With all that is going on in the world today, the topic of end times is more readily talked about in Christian conversations. In the Old Testament, the fall of Babylon is an actual event. In the New Testament, it takes on a symbolic form. It is the time when Jesus will return and defeat the evil of our world.
“Babylon is fallen-that great city is fallen! She has become a home for demons. She is a hideout for every foul spirit, a hideout for every foul vulture and every foul and dreadful animal.
Revelation 18:2
The Bible tells us in Matthew 24:36-37 that no one knows when Christ will return. Learning about the fall of Babylon in relation to the end times can not give us a specific date to prepare for. But, it can help us strive to keep our relationship with God holy and on the right path for whenever Christ does return.
Babylon of the Old Testament and the New Testament shared a common downfall. Idol worship was their main sin. Babylon idolized itself and it did not acknowledge or glorify God in any way.
This is no different from today. We are constantly consumed with multiple idols that turn our focus away from God, His faithfulness, and plan for our lives. Idol worship leads to immorality when you are so consumed with the worship of other gods instead of the one true God.
What does this idol worship in our lives look like? It can be the worshipping of money, our career, economic status, education, or politics. When we become focused on striving for success in these areas and not on God, we begin to rely on their role in our life rather than God’s provision.
Idol worship in Babylon caused Babylon to turn from God in the Old Testament. In the New Testament as a symbol of evil, Babylon will also be destroyed because of five areas of idol worship.
1 – Revelation 18:7 – The idol of self-sufficiency – Babylon believed they were the greatest superpower of the world. They had everything they needed and did not rely on anyone or anything but themselves.
2 – Revelation 18:14-17 – The idol of comfort – Babylon was clothed in luxury and wealth. They had no need for God.
3 – Revelation 18:3 – The idol of obsession – Babylon had the worship of all the nations surrounding it. Everyone wanted what Babylon had and could not see the immorality and sin they were indulging in.
4 – Revelation 18:24 – The idol of church persecution – Babylon persecuted the followers of God.
5 – Revelation 18:23 – Babylon deceived those who worship them by allowing them to believe in their greatness when they were full of sin.
We can easily see these same areas of worship in our own daily lives. We do not know when Jesus will return. Our focus can only be on living a life that consistently turns away from sin and honors God. When we focus on God we keep from worshipping the idol of our own self-sufficiency and greatness.