Front Row Seats At A Funeral

If you would, take your Bibles and turn now to Revelation chapter 18. It will be in this text from verses 9 through 19 this morning. Before we dare approach the Word of God, we need to ask that God would teach us. I've become absolutely convinced it is never the eloquence of the preacher or his sophistication or anything that makes this understandable it's only the spirit of God so we need to ask his help right now so let's do that Father because of the remaining corruption of sin because we are mere creatures we cannot understand anything of your word unless you by your grace reveal it to us.

We can read the words. We can understand an argument of a passage. We can see how it all snaps together into a fine puzzle that makes sense. But we will never understand what it means to us and how we need to be transformed by your spirit unless your spirit makes this text come alive in our hearts, exposing our sin, showing where we need hope, giving us that hope, and showing us Jesus.

So we pray that you would do all those things by your spirit this morning. Again, we come to you in complete dependence, for without you we would know nothing. Open your word to us now. Amen. Funerals are difficult for me because it is hard to see the devastation that our enemy, death, brings in his wake. And the moments that are particularly hard for me are the ones right after the service when everyone except the family is dismissed.

That is when the family, in its own way, pays its last respect to their loved one, and when emotions tend to flow rather freely, more freely than when anyone else is in the room. And it just you and the family and that loved one and no one else Unlike most front row seats that a front row seat that I do not particularly enjoy Now in our text this morning, God gives all his people front row seats at a particularly important funeral. That is the funeral of Babylon.

As we read this text, we see that Babylon has died by the judgment of God on her. And because of that judgment, Babylon's lovers are now mourning their loss. And as you sit there, God encourages you to watch these mourners cry and wail and weep their loss. That's the front row seat that he gives you at this funeral. So let's look at it. Revelation 18, beginning in verse 9.

And the kings of the earth who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off in fear of her torment and say, alas, alas, you great city, you mighty city Babylon, for in a single hour your judgment has come. And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore.

Cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle, and sheep, horses, and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls. The fruit for which your soul longed has gone from you, and all your delicacies and your splendors are lost to you, never to be found again. The merchants of those wares who gained wealth from her will stand far off in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud. alas, alas for the great city that was clothed in fine linen in purple and scarlet adorned with gold with jewels and with pearls for in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste And all shipmasters and seafaring men sailors and all whose trade is on the sea stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning.

What city was like the great city? And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, Alas, alas for the great city, where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth. For in a single hour she has been laid waste. And so the mourning ends. Why does your father want you to sit at this funeral and watch this weeping and this wailing?

There are two reasons. The first is so that you will celebrate. So that you will rejoice. Verse 20. Rejoice over her, O heaven. and you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her. So one of the reasons why it gives you this front row seat to watch these people wail and mourn and weep and cry is that so you will laugh and rejoice at their mourning.

And the other reason why it gives you these front row seats is found again, as we've noted, in verse 4. the word the voice from heaven says the voice of our father come out of her my people lest you take part in her sins lest you share in her plagues come out of her lest you take part in her judgment and so he gives this this scene of weeping and wailing and mourning and crying so that you will not only rejoice but you will take warning and you will get out of the city So, in order to take warning and in order to give you grounds for celebration, learn some things from this funeral. Take these front row seats and learn what God's judgment does. Learn what God's judgment does.

Here's the first. Learn that this judgment ends consumerism. This judgment ends consumerism. You find here in verse 11 and 12 a representative list of the products of these merchants Babylon has been destroyed in this vision and so is unable to buy any more of the cargos There no way to buy those cargos This is a catalog of luxury items in which Rome extravagantly overindulged Here's a picture, here is a symbol of all the stuff that we overindulge in.

Now, if we were writing the list today, it might include things like this, cars, entertainment, all the restaurants that are out there, drugs, travel, all kinds of things and services that give us pleasure, that would draw us away from our undiluted love for Christ. We could rewrite that list and we could put all kinds of stuff in there. But the point is, this is a symbol of all the stuff that we are tempted to overindulge in, all the stuff that we forget to see our gifts from God and begin to love the gifts more than the giver.

I was saying to Becca the other day, this is the hardest part of life for me. in this stage in my life is I'm too easily drawn away to idolatry and love all the good gifts God has given me and not love the giver. You know? So here all this list of all this stuff, all the things, and these are, note verse 14, these are the fruits, these are the delicacies, these are the splendors for which people long.

These are the things for which people long. These are what people so desperately want that they think they can't live without them. These are the must-haves. I must have these consumer items. I must have these things. And I want you to notice in verse 13, at the very end of verse 13, where it says, horses and chariots and slaves, that is, human souls.

That should literally read horses and chariots and bodies. That is, human souls. What's the point? It equates human beings in the syntax of this particular phrase. particular phrase, it equates human beings with horses and chariots. And so the writer includes that little bit. That is, human souls.

You know, the Romans had a view of looking at slaves. They called them tools who can think, tools who can talk. Right? And John is making the point, these bodies, these commodities, these are human souls. The point being, this describes a decadent culture's ruthless pursuit of pleasure no matter what the cost to others. The ruthless pursuit of pleasure no matter what the cost to others.

You say, well, we don't have slaves today. Look, look at our culture today. We live in a culture that says no matter what the cost, I've got to have that stuff. I've got to have those pleasures. I don't care what it costs anybody else. I've got to have it.

You know, one of the most growing and persistent problems today in America, the big American cities are today? Sex trafficking. It is getting to be a major, major problem in American cities today where women and girls are kidnapped or forced in some way into the sex trade, either from overseas and they're brought here, or even children, our children, here in America.

And they can't seem to get a handle on it. You know why? The demand is too great. That's why. The demand is too great. That could be shut down in no time at all. if there was no demand, if there was no market for it, right?

It doesn't matter what the cost is. I've got to have what I want to have. Are you familiar with the diamond wars that are going on in West Africa? There are tribes fighting one another, being manipulated by these giant diamond companies, where these tribes come in and they kill parents, rape the women, then kill them, and then take their children and through indoctrination and drugs and whatever make them into killers Have you heard of the child armies in West Africa Why do they exist They exist because people must have what they want, and they don't care what the cost is.

You say, well, you know what? I can see human exploitation going on in the marketplace today. You know, as I talk to you guys from Honda and Whirlpool and stuff, and it's different than the factory where I worked just before I came here. The whole work environment has changed. Goods must be produced cheaply and abundantly because that's what everyone wants.

Well, that's a given. That is a given. That's what everybody's always wanted. We want goods that are cheap and abundant. Okay. Every economy does that.

The problem is you've been in it long enough. Some of us old guys have been in long enough to see how companies now, who used to care about their employees, now use them and use them up. You're cogs now. And if you can't do the job, we're gone. No, no, not every company is that way. Not every company is that way.

But, you know, there is a difference in the culture, in the industrial culture today that I've seen, you know. again I think it's interesting that we've moved from personnel departments to what human resources right that says something that says something the culture that ruthlessly pursues pleasure no matter what the cost to others this is rank consumerism folks we live in that culture and god says get out get out at the core of babylon's being is a commitment to satisfying herself with wealth that's at the core finding satisfaction in stuff in things in pleasure finding our satisfaction in those sorts of things this is not a system that seeks to point people to God's glory nor to find satisfaction in God rather it exists to promote self and it exists to promote self The most important thing in life is that I satisfied Right? That I'm satisfied. That I have pleasure.

But all the goods so eagerly consumed, notice what it says in verse 14. They will be gone from you. Lost to you. Never to be found again. God's judgment of Babylon spells the end of consumerism. Can you imagine the torment?

Can you imagine the torment of having lived your entire life being motivated by and living for self-satisfaction, self-glorification? All of life is about feeding me, and now it's all gone, never to be found again. I'm not sure, but I think that's the entrance of hell. All these desires that I've had, do you think that's going to change? And now, never, ever to be able to satisfy those desires again for all eternity. that's torment.

Someday it's going to end. These things will never be found again. Consumerism will end. By the way, heaven is not the great mega-consumer paradise, okay? It is in one sense, in this sense. We will enjoy God beyond what we ever have enjoyed Him now.

We will be able to enjoy our gifts in a way that honors God, rather than making the gifts idols. Again, that's just, I would get dizzy even thinking about that. It's so beyond our experience. So God's judgment of Babylon spells the end of consumerism. So be warned, but also find reason to rejoice because in that day there will be no more temptation to enjoy things without glorifying God.

We'll be able to enjoy creation. the new creation without a curse but without the distraction of a sinful corrupt heart that wants things more than God we will be able to experience all of the new creation and glorify God at the same time without any competition Learn as well this. Learn that this judgment turns winners into losers. Learn that this judgment turns winners into losers.

God's judgment dethrones rulers. The kings of the earth. The kings of the earth. Now, some of you, if you've been listening carefully, I have, will note this. Wait, you will say, I thought that the kings were the one who turn on Babylon and destroy it. Do you remember that?

Okay, let's just stop here. I won't preach this sermon anymore. I'll just go back and preach that sermon. Save time for this week. Now, let's turn back to chapter 17. Remember what we saw in chapter 17, verse 16?

And the ten horns, remember, that represent this universal confederacy of nations. And the ten horns that you saw, they and the beast will hate the prostitute. They will make her desolate and naked and devour her flesh and burn her up with fire. For God has put it into their hearts to carry out His purpose by being of one mind and handing over their royal power to the beast until the words of God are fulfilled.

And the woman that you saw is a great city that has dominion over the kings of the earth. yes the kings of the earth destroy this economy they destroy it all they destroy Babylon they are the instruments that God uses remember look at verse 17 it is God's judgment but he uses them to fulfill his purpose of judgment against Babylon you say how can that be consider an angry lover who murders his mistress in a passionate rage. And then he regrets it. Can you get that in your mind?

Think of it that way. Sure, they kill it all off, and then they regret it. Now they mourn. Now they mourn. Now they mourn. Several years ago, I had the funeral of a brother who was murdered by his brother.

And guess what? when they brought his brother, the murderer, from jail, where he was being held until his trial. When they brought him to the funeral home. not the day of the funeral. They never let you out of jail on the day of the funeral. They brought him there. Do you think he mourned? Sure, he wept and he cried.

And so these kings, even though they're the hands of God's judgment on Babylon, they weep and they wail. They have murdered their lover, their mistress. And now they regret it. These are the ones who were sexually immoral with the prostitute and lived in luxury with her. Her luxuries, the symbol of the prosperity that drew and motivated them, that caused them to do the things that they did as they pursued prosperity.

They were sexually immoral. That's the biblical metaphor used all the way through Scripture of idolatry. Unfaithful to God in pursuing their idolatrous desires for prosperity and all the things that Babylon offered. And they see the smoke rising above their beloved city. that symbolizes the judgment that destroys this economic system that provided their security and their power.

It recalls the smoke rising from the plains over Sodom and Gomorrah. It reminds us of the judgment of the beast followers who have sold out their souls for economic security. We saw that in chapter 14. Remember, turn back to chapter 14, verse 19. So the angels swung a sickle across the earth and gathered the grape harvest of the earth. No, that is not.

It's verse 9. I knew that wasn't right. And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb, and the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest day or night.

These worshippers of the beast in its image and whoever receives the mark of His name, whoever sought their security in the economic system, they also... This recalls the smoke going up. And so the symbol of smoke rising up, the judgment of the whole thing destroyed, collapsed, gone. And so they stand there in fear of her torment. They are horrified because they now realize they might share in her judgment.

And we saw earlier in chapter 17 that soon after they do share in her judgment It like an army having been driven out of the capital city looking over its shoulder seeing the smoke of the city going up and the advancing army coming toward them, fearing that they will take part in the same judgment that befell their city. So the kings, those who have once had all the power, the ones who grew rich and who were drawn away by Babylon, will be in fear of sharing in her torment. The winners have been turned into losers.

They've lost their economic power and their base. Those who persecuted the people of God no longer have any power. They lose everything. And they've been reduced to weak, wailing, powerless has-beens. Now why is that a cause to rejoice? Tell you what, If you lived in Vietnam, if you lived in Saudi Arabia, if you lived in some of these other countries, where you knew that those who were prosperous while you are poor, that those who held all the power and you had none, would one day be weeping and wailing at the loss of their power, that would give you hope. maybe we ought to look at it this way verse 20 is aimed at our brothers and sisters in Vietnam and Saudi Arabia and verse 4 is aimed at us in America right?

God's judgment bankrupts the merchants these are the ones who supplied Babylon and made their wealth off of her verse 11 they're mentioned and verse 15 No one buys their merchant anymore. There's no one around to buy the cargos. The city goes up in smoke. They too see the handwriting on the wall. Judgment for them is on the horizon. And so they stand off.

Again, see that phrase used over and over. They stand off in fear of her torment. Those who have exploited others will find themselves ill-used at the hands of God. Make no mistake about it. We saw last week. God says you will reap what you sow You know those who are making money off the blood of children in West Africa Don you think for a moment that God doesn know every one of those children names Don't think for one moment that those who have made money off the misery of human beings, don't think for a moment God is not keeping track.

The merchants of the earth are going to wail, and they're going to stand off in fear of their torment, because it is coming. The winners have been turned into losers. They've lost their market. Those whom they've exploited are beyond their reach. They have been reduced to weak, wailing, powerless paupers. you know it does no good for christians to shake their fist at the system and talk about how these rich people are getting richer and poor getting poor it doesn't doesn't do any good we're not called to that god's going to take care of that what are we called to do we're called to minister the gospel to those who are exploited and to the exploiters you see we have hope last and not least god's judgment sinks the transportation barons as well the ones who made their wealth the ones who who are rich as it says in our text rich by the wealth of babylon here's the ones who made their money transporting their goods and here they're they're called the seafaring men right the the ship masters the seafaring men the sailors all those who sailed the seas, let's put it in our terminology, put in their pilots and truck drivers.

All right. They're going to weep and wail. Why? Because that from which they made their money will no longer exist. They won't be able to do it. You know, in the last year, I've gotten to know a man who owns a trucking company.

And in our conversations, I'm always I'm always interested in other people's jobs and stuff so I just asked him tons of questions he's he's really making his company's doing very well making money hauling stuff for McDonald's what happened though if McDonald's would take that contract his company would go down pretty quickly unless he found something else to take its place but here the point you know what they gonna find in that day There no one to take their place They all gone All the shipper all the all the ones who want their cargoes hauled are gone because there no more people buying and there no more cargo It's all done. The economic system that promised security and satisfaction in opposition to God falls under his powerful hand of judgment and they throw dust on their heads in mourning and weeping and wailing. The winners have been turned into losers.

They've been reduced to weak, wailing, powerless unknowns. Here's another lesson we need to learn. Learn that this judgment is swift and comprehensive. In all of their laments, and you notice, they all have the same lament. Alas, alas, the great city. A little bit of difference in each one, but they all mourn the loss of this great city, this economic system that gave them everything they wanted, that gave them their security, that gave them their power, that gave them their satisfaction.

Notice, it's gone in what? For in a single hour, your judgment has come. Verse 17, for in a single hour, all this wealth has been laid waste. Verse 19, for in a single hour she has been laid waste. A single hour. This judgment is going to be swift.

Now that's not, again, that's not a literal one hour. It's not like in 60 minutes everything is going to collapse. That's a symbol that means it's going to happen quickly. It's going to be swift. The Great Depression started in 1929. When the stock exchange collapsed.

But guess what? Not everything collapsed. If I remember my history correctly, it wasn't until about 1932 that the banks collapsed. But it's not going to be that way this time. Everything's going to collapse. They're going to collapse quickly.

I don't know how quickly, but it's going to collapse quickly. And it's going to be so sudden that there's no coming back. There's no coming back. There's no getting your investment back over a long period of time. It's swift. Okay?

You know how it is. You've invested money. And all of us who have... Invested money for retirement over these last couple of years has seen that go, right? But what? If we're young enough, we're thinking, well, it'll build back up, right?

There's no building back up on this one. It's done. No more investments. No more returns. You lose everything. It's that swift.

And it's comprehensive. Verse 10, it'll destroy the might of the system. You know, the economic system that we're in now with all its problems, this worldwide economy is producing more than it's ever in the history of mankind. It's a mighty, mighty system. It's amazing the things we have. Now, you may be sitting here thinking that you don't have much, all right, but count the cars in your driveway, right?

Count the cars in your driveway. And look at the roof over your head. It's not a thatched roof, is it? and many people in the world are escaping from all those sorts of things. It seems like it's a mighty thing that nothing, but this is going to be so incredible that all of the mighty economy is going to collapse. It's going to go swiftly, and it's also going to destroy the wealth of the system.

Verses 16 and 19, that wealth is laid waste. The might and the wealth is gone. I don't know if we can even comprehend this. There's nothing in our history that even comes close to, that we can connect to that would even be like this. This is something that is so cataclysmic. It is the end of everything.

It is literally the end of the world. God has warned that the followers of the beast who believe that their source of security and satisfaction and glory is nothing. nothing. It's nothing but doomed idolatry collapsing suddenly and totally. Now get this in our minds. This is what we have to see. What's collapsing?

Everything. And what has gone with it? Everything that I felt secure in. Everything. Who's the glorious in our culture? Who has the most glory in our culture?

You say God. No. No. Who does? The rich ones, right? Everybody wants to be rich The glory of the system the security of the system the power that it delivered is all gone Can you imagine that I don know if we can but it collapsing suddenly and totally.

Learn that this judgment is swift and comprehensive. Here's the last lesson. learn that this judgment points you to true treasure. This, all of us sitting here, ought to be saying, if all security, all power, all glory, all of it collapses suddenly and totally, what's left? what's left. True treasure. The real deal. The real treasure.

The treasure that is real as opposed to the treasure that looks real, but is not. A treasure that's temporary. When all that's gone, the only thing that's going to be left is what? Real treasure. Now the question is then, how can you escape this kind of judgment? Then the answer is simple.

Don't reside in the city where judgment falls. Stop pursuing the riches. Stop pursuing security and power in the economy. Make sure that you're not enticed by the fine purple and scarlet linen and the glitz and the jewelry. Don't fall into the idolatry of believing that a good bank account produces security. It doesn't. and don't fall into the wrong way of thinking that security is found in anything in this world.

Salvation is not found in stuff and pleasure. All right? It isn't found in those things. You say, well, I don't believe that. You don't. Well, good.

Then that means that you don't believe that if our economy fails in the next four years, that you've got nothing to worry about. Do you really believe that? Are you like sweating blood about what's going to happen in November? Listen to the radio You know this is what I hear This is it This is the turning point in American history if we don't elect whoever.

Right? If we don't. That's it for America. Then we reach the tipping point. Then we reach the point. And I say, you know, I really hate to see that happen.

I really would. But you know what? If we really believe that salvation is not found in our economy, then we're going to believe it doesn't matter what happens to our economy. We got the real deal. We have the real deal. We have real treasure.

God will take care of us. God promised to take care of us. Jesus did. And our salvation is found in an all-sufficient Savior by the name of Jesus, who said this, and this is the will of him who sent me that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me but raise him up on the last day for this is the will of my father that everyone who looks on the son and believes in him should have eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day.

Hey, if death's got nothing on you then the economy's got nothing on you, right? God's not going to lose any of us. Jesus is not going to lose any of us. He's going to see that he sees us through until the last day. We've got nothing to worry about. And what we need to do instead is to find our satisfaction in the treasure of Christ and the treasures that he offers by his grace.

Real treasures, not these treasures that look real, but are temporary and can be gone in a moment. But these treasures that you cannot see, but are real. The treasures that Jesus has promised. Instead of falling to the allurements of the prostitute, you look to the one who truly loves you. That prostitute will never give herself for you. But the one who loves your soul gave himself on that cross.

Right? Believe his promises of treasure that far outweigh anything Babylon can offer. Here's a wonderful verse from Luke chapter 12, verse 32. I love this is Jesus talking fear not little flock for it is your father pleasure to give you the kingdom fear not little flock because it the father pleasure to give you the kingdom Folks, listen, and I'm preaching to me as well as preaching to you.

Seriously, if we really have real treasure, then we will not be caught up in the worries of losing things. we will not believe that our life will go down the tubes if we can't make that dream trip that if my job looks like it's going to disappear and this is not easy I've been there folks and you say you know what there's something better and Jesus has promised he'll take care of me See? Then we're escaping Babylon. The treasures that we have.

You know what I loved? I loved the first song we sang today. The last verse. I don't know about you, but I like to pay attention to the words I'm singing. Because I'm singing them to God. Here's the last verse.

Lord, crown our faith's endeavor with beauty and with grace. till clothed in light forever we see thee face to face. Now listen. So we're seeing, it says we're seeing now Jesus face to face. Then it goes on and says this. A joy no language measures, a fountain brimming o'er, an endless flow of pleasures, an ocean without shore. now see that's real treasure pleasures yeah you know what it is going to be pleasurable and it's going to be an ocean of pleasure in an ocean without a shore seeing jesus face to face and living in that new creation is going to be like that that is treasure that will last forever.

So learn then from this justice of God. He turns winners into losers by a swift and comprehensive judgment. He will not allow the wickedness of consumerism to continue. exploit and destroy. So learn, first of all, to get out of the city. Get out of the city. Don't seek to become a winner by Babylon's standards, because those winners will be turned into losers.

You may be losers in Babylon's perspective, but in heaven's perspective, you're a winner. And don't be a consumer. Seeking satisfaction in consuming, find it in Jesus. Turn to Jesus as your only source of security and satisfaction. Learn to love him and to find pleasure in him and to look forward to a day when there will be treasure that will never end. free from all corruption and judgment.

Father, thank You for Your Word. Lord, this has got to transform us. We are awash in an ocean of glitzy, temporary, temporal treasures. and it is so easy Father to just go along with our culture give us discernment we pray help us to use the things of this world while not being used by them God, help us to be the kind of people who are seeking real treasure.

Lord, make that evident in our purchases, in our goals, in our values. help us, Father, to be so distinct from our culture in those things that will be noticed. Father, it is so easy for us to find security in bank accounts and jobs, and you have given those things to us as good gifts. but Father help us to always trust solely in you and to seek you, to pursue you and not the treasures of this world Father give each one of us discernment as to what that means I pray your spirit would be at work help us Father to lay up treasures in heaven where moth does not destroy and rust does not corrupt help us for the glory of Jesus and the holiness of your people. Amen.