Testimony | Saturday, Oct 1: Finality of Babylon's Fall - Revelation 18:21
My direct experience with this Book of Revelation verse is multi-fold. It was after, I believe, spending Saturday day and evening in City Park and the French Quarter praying for anyone I saw.
I don't often go to New Orleans, having moved away in 2018 - just when the crime was beginning to ramp up. I just didn't want to raise my family in that city any longer. I didn't feel safe and after returning recently, it breaks my heart to see how the city has fallen apart. Beautiful, historic homes located along St. Charles now for sale. Spray paint and graffiti everywhere. Buildings along Canal in disarray and falling apart. The city has lost it's core; its lost it's way.
Crime has settled in......and no one seems to be safe. While I was driving through on a different day from this experience, I was never bothered, although I sensed a few times that I could've been a target.
Revelation 18:21-24 reminds me of New Orleans.
It was Saturday, October 1st, 2023. I was supposed to meet my ex-husband at Whole Foods at 1pm and he called our son to let him know that he couldn't meet us until much later. So, I offered to drive him down to New Orleans. I figured it would give me an opportunity to pray for others while I was in town. Please understand at this point, while I had received confirmation that I was going through a very strong God-calling, the emphasis was strongly on Jesus Christ and "what would Jesus do?" *At this point, I wanted to serve God and believed, with all my heart, mind and soul that if God was calling me to minister to the lost, that I need to be as "Christ-like" as possible. I dropped him off and drove straight to Harrison Blvd. I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to stay in the area, but I am glad I did. I weaved my way to City Park and was surprised to see that it was packed. The amusement park, Storyland, the Botanical Garden - the entire park was just full of people. I don't think I've ever seen that many people at City Park before.
I took the opportunity to walk around, take in the area and prayed to God for everyone I saw. At the Sculpture Garden, the art and sculptures made more sense. Everything always makes more sense the further you go in life and then look back at how far you've come. A lot of the donors names finally made more sense......and had even more relevance to who I am. There are times I feel that more people knew about me and that I would be here, at this time, than even I would. I am speaking from first-person, so this makes sense to me. I pray you can appreciate what I mean as this time I was looking at the world and people through the eyes of God.
I wrapped up City Park by grabbing a cafe au lait and walking back to my Jeep. I then decided to drive downtown to the French Quarter and spend the next 4-5 hours praying for all of downtown and the Quarter. It was so heartbreaking to see how the city has fallen. I truly feel that with all my heart that Revelation 18:21 - 24 was speaking of New Orleans. So, I prayed against all things that were not of God and prayed for everyone I saw. I haven't been back since that evening, but I pray there is lasting change for New Orleans. I believe over the next few months we will begin to see more of this change. Hopefully, lasting this time.
Revelation 18:21 "Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in your anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall be heard in you anymore. 23 The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."