January 2: ALL WHO HAD SHIPS ON THE SEA

They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, ‘Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.’ Revelation 18:19

The throwing of dust on [one’s own] head and open weeping and wailing are obvious expressions of intense grief. These are accompanied by the cry of “Alas, alas!” Such grief, openly expressed, would normally be the lamentations of a funeral from Bible times: the loss of a loved one through death appropriately grieved before the eyes of the world.

However, the grief expressed by the kings of the earth (secular governments), the merchants of the earth (religious leaders), and traders on the sea (media) is over their loss of power, position, wealth, and status in their various roles under the headship of Babylon. None of these open lamentations have anything at all to do with concern over the eternal fate of the masses of recipients of erroneous messages, or even their own eternal fates. Each of these groups contain those who became rich by her wealth.

Yesterday’s closing passage continues: The common-land will shake at the sound of the cry of [Tyre’s] pilots. All who handle the oar, the mariners, all the pilots of the sea . . . will cry bitterly and cast dust on their heads . . . In their wailing…they will take up a lamentation: “What city is like Tyre, destroyed in the midst of the sea? . . . You [Tyre] enriched the kings of the earth with your many luxury goods and your merchandise (Ezekiel 27:28,29a,30b,32,33b).

The language of Revelation clearly shows us the worldwide version of events that parallel the microcosm of Tyre’s desolation, so thoroughly described by the prophet Ezekiel. Tyre was indeed a derivative ‘glasshouse’ for Babylonian thinking. The utter demise of ancient (literal) Babylon and the destruction of Tyre, along with the overthrow of Sodom and the cities of the plain are affirmations of the surety of the prophesied destruction of spiritual Babylon given to our brother John.

But not everyone will weep over Babylon’s demise. God’s Holy Spirit is faithfully at work to awaken and alert all who will listen of the spiritual dangers that our enemy has cunningly insinuated into churches, seminaries, colleges, and other Christian institutions. Those who make a timely exit out of Babylon will be singing a very different tune in days to come…

For in one hour she is made desolate. The condition of being desolate can be looked back upon when the Lord Jesus left the temple for the last time, saying, “See! Your house is left to you desolate” (Matthew 23:38) . . . just an empty shell with no life or Spirit. Rejection of Jesus leads to utter desolation.

The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, Yea, than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover by them Your servant is warned, And in keeping them* there is great reward. Psalm 19:9b-11 *see vv 7-8