The Economic Collapse in End Days

Revelation 18:1-2, 9-11, 20

After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory.  And he called out with a mighty voice,

“Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!

(9)And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning.  They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

“Alas! Alas! You great city, you mighty city, Babylon!  For in a single hour your judgment has come.

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore

(20) “Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!”

In Chapter 17, we saw the fall of the One World Church under the new 8th kingdom, overtaking Babylon, the prostitute.  Likewise, we now see that a single world economy has come to be, under the great prostitute – Babylon.  All economic trade requirements will fall under her control.  She has lured mankind into materialistic possessions, living in abundance and luxury, and power associated with wealth.  The people will be intoxicated with an idolatry of those with plenty, and reach for that over the call and love of God, the Father.  God calls His people out of Babylon, and the addiction that exists within this materialistic society.  His wrath and plagues will fall upon Babylon in those days, just as they did upon Sodom and Gomorrah in the Old Testament.  God warns His people to leave before the wrath falls upon them.

Many believe that the Spiritual fall of Babylon will take place in the first 3.5 years of Tribulation, while this fall of the Economic World system will happen in the second 3.5 years of Tribulation.  God’s plague of burning will fall upon the great city of Babylon, to the point where the economic system they had built will be useless to all of those involved in trade during those days.  None will purchase their merchandise anymore, and the luxuries will fall as their wealth is lost.

This economic collapse will impact the entire globe, and people will be thrown into extreme poverty and want.  What they have done to acquire their wealth will be gone.  The immoral and unethical actions that allowed them to gain wealth will be taken away.  The kings (referenced in Ch 17) will remain afar and watch as the people suffer the results of the economic collapse.  The kings remain covered in wealth, separated from the merchants and masses.  Today, we see the separation of the great wealth and the rest of us.  But, alas, there will come a day when even those who are wealthy by trade, by investment, and by hoarding their materialistic treasures will be swallowed up in the collapse, as well as the suffering.  In one hour, God can take it all away.

The realization that these material possessions do not last will become very real.  We are told to store up our possessions in heaven and not on earth.  This grants you eternal prosperity rather than wealth here on earth.  God will avenge the injustice of wealth on the earth in the end days.  Our focus needs to be on living for God, and not for wealth in this life.  Living for God means spreading His grace, His love, His salvation, and His promise to those in need.  We are called to step away from materialistic livelihood and sinful, self-righteousness to humility and servanthood to help others step away from sin.  The great harlot Babylon will one day be thrown down, and all of those who are tied to her seductive ways with her.  The economic wealth and power will not last in an eternal perspective.  It's not say that God detests wealth.  No, He owns it all, and can distribute in the best manner for His Kingdom growth.  Using these things for His purpose is the way to true wealth.  Wealth that extends beyond these worldly causes.  Focus your efforts there.

The Great Babylon - One World Order

Revelation 17

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”  And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns.  The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality.  And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.”  And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus

Revelation 17 and 18 discuss the evil that is coming upon the earth through the harlot – Babylon.  Without getting into a debate on if the reference to Babylon is literal, as in an actual city on earth, or if it is symbolic.  There are certainly plenty of references throughout the scripture on Babylon and the evil that comes out of that city.  This evil is antagonistic to God’s authority, and during the reign of Nebuchadnezzar (605 – 562 BCE) it was seen as an impenetrable city of grand temples, gardens, culture, arts, and luxury.  Nebuchadnezzar built Babylon, and leveraged his power against Jerusalem in 587 BCE.  His intent to set himself and Babylon as the true authority on earth has left an imprint even unto today.  Saddam Hussein in the 1980’s sought to reconstruct Babylon in what we know as Iraq.  Wanting the same power and perceived authority, he even minted coins with his image and Nebuchadnezzar together.  Of course, we know that his desire and intent came to an end after the turn of the century, but the influence of power and authority continues in the hearts of many of his subjects.

John’s vision continues as he is introduced to the great prostitute.  She represents Babylon, a corrupt system of nations and people, indulging in idolatries, immorality, and decadence.  In Revelation, she is seen as the prostitute, luring mankind away from God and towards worldly values, impurity, abominations, sexual immorality, and blasphemy.

The scarlet beast with seven heads and ten horns carries the woman.  Their power sits under hers as we enter into Revelation 17.  The seven heads represent seven kings, or empires.  Later in the chapter, we see that five of these kings/empires have fallen, and historically, we can see the following 5 that have fallen: Persia, Greece, Assyria, Babylon, and Egypt.  It also references 1 kingdom that has yet to fall, which we see as Rome during the biblical days, and one that will yet come into place that we understand to be a revived Roman empire to be led by the antichrist.  All of these have been focused on worldly power, autonomy, and controlling the system on earth.  In the end days, the antichrist will work to establish a collective empire, seen as the 7th king, but will eventually rise above the 7 kings as the 8th king, a single global empire defying God through political power and authority.  

The ten horns are seen as 10 earthly kings who are established under the harlot’s authority.  A confederation of nations to 10 kingdoms, for a short period of time, with the antichrist.  The reality is that despite their perceived power and authority, they are simply executing what God has put in their hearts to carry out for His purpose, and the kings’ result in handing over their power to the antichrist, the scarlet beast.

With the antichrist in position as the head, they will first destroy the prostitute and establish the antichrist as the pre-eminent power and authority on earth.  With all of the shifting power on earth in those days, the people fell into line beneath the antichrist.  With such power, the antichrist and his kings will then make war on the Lamb of God.  

This vision of John paints a picture of rising spiritual war that is brewing in our world today.  We can certainly see kingdoms around the globe working towards a single global power, an aligned authority over all nations.  We’ve seen this in several ways: the European nation, the alignment of countries against Israel, and even in liberal and non-biblical policy changes within the Vatican.  It's not too far-fetched to see an aligned perspective on a single spiritual entity that is accepting of all worldly religions.  With the softening policies within many of the Christian churches today, we are pushing the biblical truth to the side and creating truth more relevant and acceptable in today’s social circles.

The day will come when the world will accept a single spiritual church as the way.  This will not be of God, but will be presented as such by those in authority, the antichrist and his kings.  There will be blasphemy against the true God, and abominations in the holy temple.  This will be applauded by the masses and revered as truth.  You can see in meetings between leaders around the globe an attempt to put our differences to the side and “live and let live” philosophies being adopted.  Nowhere is that biblical.  We are to stand firm on the foundation of Jesus Christ as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and acknowledge that He alone is the only way to eternity with God, the Father.  Softening of this message is becoming widespread today as we attempt not to hurt others’ feelings.  To quote an old friend, this isn’t about your feelings; it’s about your eternity.  We need to stand firm on the foundation Christ built, not the foundation built by the world.