Revelation 18:4: “And I heard another voice from heaven saying, ‘Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.'”

September 11th, 2022 by Pastor Ed in devotional

Back in Revelation 16, when the angel poured out the fifth bowl, it plunged the world into darkness. Now in this verse, against that inky black curtain, there appears a blazing angel who grabs the world’s attention by his message of judgment on Babylon. Here Babylon serves as a symbol of what Scripture calls “the world.” God is telling His people, “Don’t get caught in the world.” Believers are to disentangle themselves from this evil system, as well as those who are in disbelief. All are to flee or run to Him, abandoning this last-days world system. Not only does this verse speak to those in the future, but it also warns us today not to get too close to the sinful things of the world because they are going to affect us.

We make hundreds of choices every day, and those choices move us in one direction or another. The good choices move us toward God, and the bad choices move us away from Him. The classic Scriptural example of this is found in the life of two men in Genesis 13. One made a wise choice “to come out of the world” and the other made an unwise choice “to go in to the world.” Both were believers. The first was Abraham. He focused on the spiritual, left his homeland of Ur, and followed where God led him into Canaan. The second was Lot. He focused on the material advantages surrounding Sodom and Gomorrah. In other words, he saw the land that looked like it held the most potential for profit and enjoyment and moved into it. Lot finally had to be forced out of Sodom (another picture of Babylon) just before God destroyed it for its wickedness. The lesson is simple to grasp, but difficult to stay focused on and faithfully do.

We need to pack lightly for the road trip to heaven, taking only what we really need. Along the way we will be tempted in thousands of ways to pick up the bobbles and trinkets of this world. But if we will enjoy the simple pleasures of love, family, church, and honest work, by seeking first the kingdom of God, He will get us home, all the way to eternity.

“LORD, help us to stay focused on You and Your kingdom today, and help us to share Your love with a few others along the road.”