The Destruction of the World System

Revelation 16:1-21

Greta Thunberg says climate change will destroy the earth. Polar ice caps will melt causing great floods. Others say nuclear war by Iran or North Korea; or asteroids smashing into earth. And people try to prevent it. Environmentalists push to reverse climate change. Politicians try diplomacy. Astronomers calculate risks. Why? Because they love the world and their existence in the world. But the Bible says this world as we know it will come to an end. 1 John 2:17 - “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof.” There’s no preventing it. But this is not a sad thing for believers. Why? We don’t love this world or its lusts. We have Christian hope - God will recreate all things. In that New Jerusalem, that better Promised Land, in the real Eden, we’ll live without pain and sin, without war, disease, and temptation. Satan and his wicked won’t be there; only believers and Christ. But what brings that about? Not a flood or a nuclear war. It’s Christ himself, with all his armies. Revelation 16 describes what leads up to this final conflict. We shall see it in 2 points. Firstly, the world system will not repent before Christ’s final judgment. Secondly, its destruction at Christ’s final judgment.

Firstly, the world system will not repent before Christ’s final judgment. Until Christ’s second coming, there’ll be cycles of judgment - 7 seals, 7 trumpets, and 7 bowls. Sometimes they’re catastrophic, other times, quite ordinary. There’ll be wars where thousands are killed; then world wars kill millions. Diseases can affect a region; but pandemics threaten billions. The seal and trumpet judgments affected many; but the vial or bowl judgments affect all. Why? Because the world won’t change. Many chances had been given, but no repentance. We see here the world’s universal impenitence - despite every aspect of life judged. In verse 1, a great voice from the temple, Christ’s voice, told the 7 angels with the 7 vials with the 7 plagues to pour God’s wrath on the world. So the first angel poured his vial on the land. Horrible, malignant sores came on those who loved and worshiped the world system. Then the second angel poured his on the sea. It turned to blood and sea animals died. Then the third angel did the same on the rivers. Then the fourth on the sun; people were scorched with great heat. From these, we see their universality. All geography was affected - land, sea, rivers, and sky. All community was affected - people had diseases, water was polluted, and drought - the sun scorched everything. Land, sea, river, sky, disease, water, doubt - everyone is affected. But it comes because of the wicked. Verse 1 - it came on those who worship the beast. Verse 6 - polluted water was given to those who killed the saints and prophets. Verse 9 - unrepentant blasphemers were scorched. Primarily the wicked, but believers are affected too. We’d experience the fall out. In Egypt, 4 plagues affected all the land, including the Israelites. God sends the sun and rain upon the unjust because he sends them on the just. So here, we experience the fallout. But what would God be trying to teach believers during such times? Don’t be attached to the world. We must believe that it’s passing away with its lusts. Even today, we see rising costs because of ocean pollution, rising temperatures because of global warming, world-wide quarantines because of disease. What’s our conclusion? The world is passing away. Therefore, we must repent and stir our hearts with Christian hope.

But the world has no such conviction. In fact, the plagues didn’t produce repentance in them. Verse 9 - “and they repented not to give him glory.” Like Egypt. The people suffered, but didn’t repent. Neither did Pharaoh. Neither would the world system. That’s why God must judge the world system. The fifth vial was poured upon “the seat (or throne) of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain.” A plague was poured on the seat of the beast. Who’s the beast? It’s the Devil’s world system energized by governments and philosophies. They oppose Christ. God’s system was simple - listen to me, don’t take the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but eat the fruit of the tree of life, you’ll be eternally blessed. But the Devil’s system was this - God’s trying to prevent you from being blessed - take and eat the forbidden fruit! As a result, we’ve been vying for power, wealth, and influence since. That’s the world system. And we see the contrast in Christ’s life. Caesar and Herod lusted after riches, power, and domination. But Christ made himself poor, to die, to deliver us. He’s the way, truth, and life. But the world hates that. Either it says, Caesar is right so Christianity is wrong; or it says truth is relative, and Christianity’s so intolerant. The Pharisees killed him because they couldn’t take his truth. But you know what? People like the world system. So many supported Mao - a perfect state with equality. They also supported Hitler - a perfect state with superior people. But God has always broken the world system. God sent darkness on Egypt. Why? Pharaoh was believed to be an incarnation Ra, the sun god. But he couldn’t prevent darkness! God broke Egypt’s idolatry. Man always wants some earthly savior. We’ve seen this in Venezuela. For years, it was the strongest and richest country in South America. Many wanted to emigrate there. Her citizens were proud of the currency. But in 20 short years, it collapsed. There’s hyper-inflation and starvation. Hospitals can’t afford to perform simple surgeries.

Dearly beloved, we’re grateful for our good system. Me too. But it won’t last, you know. If Christ tarries, one day, the nations around us may be more prosperous. Our education system won’t be able to keep up with world changes. Our passport value and currency will drop. Those who take up PRs will be disappointed that they did. Why might God do this? To break our idolatry. Do I wish it? No. But it’ll happen. But perhaps it’s not a bad thing. How have we compromised to keep our prosperity? What spirituality have we gained from our increased affluence, power, and leisure - do we love God more? Can we see how it’s affected us? The world passeth away, and its lusts thereof. Yes, one day, he’ll strike out at the very heart of the world system - he pours the vial on the throne of the beast. It’s not just one regime like Egypt, or Venezuela, or even our fair island. The whole system of Babylon will collapse when Christ comes.

That’s what we see next. Secondly, he world system’s destruction at Christ’s final judgment. This is described more in chapters 17-18. But here, we’re introduced to it. We see it’s symbolic description. The world system is called Babylon in Revelation. Verse 12 describes how the sixth angel poured his vial on the river Euphrates, drying it up, preparing the way for the kings of the east. What does it mean? Will it actually happen? Now, drying of rivers was God’s way of saving his people and judging the wicked. The parting of the Red Sea delivered Israel and destroyed Pharaoh. The stopping of Jordan gave victory to Israel and trouble to the Canaanites. And the drying up of the Euphrates was already a well-known event. In 539 BC, Cyrus conquered Babylon and returned the Jews to their land. How? He did this by diverting the River Euphrates. This allowed his armies from the east to crossover and wage war against Babylon. This was even prophesied by Jeremiah and Isaiah. And when it happened, it was recorded by Greek historians. So this final event against the world system is pictured as a war against Babylon. Even “kings from the east” was standard prophetic language describing invading enemies. So to be clear, it can’t mean to us what it never meant to them. This doesn’t refer to China, but to a force that would destroy the world system. Whatever form it takes - it’s Christ who sends it. It could even be Christ coming like lightning from the east as he described in Matthew 24. And he fights against the world’s lies. Verses 13-16 say he fights against 3 unclean spirits which come out from the dragon, beast, and false prophet. They’re frogs - a common Jewish expression for lies. These deceptive philosophies of the world system have their origin in the Devil, supported by regimes, and energized by thought systems. Verse 14 describes how they, like spirits, work wonders, stirring up, mobilizing, and pitting all regimes in the whole world against Christ. Like how Psalm 2 speaks of how the kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord.

And it describes how this final battle when Christ comes takes place in Armageddon. Verse 16 says, “And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon.” Now, where’s this place? Armageddon means the mountain of Megiddo which was a major city in the valley of Jezreel - a great coastal plain in Israel. Countless wars have been fought here between the Egyptians, Assyrians, Syrians, and Israel. They all fought for control of the Via Maris, a great trade route that went through this region. But it’s only symbolic. Why? There’s no mountain big enough there to host a world war. Even the valley’s not big enough. But because of area’s historical significance, the name was used to describe the final battle against the world system. That’s how human history comes to an end. It’s not by global warming or nuclear war, but by Christ coming.

And here we see the totality of the judgment. Verse 17 says, “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.” Meaning, this is the end. When Christ finished the work of salvation at the cross, he shouted “it is finished!” Here, he completed the work of judgment at Babylon - “it’s done!” And the way he judges is by his church, coming with him from the east. Verse 18 describes voices, thunders, lightnings; and the greatest earthquake ever. This was also the description of the church in Revelation 11:19 - God’s temple in heaven was ready to attack with lightnings, voices, thunderings, earthquake, and hail. Whether they’re literal or not is inconsequential. It’s meant to convey the world system’s complete destruction by Christ.

How complete? Verse 19 - it was split into 3 parts, and the other nations were also destroyed like rubble. God made her drink of his wrath because of her sins. 3 parts - as in divided and conquered. Even permanent things like islands and mountains disappeared. And not only were these destroyed, all the wicked too. The church’s hail, about 50 kg each, rained on the wicked. All of these words - whether figurative or literal - show the totality of judgment. And in the following weeks, we’ll see this in greater detail. But what’s the application to us?

Very clearly from the text, we see an exhortation to believers. Verse 15 - “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” In the midst of this description of judgment, what does Christ say to us? He says his coming will be unexpected. But the one who watches, who’s saved and living out the gospel - is blessed and unashamed. Believers, this is God’s counsel to believers. The world is passing away with its lusts thereof. Are we watching? Do we know how deceptive Satan and his system are? God tells us not to buy into the lies of the world. Do you really believe that you can have benefit, profit, and joy apart from Christ? Eve did. The devil tried to persuade her of happiness outside God’s will. Take and eat the forbidden fruit! He tries to persuade us too. How much spirituality will you give up for worldly comfort? How much have you already given up? I can’t bear to be alone! Any man is better than no man! Take and eat! Or it’s not that harmful, I can watch it. Yes, take and eat. Should I let my daughter take this degree course on gender studies? Yes, let her take and eat it! What poisonous fruit are we taking? How has your affluence, spare time, made you less godly? But the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

You know, we’ve seen how the world wouldn’t repent despite many chances. But if you don’t see the futility of the world system, might it be that you belong to the world? Will you be part of God’s people that will destroy the world system, or will you be destroyed? As we come to the supper again, it’s a reminder to stir up our love for Christ, his kingdom, and the gospel. For some of you, you’re living in sin; you’re not ready to abandon the world system. You still want that forbidden fruit. The Lord’s Supper is not for you. Your conscience is not clean, you’re not holding onto the garments of Christ. But you also cannot not take it. This is a means of grace. You must purpose in your heart to abandon the world system, to be weaned from it, to repent of how you have been deceived. You must take and eat of Christ! You must want him. The fruit from the tree of life! Take, and find grace to overcome. For in this supper you declare your gratitude for your salvation and your continual need for him - who’s not only saved you, but from that world system. Dear Christian, take and eat of Christ. Reject Babylon. The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

1. The World System Will Not Repent Before Christ’s Final Judgment

A. Its universal impenitence

B. Its necessary judgment

2. The World System’s Destruction at Christ’s Final Judgment

A. Its symbolic description

B. Its total destruction