Revelation 14:8

8             Then another angel followed him through the sky, shouting, “Babylon is fallen – that great city is fallen – because she made all the nations of the work drink the wine of her passionate immorality.”

Babylon was the name of an evil city and an immoral empire. It was a central point focused on idol worship. Since the building of the tower of Babel, Babylon has stood for rebellion and an opposition to God’s direction. Babylon had ransacked Jerusalem and carried the people Judah into captivity. Babylon was an enemy of the Jewish people, just as we see the Roman Empire being an enemy of the early church. John, who did not want to publicly speak out against Rome – open, applies the name Babylon to the current opposition against the church – and, by extension, to all of God’s enemies of all times.

The downfall of an immoral culture is something to celebrate. These people were causing evil and harm to the culture around them, focusing on selfish ambitions and not caring about who they hurt in the process. We want to be a community that operates out of love, compassion, grace, and mercy. When communities continuously oppose it through the taking away of human rights, allowing the rich to get richer, and allowing the marginalized to struggle for a proper quality of life, we must rebel. We must stand up for our neighbors, giving a voice to the voiceless. We need to work to dismantle the systems that have been broken, rebuilding them or creating a new system that allows for fair treatment of all people.

Some people might call me radical for saying that. Some people might say that this would be unnecessary, and my words are just used to trigger an argument.  There are struggles in the revamping of a system that we’ve been accustomed to and uncomfortable with for so long. Struggles where to begin, what needs to be re-done, and – truly a tougher part – changing the foundation of why we need to make those changes. Some people don’t see the need to change rules/laws/systems that allow for equal treatment. Why should we allow fair medical treatment to people of a different gender identity? Why should we allow fair parental rights to LGBTQ+ couples? Why should we allow fair wages for impoverished people? Why should we allow universal healthcare when it’s my wages that are being used? This may sound obtuse, but these are some true conversations that are happening in our world today, now more than ever thanks to the current administration and the rights that being stripped away and mitigated for women, people who are trans, and people of a different ethnicity. Stereotypes that are damaging our views on others, beliefs that are causing regression instead of progress, and more. We must work towards view God’s creation as God did – good. We are good people that struggle to see the world beyond our scope. We need to work towards listening to the struggles of the marginalized and create a system that allows for equal treatment. Why? So, we can truly love our neighbor as Jesus loved us.

Next Bible study blog: Angelic Revolution – Part 3

Associated Scripture

Revelation 14:8          Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 51:8; Revelation 16:19, 17:5, 18:2, 10