Sermon preached by Pastor Vincent Bourrel on 10th October 2021

Chapters 17-18 focus on one aspect of the seven bowls: the judgment of Babylon. By the time John writes Revelation, Babylon is in ruins, a city greatly reduced in size and without any influence. In the Old  Testament, Babylon symbolized everything that was pagan, powerful, arrogant, self-sufficient, and vile. But it was judged by God in 539 B.C. under the Medo-Persian emperor Cyrus. Babylon was the capital of the empire (Nebuchadnezzar was its illustrious founder), it was an extremely powerful city, magnificent, rich but also debauched, idolatrous, occult…).

So when the angel makes John see Babylon the great harlot, he is not referring to the historical city of Babylon but to what it represents, to the spirit of Babylon that remains throughout the centuries. Babylon embodies the world system that has rejected God and is intoxicated with power, luxury and debauchery… 

In John’s time this system was embodied by the Roman Empire and its capital Rome, (17:9 the city of seven hills). This is the system that persecutes them, these emperors are worshipped as gods. John  cannot name it, as he is already in exile because of the Roman power. That’s why he says v.9 « It is here  that we need an understanding enlightened by wisdom ». We still need this understanding to understand what form Babylon is taking today.  

Sermon preached by Pastor Samuel Niblack on 3rd October 2021

How was your week? Has it been easy or difficult to do what is right, just, and good? Has it been easy or difficult for you to maintain a Christian witness at work, or at home, or at school? Does the future ahead seem easy or difficult? Well, the text today shows why things are often difficult for us.

Let’s read Revelation ch. 12

Sermon preached by Vincent Bourrel on 26th September 2021

In chapter 6 we saw Christ open the first of the 7 sealed scrolls containing the judgments of God, and we saw how this and all the subsequent judgments ravaged the whole earth. In chapter 7 we saw that only those who are marked with the seal of God, who have placed their trust in the blood of the Lamb shed for them, escape the judgments and are kept by the Lord forever.

In chapter 8 it is the 7th seal that is opened, which triggers 7 judgments that are the 7 trumpets. 

Now let’s read Revelation 8.1-12

Sermon preached by Pastor Vincent Bourrel on 12th September 2021

In chapter 5, we saw a scroll sealed in the hands of God. The scroll contains God’s plans for justice. To open the seals is to unleash the divine purposes of redemption and judgment. If the scroll remains sealed, God’s purposes will not be fulfilled. But Jesus, the slain Lamb, lives to do justice, and he is worthy to open the seals. 

Let’s read about the seven seals, and the seal of God in Revelation ch 6.1-17