Bible Commentaries
Revelation 18

John Brown

Revelation 18

Babylon Has Fallen

Psa_13:2 . . .How long will my enemy be exalted over me? (NKJV) Psa_35:17 Lord, how long will You look on?. . . (NKJV) Psa_74:10 O God, how long will the adversary reproach? Will the enemy blaspheme Your name forever? (NKJV) Rev_6:9-11 When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, until You judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" 11 Then a white robe was given to each of them; and it was said to them that they should rest a little while longer, . . . . (NKJV)

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Our last study was about "BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS. Rev_17:5

1. The "religious " side of Babylon!

2. We saw this seductive mistress lure the world down a path of spiritual infidelity.

a) She allowed a "melting pot" of religious philosophies - as long as nobody worshipped the One and only True Lord and Savior.

b) But, as soon as the power behind her saw the majority of the world in her power, they did away with her and commanded that everyone worship the beast at the penalty of death!

B. Now, this morning, we will study the second personality of Babylon, the commercial Babylon!:

1. The part of the ant-Christian system that gives politics its power = MONEY!

Mat_6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. (NKJV)

II. Rev_18:1-2 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! (NKJV)

A. John sees yet another angel with tremendous power and glory so intense as to light up the entire earth.

1. Remember the city of Babylon was immersed in a cloud of darkness under the judgment of the 5th bowl.

a) But this illumination is more to expose the sin rather than to give them light.

b) And as we said, this announcement is for the final fall of the political Babylon!

2. The picture here is pretty gruesome.

a) You see, satan’s capitol city of Babylon, will be the welling place of not just many demon possessed leaders, these demons will be demon "masters", high up in the chain of command of satan’s armies.

b) They will inhabit the bodies of those human beings that willfully worship the beast.

c) It will be a virtual "who’s who" of that age old army that was kicked out of heaven with lucifer!

III. Rev_18:3 "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." (NKJV)

A. "ALL" is pretty inclusive!

1. Every nation and all the leaders of those nations, will have by this time, committed spiritual adultery with the harlot.

2. Merchants here represent the "movers and the shakers"of our economic system, the buyers and the sellers!

a) Babylon will be the "Wall Street" of the future!

b) Millions will flock there to become rich!

c) The Greek word used here for "abundance" is dunamis which is "dynamite" or power!

(1) There is tremendous power in wealth!

(2) And in most cases, the rich control the politicians who in turn protect their interests.

(a) Jam_5:1-3 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries that are coming upon you!

2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten.

3 Your gold and silver are corroded, and their corrosion will be a witness against you and will eat your flesh like fire. You have heaped up treasure in the last days. (NKJV)

IV. Rev_18:4-5 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. (NKJV)

A. I don’t know about you, but the first question I have is, "what are God’s people doing in Babylon in the first place?

1. Well the Lord has been declaring the same message for centuries, 2Co_6:14-17 Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

15 And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?

16 And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will dwell in them And walk among them. I will be their God, And they shall be My people."

17 Therefore "Come out from among them And be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, And I will receive you." (NKJV)

2. The desire for greater salaries, and the prestige of position will attract many!

3. Many of the "modern thought" Christians will be thrilled to be a part of this new, dynamic, thriving metropolis.

4. Most will no doubt rationalize there presence in the enemy’s camp as an opportunity to "witness" to these poor lost souls!

a) But, the reality is this is just a cover-up for greed and covetousness.

b) The Lord has never told us to "be like the world" to win them. He has always to us to "come out and be separate!"

(1) The Lord in His mercy gives one more warning, "Come out of her for I am about to judge her."

(2) Her sins have reached heaven, her judgment is now!

(a) Could it be that perhaps this morning, the Lord is crying, "Come out!" to some of us?

V. Rev_18:6-8 "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. (NKJV)

A. In all her pomp and glory she will go down doubly hard!

1. She tried with all the power that could be generated to shield and insulate herself from any discomfort, but it didn’t work!

2. It seemed almost overnight that Babylon had risen as the commercial capital of the world.

a) But, the entire city will be consumed with fire in one day!

b) The last phrase, "for strong is the Lord who judges her", gives indication that this is no ordinary fire!

(1) No doubt, Babylon will be fire-proofed, by human standards!

(a) Maybe this is a result of nuclear missiles stored in the city.

(2) But maybe this fire is not started by human hands at all!

VI. Rev_18:9-10 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.' (NKJV)

A. The world will witness (see) the burning, no doubt via satellite.

1. The weeping and lamenting sadly are not out of repentance, but economically motivated!

2. The "movers and the shakers" have lost there source of income!

3. Notice they do all this at a distance, because they don’t want any of what Babylon is getting! But as Dr. Henry Morris says, "Judgment is coming, and they must face the judge."

VII. Rev_18:11-13 "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. (NKJV)

A. Paul told us in 1Ti_6:10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (NKJV)

1. 1Ti_6:9 . . . .those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (NKJV)

a) The great stock market crash won’t hold a candle!

B. There are 28 commodities listed here:

1. The first are the great items of timeless value such as gold, silver, diamonds , and other jewels.

a) The basis of almost all economic systems!

2. Next, 4 kinds of cloth are listed.

a) Representative of all the commerce of clothing done around the world!

3. Third, six of the most sought after materials in world.

a) These are representative of all the building and furnishings, and weapons, and instruments, and appliances, tools and machinery!

4. Next are the luxury items:

a) spices, and perfumes etc.

5. Then to the food groups:

a) Oil, wine, flour and wheat, beasts and sheep.

6. On to labor and transportation:

a) Horses, and chariots, (cars)

7. And lastly the "body and souls of men":

a) The Greek word for slave. is soma meaning body!

b) This is most likely a reference to male and female prostitution that was prolific in Babylon. And brought great riches to those who traded in this business.

(1) After all Babylon is the "mother of prostitution" = harlots!

(2) It is interesting to note that there are 28 categories listed

(a) in the number of completion in scriptures.

(b) And 4 is the number of the whole expanse of the earth such as (North, South, East, and West).

(c) 4x7=28 This list is more than coincidence. It is to symbolize all the world’s treasures! All that men and women live and die for!

VIII. Rev_18:14-19 "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.' (NKJV)

A. It is not just all who made their living off the land but all those merchants of the sea also that grieve at the destruction of this great commercial Babylon!

1. None could believe she was gone!

2. Their remorse is tremendous, but it is not for their spiritual condition!

3. You see they have long since quit listening their conscience (because it got in the way of their pursuits) and it had been seared as by a hot iron 1Ti_4:2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, (NKJV)

4. They had repeatedly refused the convicting power of the Holy Spirit and found that there came a day when He quit striving with them. They had lost even the desire or ability to do righteousness!

a) Zep_1:18 Neither their silver nor their gold Shall be able to deliver them In the day of the LORD's wrath; But the whole land shall be devoured By the fire of His jealousy, For He will make speedy riddance Of all those who dwell in the land. (NKJV)

IX. Rev_18:20 "REJOICE OVER HER, O HEAVEN, AND YOU HOLY APOSTLES AND PROPHETS, FOR GOD HAS AVENGED YOU ON HER!" (NKJV)

A. Again the Lord pauses to give his people hope and remind them of His promises.

1. In this case it is the Apostles and Prophets, who gave their life in the battle with this harlot and her system!

2. Basically HE is saying, "I haven’t forgotten your pain and prayers. This is my timing, and this is the answer to all those prayers!"

a) Then He finishes it up!

X. Rev_18:21-24 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." (NKJV)

A. The figure of a millstone being cast into the sea has been used before!

1. Mat_18:6 But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. (NKJV)

2. The Babylonian system (since time began) had caused millions to offend the Lord and miss their opportunity for Heaven!

3. For that, "with violence", she will be utterly destroyed!

a) All the things that once made her beautiful will be completely destroyed.

(1) The musicians, the great builders, even the sound of commerce.

(2) No joy that weddings bring. There will not even be a trace of light in the city!

(3) She is held accountable not only for all the Apostles, and the Prophets, and all the saints that were killed because of her, but also for every human life that must be judged and killed because of their participation with her!

(4) And you and I know that the fuel behind "HER" is satan!