Revelation 18. al (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996), After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great

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1 Revelation 18 I. Intro a. Babylon was not only an ancient city and a powerful empire, but also the symbol of mankind s rebellion against God. In Revelation 18, Babylon represents the world system of the beast, particularly in its economic and political aspects. At the same time, John calls Babylon a city at least eight times (Rev. 14:8; 17:18; 18:10, 16, 18 21). Old Testament prophecy seems to make clear that the city itself will not be rebuilt (Isa. 13:19 22; Jer. 51:24 26, 61 64). Some equate Babylon with Rome, particularly since the harlot and the beast cooperate during the first half of the tribulation. Perhaps Peter was using Babylon as a code name for Rome when he wrote his first letter (1 Peter 5:13). Certainly, John s readers would think of the Roman Empire as they read these words about Babylon. 1 b. This is a fundamental element of biblical prophecy: e.g., Babylon fell at the hands of Persia but yet in John s day he points to another fall. Therefore, Monte sees again, the dualistic another Babylon--Rome in view here with the ultimate Babylon still to follow. II. 1 After these things I saw another angel coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was illuminated with his glory. a. Varying degrees of glory b. 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! c. 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. i. Notice the emphasis on the spiritual world. The correlation between a idolatry, sin, and evil spirits. 4 III. 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. a. Here is a call for God s people to come out of the lifestyle of rich pride through luxury. Like the letters to the churches, God s people are to overcome Babylon. 2 1 Warren W. Wiersbe, "Revelation," in The Wiersbe Bible Commentary: The Complete New Testament in One Volume, 2nd ed. (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2007), Alan F. Johnson, The Expositor s Bible Commentary with the New International Version: Revelation, eds. Frank E. Gaebelein, et. al (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996),

2 b. The voice of separation (vv. 4 8). This admonition parallels Jeremiah 50:8 and 51:6, 45. In all ages, God s true people have had to separate themselves from that which is worldly and anti-god. When God called Abraham, He ordered him to get out of his country (Gen. 12:1). God separated the Jewish nation from Egypt and warned the Israelites not to go back. The church today is commanded to separate itself from that which is ungodly (Rom. 16:17 18; 2 Cor. 6:14 7:1). 3 c. John offered two reasons for God s people separating themselves from the diabolical system. The first is that they might avoid pollution, becoming partakers of her sins (Rev. 18:4). Neither be partaker of other men s sins (1 Tim. 5:22). The word means joint fellowship or partnership. There is a good partnership in the Lord (Phil. 4:14), but there is also an evil partnership that we must avoid (Eph. 5:11). True unity of the Spirit exists among believers, but we must not compromise by joining forces with that which is opposed to Christ. The second reason is that God s people might be spared the terrible plagues He will send on Babylon. God had patiently endured the growing sins of the evil system, but now the time had come for His wrath to be poured out. He would treat Babylon just as she treated His people. What specific sins would God judge? We have already noted Babylon s evil influence on the nations of the world, seducing them with idolatry. Another sin that will be judged is pride: She hath glorified herself! (Rev. 18:7) She saw herself as a queen who could never Revelation be dethroned, and this false confidence and pride could never be accepted by the Lord (see Isa. 47 for the parallel, especially vv. 7 9). God is the only being that should glorify himself. We are to wait for our praise from Him. A third sin is Babylon s worship of pleasures and luxury. To live deliciously (Rev. 18:7) is to live proudly in luxury while others go without. It means to make possessions and pleasures the most important things in life and to ignore the needs of others. John summarized this attitude as the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). 4 d. 5 For her sins have reached to heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. e. 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 3 Wiersbe, "Revelation, Ibid,

3 IV. that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, in the same measure give her torment and sorrow; i. 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. 1. I am in need of nothing! Rev.3:17 ii. And she will be utterly burned with fire, for strong is the Lord God who judges her. 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, a. 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. b. 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. i. The "merchants" also lament over the destruction of this system because of the resulting death to their business, further indicating that this is a different system than the religious one symbolized in chapter ii. The "human trafficking" practiced in the world today is tied to illegal arms dealing, and is reportedly the second most lucrative crime, globally, surpassed only by the drug trade.817 It could become more pervasive than ever before in history in the Tribulation period. 6 c. 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, 5 Thomas L. Constable, "Dr. Constable's Bible Study Notes: Revelation," (2017), (accessed April 4, 2017). 6 Ibid. 3

4 V. 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? d. 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. i. "How do we see the luxury of this world? Do we see it as it really is? Can we use it without getting it into our hearts? How would you feel if the luxuries in your life which you have come to consider necessities suddenly went up in smoke? Would it break your heart if you saw the things of this world go up in smoke? Or is your heart in heaven, fixed on Christ? [McGee, 5:1041] Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you holy apostles and prophets, for God has avenged you on her! a. In contrast to the earth-dwellers, God's people ("saints and apostles and prophets") will "rejoice" when Babylon falls (cf. 11:10). The songs in 19:1-5 may be their response to this invitation. "Heaven" rejoiced over the fall of ancient Babylon, too (Jer. 51:48-49) [Hughes, p. 194]. What causes bitter mourning on earth brings great exultation to heaven. 8 b. 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. i. 22 The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. ii. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore. iii. 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. 1. Drugs use may be in view here with the Greek word pharmakeia translated sorcery in v. 23: If one is puzzled over the connection between medicine and sorcery as illustrated by this word (our pharmacy), he has only to recall quackery today in medicine (patent medicines and cure-alls), witch-doctors, professional faith healers, medicine-men in Africa. True medical 7 Ibid. 8 Ibid. 4

5 VI. science has had a hard fight to shake off chicanery and charlatanry [McGee, 6:445]." 9 iv. 24 And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth. 1. The angel gave three reasons for this devastation, two in verse 23 and one in verse 24. The Greek word hoti, "because," appears twice in verse 23. Each time it introduces a reason. First, men whom the world regards as great have enriched themselves and lifted themselves up in pride because of Babylon's influence (cf. Isa. 23:8). Second, as a result of the first reason Babylon has seduced all nations. She deceived all the nations into thinking that joy, security, honor, and meaning in life (i.e., "success") come through the accumulation of material wealth. She had used "sorcery" (Gr. pharmakon; cf. 9:21) to "deceive" and seduce "the nations" into following her (cf. 2 Kings 9:22; Isa. 47:9, 12; Nah. 3:4). 10 Great summary from Constable: To summarize, it seems that the "Babylon" John described in this chapter is the commercial system of buying and selling goods to make a profit. As religious Babylon includes all forms of religion (non-christian as well as Christian religions), so economic Babylon includes all types of economies (capitalism, socialism, communism, etc.). This economic system will have its headquarters (at least ideologically, if not also geographically) in Babylon on the Euphrates River during the Tribulation, and it will burn up. Self-interest is at the root of this system. Whereas believers have always lived within this system, we have always known that we must not adopt the philosophy that drives it, namely, selfishness. Possession of wealth is not the problem, so much as the arrogant use of it [Sweet, p. 264]. This system has become so much a part of life, that it is hard for us to imagine life without it. Nonetheless, this chapter teaches that it will end, just before or when Jesus Christ returns at His Second Coming, and it will exist no longer. This system began long ago, when people first assembled to make a name for themselves at Babel (Gen. 11:1-9). As Christians, we need to make sure that we are not citizens of this Babylon, by 9 Ibid. 10 Ibid. 5

6 laying up treasure on earth, but truly citizens of heaven, by laying up treasure there (cf. Matt. 6:19-21). This chapter should challenge us to evaluate our financial goals and to repudiate selfish, arrogant living Ibid. 6