For today, One Year Bible Online links here. We are approaching the end of the year and the beginning of a new one.
When you churn cream you get butter. When you punch someone in the nose, it bleeds. When you intentionally make someone angry, they will fight back. Or to put it another way, when you do things that make someone angry, you should expect them to resist the course of action you would like the group to follow.
I will praise God with all that I am. I will not put my trust in humans because they will only be on this earth for a short while. God made heaven, earth, and the seas, and everything in them. He keeps all of His promises for all of time and beyond. He will give justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. God will reign forever and I will praise Him.
Today’s passage describes the fall of “Babylon”. The city described was wealthy and powerful. Its people indulged themselves in every luxury and immorality imaginable. The rulers of every nation who indulged in her luxuries and sins will be terrified by her fall. The merchants who sold luxuries to the people of this great city will be terrified as well. God’s people are warned not to take part in her sins, to come away from her or they will be punished with her.
Whenever I read this passage, it frightens me. The only nation on earth today which fits the description of “Babylon” given here is the United States. What is meant when we are warned to “Come away from her”? Are we supposed to relocate? Or is it enough to resist the sins of the society around us? Is it possible to live in this country and avoid taking part in any of the sines of our society?
This passage condemns leaders who use their position of authority selfishly rather than to care for those put under their authority. However, it also condemns the people for following such leaders. When we follow evil shepherds rather than the Good Shepherd, we will suffer as a result. God will punish leaders who abuse their positions of power, but that does not mean that we can follow such leaders and not suffer as well.