Come Out!

Growing up, I could see New York City from our street corner. The lights sparkled, especially when the daylight dwindled in the fall. My parents would bring us to Radio City Music Hall to see the show. As we walked on the streets, my mother used to say the sidewalks were paved with diamonds. Indeed, they did glitter in the night as they reflected the lights.

Last trip together into NYC with mom

We continued the tradition with my daughters. We would visit at Christmas time to see the tree at Rockefeller center and enjoy the Christmas lights and excitement of the city.

We have lived our whole lives at the outskirts of New York City, the largest, richest, most powerful city in the world. As a culture, we enjoy her gifts, but we ignore her sins. She attracts the  homeless and poor, greed and corruption, filth and immorality. We step around these things when we visit. We look away from the beggar, cross the street when we see the unsavory. But we keep coming back. We try to be close, while keeping our coats clean.    

What does God instruct us regarding the culture of sin around us? 

“Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not share in her sins,
so that you will not receive any of her plagues;
for her sins are piled up to heaven,
and God has remembered her crimes."(Revelation 18:4-5) 

Scripture tells us to leave. Not to live in suburbia and visit occasionally, but to separate, come away. To stay close is to partner in these sins. Sin is seductive. It is devious. It is contagious. When we remain close, we will become contaminated.

"For all the nations have drunk
the maddening wine of her adulteries.
The kings of the earth committed adultery with her,
and the merchants of the earth grew rich from her excessive luxuries.”
(Revelation 18:3) 

Immorality, greed, and power are never satisfied. These sins multiply and grow more deeply embedded. They become normalized and accepted. Evil invites us to it's revelry but it hates us will destroy us. Wickedness tastes delicious even though it is deadly.       

"Your merchants were the world’s important people.
By your magic spell all the nations were led astray.
In her was found the blood of prophets and of God’s holy people,
of all who have been slaughtered on the earth.” (Revelation 16:23-24) 

God sees all and He will surely judge the wicked. Quickly, totally it will be destroyed. Let's not allow His delay to fool us. 

“In one hour your doom has come! ...
With such violence the great city of Babylon will be thrown down, never to be found again." (Revelation 18:10,21) 

The world will mourn the destruction of evil but God's people will rejoice. God will show Himself faithful and His judgment is good.

"Rejoice, you people of God!
Rejoice, apostles and prophets!
For God has judged her with the judgment she imposed on you.”
(Revelation 18:20) 

Beloved, I want to be a part of it, the excitement, the lights, the fun. It cunningly masks the immoral. It draws me too. I am not immune. I too can be seduced by immorality, greed, power and pride. Allow me to see the truth, that You alone are joy and peace. Let me take seriously Your call to come out.