THE HOPE OF THE WORLD Like a chorus in unison, these three holy war passages all sing the same tune: God will judge empire. This is the hope of the world. The lake of fire is about the end of empire, not the torture of individuals. If God’s kingdom is to come, our empire must go. If God is to rule on earth as in heaven, then our attempt to rule the earth without him must be put away. God stands against Babylon because God stands for his world. It is for this reason that the lake of fire is an image of hope. Its significance is that Babylon shall never rise again. The exile will be over; the
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