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And I heard another heavenly voice, saying: “Come out, My People,1 [Isaiah 49:9 LXX] so that you share not in her sins2 and that you receive not of her plagues.3
| 1 | Come out, My People: In Greek this is EXELTHATE and is the same as Isaiah 49:9 LXX EXELTHE which is generally translated as a call, “Go forth!” or “Come out!” Note it is the same prophetic context as those verses which allude to it in Revelation 7:16, 17! (Isaiah 49:8 quoted by Paul at 2 Corinthians 6:1; Isaiah 49:10 quoted in Revelation 7:16) It has all the sense of 1 Thessalonians 4:17’s commanding call. God’s People are “snatched” from harm’s way so they do not share in the plagues on Babylon. “My People” are the same as Revelation 21:3. Compare Jeremiah 51:6. The Jews who left Babylon did so as a divine miracle by God’s use of Cyrus. The Jews came out as a body, much the same as will occur in the Rapture. |
| 2 | That you share not in her sins: Compare Genesis 18:20; Jeremiah 51:9. |
| 3 | That you receive not of her plagues: Those of chapter 16. |
Dear Friends of the Nazarene,
We choose Revelation 18:4 as the theme verse of chapter eighteen – ‘Come Out’ Before the Plagues. John sees an angel from heaven calling out, “Babylon the Great has fallen.” [1-4] Before the seven plagues come upon Babylon the Saints are called out. The kings and merchants who benefited from spiritistic Babylon are mentioned. The angel gives the reasons for Babylon’s judgment. [5-8]
Some will be shocked at Babylon’s fall and the kings are mentioned first as witnesses to the Harlots ruin. [9, 10] Next the merchants weep and mourn. [11-19] How they benefited from Babylon is then described in some detail. However, the Saints in heaven rejoice over the end of Babylon. With Babylon’s end what will no longer occur is described. Babylon is condemned primarily for all the blood she split in earth’s history.
Abba our Father bless the Saints who come out of Babylon.
[2 October 2002]
