Audio Download

Ezekiel 27:1-36  A Lamentation for Tyre

[Study Aired August 12, 2024]

Introduction

In order to understand our study for Today, we need to go back to the previous study to understand what the city of Tyre represents. That will serve as a basis to understand what the lamentation for Tyre is about. Spiritually, Tyre represents our flesh or our old man who hates Christ within us. 

Psa 83:2  For behold, your enemies make an uproar; those who hate you have raised their heads.
Psa 83:3  They lay crafty plans against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. 
Psa 83:4  They say, “Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more!” 
Psa 83:5  For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—
Psa 83:6  the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, 
Psa 83:7  Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia with the inhabitants of Tyre;

Tyre also signifies Babylon. As indicated in the previous study, a city can represent a church as shown in the following verses:

Rev 21:10  And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, 

Rev 14:8  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.

Today’s study shows us the characteristics of the city of Tyre which gives the Lord the occasion to come with His judgment to destroy her. Since Tyre signifies Babylon or our old man or flesh, her judgment means our judgement by the Lord. This judgment reflects the pain or sorrow that we must endure as the Lord deals with our old man or flesh. The lamentation of Tyre is therefore our sorrowful reaction to the evil experience of the Lord’s judgment. 

The Beauty of Tyre

Eze 27:1  The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, 
Eze 27:2  Now, thou son of man, take up a lamentation for Tyrus; 
Eze 27:3  And say unto Tyrus, O thou that art situate at the entry of the sea, which art a merchant of the people for many isles, Thus saith the Lord GOD; O Tyrus, thou hast said, I am of perfect beauty. 
Eze 27:4 Thy borders are in the midst of the seas, thy builders have perfected thy beauty.

The word of the Lord coming to Ezekiel, who represents the Lord’s elect, means the revealing of the mystery of the kingdom of God to us, His elect. 

Eph 3:1  For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles— 
Eph 3:2  assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 
Eph 3:3  how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly.
Eph 3:4  When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, 
Eph 3:5 which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. (ESV)

As part of this experience of being given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, we are being shown how the Lord is taking us through an evil experience signified by mourning (lamentation) as a result of the Lord’s judgment of Tyre within us. We are the Lord’s witnesses being clothed in sackcloth in this age.

Rev 11:3  And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.

The Lord is always seeking for an occasion to come to us through His judgment. In verse 3, the Lord is showing us our sins which justify His coming to judge us. As we have indicated, Tyre represents our flesh or old man. The Lord describing Tyre as situated at the entrance to the sea and a merchant to the people for many isles implies that Tyre is naturally endowed to enrich itself through trading at the expense of people from the isles.

The sea represent humanity and therefore Tyre’s borders being in the midst of the seas (verse 4) refers to those who have just left the world but are still dominated by the flesh. The isles in verse 3 represent Babylon or the physical churches of this world and therefore the people from the isles are all those who have left the world but are still dominated by the flesh. At a certain stage of our lives, when we were in Babylon, we were given over to the desires of our flesh. Verse 3 therefore shows us how our old man is naturally endowed to enrich itself from our brothers and sisters in the churches. We know that the love of money is the root of all evil. What verse 3 spiritually signifies is that our flesh is the gateway for all kinds of evil.

1Ti 6:9  But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 
1Ti 6:10  For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 
1Ti 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. 

It is instructive to note that in verse 3, Tyre regarded itself as being of perfect beauty. According to verse 4, its builders have perfected her beauty. The builders are people from many isles or Babylon in verse 3. Tyre’s beauty brought about pride and we know that pride always comes before destruction.

Eze 28:17  Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Pro 16:19 Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

The attractiveness or the beauty of our old man makes it impossible for every one to resist his dominion. It is only when we are in Christ that we are given power over him.

Rev 13:4  And they worshipped the dragon which gave power unto the beast: and they worshipped the beast, saying, Who is like unto the beast? who is able to make war with him?

As we have indicated, Tyre also represent Babylon. It is impossible to resist the attraction of the churches of this world (Babylon) when we have not been given eyes to see and ears to hear. 

Pro 6:23  For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life: 
Pro 6:24  To keep thee from the evil woman, from the flattery of the tongue of a strange woman. 
Pro 6:25  Lust not after her beauty in thine heart; neither let her take thee with her eyelids. 
Pro 6:26  For by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a piece of bread: and the adulteress will hunt for the precious life. 
Pro 6:27  Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?
Pro 6:28 Can one go upon hot coals, and his feet not be burned? 

Because our old man or flesh’s heart was lifted up because of his beauty, he shall be destroyed through the Lord’s judgment.

Psa 39:11  When thou with rebukes dost correct man for iniquity, thou makest his beauty to consume away like a moth: surely every man is vanity. Selah. 

The destruction of our old man is the birth and growth of our new man created after the image of Christ. The beauty of our new man is what the Lord desires.

Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

Col 3:10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:

Psa 45:11  So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. 

Outwardly, the churches confidence in their beauty means that they shall be consumed in the fullness of time.

Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Eze 27:5  They have made all thy ship boards of fir trees of Senir: they have taken cedars from Lebanon to make masts for thee. 
Eze 27:6  Of the oaks of Bashan have they made thine oars; the company of the Ashurites have made thy benches of ivory, brought out of the isles of Chittim.
Eze 27:7 Fine linen with broidered work from Egypt was that which thou spreadest forth to be thy sail; blue and purple from the isles of Elishah was that which covered thee. 

Ships were used in the Biblical times principally for business which was basically trading. Ships, shipmasters, sailors represents those who trade by sea. Tyrian or Babylonian ships therefore represent the false apostles who take advantage of our brothers and sisters in Babylon who are dominated by the sea of humanity to make merchandise of them. We were also enriching our shipmasters at a certain point of our walk with Christ. It is worth noting that the people of Israel built very few ships for themselves but they furnished the Tyrians with timber for shipping. This implies that it is our brothers and sisters in Babylon who make these false messengers rich. 

Psa 107:23  They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters; 

Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 

Here in verses 5 to 7, we see the opulence of these ship merchants. The ship boards were made of cedars of Lebanon, the ships oars were made of oaks of Bashan, the benches made of ivory and the sail were made of fine linen of blue and purple. The description of the opulence displayed by their ships reflects how the Lord has endowed the churches of this world or Babylon with huge resources. However, instead of the resources being used to further the kingdom of God, it is being used to build images of men.

Eze 16:17  Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them,

The fact that fine linen was used as masts by their ships shows us that these false apostles come supposedly bearing the righteousness of the saints (fine linen) but inwardly, they are wolves!!

Rev 19:8  And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

Mat 7:15  Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 
Mat 7:16  Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? 
Mat 7:17  Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. 
Mat 7:18  A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 
Mat 7:19  Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. 

It is worth noting that the fine linen were blue and purple. These colors characterize the harlot woman who arrayed herself with purple and scarlet colors and decked herself with gold and precious stones and pearls, displaying her opulence just like the Tyrian ships. This affirms that Tyre and Babylon are the same.

Rev 17:3  So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
Rev 17:4  And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: 
Rev 17:5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. 

Eze 27:8  The inhabitants of Zidon and Arvad were thy mariners: thy wise men, O Tyrus, that were in thee, were thy pilots. 
Eze 27:9  The ancients of Gebal and the wise men thereof were in thee thy calkers: all the ships of the sea with their mariners were in thee to occupy thy merchandise. 

The gallant ships from Tyre were well-manned by men of great industry experience. They have men from many nations supporting their trading business of their ships with the leaders or pilots being from Tyre (verse 8).

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

These men of renown are the false apostles parading as angels of light. The business that the ships from Tyre or Babylon engages in includes the trading of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen and the souls of men. As we are aware, the gold, silver, precious stones and pearls all refer to the word of the Lord which is traded in Babylon or Tyre. These men of renown make merchandise of the word of the Lord. 

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 

Joh 2:16  And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.

2Pe 2:3  And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

Eze 27:10  They of Persia and of Lud and of Phut were in thine army, thy men of war: they hanged the shield and helmet in thee; they set forth thy comeliness. 
Eze 27:11 The men of Arvad with thine army were upon thy walls round about, and the Gammadims were in thy towers: they hanged their shields upon thy walls round about; they have made thy beauty perfect. 

These verses are to show us how the Lord has protected Tyre or Babylon until the time appointed for her destruction. Persia, Lud, Phut, Arvad and Gammadims being in the army of Tyre is to show us the formidable protection of Tyre or Babylon by the nations of this world. The nations’ protection of Trye or Babylon is because she has dominion over them as she sits upon many waters. 

Rev 17:1  And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Rev 17:15  And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.

A witness to this is in the Book of Ezra, where the Lord caused the King of Persia, Cyrus, to build him a house at Jerusalem. At that time, King Cyrus had dominion over the kingdoms of the world and therefore building a house for the Lord had the support of the nations of this world. This house of the Lord is Tyre or Babylon or the physical churches of this world.  

Ezr 1:1  Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled, the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, 
Ezr 1:2 Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah.

We cannot therefore say anything evil against the churches of this world because we know that it is the Lord who is protecting them for His own purpose. May the Lord help us so that we don’t fall into the same example of  these filthy dreamers who speak evil of things that they do not know.

Jud 1:8  Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. 
Jud 1:9  Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.
Jud 1:10 But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 

As a matter of fact, we have been shown why the Lord is protecting the churches of this world for a set time. This is the Lord’s intention in protecting Tyre or Babylon as it is:

Mat 13:13  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. 
Mat 13:14  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: 
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

The nations protecting Tyre or Babylon means giving her a period of peace to perfect her beauty or attraction to many who unsuspectedly are lured into her bed. We were all victims of her attraction at a certain stage of our walk with Christ. 

Pro 7:9  In the twilight, in the evening, in the black and dark night: 
Pro 7:10  And, behold, there met him a woman with the attire of an harlot, and subtil of heart. 
Pro 7:11  (She is loud and stubborn; her feet abide not in her house: 
Pro 7:12  Now is she without, now in the streets, and lieth in wait at every corner.) 
Pro 7:13  So she caught him, and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him, 
Pro 7:14  I have peace offerings with me; this day have I payed my vows. 
Pro 7:15  Therefore came I forth to meet thee, diligently to seek thy face, and I have found thee. 
Pro 7:16  I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. 
Pro 7:17  I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 
Pro 7:18  Come, let us take our fill of love until the morning: let us solace ourselves with loves. 
Pro 7:19  For the goodman is not at home, he is gone a long journey: 
Pro 7:20  He hath taken a bag of money with him, and will come home at the day appointed. 
Pro 7:21  With her much fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. 
Pro 7:22  He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks; 
Pro 7:23 Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not that it is for his life. 

As we have indicated, Tyre also represents our old man or flesh whose attractiveness had overcome us all until Christ came to us with the spirit of His mouth and His brightness. We can clearly see that it is the Lord who had protected our old man or flesh from destruction until the time appointed for his death through judgment. This protection is the Lord causing all humanity to submit to our old man or flesh or the beast within us as described as follows:

Rev 17:13  These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast. 
Rev 17:14 These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. 

As indicated by Revelation 17:14, at the right time, the Lord shall overcome the beast or our old man within us through His judgement. This is to assure us that the Lord is in perfect control of our circumstances and until the time appointed by the Lord, the word of the Lord shall try us just as it did to Joseph who had been promised rulership.

Psa 105:17  He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant: 
Psa 105:18  Whose feet they hurt with fetters: he was laid in iron:
Psa 105:19  Until the time that his word came: the word of the LORD tried him. 
Psa 105:20  The king sent and loosed him; even the ruler of the people, and let him go free.
Psa 105:21 He made him lord of his house, and ruler of all his substance: 

The Merchants of the Earth That Traded with Her

Eze 27:12  Tarshish was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of all kind of riches; with silver, iron, tin, and lead, they traded in thy fairs. 
Eze 27:13  Javan, Tubal, and Meshech, they were thy merchants: they traded the persons of men and vessels of brass in thy market. 
Eze 27:14  They of the house of Togarmah traded in thy fairs with horses and horsemen and mules. 
Eze 27:15  The men of Dedan were thy merchants; many isles were the merchandise of thine hand: they brought thee for a present horns of ivory and ebony.
Eze 27:16  Syria was thy merchant by reason of the multitude of the wares of thy making: they occupied in thy fairs with emeralds, purple, and broidered work, and fine linen, and coral, and agate.
Eze 27:17  Judah, and the land of Israel, they were thy merchants: they traded in thy market wheat of Minnith, and Pannag, and honey, and oil, and balm. 
Eze 27:18  Damascus was thy merchant in the multitude of the wares of thy making, for the multitude of all riches; in the wine of Helbon, and white wool. 
Eze 27:19  Dan also and Javan going to and fro occupied in thy fairs: bright iron, cassia, and calamus, were in thy market. 
Eze 27:20  Dedan was thy merchant in precious clothes for chariots. 
Eze 27:21  Arabia, and all the princes of Kedar, they occupied with thee in lambs, and rams, and goats: in these were they thy merchants. 
Eze 27:22  The merchants of Sheba and Raamah, they were thy merchants: they occupied in thy fairs with chief of all spices, and with all precious stones, and gold. 
Eze 27:23  Haran, and Canneh, and Eden, the merchants of Sheba, Asshur, and Chilmad, were thy merchants.
Eze 27:24 These were thy merchants in all sorts of things, in blue clothes, and broidered work, and in chests of rich apparel, bound with cords, and made of cedar, among thy merchandise. 

It is a widely known fact even among the heathens that the church system of this world has become a business instead of being places that people go to know Christ. The verses above show us that all the nations trade with Tyre or Babylon. I remember during my days in the churches of this world, one renown pastor mentioned that every activity of a church must generate profit. Our Lord Jesus spoke against this when He entered the temple to cleanse it from all those who were doing business in His name. 

Mat 21:12  And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, 
Mat 21:13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

If we look closely at the things that are being traded by the nations with Tyre as shown in verses 12 to 24, they are not different from what the merchants were trading with Babylon before her destruction predicted in Revelation chapter 18. No wonder the merchants of the earth shall mourn the destruction of Babylon. Here are some of the things traded which are common to Tyre and Babylon:

Rev 18:11  And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 
Rev 18:12  The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble, 
Rev 18:13  And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men. 
Rev 18:14  And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

It is insightful to note that all these things that are being traded are found in the churches. The gold, silver, precious stones, wine, flour, wheat, oil and honey all refer to the word of the Lord which we are warned not to peddle.

2Co 2:17  For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God’s word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV) 

The spices such as cinnamon, odours and frankincense are incense which signify prayers. These false apostles parading as angels of light insist on giving them an offering to support their prayers for us. Some even come up with the false doctrine that our prayers cannot be heard by the Lord unless they are supported with an offering.

The horses and chariots here refer to the horsemen or preachers who come with their two hundred million false doctrines which churches pay for with their tithes and offerings. 

The blue and purple clothes, the embroidered work, fine linen and rich apparels all signify righteousness of the saints which when we were in Babylon or Tyre, we paid for through our tithes and offerings. We were therefore culprits of the trading in the churches until the Lord came to our rescue.

The Judgment of Tyre

Eze 27:25  The ships of Tarshish did sing of thee in thy market: and thou wast replenished, and made very glorious in the midst of the seas. 
Eze 27:26  Thy rowers have brought thee into great waters: the east wind hath broken thee in the midst of the seas. 
Eze 27:27  Thy riches, and thy fairs, thy merchandise, thy mariners, and thy pilots, thy calkers, and the occupiers of thy merchandise, and all thy men of war, that are in thee, and in all thy company which is in the midst of thee, shall fall into the midst of the seas in the day of thy ruin. 
Eze 27:28  The suburbs shall shake at the sound of the cry of thy pilots. 
Eze 27:29  And all that handle the oar, the mariners, and all the pilots of the sea, shall come down from their ships, they shall stand upon the land; 
Eze 27:30  And shall cause their voice to be heard against thee, and shall cry bitterly, and shall cast up dust upon their heads, they shall wallow themselves in the ashes: 
Eze 27:31  And they shall make themselves utterly bald for thee, and gird them with sackcloth, and they shall weep for thee with bitterness of heart and bitter wailing.
Eze 27:32  And in their wailing they shall take up a lamentation for thee, and lament over thee, saying, What city is like Tyrus, like the destroyed in the midst of the sea? 
Eze 27:33  When thy wares went forth out of the seas, thou filledst many people; thou didst enrich the kings of the earth with the multitude of thy riches and of thy merchandise. 
Eze 27:34  In the time when thou shalt be broken by the seas in the depths of the waters thy merchandise and all thy company in the midst of thee shall fall. 
Eze 27:35  All the inhabitants of the isles shall be astonished at thee, and their kings shall be sore afraid, they shall be troubled in their countenance. 
Eze 27:36 The merchants among the people shall hiss at thee; thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt be any more. 

These verses are the same as the judgment of Babylon in Revelation chapter 18. It shows us the pain we must bear as our old man or flesh is judged by the Lord. Outwardly, it shows us that the physical churches of this world shall be judged in the fullness of time by the Lord.

Rev 18:15  The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, 
Rev 18:16  And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! 
Rev 18:17  For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, 
Rev 18:18  And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. 

Just as the Lord has caused many nations to protect Babylon, the Lord shall also put in the minds of people to destroy Babylon when her sins have reached the heavens.

Rev 18:5  For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 
Rev 18:6  Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double. 
Rev 18:7  How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.

Rev 17:16  And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. 
Rev 17:17  For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
Rev 17:18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

We give thanks to the Lord that in His time, He makes all things beautiful!! Amen!!