THE KINGDOM OF CHRIST - From Commencement to Completion (video series)- Chapter 6, Revealing the Annointed King Part 18
by Brett Jacobsen
The focus of this teaching is to promote the biblical truth that Christ’s Kingdom is active and increasing right now on this earth, in this age. Erroneous eschatology has detracted from this truth in many circles of the Christian faith.
All of the major eschatological (study of how things end) passages are covered but the end of the world is not the important issue and true eschatology is merely a means to an end- Christ Himself as King of kings. Though we will look at the glorious end of earthly history from time to time, we will more so continually use the scriptures to interpret the scriptures and arrive at the present victorious Kingdom of Christ.
For most Christians this teaching will challenge you deeply in your understanding of the New Covenant and Christ’s Kingdom as well as liberate you greatly in the truth of His Word.
Revelation chapter 18
Below are the notes from this teaching so you can read along:
Chapter 18:1-3
18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth [ge- in contrast 2 heaven] was lightened with his glory.
2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation [katoiketerion] of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird [1].
3 For all [pas] nations [ethnos] have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, [2] and the kings of the earth [ge] have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth [ge] are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. [3]
* Jerusalem has become the new Babylon
For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answers to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children. 26 But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all. (Gal 4:21-26)
In Is 1:2-10 – Israel/Jerusalem is called Sodom and Gomorrah… but they had been gone for many years.
[1] In chpt 9 we saw a plague of demons loosed into Jerusalem/Judea; In chpt 17 we saw the whore (MYSTERY, BABYLON…) judged; now chpt 18 flows on by declaring that Babylon/Israel is fallen and has become utterly demonised.
- Habitation – katoiketerion:
In whom you also are builded together for an habitation [katoiketerion] of God through the Spirit. (Eph 2:22)
“synagogue of Satan” (Rev 2:9, 3:9)
- “hateful bird” – Mark 4:4, 15.
[2] All of the nations of the Empire had been drunkenly deceived by Jerusalem/Israel’s harlotry.
[3] Kings and merchants of ge – the land (of Judea) or – earthly in contrast to heavenly.
Chapter 18:4-8
4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. [1]
5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.
6 Reward her even as she rewarded you [2], and double to her double according to her works: in the cup which she has filled fill to her double.
7 How much she has glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judges her. [3]
[1] Exegesis – first fruits church come out of Jerusalem/Judea. Isegesis – come out of a religious system which has become apostate, albeit appearing to be ok.
[2] “Rewarded you”- the church’s persecutions or 30 pieces of silver (slave) for Jesus (see Zech 11:12-13 & Matt 26:14-16, 27:3-10)
[3] “death” “mourning” “famine” “burned with fire” – sounds like a read through The Wars of the Jews by Josephus.
- again, it’s the Lord who is judging the whore
Chapter 18:9-10
9 And the kings of the earth [ge], who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her [1], when they shall see the smoke of her burning, [2]
10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is your judgment come.
[1] “the kings of the ge” – ge- land of Judea or ge- earth in contrast to heaven.
[2] Again, read Josephus about Jerusalem’s end. ########### quotes re fire#########
Chapter 18:11-13
11 And the merchants of the earth [ge] shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more:
12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
13 And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
People came from “every nation under heaven” to live and worship in Jerusalem (Acts 2:5). Jesus drove out traders from the temple (John 2:13-16). God had made Jerusalem great throughout the nations which attracted much commerce in the city and its surrounds.
Chapter 18:14-19
14 And the fruits that your soul lusted after are departed from you, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from you, and you shall find them no more at all.
15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! [1]
17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought [2]. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. [3]
[1] The “great city” decked out like royalty and priestly. Check out the temple trappings.
[2] “in one hour” – hour means a critical time- “mine hour is not yet come” (John 2:4)
[3] The shipmasters etc represent the nations afar off who traded with her (international trade). Also, perhaps the sea again is symbolic of the multitudes of the nations under Rome who the whore sat on and traded with.
- Babylon/Jerusalem has become “desolate [eremoo]” – “Behold, your house is left unto you desolate [eremos]” (Matt 23:38)
Chapter 18:20-24
20 Rejoice over her, you heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets; for God has avenged you on her. [1]
21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea [2], saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in you; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in you; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in you;
23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in you; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in you: [3] for your merchants were the great men of the earth [ge]; for by your sorceries [pharmakeia] were all nations deceived. [4]
24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth [ge- land (of Israel)]. [5]
[1 & 5] Again it is clarified who this is by the mention of her killing the prophets and saints and “all that were slain upon the ge [land (of Israel)]”. Again, Matt 23 directs this vengeance clearly towards Israel. Luke 21 calls it “the days of vengeance” (Luke 21:22).
[2] “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matt 18:6).
[3] We’ve seen that Babylon is “Jerusalem which now is” (or then was). She is now made desolate
[4] sorceries = spiritual crookness. All the nations which went to Jerusalem to worship at the temple were deceived into worshipping false gods despite the fact that they were calling on the right name.
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Thank you.