Revelation 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.
These things – the information being given John about the Great Whore, which is that great city, Babylon.
In the previous chapter, John was shown The Great Harlot who sits on many waters (Rev. 17:1). She was identified as Babylon the Great (Rev. 17:5) and that great city which reigns over the kings of the earth (Rev. 17:18). The angel describes her relationship to the Beast with seven heads and ten horns upon which she rides. John is told that the Beast and the horns will hate her and be used of God to destroy her (Rev. 17:16). This all appears to still be moving along chronologically in general, with pauses here and there, and an occasional looking back.
Another angel – Some say that this was Jesus Christ. I believe it to be of the angelic creatures; but one of great power (Michael?). Angels have ‘glory’; the greater an angel is, the greater their glory; and their glory is manifested to us as light. This is seen by all the inhabitants of the Earth. This may be how the saints’ glory is displayed.
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.
That great city called Babylon; was there such a city? Was it really great? “The ancient city of Babylon from the days of Nimrod (Ge 10:10), grew in size and importance century after century until it reached its greatest glory in the reign of Nebuchadnezzar [(around 600 B.C.)]. As described by Herodotus it was an exact square of 15 miles on a side, or 60 miles around, and was surrounded by a brick wall 87 feet thick, and 350 feet high, though probably that is a mistake, 100 feet being nearer the height. On the wall were 250 towers, and the top of the wall was wide enough to allow 6 chariots to drive abreast. Outside this wall was a vast ditch surrounding the city, kept filled with water from the river Euphrates; and inside the wall, and not far from it, was another wall, not much inferior, but narrower, extending around the city.
Twenty-five magnificent avenues, 150 feet wide, ran across the city from North to South, and the same number crossed them at right angles from East to West, making 676 great squares, each nearly three-fifths of a mile on a side, and the city was divided into two equal parts by the river Euphrates, that flowed diagonally through it, and whose banks, within the city, were walled up, and pierced with brazen gates, with steps leading down to the river. At the ends of the main avenues, on each side of the city, were gates, whose leaves were of brass, and that shone as they were opened or closed in the rising or setting sun, like “leaves of flame.”
The Euphrates within the city was spanned by a bridge, at each end of which was a palace, and these palaces were connected by a subterranean passageway, or tube, underneath the bed of the river, in which at different points were located sumptuous banqueting rooms constructed entirely of brass.” (Clarence Larkin)
Babylon was probably the most magnificent city the world has ever seen and its fall reveals what a city may become when it forsakes God and He sends His judgment upon it. It is so intimately connected with the history of God’s people that the Scriptures have much to say about it. A large part of the Book of Daniel and of the prophecy of Jeremiah relate to it, and it is mentioned in 11 other books of the Old Testament, and in 4 of the New Testament.
The question again arises, is John writing of a restored, literal Babylon or of a end-time city (or even a system) which typifies all which arose from the corrupt root of ancient Babylon.
This city, or system, eventually becomes the place where every devil goes to roost; it will be the devils’ headquarters. Some say that this is already in Rome with the RCC. Others say that it is the enlarging Ecumenical religious system. Anyways, some entity gets destroyed here.
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.
All nations – this shows the globalistic, universal connection of the AntiChrist and his politico-religious system. This is what is seemingly the main theme now throughout the world’s governments: global unity. All nations are not joining with the RCC; they are joining with the humanistic worship of Earth and the acceptance of all religions (except, of course, the intolerant Christian religion)! There are 172 nations on Earth: most of those have joined up with the EU, the UN, Climate Change, etc.. And America has now pretty much joined together also…but, prior to this she hadn’t that much! Will actually ‘all’ nations be part of this great whore? Aren’t there going to be a few who are ‘righteous’?
Wrath – they all are guilty in what they have done. They will be judged for it. Going along with this ‘accepting all religions’ as valid…except one, that is Christianity…is this fornication; a spiritual fornication; it is pleasing to the flesh.
Delicacies – this system/country/city (Babylon) will have (not had) lots of money and material goods. What or who is it? The RCC? America? The future global union of many of the major countries? The future global union of religions and philosophies?
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. 5 For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities. 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.
My people – those that are saved during the tribulation period, specifically. Apparently, there are some saved folks in the Tribulation that get entangled with this Whore. It isn’t addressed to churches, for they would all be gone at that point. Right now, though, the Lord’s churches, each a Bride, should not be getting friendly with the Whore; that’s preposterous. However, little by little it is happening now. Paul warned the church at Corinth about this. Separation is preached all the through the O.T., in the church age, and will continue through the Tribulation and beyond! Our church needs to come out of her…the ecumenical, universalistic, ‘just believe in God’ type of movement that has been sweeping the planet.
Her – it probably isn’t referring to an actual city here; for that would mean that as long as the Jewish Christians then lived somewhere else, all would be fine. It more likely represents a system. However, there are several Biblical examples of being called out of an actual city in the O.T. (Sodom, old Babylon, and Jerusalem).
Sins – A cummulative process over many millennia and finally becomes ‘too much’ for God and it is time to finally punish her once and for all. Oh the amount and weight of all those sins for about 5000 years!!
Double: twice as much judgement as the whore dished out. Under the Law of Moses, restitution of thievery involved interest of 100%—the thief was required to pay double what was stolen (Ex. 22:4). Even Jerusalem received double for all her sins from the Lord’s hand in judgment (Isa. 61:7; Jer. 16:18). When Jeremiah prayed for judgment of his enemies, he asked God to “bring on them the day of doom, and destroy them with double destruction!” (Jer.17:18).
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.
Glorified: watch the Pope’s masses. Look at Cathedrals, etc. See all the showy ritualisms. Deliciously: The Vatican has untold trillions! Queen: aka the queen of heaven (Jeremiah). Mariolotry. She is definitely no ‘lady’, that’s for sure!
Widow: everything is going great with her adulterous marriages…in her eyes. (See Is 47:5-13)
How much do these glorify themselves?: America, or the EU, or London, or New York, or RCC, or Religious Liberalism, or the Ecumenical world. Making money; nice buildings; anti-Christian and anti-Bible; powerful; popular; respected; beloved; no sorrow, no repentance, no concerns…. so much torment and sorrow give her!
This Great Whore, Mystery Babylon, is definitely rooted in ancient times; it is not a new phenomena (i.e. Ecumenicism,
The true Bride of Christ will not sit as a queen and live deliciously on this Earth right now; oh no! Just the opposite for her. But there is coming a day when she shall see no more sorrow!
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 judgeth her.
Will her destruction be in one actual 24 hour day? Or is it referring to a period of time? It will be sudden though… maybe her ‘plagues that come in one day’ will be all as a result of a nuclear weapon. This will all happen at a specific location on Earth…where? Rome, New York, London, Europe, America…?! Remember Sodom and Gomorrha?! It more likely is a city; a headquarters for this evil system.
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, 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.
Just imagine today if a major city like Rome, London, Tokyo, New York, was burned to the ground from a nuclear blast… oh how the leaders of other nations would be saddened and concerned, especially those that had close economic and military ties to her! Rome doesn’t fit that well right now…London and New York might. It must be an actual city that is specifically being spoken of here. The ancient city of Babylon exists, but is a long, long way off from being a city as talked about here. Did America repent after 9-11?
11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more: 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, 13 And cinnamon, and odours, 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. 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. 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,
This ‘city’ will be known for its export industry. What great city nowadays is well known for its exporting of goods? Beijing, Tokyo, London, New York, LA… Rome isn’t; Babylon isn’t. Maybe there is coming soon a city (maybe one of these) that becomes the world headquarters for trade. If the ‘city’ could be equated to ‘America’, then that might fit with this passage. The ‘souls of men’ most likely refer to ‘slave trading’. Apparently, slavery will be practiced widespread again.
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! 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, 18 And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! 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.
Does this describe an actual city? Vatican City has beautiful, ornate palacial buildings like this. Though it could just be symbolic of lavish and impressive buildings; ever see New York City’s skyline?! Remember 9-11? Was it a wake up call for this chapter?! The city of Rome’s buildings are not that impressive looking.
It is fairly obvious that this city will be a port city (sea trade). So, what is the most impressive city of our day that could fit this? London, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Rome, New York??!! Babylon sits along the Euphrates, but it is not a major sea port by any means (it is a river).
Today, the world’s busiest port cities are (busiest first) Shanghai, China; Singapore; Hong Kong; Rotterdam, Netherlands; Kobe, Japan; Dover, U.K..
The wealthiest cities (by GDP) are: Tokyo (1900 Billion), New York (1280 Billion), Los Angeles (735 Billion), Paris, Chicago, Seoul, Moscow…….Rome (167 Billion).
The largest exporter is: China (1.9 Trillion), Germany (1.5 Trillion), USA (1.4 Trillion), Japan, (0.8 Trillion)….
20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her. 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. 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;
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. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Those in Heaven will rejoice when Babylon the great is destroyed. Maybe this great millstone causes a Tsunami to destroy the great city of Babylon. Babylon will be desolate after her destruction comes (at the end of the Tribulation). It will never be inhabited again. This city is known for sorcery. This city has been responsible for most of the major wars in the world for 2000 years. It is true that the RCC has been responsible for much of the killing of Christians over the past 1500 years. She is part of a bigger picture with ecumenicism; Babylon the Great represents the system that has been present since Nimrod’s day that is trying to unite all religions into one. This system could be headquartered in one specific city… Rome? NYC? London? Shanghai? Rotterdam?….