Laid waste

It is advice worth listening to: “steer clear”. Steer clear of that restaurant, neighbourhood, traffic delay, or person. So much heartache is avoided when we listen to wise counsel. In Revelation 18:4, a voice from heaven says, in essence, “Steer clear of the world lest you get pulled in by her sin and share in her judgments” (my paraphrase). Given the source, I’d suggest that it is advice we should listen to! As we look at this verse and the rest of the chapter on Sunday, we’ll see a series of lament songs sung by the people of the earth who have failed to repent but tearfully mourn the loss of all they had. As God lays waste to the world we’ve all known, we’ll hear a distinct call to not only steer clear of all that but also to lift our praises to God for his decisive judgment on the world system that vehemently and violently opposed his gospel and his kingdom.

Series: Great & Amazing—Revelation (Part2)
Todd Dugard
Message: 25–Laid waste
Harvest Bible Chapel
Text: Revelation 18:1-24
February 19, 2023

As a believer, I must steer clear of the world’s... (v. 4)

...hopeless destiny (v. 1-3)

Matthew 12:31

...corrupt ways (v. 5-8)

...pathetic lament (v. 9-19)

μεταμέλομαι (metamelomai)
– “I’m sorry I was caught.”

μετανοέω (metanoeo)
– “I regret my sin, see it for what it is, and want to do whatever it takes to not do it again.”

Repentance = sorrow for sin + agreement with God about it + turning from that sin to righteousness.

...utter destruction (v. 21-24)

Come as you are but don’t stay that way.
Barnabas Piper, Belong

I am justified (declared righteous) at the
moment of conversion, and I am, in an ongoing way, being sanctified over a lifetime in anticipation of receiving my glorified body in the eternal presence of Christ.

Christians should be in the world but not of the world.

John 17:14–16

And instead, praise the Lord for his just judgment of her (v. 20)

This is not a gleeful song of personal vengeance, but an announcement of the vindication of God’s justice and righteousness. It must always be kept in mind that background for such a song of vindication is the question whether God’s rule or Satan’s deceptive power is to triumph in human affairs... ...a song of vindication of this sort, far from being one of personal revenge, is a cry of rejoicing that God at the end will show himself to be God in the face of all satanic foes.
George Eldon Ladd
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