The phrase “Come out of her” is found in Revelation 18:4, which reads: “Then I heard another voice from heaven saying, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.”
To understand the meaning of this verse, we need to examine the context and symbolism used in the book of Revelation.
Context of Revelation 18
In Revelation 18, the apostle John receives a vision of the destruction of “Babylon the Great”, representing the world system that is opposed to God. In verses 1-3, John hears the pronouncement of Babylon’s fall. Then in verse 4, he hears a voice from heaven urging God’s people to “come out of her” so they do not share in God’s judgment on this wicked system.
The call to “come out of her” indicates a separation between God’s people and the immoral practices and idolatry of the world. Just as God called Abraham out of pagan culture to follow Him (Genesis 12:1), God wants His people to be separate from the sinful values and behaviors of “Babylon the Great.”
Symbolic Meaning
“Babylon the Great” is depicted as a prostitute seducing the nations into idolatry and immorality (Revelation 17:1-5). As a prostitute sells her body for gain, Babylon commercializes religion, values money and possessions over God, and promotes sexual immorality.
For Christians to “come out of her” means they must:
- Reject the idolatry of putting anything above devotion to God.
- Avoid compromising with the sinful practices of the surrounding culture.
- Remove themselves from anything that dulls their spiritual allegiance to Christ.
Just as the Israelites were called to remain spiritually and morally distinct from pagan nations, Christians must be separate from the idolatry and sensuality promoted by “Babylon.”
Application for Today
While modern society may not contain literal “Babylon the Great,” many aspects of our culture can compete with loyalty to God. The call to “come out” has ongoing relevance for believers.
Here are some principles for Christians today:
- Be in the world but not of the world (John 17:14-18). We must live among unbelievers yet remain unstained by sin.
- Guard against idolatry by examining what we treasure most (Matthew 6:19-21). Our priority should be pursuing God’s kingdom.
- Be transformed and do not conform (Romans 12:2). The values of God’s kingdom should shape us, not the pattern of this world.
- Flee from sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18). Stand apart from the sensuality and compromised ethics of our culture.
- Avoid partnerships or alliances with unrighteousness (2 Corinthians 6:14-18). Do not blend in with that which displeases God.
The call to “come out” is a repeated theme in Scripture (2 Corinthians 6:17). As Christians, we must prayerfully examine any areas where we may be accommodating to sinful cultural values. Our allegiance belongs fully to Jesus and His righteous kingdom.
Why Separate from “Babylon”?
Revelation 18:4 gives two reasons to come out of Babylon:
- Not to participate in her sins: To remain entangled with Babylon is to tacitly approve and contribute to its ungodly practices. Christians are to hate evil (Romans 12:9) and not partner with wickedness.
- Not to share in her plagues: God’s judgment is coming on this corrupt system. Those still allied with evil will experience its downfall. Scripture warns, “Their sins are piled up to heaven, and God has remembered their crimes” (Revelation 18:5). But those who heed God’s call to separate from wickedness will be spared.
The warning reminds believers we can avoid God’s judgment by rejecting the sinful ways of the world. We must heed His call to moral and spiritual purity.
A Complete Separation
The call to “come out” indicates complete separation from the evils of Babylon. Believers are not merely to tone down their involvement but to come fully out of this corrupt and condemned system.
Throughout Scripture, God required purity from His people:
- Israel was to completely destroy Canaanite idols and false worship (Deuteronomy 7:5).
- Believers should remove any hint of sexual immorality from their lives (Ephesians 5:3).
- Christians must not associate with any who claim to be believers yet are immoral (1 Corinthians 5:11).
God wants His people to be completely set apart from sin. We cannot straddle the line between good and evil. As James 4:4 warns, “Friendship with the world is hatred toward God.” We must wholly separate from the corrupt ways of the world.
Babylon’s Allure
Why would anyone find “Babylon the Great” appealing? What are the specific enticements believers must reject?
Revelation depicts several of Babylon’s seductions:
- Wealth and luxury: “Your merchants were the world’s important people. By your magic spell all the nations were led astray” (Revelation 18:23). The pursuit of money, possessions, and decadence can lead us astray.
- Pride: “In her heart she boasts, ‘I sit enthroned as queen'” (Revelation 18:7). The arrogance of self-sufficiency can displace reliance on God.
- Self-indulgence: “Give her as much torment and grief as the glory and luxury she gave herself” (Revelation 18:7). An excessive desire for pleasure is a snare.
- False religion: “Your merchants… sold bodies and souls of men” (Revelation 18:13). Superficial spirituality without obedience to God is worthless.
The temptations of Babylon remain today. Christians must examine their hearts and “come out” of anything competing with loyalty to Jesus.
Repeating Old Testament Warnings
The call to “come out of Babylon” echoes God’s warnings to Israel in the Old Testament. The prophets often denounced Israel’s unfaithfulness using imagery of prostitution and adultery.
For example, God condemned Judah’s idolatry through Jeremiah: “On every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute” (Jeremiah 2:20). Israel was frequently likened to an adulterous wife who abandoned her husband, God (Hosea 2:5; Jeremiah 3:20).
However, God repeatedly pleaded for His people to repent and return to Him. For example:
- “My people, come out of her! Run for your lives!” (Jeremiah 51:45).
- “Shake off your complacency and awake, you who are drunk” (Joel 1:5).
- “Wash the evil from your heart and be saved. How long will you harbor wicked thoughts?” (Jeremiah 4:14).
God sends the same message in Revelation. He urgently calls believers to flee from sin and return wholly to Him. There is no middle ground of compromise.
Avoiding Her Judgment
Revelation 18 describes horrific judgments coming upon Babylon:
- “Plagues will overtake her – death, mourning and famine.” (18:8)
- “The kings of the earth who committed adultery with her will weep over her when they see the smoke of her burning” (18:9).
- “In one day her plagues will overtake her – death, mourning and famine. She will be consumed by fire” (18:8).
This warns of the coming divine wrath on those who defiantly oppose God. But it also underscores the urgency of separating from evil.
Those who heed God’s call to “come out” will be spared from sharing in Babylon’s judgment. Just as Lot and his daughters were brought out of Sodom before its destruction (Genesis 19:15-17), God will rescue His people from the coming judgments on this wicked world system.
Answering the Call
How should believers respond to the call to “come out of Babylon”?
Here are some key steps:
- Self-examination: Honestly assess any areas of compromise or conformity to the values of the world over obedience to God.
- Repentance: Confess and turn from any known sin God reveals. Renounce evil associations and entangling alliances.
- Renewed commitment: Reaffirm complete allegiance to Jesus over the idols of this age. Be “in the world” but not “of the world” (John 17:14-16).
- Holy living: Walk in the light and turn aside from the immorality and godlessness of the culture (1 John 1:6-7).
God graciously warns believers to flee the coming judgment on our sinful world. Let us heed His call to come out of Babylon and live holy lives that please Him.
A Final Appeal
Revelation 18 concludes with a summary appeal:
“Come out of her, my people, so that you will not share in her sins, so that you will not receive any of her plagues.” (Revelation 18:4)
This urgent call reminds believers we must reject the corrupting influences of the world. We cannot remain complacent but must take deliberate, even radical, action to remove ourselves from compromise.
The rewards will be purity, protection, and God’s blessing for obedience. But the consequences for disobedience are severe. The same judgments coming on the wicked will overtake those still entangled in sin.
As the day of Christ’s return draws closer, the lines between righteousness and sin become more distinct. Revelation’s call must be heeded with greater urgency. May God grant us discernment and courage to fully separate from the evils of this age.
The Lord Jesus is returning soon to judge evil and establish His righteous rule (Revelation 22:12). Let us live in holiness and purity, apart from the sins of the world, that we may stand approved before Him.