December 27 — "When God Says, ‘Get Out!’"

Today's Reading: Revelation 18

There are moments when a single sentence feels like it’s spoken straight into your living room, and Revelation 18:4 is absolutely one of them. John hears a voice from heaven declaring, “Come out of her, my people.” Not whispered. Not hinted. Commanded. It’s the kind of line that jolts you upright and makes you ask, What am I standing way too close to?

The big idea of Revelation 18:4–5 is simple yet razor-sharp: God calls His people to step away from a corrupt system before that system seeps into them. Babylon, in Biblical imagery, represents a world order built on pride, greed, indulgence, and self-made independence from God. It’s not just a city—it’s a mindset. A way of living that insists, “I don’t need God as long as I’m comfortable.”

The phrase “come out” carries weight. In Greek, it’s exelthate, meaning “exfiltrate” in English—to remove or withdraw someone or something—often quickly, secretly, or under pressure—from a dangerous or restricted situation. This is not a gentle drift. Not a negotiated exit. God isn’t suggesting a lifestyle tweak; He’s calling for a decisive removal before judgment falls. To exfiltrate is to leave because staying is no longer safe.

Verse 5 says Babylon’s sins are “piled up as high as heaven.” That image is chilling—sins stacked like bricks, layer after layer, unnoticed by those committing them, yet never overlooked by God. Galatians 6:7 reminds us, “God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Babylon always looks impressive—until the bill comes due.

For many of us, this lands uncomfortably close. We live in a culture that celebrates excess, normalizes compromise, and measures value by sparkle and status. In recent years, I’ve watched believers excuse things they once rejected—unhealthy relationships, questionable entertainment, shady business choices—because, well, “everyone does it.” But Babylon doesn’t just influence behavior; it numbs discernment.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Discernment is not knowing the difference between right and wrong, but knowing the difference between right and almost right.” That’s the Christ-follower’s sweet spot. Staying so tuned to the Holy Spirit that when those “almost right” temptations show up, we instantly respond with a firm “No!”

God’s call here isn’t isolation—it’s distinction. Jesus prayed not that we’d be removed from the world, but protected from the evil one (John 17:15). We carry the Gospel most powerfully when we’re not quietly borrowing Babylon’s values.

May the Lord give you courage to release what He’s already condemned, clarity to spot subtle compromise, and joy as you walk in the freedom that comes from wholehearted obedience to His Word.