Revelation 18:1

Lament Over Babylon the Great

1 After these [things] I saw another angel descending from heaven, who had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.

Revelation 18:1 Meaning and Commentary

Revelation 18:1

And after these things
The vision of the woman on the scarlet coloured beast, and the interpretation of both by the angel:

I saw another angel;
not the Lord Jesus Christ, though the several things said of this angel agree with him; nor one of the ministering spirits, though the characters of him will also suit with one of them, but rather a minister of the Gospel, or a set of Gospel ministers, who will arise a little before the downfall of Babylon, in the spiritual reign of Christ; though not the same with the angel of fire, ( Revelation 14:18 ) as some have thought, because of his illustrious appearance, and the loudness of his voice; but the same with the angel, or third thundering voice in ( Revelation 14:6 ) for not only the times of both agree, but the selfsame words are expressed by one as by the other; and this angel is distinct from him that showed John the preceding vision, and gave him the interpretation of it, and from all the seven angels that had the vials, and is described as follows: and first by the place from whence he came, John saw him

come down from heaven;
denoting the suddenness of his appearance and cry; he came down at once, and cried out immediately; the subject of his cry, the destruction of Babylon, being what will be at an unawares; and also the commission and authority of the ministers signified by him, who will have their warrant from heaven to say what they will deliver; so that this likewise expresses the truth of their message, since both that and they come from heaven:

having great power;
to do great work, to declare the fall of Babylon the great: or "having great authority"; being sent from the King of kings, in his name, as his ambassador, to proclaim what shortly will come to pass; an event of the greatest importance to the glory of God, the interest of Christ, and the comfort of his people:

and the earth was lightened with his glory;
see ( Ezekiel 43:2 ) by which is meant the glorious Gospel of Christ, the light of which will at this then be very great: these ministers will run to and fro the earth, and knowledge will be increased, and the earth will be filled with it: the Arabic version reads, "with the splendour of his countenance"; and the Ethiopic version, "with the splendour of his countenance, and his glory"; see ( Isaiah 60:1-3 ) .

Revelation 18:1 In-Context

1 After these [things] I saw another angel descending from heaven, who had great authority, and the earth was illuminated by his splendor.

2 And he cried out with a powerful voice, saying, "Fallen, fallen [is] Babylon the great, and it has become a dwelling place of demons and a haunt of every unclean spirit and a haunt of every unclean bird and a haunt of every unclean and detested animal.

3 For all the nations have drunk from the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality, and the kings of the earth have committed sexual immorality with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich from the power of her sensuality."

4 And I heard another voice from heaven saying, "Come out from her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins, and so that you will not receive her plagues,

5 because her sins have reached up to heaven, and God has remembered her crimes.