Rev. Peter Bender, pastor of Peace Lutheran Church in Sussex, Wisconsin, joins host Rev. AJ Espinosa to study Revelation 18.

“Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins.” Revelation 18 takes a pastoral and catechetical focus on the idolatry of Babylon. “Babylon” does not refer to geography per se, but to the apostate element of Israel, particularly concentrated in Jerusalem.

Even when things seem blessed and spiritual, they may be spiritually unclean and idolatrously aligned against God. The church literally relocated, leaving behind the wealth and influence of Jerusalem to be spared from its destruction. Like Daniel or the Christians who were martyred in Jerusalem, it is better to fall with Christ than to stand with the powers of darkness, which will fall “in a single hour.” Ultimately worldly acceptance is a sham, based only on how profitable we might be. God’s love in Christ however is truly unconditional: He loves us no matter the cost.

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