Revelation Chapter 18

Now, it will be the political entity that is destroyed by God in one day as the economy of the world comes tumbling down. This political entity is the one that destroys the religious entity in chapter 17.

Rev. 18:1-3.

1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory.

2 And he cried mightily with a loud voice, saying, "Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a dwelling place of demons, a prison for every foul spirit, and a cage for every unclean and hated bird!

3 "For all the nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury.

The first statement in this chapter is, "After these things." This means after the things that have just happened in Chapter 17. The angel that comes down with great authority is so brilliant that he lights up the whole earth with his glory.

The reason for its fall is because she will "become the habitation of devils and the hold of every foul spirit and a cage for every unclean and hateful bird." It portrays Babylon as the very center of demonic powers, a place that will foster every imaginable wickedness. Other nations will share in her indulgences. Luxury abounds and illicit relationships with kings and nations are prevalent.

Rev. 18:4-8.

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.

5 "For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities.

6 "Render to her just as she rendered to you, and repay her double according to her works; in the cup which she has mixed, mix double for her.

7 "In the measure that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; for she says in her heart, 'I sit as queen, and am no widow, and will not see sorrow.'

8 "Therefore her plagues will come in one day--death and mourning and famine. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her.

Remember that we are talking about the midpoint of the seventieth week. This is really when this Babylonian political system begins to dominate. It will be destroyed in one day as God cuts the tribulation short and comes to rapture His saints.

Another voice speaks in this passage and it could be the voice of God because some of the people are referred to as "my people." There is a command for God's people to get out of that place, just as in Jer. 50:4-9 and 51:5-8,45. This is God's prophetic call to the end time generation of believers to come out of Babylon the great, because those of God's people who remain in the ungodly system will inevitably become "partakers of her sins" and therefore "receive...her plagues." If we in this day bow to the denominational creeds and traditions of men rather than allow the Bible to be our supreme authority, we will be more easily deceived into partaking of Babylon's sins at that time. True salvation down through the ages has been a call to be separate from the world and false religious institutions.

In verses 6,7, we see that God is going to punish Babylon doubly because she has set herself against God. She has glorified herself and lived luxuriously, proclaiming that she is queen.

The rich, powerful, and unscrupulous enterprisers who rejected God and piled up wealth to the injury of others will be destroyed in one day (v.8).

Rev. 18:9-19.

9 "The kings of the earth who committed fornication and lived luxuriously with her will weep and lament for her, when they see the smoke of her burning,

10 "standing at a distance for fear of her torment, saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! For in one hour your judgment has come.'

11 "And the merchants of the earth will weep and mourn over her, for no one buys their merchandise anymore:

12 "merchandise of gold and silver, precious stones and pearls, fine linen and purple, silk and scarlet, every kind of citron wood, every kind of object of ivory, every kind of object of most precious wood, bronze, iron, and marble;

13 "and cinnamon and incense, fragrant oil and frankincense, wine and oil, fine flour and wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and bodies and souls of men.

14 "The fruit that your soul longed for has gone from you, and all the things which are rich and splendid have gone from you, and you shall find them no more at all.

15 "The merchants of these things, who became rich by her, will stand at a distance for fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,

16 "and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city that was clothed in fine linen, purple, and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls!

17 'For in one hour such great riches came to nothing.' Every shipmaster, all who travel by ship, sailors, and as many as trade on the sea, stood at a distance

18 "and cried out when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, 'What is like this great city?'

19 "They threw dust on their heads and cried out, weeping and wailing, and saying, 'Alas, alas, that great city, in which all who had ships on the sea became rich by her wealth! For in one hour she is made desolate.'"

There will be great lament over the destruction of Babylon by the kings of the earth. Having been a party with her in sin and evil, they will be aware of the destruction, and see the smoke of her burning, and will express great sorrow. This judgment will be supernatural in character and there will be no doubt in anyone's mind that it is from God.

Because political Babylon provides for rich commerce, the merchants of the earth will be weeping and mourning over her (vv.11-16). Their lamenting and concern is similar to that of the kings, but it is for a different reason. A list of the merchandise sold and bought is contained in this passage. About thirty items are named, most of which are luxuries.

A third group, the maritime world, is pictured as crying over the destruction of Babylon. These ship owners and sailors, who traded by sea, realize that sudden judgment has come from heaven. As they see her burning, they will weep and wail, for her.

Rev. 18:20, "Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her!

While there is much lamenting over the destruction of Babylon, the saints, the apostles, the prophets and all of heaven itself are told to rejoice over her because God has dealt judgment upon her. This political system that has dealt so much heartache on the Christians and the Jews has been destroyed and all of heaven and earth are to rejoice over this.

Rev. 18:21-24.

21 Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "Thus with violence the great city Babylon shall be thrown down, and shall not be found anymore.

22 "The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.

23 "The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the voice of bridegroom and bride shall not be heard in you anymore. For your merchants were the great men of the earth, for by your sorcery all the nations were deceived.

24 "And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth."

The utter destruction of Babylon is seen as being extremely violent. The view is one of an angel taking a great stone and casting it into the sea and saying that Babylon would be thrown down and found "no more at all." Six times this phrase is repeated, it refers to an absolute and total destruction of the political city. Babylon will apparently be a concentration of martyrdoms and a terrible reign of terror will exist. As a result the final destruction will bring to a climax the wrath of God on Babylon, under the seventh bowl. The harlot was judged at the midpoint of the seventieth week, the city was judged at the seventh bowl.