On Revelation 14:8

In the few words of Revelation 14:8 the condition of our world is clearly described. "And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication."

The world has fallen. It has fallen from God's intentions. It works against His will, His purposes, His wisdom. It partakes in the breaking of every one of God's commandments. It wallows in the mire of its filthy thoughts and actions and speaks with pride over its so-called independence.

We could not exist without God. God is love and He is pure. He will not let this situation go on forever. He pities us. He has mercy beyond comprehension. His grace is unfathomable. He sees us drowning in the muck of the stinking corruption all around us and will not allow it to continue. While "Babylon" builds its new tower of pride, arrogance, and rebellion against the Father of all, God moves in His purposes to restore a kingdom in which the inhabitants will live together in grace and peace.

When we stray from God's commandments there are always victims. In His kingdom there will be no more pain or suffering.

From Exodus 20 in the Bible, let's look at the commandments and what sort of suffering results when they are broken:

1. 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me."

Pain and confusion result when one tries to go in different directions, as when one gets conflicting messages from multiple leaders. There should be one Leader over all, and that is God, for He is the Creator and Sustainer of all and His plans are for our best happiness. Other "gods" are demons -- fallen angels -- that desire to harm us.

2. " 4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.

5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

6 And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments."

Idolatry leads to the most heinous offenses. Lives are taken for sacrifices. God does not command this, but false religious systems do. Other evils are committed in the worship of inanimate objects. But what is the power behind these other "gods"? They are demons who desire to degrade and harm humanity.

3. " 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. "

Those who claim to follow God but lead others astray by their vile speech or actions cause confusion and pain in others, leading them to doubt God because of the behaviors of those who profess to follow Him. Doubting God leads to taking paths that break relationships that cause great pain.

4. "8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it."

We cause pain to ourselves, to our families, to others, and to our relationship with God when we ignore this commandment at the heart of the ten commandments. When we rely on our own works we forget it is God who provides all our needs, our every breathe, our very selves. Those who honor God will rest on the seventh day God has commanded and trust Him for being the Provider that He is. Overwork damages our physical and mental health. Keeping the Sabbath rightly helps us to rest in our relationship with our heavenly Father. Not keeping this commandment is idolatry, for it places our own pursuits above God.

5. " 12 Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee. "

Parents are harmed daily by the willfulness, disobedience and discourtesy of the children they have raised. What grief is caused when they see their children going against them and away from the paths of righteousness that would lead to so much happiness if followed. Children of any age suffer when they ignore the tenets taught to them by righteous parents.

6. " 13 Thou shalt not kill."

This commandment so obviously shows God's heart as one that wishes good for His children and not evil. It so obviously shows that disobedience to God's commands brings suffering. The killer not only ends the life of a victim or victims but derails the lives of all whose lives touched the lives of those victims. Killing brings pain upon pain upon pain, waves and waves of it, as relationships are destroyed without recourse, plans interrupted, lives lost, joys devastated. Killing is an ultimate evil for it cuts short the paths of God's children on earth and ends the chance for any decision that might have been made, all possibilities, all outcomes, all future children, good, or joy these victims might have brought to those around them.

7. "14 Thou shalt not commit adultery."

As the fourth commandment commanding rest on the seventh day commands loyalty to our Creator, so the seventh commandment commands loyalty to one's family and to respectful human relationships. So much suffering and evil has been brought into the world by the breaking of this commandment! The sense of security is ripped to shreds for millions of children as their parents harm one another in their treasonous activities. Hearts are wounded, minds bewildered, trusts crushed, families destroyed, relationships damaged. By ignoring this commandment people are making life a minefield of fallen lives as people suffer immeasurably from rejection and unfaithfulness.

8. " 15 Thou shalt not steal. "

Stealing hurts. It stings so terribly at a level of damage within relationship to society. Stealing is a wounding act, stabbing directly at the very essence of relationship in the world. It fosters mistrust, depression, and insecurity. It doesn't matter if it's from the richest in the world or the poorest, it hurts relationship. It hurts the taker and the victims. The one who steals knows in the heart that one is not worthy of trust, that one is dishonest, that one has cheated in taking without being given the thing in free will or in taking by force what they did not themselves earn. Stealing is also a form of idolatry for it places the obtaining of possessions above the standing with God.

9. "16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. "

Damaging a person's reputation with lies and insinuations is violence. It is degrading, humiliating, and harmful without measure.

10. "17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's."

Coveting begins the breaking of any one of God's commandments. The act of sin begins in the mind. It stains the soul, causing unhappiness and discontent. Wanting what others have is useless. God supplies all our needs. Who are we to tell Him and the world what He should give to some and not others? Unhappiness in ourselves spreads to others.

The world is in an evil state. Babylon has fallen. I hope to post more on this topic for I have only barely touched upon the topic here.