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TEXT FROM BOOK (The biblical text is in caps, Dad’s commentary is lower case.)

REVELATION 18:9-10

After the appeal to the saints to come out of her, Babylon, the harlot, the worship of materialism, there follows the response of three sets of people when they see the fall and burning of Babylon and the loss of everything that they valued and cherished in life. These are
1. the kings of the earth
2. the merchants
3. the shipmasters and seafaring men

1. The kings of the earth

THE KINGS OF THE EARTH...not all of them, but those

WHO COMMITTED FORNICATI0N...went to bed with the worship of materialism

WERE WANTON WITH HER...reveled in her pleasures

WILL WEEP AND WAIL OVER HER...great anguish, grief, regret, and sorrow

WHEN THEY SEE THE SMOKE OF HER BURNING...a total loss of all their hopes and dreams. It helps to visualize great cities of wealth and power like New York and London and Tokyo and Mexico City and Hong Kong going up in flames and smoke, utterly destroyed.

THEY WILL STAND FAR OFF...seeing it all from a great distance, not believing what they are seeing.

IN FEAR OF HER TORMENT...in fear they will suffer the same fate

AND SAY, ALAS, ALAS...it can't be true, but it is true...they are helpless and hopeless.

THOU GREAT CITY...of commerce, trade, and wealth

THOU MIGHTY CITY, BABYLON...the mother of harlots, the great deceiver that life consists in the abundance of your possessions...

IN ONE HOUR...suddenly, like a thief, unexpected

HAS THY JUDGEMENT COME...the end of the world when heaven and earth pass away, and the elements are vaporized with fervent heat. The deception and big lie are recognized for all to see, that man does not live by bread alone.

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The following is the forward Dad wrote after 9/11. His drawing of the Twin Towers on fire was in a book on Revelation he finished in 1994. The title of the book is The Last Days.

FORWARD, September 25, 2001

This inductive study of Revelation was written in 1994 after twenty years of study.
The illustration of the destruction of the Twin Trade Towers, representing the fall of Babylon in the sixth primary vision, was included in the 1994 edition of the study.

Additional commentary is now appropriate.

The primary vision of the harlot riding on the dragon with a bowl full of the world’s abominations represents the idolatry of materialism rather than the worship of Almighty God. Materialism is the ruler of kings of the earth.

At the time of writing by John in about 100 A.D, the ruler was Caesar. Rome was conquered, but at the base of her fall was moral collapse from within. Caesar was considered to be a God and people worshiped by saying "Deus Caesar" and burning incense.

These rulers have come and gone in the past and then one like them appears again. In the 20th Century they have been Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. Hitler was worshiped as an "almighty person" by the shouts of "Heil Hitler." At Stalin’s death, Russian propaganda has to be used for the "de-deification" of Stalin.

Nero loved Rome and then burned her. Hitler loved Germany and then burned her. Stalin loved the USSR and then left her desolate.

The fall of Babylon, represented by the Twin Trade Towers, does not mean the fall of the United States, but the fall of materialism throughout the world. The fall of the Twin Trade Towers is not, in my opinion, the punishment of God for our sins, but is a call from our Lord to Christians throughout the world to "Come out of her, my people.” It is not a final judgment, but is a call to "wake up."

I believe that the judgment of God is a part of the love of God. In biblical history, God often used wicked people to bring judgment on his own disobedient people. The ten tribes of Israel were conquered and carried off to captivity by the Syrian army that God called "his army from the north.” Judah was carried to captivity and the temple was destroyed by the Babylonians. God's people had to live in exile before they changed their minds and were brought back.

Osama bin Laden is trying to bring the downfall of Christianity. He is like Herod who tried to kill Jesus when he killed all the male children two years old and younger. Innocent children died and there was weeping in Ramah.

The fall of Babylon is aptly described in the vision and prophecy of John. The rulers of the whole world weep and mourn. We have seen it on TV. The merchants, Wall Street and the world markets weep and wail as fortunes disappear in one day. The sea captains and sailors coming into New York weep and wail as they come into New York harbor with the Twin Trade Towers missing and smoke still rising.

The message for God's people is to "Come out of her, my people.” The abominations are not only the worship of materialism, the Almighty Dollar, but all the violence on TV, in our streets, and in our schools. Sexual perversions are also abominations to the Lord. Prayer has been taken out of our schools, and people have turned away from God, as the U.S. has become a more secular nation. People find entertainment in bizarre behavior. This is true in other nations as well as our own. Religious leaders are even approving of sexual perversions and lifestyles.

There is evidence that people are already waking up. Our leaders have publicly turned to God in prayer. Children and teachers have been praying together in schools without regard for the law. Some violent programs have been cancelled. At least one major movie with a great deal of violence has been held up. Church attendance has increased since September 11th. These are all good signs that God's people are waking up.

What lies ahead? The Revelation to John says that the great battle between good and evil still lies ahead. This is the message of the 6th angel in the sixth primary vision. The purpose is not to scare us, but to let us know beforehand that the victory belongs to God and good and the demonic powers of evil will be defeated. Our president has used language like this when he has said that our war is between good and evil.

Finally, I want to repeat that the Revelation to John is meant to be of comfort and encouragement to the people of God. The scary parts: wars, famines, disease, hurricanes, floods, and persecutions are found in the daily news. The Revelation is given to show that God Almighty is more powerful than the almighty powers of this world. His kingdom will come. His will will be done. John made this prophecy. I did not make it. I simply illustrated it with the revelation given to me.

James R. Otterness, Author
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