Revelation Chapter 18

Announcement of Babylon's fall.

Introduction: is this the same Babylon as is described in chapter 17? Good scholars see the issue differently. Some point to two manifestations of Babylon (one religious and one commercial); others see the two as one, both being judged at the same time. There are definite similarities between Babylon as described in Revelation 17 and Revelation 18; both are under the rule of Antichrist, ruling queens; both are filled with blasphemy; both hate the saints, and shed their blood; both are associates with kings in fornication; both are under judgment and destroyed.

c. However, there are also some significant differences:

17: Religious Babylon

• 1. Mystery Babylon

• 2. Symbol: a harlot woman

• 3. Identified with Rome (inland)

• 4. Woman, whore, and mother

• 5. Guilty: religious abominations

• 6. Destroyed by a political power

18: Commercial Babylon

• 1. Great Babylon; Babylon the Great

• 2. Symbol: a great city

• 3. Identified with a port city

• 4. Habitation, great city, market place

• 5. Guilty: greed, self-indulgence

• 6. Destroyed by a sudden act of God who had previously supported her

It is best to see them as intertwined, yet somewhat distinct; with one being attacked at the mid-point of the seven year period of tribulation (religious Babylon), and the other at the end of that period (commercial Babylon). This passage is very much in the style of Old Testament prophecies of doom regarding wicked cities (Babylon: Isaiah 13; 14; 21 and Jeremiah 50; 51; Tyre: Ezekiel 26-28). "John has caught the spirit of the prophetic doom songs".

Is this Babylon a literal or symbolic city? Some have thought it to be a future rebuilt Babylon on the Euphrates river in the Middle East (now desolate desert in modern day Iraq). Saddam Hussein had been outspoken in his desire to resurrect the ruined city of Babylon in all of its glory; he tried in fact do this, and it is conceivable that a rebuilt Babylon could be a world economic center, especially with the wealth of Mideast oil. But as fate would have it, Hussein was not able to made good on his dream to rebuild Babylon. But most likely, commercial Babylon is like religious Babylon, symbolic: "When the Lord was here on earth He spoke of the great hatred that 'the world' had for Him and His own (John 15:18,19). What is this world but a combination of religion, government and commerce? In other words, Babylon in all its parts stands for that which Christ called 'the world.'"

In portraying the destruction of a (symbolic) city, he describes God's judgment on the great satanic system of evil than has corrupted the earth's history."

Rev 18:1 And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.

Announcement of the glorious angel. Illuminated with his glory: "So recently has he come from the Presence (of God) that in passing he flings a broad belt of light across the dark earth." He announces that Babylon is fallen, fallen; the phrase is "repeated like a solemn dirge of the damned". The city has become a habitation of demons; this is "A prophetic picture of absolute desolation where the proud achievements of man become the demonic haunts of unclean and horrible creatures". Abundance of her luxury - Babylon's sin is not only idolatry (referred to with the term fornication), but also pride, greed and excessive wealth.

Rev 18:4 And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
Rev 18:5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.

A call to God's people to separate from Babylon. It is inconceivable that a child of God could be a part of religious Babylon (though elements may creep in); but commercial Babylon, with its materialistic lure, is a constant threat. The warning is focused towards saints who are in the position Lot was in while living in Sodom (Genesis 19); these are God's people in a place they shouldn't be, a place ripe for destruction. The call to depart from Babylon and the worldliness that it represents is a theme repeated frequently in the Scriptures. Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch no unclean thing; go out from her, be clean, you who bear the vessels of the Lord. (Isaiah 52:11). Flee from the midst of Babylon, and everyone save his life! (Jeremiah 50:8). My people, go out of the midst of her! And let everyone deliver himself from the fierce anger of the Lord (Jeremiah 51:45). Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? (2 Corinthians 6:14). And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them. (Ephesians 5:11).

Their sins have reached to heaven; they have piled up like a tower; the tower of Babel. God will remember her iniquities; but for believers, He says I will remember their sins no more (Hebrews 8:12).

Rev 18:6 Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
Rev 18:7 How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
Rev 18:8 Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong [is] the Lord God who judges her.

A call to those who will carry out Babylon's judgment. Render (apodidomi) is literally "to pay a debt" or "to give back that which is due"; God will give to commercial Babylon exactly what she deserves. Repay her double according to her works . . mix for her double: double restitution was a requirement of Levitical law in cases of theft (Exodus 22:4,7,9); this perhaps is a commentary on how Babylon has made her wealth - through dishonest dealings. Verse 7 presents a three-fold sin: self-indulgence (lived luxuriously); pride (glorified herself . . . sits as a queen); and avoidance of suffering (am no widow, and will not see sorrow); all these things are characteristic of worldliness and materialism. In one day: the destruction of commercial Babylon will come suddenly, and with completeness (utterly burned with fire).

Rev 18:9 And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
Rev 18:10 Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.

Lament for commercial Babylon. Lament of the kings. So great is the heat and smoke of her burning that these kings must stand at a distance; many have thought this may be an indication that nuclear weapons are used in the judgment of these commercial centers. "With a touch of grim humor he paints them as standing at a safe distance from the conflagration, and contenting themselves with idle lamentations". "Whether this is to be understood of the literal destruction of the city of Rome by fire, is surely doubtful, considering the mystical character of the whole prophecy".

Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
Rev 18:12 The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
Rev 18:13 And cinnamon, and odors, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
Rev 18:14 And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
Rev 18:15 The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
Rev 18:16 And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
Rev 18:17 For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,

Lament of the merchants. This long list needs little explanation, except to note these are all luxuries, not necessities; and it is plain that the mourning is rooted in self-interest - for no one buys their merchandise anymore. "The combined picture is one of complete abandonment to the wealth of this world and complete disregard of the God who gave it." The profits of commercial Babylon have come through cruelly using others; they sold the bodies and souls of men. This idea has many applications, none less so than today's widespread prostitution and pornography.  Those who lived for the luxuries of commercial Babylon will be tormented by hell all the more; you shall find them no more at all - ultimately, hell will be a place of unfulfilled desire.

Rev 18:18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What [city is] like unto this great city!
Rev 18:19 And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.

Lament of the sea-captains. Again, little comment needs to be made on this, other than to notice that their sorrow at commercial Babylon's fall is selfish.

Rev 18:20 Rejoice over her, [thou] heaven, and [ye] holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.

Call to the heavens and the people of God: rejoice! Rejoice? Yes, but not at judgment; but at justice, and a righteous resolution.

Rev 18:21 And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast [it] into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.

Finale: commercial Babylon's death knell. An angel graphically shows Babylon's fall. This is reminiscent of Jeremiah's instructions to Seraiah to bind a stone to a text of Jeremiah and cast it into the Euphrates; Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. (Jeremiah 51:61-64). Rejoice! Some day, this world system will pass away, like a great stone falls to the bottom of the sea. We will only be harmed by this fall to the extent that we have invested ourselves into the mentality of commercial Babylon's materialism and worldliness.

Rev 18:22 And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft [he be], shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
Rev 18:23 And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.

Babylon is left desolate and powerless. The industry and commerce of Babylon has come to an end.  Sorcery is the Greek word pharmakia, which means "to prepare drugs"; the lure of commercial Babylon is like a drug addiction, fed by deceptive advertising.

Rev 18:24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.

The ultimate reason for commercial Babylon's judgment: she has killed the prophets and saints. The extent of the accusation is an indication that this great city is symbolic of the world system at large; there is no one literal city that is responsible for all who were slain on the earth. God takes the persecution of His people an a personal offense; those who attack His people, attack Him.