ERCC DEVOTIONAL (TEKAN) DAILY SPIRITUAL DIET FRIDAY 28TH JULY, 2023
TEXT: REVELATION 18: 1-16
SPIRITUAL FOCUS: THE FALL OF BABYLON THE GREAT.
Babylon was the largest empire in the world at that time. She has made great emperors like Nebuchadnezzar who has made a name for himself by blaspheming the name of the living God and His people.
He enslaved God's people greatly, yet the Lord fulfilled His promise to bring them back to their homeland. And the promise of judging Babylon, a country that has been compared to all kinds of wickedness and sin. It is the one we are told about her fall in today's reading. The big business, her clients in various ways are surprised by the fall.
Even today, bad associates are often upset when wrong doers are caught. The fall the tyrant and the traitor caused the saints to rejoice, happiness and sweet songs. Brethren, no matter how evil the enemies of God may live, the day is coming when they will fall. When that happens, wicked people will cry out with them, as the wicked ones do when Babylon fell.
Let us be holy because when this happens, God's children, who fear Him, will sing Hallelujah, and praise and glorify our Lord continually. In that day we will leap like the calves of the flock (Malachi 4: 2).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT: The day of the Lord is a day of rejoicing for those who fear Him.
PRAYER: Lord God, please help me, to that I may not perish with the wicked when you judge the world, Amen.
Chapter 18: 1-16 (Pidgin Bible).
1 Afta all dis tins, I still si anoda angel wey get betta authority, dey kom down from heaven and di way e brite rish, kon make di eart dey shine.
2 E shaut with loud vois sey: “E don fall! E don fall! Babilon wey big well-well don fall! E don bikom di place where demons, evil spirits, bird and animal wey pipol hate, dey stay.
3 Bikos en sin bi like drink wey dey shark pesin and na-im make dem dey sleep with who dem nor marry. Na dis make am fall and all di kings for dis eart don sleep with am and many tradas don get plenty money, bikos of di yeye life wey e dey live.”
4 Den I hear anoda vois from heaven sey, “My pipol, make una kom out from am, so dat una nor go follow am kommit sin kon sofa di same ponishment.
5 Bikos en sins don high rish heaven and God go remember dem.
6 Make yu pay am as e take pay odas; pay am doubol for wetin e do. For di wine cup wey e mix, make yu mix doubol for am.
7 As e karry ensef up, dey enjoy yeye life, na so di sofa and sadnes wey yu go gi-am, go plenty rish, bikos e tok for en mind sey, ‘I dey rule like kween, my husband neva die and I nor go ever si sadnes again!’
8 Bikos of dis, na one day God go ponish am for all en sin with diziz, mourning, honga and dem go burn am with fire, bikos na Baba God wey go judge am, get all di pawa!”
9 Den di kings for dis world wey follow am kommit sin and enjoy yeye life, go kry kon shaut for am wen dem si di smoke from di fire wey dey burn am.
10 Bikos di kings nor one join am sofa, dem go stand far dey sey, “E bad well-well! Babilon, di big town wey get pawa! E bad well-well for yu! Na for only one hour God take distroy yu finish!”
11 Den doz wey dey sell tins go kry and mourn for am, bikos nobody go buy dia tins again.
12 Tins like gold, silva, stone wey dear, beads, fine linen, purpol klot, silk material, red klot and difren tins wey dem take wood wey dear, bronze, iron and marbol make.
13 Cinnamon, spices, incense, pomade wey dey send well, frankincense, wine, olive oil, flower wey dem take dey make bread, melu, sheep, shariot, slaves and human being soul.
14 (Di ripe fruit wey dey hongry yu well-well to enjoy and di tins wey dey sweet yu, don leave yu and yu nor go ever si dem again!)
15 Doz wey dey sell and get money from am, go stand far, bikos dem nor one join am sofa and dem go kry and mourn for am.
16 Dem go sey, “E bad well-well! Babilon, di big town wey wear fine linen, purpol and red klot, plus gold, stone wey dear and beads! E bad well-well for yu!
