Revelation 18 – Babylon’s Fall Lamented

Revelation 18:1-3

(1) After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, (2) having great authority, and (3) the earth was illumined with his glory. (4) And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, (5) “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! (6) She has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird. (7) For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the passion of her immorality, and (8) the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and (9) the merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her sensuality.”

  1. Another angel is seen coming down after the description of the harlot and beast.
  2. The authority is mentioned, again, indicating the differing levels of authority of angelic messengers.
  3. The glory radiates from this one, which in some way ties authority to glory.
  4. In that authority, he makes an anouncement which will be binding based upon that authority.  In such way are many things in the Kingdom of God carried out.
  5. The beast and harlot just seen are pronounced fallen.
  6. She is become the home and prison of demons.  This will be her fate.
  7. All the nations had drunk from Rome, and hence Babylon.
  8. And all the rulers of the Earth did perverted their way with her to gain favor and influence.
  9. And the merchants did whatever they could, with all manner of greed, to profit by her.  But, she was the one who held all the strings, and they became entangled and ensared by her, even while they thought they profited.  They became her slaves.

 Revelation 18:4-6

(1) I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, my people, (2) so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues (3) for her sins have piled up as high as heaven, and (4) God has remembered her iniquities. (5) Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double according to her deeds; in the cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.

  1. God announces to His people to flee from Babylon.
  2. She is about to be punished, so God warns his people so they will not come under the same judgment.  When God wants mercy, He sends his people in.  When He is about to judge, He calls his people out.
  3. He is judging her for her sins.
  4. And, he has remembered what she has done.
  5. She is to be paid back double.

Revelation 18:7-8

(1) To the degree that she glorified herself and lived sensuously, (2) to the same degree give her torment and mourning; (3) for she says in her heart, ‘I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.’ (4) For this reason in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be burned up with fire; (5) for the Lord God who judges her is strong.

  1. This is the reason:  she glorified herself and was sensual.
  2. The torment she receives is in proprtion to her haughtiness.
  3. This is her spirit, she is proud beyond compare and denies the truth of her harlotries.  She calls herself a queen, and attempts to deny the shame of her lewdness and filthiness.
  4. She will be consumed.  “One day” is most likely figurative, referring to the time of the plagues to come.  These will come suddenly, in rapid succession, and overtake her for her disgustingness. 

Revelation 18:9-10

(1) And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, (2) will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, (3) standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, (4) ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

  1. Those attached to her.
  2. They are not destroyed, but they lament her falling.
  3. They are some distance away, not destroyed in the whole earth, but they are in fear at what they see.
  4. In “one hour” again is likely figurative, indicating the suddenness of her removal.  Babylon was the strong city, but it is destroyed.

 

Revelation 18:11-13

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives.

  1. All the various merchants can no longer trade with her, and the list of wares and trades are seen.

Revelation 18:14-16

The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;

  1. The lament from the economic impact of this world power falling is continued.

Revelation 18:17-20

for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’ Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and apostles and prophets, because God has pronounced judgment for you against her.”

  1. The lament concludes, with rejoicing on high and among the saints of God.

 

Revelation 18:21-23

Then a strong angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, So will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down with violence, and will not be found any longer. “And the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer; and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived by your sorcery.

  1. Like a millstone will the city be cast down.  As the actual city of Rome is inhabited currently, we have two options.  Either the actual focus of this part of the prophecy turns to the real Babylon on the Euphrates, which does suffer this fate, or this part of the text refers yet to the future, ultimate desolation of Rome.  Either way, a complete overthrow is in view, with no future habitation.  Other, more modern prophecies point to a completely destroyed Rome, perhaps by nuclear war, so that could be in view, although the image of the ancient Babylon, left in ruins in the desert, could also fully suffice to see this fulfilled.

Revelation 18:24

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints and of all who have been slain on the earth.

  1. Babylon, that is from Nebuchadnezzar through Rome, was found to have this blood in it.