Revelation 18

Babylon Is Fallen

1 After these things I saw another 1angel 2coming down from heaven, having great authority, and the earth was 3illumined with his glory.
2 And he cried out with a mighty voice, saying, "4Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She 5has become a dwelling place of demons and a prison of every 6unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hateful bird.
3 "For all the nations have drunk of the 7wine of the passion of her immorality, and 8the kings of the earth have committed acts of immorality with her, and the 9merchants of the earth have become rich by the wealth of her 10sensuality."
4 I heard another voice from heaven, saying, "11Come out of her, my people, so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;
5 for her sins have 12piled up as high as heaven, and God has 13remembered her iniquities.
6 "14Pay her back even as she has paid, and give back to her double * according to her deeds; in the 15cup which she has mixed, mix twice as much for her.
7 "16To the degree that she glorified herself and 17lived sensuously, to the same degree give her torment and mourning; for she says in her heart, '18I SIT as A QUEEN AND I AM NOT A WIDOW, and will never see mourning.'
8 "For this reason 19in one day her plagues will come, pestilence and mourning and famine, and she will be 20burned up with fire; for the Lord God who judges her 21is strong.

Lament for Babylon

9 "And 22the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and 23lived sensuously with her, will 24weep and lament over her when they 25see the smoke of her burning,
10 26standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, '27Woe, woe, 28the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in 29one hour your judgment has come.'
11 "And the 30merchants of the earth 31weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more -
12 cargoes of 32gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble,
13 and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and 33human lives.
14 "The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them.
15 "The 34merchants of 35these things, who became rich from her, will 36stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning,
16 saying, '37Woe, woe, 38the great city, she who 39was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls;
17 for in 40one hour such great wealth has been laid 41waste!' And 42every shipmaster and every passenger * * and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, 43stood at a distance,
18 and were 44crying out as they 45saw the smoke of her burning, saying, '46What city is like 47the great city?'
19 "And they threw 48dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, '49Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea 50became rich by her wealth, for in 51one hour she has been laid 52waste!'
20 "53Rejoice over her, O heaven, and you saints and 54apostles and prophets, because 55God has pronounced judgment for you against her."
21 Then a 56strong angel 57took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying, "So will Babylon, 58the great city, be thrown down with violence, and 59will not be found any longer.
22 "And 60the sound of harpists and musicians and flute-players and trumpeters will not be heard in you any longer; and no * * craftsman of any craft will be found in you any longer; and the 61sound of a mill will not be heard in you any longer;
23 and the light of a lamp will not shine in you any longer; and the 62voice of the bridegroom and bride will not be heard in you any longer; for your 63merchants were the great men of the earth, because all the nations were deceived 64by your sorcery.
24 "And in her was found the 65blood of prophets and of saints and of 66all who have been slain on the earth."

Revelation 18 Commentary

Chapter 18

Another angel from heaven proclaims the fall of mystical Babylon. (1-3) A voice from heaven admonishes the people of God, lest they partake of her plagues. (4-8) The lamentations over her. (9-19) The church called upon to rejoice in her utter ruin. (20-24)

Verses 1-8 The downfal and destruction of the mystical Babylon are determined in the counsels of God. Another angel comes from heaven. This seems to be Christ himself, coming to destroy his enemies, and to shed abroad the light of his gospel through all nations. The wickedness of this Babylon was very great; she had forsaken the true God, and set up idols, and had drawn all sorts of men into spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury kept them in her interest. The spiritual merchandise, by which multitudes have wickedly lived in wealth, by the sins and follies of mankind, seems principally intended. Fair warning is given to all that expect mercy from God, that they should not only come out of this Babylon, but assist in her destruction. God may have a people even in Babylon. But God's people shall be called out of Babylon, and called effectually, while those that partake with wicked men in their sins, must receive of their plagues.

Verses 9-19 The mourners had shared Babylon's sensual pleasures, and gained by her wealth and trade. The kings of the earth, whom she flattered into idolatry, allowing them to be tyrannical over their subjects, while obedient to her; and the merchants, those who trafficked for her indulgences, pardons, and honours; these mourn. Babylon's friends partook her sinful pleasures and profits, but are not willing to share her plagues. The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and that sorrow is a mere worldly sorrow; they do not lament for the anger of God, but for the loss of outward comforts. The magnificence and riches of the ungodly will avail them nothing, but will render the vengeance harder to be borne. The spiritual merchandise is here alluded to, when not only slaves, but the souls of men, are mentioned as articles of commerce, to the destroying the souls of millions. Nor has this been peculiar to the Roman antichrist, and only her guilt. But let prosperous traders learn, with all their gains, to get the unsearchable riches of Christ; otherwise; even in this life, they may have to mourn that riches make to themselves wings and fly away, and that all the fruits their souls lusted after, are departed from them. Death, at any rate, will soon end their commerce, and all the riches of the ungodly will be exchanged, not only for the coffin and the worm, but for the fire that cannot be quenched.

Verses 20-24 That which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God on earth, is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. The apostles, who are honoured and daily worshipped at Rome in an idolatrous manner, will rejoice in her fall. The fall of Babylon was an act of God's justice. And because it was a final ruin, this enemy should never molest them any more; of this they were assured by a sign. Let us take warning from the things which brought others to destruction, and let us set our affections on things above, when we consider the changeable nature of earthly things.

Cross References 66

  • 1. Revelation 17:1, 7
  • 2. Revelation 10:1
  • 3. Ezekiel 43:2
  • 4. Isaiah 21:9; Jeremiah 51:8; Revelation 14:8
  • 5. Isaiah 13:21; Isaiah 34:11, 13-15; Jeremiah 50:39; Jeremiah 51:37; Zephaniah 2:14
  • 6. Revelation 16:13
  • 7. Jeremiah 51:7; Revelation 14:8
  • 8. Revelation 17:2; Revelation 18:9
  • 9. Ezekiel 27:9-25; Rev 18:11, 15, 19, 23
  • 10. 1 Timothy 5:11; Revelation 18:7, 9
  • 11. Isaiah 52:11; Jeremiah 50:8; Jeremiah 51:6, 9, 45; 2 Corinthians 6:17
  • 12. Jeremiah 51:9
  • 13. Revelation 16:19
  • 14. Psalms 137:8; Jeremiah 50:15, 29
  • 15. Revelation 17:4
  • 16. Ezekiel 28:2-8
  • 17. 1 Timothy 5:11; Revelation 18:3, 9
  • 18. Isaiah 47:7; Zephaniah 2:15
  • 19. Isaiah 47:9; Jeremiah 50:31; Revelation 18:10
  • 20. Revelation 17:16
  • 21. Jeremiah 50:34; Revelation 11:17
  • 22. Revelation 17:2; Revelation 18:3
  • 23. 1 Timothy 5:11; Revelation 18:3, 7
  • 24. Ezekiel 26:16; Ezekiel 27:35
  • 25. Revelation 14:11; Revelation 18:18; Revelation 19:3
  • 26. Revelation 18:15, 17
  • 27. Revelation 18:16, 19
  • 28. Revelation 11:8; Revelation 16:19; Revelation 18:16, 18, 19, 21
  • 29. Revelation 17:12; Revelation 18:8, 17, 19
  • 30. Ezekiel 27:9-25; Rev 18:3, 15, 19, 23
  • 31. Ezekiel 27:27-34
  • 32. Ezekiel 27:12-22; Revelation 17:4
  • 33. 1 Chronicles 5:21; Ezekiel 27:13; 1 Timothy 1:10
  • 34. Revelation 18:3
  • 35. Revelation 18:12, 13
  • 36. Revelation 18:10
  • 37. Revelation 18:10, 19
  • 38. Rev 18:10, 18, 19, 21
  • 39. Revelation 17:4
  • 40. Revelation 18:10
  • 41. Revelation 17:16; Revelation 18:19
  • 42. Ezekiel 27:28
  • 43. Revelation 18:10
  • 44. Ezekiel 27:30
  • 45. Revelation 18:9
  • 46. Ezekiel 27:32; Revelation 13:4
  • 47. Revelation 18:10
  • 48. Joshua 7:6; Job 2:12; Lamentations 2:10
  • 49. Revelation 18:10
  • 50. Revelation 18:3, 15
  • 51. Revelation 18:10
  • 52. Revelation 17:16; Revelation 18:17
  • 53. Jeremiah 51:48; Revelation 12:12
  • 54. Luke 11:49
  • 55. Revelation 6:10; Revelation 18:6f; Revelation 19:2
  • 56. Revelation 5:2; Revelation 10:1
  • 57. Jeremiah 51:63
  • 58. Revelation 18:10
  • 59. Ezekiel 26:21
  • 60. Isaiah 24:8; Ezekiel 26:13; Matthew 9:23
  • 61. Ecclesiastes 12:4; Jeremiah 25:10
  • 62. Jeremiah 7:34; Jeremiah 16:9
  • 63. Isaiah 23:8; Revelation 6:15; Revelation 18:3
  • 64. Nahum 3:4; Revelation 9:21
  • 65. Revelation 16:6; Revelation 17:6
  • 66. Matthew 23:35

Footnotes 26

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO REVELATION 18

This chapter gives an account of the fall of Babylon, and of the lamentation of many, and of the joy of others, by reason of it; which account is published by several angels: the first that declares her fall is described by his original, descending from heaven; by the great power he had; by his resplendent glory, and by his mighty cry in publishing her destruction; which is illustrated by the desolate condition she will be in upon her fall; the reasons of which are given, became the nations and kings of the earth had committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth were enriched by her luxury, Re 18:1-3. Another voice is heard from heaven, calling upon the people of God, first to come out of her, lest partaking of her sins they should share in her plagues, seeing her iniquities had reached to heaven, and were remembered before God; and next to take full vengeance on her, because she had glorified herself, lived deliciously, and in great security, Re 18:4-7. And then follows a continuation of the account of her destruction, what her plagues would be, death, mourning, famine, and fire; and which would be sudden, in one hour, and certain, from the power and justice of God, Re 18:8. Next follow the lamentations of the kings, merchants, and masters of ships, because of her greatness, riches, and merchandise, which are all come to nothing, Re 18:9-19. And then the church; the saints, apostles, and prophets, are called upon to rejoice at the vengeance taken on her, Re 18:20 upon which a mighty angel appears, who by an action signifies the manner of her destruction, and the irrecoverableness of her state and condition, Re 18:21 and declares her utter ruin, by affirming that nothing that was either delightful or profitable, or necessary or comfortable, should any more be found in her; giving the reasons of it, because of her luxury, idolatry, and bloodshed, Re 18:22-24.

Revelation 18 Commentaries

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