14 And [to Babylon] they will say: “The fruit of your soul’s desire has departed from you; all your luxury and splendor have vanished, never to be seen again.”

17a For in a single hour such fabulous wealth has been destroyed!

18 and cry out at the sight of the smoke rising from the fire that consumes her. “What city was ever like this great city?” they will exclaim.

19 And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out, “Alas, alas, for the great city where all who had ships at sea grew rich by her wealth! For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

— Revelation 18:14, 17a, 18-19

I have told you these things so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take courage; I have overcome the world!”

— John 16:33

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.

— John 14:27

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, for to this you were called as members of one body. And be thankful.

— Colossians 3:15

Thoughts on Today’s Reading

Grace, mercy and salvation from Christ to you.

We long for certainty and resolution. From our vantage point in time and space, very little appears settled or solid. Evil appears to have the upper hand, and God can seem uninvolved in this world’s chaos. Revelation 18 helps us remember what is certain. All that seems profitable and prosperous by the world’s standards will crumble before God, who alone determines the true worth of all things. The Bible, God’s Word can help us value what God values. The certain doom of Babylon and the evil world system gives believers hope. While the pain around God’s coming judgment sobers us, we can rightly rejoice that His justice will prevail over Satan and evil. God will soon intervene to judge evil and deliver His persecuted people from this world’s folly.

In every time and culture, God calls His people to follow Him. God’s best far surpasses this world’s flimsy substitutes. This world has tried hard to entice and absorb us while God has been calling us to leave it that will fall in His judgment. God asks us to give up this world’s comfort or success to spend ourselves for Him. God is calling His children to resist the constant beckoning of this world to indulge ourselves and live even more comfortably. We do not resist alone but by being connected to one another in God’s Spirit. This world boldly lies when promising happiness through what we acquire. Only knowing God through faith in Christ brings to us genuine fulfillment.