Instant Change

“For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,” (Re 18:17 AV)

The context is the destruction of Mystery Babylon the Great.  The future city of the tribulation wherein all political and economical power is vested in the AntiChrist.  This city will rival any city ever seen.  It will be, by far, the wealthiest of all cities over the entire history of mankind.  The collective wealth of the entire world will reside in this city.  It will be under the discretion and control of the AntiChrist.  It is at the end of the tribulation when the LORD destroys this city and all the wealth within it.  All gone within one hour.  The entire world will wonder after this city and lament its destruction because with its demise, their means of livelihood disappear as well.  What is astounding to the heart this morning is the swiftness by which man comes to trust can be suddenly and completely removed.

Tragedy happens all around us.  Daily we either experience or hear of dramatic events that will forever change the lives of those involved.  Mass shootings in our schools change the community on a permanent way.  September 11, 2001 was a day many will not forget.  Lives can no longer be the same.  Within minutes, mere minutes, the course of lives were altered in such a way they will never return to what was once, normal.  Our only hope in these tragic events is the LORD becomes more real to those who were touched by these horrible events.  God did not force these things.  God allows these things because mankind wants the privilege of self-determination.  We want the privilege of choice even if it means hurting someone else.  In the above event, however, God does send the judgment.  It is the destruction of Mystery Babylon.  He does so because of her hideous sin.  He does so to dislodge humanity from its comfortable place.  A place of wickedness and filth.  The desire is the same.  The LORD desire mankind to be drawn to Him.  That is our only hope.

The severity of events can have a silver lining by the changes that result.  There could be better security put in place.  The tragic loss of loved ones could result in other lives becoming more fruitful.  But the one change that could result that brings the greatest of all outcomes is that souls would turn to Christ.  The real tragedy of tragedy would be if no change was the result.  If lives went back to what they were before and the event was lost to the annuls of history.  Things can change drastically in one hour.  All that we lean upon can come to a sudden end.  Are we prepared?  Will we be a causality of the event itself?