Tag: committed immorality

12.i.”And the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Habakkuk 2:15  “Woe to him who gives drink to his neighbors, pouring it from the wineskin till they are drunk, so that he can gaze on their naked bodies! You will be filled with shame instead of glory. Now it is your turn! Drink and let your nakedness be exposed! The cup from the Lord’s right hand is coming around to you, and disgrace will cover your glory.

Jeremiah 25:15    Thus the LORD, the God of Israel, said to me: “Take from my hand this cup of the wine of wrath, and make all the nations to whom I send you drink it.

Revelation 17:2     with whom the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality, and with the wine of whose sexual immorality the dwellers on earth have become drunk.”

Revelation 18:3    For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

We read of drunkenness both literally and metaphorically in Scripture.  When consumption of alcohol is used to dull the senses to the point of affecting reason, this is bad. When alcohol is used literally a person becomes void of reason and allows a person to do what they would normally not even consider doing.  When inhibitions are lost there is a host of sins just waiting to come to life and produce the fruit of the sinful nature.  This sin has no bounds or limits.  How many families do you know of that has been affected by the use and abuse of alcohol?  It is not that alcohol is bad but there is a fine line that can be stepped over very easily.  People say and do things under the influence of alcohol that they would not even dare think or do sober.  It seems alcohol is used to dull senses and replace the need for prayer, reliance on Jesus Christ, and hearing the quiet voice of the Holy Spirit of God.  In this dullness, there appears to be a reprieve of what troubles the soul.  How many TV or movie shows do see where after something bad or taxing has happened they reach for a bottle of whiskey or some other strong drink to calm their concerns.  They would have us believe this is the normal thing to do rather than calling out to God for help.  “Come unto me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest”.  This comes from God alone and not a bottle.

Metaphorically drinking is used to show uninhibited drunkenness with power, luxurious living, and sexual immorality.  People as well as nations fall because of this.  Remember the fall of Sodom and Gomorrah, in the prosperity they drank from the cup of sexual immorality and as well from the cup of the Wrath of God.  When God is removed from the heart and soul a person’s mind will be filled with uninhibited sinful desires.  Some of these will manifest themselves with things we can see and other things we cannot. The cup they blindly choose to drink from is filled with worldly sinful passions and will result in also drinking the cup of God’s wrath. The end result is separation from the One and True God who is able to save, comfort, and encourage us now and throughout eternity.

8.e. The nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.

Revelation  18:1  After this I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was made bright with his glory. And he called out with a mighty voice, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast. For all nations have drunk the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have grown rich from the power of her luxurious living.”

Isaiah 13:19    And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the splendor and pomp of the Chaldeans, will be like Sodom and Gomorrah when God overthrew them.

Jeremiah 51:7    Babylon was a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, making all the earth drunken; the nations drank of her wine; therefore the nations went mad.

Just as ancient Babylon was heathenish and unbelieving so is this new Babylon which has seduced the kings, people, and nations of the world.  It is a place where demons, unclean spirits, and detestable sexual immorality not only exist, it is the way of life.  It is cherished, sought after, and thought to be acceptable and morally correct.  People intentionally choose to follow and take part in all of this unholy activity.  It is so sad isn’t it, that people intentionally choose to reject Jesus Christ and eternal life.  You have to wonder why it is chosen when it is so obviously wrong.  Yet, today we see the effects of this already starting to evolve more and more.  Where people water down what it means to live for Jesus Christ.  They may have bowed down at some point to seek the grace, mercy, and love proclaimed through the gospel of Jesus Christ but their life reflects no fruit, no humble service, no rejection of the enticements of this world, no seeking of His Word, no want to be led by the Holy Spirit, no desire to be led by and through the word of God, and no understanding of what it means to follow, obey, trust, and rely on Jesus Christ.  They have found satisfaction in this world and what it has to offer.  They see no need for God in their life other than a promise of eternal life.  It is as if they say I deserved  Jesus for being beaten, whipped, and nailed to the cross for my sin rather than humbly bowing down in an overflowing heart of thanks and worship.  They have made His sacrifice of little significance and it shows in their life of self-centered satisfaction.  Oh, that our heart, mind, and soul would see more and more of the glory of this great mercy, grace, and love, freely given for our redemption and salvation.  I fear many of these people will hear “depart from Me, for I never knew you”.  We have not been saved for our glory, prosperity, and ease in life but, rather for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.  We do well to remember this each moment of every day.