Revelation Study

Revelation Study — Chapter 18

Revelation 18:1-3 "And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory. 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. 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."

In chapter 17 John has been given information concerning who Babylon the great is. Now he hears another angel retelling the
story, "Babylon is fallen." This statement is still an anachronism. Babylon had not yet fallen but the time had come and immediately
the events in a condensed version are set forth. The description vividly portrays Jerusalem as it was just prior to the final assault
and invasion by the Roman troops. Even though the Roman forces laying siege to the city causes it to be this foul place, Jerusalem
is what it has become because of its long line of spiritual debauchery rather than in humble submission to the Lord who had
delivered them on so many occasions. Now there will be no further delays. "Where the carcase is, there will the eagles
(vultures) be gathered together."

Vss 4-5 "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."

Another voice, perhaps another angel, nevertheless, the voice of God, a heavenly voice. This seems to be indicative of the
warnings of Matthew 24 for God's people to look for the signs, "Watch, therefore." So the signs have come and now God calls on
his people to come out of the approaching destruction. Josephus records that this was done and no Christians perished but fled to
the hills of Peraea beyond Jordan near Pella.

Vss 6-8 "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. 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."

The call is for double the vengeance that she rightly deserves. Why? She, Babylon, Jerusalem, the Jewish nation, stoned the
prophets and killed those who were sent to her under the Old Covenant and now they had also slain the apostles and prophets of
the New Covenant. So their punishment, the vengeance of God, should be double what it ordinarily would have been. All these
things she was guilty of but still she says in her heart, "I have done nothing wrong, I am still the Queen." This was their condition in
the days of Malachi when God sent a drought upon them, a famine of the word of God. They heard no more from God until John
the Baptist was sent from God about 300 years later. Notice Malachi 1:2: "... I have loved you, saith the LORD. Yet ye say,
Wherein hast thou loved us?" Verse 6: "O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy
name?" Verse 7: "Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee?" Verses 13-14
"that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand. 14 Yet ye say, Wherefore?"
Verse 17 "Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him?" (3:7) "Return unto me,
and I will return unto you, saith the LORD of hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?" Verse 8 "Will a man rob God?
Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, Wherein have we robbed thee?" Verse 13: "Your words have been stout against me,
saith the LORD. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee?" Never, at any time, did they see their wrongs and
repent. So it was in these days. Once again, the age-old cry of "Not me, Lord!"

Vss 9-10 "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."

All those who have committed fornication with her will lament her downfall because of what they have gained from her but they
stand afar off, lest they suffer the same judgment she is suffering.

Vss 11-17 "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, 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."

These verses are more specific in regard to the dealings of the Jews with the merchants of the world. These merchants shared in
the riches of trading with the Jews and now one of their major markets was being taken from them. They lamented. Not because
of their emotional feelings or concern for these people but because they could not use them for riches and fornication partners.
Even as the puppet kings would be kings for one hour as they allied themselves with the Jews, these merchants see a treasure
being taken from them in one hour.

Vss 18-19 "... 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."

Some have said that this great city could not be Jerusalem because she was not a seaport and these verses rather suggest that the
great city would be a seaport. This is just one other avenue through which the Jews made others rich. Notice what Josephus says
in regard to this avenue. Now Josephus was not commenting on this verse of scripture, he was not a commentator of Revelation,
he was just a historian relating the things that he actually sees. He is contemporary with these happenings. He says, "Nor indeed is
Judea destitute of such delights as come from the sea since its maritime places extend as far as Ptolemais: it was parted into
eleven portions, of which the royal city Jerusalem was the supreme, and presided over all neighboring country, as the head over
the body." Those who enriched themselves by sea commerce would also lament the death of one of their sources of wealth.

Vs 20 "Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her."

It was time for rejoicing for those who had been mistreated. God has promised vengeance concerning ill-treatment of his people.
They had mistreated everyone that was sent to her. His vengeance was complete and these heaven dwelling beings rejoiced. We
are told about the same thing in the New Testament: "Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto
wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord" (Romans 12:19).

Vss 21-24 "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."

Destruction of that great city, Jerusalem (Babylon) is to be complete. No more will these things be done in her. Palestine,
Jerusalem, has been rebuilt as a city belonging to men. The Zionist movement began in the late 1900's with a view to rebuilding
Palestine and Jerusalem. May 14, 1948 Israel was given a national charter by the United Nations, so some might say that this
prophecy was untrue.

This prophecy pertains to Jerusalem as the holy city of God, the city of David. That city can never be rebuilt because its very
existence as the holy city was destroyed. The holy city must be build on the foundation of the Old Covenant with its tribal divisions,
the Levitical priesthood and the temple service. The ark with the covenant written by God's hand in stone, the rod of Aaron which
authorized the priesthood and the golden pot of manna that indicated that God was with them, was all gone. All genealogical
records were destroyed. Never again will there be a Jerusalem of God. It was utterly destroyed. The last part of vs 23, introduced
by the word "for," and vs 24 tells of further reasons why Jerusalem was destroyed. The word "for" means "because."