The Day of the Lord – Part Four
In the eighth chapter of his book of Revelation, St. John wrote about a dramatic vision which occurred to him while he was in exile on the island of Patmos. In this vision he saw a series of events that would occur on the earth shortly before the return of the Christ.
He ascribed these events to the actions of seven angels, each of whom was given a trumpet. And when each angel sounded his trumpet, a particular disaster would befall the earth. The disasters attributed to these angels were as follows:
• First angel – Hail and fire mingled with blood was cast upon the earth
• Second angel – A great mountain burning with fire was cast into the sea
• Third angel – A great star fell from heaven, burning like a lamp
• Fourth angel – Darkness descended upon the sun, the moon and the stars
Now if John had just limited his account to these four angels, then Bible scholars would have had an easier time interpreting his words. But he didn’t end there, and that is why eschatological or “End Time” prophecy has become so much harder to understand.
For example, the three remaining angels then sounded their trumpets, bringing about yet more woe upon the earth. And then these seven angels were given seven other “bowls”, with each bowl representing a different type of plague that was poured out upon the wicked.
But even prior to these seven angels with their trumpets and bowls of wrath, John wrote about a book that was “sealed with seven seals”. So the challenge that faced these scholars was how to combine these seven seals, trumpets and bowls into a single coherent explanation.
Although some scholars have suggested that the various seals, trumpets and bowls refer to different events that would happen at different times in the future, careful analysis of St. John’s words show that this is not the case, as the same event sometimes appears in two separate categories.
An example of this occurs in the case of the river Euphrates, which flows through the modern countries of Turkey, Syria and Iraq. In chapter nine of his book of Revelation, when St. John is referring to the seven angels with their seven trumpets, he writes:
“Saying to the sixth angel which had the trumpet, Loose the four angels which are bound in the great river Euphrates”. (Revelation 9:14)
Then, five chapters later, when he is referring to the angels with the seven bowls, he writes:
“And the sixth angel poured out his vial upon the great river Euphrates; and the water thereof was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” (Revelation 16:12)
It is only when we realise that these seals, bowls and trumpets are all related to the same astronomical event, that we can make sense out of what St. John wrote. And because he did not understand the meaning of the things he saw, he had to use symbols and images to describe them.
As explained in previous instalments, it should now be clear that what St. John saw in his vision was a close encounter between the earth and a comet. And the reason why he devoted so many chapters to this event, was because it was associated with so many different effects upon the earth.
First of all there were the atmospheric effects associated with the red dust falling upon the earth and making it look like blood. But this dust did not just colour the seas, lakes and rivers, but contaminated them as well, giving them a bitter taste and poisoning anyone who drank from them.
Then there were the incandescent particles in the tail of the comet that fell to the earth like fiery hail, together with electrical discharges between the nucleus of the comet and the earth that would appear as spectacular lightning bolts hurled down from the sky.
Then as the core of the comet drew closer to the earth, it began to shroud the entire planet in inky black dust that obscured portions of the sun, the moon and the stars and made it difficult to breathe, before blotting out all light upon the earth for a period of three days.
Although it is theoretically possible for a comet to collide with the earth and crash into the sea, it is much more likely that the nucleus would disintegrate into smaller fragments as it entered the atmosphere of the earth, as a result of electrical charge differentials between the two bodies.
This would account for the asteroid or “great mountain burning with fire” that St. John said would be cast into the sea, which would of course lead to catastrophic consequences all around the earth, and might even alter its axis as well as its orbit around the sun.
So it is little wonder that someone like St. John, with no knowledge of the inner workings of the solar system or of the electrical nature and properties of comets, should have been left floundering when trying to describe what he saw in his vision. In fact it is remarkable that he did as well as he did.
But the book of Revelation did not only concern itself with WHAT would happen on earth during the “Latter Days” spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. It also explained WHY these events would happen, and why the wrath of the Lord would be directed at the people of earth at that time.
According to St. John, the comet would come at a time when the entire world worshipped the same religion. But this shared religion would not be one of the established religions of the world. It would be something much more subtle. It would be a religion based on desire.
This religion of desire would appeal to men and women of every age and of every culture on the earth. It would not only attract individual people, it would also attract entire countries. It would entice Kings, Presidents and rulers just as much as it would lure the poor, the weak and the needy.
Although this religion would appeal to all the people of the earth, it would have no leader. It would have no churches, nor would it have any rituals or ceremonies. Yet it would qualify as a religion in the proper sense because the hearts of men and women everywhere would be committed to it.
When Jesus gave his famous Sermon on the Mount, he warned his followers not to spend their time gathering up the treasures of this world, because these could be lost, stolen or destroyed. Instead he urged them to pursue the treasures of heaven.
“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” (Matthew 6: 19-21)
During the end times, St. John wrote that the majority of the people in the world would worship this religion. He called this religion “Babylon”. Now Babylon was not just the name of a city. It was also a symbol of everything for which the original city of Babylon was once famous.
At the height of its glory Babylon was the envy of the world. It was a place of great wealth and luxury. Its hanging gardens were among the wonders of the ancient world. In his vision, St. John described seeing a woman wearing royal clothes adorned with fine jewellery.
“And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:”
“And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” (Revelation 17: 4-5)
The woman of mystery that John saw in his vision was called the “Mother of Harlots” because she had seduced all the nations of the world. Her cup of gold symbolized the excesses of those who had worshipped her, and from which all the nations of the world had drunk.
“For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.” (Revelation 18: 3)
The religion symbolized by the woman called “Babylon” is the religion of materialism. It is the desire for material wealth ahead of all other values in life. “Babylon” is a very old religion, and it has seduced people ever since the earliest days of civilization.
It continues to seduce people to this day. It is now the dominant religion on the planet. All nations and cultures have fallen prey to its seductive lure. This mystery religion called “Babylon” lies at the heart of all the sorrows of this world.
Those who lust after money, wealth and power may appear to be successful according to the accepted standards of the world. But this outward success is pursued by inward sorrow. For in striving for material gain, they are inevitably stalked by spiritual loss.
“For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” ( I Timothy 6: 10)
It is the love of money and the single-minded pursuit of wealth, luxury and pleasure, without regard for the spiritual values of life, that has brought people and nations to the crisis that now confronts them, and which has caused so much sorrow upon the earth.
This quest for material gain has become the established way of life for people and societies in all parts of the world today. Those who possess material wealth are universally admired. They are considered to be among the successful people of this world.
Those people who lack wealth yearn for it, and are willing to resort to almost any form of enterprise, legal or illegal, in order to get it. But this blind search for material wealth by nations, corporations and people has been the source of endless human anguish.
Down the centuries it has been the cause of countless wars. It has led to the destruction of nations and the death of millions. The religion of “Babylon” can no longer be resisted because it has become so pervasive. It can no longer be defeated because the laws of every land support it.
The mighty creation that “Babylon” has become today, with its modern world of investment, commerce, finance and trade, has become corrupted from within. It will be destroyed because it has replaced the spiritual values of life with the pursuit of material wealth.
The religion of “Babylon” has lost its soul.
Jesus warned his followers not to be deceived by the lure of material wealth. He said that it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter heaven. Those who try to be both rich and righteous will fail.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” (Matthew 6: 24)
Yet modern man has ignored the words of Jesus. Rather than build up treasures in the world of spirit within, most men and women alive today prefer to strive for material wealth, and to enjoy the pleasures which this wealth allows them to acquire.
In fact most of their waking hours are devoted to this quest. All of humanity is governed today by an economic system that is based on money. All human enterprise is based on a system that is required to generate money in order to survive.
Yet, as so many people have discovered since the beginning of this century, our economic system has become corrupted to the point where the lust for money on the part of the few, has placed the livelihood of millions of people around the world in jeopardy.
Not only is this desire for material wealth now the dominant economic motivator around the planet, but it has assumed the character of a religion. This world-wide religion of materialism has captured the minds and hearts of humanity just as much as if it were a traditional faith.
Yet far from enhancing the planet and ennobling the minds of men and women everywhere, it has become an avaricious monster that has come instead to debase our hearts.
There is little doubt that our modern economic system comprising commerce, finance, investment and trade now fits the description of the mystery woman described by St. John. For it has not only seduced nations and kings, but has enriched merchants in every nation with its “abundance of delicacies”.
But what makes this “Babylon” such an obvious threat to the true welfare of humanity, is that our entire economic system has now become irretrievably corrupt.
Not only has our modern economic system been subverted from within by greed and the lust for wealth, but it has been exploited by powerful interests whose main purpose has been to entrench themselves in positions of power, so that they might insulate themselves from accountability.
This system has become so convoluted and complex that no single nation or institution has the power to reform it. And as has happened in the past, when the institutions of humanity become corrupted from within, they become ripe for destruction.
The destruction predicted by St. John will be terrible indeed. For just as our economic system has tentacles that reach out to the farthest corners of the globe, so the destruction that will be inflicted upon “Babylon” will also be universal in scope.
As the angel explained to St. John, this destruction would come at a time when the merchants of this world “glorified themselves and lived deliciously”. They would be convinced that the pleasures gained by their worldly wealth would continue indefinitely.
But according to St. John, our entire system of finance and investment, relying as it does on a worldwide electronic web of communications, together with its interlocking system of transportation and trade, will be utterly destroyed.
St. John graphically describes the reactions of merchants and financiers around the globe after seeing the sudden destruction of everything they had laboured for so long and so hard to achieve. Their possessions lost, their livelihoods wrecked, and their hopes and dreams destroyed.
“And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
“The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, and cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.” (Revelation 18:9-13)
It is clear from the extensive list of commodities quoted by St. John above, that the “great city Babylon” he was referring to, represented every type of luxury item that was bought and sold in markets of that time.
And if St. John had been able to write from the point of view of the modern era, he would no doubt have included such “delicacies” as stocks, bonds, debentures, investment funds, credit default swops and the like!
It is also clear that this disaster would catch everyone unawares, and that this sudden calamity would destroy the entire economic system that represented this “Mystery Woman Babylon”. And if that were not devastating enough, it would do so in a single hour.
“The merchants of these things, which were made rich by these things, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every ship-master, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many trade by sea , stood afar off, and cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, what city is like unto this great city!
“And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! For in one hour is she made desolate.” (Revelation 18:15-19)
The lamentations so vividly described by St. John above clearly refer to a global disaster that not only devastates the land, but also affects the oceans as well, leading to an immense loss of cargo and shipping. They would all be devastated by the “great millstone” that would be cast into the sea.
“Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.” (Revelation 18:20-21)
It is clear from St. John’s description of the damage inflicted upon the earth as a result of the impact of this asteroid plunging into the ocean, that this divine wrath would be wreaked upon all the nations of the world, and that none would escape.
“And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.”
“And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” (Revelation 18: 1-2)
The “millstone” or great mountain that will be cast into the sea will be the cause of giant earthquakes all around the world. These earthquakes will be followed almost immediately by a series of tsunamis that will devastate coastal cities everywhere.
The convulsions caused by undersea quakes and tumultuous waves will be compounded by the “fiery hail” of meteorites that will set fire to the earth. The scale of death and destruction caused by this catastrophic event will be without parallel in the history of the earth.
The curse of Babylon the Great is that our voracious quest for material wealth has robbed us of our spiritual birthright and condemned us to a life of increasing strife, until we are destroyed by the very forces that we ourselves have unleashed.
This is what the American writer Henry Miller sensed, when he wrote in 1945:
“A new world is being born, a new kind of man is springing up today. The great mass of mankind, destined in our time to suffer more cruelly than ever before, ends by being paralysed with fear, becoming introspective, shaken to the very core, and does not hear, see or feel anything more than everyday physical needs.
“It is thus that worlds die. First and foremost, the flesh dies. But although few clearly recognize it, the flesh would not have died if the spirit had not been killed already.”
