In Titus 2.11–14, the Apostle Paul summarized the Christian faith in this way: “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.”   Christianity, you see, is about what Jesus Christ … Continue reading Justice at Last (Revelation 19:1-5)

  Revelation 18.20–24 sharply contrasts the noise of heaven with the silence of hell.   “Rejoice over her, O heaven,” a voice cries out, referring to the destruction of Babylon. And not only heaven, but also “you saints and apostles and prophets, for God has given judgment for you against her!” As I explained earlier, Christian joy at the demise of Babylon is not a grotesque example of Schadenfreude, but rather of simple pleasure at a world turned right side up. Gone are Babylon’s seductive religion, oppressive politics, and unjustly gained wealth, never to haunt the earth again.   Have … Continue reading The Noise of Heaven, the Silence of Hell (Revelation 18.20–24)

  Revelation 18.9–19 contains the laments of three distinct groups of people who interacted with Babylon: “the kings of the earth,” “the merchants of the earth,” and “all shipmasters and seafaring men.” At first reading, this might seem like a strange combination of people groups to mourn Babylon’s downfall, but if we remember that Babylon is simply a codeword for Rome, then the combination begins to make sense.   The Romans, you see, were a very practical people. As they extended their empire throughout the then-known world, they imposed order on the nations they conquered. Rather than oppressing the conquered … Continue reading The Sins of Babylon (18.9–19)