How should Revelation 18:13 influence our ethical decisions in business today? Setting the Scene: Babylon’s Marketplace Unmasked Revelation 18 pictures the fall of end-times Babylon—a culture of opulence built on ruthless commerce. In the middle of that indictment we read: “and cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, and frankincense; wine, olive oil, fine flour and wheat; cattle and sheep; horses and carriages; and slaves—that is, souls of men.” (Revelation 18:13) The Spirit catalogues luxury goods, then ends with a shocking climax: human beings reduced to cargo. This verse is a window into values God condemns and a mirror for our own business choices. What the List Tells Us About Babylon’s Values • An appetite for endless luxury—nothing is “enough.” • A willingness to profit from every level of creation—spices, food, animals, even people. • A marketplace divorced from compassion—“souls of men” treated like cinnamon. • A system powered by exploitation—lavish gain for the few, dehumanizing loss for the many. Key Ethical Warnings for Today’s Marketplace • People are never commodities. – Genesis 1:27 reminds us every person bears God’s image. – Revelation 18:13 shows what happens when that truth is forgotten. • Profit without principle invites judgment. – Proverbs 11:1: “Dishonest scales are an abomination to the LORD…” – God weighs motives as carefully as He weighs ledgers. • Luxury is not neutral when it rests on injustice. – James 5:4: “The wages you failed to pay… are crying out.” – Ask if the comfort we enjoy costs someone else their dignity or livelihood. • Idolatry of wealth blinds and binds. – 1 Timothy 6:10 warns that the love of money pierces the soul. – Babylon’s merchants “wept and mourned” (18:11) when their goods lost value—because goods had become their god. Living It Out in Daily Business Decisions • Audit supply chains. Refuse vendors who exploit labor or manipulate pricing. • Pay fair, prompt wages; set compensation that honors the worker’s worth. • Build transparency into contracts—no hidden fees, no surprise clauses. • Guard company culture: reward integrity above raw results. • Choose stewardship over excess: funnel a portion of profit into benevolence and community uplift. • Refuse to market in ways that prey on fear, lust, or addiction. • Treat competitors with respect—no slander, sabotage, or theft of ideas. • Remember Colossians 3:23-24: every invoice, every email, every decision is “for the Lord.” Scriptures That Echo the Same Call • Micah 6:8 – “act justly, love mercy, walk humbly.” • Leviticus 19:35-36 – maintain honest measurements. • 1 Thessalonians 4:6 – never wrong or exploit a brother. • Isaiah 1:17 – “learn to do good; seek justice; correct the oppressor.” • Proverbs 22:22-23 – “Do not rob the poor because he is poor… the LORD will plead their case.” A Closing Challenge to Act Let Revelation 18:13 recalibrate every spreadsheet and sales pitch. Build enterprises that value people above profit, honesty above advantage, and the Lord above all. In doing so, we stand apart from Babylon’s doomed marketplace and shine as faithful stewards until Christ returns. |
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