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1:16But for now, please stand. I want to be reading from Luke chapter 12. Luke chapter 12. I'll begin in verse 15. Luke chapter 12, verse 15. Then he said to them, Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed. For not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions. And he told them a parable, saying, The land of a rich man was very productive. And he began reasoning to himself, saying, What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops? Then he said, This is what I will do. I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come. Take your ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said to him, You fool, this very night your soul is required of you. And now, who will own what you have prepared? So is the man who stores up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God. And he said to his disciples, For this reason I say to you, do not worry about your life as to what you will eat, nor for your body as to what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap. They have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than the birds. And which of you By worrying, can add a single hour to his lifespan. If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters? Consider the lilies, how they grow. They neither toil nor spend, but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will he clothe you, you men of little faith?

3:35And do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek. But your Father knows that you need these things. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity. Make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near, nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we come before you, thanking you for being the God who looks out. For us, looks over us, cares for us, provides for us. Father, it is in your abundant goodness that you have created us, that you clothe us, that you feed us, that you give us life, that you give us breath. And all of that, Father, has a purpose that we might be children, that we might seek you, be thankful to you, and seek your kingdom. Father, forgive us where we have let the pursuits of this world be our God, where we have spent more time worrying about what we will eat, what we will wear, than concerned about seeking your kingdom and glorifying you and giving thanks to you. Forgive us for the hours of worry. Cleanse us, Father, and help us to have a right pursuit in this life. For we know all these things come to an end. We know those who pursue material wealth as their great gain in life, as their ultimate end. Father, we know that every manner of atrocity follows in that kind of wake. We also know that they will be disappointed, for all these things must perish. But, Father, wise are the ones who build their kingdom, build your kingdom, and build their life pursuing your kingdom. So, Father, We help us to use the resources that you've given us to barter for that which is eternal. Father, we gather today thanking you for the kingdom that is to come. As we look around, we know that this world is passing, its values, its sin, its corruption, and all of it will give way to your eternal kingdom. We look forward to your return. Help us to be a people mindful of these things and diligent about pleasing you in the days and hours that you give us. Starting here, now, we confess our sins to you. Come to you in the name of Jesus Christ, in his shed blood, and we offer up praise to you. May it be pleasing to you. May our hearts be attentive. May our minds not drift. May we take this holy day and set it aside and turn our hearts and minds and thoughts towards you. Free us for distractions, and may you be exalted here in all things said and done. In Christ's name, amen. Once again, good morning. Please turn in your Bibles to Revelation chapter 18. We'll be looking at verses 9 through 20.

7:24I know the verses 9 through 20. Go ahead and read these words. Revelation chapter 18, beginning in verse 9. And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city Babylon, the strong city, for in one hour your judgment has come. And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes anymore. Cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. The fruit you long for has gone from you and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand at a distance because Of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls. For in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste. And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.

10:09One of the very first things that Jesus taught his disciples was the right pursuits in life to seek the kingdom of God rather than the things of this world, to seek righteousness. Rather than wealth or anything else that the world has to offer to please God. Question for you: Is it better to have righteous people, just people, fair people? Is it better to have righteous people in charge of an entity, whether it be a school, whether it be a place, whether it be a home, whether it be a place of work, a business?

11:02Do you think it's better to have righteous people in charge of the earth or the unrighteous? Well, the Bible certainly has an opinion on this. Proverbs 11:10 says this: When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices. And when the wicked perish, there is joyful shouting. Verse 11 says this: By the blessing of the upright, a city is exalted. By the blessing, why? Why does it, when it goes well with the righteous, does a city rejoice? Why? Because they pursue the right goal. They pursue pleasing God.

11:51And so when they think, they think in terms of what is just, what is fair, what is good, and they use their creative capacities. To create all manner of good around them. That's what they do. One commentator says this about this verse: when the righteous are advanced and put into a capacity of doing good according to their desire, it is so much the better for all around them, and the city rejoices. For the honor and encouragement of virtue, we should be glad to see virtuous men prosper in the world and brought into good reputation. You see, when the righteous, when the just, the fair, the good, when good people are in charge and do it, they use, they bring about good things, and all rejoice.

12:55And yet, it is the wicked who oppose the righteous. The wicked oppose, it is the wicked who tear down. You know, one of the most difficult things to watch in life, I'm old enough to look back and start having some opinions about life, but one of the things that is most difficult for me to watch, even as a young person, it's hard to watch somebody being bullied. Somebody, I don't know if you've been bullied yourself or. Bullied somebody or seen it, whether in video or whether in the news or whether you've personally witnessed or experienced it, it's hard to watch somebody who is vulnerable be hammered by somebody who is ruthless. It's hard to watch.

13:50It's hard to watch or hear a good person brought down by evil people. It's one of the most difficult things to see. It causes a pain deep within. Well, be sure and know that God does not enjoy watching it either. He does not enjoy watching the unrighteous, the wicked, destroy the innocent and the vulnerable and the righteous. God does not enjoy watching that, and God has purposed that there will be an end to it. And when He does put an end to it, as our text says this morning, there will be mourning and there will be rejoicing. You can expect mourning, those allied with the unrighteous, and rejoicing with those who are allied with what is good and right.

15:00Our text that we read describes both responses. So we continue looking at the fall of Babylon the Great, which in chapter 16, the seven bowls bring to an end its existence. Chapter 17 and 18 elaborate more, in more depth, the destruction and the bringing down of this final evil empire. And so this morning, I want you to see both those, these responses to Babylon's fall, those who will mourn and those who rejoice. Because I want you to be in the right company. There is a right side of history. And I want you to be in that company. So, first, we'll look at those who mourn. And this is very simple. Just as a principle of Bible study, when you see words that are repeated several times, there's an emphasis being made. And it will help you navigate a body of text. If you will, when you see these repeated words, circle them. For instance, woe, woe. Look at verse 10. Whoa, whoa.

16:19Repeated words. Look at verse 16. Circle the words, woe, woe. Verse 19, woe, woe. These are expressions of death. Deep, agonizing lament. And it helps us divide the bulk of this passage into three groups. Three groups that are going to mourn. You're going to find the kings of the earth who are going to mourn, the merchants of the earth are going to mourn, and those who make their living by the sea are going to mourn. And those are the laments, those expressions, woe, woe, speak are the laments from each of these categories, the kings, the merchants, and those who make their living by the sea. So let's just start walking through this. Verse 9. First, we come to the first category of those who will mourn, and it's going to be the kings of the earth. Look at verse 9. And the kings of the earth who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her. Speaking of Babylon, the great, this city, this empire, this capital city, this empire, and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city, for in one hour your judgment has come.

17:55The sins of the king, if you can boil it down to the sins of the The sin of the kings of the earth here described by two expressions. Notice what they did. They committed acts of immorality. They fornicated with her. They committed acts of immorality. They entered into spiritual union with her and they lived sensuously with her. That is, they lusted after her luxury. Sensuously, they lived luxuriously. They loved what she loved. So the kings of the earth, they went after the things that she went after.

18:38And they did the things that she did because they loved the things that she loved. What did they love? They loved her luxuries. That was their God. And they were willing to do whatever immoral things that were necessary to give them those luxuries, that sensual lifestyle, lifestyle of things, of pleasures. We use the word in our house bougie. That's you know, when you have a bunch of daughters in your house, you learn words that you wouldn't learn. But the word bougie, that's the idea.

19:30They lived sensuously. They loved that which was opulent, bougie, way out there. I guess I'm going to have to do some explaining of that over the lunch table. But this is kind of the idea: that opulent lifestyle, that luxurious living, that became the ultimate pursuit. And because that was their ultimate pursuit, they committed acts of immorality with her. They did things that were improper, not good, unjust, not fair, because they had another goal in mind that trumped relationship with God and pleasing him.

20:21But notice, they will weep. The kings of the earth who committed these acts of morality with her will weep. They will wail. It is a strong term. They will weep and lament over her. Intense grief. They will beat their chests. They will tear their clothes. That kind of it's the idea of catastrophic loss. Like knocking the wind out of a person. Whoa. These are terms describing. Intense grief. Notice when they will weep and lament over her, when they see the smoke of her burning. Literally, when they are seeing the smoke, when they are seeing God's judgment upon her, they will be put in a state of deep mourning.

21:29So we're looking at those who will mourn. But notice in verse 10 what they will do. They will standing at a distance, they will take their stand at a safe distance. Notice they're not getting close to her. Standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment. They are petrified. They are alarmed. They are in terror. They are not only put in a state of mourning, they are put in a state of terror watching her destruction. They are seeing the smoke of her burning. There's no intempt to intervene on her behalf.

22:18They were in terror, certainly a terror of being destroyed with her. So they take their stand at a safe distance. But notice they are alarmed. Look at what alarms them. This city, this strong city. Look at this language. The great city, Babylon, the strong city. This is like there has been no other city like this one. This is a very long description. They're piling up descriptions of how great, how mighty, how strong, how powerful this city was.

23:04And then they say, in one hour, your judgment has come. How great you became, and how quickly it was gone. That's what has put them in a state of terror. But if you also note that their mourning is not really for the city, as the others, as we go through this passage, it's more for themselves. It's a selfish kind of mourning. You see, it's an epic moment. They have no more buyers of merchandise. Their merchandise is no longer treasured.

23:51But these kings are the ones who have profited politically from being associated with her. So the kings of the earth, they will mourn when she is destroyed, because their advancement politically and probably in wealth has come to an end. But then there's a second category of people that will mourn. These are the merchants of the earth. Let me read, beginning in verse 11. And this takes us all the way down to the first half of verse 17. And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her because no one buys their cargoes anymore. Cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. The fruit of you long, the fruit you long for has gone from you and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning. Morning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste.

25:46A long segment, isn't it? You get the idea where the emphasis in this passage of those who mourn, more space is given to the merchants. The merchants. You see, the kings loved her ideology and passions. They were enamored with her strength, her political strength and wealth. They needed, the kings probably needed her endorsement to be in power. They may have been made wealthy by bribes, kickbacks, participating. But here, beginning in verse 11, it's the merchants who became extremely wealthy by her trade. It's not the kings, they may have become wealthy secondarily, but it's the merchants who became extremely wealthy by her trade. You see, behind her strength will be the wealth of the great merchants of the world.

26:52And you can tell this is a big operation: global reach. It's an expansion. Operation of commodities and movements of goods and services. The merchants, the word for merchants involves the idea of importers, those who import things, the traders, the wholesale dealers. That's who they are. They are the money machine. They are the one moving goods and profiting greatly. That is their God. And it's their mourning that dominates this chapter. But their mourning is also selfish. Notice in 11, no one buys their cargoes anymore. And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn. They will also be put in this intense state of grieving. Why? Because no one buys their cargoes anymore. That's their love. We've got all this cargo. This is how we get fat, filthy, rich, and now our market is gone.

28:13And so they're not so much in love with her for her sake. They're in love with themselves, and they fornicate with her because of what they want from her. Notice in 12 and 13, we get perhaps one of the most comprehensive lists of items of worldly wealth in ancient history. Notice their cargoes: cargoes of gold and silver, precious stones, and pearls. You get the idea of costly wares, jewelry, expensive ornaments, costly decor. So, the first you have this expensive, this gold, silver, precious stones, pearls. Second, you have this other category of fine linen, purple, silk, and scarlet. These are fabrics, garments, clothing, fine clothing.

29:16Notice the third category, and every kind of citron wood, and every article of ivory, and every article made from very costly wood, and bronze, and iron, and marble. This is elaborate furniture, stately household decor, and beyond. But it's there's another category. Look at a fourth category, verse 13: and cinnamon, and spice, and incense, and perfume, and frankincense, spices, perfumes, fragrance. See these industries. Notice fine foods. There's a category of fine and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat, fine foods. It is describing the bougie lifestyle.

30:14And cattle and sheep, livestock, animal products, food and their products. And then notice another category: cargoes of horses and chariots, technology. And notice another category, and slaves and human lives. Slaves, those constricted to work, forced. But the word for human lives is really souls, human souls. So you think about the categories. These goods and services, they describe products from many regions of the world, including Spain, India, Persia, Egypt, Asia, China, Africa, Greece, Phoenicia, Yemen, Arabia, and more. This list is quite expansive of worldly wealth and the categories of worldly wealth. Wealth and people, slaves, souls, human livestock. You see, Babylon's enormous supply and demand requires manpower. Some will be forced, some will be sold into it. All of this, whatever is necessary to lead, to deliver the goods that fallen man wants.

32:01It's a very materialistic world, a very sensual world, and there needs to be those who will meet the supply and demand and serve in that industry. These are these merchants profit out of this enormous demand that Babylon has. These are the things that the world holds dear. These are the things for which the ungodly, the unrighteous are willing to sell their souls for and sell other souls for. This is Babylon the Great. This is the character. This is the economic strength built upon the impulses and desires of fallen humanity.

32:59But it's Evident that all of these things will come to an abrupt end and they will never be found again. Look at verse 14. The fruit you long for has gone from you, it's departed. And all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you, and men will no longer find them. The Greek is really has an emphasis here. All that is luxurious, costly, opulent, and elegant, all that is splendid and radiant and shiny, and it has passed away from you, and never again in no way will there be people who find this among you or in you. That's how complete the loss is.

34:01And the loss is more catastrophic than just what happens in Babylon. Seems to be more than just what's passing through the city, but like a global market crash. It's like the global market crash of worldly pursuits. Never again will these things have such a hold over human civilization. And Christ has been saying that from the very beginning to his disciples. Don't pursue these things. They will come to an end. Christ comes understanding how things are going to end and speaking wisdom to his disciples.

34:47Leave these behind. Remember, I'll reread those words to you in Luke. Luke chapter 12, verse 29. I read them earlier. Do not seek what you will eat and what you will drink, and do not keep worrying. For all these things the nations of the world eagerly seek. But your father knows that you need these things, but seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you. Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.

35:21You see, when the wares of this world become the primary pursuit in your life, guess what? You become capable of every kind of evil deed. You just don't know it yet. But if the ultimate thing in your life is pleasing God, then these things will not take hold in you. You will not partake with Babylon's kind. Abraham was called out of Ur of the Chaldeans just a little. North of Babylon. He was called out of Babylonia. We're called to come out of this worldly system that is ultimately going to rise to power. And I mean, it's already here, but there will be a final expression and strength of it to come. But we are to come out of it now. How? By setting our hearts and minds on God's kingdom, on his king, on his ways, and not upon the pursuits of fallen mankind.

36:42They are going out of style. These never again will be the esteem of human civilization. A global market crash of worldly pursuits is coming on planet Earth. So don't put your stock in them, your precious days and hours. Don't invest your life in them. But now the irony of all of this is that these things will be in the new Jerusalem and on a much grander scale. And they will be enjoyed by God. God's people. Even though they do not seek the treasures of the earth, they are given to them.

37:40It's one of the first lessons that Jesus taught his disciples about right pursuits. Pursue God, pursue his kingdom. And everything that is characteristic of God's kingdom is going to be added to you. But we don't pursue the things of the kingdom. We don't pursue these things in a fleshly, sinful way. What we do is we pursue the king and his ways. And then these things just are added. But what's interesting to note is that just like the kings, these merchants do not try to rescue Babylon either.

38:26They are too much in a state of alarm and horror. Look at verse 15. The merchants of these things who became rich from her will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city. She who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls, for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste. You see, the kings were.

39:01Lamenting and surprised and alarmed that such a great city, such a powerful city, could fall so quickly. These merchants also are alarmed at how fast her decline and her judgment is. But it's the great wealth, how such a rich city, how so much wealth can be laid waste in such a quick time. That's their, that's their alarm. They mourn, but it's for themselves. You see, the means to great wealth has been taken from them. Their God they see coming down.

39:54And so they mourned. So we're looking at those who mourn. There's first the kings of the earth. Second, the great merchants of the earth. But then there's a third category of mourners. And it is those who make their living by the sea. Look at the second half of verse 17. And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor and as many as make their living by the sea stood at a distance and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like the great city? And they threw dust on their head and were crying out, weeping, and mourning, saying, Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste.

40:53Category of people who make their living by the sea. Look at the shipmaster. A shipmaster is a person who's in charge of a ship. That could be a captain, it could be a helmsman, it could be a ship owner, it could be the shipping company, shipmaster. Everyone, you get the idea this is a port city of major proportions. Every shipmaster and every passenger, everyone using boats to travel, and sailor. This would involve everyone who's involved in the industry, in the shipping industry, everyone who's involved in the Navy. There's no doubt there's going to be a major naval base there, sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea. There's a lot of people that.

42:00Are people of the sea and make their living from such great commerce? And they too were stood at a distance. No one's getting close to this thing when it's judged. Everyone's standing and they're put in a state of alarm. And notice what they and they were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning. Again, they are witnessing this smoke going up. And they are saying, What city is like the great city? There's never been one like it.

42:49And verse 19, they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping, and mourning. No, it's three expressions. Three expressions of deep traumatic loss or grief. They were crying out, they were wailing, they were weeping, crying profusely, sobbing, and they were mourning. That's a woe, woe, great city, in which all who had ships at sea, in these ships, these could be. These are seafaring vessels of all kinds, from passenger to luxury, crews to fishing, but also cargo ships of great numbers.

43:49Oh, they became wealthy, rich by her wealth. And so they also selfishly mourn. For in one hour, she has been laid waste. So there are those who mourn: kings, merchants, and those who make their living by the sea. But there will also be those who will rejoice over her. Verse 20. There will be those who will rejoice. Look at verse 20. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her. Rejoice. That's a command, by the way. A voice. You be rejoicing.

44:42You let this news, let this sight gladden your heart. That's the command. You be rejoicing over her. And notice, four categories. Heaven, O heaven. Rejoice over her, O heaven, and all you in it. Notice the saints, and you saints. Who are the saints? All of the faithful. Who are the faithful? Those who have received God's testimony regarding his Son, those who have held fast to the testimony of Jesus. They are the saints. Because they have held fast to the testimony of Jesus, they have been set apart. Question to you today: Do you believe in the Christ revealed in Scripture? Have you united your heart to Him? If so, you are one of these saints. And when the worldly system finally collapses, it will be an occasion for rejoicing for you.

45:59Rejoice over her, you saints. And you apostles. Who are the apostles? I believe it's the 11. Apostles with the capital A. They're in heaven. You apostles. They're the ones who published the news of the Christ that God sent. They published the news, and in publishing that news, they. Brought about the conversion of many, many who would go from the category of the world into the category of the light, only to be persecuted by those by the world they left behind. You know, I think about some of the things that as a father, I realize I'm bringing my children up as best I can in the fear and admonition of the Lord to embrace the Christ revealed in Scripture. This is what I preach, this is what I exhort you to do, but at the same time, there's a little bit of angst because I know that the world hates the Christ revealed in Scripture and hates those aligned with Him. And so, inevitably, even as I proclaim, I realize I'm setting people, I'm an instrument that is being used to set people on collision course with this world. Well, that was the apostles. Think how they felt as they saw Christ go to the cross, as they followed into martyrdom, and realized that the precious people that they had intertwined their lives with and loved greatly and counseled and taught and shared their lives with, they knew what was going to happen to many of them. It is an occasion for rejoicing for the apostles and for the prophets. Who are they? I believe both New Testament. And Old Testament prophets.

48:05What specifically is the cause of rejoicing? Remember back in 17:1, you can even turn back there. I want to remember what the angel told John at the beginning of chapter 17. Remember what's happened? The bowls have been poured out, and you come at the end of chapter 16, and then in chapter 17:1, then one of the angels who had the seven bowls came and spoke with me, saying, Come here, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth committed acts of immorality, and those who dwell on the earth were made drunk with the wine of her immorality. What does he say? He's saying, I will show you the case, really, the lawsuit. I will show you the judgment. It's like a courtroom setting. I will show you the case against the great harlot, the judgment against her.

49:06What is the angel doing in chapter 17 and 18, and then beginning in 19? He's showing the case. He's showing how God will decide the saints' case against the great harlot. What was the case that they had? What was their cry against the inhabitants of the earth? You remember? Chapter 6. You remember in chapter 6, verse 9, remember when the fifth seal was opened? We hear the cry. Chapter 6, verse 9. Let me read it to you. When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they had maintained. And they cried out with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, will you refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth? Here's their cry: God, how long are you going to let this unrighteous activity go on? How long are you going to allow your people to be slaughtered in this manner? That's the blood crying out. And in verse 11 of chapter 6, and there was given to each of them a white robe, and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer until the number of their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed, even as they had been, would be completed. That's the plea before the throne of God. And so, when you come to this point in chapter 18, the command to rejoice is not about gloating over one's enemy, but about the end of the evil reign upon the earth. That's what this rejoicing is about. About.

51:01It's like the angel is saying, Rejoice. God has settled your case. And it's in your favor. The saints will inherit the earth. The way of the saints, they are going to inherit the earth. It's not going to be the way of the unrighteous, those who pursue gain, self-glory. They're not going to inherit the earth. The case is being settled. It's like God is saying something to the effect: what you thought was right. It's correct. Your case has been settled.

51:55And here's the evidence of it. The religious and economic pressures of evil will be over one day. Babylon the great and all those influenced by her thinking will be finished, never to rise again. This is why Jesus says in Luke chapter 12 and verse 32 to His disciples, do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to charity. Make yourselves money belts which do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven where no thief comes near or moth destroys. Sell your possessions. Barter for eternity.

53:02Barter, use your goods, use your services, not to gain more wealth for yourself or more luxury or ease for yourself. Use what you have, barter them for kingdom purposes, invest in that which doesn't wear out, and that unfailing treasure of heaven. Friends, mourning is in store for all those whose world is the earthly pursuits. Morning is in store. If your whole life is ultimately tied to earthly pursuits, earthly titles, and earthly treasures, you're in store for a great morning. Ahead, because all of that is going to be lost and deemed valueless, not worth anything by those who God has destined to give the earth to.

54:20On the other hand, rejoicing is in store for all those who seek God's kingdom, who align themselves with His ways. And this is an invitation to you today to align yourself with His ways. Cry out to the true King, to the true shepherd of your soul. Beg for His pardon. Ask for Him to pardon, forgive, to put His Spirit in you so that you can live the rest of your days in lockstep with His kingdom. Do not be afraid.

55:06For your Father has chosen gladly to give you such a kingdom. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you for the reality that there is a kingdom that will never fade away. Father, even as we see the passing seasons, In the passing days of our lives, in the passing countries, kingdoms, and nations that come and go. Father, we are reminded that there is something, a city that is eternal. And just as you called Abraham out of this ancient city of Babylonia, Father, you call us out today from this worldly system to prize what you prize, to walk in the ways that you have given. And what a privilege it is. So, Father, that is what we want to do. Go with us now. In Jesus' name, amen.