After The Rapture

Revelation 14:8

And there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Two Babylons are spoken of in Revelation: religious Babylon and commercial Babylon—the false religious system and the oppressive economic system. The second angel declares both are powerless.

Revelation 14:9, 10 (a)

And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation…

The third angel says, “Don’t take the mark of the beast.” But the world, by and large, will buy into Antichrist’s diabolical plan.

Revelation 14:10 (b), 11

…and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.

Those who suggest either that hell is not a literal place or that it won’t last for eternity haven’t read the Bible. In fact, Jesus taught more on the subject of hell than on the subject of heaven. That is why this angel cries with a loud voice, warning people to reject the mark of the Beast. There’s lots of talk about angels these days as cute, cuddly creatures. But when you read this passage, you realize they are creatures who plead passionately, proclaim loudly, and preach vehemently because hell is real. It’s not a game. I think of the twentieth chapter of Isaiah, where a most amazing thing happens.…

Although the Assyrians were headed in their direction, the people of Israel didn’t take the threat seriously. Oh, come on, they thought. Certainly we won’t be wiped out by the Assyrians.

So God said to Isaiah—the eloquent orator, the educated, articulate prophet—“The stakes are high. But the people aren’t listening. So I want you to take off your sandals, take off your clothes, and walk naked throughout this region for three years.”

Now, whether this was three years continually or three years sporadically, Bible scholars disagree. But the fact remains that stately Isaiah did, in fact, obey. Why was he told to do this? Because the people had grown so calloused to the prophets’ words, they weren’t heeding the message. So God used this bold move to get their attention and to illustrate the fact that, as captives of the Assyrians, the Israelites would be led naked across the desert into captivity.

Like Isaiah, we, too, live in crucial times, gang. You have relatives. I have friends. We have co-workers who are going to hell because, like the Israelites, they have become calloused to the threat of hell. But the stakes are too high for us just to say, “Well, whatever.” No, we must share the naked truth with them—not baring our bodies, but baring our souls.

“But they’ll laugh at me,” you say.

What do you think they did to Isaiah?

Here in Revelation, the angels preach with a loud voice, “Don’t take the mark. You’ll be tormented forever.” People are in tribulation even today. Share the everlasting gospel with them, and, like the angels, you’ll soar in the heavenlies. I guarantee it!

Revelation 17:1 (a)

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore…

At this point in the Book of Revelation, although the church is in heaven, the structures, systems, and stuff of religion—referred to here as the great harlot—remain intact on earth.

Revelation 17:1 (b), 2

…that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.

Note the universal power of the false religious system as the harlot consorts with the political leaders of “many waters,” or many nations.

Revelation 17:3

So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.

Note the unique position of the false religious system as the harlot is seen riding the Beast, or Antichrist. At this point, all true believers—be they Baptists or Catholics, Episcopalians or Pentecostals—are in heaven. This leaves only the trappings of religion atop the Beast.

Revelation 17:4 (a)

And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls…

Note the unlimited prosperity of the false religious system as seen in the purple robes and precious jewels with which the harlot is attired.

Revelation 17:4 (b)

…having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.

Note the unholy passion of the false religious system as seen in the golden cup in the hand of the harlot, full of the fruits of her fornication.

Revelation 17:5

And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.

The Bible could rightly be called The Tale of Two Cities, for from cover to cover, two cities pop up over and over again: One is Jerusalem, the city of God. The other is Babylon, the city of rebellion.

Mentioned more than three hundred times in Scripture, Babylon was founded on the plain of Shinar near the Euphrates River by Nimrod, a man whose name literally means “we will rebel.” Babylon was centered around the tower of Babel—a ziggurat used for the practice of astrology.

Revelation 17:6 (a)

And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus…

Note the unsettling persecution perpetrated by the false religious system. Bear in mind that John wrote the Book of Revelation in the midst of ten waves of persecution that would ultimately claim the lives of six million believers.

Revelation 17:6 (b), 7

…and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.

Initially, we saw the woman riding the Beast (verse 3). Here, we see the Beast carrying the woman—a small, but I believe, important change of terminology as Antichrist employs the false religious system to serve his own agenda.

Revelation 17:8

The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.

John gives a seemingly enigmatic description of the beast carrying the woman when he writes of the “beast that was seen and is not, and yet is.” But then he goes on to give further illumination.…

Revelation 17:9

And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.

Only one city in history is known as “The City of Seven Mountains”: Rome.

Revelation 17:10 (a)

And there are seven kings…

At the time John wrote this, there had been seven Roman emperors: Julius Caesar, Caesar Augustus, Tiberias, Caligula, Claudius, Nero, and Domitian.

Revelation 17:10 (b)

…five are fallen…

Of the original emperors, the lives of five were cut short. Julius Caesar was assassinated. Tiberias was poisoned. Caligula was stabbed. Claudius was smothered. And Nero committed suicide.

Revelation 17:10 (c)

…and one is…

When John penned this book, Domitian was on the throne.

Revelation 17:10 (d)

…and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.

This is a reference to Antichrist.

Revelation 17:11

And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition.

The Beast yet to come is “of the seven.” In other words, Antichrist is one of the original seven emperors. Consider with me Caesar Nero—the sixth of the original Roman emperors.…

It was to Caesar Nero that Paul appealed (Acts 25:11). History verifies that it was after meeting with Paul that Caesar Nero went on a rampage that resulted in the martyrdom of tens of thousands of believers. This coupled with the fact that the Hebrew numeric value of the letters of his name equal 666, I personally believe Caesar Nero will one day reappear as Antichrist. Oh, he’ll not come wearing a toga, playing a fiddle, saying, “I’m back.” Rather, the perverted spirit of Caesar Nero that caused massive bloodshed under his reign will reappear in Antichrist.

Revelation 17:12, 13

And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast.

Daniel 7 tells us that the ten horns of the beast signify the ten nations of the revived Roman Empire. Since the Rapture has happened at this point, Antichrist and this ten-nation federation will be of one mind.

Revelation 17:14 (a)

These shall make war with the Lamb…

The bottom line, the only goal, the one objective of Antichrist is to destroy Jesus.

Revelation 17:14 (b)

…and the Lamb shall overcome them: for he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful.

Because Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings, Antichrist will be unsuccessful in his attempted coup.

Revelation 17:15, 16

And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues. And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.

Once the Beast has used the false religious system to gain power, he will then turn against her. So, too, we will be disgraced, denuded, and devoured by any sin we attempt to control rather than confess. Oh, perhaps, like the harlot, we can ride the sin for a season, arrayed in the pearls, precious stones, and purple robes of confidence—but eventually, like the harlot, we will be burned and eaten up by the very sin we thought we controlled. I believe the language in this verse is purposely horrific because, truly, the wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23).

Revelation 17:17

For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

According to His own will, God will use the Beast to destroy the false religious system.

Revelation 17:18

And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.

This chapter has dealt with all of so-called Christendom being united by the power and potency of Rome. But one must not equate Rome with Catholicism. There are wonderful brothers and sisters in the Catholic Church, just as there are wonderful brothers and sisters in the Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, and Orthodox church. But after these brothers and sisters are raptured, the remaining power and prestige of the church in Rome will be manipulated by Antichrist. And although the Roman Church will think she’s in control, she’ll inevitably suffer the same fate as that of her own Pope Pius.…

In 1804, Napoleon summoned Pope Pius VII to leave Rome and to come to Paris in order to crown him emperor of France. Knowing the one who crowns the emperor will always have a voice of power with the emperor, Pius showed up with crown in hand. But just as he was about to place the crown on Napoleon’s brow, Napoleon grabbed it from Pope Pius and crowned himself. Horrified, Pius immediately understood the implication: Napoleon had wrested all power from Rome.

And the day is coming when Antichrist will do the same.

Revelation 18:1 (a)

And after these things…

After what things? After the destruction of Babylon (Revelation 17:15). What is left of the one-world religious system will join with Antichrist and the ten-nation confederation of Europe. Playing right into his hands, the religious system will initially work with Antichrist and the European Union—the revived Roman Empire.

The religious system based in Rome will appear to control the European coalition of the revived Roman Empire—but only for a certain season, for these kings will ultimately turn against Rome and, after using her to gain control of the reigns of world power, will trash her. That’s why Babylon is called a harlot in chapter 17. She’s used, abused, and thrown away.

Revelation 18:1 (b), 2 (a)

…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…

Why do we see Babylon again in chapter 18 after seeing her destroyed in chapter 17? Because chapter 17 deals with the false religious system Babylon represents, while chapter 18 deals with the literal city of Babylon. Chapter 17 deals with religious Babylon. Chapter 18 deals with political and economic Babylon.

This explains the seeming discrepancy between 17:16, which reads: “…and the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore…” and 18:9, which reads: “…and the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her…” You see, although the kings of the earth hate the religious system, they love and embrace the economic system of Babylon.

Revelation 18:2 (b)

…and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.

As also seen in Jeremiah 51, the utter destruction of Babylon is reiterated in the Book of Isaiah…

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation: neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there; neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there; and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures; and owls shall dwell there, and satyrs shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces: and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged

. Isaiah 13:19–22

Although destroyed by Alexander the Great in 330 B.C., there have always been small communities of inhabitants in Babylon. Isaiah, however, prophesied that not even shepherds and their flocks would hang out there, that it would simply be a place for weird birds and wild animals. Thus, Isaiah’s prophecy concerns a future destruction, which will come to further light as Revelation 18 unfolds.…

Revelation 18:3

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.

Here we see interaction and commercial intercourse with Babylon. And because every nation has interaction with Babylon, every nation is affected by Babylon. All nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication.

Revelation 18:4

And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.

The voice from heaven speaks to those who become believers during the Tribulation. The church is already in heaven, but the Lord will still save souls—so many that in the Tribulation there will be a large number of people who finally understand the gospel message and are converted to Christ. To them, this clarion call comes from heaven, saying, “Stay away from Babylon.”

Revelation 18:5

For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

The goal of the builders of the Tower of Babylon’s birthplace was to “build a tower whose top may reach unto heaven” (Genesis 11:4). In reality, the only thing that reached to heaven was their iniquity.

Revelation 18:6

Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.

In other words, Babylon is about to receive twice the wrath and destruction ever perpetrated by her.

Revelation 18:7 (a)

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…

She who has had interaction with all nations and with whom all nations have been involved in fornication now says, “I’m a queen, not a widow. I’m neither impoverished nor in need of anything.”

Revelation 18:7 (b)

…and shall see no sorrow.

This doesn’t mean Babylon will not experience sorrow—but that she refuses to see it. Consumed with a “let them eat cake” mentality, Babylon is so absorbed in her own delicacies, her own materialism, her own economy that she does not see the sorrow of people even within her own boundaries.

Revelation 18:8

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.

“You claim to be a queen and you see no sorrow. But I look at you differently,” declares God. “You’re going to be judged thoroughly.”

Revelation 18:9, 10 (a)

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…

Not wanting to be tormented with the same torment with which Babylon is tormented, the kings of the earth will lament and mourn—but “standing afar off”—at a safe distance.

Revelation 18:10 (b)

…for in one hour is thy judgment come.

The utter destruction of a city like Babylon taking place in one hour would most likely be the result of a nuclear exchange—the fallout of which would help explain why the kings of the earth “stand afar off.”

Revelation 18:11

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

No one is saying, “Oh, those poor people in Babylon.” No, they’re saying, “Oh no, the world economy is wiped out.” And as the results of the destruction of Babylon are described, it feels as if we’re on a floor-by-floor tour of a huge department store like Saks Fifth Avenue or Bloomingdale’s.…

Revelation 18:12 (a)

The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls…

First floor: Jewelry

Revelation 18:12 (b)

…and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet…

Second Floor: Clothing

Revelation 18:12 (c)

…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.

Third Floor: Home Furnishings

Revelation 18:13 (a)

And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense…

Fourth Floor: Cosmetics

Revelation 18:13 (b)

…and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep…

Fifth Floor: Food Court

Revelation 18:13 (c)

…and horses, and chariots…

Sixth Floor: Automotive

Revelation 18:13 (d)

…and slaves, and souls of men.

The word “slaves” literally meaning “bodies,” this is the basement—the Adult Bookstore.

Please note not one of the aforementioned deals with life’s necessities. They’re all luxuries. Babylon specializes in materialism gone mad.

Revelation 18:14–17 (a)

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. The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing, and saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls! For in one hour so great riches is come to nought.

Babylon is the city that drives world economy, so everyone who exported from or imported to her is saying, “Oh no! How will we buy and sell now?”

Revelation 18:17 (b)—20

And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off, And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate. Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

The peoples’ response to the destruction of Babylon is to weep and wail. But heaven’s response is to rejoice.

Revelation 18:21–23 (a)

And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; and the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee…

The entire life of the city comes to a complete, abrupt halt in the aftermath of what is most likely a nuclear exchange. To John, the destruction in a single hour of the economic capital of the world would have been unimaginable. To our culture, having seen even the infancy of nuclear warfare demonstrated at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, this is completely possible.

Revelation 18:23 (b)

…for thy merchants were the great men of the earth…

Who, where, what is this city of Babylon? The first clue is that her merchants were the great, or wealthiest, men on earth.

Our government’s historic and continued support and subsidy of the tobacco industry is an example of the “get rich at all costs” mentality that will do anything for a dollar—even if it means hiring Joe Camel to sell cigarettes to our own children.

Revelation 18:23 (c)

…for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

The word translated “sorceries” being pharmakeia, or “drugs,” the second clue concerning Babylon’s identity is that this city has caught the entire world in her web of drug traffic.

The evidence is conclusive that due to the availability of money and to the demand of a culture that sinks so low as to glorify heroin addiction on its fashion models, the country that drives the drug industry today is unquestionably the United States.

Revelation 18:24

And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

The third clue concerning Babylon’s identity is that: The blood of the saints is on Babylon’s head.

Since 1900, an average of 250,000 born-again believers have been martyred every year. This issue is presently before our own Congress as the Christian community is saying the U.S. must take a stand—particularly as it relates to the nation of China, where the highest percentage of this type of persecution has taken place. But our country refuses to do this, instead granting China Most Favored Nation status in order that her 2.5 billion people can buy our cars and computers.

Am I suggesting the Babylon of Revelation 18 is actually America?

There are those who think so.

Turn to the Book of Isaiah, written by another prophet who foretold the destruction of Babylon (21:9).…

Woe to the land shadowing with wings, which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia. Isaiah 18:1

“Beyond the rivers of Ethiopia is a term to describe an unknown region—certainly what America would have been to Isaiah. In addition, some suggest the “shadowing with wings” reference is to the eagle, our country’s insignia.

That sendeth ambassadors by the sea, even in vessels of bulrushes upon the waters…

Isaiah 18:2 (a)

Isaiah’s point of reference being the Middle East, her ambassadors could only have reached America by crossing the sea.

…saying, Go, ye swift messengers, to a nation scattered and peeled, to a people terrible from their beginning hitherto… Isaiah 18:2 (b)

The original Hebrew meaning of this passage is: “Go ye swift messengers to a nation, wide and polished, to a people awesome from their beginning.”

…a nation meted out and trodden down…

Isaiah 18:2 (c)

Some suggest this is a precise description of our own history in light of our “manifest destiny” to claim our land from coast to coast, from “sea to shining sea,” regardless of the indigenous people groups in the way.

…whose land the rivers have spoiled!

Isaiah 18:2 (d)

Some suggest this refers to the pollution of our rivers.

In his description of Babylon, the prophet Jeremiah writes of “the mingled people” in the midst of a land “that dwellest upon many waters” (see Jeremiah 50:37; 51:13). Inhabited by a mono-ethnic people and situated on only the Euphrates River, Jeremiah’s reference does not describe historic Babylon. America, on the other hand, is a melting pot of people and surrounded by oceans and rivers—not to mention the Great Lakes that alone contain one-quarter of the world’s fresh water.

Add to this the fact that Babylon will “mount up to heaven, and fortify the height of her strength” (see Jeremiah 51:53) in a seeming reference to a space program, the case made by those who believe the Babylon of Revelation 18 is actually America—New York City, in particular—is a strong one.

Do I agree with this?

I don’t know.

You see, it could very well be that present-day Babylon will become the center of world commerce during the Tribulation. Once surrounded by walls wide enough that six chariots could race atop them and containing hanging gardens so magnificent that they were one of the seven wonders of the world, after its destruction in 330 B.C. by Alexander the Great, Babylon was a rather unimportant place for many centuries—until Saddam Hussein came to power. Fifteen years ago, he commissioned a team of brilliant Japanese architects to mastermind the rebuilding of the once-awesome city. Today, the palace of Nebuchadnezzar, the gate of Ishtar, and the royal paveway are complete. The wall is near completion.

Why is Hussein investing hundreds of millions of dollars on this building project? Partly as a nod to the past, an homage to his hero, Nebuchadnezzar—the last king of Babylon able to control Israel; partly as an understanding of the present, as a way to compete for the much-needed tourist dollar; and partly as a hope for the future—the first part of a plan to establish Babylon as the center of the Arab world.

So it could well be that after Rome is devoured in the Tribulation (Revelation 17:14), Antichrist will choose to move his base of operation to Babylon in Iraq. Interestingly, in the first Gulf War, due to its archaeological, historical, and cultural significance, orders were issued by the Gulf War Coalition that under no circumstances was Babylon to be touched. Thus, the possibility certainly exists that Babylon was preserved not only for her archaeological, historical, and cultural significance—but, unknowingly, for her prophetic significance.

Whether the Babylon of Revelation 18 is actually present-day Babylon or present-day America, the fact remains that although a revived Roman Empire, a restored Russia, a Chinese-Asian coalition, and Israel are all clearly seen in the end times—America is strangely absent. While this could be due to the fact that she truly is devastated in the nuclear exchange described in Revelation 18, it could also be due to the fact that the percentage of Christians in our nation—be they strong or weak or vacillating—is so high that America is disabled as a result of the void they leave after the Rapture. You see, if I were to go to Hawaii tomorrow, my whole body would go—even if my arm was broken, my back was sore, my knee was bruised. The same is true of the Rapture. The entire body of Christ will go—comprised of any who simply believe that Jesus died for their sins and rose again, of all who embrace His gift of salvation.

While we will have to wait for a definitive answer to the question of Babylon’s identity in the last days, however, our brother James has a particular word for us this day.…

Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. James 5:1–3

In other words, our garages full of stuff we can’t get rid of because we’re sure that someday we’ll actually use that electric toothbrush and our closets full of clothes we can’t give away because we’re also sure that someday we’ll lose those twenty pounds and wear them again, witness against us.

Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. James 5:4

The cries from the people you’ve cheated by cutting corners, from the employees you’re tricked, from the system you’ve “beat” all enter the ears of the Lord.

Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. James 5:5, 6

In taking care of your own business and pleasure, you’ve forgotten everyone else.

Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door. James 5:7–9

Don’t cheat one another. Instead, be as generous as you can, realizing the nearness of the Lord’s return.

Truly, James is “another voice from heaven, saying, Come out from Babylon, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (see Revelation 18:4).