Revelation is more about present hope than a future calendar. Revelation 17:1–6 - Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and said to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great prostitute who is seated on many waters, with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.” And he carried me away in the Spirit into a wilderness, and I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast that was full of blasphemous names, and it had seven heads and ten horns. The woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and jewels and pearls, holding in her hand a golden cup full of abominations and the impurities of her sexual immorality. And on her forehead was written a name of mystery: “Babylon the great, mother of prostitutes and of earth’s abominations.” And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of the martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. Babylon is a metaphor Revelation isn’t trying to tell us what will happen next but to give us hope no matter what happens next. A Profile of Babylon 1. Anti-God 2. Anti-God’s People 3. Opulent 4. Arrogant 5. Murderous 6. Militaristic 7. Economically Exploitive We Need to Confront Babylon in Our World We Need to Confront Babylon in Our Country We Need to Confront Babylon in Ourselves Revelation is revealing that there is too much Babylon in the church and not enough church in Babylon. Revelation 17:6-7 - And I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints, the blood of martyrs of Jesus. When I saw her, I marveled greatly. But the angel said to me, “Why do you marvel?” Revelation 18:17 - For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste. Revelation 17:14 - They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful. Revelation 18:4 - Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” Trunktober Volunteer Team Signup