18:1 After these things, I saw another angel coming down out of the sky,
having great authority. The earth was illuminated with his glory.
18:2 He cried with a mighty voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon
the great, and she has become a habitation of demons, a prison of every unclean
spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird! 18:3 For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of
her sexual immorality, the kings of the earth committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth grew rich from the abundance of her
luxury."
Warning to the Saints
concerning Babylon's Destruction
18:4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
"Come out of her, my people, that you have no participation in her
sins, and that you don't receive of her plagues, 18:5 for her sins have reached to the sky, and God has remembered
her iniquities. 18:6 Return to her just as she returned, and repay her double as
she did, and according to her works. In the cup which she mixed, mix to her
double. 18:7 However much she glorified herself, and grew wanton, so much give her of torment and mourning.
For she says in her heart, 'I sit a queen, and am no widow, and will in no way see mourning.' 18:8 Therefore in one day her plagues will come: death, mourning, and famine; and she will be utterly burned with fire; for the Lord God who has judged her is strong.
Mourning of the Earth
over Babylon's Destruction
18:9 The kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived
wantonly with her,
will weep and wail over her, when they look at the smoke of her burning,
18:10 standing far away for the fear of her torment, saying,
'Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city!
For your judgment has come in one hour.'
18:11 The merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her,
for no one buys their merchandise any more;
18:12 merchandise of gold, silver, precious stones, pearls, fine linen,
purple, silk, scarlet, all expensive wood, every vessel of ivory, every
vessel made of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble;
18:13 and cinnamon, incense, perfume, frankincense, wine, olive oil,
fine flour, wheat, sheep, horses, chariots, bodies, and people's souls.
18:14 The fruits which your soul lusted after have been lost to you,
and all things that were dainty and sumptuous have perished from you, and
you will find them no more at all.
18:15 The merchants of these things, who were made rich by her,
will stand far away for the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning;
18:16 saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, she who was dressed in fine
linen, purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold and precious stones and
pearls!
18:17 For in an hour such great riches are made desolate.' Every shipmaster,
and everyone who sails anywhere, and mariners, and as many as gain their
living by sea, stood far away,
18:18 and cried out as they looked at the smoke of her burning, saying,
'What is like the great city?'
18:19 They cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and mourning,
saying, 'Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had their ships in
the sea were made rich by reason of her great wealth!' For in one hour
is she made desolate.
A Call to Rejoice
over Babylon's Destruction
18:20 Rejoice over her, O heaven, you saints, apostles, and prophets;
for God has judged your judgment on her."
18:21 A mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and cast
it into the sea, saying,
"Thus with violence will Babylon, the great city, be thrown down, and
will be found no more at all.
18:22 The voice of harpists, minstrels, flute players, and trumpeters
will be heard no more at all in you. No craftsman, of whatever craft, will
be found any more at all in you. The sound of a mill will be heard no more
at all in you.
18:23 The light of a lamp will shine no more at all in you. The voice
of the bridegroom and of the bride will be heard no more at all in you;
for your merchants were the princes of the earth; for with your sorcery
all the nations were deceived.
18:24 In her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,
and of all who have been slain on the earth."
Comments
vs 1-3 Sin has two effects. First it brings corruption. And secondly
it brings wrath. This section speaks of the corruption of Babylon. It is
not a continuation of the judgment of the previous chapter, but an expansion
of the history of Babylon.
"Fallen" has been also declared previously in Rev 14:8"And
there followed another angel, saying, Babylon is fallen, is fallen, that
great city, because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath
of her fornication." which was the interlude period of the 7th trumpet,
which again shows that the narrative is going back in time.
vs 4-8 The protection of the saints was dependent upon their
obedience. As Lot left Sodom in obedience to the angels, so at the time
of her judgment shall the believers leaved Babylon. Pride affects one's
spiritual perception. The proud don't take heed to warnings resulting in
their swift destruction. She gather glory and luxury to herself. This is
a warning to the rich who see their riches as their own and spend luxuriously
on themselves.
vs 9-19 These days one can easily imagine the destruction of
such a city in an instance with a nuclear weapon. Notice that people are
not grieved over people who have died, but rather over material things
which we lost. Many define their existence simply by material things, all
of which will inevitably perish.
vs 20-24 In contrast to the mourning of the materialistic unbelievers,
the saints rejoice! Christians often react to circumstances in a manner
opposite to that of the world.