Revelation 18:9-24. In one hour.
The wailing of the merchants and sea captains wail that it took just an hour for the great Babylon to fall, the city they thought would last forever and through it their accumulation of wealth would go on forever: ampldquoIn one hour she has been brought to ruin!amprdquo (19).
Thatamprsquos how fast disaster comes. In just one hour. Fifteen years ago It took me less than a minute to read the letter that told me my contract would not be renewed in effect, I was fired. I was shocked, I couldnamprsquot believe it. I was the head of the English Department in an international school. How could this happen to me?
I quickly recovered my emotional equilibrium by telling myself Iamprsquod get another job quickly. It would be easy.
I had a good CV, excellent references and superb evaluations.
When I got home and told the news to my partner, the woman I hoped would be my wife, she confirmed that she wouldnamprsquot marry me.
Without marriage to her, I had no visa to stay in the States and look for a job. In one hour my doom had come (10).
I thought I would never hear the ampldquovoice of bridegroom and brideamprdquo again (23).
My Babylon had fallen. My income was gone. My hopes of a happy and cultured humanist life of art, theatre and music vanished in the ampldquosmoke of her burningamprdquo (9).
I cried out with a triple woe at the fall of my Babylon. What could I do? Where could I go? I was 51 years old with nothing. And it took only an hour to lose everything. Such was the swiftness of Godamprsquos justice on my adultery, spiritual and physical. I was like a boulder thrown into the sea (21) and I drowned.
Application: give thanks for my life where and how it is now.
Lord, let me rejoice in the fall of my Babylon so that I may see your grace and my sinful life more clearly.
