Fruits and Dainty and Good Things Departed Revelation 18:14

An “angel” from heaven showed John the apostle many things which will occur in the tribulation time on the earth, and John wrote, “And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird. For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that you be not partakers of her sins, and that you receive not of her plagues. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she has filled fill to her double. How much she has glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she says in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow. 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 judges her. And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning. Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come. And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buys their merchandise any more: 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. And cinnamon, and odors, 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.” In chapter eighteen and verse fourteen of Revelation we learn of more of the wares of the city of “Babylon” where we read:

And the fruits that your soul lusted after are departed from you, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

The verse reads, “And the fruits that your soul lusted after are departed from you, ...” John began with the words, “and the fruits” which means “and the ripe fruit” “that your soul” or “that the merchants' seats of their feelings, desires, affections and aversions ” “lusted after” which means “craved, desired and longed for” “are departed” or “have gone and passed away” “from you” which means “separated from the merchants”. John heard the “voice from heaven” share how the “fruits” which were desired by the “merchants” were gone.

The verse continues, “... and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from you, and you shall find them no more at all.” John added the words “and all things” which means “and each, every, the whole and everyone of the things” “which were dainty” or “that were according to a sumptuous and delicate style of living” “and goodly” or “and a brilliant, clear, transparent, splendid and magnificent” “are departed from ” which means “are separate, gone and passed away from” “you” which means “the merchants”, “and you shall find them” or “and the merchants will discover, discern or come upon these wares” “no more at all” which means “no further or longer”. John saw how everything that was “delicate” and “splendid” had gone away from the merchants, and they would never have them again.

When we think through John's words in this verse, we see how the loss of their “temporary” wares affected the “merchants”. Though they were valuable at one time, the destruction of them in “one hour” will cause the merchants to “mourn and weep”. God Almighty desires to have an “eternal” relationship with every person who will submit themselves to His Son Jesus Christ. His “riches” will never end, and they cannot be burned or taken away. Those who are wise will realize the value of the “everlasting treasure”, and put aside “temporary” things for the “eternal”.

Next time we learn how “the merchants of these things” ... “shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.