Corona Chronicles - Crown of Gold

Welcome to Corona Chronicles. Thanks for tuning in for another day. We are in the second half chapter 18 and we're still considering the fate of Babylon. And because we're looking at quite a lot the same things, how you could imagine from now on, for the next few days, we're at the funeral of Babylon. And there are going to be a number of voices at the funeral, like eulogy.

If you like, but they're going to be talking about Babylon at her funeral. And we're gonna start today by looking at the voice of the kings. What are the kings gonna contribute to this funeral service? And we're just gonna read verses 9 and 10. When the kings of the Earth who committed adultery with her and shared her luxuries see the smoke of her burning.

They will weep and mourn over her. Terrified at her torment. They will stand far off and cry whoa. Woe to you great city. You mighty city of Babylon in 1 hour your doom has come.

Well, really really strong sort of reaction to to the fall of Babylon here. And I think probably the reason that is is because everything that Babylon had to offer, the kings went for. Yeah. The kings of this committed the adultery with her. They they indulged with her to get as much power as they could.

And that's what they've lived for. And now that that's gone, now the source of their power, now the source of their luxury has gone, they're devastated. Mhmm. And they're and they've they're terrified at what's happened to her. They are.

And I think I think the the interesting thing is that they are they are mourning the loss of Babylon, and they are terrified of punishment. But this isn't the kind of mourning in terror, which is gonna lead them to repentance. It's the difference between regret and repentance. So, they're not turning back to the lamb. To see if they can find salvation before.

It's too late, they're they're basically just upset -- Yeah. -- that their future prospects have come to an end. And all that they trusted it has gone. And we see that today, don't we? You know, when people We can be a bit lucky.

If you see that perhaps when people would be businesses go down or people lose great fortunes. There is this morning and this is anger, this grinding of teeth. But often on reflection, the lesson learnt is not, actually, do you know, from now on, I better stop trusting in this stuff. I better trust in Christ. It's It's how can I rebuild?

How can I get my fortune back? How can I go stronger? And so there's a sadness, but not 1 that's really leading to any change. And I think that's I think that's the kind of thing that's that's going on here. I mean, they would do anything to see that that heyday of Babylon.

Yeah. That's that's what it feels like. Yeah. It's like the the loss of a real loved 1 because of what that that loved 1 could give them. Yeah.

And so if if only they could have that power again. Mhmm. If only they could have those luxuries again, they would do anything. They would do anything. And and so they mourn and they weep.

I mean, that's real devastation that she's got is. But also there's that fear because of what's happened to her. Because if that was a powerful nation, what's the 1 that has brought it down like. Yeah. And I think that's that's quite a scary thing for them.

It is. And and perhaps they're perhaps they're partly terrified as well because they know that they're gonna share in this judgement. You know, essentially, the I've just saw this really, that in the in the previous section. God's people are told to come out and be separate. Yeah.

Why? You know, because they should not share it since, they be living the gospel life. And these guys are trying to stand far off. They have a lot. It's interesting, isn't it?

You know, they will stand far off. They're trying to come out from her -- Yeah. -- and be separate because they don't wanna share. But again, they're not coming out because they wanna turn to Christ. They're coming out just because they want to avoid that punishment.

And, you know, that's that's often the case, you know, when we talk to people about Jesus today. I mean, that there is no 1 alive who wants to go to hell. You know, and that no 1 want everyone would want to escape the punishment, But what gets people to heaven is a is a cherishing of Christ -- Yeah. -- above the world and a love for Christ, not just the desire to avoid punishment, you know, and that's what the people of God want when they come out, but it's not what these kings want. Yeah.

I mean I mean, that that's interest it's interesting that, you know, yesterday we saw inverse 8 in 1 day. Her plates will overtake her. Now, in in this section we've got in 1 hour, your doom has come. And again, we were reminded of the just just the the suddenness of destruction and judgment. Yeah.

And so, I guess the question is, you can be, or the sort of, to think about is you can either be with Babylon on the great who is powerful, There's no doubt that there's power there. Yeah. But in 1 hour, they're judged and they're fallen. Or you can be with the Christ of eternal power. Yeah.

And you will be forever with him. Yeah. That's the thing. And and I think on this last day, you know, every every human eye is going to be wet with tears, but what are we crying about that would be the thing, won't it? Oh, are we shedding tears of joy -- Yeah.

-- because we've seen our lamb who were slain, our bridegroom has come together -- Yeah. -- all the tears of sorrow because we had devoted ourselves to that which is fallen and the judgement has come. And so, you know, for people watching, and perhaps not everyone watching is a is a believer in Christ. You know, these these are put here to awaken us. And although we might not be kings of the earth, we certainly act like little kings, and this is trying to say, look, be careful what what we invest in.

And, you know, in what way do we wanna be shedding tears on the last on the last on the last day. Join us tomorrow for the the second voice from the funeral of Babylon.