Today you should read: Revelation 18:1-10
One of the themes throughout Scripture is the contrasting of the city of God or other places where God dwells with Babylon, the city of darkness and immorality.
Right from the beginning, we see the Garden of Eden, a place where God dwells, and then shortly after, Babel (Babylon). Eden was a place of perfect harmony with the Lord; Babel was a place of discord.
In Scripture, Jerusalem is the city where God dwells in the Temple, while Babylon is the city of immorality. This is one of reasons it was so painful for Israel to be exiled to Babylon. Not only did they lose their city, but they lost a place where God dwelled and were forced to a place of immorality and sin.
In Revelation, Babylon is shown to be a city that is sexually immoral. This is a place “full of obscenities…” (Revelation 17:4). It is also a place of sinful materialism, and you will read about that on Monday. In our chapter today, we see God’s judgment toward Babylon and a plea from heaven for God’s people to not take part in the sin of Babylon because God’s judgment awaits those who do.
This passage reminds us that sin never wins. Those who sin will always eventually be punished. Those who remain in their sin will be punished for following the kingdoms of the world and will experience an eternity apart from God in agony. Sin brings punishment, and for those who have accepted Jesus as their Lord, the punishment has already been brought. If you are a Christian, you had someone else take the punishment for your sin already. Jesus, was willing to come to earth, live blamelessly, and then take our place on a Cross.
Because of this, you who are in Christ will not be punished like Babylon, but will experience eternal life in the New Jerusalem.
What stuck out to you in today’s passage?
By: Lucas Taylor — West Campus Pastoral Ministry Apprentice
JumpstartCPC.com 
Enjoyed the message post today! I learn something new about the comparison between Jerusalem and Babylon.