. No more music, no more industry of any kind, no more weddings, no more lights. You remember, Jeremiah described Babylon's fall in similar language. Let me read to you a portion of Jeremiah chapter 51, beginning in verse 60.

Jeremiah 51, verse 60. So Jeremiah wrote in a single scroll all the calamity which would come upon Babylon. That is, all these words which had been written concerning Babylon. Then Jeremiah said to Sariah, As soon as you come to Babylon, then see that you read all of these words and say, You, O Lord, have promised concerning this place to cut it off, so that there will be nothing dwelling in it, whether man or beast, but it will be a perpetual desolation.

And as soon as you find Finish reading the scroll, Jeremiah, Soriah, you will tie a stone to it and throw it into the middle of the Euphrates and say, just so Babylon shall sink down and not rise again because of the calamity that I am going to bring upon her.

So Jeremiah sees this event. And by the way, this hasn't happened yet. All of the things that have just been said to be cut off have still happened in Babylon. Babylon's demise under the Medes and Persia was not at all like this. It's taken over by stealth in the night.

It went through a long decline. Nothing like this has happened there. In fact, I would say nothing like this has happened to any of the cities that are often thought of as Babylon the Great. This isn't Babylon historic. This isn't Rome historic. There are weddings, there's industry, there's all kinds of music, all of that stuff going on in Rome today.

All of this stuff is still going in Jerusalem today. So any other city that is with us today cannot fit. No, those is speaking about a city of the future, a Babylon of the future. So, there's a couple characters, the rich merchants that this city produced, the deceivers, the sorcery, false religion.

But then there's another category. Look at verse 24. Those who violently murdered the prophets and the saints and everyone else. Look at verse 24. And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth. This is not a good kind of people that this system produces.

It corrupts the earth, it ruins the earth. We know that historic Babylon was not the only geographic location where innocent blood has been shed upon the earth. We know that. We know Jesus speaks about Jerusalem being a place that shed innocent blood and the shed blood of the prophets and the saints.

This text isn't saying that Babylon is the only place where innocent blood was shed. It is saying that this is where the innocent blood is going to be, the spirit behind Babylon is going to be. Dealt with and judged. But how can the responsibility, if you think about this, how can the responsibility of all the blood of the saints be found in her?

Look back at verse 24. And in her, very emphatic position is this preposition, in her. I think it gives us the answer. Keep in mind that historic Babylon, and I'm going all the way back to Nimrod's Babylon, sought to build a tower. It sought to build human civilization based on rebellion and human pride.

Human rebellion against God and human pride in itself. So her example, Babylon, was that of religious apostasy, economic prosperity as being her supreme pursuit. And what did she do? She unionized the world of her day against God and did so through the common language that God had given, inciting a common rebellion against God, building a tower to make a name for themselves.

Bring people together instead of dispersing and covering the earth. But if you think about it, that is a very good recipe for violence against the righteous and anyone else who stands in the way. Human arrogance elevating itself to rule civil authorities. And so, who this Babylon, what you get right there in early chapters of Genesis, she is the premier manifestation of the worldly mindset that has taken to its ultimate maturity.

That's who she is. She's this Babylon the Great is this premier manifestation of the worldly mindset. And the mother of such mindset that has influenced all societies since, to build a society in rebellion to God. That was the disposition of the earth. And so, since she's this premier manifestation of the worldly mindset, she is also going to be the premier manifestation of God's judgment against such hostility toward him.

Jeremiah also writes about this. Listen to Jeremiah 51 as he's speaking about Babylon and what's going to happen to her and why. And he starts with Nebuchadnezzar's Babylon, the Babylon of Nebuchadnezzar's day that God used to judge Israel and Jerusalem. Listen to Jeremiah's words and beginning in Jeremiah 51, verse 34.

Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, has devoured me and crushed me. He has set me down like an empty vessel. So, in other words, Nebuchadnezzar has come taken everything out of me he can. He has swallowed me like a monster. He has filled his stomach with my delicacies. He has taken everything from me.

He has washed me away. May the violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon. The inhabitant of Zion will say, and may my blood be upon the inhabitants of Chaldea. Jerusalem will also say that. Therefore, thus says the Lord, Behold, I am going to plead your case and exact full vengeance for you.

And I will dry up her sea. Speaking of Babylon, Babylons, and make her a fountain, and make her fountain dry. Babylon will become a heap of ruins, a haunt of jackals, an object of horror and hissing without inhabitants. And then he goes on to speak about the cities of Babylon, Babylonia.

Her cities have become an object of horror, a parched land and desert, a land in which no man lives and through which no son of man passes. And hear this. I will punish Bel in Babylon. I will punish Bel. Another name, Marduk. Another name, the Phoenician God, Baal, Baal.

I will punish Bel there in Babylon. That is where the spirit behind Babylon is going to be dealt with at this final manifestation of Babylon the Great. He goes on to say, and I will make what he has swallowed come out of his mouth, and the nations will come no longer to him.

And then he goes on and says this in verse 45. What is the so what of all of this in Jeremiah's time? He says this then in Jeremiah 51, 45, Come forth from her midst, my people, and each of you save yourselves from the fierce anger of the Lord.

Come out of her. This is Jeremiah in his day. Come out of her, my people. Each of you do not get wound up in the things she's wound up in. Come out of her, otherwise, you will yourselves experience the fierce anger of the Lord. Does that sound familiar?

You remember what Revelation 18:4 says? Now come back to Revelation chapter 18:4. I heard another voice from heaven saying, Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues. It's the very same message. Come out of her, my people.

You see, Bel, the spirit of evil, is going to be judged in Babylon, in Babylon of the future, and it'll be done. So don't be enticed by her today, by her ways, by her pursuits, by her excuses, by her rebellion, all that seduces. A person away from God.

So, there we have at the end of chapter 18, we have this very vivid description of her destruction. But then, right away, beginning in verse 19, the scene changes. We turn a chapter from chapter 18 into chapter 19, and what a good time of year to make that change.

Because chapter 19 gives us the whole coming of Christ. But in stark contrast to those who mourn are going to be those who rejoice. We're going to have several reasons to rejoice. And friends in the sound booth, I forgot my slide advancer. So we actually come to the sermon now.

But don't worry. It's just a couple verses. Thank you very much. Sorry. Let me just read to you chapter 19, the first five verses. After these things, I heard something like a voice, a great multitude in heaven saying, Hallelujah, salvation and glory and power belong. To our God, because his judgments are true and righteous.

For he has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality, and he has avenged the blood of his bondservants on her. And a second time they said, Hallelujah. Her smoke rises up forever and ever. And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God, who sits on the throne, saying, Amen, hallelujah.

And a voice came from the throne saying, Give praise to our God, all you his bondservants, you who fear him, the small and the great. This is the hallelujah. This is the original hallelujah chorus, by the way. If you will look there, four times in these verses, six verses here, is the word hallelujah used.

Four times. And nowhere else in the New Testament. So if you want to have reason to praise God, here it is. This is the New Testament being very vocal. Praise God. That's what hallelujah means. Praise Yahweh. Hallel. I read Psalm 113, the beginning of the Hallel Psalms. And the Hallel Psalms begin in 113, go through 118, about the idea of lifting up praise.

And so there's this choir that. Leads worship. And in these verses, you're going to see that there are those who lead worship, there are those who participate in worship, and then there are those who are expected to join this worship. And so, but underlying all of this, of course, is the reasons to celebrate, the reasons to rejoice.

And so, think about what has just happened: this calamity, this end of Babylon the Great, going down like a big rock intency, disappearing, great mourning, chapter 18, and now great rejoicing and reasons to rejoice. And so, as we keep walking through these next five verses, I want you to see three reasons, three reasons, so that you will know how to worship and so that you'll know how to lead others to worship.

Because you are called to worship even now, as you will see in a moment. But the first of these reasons is seen in chapter 19 and verse 1, specifically for that which belongs to him. Back at verse 1, after these things I heard something like a loud voice of a great multitude in heaven saying, Hallelujah.

Salvation and glory and power belong to our God. You see them there? Hallelujah. You can just circle the words hallelujah, and then there's a reason. Hallelujah. Salvation, glory, and power belong to God. Salvation. Praise God for his deliverance. In light of Babylon the Great going down, never to rise again.

Praise God for his deliverance, for his salvation. In fact, the Hillel Psalms, that I just read one of them, they were, according to the Mishnah, they were read every Passover. And they had strong overtones to the coming out of Egypt. God's deliverance of his people. So salvation belongs to God.

People have been saying, who is like Babylon? Been saying that throughout this book. Who is like the beast? Christ is greater. The new Jerusalem, his kingdom is greater. See, God is a Savior. And we can rejoice. Because God is a Savior and He knows how to save His people.

He knows how to deliver His people from everything that would, could, and would like to harm His people. He knows how to deliver from everything that harms his people, whether body or soul, he knows how. Salvation belongs to him. It doesn't belong to Babylon. It doesn't belong to anyone else.

It belongs to him. Glory, notice, glory. And this is speaking of glory belongs to God. It doesn't belong to Babylon. It doesn't belong to you or me or any other entity. Glory belongs to God. He is the one worthy of it. And when you're talking about glory, you're talking about brightness, radiance, prestige, magnificence.

And here it's in the context of judgment. They are ascribing judgment. I mean, they are ascribing magnificence to God for the brilliance of the way he judged Babylon. Magnificence in all things belongs to him. You know, life, self-exaltation is part of the worldly system. That is what those who belong to this Babylon the Great or who have taken in her system, they exalt themselves.

They belong to her. Look at the third. Power. Power belongs to him. This speaks of authority. It doesn't just speak of authority like he's got the right to do it, but also the rightness to exercise his authority, to wield his authority. He has power. He has the right and the ability to wield that power for the good of his ways.

And this, too, is also spoken of in the context of judgment. To him belongs the power. It's he, not us, who can put such power into effect. It is he, not Babylon, that has the power over humanity. So the first reason to rejoice is for what belongs to him: salvation, glory, and power.

There's a second reason for God's judgments. Look back at verse 2. So the command, or the hallelujah, salvation and glory, power belong to our God because his judgments are true and righteous. For he has judged the great harlot who is corrupting the earth with her immorality, and he He has avenged the blood of his bondservants on her.

Why? Well, his judgments. Why do the way he judges? And this changes the way you look forward to Judgment Day. It's a day of brilliance, of wisdom, skill in deciding. His judgments are true and righteous. In the way he judges, this judgment, it speaks of his role as judging all matters of the universe.

But again, here, it's specifically in the case of Babylon. Here it's the case that comes down to the question: who is going to inherit the earth? Those of the fallen Babylonian system or those who are of the heavenly citizens of Jerusalem? Who is going to inherit the earth?

The wicked or the saints? And why? Well, his judgments are true and righteous. They are true. That means that there is no mixture of error or incompetency in any of his judgments. They're also reliable. They're dependable. You can count on them. This day is coming. His judgments are true.

But they are also righteous. That is, they are just. There is nothing unjust in the way he judges Babylon and those who have unionized themselves with her. There is nothing unjust in the way he deals with him. Nor is there anything unjust in the way he bestows his blessings upon his saints.

There is nothing unjust in that. And that's what they're praising God. This is why you and I can praise God today and rejoice. All of his decisions are true, good, right, brilliant, magnificent, and just. No injustice in them at all, whatsoever, in the tiniest degree. This is the one upon who has taken the government upon his shoulders.

And we can, all of earth, all of heaven can rejoice in this. But you can see that he goes on. His judgments. Are true and righteous. And then he gives a couple of examples, specifically in the way he deals with Babylon, the great harlot, and with the way he deals with his saints.

First of all, look at verse 2. Look at his intolerance of evil. The trueness and rightness of God's judgment is seen in his intolerance of evil. Look at verse 2. For he has judged the great harlot who was corrupting the earth with her immorality. You ever seen, I know this is a, we live in a, we really live in dark times, by the way.

When we shootings have become very common, haven't they? And why is it that when there is a shooter in a mall, that everyone gets alarmed and decides that the shooter has to be taken out? Why is that? Because he's ruining the environment, isn't he? He can, a shooter can go in and take what would be a very nice day or a nice outing and turn it into a horrific nightmare.

That's what it means to ruin something, to spoil something, to corrupt something. And this is what the great harlot was doing to. The earth, spewing forth. She is the headwaters of the adulterous, the fraud, the violence, all sexual crimes, all of this comes out of her. And this is what corrupts and fouls up the earth.

And God's not going to let that go on forever. I mean, I know it's popular today to this idea of tolerance. And basically, let's tolerate evil. Unless, of course, you don't tolerate it, then we can't tolerate you. It's popular to tolerate evil and not tolerate those who would stand up against it.

Well, I'll tell you what, God, you've got to get to understand the God of the Bible. The trueness and rightness of his judgments are seen in the fact that he is intolerant of evil. He's not going to let it go on. God is right, and God is good in condemning the one who corrupts the others.

You remember Jesus? Listen to what he said in Luke 17:1. He said, It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come, but woe to him through whom they come. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around. His neck, and he were thrown into the sea, then he would cause one of these little ones to stumble.

Do you know why God hates evil? It's because of his love for his people and his protection and his love for the creation, his love for earth. It is out of his love to protect that he cannot stand that which harms. So, the trueness and rightness of God's judgments is seen in his intolerance of evil, but it's also seen in his commitment to justice.

Look again at verse 2, the end of it. And he has avenged the blood of his bondservants on her. He has avenged their blood. You know, there's, I like how the King James says it. I think the King James gets it right. He has avenged the blood of his bondservant at her hand.

In other words, the idea of he has avenged his bondservants from her hand and the harm that she has caused. But the same idea. He has avenged the blood of his bondservants on her with the downfall of Babylon. He is also avenging the blood of all that shed.

And there's several truths we know about Scripture, right? That blood cries out. Innocent blood cries out. You remember Genesis 4:10? Do you remember God talking to Cain? Cain, what have you done? The voice of your brother, Abel, the voice of your brother's blood is crying to me from the ground.

You see, blood that is violently shed cries out for vengeance until just punishment comes upon the murderers. That's what blood, innocent blood does. It cries out, just like we saw in Revelation 6:10. How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell upon the earth?

We understand also, Scripture is very clear that vengeance belongs to the Lord. In Deuteronomy 32, 35, God says this, Vengeance is mine and retribution. In due time, their foot will slip. For the day of their calamity is near, and the impending. Things are hastening upon them. For the Lord will vindicate his people and will have compassion on his servants.

So there is a day of vengeance. And there is no injustice in the way he deals with Babylon the Great. And there is no injustice in the way he blesses and vindicates his people. But there's a third reason in our text, reasons to rejoice. And this is for God's eternal condemnation of evil.

Look at verse 3. And a second time they said, Hallelujah. Her smoke rises up forever and ever. Her smoke is rising up forever and ever. Her smoke, literally, is rising up. Literal translation, into the ages of the ages. Eternal condemnation. Now, this one gets you in trouble. The idea of eternal condemnation.

There is probably not a doctrine that is more despised that the Bible teaches than this: eternal hell. And yet, here, in this context, heaven is rejoicing and rejoicing for God's eternal condemnation of evil. Think through that for a second. Something good is happening here. And if we can't see it, the problem's with us.

But think about it for just a moment. Come back to this basic question: who is going to inherit the earth? The saints or those heartless, ruthless God-haters? Who's going to inherit it? Remember, all this is a case, and God has already settle their case. That's the rejoicing in verse 20.

Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her. In other words, he has awarded the case in your favor. Now, think about this. For smoke to be rising up forever, what does that imply? That there's a fire burning forever.

And there is a fire that burns forever because God is a Angry with evil forever, and he doesn't change. God doesn't change, and these inhabitants of Babylon don't change. So, guess where God's wrath is going to reside upon them. This is what hell's constituents are about. God doesn't change in his hatred of evil, and the inhabitants of hell will not change from their evil.

And so, out of his love for his creation, out of a love for his people, he makes a permanent separation. But think about this. For smoke to be rising forever, it implies that a fire is burning forever, which implies her destruction is never complete. And guess what? If her destruction is never complete, her reconstruction will never begin.

You're familiar with war and the images of war? When a city is raised to the ground and burnt, eventually what happens? The burning stops. And guess what? Then the city can be rebuilt. But because Babylon the Great, because this worldly system and the spirits behind it and those caught up in it, because her destruction is never complete, her reconstruction will never begin.

Therefore, who will inherit the earth? The saints of God, because of the destruction of the enemies of God will never be complete and will always be a reminder. It is not God who is hateful. Boy, by the time you've gotten through Revelation, you've seen appeal after appeal. Come, come, come, and there's going to be more.

The reason he's giving all this up is so that people will come out of this false worldly system. Give glory to God. Stop going your own way and go her his way. Yeah, it is not God who is hateful, but it is those of the worldly system of Babylon and the horrors that they bring about upon the earth.

It is a violence. It is a Hamas on Hamas. A Hamas on steroids. This is Babylon the Great. And it is out of his love for his people that he eternally protects them. Her destruction is never complete. Complete, always have the wrath of God burning against her, and so her reconstruction can never begin.

That's the ages of the ages, and why God's eternal condemnation of evil is something to rejoice over. He doesn't just exhaust it and say, Okay, well, I guess I'm not mad at evil anymore. Go ahead, have your day. No, it's permanently done away with, permanently incarcerated, never to rise again.

And then and only then can that new era come. The long-awaited era when earth is rid of evil. Now humanity can begin to truly live. Well, there are three reasons why God is to be worshipped. Number one, for what belongs to Him, salvation, glory, and power. Number two, for His judgments, they are true and righteous.

And number three, for His eternal condemnation of evil. Look at verse four and five real quickly. I want you to see heaven's endorsement of everything that's just been said. Look at verse 4. And the 24 elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sits on the throne, saying, Amen, hallelujah.

They affirm all that has just been said, the reasons to rejoice. But now, look, I want you to see in verse 5. I want you to see that there is a call for all of you to join this chorus. Look at verse 5. And a voice came from the throne saying, Give praise.

Literally, be praising. So it gets present verb. And a voice came from the throne saying, Give praise to our God, all you his bondservants, you who fear him, the small and the great. You see, you are called to rejoice over these reasons as well. We can think about, we can thank him and praise him for our salvation, salvation in the past.

But we can also thank him in advance for the salvation that is still to come. Listen, there's so much more we need to be delivered from the weakness, failing of our own body. We need a new body. We need a new environment. We need all this. There's salvation to come.

We can thank him for the glory to be revealed. We can thank him in advance for the way he's going to exercise his power, how he has used his power in the past, how he will use his power in the future. We can thank him in advance for his judgments to come, for his eternal condemnation of evil.

So we can thank him. Thank him in advance. And you know, we can see all of this in the manger. If you understand and have been schooled in the whole council of God, then you see this baby that we celebrate, this incarnation of God in a manger. We can see all of this.

The government is upon his shoulders. Salvation, glory, and power belong to him. The way he judges will be true and righteous. He will permanently and forever do away with evil and never let it come again, take hold, planet Earth. Yeah, it's a whole new era and a reason to rejoice.

And so we're called to rejoice this morning for these things. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we do bow our heads and we thank you for the intrinsic beauty which belongs to you. We thank you for the magnificence and the way you save your people, the magnificence and brightness of you.

And brilliance of your glory and the way you decide things and your judgments. And Father, and the way you use your power, we rejoice. We rejoice that all your ways are true and righteous. There is absolutely no injustice in you. Father, we thank you that you have greater designs for planet Earth than what it has been used.

Father, we look forward to what's ahead. And so, Father, we recognize your goodness in these things. And Father, we want to rejoice. And as we turn our hearts to thinking and celebrating your incarnation, you walking among us this Christmas season, Father, may you just alert our minds. Help us to hear the summons to rejoice and to truly rejoice in these things that heaven rejoices in, that our worship and our rejoicing will be that of a very informed mirror of what the rejoicing in heaven is all about.

We thank you and we say, hallelujah, and help us. Hallelujah. In Jesus' name, amen.