Revelation 18:7-14 ("Alas, alas, that great city Babylon" that glorified herself as a queen)

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.

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.

9 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,

10 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.

11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:

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,

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.

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.

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving Your Son the Lamb for us and for all that You've revealed to us in Your Word, including Your warnings to us on sin and Your instruction on Your good and acceptable and perfect will for us. Help us to know You and Your Son and Your Holy Spirit better through our study of Your Word, and help us especially in studying this book of Revelation that You've given us. And strengthen Your Church, including all of Your missionaries, pastors and church leaders, and all those being persecuted for Your Son's name, including in North Korea, China, Africa and Muslim lands, and Christians here who have lost their jobs for not compromising on Your Word, and keep Chinese leaders from corrupting Your Word in Chinese-language Bibles and help believers in North Korea and China, including children, to know You and meet in the truth of Your Word. Help us also as we face living in this time and place which is more and more rejecting Your Son and in which evil is so often called good and good evil, lies are called true and the truth called lies, and false accusers abound, as Satan's temporary grip on this world is increasing, and in which coldness is growing in many churches and those with the spirit of the tare and the spirit of the hireling so often have the loudest voices. Help us also to take the beam out of our own eye before trying to remove the mote from the eyes of others and to follow Your direction on how we are to live each day, not depending on our own sight or own understanding or own strength but on You, help us to be the salt and light that we should be, and help, too, our leaders in the world, including the Trumps and Pences, and help our nation also so that many hearts here turn back to You and many more souls are saved. We also pray for those possessed or oppressed by demons, those oppressed by man, the falsely accused and falsely convicted, those who serve and protect others, the poor and the homeless, and those addicted to substances. And also help and protect children who are being abused and children in the womb and those fighting to protect them. In the precious name of Jesus, Amen.

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