Temporary

Rev 18:10,17,19 " For in one hour your judgment has come...For in one hour such great riches came to nothing...For in one hour she is made desolate."

Everything is so temporary. Here is this great city that John calls Babylon, that has everything. Power, riches, amazing resources. The whole world is dependent on it. Other countries become rich through it, it is the center of world commerce, and it focal point of culture. It seems that it has everything including everything evil. It is anti-God, anti-Christ, and anti-Christian to the extent that it persecutes and kills prophets (those who speak the truth of God's word) and the saints (believers in Jesus Christ). Everything is so temporary. In the middle of its splendor and power it loses it all. It is all burned up. The city is destroyed by fire and the kings of the earth say one thing: "Alas, alas that great city Babylon…". And the merchants of the earth say one thing: "Alas, alas that great city…". And the transportation hubs of the earth say: "Alas, alas that great city…". Great no longer. Now destroyed. Now desolate. Now gone. Everything is so temporary.

What a great reminder to this country that I live in. We have been blessed beyond belief. I don't think that John is writing about America, but he could be. The world seemed like it was dependent on us. Our monetary system is what has built this world's economy (for now). We have great resources. Other countries have been made rich because of us. We still think that we were the greatest country in the world. But, everything is so temporary.

And it is a great reminder to me. God has blessed me and my family with a lot. I am totally grateful to Him for all that He has done and all that He has given. Yet, I have to remember that the stuff that we have, the bank accounts that we hold, the house we live in, the cars that we drive, even our very lives are so temporary. I have to remember that I am dependent. Not on me, not on my smarts, not on my abilities, not on my wife, not on my kids, not on my job. I am dependent on God. I am dependent on His provision. I am dependent on His resources. I am totally and completely dependent on Him. I should not hold on too tightly to anything because everything is so temporary.

One hour is a short period of time, yet a lot can happen in one hour because everything is so temporary. Just ask Babylon.